Why does white have to be on the list. The list is applicable for white people from Oxford - which is what we all are I'd hope, or if not at least pretend you are.

Oxford... bloody scrubber

I've said this before....

After living in Switzerland for 8 months, I've made far more friends here than I did in the last two years living in Godalming and Datchet. Without exception, my Swiss friends have said that they wish Swiss people were more outgoing, and they don't realise how friendly they are compared with certain areas of the UK.

I just find your post by searching "grocery-shopping", but I am very impressed by your analysis, very interesting

I wonder if OP has cracked one yet- it was in 2012

thats just about it Jack of all Trades. You got the Swiss right!

lol. My Swiss family doctor once told me that a huge percentage of people in Switzerland are on anti-depressants due to stress, including teenagers.

I have a funny little story about Swiss behavior. A few World Cups ago, my husband and I were at a restaurant where the game was being shown on a television. The game was between Switzerland and a country in Africa (can't remember which one). So the camera panned over the African fans in the stadium, and they were all cheering and dressed silly and super excited and clearly having such a great time. I said to my husband: "Watch, they'll show the Swiss crowd and they'll all just be sitting there expressionless." And lo and behold... that is EXACTLY what happened! The camera panned over the Swiss fans and they were literally all just sitting there, completely expressionless and unmoving, as though they were in a business meeting or something. It was bizarre.

Togo, 2006 in Dortmund.

Btw. I learned that it is pretty easy to crack a coconut. Just take it and smash it a few times on a hard ground, always turning it a little bit. This will losen the flesh and also at one point it will simply crack. One can also use a hammer. How suitable this method is for Swiss people is left for science. However, one should know that you neither kiss a frog but actually throw them to the wall:
Der Froschkönig oder der eiserne Heinrich, as written down by the Brothers Grimm.

You do know that neither Zurich or Geneva are 'Swiss' - don't you

I'm not sure if that's directed toward me, but my Swiss husband has told me that there is a very strong German influence here in the Zurich area (which of course, makes perfect sense and seems rather obvious). I'm not sure what it's like on the French side... in terms of how much it differs, culturally.

But if someone is born in Zurich or Geneva as were their parents and grandparents, etc., what are they if not "Swiss?"

One doesn't always need a hammer.

I was interested to read this resurrected thread. We just accept the fact the Swiss are naturally reserved, but we don't let it bother us and we have managed to make friends with Swiss here via my husband's job. However, with most of the couples we know, one partner is not Swiss so perhaps this makes them more open (same with German couples we know). Pre covid we'd be invited for parties, dinners and BBQs and we entertained people in return so it's such a shame how this past year has turned out.


OH knows a British guy whose wife doesn't like going out beyond going to work because she claims Swiss people stare at her on the trams. I couldn't get to grips with that as she'd worked in London so would have had people staring at her on the tube (and in my 20 years of using the tube it was often assorted weirdos doing the staring ).

I guess maybe you get out what you put in, being Scottish I'm pretty open and friendly as it's just how we are and OH is a very easy going Londoner.

I joined an ex-pat club as a diversion, but decided not to renew my membership as I really felt out of my comfort zone. It seemed on the one hand they wanted people to join but on the other it was as if newbies weren't particularly welcomed by those who'd been members for some time; the conversation was very dry towards newcomers at the aperos. It just made me decide I'd rather be on my own as with other ex-pats and I'd rather continue being a member of the local Treffpunkt as the people who run it and the locals who volunteer are so welcoming and nice despite our rubbish German

What I noticed at the meetings, besides that "dryness towards newcomers", is that you can always, always find at least one lost soul like yourself if you look closely. I wouldn't totally dismiss them, but of course those run by the locals, who are confident enough and don't have to prove anything anymore, are a lot nicer. I agree. And I usually felt bad when people complimented my German because I knew it's not even half as good as it could have been. Still working on that.

Coming from New England, I feel totally at home among the Swiss.

Tom

Same coming from CZ. Although Swiss aren't Czech enough in their discretion, tone-downess, dry humor and poker-faceness

We also do not block the escalators entries/exits but not enough shoppers at the moment, can't tell anymore.

I have lived in few countries and Swiss are no better or worse.

On the surface people might appear different with their peculiar national traits but if you scratch the surface then all humans are very similar, just dumb monkeys

I am from the canton of Geneva and I have been living in the canton of Zurich for some years. I just saw the latest survey from InterNations about how expats see Switzerland, and I regret that many of you have issues to integrate to our country. So I thought I could help you by giving you the following four advice, good luck!

1. Learn the language: That sounds logical, but I can't stress it enough. The most important key to our heart is to learn the national language of your canton. Even if we are a plurilingual country, most of us won't talk to you in English on a regular basis. If you live in the German speaking part, you need to understand Swiss German if you want to connect to people. So consider investing in a language class.

2. Understand us: Due to our history, our geography, and our federalism, we have a strong identity, and we feel very special in relation to our neighboring countries. One key to our heart is to understand and consider that while connecting to us. Consider studying the history, the geography, the culture, the politics, etc... of Switzerland and its cantons. If you know facts about our country, if you can discuss about the next votations etc..., and above all in our language, then we will be glad to talk to you.

3. Take time: We Swiss people are by nature skeptical and we take time for everything. In fact, we don't create new friendships easily. The truth is, we see friendship as an emotional investment, and we want to be sure that the investment is worth it. This is kind of a problem for you expats because we think that you are staying here for a short period of time and then leave. And I think the fact that 25% of our population doesn't have the Swiss passport does not make things easier for you. So while connecting with us, give us long time perspectives and take time to build the relationship.

4. Control your tongue: Do you know what's the hugest turn off for Swiss people? Most foreigners don't notice that they are making it, but it's when you start criticizing everything or everybody. For instance coworkers, your boss, a friend in common, or even our country. Please stop that. We Swiss people are introvert and we keep things for ourselves. So unless you know the person very well (yeah we can be bitching between close friends), keep your tongue in your mouth and pay care of what you say and how you say it. We will appreciate you for that.

5. The Swiss are also perfectionists and have long memories when it comes to grudges. Emotion comes hard for them and failure leaves many to commit suicide. One needs a thick armour when dealing with some of these Swiss.

And you are who exactly?

It's polite to go to the introductions thread first and introduce yourself before engaging in a monologue.

I think that's polite in most cultures.

Welcome to our international community. You will find some Swiss here too.