OK, besides the obvious thing - food! - the first couple of years, I missed the Asian way of doing business: creating a good long-term business relationship by offering incentives for repeat business. So much so, one feels like recommending the products or services to friends and relatives. A discount at the right time does let the customer go away feeling happy and appreciated.

It has its merits, I guess, but the Swiss way of doing business is rather rigid. Or a small business might try to squeeze every Franc out of you before you leave the shop or their service. That's the feeling I got at the beginning. Now I guess I'm used to it and have adjusted my mindset accordingly.

What is your experience?

• Well the easy going style of the people.
• Shops in my city are open till 11 O clock
• Bazaars or small markets where you haggle for everything
• Hearing my own language all the time
• things are much cheaper over there and there is so much variety

Well, you are here in the centre of Central Europe (together with Austria and Hungary) and hardly can expect EastAsian behaviours or methods or mentality. Just as you do not expect European behaviours and methods in places like Ulan-Bataar or Vientiane.

Indulging in "Poondi" or "Chanay Bazi" without being takes as Creeps or Stalkers by the locals ...

Did I say 'expect' anywhere? I'm asking what Asians miss. Why do you often take posts in this anal way?




Dervaish, I fear to ask what those words mean but I can guess by the way you went in the dating thread.

I mainly miss the relaxed shopping on sundays.Also in my place,the shops will be open atleast till 10 P.M.I really found it very hard in the beginning to accustom to.I actually should say that I miss shopping in general because the moment i see the price tags here,I dont feel like buying them only

You are justified in your "fear" and your guess would probably be right

"Chanay Bazi" is a Karachi thing and "Poondi' is hows its called in Lahore.

I would let you investigate what they are, surely it would bring a smile on any Pakistani's face, when you would ask that question... Its our pride and unofficial National Sport...

not sure what you mean by easy going.


Agree entirely


God, you miss that? I hate that.


Boring


With salary proportionally or even disproportionally higher, things are more affordable here. I don't know which product category you are referring to, but in food and sport goods there is far far greater range of products available in CH.

So, basically the only thing I miss is buying groceries late evening or on weekends.

Oh, I'm sure the women in your country at the receiving end of it will think 'Creep' or 'Stalker' - in their own language.

As a non-Asian who lived in Asia for a while I really miss the relaxed eating rules. Everything on the table is fair game, nothing "belongs" to someone, you can try whatever you feel like, order more, stop eating, continue eating whenever you feel like it. Not 100 different spoons and cutlery for social distinction and table manners to show off your upbringing, just the fun of eating.
And I miss the easy smiles to grease social interaction.

What do I miss.... I miss the entire Asian feel... the smells, the sounds and the people....

Only if She doesnt like the guy...

Otherwise its often a thing of pride, like a girl would proudly tell her freinds.. "There are 3 guys who wait on the road side every morning to catch a glimpse of me on my way to college"

The other would say.. "Well thats nothing, yesterday 2 guys from the neighbourhood actually fought with each other over me"

Another can say "I got 5 brothers so no guy would dare even look at me"

Ooopppsss... am I giving too much "inside info" out?




P.S. I do understand its not a good thing and often is a cause of Annoyance to a lot of women.

-when i first came here it was the shop opening times (now i am used to it somewhat) but what i wouldn't give for a place like mustafas sometimes...
-i know you said aside fm food, but helloo...msian here ...so mamak stalls, pasar malam etc... (& since i lived in HK, dim sum...)
-i miss having a chinatown (the closest i get here is to fly to london..)
-i missed airconditioning for the first few summers - now when i go back, i find it hard to sleep with the ac on...but on days like today - i'd kill for one!
-i miss the spontaneity of meeting with friends - people calling at 10pm to have "siu yah" (midnight snacks/drinks) as opposed to checking 2 weeks in advance...
-i miss celebrating chinese new year (with firecrackers & all the family visits& the redpackets!)
-and lastly i miss speaking cantonese! (along with keeping up with cantopop)

if i think of more, will re-post...but good thread argus

Except that most of the time, if you should dare to stop eating, some matronly 'auntie' will say to you, "Eat, eat, eat! Don't stop! You're too skinny!" and squeeze your cheeks (I mean those on your face).

How very true ! But sorry if I seem to only show the negative side, I think this is the reason why half the Indians above 30 have had a brush with obesity related diseases. The Swiss eat early and healthy, so seem skinny and fit even in seventies...

And oh, that reminds me, I miss ogling at Indian women dressed in Western outfits despite their err...figures not exactly well-suited for short skirts

As a non-Asian who worked and lived in different parts of Asia for a long time, I would split the Asian countries in two.
1- Countries such as Japan, Korea and maybe Singapore have a lot of similarities with Europe (life style, cleanness etc).
2- Countries such as Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, China are a bit different. What I miss is basically in the #2 catagories. I miss food, night shopping (patpong in BKK), kindness of locals, cheap stuff, climate etc.

On a serious note though... I miss:

- "Doodh Patti" (very milky tea) with a Cardamom

- Very spicy, greasy, can-even-kill-you-if-you-eat-a-lot, "Nihari" on Summer evening, which can make you feel like sitting in a Sauna, making your sweat drip in your own plate, topped with sliced Ginger and Green Chillies.

- Having a cold "Lassi" afterwards just to help your stomach cool off

- Playing Ball games, anywhere and anytime and then doing a "disappearing act" when you smash someones window.

- Playing Cricket on the roadside, dodging traffic.

- Sticking Cellotape on people's Doorbells when the power is out, to give them a nasty surprise when it comes back on.

- Stealing Mangoes and Guavas from someone's front garden and being chased off by the owners.

- "Kite Fighting" Competitions.

- Having a Big Boom of Power Grid going off in the middle of the afternoon, coz some Plum reinforced his Kite Thread with a copper wire and it hit the overhead Power Lines.

- Having a National Holiday when it rains.

- Playing Cricket with a "Tape Ball" when it rains.

- Pushing people from one end of the Row during prayers in a Mosque making them fall on top of each other (I know its bad )

- Laid back "dont give a Flying Monkey" about anything kind of attitude and being able to crack jokes and "take the p*** " anywhere, anytime.

- Being able to walk straight into a friends house, uninvited, even into his bedroom if hes sleeping.

- Throwing Balloons filled with water on passers by from your balcony.

- Throwing Eggs at people while driving around.

- Trying not to laugh, when caught playing a mischief and getting verbally abused.

- Asking friend to be a "Watchman" while planning a date, being a Watchman on a friends date

- Being able to knock on anyone's door, if you need a drink of water.

- Making fun of Mullahs and Policemen.

- Carrying shopping of a neighbourhood "Aunty'

- Random "sermons' and "Advises" of anyone older than you.

- Trying not to be the One left behind to pay the bill, when eating out with friends.

... to be continued ...

On my first trip here I had lunch with Swiss colleagues - I proposed ordering a few different pizzas and sharing them - there was a bit of a silence before they agreed...

yeah, calling friends up and shouting "mamak" and meeting at favourite street stall for roti or mee goreng.

Although I have spent next to no time in any given Asian country, I miss the colours and the humidity.
Great thread Argus!