Hi all,

I'm currently based in Singapore and am looking to transfer back to Europe. I have the possibility of transferring either to London or Zurich. I am actually a dual Swiss British national and grew up in Geneva so I speak French but my German is quite bad and I have not lived in Switzerland for over 10 years. As I lived in London prior to Singapore, I'm rather tempted by Zurich even though i don't speak the language.

I'm a single 34 year old woman so the dating scene is quite important to me but i'm also looking to settle somewhere permanently.

Any views/advice would be much appreciated!

from what you write it is either Geneva or London while Zürich may be an interesting alternative

Unfortunately, Geneva is not an option for me as the company I work for has no offices there!

As it is a Swiss forum, I think people will tend to say Zürich then. It really depends on whether you prefer a big city life like in London or otherwise. Zürich, for me, is just reasonably big with easier and better transport possibilities.

As for dating scene, well, statistically London has for sure more singles and many people complain about social life in Switzerland in general. Having said that, one can feel very lonely in a huge city like London too....

And your readiness to learn a new language German is also something to be considered. If you don't bother, then go to London.

34 and single I think you need a world class City, not a backwater. London all the way unless you want to major in the outdoor scene.

How long did you live in London previously and how did you find it overall?

How long have you been in Singapore and what's the "dating scene" like there for you?

You say the "dating scene is quite important" to you. Well, there are those who say there isn't one in Zurich. Period...

I think that depends solely on the individual. There are no absolutes in this regard and I wouldn't base your decision to come to Zurich - or not - as the case may be, solely or largely on that.

You've nothing to lose by giving Zurich a go as regards broadening your life experiences and having an opportunity to pick up on your German again, thereby adding to your language skills.

If you love the outdoors and are sporty, then Switzerland is hands down a great place for this and which, depending on the sport(s) of choice, offers plenty of opportunities to meet potential dating partners.

If endless variety, choice, diversity etc in just about everything (including dating) and the opportunities this affords is of greater importance to you, then go for London, assuming you liked and enjoyed your time there previously.

__________________
" The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible. " ~ Arthur C Clarke

In this case, come over to Zürich. London has no lake, and no mountains visible behind the lake

No mountains, but there is a lake

http://www.walklondon.com/london-att...serpentine.htm

What is more important to you? outdoors and nature, or a social life? You will make far more friends in London, while you'll be lucky to make any at all in Zurich.

As for dating, well you're lucky you're a woman, so dating is pretty easy for you anywhere, but if you want guys handed to you on a silver platter then its London. In Switzerland even as as woman you may actually have to put in some effort as Swiss guys rarely approach women. In London as a woman you'll be approached left right and center.

I know that lake, and even went there swimming once (in the late 1990ies) but compared it with the Katzensee

LOL! Yeah, in London they flock to your feet everywhere you go!

It's just as well then that not all the guys in Swiss are Swiss besides which, that assumes the OP is hetero!

Thanks guys…the dating scene in Singapore is awful for western women which is one of the reasons that I want to relocate to Europe…most Western women are not into Asian guys…(and Asian guys are not into Western women)!

I had heard good things about Zurich and I thought it might be a better quality of life but if the dating scene is non existent then I might opt for London. I'd honestly prefer to return to Zurich for lifestyle reasons and to be close to my family but from my experience of working alongside Swiss (and German) men and from what I have read on online forums Swiss men don't seem to approach women so it seems that London is a better option for dating. My experience of living in London is that the quality of life is not as great as Switzerland but it's a real lively city although I do not have experience of living there as a single person.

I do love the outdoors though!! I am an attractive woman (I look after my appearance and I'm slim and feminine)…could anyone provide me with more details on why the dating/social scene in Zurich is so bad?

Cheers

Out of interest, when where you in London last?

I just know I was gone for 6 years and it changed, a LOT. You do know there aren't so many Brits there right now. I mean you may find it easier in London with English than your German but English isn't the first language of most.

There are some fab aspects of London (not the weather) but did want to throw that out there.

And for dating in London, it's not so fab either. Unless you're the drinking type, I'm not so didn't enjoy it

So I was in London from 2004 to 2008 and then moved out of London and moved to Singapore in 2010. I worked in Holborn and lived in Hammersmith and Fulham when I was in London. I was in a relationship at the time so not familiar with the London singles scene. I'm not into heavy drinking but love Brits for their awesome sense of humor but then I do find Swiss men to be sincere and friendly when you get to know them; it's just that Swiss men don't approach women. As I said I'm rather tempted by Zurich but am worried about the lack of social/dating life (what is online dating like in Switzerland?) and my lack of German/Swiss German...

I left London in 2007 and was just back for a year, it's changed a lot. My son asked me why no one spoke english, good question ay?

There are things I miss but I think it's a different place than where I grew up and knew. The rents are crazy, to buy? forget it. Want to open a bank account? May take a while. I have never dated Swiss germans so I don't know how that goes, but I know that the work atmosphere in London is long hours and not a lot of free time for much more. Live to work isn't it called?

You can scope out the dating sites, not sure if I am allowed to link to them but maybe you know a few already?

well you can eliminate 25 % of the Zürich males because they are homo's.
Well life in London can be alot of fun. I stayed for a year there when I was 24. But I found that I was somehow "swallowed up "by the size of the city and to get out of it was like fresh air again. With Zürich the mountains are always in view and nature is more predominant.

Well if you are friendly and open then it does not matter which city you live in. You will always meet people.

Good reason for that. Asian women are more feminine, and more likely to look after a man and treat him better. This is why you see so many western guys with Asian women. On the flip side most western women don't like Asian guys cause they find them too short, and know that Asian men are used to being looked after by Asian women. Most western women simply cannot compete with Asian women these days. A lot of western women no longer posses basic home making skills such as cooking, cleaning, Etc.

Did it ever occur to you to approach men yourself? Why make men do all the work? You could always move to Zurich and approach men, most of them would gladly say yes.

However one thing working against you is your age. You are past your prime years for a woman and you'll probably even have to make an effort, possibly even by approaching guys yourself (oh no, equality!). Most guys do prefer women in their 20's regardless of how old the guy is. Even guys in their 40's will choose a woman in her 20's over a 34 year old woman every time. And rightly so, men had it worse in their 20's when women were going after older men as they have more money. You had your time in your 20's, now your peak is over and its the men's turn to have their pick of the litter with younger women.

I disagree. Almost anywhere is easier to make friends than Switzerland, even if you're friendly. London will be infinitely easier than Zurich for making friends. No contest.

London property prices have risen 50% in my area in past 6 years. Property prices go up and down, at the moment they are at a peak.

Should you move to London would you be looking for a flatshare, as would seem more social to me. If you are interested in on-line dating sites, then you have flatmates as a back up when you meet up with someone in a public area.

The important thing about living in London is see where your office would be based and look at direct commuting. Commuting is awful, but what helps is to have a direct route, i.e. no tube/train change and other possibility of traveling when things go wrong as they always do at sometime. Some tube/train change are OK is easy, some have massive walk between.

You could look at London then study German & then move to Zurich.

However you may prefer Switzerland if you very much like the outdoor life, Ski-ing etc & it is a much safer country IMO.

1.5 hours sometimes to go less than a mile on the bus, it amazed me to no end how long it could take to get places.