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16.08.2011, 12:45
|  | Newbie | | Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Dubai UAE
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| | Re: Things that you like and dislike in Switzerland...
Hmmm...reading all the posts..I wish I could see Switzerland and all its beauty someday... | This user would like to thank mariekrislet for this useful post: | | 
16.08.2011, 12:50
|  | Member | | Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Zug
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| | Re: Things that you like and dislike in Switzerland... | Quote: | |  | | | Why is that??? Is ridiculously obvious | | | | | It's ridiculously obvious? Not to me.. Please enlighten me as to why? Never experienced anything like it before..
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16.08.2011, 13:07
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: May 2011 Location: Uster
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| | Re: Things that you like and dislike in Switzerland... | Quote: | |  | | | It's ridiculously obvious? Not to me.. Please enlighten me as to why? Never experienced anything like it before.. | | | | | Perhaps I have two heads then, as I experience it on every outing. The longing stare from people who are in cars and swive to miss the kurb or when you go into a local restaurant and everyone stops talking (you can hear a feather drop) and looks directly at you...just like in the movies.
You've never experienced that?
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16.08.2011, 13:39
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Lugano
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| | Re: Things that you like and dislike in Switzerland... | Quote: | |  | | | Perhaps I have two heads then, as I experience it on every outing. The longing stare from people who are in cars and swive to miss the kurb or when you go into a local restaurant and everyone stops talking (you can hear a feather drop) and looks directly at you...just like in the movies.
You've never experienced that? | | | | | Nope, never notice it.
Tom
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16.08.2011, 13:41
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Town or region
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| | Re: Things that you like and dislike in Switzerland... | Quote: | |  | | | Hmmm...reading all the posts..I wish I could see Switzerland and all its beauty someday... | | | | | It's not all gold that shines. | The following 2 users would like to thank lost_inbroad for this useful post: | | 
16.08.2011, 13:45
| | Re: Things that you like and dislike in Switzerland... | Quote: | |  | | | Perhaps I have two heads then, as I experience it on every outing. The longing stare from people who are in cars and swive to miss the kurb or when you go into a local restaurant and everyone stops talking (you can hear a feather drop) and looks directly at you...just like in the movies.
You've never experienced that? | | | | | It must be your cute dog. Or your drop-dead good looks, sistah. | 
16.08.2011, 13:45
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: May 2011 Location: Uster
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| | Re: Things that you like and dislike in Switzerland... | Quote: | |  | | | Nope, never notice it.
Tom | | | | | Ok going to get a complex now.... | 
16.08.2011, 14:14
|  | Junior Member | | Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Ost Schweiz
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| | Re: Things that you like and dislike in Switzerland... The good
- Working, reliable, public transportation, which doesn't make you regret spending a fortune for it
- The value given (at least in principle) to honesty and hard work. Might then not always apply in practice, but it's still refreshing. Also people's impeccable treatment of other people's / public goods and places.
- The nature! And seeing the cows munching on grass while going to work everyday - man, even they have quite a comfy life!
- Buying eggs, milk and veggies from the farm outside of town, cycling to the supermarket for the rest, and enjoying a downsized, slower life.
- Smart solutions for a lot of annoying little issues, such as getting a book which your library doesn't have or getting around when you forget your halbtax or GA. Speedy and reliable bureaucracy. The bad
- The weeks in which it never seems to stop raining.
- Frustrating supermarkets - little choice, high prices
- The fact that even with two salaries, dining out or even getting takeaways becomes a rare treat for couples  I love cooking, but sampling restaurants once a week or so used to be so relaxing - now it's a real luxury, especially in the cities. Also, the quality is normally far lower than one'd expect for the price.
- A certain small-country mentality, which is sometimes a bit irritating. But it's the other side of the medal, really.
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16.08.2011, 14:16
|  | Member | | Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Zug
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| | Re: Things that you like and dislike in Switzerland... | Quote: | |  | | | Perhaps I have two heads then, as I experience it on every outing. The longing stare from people who are in cars and swive to miss the kurb or when you go into a local restaurant and everyone stops talking (you can hear a feather drop) and looks directly at you...just like in the movies.
You've never experienced that? | | | | |
Oh I can def relate.. people have stopped eating their food in restaurants in Zug to stare at me.. One would think i am the ONLY person of 'Colour' they ever saw in their lives... Either its that or my striking beauty that stops them in their tracks..
Last edited by Nadia77; 16.08.2011 at 14:17.
Reason: spelling error
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16.08.2011, 14:22
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Washington, DC
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| | Re: Things that you like and dislike in Switzerland... | Quote: | |  | | | Perhaps I have two heads then, as I experience it on every outing. The longing stare from people who are in cars and swive to miss the kurb or when you go into a local restaurant and everyone stops talking (you can hear a feather drop) and looks directly at you...just like in the movies.
You've never experienced that? | | | | | You are not alone in that. They do stare. If I was green or purple, I would understand. But I'm not, and I don't. I have gotten used to it though. Now I even stare back. Especially if it's a hot guy.
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16.08.2011, 14:46
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: England
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| | Re: Things that you like and dislike in Switzerland... | Quote: | |  | | | Perhaps I have two heads then, as I experience it on every outing. The longing stare from people who are in cars and swive to miss the kurb or when you go into a local restaurant and everyone stops talking (you can hear a feather drop) and looks directly at you...just like in the movies.
You've never experienced that? | | | | | I read somewhere that up to three seconds is 'people watching' and quite acceptable. Any longer is staring. | 
16.08.2011, 14:58
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: May 2011 Location: Uster
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| | Re: Things that you like and dislike in Switzerland...
Ha ha no....I went to a very local restaurant the other week called Poo Alp....Yes Poo Alp.
When I walked through the door with my two Swiss family members the circular table in the corner full of famers just stopped mid flow, some with mouths open, and stared until we were seated lol.
Then my partner's father (Swiss local) explained that the circular table in the corner is where all the locals hangs out in restaurants. I must have foreign written on my head or its my fair English rose complexion lol
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16.08.2011, 15:01
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Town or region
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| | Re: Things that you like and dislike in Switzerland... | Quote: | |  | | | Ha ha no....I went to a very local restaurant the other week called Poo Alp....Yes Poo Alp.
When I walked through the door with my two Swiss family members the circular table in the corner full of famers just stopped mid flow, some with mouths open, and stared until we were seated lol.
Then my partner's father (Swiss local) explained that the circular table in the corner is where all the locals hangs out in restaurants. I must have foreign written on my head or its my fair English rose complexion lol | | | | | Well, if your avatar is really you sitting next to a nice looking lady, then I can imagine why they would stare. | This user would like to thank lost_inbroad for this useful post: | | 
16.08.2011, 15:57
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: May 2011 Location: Uster
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| | Re: Things that you like and dislike in Switzerland... | Quote: | |  | | | Well, if your avatar is really you sitting next to a nice looking lady, then I can imagine why they would stare.  | | | | | Woof....yeah I take her everywhere....now I get it | The following 2 users would like to thank darkhorsedrea for this useful post: | | 
16.08.2011, 16:24
| Junior Member | | Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Oerlikon
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| | Re: Things that you like and dislike in Switzerland... | Quote: | |  | | | What do you love there and makes you think that life is good and what makes you think "life is not paradise at all"? I am thinking of moving there someday and I am just making a research to that.
Please post your opinion based on your daily life experiences in CH. Do not bother with political opinions? | | | | | Great question! Thanks for posting this...
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16.08.2011, 16:34
| Member | | Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Winterthur
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| | Re: Things that you like and dislike in Switzerland... Like: Relative quiet, central location, low tax, some well defined systems
Dislike: Judgmental strangers, 20 years lag, inability of locals to show initiative or consider alternatives
AYB
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16.08.2011, 16:44
| Junior Member | | Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Oerlikon
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| | Re: Things that you like and dislike in Switzerland... | Quote: | |  | | | Like:
The Alps / skiing / walking in the mountains
The beautiful clean lakes
Stunning scenery
clean water and air
excellent public transportation
beautiful old towns and architecture (not including anything built in the last 50 years)
clean environment, well maintained
lots of holidays (as compared to the USA)
proximity to France, Italy, Austria, Germany
fusion of German, French and Italian cultures
relatively low crime rate
good public school systems, occupational schools, free Uni for those who qualify
fantastic cheese, bread, produce, salads, fruit
bike lanes
green grass, abundant flowers
excellent healthcare system, hospitals
generous social benefits
direct democracy (vs. indirect democracy in the USA where a crook like Bush can win without the popular vote)
high quality meat
well maintained infrastructure (roads, bridges, tunnels, ferry lines, libraries, public services)
all the beautiful gardens and flowerboxes
clean public toilets (though increasingly you have to pay for it)
Dislikes:
Cold,boring people (20 years long and the neighbors say nothing more than Grueze)
Lack of spontaneity
Dorky sense of humour
Distrust of foreigners (like me)
Quarky dialects that you can never learn unless you grew up here
lousy service in restaurants
ridiculously expensive prices for everything
Cigarette smoke EVERYWHERE
Street corner cigarette vending machines (WTF??)
Rigid protocol for all social interaction
Close minded society
Everyone worried that others are having a better time than they are
Inability to make small talk with strangers
Rude drivers
Any building constructed in the past 50 years
Lack of anyone who has done anything really significant (no Mozart, Dali, Rembrandt, Picasso, etc...why has Switzerland not produced any world class artists?)
No decent ethnic food: Indian, Chinese, Mexican, Thai, you name it YOU CANNOT FIND IT HERE no matter what you pay
Bank secrecy (what honest country can keep this up as in institution for decades?)
Swiss women who have nothing to say about anything
Radar cameras everywhere
Swiss people who are happy to hear about your life story, and tell you NOTHING about their lives in return
So, I am not sure which wins, positives or negatives. I guess the positives do, as I am still here! | | | | |
Thank you. This is very helpful!
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18.08.2011, 10:41
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Züri Unterland
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| | Re: Things that you like and dislike in Switzerland... Like:
The outdoor sports/scenery is downright unbeatable
Amazing network of trails
Fountains
Bells (Cow, Sheep, Church, etc..)
Stores being closed on Sunday
Regional specialties (Capuns!)
Farmer's Markets everywhere, widespread availability of farm fresh eggs, meat, milk, vegetables, etc.
Work/Life balance (generous vacation in comparison with the US)
my job and salary compared with the US
great variety of culture/language within Switzerland
proximity to other parts of Europe
good friends, both international and local
large amount of child friendly activites
Swiss alpine club hut network
The continued existence of butcher shops and bakeries
quality of public education/cost of continued education
safety/organization
bike friendliness Dislike:
Smokers
Being expected to buy bottled water when the tap water is great
Traffic
Tailgating
Population Density
Schizophrenic Car/Public Transport policy (SBB is too damn expensive)
"misery loves company" expats
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