EastEnders, former EF-member #1655, has left the building after 15 years of voluntary service to the Expat community on this Forum.

It was the right decision and the right time to go.

I won't come back not as EE2 nor under any other name.

I am an old-fashioned person of principles and do follow them to stay true to myself, regardless if this concerns such decisions as leaving EF or not condoning behaviour such as not accepting evil gossip/backstabbing et al and being outspoken about it.

Sometimes it is best to close a door and let the past, and some people in it, lie where it belongs. You never know, other doors may now open for me and new adventures beckon.

I joined in 2006 when there was like a pioneer spirit going and at the beginning there were not many native Swiss here to help. It was a good time, full of a positive and constructive energy. It was a good place to be and be a part of.

Back then loads of real-life meetings took place, with BBQ's, parties, coffee mornings, 'mums and tots' meetings and what not. Perhaps we 'Oldies' of the forum, have had more respect for each other because we also knew the people in real life.

Many friendships were formed, some of the friendships from those days lasted for me all this time up to now and hopefully will last, until I take my last breath in the far away future.

I do hope, that I might have been able to help a few of you with my posts over those years; per chance even may have solved some problems or offered solutions to problems, flattened some hurdles that seemed too high for some.

Perhaps I was even able to entertain y'all, or make some of you laugh out loud, then I have reached my goals and can be happy in the knowledge to have left a positive mark on EF.

Sadly, over the past years EF wasn't much of a good place to be a part of anymore. The tone amongst posters grew really disrespectful, incredibly angry at times, open attacks were ridden against other members. For me it was the Swiss/Switzerland bashing that hurt the most.

Due to this, my ignore list on this forum grew longer and longer….



However, I do hold no grudges at all. I will try to keep the good memories (and the good EF people) in my life and forget the bad and other stuff asap.

Wishing you all the best for your individual lives I bid you farewell



Cheerio, for the last time



EE



Those who wish to stay in contact, can always seek me out on Mr. Zuckerberg's network 😉

I do miss number of guys that posted here - I never bothered until recently however EF been good place to see options of expats living in CH.

Good luck & good night EastEnders

ps. I need to discover that "ignore" option somewhere in the settings

There is also learning from we all should take

"Sadly, over the past years EF wasn't much of a good place to be a part of anymore. The tone amongst posters grew really disrespectful, incredibly angry at times, open attacks were ridden against other members. For me it was the Swiss/Switzerland bashing that hurt the most."

It's not American/UK forum so anglos-culture is not seen anymore and I pitty that as among few things - being polite , factual , careful and respectful is what helps in every discussion and credited to our - US/UK language and culture - on this forum.

and let's not to forget dark UK sense of humour ...

I hope she'll reconsider.

What? EE left a message with you fatmanfilms to post rather than doing it themselves?

Shame to see another oldtimer decide to leave.

Ok, I have no idea what is going on.

Some of the in my opinion more negative, rude and disrespectful users are from the UK and the US. And that’s not news but was the same in 2007 when I joined.

Ok, so someone called EastEnders is leaving? The opening post is from EastEnders and not Fatman?

Yes. EE has been an extremely helpful person. I am sorry she felt she had to leave.

I don't think making judgements based on people's origins is really helpful, shall we say.

Im sorry about EE too.

Unless they are Canadian of course.

Each next time someone leaves - and there has been a long and significant exodus - there seems to have been an incident which tipped the balance for them, a final straw, after their having witnessed a lot of nastiness (to themselves or to others) beforehand.

I wonder whether the people who post those rude, overly critical, unkind or attacking posts, or send such PMs, get a sort of evil thrill out of each next round of hurt, or whether it is possible that they don't even have the minimal empathy it would take to know when their sharp words can sting.

Whatever the reasons anyone may have to feel tempted to post in a hostile manner, I wish those folk would keep their finger off "send" and, instead, go out and do something constructive until they've managed to calm down or to gather up their self-discipline. That would go a long way towards the nastiness just stopping.

Here's wishing you well, EastEnders! I'm sorry you're leaving, and thank you for many helpful posts through the years.

EE had already self deleted, I asked her if she wanted me to post something for her.

Fatmanfilms flouncefacilitator. Say that five times fast!

The b&*tch is, I don't do FB and its cliques. So can't reach her and see her wonderful food photos. Didn't she have a website? Blog?

Looks like...

At first I thought that Fatmanfilms had a clone named EastEnders which he decided to delete.

The forum has changed, it used to be like going to the pub on Friday night, to have a laugh with your friends. Now it's become a children's playground with groups ganging up behind your back, plus the odd teachers pet who can get away with anything.

Reminds me of the shared washing room in rented flats in CH, rather than somewhere to go for pleasure.

Perhaps this is opening a can of worms. But since I‘m seeing the names of some presumably male posters here who usually seem reasonable, except when applauding locker-room humour: can I ask you guys at least not to give thanks to posts that target women for no better reason than their anatomy, and often using that anatomy? „Lying Muschi“ for Ursula van der Leyen in an EU thread made me want to puke. That post was thanked at least three times.

In case you think I‘m a snowflake: I find that sort of thing deeply disturbing because I spent my formative years in hospitals and they were pretty sexist environments back when I started out. (Heck, they were like that far more recently, as Natalie Urwyler‘s highly publicised story showed. Word of honour: such goings-on were normal.) Calling guys out on such posts does not seem to be the done thing here. I wish it was. It might lead to a change for the better. Of course one can decide to brush it off as adolescent posturing. Even so, what good does it do? I have a pet theory that such behaviour online indicates that adolescence itself has been dead and gone for at least half a century.

Alas, she is an evil german politician, that she is a woman is irrelevant to me, that she is a Lying Nazi is the real problem!

Tom

Hmmm....

I’m an oldie who’s had the pleasure of meeting a few wonderful people on this forum. Sadly, most of them are no longer on EF for whatever reason. Those who remain continue to be helpful but the need to meet up has diminished. The wit that was wildly entertaining has subsided into more information sharing with a dash of emotional support when needed.

I’m not sure why EE left, but it must have been personal and I hope any nasty posters were reported and banned. As much as I miss the afore mentioned pub atmosphere, I’m ok that EF has primarily become an information exchange. It still reflects the spirit of its creation and mission. Make no mistake, there were bullies 15 years ago and there are bullies still today. It’s up to us, and not just the mods, to maintain respect on this board and to keep it positive and supportive.

Thank you, EE, for all your support and help on this board. I hope you’ll reconsider your decision but whatever you decide, take care and all the best.

__________________
Faith isn't about everything turning out okay. Faith is about being okay no matter how things turn out.