Someone asked about my job. the best way to describe what I do is that I am a glorified mechanic. I take engines and tweak them using various means to produce ungodly horsepower. Also i tweak engine mangement systems to produce high mpg without damage, while preserving drivability. boring, aint it? If you want your Golf to do 0-60 in 4 sec, I'm your man.
thanks, m

Actually longer - we've even got a burial thread going on at the moment!

Bring the hat, the belt, jeans and the boots - I have a feeling the girls are just going to love you!

Remember the Alamo! and Welcome

Welcome there bud, you'll find the summers a bit more pleasant here than in Houston (or Ouston as the locals say). Used to live in Conroe TX myself a while back. I think I could fit my whole Zurich apt. in my Conroe living room....

I was worried about that... the living space i mean. I guess I can ditch the king bed and the 8' couch? I think I can fit if I just think small...
I'm sure I can make the space work. To quote the great Jeremy Clarkson: "how hard can it be?" I am having trouble thinking in square meters though.

Welcome, Tex. Tennessee, here, and I love Switzerland. I'll take European beer over American beer any day, especially the beer made in Salzburg by the monks. It's the best I've ever had in my life, and I have the dreams to prove it....multiple times. I don't drink beer in Lausanne too often, but you can find pretty much anything you're looking for....if you're willing to cough up the francs. There are some killer wines here, and if beers your thing, you won't be disappointed....except at the pump, as we like to say.

We are "ruint" in the U.S., as we expect stores to be open 24/7, so get ready for a drastic change, but it's not such a bad thing. You adjust, and if you're like me, you start thinking, "do I really need this BP medicine now?" I will suggest bringing a good stock of either ibuprofen or some other OTC painkiller. With all the beauty that surrounds us, I can't stop jerking my head from side to side trying to see everything. End of day....my neck feels like whiplash!

I packed a bunch of stuff to bring over, as in one suitcase looked like a pharmacy convenience store, and the other was used for clothing. I'm glad I did that, as I have a hefty supply of all things "back home". Welcome again, and drop a line to say hello when you get settled in. As for the boots, bring 'em, wear 'em. If someone targets you as an easy target, you can always knock 'em upside the head with that belt buckle!

I thought no-one was going to answer the most important question, about beer. I'll echo what the last poster said, not a big fan of yank bud myself, but the Belgium and German lagers, on the other hand...just don't bother with the english pubs here, they ain't like back home. And the stout ain't so great, either, although its drinkable in a few places, Paddy O'reillys and Oliver Twist for example. Man, you won't be hard to miss, that size and in that outfit, looking forward to spotting you in the crowd, it'll be like Drugstore Cowboy...not too much like it, obviously, I mean...I'll shut up now, or better still, change the subject. Still, on the Texan theme...

Gotta tell ya, 'Texan' is now a slang word for stupid with kids on the street in GB now, after good ol' George W. If you can make my golf do 0-60 in 4 seconds, it obviously don't apply to you

Happy hunting hombre

Square meters are easy- 1 square meter is 10 square feet. Plus a few inches, but darn close.

Don't worry about the beer (it's crap here)- this is the birthplace of Absinthe!

I predict some funny stories will come from this one.... Don't forget to share your experiences as you transition from Texas to Switzerland!

Looking forward to the laugh.

HOWDY TEX brother,

There are lots of people from Texas here. I am from San Antonio. came here in 07'- finnally finding my way here now.

Im living in Neuchatel, and working in Geneva. Funny but i came here, not really with a skill other then a mechanic- nothing spechalized like you- basic wrench turner. i ended up working for a bank after being here for 3 mo, been here ever since.

about the suisse, dude, just be Texas. If''n they got a problem, tell them.
I have found blantent honesty- and a whole lotts texas attitide will take you a long way.

Here I have found the poeple are "scared" about attention on them, most are VERY non confrontational- any "TUFF guys" or "duches" you may run into are are all hot air bro. show them some texas and your good to go.
people here will like to test you, show them they cant. I think you'll generally have a great time here-stomp around like GODZILLIA (like I do)

learn french- or Krout if your going that way. if you know spanish you can get by some, poeple here generally speak like 2 or more languages.

OH dude youll love AUG/SEPT - DUDE! its there FESTIA- its like the riverwalk with absent! Whole towns of drunken fun. youll find Generaly they start around mid to end of aug- go to all of them - youll learn a lot- here establishing contacts is important - this site helps a lot-

check it out, there even buffalo here!

SLOWLEY our plan of a swiss texas is comming to bear fruit.

LOL

WELCOME to SWITZERLAND

The cattle here are different!



In the west of Switzerland are some unique cows that enjoy fighting each other,
you can hear the Alphorn at beginning and end of the film,

http://www.valais.ch/en/Wallis-Cultu...sVS-34124.html

the final competion this year begins 9 am on Sunday 3rd October at the Roman Ampitheatre at Martigny in Valais,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cow_fighting
http://www.martigny.com/martigny/swi...stivities.html

They do it in Oz too, even yesterday in the city when it was about 29C!

Cool, thanks for the info... I don't know about the absinthe though; it might be a little too freaky standing in a new strange place watching the walls breathe...I'll stick to beer.