That said, Swiss women have gained a certain degree of emancipation since the 1970s; when most women didn’t have a job and if they did they only worked part-time. Back then, women made up no more than a third of the workforce, however, today, this figure is 46%. Indeed, some expats report that Swiss women can come across as unapproachable and reserved.

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Switzerland also has affordablepublic transportand well-planned infrastructure. The villages up on the Gold Coast’s ridge are in the Pfannenstiel region, and those on the Silver Coast are in the Albiskette region. They don’t necessarily have a view of the lake, but their proximity to the international schools and the city make them popular.

So let’s get started with the 10 things you need to know about being an expat in Switzerland. Switzerland certainly offers a veryhigh quality of life. But, expats living in Switzerland also find that there are some downsides. The incredibly high cost of living is one, though it is somewhat alleviated by higher salaries. Generally, expats find they pay far more for housing, childcare, and day-to-day expenses than they do back home. In addition, the reserved, formal culture – at work and in personal relations – can be difficult to get used to.

After a short stint living in Meilen on the shore of lake Zürich Mr T and I have now taken up residence in Brugg, a small town between Basel, Bern and Zürich. And otherwise breezing through life as a single, working mother; vegetarian, smartassical caregiver; American expat; and all-around swell girl. American expat living in Switzerland with her French husband, Franco-American children and Swiss cat. Follows the Life of an English Expat in Switzerland. Swisswife writes about coping with being a serial expat and also places to visit, things to do and eating out when travelling with her husband on his business trips around the world.

Student accommodation in Zurich

You don’t know whom you may share interests or hobbies with until you talk with people. I come from a medium-sized city in South Italy where everyone knows everyone. It was February when I first moved here in 2015, and it was also the first time I saw the snow. That is something that mountains, rivers or lakes cannot replace, unfortunately. Attend our monthly events and activities for Zurich expatriates to get to know like-minded expatriates in real life.

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Whether they live in Amsterdam or Jeddah, InterNations allows you to be close to them even if they are miles away. Zurich is one of the most family-friendly cities in the world with an abundance of green spaces, outdoor activities and an excellent education system. There are also bilingual private schools offering instruction in German and French or English, but these come at a cost. One of the biggest challenges expats will face is finding somewhere to live. There’s a shortage of accommodation in Zurich, so prices and competition for quality rentals are stiff. Tenants will also have to pay utilities and council taxes on rubbish disposal, which can equal around 10 percent of an expat’s salary.

The Swiss government recognized same-sex unions in 2007. The average age of a mother giving birth for the first time is also continuing to rise and now stands at 30.9 years. On average, women choose to have 1.47 children, so families remain fairly small. Switzerland can be very progressive in terms of its attitudes towards having and http://www.hookupranking.org raising children. However, once couples have established a family, men and women are no longer on an equal playing field when it comes to their roles in the home. Interestingly, many dating forums bemoan the lack of flirting from Swiss men, who in return report that it’s partly the result of being rejected by so many Swiss women.

In my hometown, almost everything is open round-the-clock, and you barely hear any languages other than Italian. In Switzerland, I still struggle with the opening hours of shops and restaurants. I always feel stressed thinking that I have to hurry on weekends.

Secondary school students often need to travel some distance, so access to public transport is important. Different gestures like kissing or holding hands can also bring confusion to a single expat who thinks lip locking and walking hand in hand is strictly reserved to a lover, not friends. However, young Eastern European girls, for example, are accustomed to showing such friendly affection towards each other, without being gay. They will not extend the courtesy to other people than their best friend, as it is only reserved to those they are closest to at a certain age and not a sexual thing.

Also the last thing I struggle with as a Turkish guy is the food. Switzerland is amazing in many different aspects, but the cuisine is not one of them in my opinion. Like most expats, my first problem here was finding housing which turned out to be quite a task. But after a few weeks of struggling I managed to find a place.

It was a great way to meet other expats and Swiss people and bond with them. I didn’t experience culture shock, but it took me a while to build my own social life. In fact, he is an experienced alpinist and climber and most of his friends are too. However, I have started hiking which is good for the body and the mind.

Switzerland is notoriously expensive, and expats generally spend far more on housing, education, healthcare, anddaily necessitiesthan they do at home. Many expats also report feeling frustrated withSwiss culture, which can be overly reserved, polite, and traditional. Expats sometimes find themselves living in a bubble.