He's so cold he has to wear nipple mittens!
My husband is Swiss...
Carrie, even a broken clock is good two times a day. Swiss are still human beings and on the whole have normal human emotions. They just try too hard to control those emotions sometimes which is what I find sad.
Such statements are worth ZERO without a photo Did you knit them? Has he also got a willie warmer If so, a photo of him wearing both (or rather all 3) - is definitely 'de rigueur'.
My OH is British - but I can assure you that he is the 'strong silent' type, and that I am the one, Swiss and all, who is the 'warm' one with emotions for all to see- living by her heart rather than her head (it works very well - a good mixture still after 41 years).
Of course! I knitted one for him last Christmas.
SNAP!
In all fairness, he did specify after living in the "German-speaking part." But I don't think he is disenchanted with ALL Swiss (he also said there are exceptions). He may find the climate a bit warmer and more agreeable in Ticino or the Vaud.
FWIW, I've met several Swiss-Germans who've lived abroad, and since coming home to Switzerland, they complain about how unfriendly people are here in general. One former co-worker who lived in the US and got used to Americans' chatty, informal style has found it difficult to re-adjust to life here and make friends Reverse culture shock is what it is.
The Swiss may be cold or rigid in comparison to other places(there is a high suicide rate here), but there are plenty of things that make it worth it. I try my best to ignore the dick behavior of many of the people but eventually it does get to me.
Welcome to the forums, hope venting(trolling?) on here helps.
For a person who lived 20 years in the middle of Europe you should have done more traveling...and the Swiss are far away from the "coldest"...I would say "standard-european"
and also after 20 years you could also have taken the time to understand "them"...Swiss are hard-working and self-reliant and this can be quite tough for some foreigners (me included) who came from "spoon-fed" countries
I noticed the same about Swiss friends who lived here and moved back. There seems to be a lot of repression in that social life, and it's hard to understand why. My theory is that the life is rigidly structured and regulated, but it's just my opinion.
My father in law, who moved to Luzern from Italy when he was a teenager (been the 35 years) sometimes laments how life is "too perfect" (meaning controlled) in Switzerland. The Swiss born coworkers of his sometimes make fun of him for being Italian and it hurts his feelings. He is relieved when he can be in Italy. Ever since I witnessed how he was treated, I noticed that there was something just a little bit off about this place. Not that I don't like the country, I love it, but the social graces, or lack thereof, is kind of a drag.
The problem is that it's a strong generalization and in essence simple bigotry.
I don't think there is a typical American, Brit, Chinese, Korean, Swiss or Egyptian.
I realized early on in my life that if you hold preconceived ideas about people, this will reflect on their behavior towards you. It's as simple as that.
One should concentrate more on the Engish lanuage and spell words correctly.
Pot calling kettle?
Just a question, hope it's not too personal, but why did you day (and family I'd think) move to Luzern instead of TI or the Italian-speaking areas of GR ?
I suspect it might not have been entirely accidental.
*Correction... Dad not day
One moves where the work is.
Maybe a sense of humour darling.....
Are you sure?
Norilsk, Siberia - -16°C
Reykjavik - 2°C
Zürich - 10°C
And there is always this
You forgot to take the Swiss wind chill factor into account
I know plenty of Americans who are neither chatty nor informal, indeed I rarely spoke to most of my neighbors in the US.
Tom
Well, if you give this guy a Bündner Röteli, I bet he'll melt