I moved to Switzerland 6 years ago, but some peculiarities of the country keep surprising me

Hi! I’m Irina. I used to live in Moscow, but at some point I decided to radically change my life. I quit my job as a marketing specialist in a big company, moved to the small canton of Valais, Switzerland, and started living in the country of mountains and chocolate 6 years ago. I faced several obstacles in adapting, but it was definitely worth it.

I would like to tell the readers of the awesome.club about another side of Switzerland that is not in the travel guides. As a bonus, I’m going to list some places you can visit for free in this rather expensive country.

In Switzerland, more than 20% of all marriages are registered with foreigners, but the way to start a conversation with a stranger is quite curious. Don’t wait for the Swiss to take the first step. Here, one does not usually invade the other’s personal space. The locals are friendly, smiling and open. But asking for the number or asking on a date is considered a serious step. Swiss men are also modest and discreet; that’s why women tend to take the initiative.

The romantic date is arranged up to a month in advance. The locals have their whole lives planned out, so the men make appointments on the few days off from their busy schedule. The important thing is that you remember the meeting yourself, since the Swiss keep in mind all the commitmentseven if they are planned 6 months in advance.

I’ve heard that the restaurant bill is often split between the two, but I haven’t seen any such cases. But to be honest, I have no problem paying for the meal itself.

Furthermore, at the beginning of relationships, romantic encounters occur once every two weeks. That doesn’t mean your partner doesn’t like you. It’s just that the Swiss live at their own pace, without rushing, and don’t want to seem intrusive.

Locals can seem a little boring and predictable. They tend to avoid conflict, and in my opinion, are too easygoing. So sometimes I miss a relationship with more drama. However, I guarantee you you will feel safe and confident with your partner in Switzerland.

For example, I’m very agitated and I’m always on the verge of bursting with so many emotions. Therefore, I feel comfortable with a person who can calm me and cool my spirits. Also, I tend to act impulsively. That is, I wake up in the morning and exclaim, “Let’s go to the Dominican Republic right now!” Smiling, my husband replies, “I think it’s a great idea. But first, let’s go to work and take the kids to school. At night we’ll see if we’ll feel like traveling”.

It is worth mentioning that women are respected and supported emotionally and financially. The husband never makes his wife feel guilty about her appearance or behavior, nor does he let her clean, raise the children, and cook alone.

At first, I lacked respect for the Swiss people. She didn’t like her flaking fingernails at all, her white hair (not even wanting to disguise it), her overly comfortable (and tacky) shoes, her lack of makeup or her clothes wrinkled and deep wrinkles. But if I found my past self now, I would slap it.

I realized that nobody here is obsessed with their appearance or tries to disguise their old age. For the Swiss, beauty is physical and mental well-being.

Furthermore, in Switzerland people tend to age with dignity. Instead of complaining, they enjoy old age. Older men are happy with their age partners, kissing and supporting them, and don’t seem to prefer younger women.

I came to enjoy looking at people full of joy and living in a society that doesn’t care much about appearance. After many years, I find myself turning into one of these old ladies, laughing and sunbathing lying on a lounger. On the right, the husband would be mumbling and on the left, my friends would be drinking champagne, holding their glasses with shaking hands. I couldn’t understand even half of what they would be telling me, but we would be laughing, putting aside concerns about the beauty of the body.

I like the Swiss way of educating. In most cases, children grow up independent, obedient, intelligent and charismatic. From birth, parents treat them as people with a strong personality, respecting their personal space and demanding the same in return. They encourage the child’s independence, so that he understands that the world does not revolve around him and learns to wait.

It is worth noting that here no one is afraid of catching diseases. Enterovirus? Will pass! pediculosis? It happens! Cold? But is it a disease? Children don’t usually wear a lot of clothes on cold days. Wear sneakers in low temperatures? No problems! Even after a workout, the child usually comes home in shorts and a t-shirt, since he lives nearby and returns before catching a cold.

Parents don’t watch their children, nor do they pay too much attention. Is the child sitting in a puddle? Let’s bathe him at night. Is he eating sand? “My darling, this is not for eating, but it’s okay if you’ve tried it.” Favorite phrase: “C’est pas grave”, i.e. “It doesn’t matter!”

Children help to clean the house. Parents are not treated like servants; so all household chores are done together. Swiss parents let their son do his homework alone, monitor his school performance, but they don’t just demand good grades, and they don’t force him to go to university. Children must decide for themselves which way to go.

First, I was terrified of the Swiss education system. It so happened that my oldest son, Max, mastered the theoretical part of the subjects better than his peers and had to skip a few grades and study with older students.

Only recently have I realized that education is based on a practical approach and respect for children’s abilities. They are taught to take care of household chores, orient themselves in the field, become familiar with the art and play sports.

There is a subject for everyone called Science and it includes a little bit of each subject. It is believed that the postman or store clerk does not need Chemistry and whoever wants to learn more will enroll in a university. In high school, subjects become more difficult, causing only the best to enter university.

Below, I will tell you a little about some peculiarities of everyday life that I find interesting:

You can be sure that when you catch a serious illness, you will certainly be treated and have surgery if necessary. After the divorce, the woman always earns alimony while the child continues to have a father. Here no one dares to criticize you, give you advice or make comments. Discussing someone else’s appearance, personal life, or method of raising a child is considered impolite. Any work is appreciated and well-paid (in this respect, manual work is equivalent to intellectual work). Switzerland has mandated that guinea pigs, fish, canaries and cows must always be adopted in pairs. These animals are believed to feel depressed when alone and need company. Dogs and cats are an exception.

Swiss cities are quiet and safe; children can walk and go to school by themselves. The inhabitants are aware of environmental problems and do their best to take care of nature: they separate garbage, save water and buy products in recyclable packaging. The Swiss are honest and conscientious: they usually collect feces from their pets, return objects found on the street to their owners and leave money for purchases at the cashier without an attendant.

I was once tricked by the cashier who passed 16 trays of tomatoes, even though I only took one. In other words, I paid the equivalent of more than R$200 instead of R$13. I discovered the amount charged to my card only after I got home; so I had to go back to the market. At first, I figured the attendants would access security camera logs or take inventory of stock.

Although, everything was solved in a much simpler way: I went back and explained the situation, and as a result, the attendants apologized and returned the money, without any kind of fuss. My friend had a similar situation: she bought 2 sweaters, but when she got home, she found only one piece in the bag. Returning to the store, she mentioned the missing outfit and got another one, no questions asked.

It is worth noting that in Switzerland the power of trust is great and I am still getting used to it. For example, in some establishments, just pick up the vegetables and leave the money at the cashier without an attendant. There is no control! You choose: pay and have a clear conscience or steal and remember it for a long time. The Swiss prefer the first option.

Again, the trust-based system really works. People know that the price of an illicit share that appears to be insignificant can be very high. In Switzerland, there is a database where all violations of the law are recorded, available to everyone. Before renting his property, the owner accesses this site to check possible infractions of the future tenant. If you find some, it’s unlikely you’ll want to rent your apartment or house to this guy. The same works when taking out a loan or credit. With the dirty name, it is almost impossible for the bank to accept the request.

I mentioned many advantages of living in Switzerland that could make it the second Eden, with unicorns flying over a rainbow. But in my opinion, life in this country is still far from perfect. Because?

Parents teach their children financial planning from childhood. Most of them start earning an allowance at age 6-10, so they learn to manage a limited amount, set priorities and organize their budget. There is no other way to have a decent life. Switzerland has such a complex tax system that, without regular calculations, you will inevitably end up in the red.

But this relationship with money is not based on greed or avarice. The Swiss are generous and willing to spend. A friend of mine wanted to give his girlfriend a ring, but he said that that month, she should…