Newbie Survival Guide

Daily Life, Swiss News and General Topics
41
Hi Tom. It's true that it is possible on occasion, but I haven't found this to be the general norm here in Neuchatel, and certainly not to the extent that email is used in North America. I'm not saying it's a bad thing either, just a difference that takes some getting used to, especially when you are learning the language and trying to muster up the courage to make a phone call.

42
I've lived in 2 different flats and in none them there was even space for a bidet ( but there was a big bath tub instead of a compact shower). So I guess I have a radar for small (incomplete ) bathrooms

43
wow...

so I should add:

If you leave the religion field blank, the officier will ask you to complete it, and if you ask why he will say that' s required, without mentioning taxes at all

44
For all those who have chosen to live by a lovely Lake- late autumn and winter may well bring you lots of fog, which can be very depressing. Do remember that most days, taking a train, cable-car or car up to the nearby mountains usually results in a wonderful day in the sun, with blue skies (although not today, it is snowing and misty up here).

45
Nope ma belle, that happens only from Yverdon to Neuch (which is why I returned to the Lac Léman).

We don't get the fog here.

I've just spent a few weeks walking along the lake, taking in the Fall during lunch break, and it was just amazingly beautiful

Tis true though, that you do have Chaumont

Not a bright idea under any circumstances

But even more so now as the law has changed and fines are hefty. If you had the wrong ticket in the past, you'd pay a supplement, now it's considered a misdemeanor.

46
Switzerland pretends to run like clockwork, and time keeping is VERY important here. A Swiss person will always try to arrive ten minutes early for an appointment, and if it is really important, they will leave an hour earlier than necessary, just to be sure of meeting at the appointed time. There is NO excuse for being late.

However, when visiting privately it is best to arrive a few minutes late, so as not to apply pressure to your hostess.

If someone gives you something, maybe an object or some good advice, it is customary to buy them a small present; flowers, chocolates, expensive biscuits, wine; for a value of 5 to 20 Francs.

If you are going to a house for dinner, take something other than wine. The host will choose the wine to match the meal, and turning up with one bottle of red could present a difficulty, and it is usually thanked for and then put down in the cellar. Take flowers and chocolates or "Patisserie" or maybe phone several days before hand and ask if you can bring a salad or a dessert.

Always use the Sie or vous form when addressing people. They will tell you when you can use the informal Du or tu forms. If you use the "Friendly" Du or tu form without "permission", the person will feel you are impertinent, and not friendly at all.

Customer protection is very poor here. In certain cases you can opt out, but not if you sign on the company's premises or at an exhibition stand. You can't expect broken things to be exchanged or replaced here, they have to be repaired, and this might take weeks.

Be aware that food labelled "Fresh" can actually be sold de-frosted, and thus should not be frozen again!

NEVER sign ANYTHING unless you understand every word in the contract. Likewise do not agree to anything verbally! Always ask to take a copy away for study before signing it. Be aware that the fine print on the back of an application form, is also part of the front page document! Also be aware that 12 month service contracts have a habit of automatically renewing themselves. It is in the fine print, but you almost always need to give notice to stop a service, sometimes 2 months notice is required before the end of a 12 month contract.

Be aware that the German dialect speaking eastern part of Switzerland has great difficulty understanding the French speaking western side (And vice-versa). There is indeed a *Rösti" division, the border runs roughly from Biel-Bienne to Fribourg-Freiburg to Sierre. If the streets have French / German names, then they probably speak French / German there.

47
Migros do a new style of Speck which is called Bratspeck and comes pretty close to streaky bacon. I haven't road tested it yet, but was delighted the last few days to just have it in my fridge :-)

Also a quick word on tipping. It took us a great deal of time to understand the system (lonely planet does not mention the subject at all). So after some polling amongst our Swiss friends, we realised why waiters and waitresses were so friendly to us when leaving our 'normal' 10% Irish tip.

In Switzerland, you round up the bill - if it is CHF 18 you round it up a frank or two to CHF20. Likewise, if the bill comes to CHF 155, you round up to CHF157, CHF160 if you want to be really nice... It still feels kinda weird, but that, it seems, is what the locals do.

48
The reason for that is that service is included by law in the bill.

49
Also, in German speaking areas, be aware that when someone arranges to meet you at half nine, they almost certainly mean 8:30. Check by asking if they mean "eight thirty ".

50
That's because we do not live in the land of the fakery, we live where most people will politely say hello to you without over the top annoyance, goes for pretty much every country in the world except the US of Fake.

Otherwise a great thread.

51
Try dealing with the Chinese sometime. Politeness and respect are taken to a level that can be incomprehensible to my western mind.

52

In addition to that bleach and other harsh chemicals are corrosive and considered dangerous goods you are not supposed to take on airplanes.

By the way, bleach is awailable here. We call it Javelwasser.

53
What you mean is, "I just happened to find Bratspeck at Migros, a bacon variety that has been around at Coop, Migros, Denner, Volg etc. for many years."

I know, I know. I'm Swiss, and I have spent more than 50 years in Switzerland. However, I must admit that the US system, taken with a big pinch of salt, sure isn't bad for general business atmosphere. I rather have a waitress who asks with a smile how I am (without really wanting to know) than one who barely speaks the local language and acts as if you were an intruder, not a customer, let alone a guest.

As a Swiss, while being in the USA, you just must know that "Hi, how are you?" doesn't mean more than "Grüezi," "Bonjour," "Buon giorno," or "Bun di," and that the correct answer is "I'm great, how are you?" and NOT "Bad hangover from boys' night out. Gosh, one of those twelve cans of beer must have been bad."

54
I don't know what you mean with "land of the fakery". I find people here just as superficial as anywhere else.

55

that is really interesting. because how did you survive ( ) before you moved to switzerland???

56
For menswear I find the opposite true. A lot of stores seem to begin their sizing at medium, particularly for formalwear such as shirts. And even when there is a small size available it is often cut on the large side. I have yet to encounter an extra small size label.

57
I have to disagree with that one. I've found that a lot of things are pretty much impossible to find here (so I've had to order from the US), including:

1. Comfortable shoes for my flat feet that don't look like they belong on a geriatric patient

2. Blankets that actually cover the ENTIRE bed

3. Affordable wall decor that doesn't look cheap, as though it belongs in a dorm room

58
There's a huge art showroom in the Villeneuve Outlet Mall with very affordable prices, (it's all made in China). Much of it has an Asian influence, but much of it does not. Well above the level of dorm room decor.

http://www.villeneuveoutlet.ch/bouti...e/eastway-art/

59
Javelwasser is to Clorox bleach as Danielle Steele is to Ayn Rand.

60
Thanks, but from what I can see on their website, that is exactly the type of art I was referring to.