Depends where the "Expat" comes from... People usually carry their "luggage" everywhere they go.

In response to "why is it that..." simply answer
"I dunno. Why is it that clueless American tourists, like your good selves, feel the need to complain about these things as loudly as possible in a language that everybody understands"

To kind of echo NBP, you could make that your opening line with your tourists and say, "One of the amazing things about Switzerland is the language talent of the population, it is unusual to find anyone who doesn't understand at least basic English..."

That should make them think twice before opening their respective cake-holes.

I've been in CH for over 20 years and didn't even know I was an expat until 10 years ago.

Did you get your memory back or something?

Ha! I'm not that old. The term "expat" has really become popular in the last ten years. Before that, we were "auslanders".

A lot of the Australian ex-pats in London are bar stewards and some of them were arrogant, but now, since we won the Ashes, I'd imagine that many of them are a little more humble.

We'll know we've arrived when we're called Migrants.

Ironic this........... and I was just about to post a thread asking whether forum members feel that most Swiss are arrogant. You know...... in Switzerland, we do it this way........ or .......... when we were in Australia I saw a chap trying to cut a tomato completely the wrong way...... [I kid you not]! And all this marvellous Buendnerfleisch - hasn't been near Kt. GR, 80% of it apparently comes from Argentina.

Nup, even though I am an Aussie, I am still an arrogant barsteward.

I guess it is only a matter of context.

when living back home, wheter is Peru, Ghana, England or India, there are so many things you don't like, and you can b!tch and moan about, but it is just that. facts of life.

Then they come here and as allways life is not all rose colored, but they they start b!tching and moaning, but now blaming the locals ( what they couldn't do at home). Now is the swiss this, the swiss that etc.

There is then an split, them against us, and the defensive barsteward behaviour starts.

But this bad attitudes are also it is perceived by "them" and then they adopt their own defensive arschholleish behaviour.

Then "us" see that as xenophonia, but in fact it is quite understanable, after all this is their country isn't it ?

And "me" who is not from "us" nor "them" as I am not british nor swiss, can see this from a third point of view.

I have allways been an admirer of the British culture, because of history, clothing, music, tradition etc.

But here, I am often astonished about how whinging, closed minded, unnecesary sarcastic and aggresive can the brits be.

It is rather incredible, they moan and complain about anything immaginable.

some complain about the swiss excesive cleanliness, order and silence, others moan about the noise, lack of order on queues and streets and even about the dirty swiss cheese.

und so weiter.

I wasn't aware that there is a wrong way to cut a tomato Please explain.

For those awkward "Swedish" mixups:
- "Oh, really? Where? What kind of sign? Could you find it again? I've got a former colleague in Sweden*, I'd love to send her a picture of it next time I write to her. She'll be tickled pink to hear the language has been spotted that far afield."

- "Really? Are you sure it wasn't Norwegian? The two can look a bit similar if you don't know either one, and I know there's a large Norwegian enclave up in Opfikon... they come down here for the winter sunshine, poor things. But then I suppose Swedes might come for the same reason, mightn't they? That's what I like about Switzerland, so accommodating to foreigners and all their different languages."

Act suitably embarrassed yourself when the misunderstanding is revealed. This will save face for your guests. (For more advanced cases, the exchange of insistent apologies can actually be productive, as it will serve to fix the distinction in their minds.)

* Do remember to say "in Sweden" though. If by some accident your colleague is only revealed to be "in Stockholm", your guests are likely to innocently propose a day trip there, and either you or the station agent will have to explain why they cannot use their Halbtax.

Especially posts like this I guess. Bah humbug! Oh no, I'd almost forgotten about that disgusting dirty swiss cheese. Actually, it was English cheddar that the dirty bitch was handling, but never mind!

was? People are arrogant whether they are expats or not. Unless barstewardness comes with your Visa??

I think Zurich has a huge number of Elite expats and maybe arrogance comes with Elite and not with expat bit.

People are people whereever they go...

I think you will find arrogant people everywhere. I would say some Expats are and some are not. I guess we can all be arrogant sometimes without knowing it. This can come from misunderstanding and lack of cultural difference awareness.

I wonder if we expats are a self-selecting group of malcontents which is why wed left our home country in the first place in search of greener pastures

Next question, why are people with huge binoculars so often obsessed with watching birds?

After the first "why is it that all Swiss..." Just casually mention that there is a Swiss law against asking 3 stupid questions in a row in public, using English as a medium of communication.. When the shocked omniscient visitor responds with 'Are you serious???' Just mention.. 'Strike 2'.
I think they'll get the point..

That's it. BINGO!!!

Def not, woman are super hot here and wear tight jeans to show off their healthy butts reared on mountain cheese.

They just won't talk to me.