Attitude?
I think its more frustration on the OP's part. I've lived in Bern previously and I lasted 3 months and thankfully moved to Zurich before I snatched a gun off the military men and started shooting everyone in sight. Probably the most boring capital in the world and nothing to do with the natives.
OP, I find that "Mein Deutsch ist nicht gut, langsam bitte" is the most useful phrase ever. Its less combative than an outright "Sprechen Sie Englisch?!"
Better yet, if you can say the Swiss German equivalent (I dont know how to type it on here). I usually apologise and say it, and find doors magically open with people being much more friendly. Some even switch to English automatically.
Having said that, the best thing for you to do now is to go for German lessons whether you like it or not. You'll find life much easier once the language is on the way. The Swiss arent like the Dutch (sorry Dutchies), they love it when you try and I've yet to meet one who has laughed at or tried to correct my pathetic attempts at speaking German.
Hang in there.
I really think I am lucky then cause the nicest people to me are older people, of course I try to talk a bit of German and when they do not understand they either say it is ok or switch to English. Only once was I asked why did I not speak it properly and asked how long I was here, when I said 7 months they apologized
There are people who've been here for years who have rich and varied social lives and never speak a word of German.
If it's true that Canadians are nicer to non-Canadians, that cen't be the reason. There are a lot of non-Swiss in Switerzland (about 25%).
Hey can u get me a job ....
Ive only been here 9days but have already started with the German at the good old Migro school Hope to get somewhere with it..
well im from Toronto may be i can only talk for the people that live there at least that's how we should be in Toronto
still I've always heard about french Canadians ! we had a presentation about that in school and i know what you mean but i don't deny that and i never say they are the greatest and if anyone has a problem with them she should work on her attitude !
i dont think learning German for 6 months will get me anywhere i cant work with it ,i cant study with it and im not going to live here long enough to be able to use the language. and about the politeness since i don't speak the language i just smile at everyone even if they talk German to me for hrs i might come home and complain but i still smile !
"understated me" that's some typo.......come on its not that bad here, give it some time.
OP sounds just like LIB....I think he signed on with a different UID...
Well, like most of us following a partner it IS difficult..
I have moved from London and now live in a small village, it was and still is a slight shock to the system to say the least, but u do have to embrace the change of life. I have started my German course and even started an online one which is quite helpful... The link is http://www.dw-world.de/deutschinteraktiv . it is free and should help you with the basics...
Sure the elders may be unwelcoming, I would just say no matter what people do or how they treat u try to remember its totally up to you how u let it effect you.. Stay positive and try a little German, if nothing just put on a German accent you'll be surprised how many words are simular. hehe
Hey they have cheap arse Mondays for movies, and some show English with German sub's!
Hope it cools down sometimes a bad day makes your whole time seem bad..
But hey the spring is here now!!!
Compassion is a two-way street.
Sure there is difficult people here but those exist EVERYWHERE. and its just a simple fact that atitudes are contagious. I have my good days and my bad days but GENERALLY the way I approach people has a direct influence on how I am treated.
Maybe I just feel a little offended for the sake of Switzerland. I also wish I had a chance to be bored here, as I can hardly find the time to do all the things I want and need to do here. (The only reason I can even be on this forum so muchis thanks to my job.....if I didn't have to be here to earn money I'd be out and about)
What is true however is that living here costs money and without a job, there is considerably less to do. The suggestion of taking German lessons is great, understandably finding a job with no German skill is hard (You will hardly find a job in Canada without knowing English or French). After that, finding work isn't all too difficult unless you have really high standards or working toward a specific goal. I still get texts from adecco almost weekly for waitressing jobs that ussually last anywhere from 8-13 hours with 25chf/h. I never take them because I have a real job now, but if I was poor and bored again I would.
...oh, the pansy is back.
hahaha
at least somebody knows what im talking about ! well thank you
that made me smile
You sound like a typical Torontonian who has never been north of Eglinton.
It will get you:
out of the house; the confidence to deal with people you meet out and about; the pleasure of challenging yourself to do something new - and doing it. You never know when even a rudimentary knowledge of a foreign language will come in useful in the future.
I once found myself using my (some might say trivial) knowledge of the names of the days of the week in Persian to break up a playground fight at a school at which I worked.
I suspect six months of German will do even more good than my seven words of Persian!
Dear OP, do an online course. Teaching English as a Foreign Language, etc. Pick up a foreign language on livemocha.com - it's free for the first four courses.
Develop your photography skills, etc, that don't require language skills.
Make use of the library at the university or in your community.
It's funny 'coz there were a couple of Swiss supermarket employees who insisted on using English when I tried to practise my awful German when speaking to them.
If a Swiss were to go live in Canada and refuse to speak even a few words in English, I'm sure he/she would be looked at in a strange way, too. It's spring - give that attitude a thorough spring-cleaning. Good luck!
Sounds like a Freudian slip.
Not the same thing, German is spoken in one country and half spoken in two half-countries. English is the global language. Not speaking German is a sign of not being German, not speaking English is a sign of a poor education.
babysitting being a waitress or a hostess or anything like that would be nice for the summer i just don't want to work as a cleaning lady i hope thats not high standards !
Try COOP. I never liked those Migros staff. Bunch of cowboys if you ask me!
Saying that I've found the vast majority of people here to be very polite and nice. A bit of the local language is definitely appreciated, and can either lead to them finding a good English speaker or you both having a good laugh at the failed conversation you might have.
How good a time you have in Switzerland is purely down to you and nobody else. You aren't going to get a fantastic time handed to you on a plate.