We have recently moved to Switzerland and so when our 14 year old son comes home for school holidays he doesn't have any friends to meet up with.
When we lived in Singapore there was a Boarding School Group where parents of children who went to boarding school would arrange a social event at the beginning of each major school holiday for their kids to meet up. After these events the kids would build their own network of friends.
Is there any such thing here? If not would anyone be interested? Probably too late now for the Easter holidays?
I would contact the international schools in Zug or even in Zurich and ask about holiday programs available, or even if they have/know where you can get info on (I am assuming...oops) English speaking school holiday activites. As International School holidays are not always the same as local school holidays, you will also have to check which programs coincide with your son's school holidays.
Without trying to be flippant (after all, I am a boarding school product also), how about not limiting your son's scope to just other boarding school attendees.
It would probably be far more healthy to get him in to a few clubs / sports clubs out here - if you tell us his interests, i'm sure there's a few people who will be able to make suggestions.
No doubt there's plenty of forummers with kids that sort of age too.
Boarding school is not very popular here. And there are some wonderful English speaking day schools.... He could make lots of friends here.
I would like to contradict. Boarding schools are popular and there are very many good and expensive ones in Switzerland. My son goes to a boarding school in Switzerland too.
I don't think your post is flipant. But the point with the Boarding School Group is most of the kids are in the same position. They come home for the holidays to stay with their parents and because they go to school elsewhere they have no friends in the locallity.
However if there are other kids that would like to meet up with our son whilst he is here thats great. He is into computer games (sadly) but also cycling, target shooting and is always willing to try something new.
We have thought about international school here but at this stage have decided against it primarily because:-
1) He wants to stay where he is
2) He has had too many changes recently India (Bombay), Singapore, India (Chennai), Singapore, India (Delhi) and UK. So a bit of stability will be good for him and we don't know how long we will end up in Switzerland yet.
On the other side of the coin it would be good to have him at home all the time and it would be somewhat cheaper!
Even being a day kid at a boarding school, I had that problem. Most of my friends were boarders. The best thing I did was do a few summer camps. They do exist here, but the ones I know about are for German speakers.
You certainly may contradict, nevertheless having gone to boarding school, I really beg to differ Boarding school is awful