Let me first say that after university, I moved here for my first job and have been here for almost 2 years. I'm a 26-year old male and employed in the banking field. To sum things up, Switzerland didn't really live up to my full expectations. Aside from the good money I earned, and perhaps the nice natural scenery, I cannot say that I saw any other positives here.

The social life is practically dead in Zurich. People I got to know are ok, but the partying here is really not that good. Whenever I had family visitors come to Switzerland, they all asked me "Why are people here so quiet? Why are they anti-social (cold personalities)? Why do they seem all stressed out?" I really didn't have an answer. it's just the way the society is here, I told them. I got used to it, but after a couple of months, it really got to me, and I started taking Friday evening trips after work, to East Europe and spending weekends there, going out and having a lot more fun. I really didn't care the tickets cost me over 500CHF and I spent at least another 500CHF there for a night out. It was worth it, because in Zurich, for a 20-30 year old non-swiss male, it feels like a prison.

So now, I decided that as of early '09, I will be elacing Switzerland. Switzerland is a good place to raise a family due to low crime, good infrastructure and nature. Other than this, I cannot say anything else positive. This letter is not to offend anyone, but to share my experience....and I will leave with what one friend from Vienna told me "You know Vienna's colossal main cemeterym has more than 2.5 million graves, but it is that much more fun than Zurich." Now I realize he was correct.

All the best in your next choice of country of residence, Ivan. Good luck.

Thanks. Maybe you could share your experience living in Switzerland...

Shame shame. Im sorry it didn't work out for you. You obviously just didn't meet the right people.
Best wishes.
peace.

Earned decent money, learned from experts. Careerwise it was a success, but I realized there are other things in life.

Have you considered that maybe your expectations were too high?

Zurich is never really going to compare to Uni which is a haven for several 1000s of young party animals (oh those halcyon days!)

Your post is rather weird because it seems like you have assumed you are coming to have a party every weekend in Zurich. And I would not judge the Swiss people this way - it might sound insulting. why attributing "tags" to a whole community (or a nation in your case) ? I despise prejudices.

I tried to avoid being politically correct. This is what I disliked while I lived in the USA. People try to appeal to everyone. I shared my experience/opinion and did write that my letter was not intended to offend others. It's just my experience/opinion and I believe in true democracies, we should all have free opinions.

Sorry you did not like your time here, the first few years where also hard for me, but i stuck it out and now love living here. Before you leave why not to along to an event or meet up from this forum, and have some fun in Zurich.

Goodluck with where ever you go next.

So where are you going?

I'm also leaving here for 2 years. Got the same impression too. But now I think I'm getting used to it.

Favouring Moscow, Vienna or Prague.

oh well, different places suit different people. i have enjoyed it a lot to live in zurich so far. maybe my hopes and expectations are different from yours.

This is because people from Vienna are fascinated by death and they're famous for that. They even have a museum dedicated to it!

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bestattungsmuseum_Wien

I think that makes a lot of sense. At the end of the day, you cannot put a price tag on happiness. I hope you find contentment.

Money isn't everything. Come to think of it neither is a brilliant career nor snowboarding... Switzerland isn't for everybody and a lot depends on the time you are at in your own life. Good luck wherever you decide to go. There is a big exciting world out there!

Yeah, it grows on you. I think after you get used to things, become more competent with the language, and having good friends, it's great.

a mixed side of the coin, well I first moved to Switzerland in my early twentys I lived just outside of Zurich at the time at just loved Switzerland but do to certain circumstances after two years ended up leaving.

Well now I have been back for about 8months (I am now in my late 20s) and I still like Switzerland, but I do have to say I feel extremely overworked here now, and the passion I use to have for Zurich is gone. But I'm still trying to make the best of it and hang on for a little while longer.

You are not alone in your perceptions and i developed similar feelings when i moved to Basel as a single male four years ago. The first year was especially tough since everyone was working late, language barrier, shops closing early, ghost-town feel on the weekend, and not much socialising amongst collegues. However, after i started hanging out with a fun, active, expat crowd on a regular basis things improved vastly.

I do still feel a bit like a "stranger in a strange land" and suppose this will never fade unless i somehow become fully integrated into swiss culture/life. I believe this will take many years and have certainly found other countries i have lived in around the world a lot easier to assimilate into.

good luck to you - the world is your oyster!

by 26 i was thinking the same and would have never made it to zurich as i have chosen cities to live in by the nightlife they offer(ed). coming from berlin, spending much time in london i know what a party scene is about and zurich is defo not that hot spot. but you have decent night clubs with good music here, you need to know where to go to. i dont need to socialise with people when i am out for a dance. i want to live the sound pumping through the speakers. ever tried "hive" or "zukunft"? i also have seen squats here, been to illegal/underground parties...simply i had my ear on the grape vine, i know people that are on the scene telling me stuff...so i say you have been at the wrong places, i guess.

but good luck with moscow or prague...or vienna, which is an lovely place.
(party scene has changed pretty much there...flex became kindergarten and alte meierei is dead... other clubs...party-folks are barely legal...so... i think variety in vienna clubwise is less interesting compared with zurich...)