My name is Toni and I've just finished my Physics Bachelor in Barcelona. This September I'll move to Zurich, to study the physics master in the ETH.
I have just joined this forum, as I have seen there is a lot of activity and a lot of interesting information, it would be great getting to know people studying at the ETH and other people from Zurich!
I have some specific doubts, although I have read quite a lot from similar threads.
1) First and most important is about housing. Although ETH offers some rooms for international students, most people have to find a room by themselves, and I will probably have to do so. People usually talk about coming a month before the beginning of lectures. Is it easy to contact landlords and others in a weekend of August? Is it really essential or would it be OK coming two weeks before? (first days of September) And what is usually a better deal, a place near the ETH Hönggerberg, or a place near the center of the city from which I can easily take public transport? I wouldn't like to live far from the city life.
2) I have a basic standard German level (B1, although not really fluent), how easy will it be getting to understand the Zurich dialect? I have no problems with English, and I've read it's easy to live in Zurich only with it, but I wouldn't like that the fact of speaking English and not German could block me some opportunities (housing, meeting people, speaking with teachers...)
I will probably have more doubts in the next months, but this is basically what worries me at the moment. Thank you!