The whole country is smaller than the city you come from lol. Me (swiss) living a few months in Thailand: where do i recycle my plastic bottles? Thai: wtf?
@@edgarkrattiger9185 I would be happy to give my empty bottles to someone who can use them. I wonder if there are places where i can bring them for the local community 🙏
@@glaubhafieber Bring ?!?.heeeii here in Uttaradit, from time to time they come with theyr pickups take & give $$ for them.. you only have to be aware and present at such days at home.
I want to know which language is used to communicate with other people. Is English speaking people must be learn Swiss German, Spanish, French and Romanish or it is optional. If i am a English speaking person will i face any problem in switzerland and used to with native/local people.
@@akashgoswami2967 there are different regions. Most speak german, some french or italian. But you’ll be fine with English here. I know native English speakers who learned german by visiting the local pub ( swiss go there to practice English and English speakers go there to learn german. Swiss German is only a bonus-skill to impress the locals 😂
I visited Switzerland once and I love it. I am from America but it would be a dream to actually live there. It's so beautiful and the smell of nature is like heaven. Love the Alpine!
I'm very surprised you didn't mention our unique way of communication. I'm not referring to Switzerland's multilinguality but rather to the fact that Swiss people express themselves in highly indirect ways. I'm Swiss and married to a Japanese woman. She often tells me this mentality makes her feel as though she were back home in Japan. I often call Switzerland "the Japan of Europe" and this is one of the reasons. When Swiss people say something, the real message is usually left between the lines and you're expected to "catch the hint". Great example: I recently had to get something from the communal laundry room but our neighbor had locked the door and taken away the key because she was going to do laundry the next day. When I rang her bell and asked for the key, she made this endless dance where she kept saying: "But I've got my laundry there." I said: "Yeah, that's fine, I just need to grab something quickly." She'd reply: "Yeah but doesn't it bother you?" I said: "Not at all, I just need to get my thing." Her: "But... my laundry is there, maybe it will bother you!" Of course what she was ACTUALLY saying was that SHE was bothered by me getting to see her dirty clothes. But that would've been too direct and she probably thought I'd feel attacked, so instead she pretended to be concerned about my wellbeing. If this happened in the US or in Germany, I'm almost certain the neighbor lady would've just said: "Uhm, I'm a bit uncomfortable with you seeing my dirty laundry." This culture of "I will say X but I actually mean Y and you've got to figure that out by yourself" is very uniquely Swiss in my experience (within the western world I mean). The only places I've encountered this so far, other than Switzerland, is in East Asia.
Hey, that‘s very special. I moved to Oklahoma and I kind of made the opposite experience. I feel like swiss people are very straight forward when american people kind of want to please each other by saying stuff although they not really mean it.
As a Swiss person, the lack of spontaneity drives me absolutely crazy in Switzerland. It might be due to coming from an immigration background but I hate how you have to sometimes plan weeks in advance with some people. You win some you lose some I suppose 😊
Had to comment, this is to good :D 1. The amount of army you see depends on the day, recruits are the most common and they go home on Saturday and back to the barracks on Sunday. Also none of the guns have ammo in them! 2. 3 kisses, believe it or not, i varies even in Switzerland from region to region :D 3. Sadly gay marriage is not legal and the right to vote was grated really late. I'm ashamed when it comes to these points to be Swiss. Luckily it's getting better. 4. We need some time to make friends, that's typical Swiss :D 5. It's called worker rights. There are lots of benefits for the workforce. 6. We dislike miscommunication, so we switch to the language our opposite speaks best. 7. Every company that sells something has to take it back to recycle. The only exception is general garbage. 8. Can confirm we follow all the rules. We also learn a lot of them in school and every Swiss has a OR (laws for the general puplic) at home. 9. Sundays are to relax, that's all there is to it. Restaurants are usually open on Sunday, but closed on Mondays. It's also against the law, not everywhere, to hang up laundry outside on Sundays :D 10. It better for teens to have their first experience with alcohol openly, this way it's easier to have an eye on them. When you have to hide from adults to drink, bad things can happen. Ofc they happen here as well, but there's usually someone nearby that can help. Anyway, great video and really observant remarks about swiss culture. Most channels just list the usual stuff.
Wow!! Thank you so much for all of the detailed notes here! I didn't know that companies need to take back what they make to recycle - I'll have to look into that, so cool! Thank you so much for watching and commenting! :)
@@TheTravelingSwiss I want to know which language is used to communicate with other people. Is English speaking people must be learn Swiss German, Spanish, French and Romanish or it is optional. If i am a English speaking person will i face any problem in switzerland and used to with native/local people.
@@akashgoswami2967 Hi! It depends on what part of Switzerland you are in. I've found that more often than not, Swiss people from different regions wind up using English to communicate - it tends to be the most widely understood. The Swiss Romande (french speaking) tend not to speak german well at all, but Swiss Germans can often communicate very well in French. But overall, I think English is a safe bet if you aren't comfortable with the language of the region.
@@TheTravelingSwiss you are correct. I’m from a Swiss Italian valley in Graubünden and, thanks to the primary school, I’m fluent in French and German … but I can (somehow) manage English too. In other Cantons, it will be the same, except that they don’t know Italian (except for Ticino: they are mother tongue as I am).
I'm from the french part, but I can definitly says go for english, german isn't a language french people like to speak ^^' (as for me, I'm pretty decent in all languages, but I speak for the most people I know !) Also, you can always use a translating app if you can't communicate with people ^^
I am a foreigner who want to work in switzerland but hate it how hard all the political parties like SVP make it so hard for foreigners to work in switzerland. They paint foreigners in such a bad light.
Coming from south east Ontario Canada, living here in Switzerland since 1999, I wouldn’t trade it for nothing, great safe beautiful Switzerland. Try to come and hang out here in Biel/Bienne, pretty amazing city. Lake, rivers, mountains, gorges, trails…tons of tolerance, got a love it. Great commentary Alexis.
Yeah, but living in Switzerland is not everywhere the same, e.g. if culture is a big part of your life, no city in Switzerland has more cultural opportunities/options than Geneva.
You're probably still in the comparison phase (not just in this video), where everything you encounter is first run through your "how do we do this in the US" filter before realizing everything is different. For people that have move to different countries multiple times, this is considered the "mourning" phase of having "lost" your home environment where everything was one solid picture, to a new frame of reference where things don't yet fit together. This is normal, but imho it helps to recognize this phase and talk about it with others. Also, it's helpful to constantly quiz people WHY things are the way they are, rather than just describing the delta to New York or the US. Understanding the WHY of certain behaviors in the new environment requires curiosity and time, but helps overcome the mourning phase and eases the transition into the new society.
@@TheTravelingSwiss I agree with Chris the Swiss. It takes some time to be integrated in a different culture, so just watch out for the "negative" phases of culture shock and be aware of these "negative" phases. Switzerland is not an easy country to be integrated in if you do not have a social circle to discuss the experiences with.
The day to go shopping, run errands, do house/garden work here is saturday instead of sunday. So at least for those who have both days off, there's one day to do all the work at ome you haven't had the time during the week and one day to just rest and do something relaxing. I think that's very neat.
The recycling system in Switzerland is really amazing , wish our governments here in south Africa would do that but third world countries are way behind in these infrastructures , wonderful video :)
I want to know which language is used to communicate with other people. Is English speaking people must be learn Swiss German, Spanish, French and Romanish or it is optional. If i am a English speaking person will i face any problem in switzerland and used to with native/local people.
@@akashgoswami2967 well, it depends where, in Switzerland, you'd go, and for how long/what purposes: e.g. if you're planning to stay in Geneva for an extended period of time, then, you should be able to speak, at least, enough French to make your way around; however, if your stay in Switzerland will be short, then, being able to speak English is good enough.
little correction: 25days of holliday while you are in apprenticeship. per law a minimum of 20 days as an adult and mostly 25 again if you are 50yrs + . And yes: i hate it if someone is making noise at sunday 😂
I fully respect the Swiss dedication to country thru their military duty. I think it's awesome. Thanks for pointing that out. That would be nice to be able to disconnect from work entirely when you're on vacation. The garbage and recycling setup sounds very good. I never cross against the light and I'm in the US. I think crossing against the light is more of a New York thing. I have witnessed a lot of that when I have been in New York. Great video.
No one ever said something to me when I crossed the street on a red light but people complaining when you recycle glass on a Sunday, that's definitely a thing 😂 As a Swiss, I really enjoyed this video, keep it coming!
Very interesting. I lived in Zurich when I was an au pair 50 years ago and it sounds as though not much has changed since then! I agree with most of your observations and loved my time there.
There are tax benefits to staying home with children. EVERYONE comes home for lunch and you have to learn that is the norm for most of Europe. So is the sick day, vacation policy. We, as Americans, are the weird ones. I love the balance of home and work. Being a workaholic is not appreciated, and I liked that. Al that you mentioned about vacation is the normal in Switzerland, France, Germany, etc. I have "friends" from Switzerland and they are SO hard to get to know. Americans will tell your whole life story the day after they meet you. You can know someone who is Swiss for 5 years and know nothing of their personal preferences, etc.
I want to know which language is used to communicate with other people. Is English speaking people must be learn Swiss German, Spanish, French and Romanish or it is optional. If i am a English speaking person will i face any problem in switzerland and used to with native/local people.
Raised in Switzerland, have family there. Americans work hard and long, with little security. Medical/ insurance is awful and corrupt. I have a family here, or I would go back. Americans are really good people, they deserve a better life. Hence the life expectancy difference, and health.
Its always a great experience to put yourself in and learn other cultural social norms. such an awesome list! noticed a few similar ones from other countries
First time watcher and Swiss born and raised. You're spot on with the rule following in the Swiss German part. As soon as you go to Ticino, however, (and i'm pretty sure the same happens in Romandie, too) you'll take the risk and actually cross the street with a red light EVEN if there are oncoming cars. Our opening hours put a lot of stress on working people. They have to run their errands on Saturday, which makes for crowded parking lots and supermarkets.
Heh, funny thing is... as an Italian now living in Ticino, *even* Ticino people look quite rule-abiding :-D ...but yeah, even the Ticinese say that the Inner Swiss are way more strict :)
Growing up in the U.S. in the early 70’s, mostly everything was closed on Sunday’s except for Gas Stations, bakery’s early in the a.m., & churches/ places of worship an in a.m. and it made for a very relaxing Sunday. ❤
All of the things you mentioned were a shock to me too and they are also some of the reasons why I love Switzerland so much. 😊 The Sundays with everything being closed was weird for me at first, but I got used to it. I mean EVERYTHING is closed. But that's good. 😊 The vacation and sick days shocked me too.
I proposed marriage to my wife in Zurich during New Years Eve fireworks in 2006. We spent a week sight seeing in Zurich and took day trips to Rhein falls, Interlaken, and Lucerne. It was definitely different with how many places were closed because of the holiday and on Sunday but we loved it there. We are now planning to take our daughters to see Switzerland and so looking forward to that experience.
Love this vlog!!! Can relate to language barriers. I speak Spanish as I grew up in Spain, recently I have been Mexico, Costa Rica and Colombia and wow it is so different!!! Great vlog!!
You are so right about the lack of spontaneity! It has changed a little during the crises though, which is probably the only good thing about it. And you are also right about the rule following. But this is definitely even worse in Germany.
Having watched many videos about Switzerland, including more than I can remember on the topic of cultural differences, I think you’ve made some insightful observations here. Given the number of lengthy comments below, I’m apparently not alone in thinking that.
You are so accurate. I see child care as one of the major problems in Switzerland for the equality of women. I did the opposite in my life, moving from Switzerland to LA for a few years, which was also a culture shock. But I love it. I love different cultures and diversity.
Did you not find diversity in Switzerland? The major cities have so many ethnicities...? I didn't realize the quality was f lol fe u til I got older and have health problem. You end up losing everything you worked for
I'm swiss, and i temporarily moved to sweeden for study and i live with my bf there who is swedish. I had a culture shock about how spontaneous they were and it actually bothered me since i was so used to plan everything with my friends when we go and where always a couple of days ahead. And to be honest it still bugs me to this day and i've been here for almost 3 years.
I want to know which language is used to communicate with other people. Is English speaking people must be learn Swiss German, Spanish, French and Romanish or it is optional. If i am a English speaking person will i face any problem in switzerland and used to with native/local people.
@@akashgoswami2967 Well actually you won't have to learn spanish because one of the languages here is italian and not spanish😉But the language you'll have to learn depends on the area you'll live in because in most areas we speak swiss-german (where you can also speak high-german) or in other areas italian, rumanian or french. So if you live in zurich, just learn high-german because we will understand you and in a french area you'll have to learn french etc. And if you're a tourist then english should be enough because we also learn english at school.(I'm sorry for my english😅)
@@alanafux471 Very helpful information, thanks! Your English is perfectly fine, please don't be sorry. Someday, I hope to communicate in German as well as you do in English. 🙂
As a fellow expat living in Zürich for the last 4 years originally from a small EU island (Malta)....all of these really hit home!! These were all things I struggled with in the beginning. Having said this, like you mentioned many of these are actually benefits of living in this beautiful country. When it comes to your comment with regards to patriarchy, this was definitely the hardest thing I have had to deal with as a working professional. The expectation that women stop working when they have children was absurd to me. It seems like this is changing more and more but still nowhere near what it is in other countries.
Thanks for the comment and for sharing your experience! Yes that was a bit unusual for me as well, but hopefully it continue to improve in the future :)
I'm an American woman with kids and I think the Swiss have the right idea. I hate juggling work with raising kids. Bring on the patriarchy if it means I don't have to work and we can live off one salary. Americans are the ones who have it wrong. Mothers who have to work feel guilty all the time because they feel like their kids are not getting the care from them that they wish they could give them. Then you start resenting your boss and your job. This feminism thing kind of sold us all down the river, women I mean. When they poll women more women wish they could stay home with their kids than those ambitious career oriented types who want to work. Also, New York City is not indicative of America at all. It's like it's own culture and country, separate from the rest of the USA. LA is the same. Neither count as typical America.
Sunday is a day of rest, no shops open, love it. Sunday is a day where you can go to a restaurant, go for a picnic, go cycling etc. No-one died because the shops are closed on one day. Also i have crossed the road before when the light was red, no-one said anything. If i want to vaccuum on Sunday i will, i own my own apartment.
Very accurate description - Funny enough whenever I have traveled to the US, the other way around was true. I was shock to learn that my US friends have limited "sick days" and only two weeks vacations a year. And yeah, the drinking in the street too, probably :-)
Thanks for sharing your perspective! I've been in Switzerland for a year now and I'm already wondering if I would have these shocks but in reverse if I one day move back to the US!
You probably would. I am also not Swiss, but moved here 14 years ago. After a while you get used to it. Whenever I come back to my home country I find myself looking nervously at the watch when a train is for instance more than 2 minutes late. (•‿•)
Such an interesting culture!! Definitely would have some shocks but also some very welcomed ideas. Such as the recycling and having to pay per bag, this is amazing...! Imagine how many landfills we could not have if this were true for the USA! If I could provide a little feedback possibly to help you / your channel, try looking at the camera more? It felt like you were talking to yourself / looking at yourself in the side screen than talking to us the viewers. Just think it would help feel more like we're having a conversation face to face, because I love your personality and was engaged but just think this little fix will boost your channel!! Love the intro!
Some of them sound very familiar to me because I live in Germany and a couple of them shocked me too!!!! Certainly US is just another culture and way of life.... Really wonderful well builded video share dear! 😊❤️👏
Very nice video, and while being Swiss myself, I can't really argue with any of your observations (not that I intended to, btw 😆). Hugs are a thing here, too, but usually only with people that you at least know for some time, and is normally limited to family and close friends, compared to the 3 kisses which we would give anybody even as a first greeting. The 3 kisses are in most cases only seen in woman-woman or woman-guy greetings. Guys between each other normally only shake hands unless they're good friends in which case they'd be hugging each other.
Tks for ur videos!, my country has more got the american mentality I love Usa a lot! I love the swiss relaxing sunday too and the respected swiss holydays we do not have in my country. I hope one day to visit Switzerland too.
I was born in Bern but NOT from a Swiss familz (Jus Sanguinis) LIke San Francisco whichis just one city in the States, in Switzerland there is a noise abatement law that forbits making unecessary noise between 22:00 and 07:00 the following morning. No showering, loud electronic devices, motors, no 24-7 refrigerator or air mattresses compressors either.etc.or anything else that would conceivable disturbing or waking up neighbours. I LOVE that law!
Th am you so much for sharing your experience. It sounds like it was a learning experience. Love the triple kiss! It’s awkward at first for sure. Switzerland sounds like very interesting and beautiful place. I’m originally from NJ and things are different out in the world For sure! Great job 👏
triple kisses..Hahah... when the President of Nordkora Kim..hmm.. whatshisname.. visited his collegue from Southkorea, he gave him also a triple kiss and the southkorean was realy shocked..haha Kim was educated at a Swiss school during his childhood..
I do agree that the Swiss like to follow rules in general. It seems as if we all had a little policeman inside of us. But it‘s not that uncommon to ignore a red light when crossing the road. The Germans seem more strict in that respect. Still, this is a very informative video to watch. 😎👍
I love watching videos where US culture is compared to EU. The fact that you guys don’t have unlimited sick days is mind blowing to me. And the whole work life balance seems non existent in the USA. At my last employer in Germany, I was encouraged to take vacation. My boss even told me that I should deinstall mail app and slack app so that I would not be distracted by work during my vacation.
One thing I love about Switzerland (I am an American) is how safe I felt in Zurich. I spent the majority of a day walking around the city on my own and I did not feel targeted as a woman walking alone. In America, I find that walking alone as a woman can be really intimidating and people can be rude or creepy towards you...even in the small town where I live and speak the language fluently. I really appreciated that about my visit to Zurich. Granted this is my personal experience and I do not speak for everyone who visits under the same circumstances. I was on a work trip and my flight was delayed a day. It was one of the best days of my life.
There are a TON of countries in Europe that are unsafe for women to walk alone in some VERY touristy. Barcelona is AWFUL, the touristy areas near barrio G. they warn you do not travel at night alone and be careful of gangs of guys mostly new Arab migrants who are claiming the area as theirs. They would go after Americans. We were told to leave by an owner of a bar becuase the men were talking about violating us and killing us. They blew up the train station a week before we got there killing MANY. So yeah, it can happen anywhere in Europe just a heads up. The Swiss have been lucky because they are still VERY conservative about their migration policies of open borders and have a running list of checks for terrorists and criminals. I would say Switzerland is probably the safest because of their conservative policies.
I want to know which language is used to communicate with other people. Is English speaking people must be learn Swiss German, Spanish, French and Romanish or it is optional. If i am a English speaking person will i face any problem in switzerland and used to with native/local people.
@@akashgoswami2967 from a swiss german perspective, you shouldn’t have that big of a problem with english. A lot of people around here speak english and learn it in school. Also to mention, normal german is enough, no need to learn Swiss German. But it depends, if it is only for vacation, english is perfectly fine, but for a permanent stay I would recommend learning a bit of the language depending on the area you want to move to. :)
You can actually get fined for recycling afterhours. And for crossing a red light on the pedestrian. I once got a 280.- fine for recycling at around 10:30. They used to do these undercover patrols around the main station in Bern to catch pedestrians crossing during a red. It’s the plumpest, small-minded and petty way to generate money 🙄 I haven’t seen it happening for some time though. Great video, again!
@@TheTravelingSwiss It goes back to the 7 day God 'rest' period which is a very good thing to observe. Everything has it's place and reason. BTW It's not years literally FYI but I won't elaborate more due to 'culture censorship' .
Thank you for this information! In regards to things being closed on a Sunday… we are planning a 9 day trip in June, and obviously will include a Sunday. If we are in Geneva on the Sunday will shops and restaurants still be open as it is a bigger city? TIa
Honestly, so many of these things sound wonderful. We need to go back to our roots. Society is dying because we are trying too do too much for too many.
I'm Swiss and I'm crossing the streets when the lights are red and no cars approaching all the time... oops 😂 Anyway: love your video, very interesting to see what kind of culture shocks you had!
Slovenia and Switzerland are very similar in some aspects, so I haven’t experienced any huge cultural shocks. Some of the things you’ve mention sounds very familiar though. Everything closed on Sundays frustrated me at the beginning, but now I got used of it. Now it bothers me more, so many restaurants close their kitchens after certain hour and you can’t get a meal in the afternoon. 😀
@@TheTravelingSwiss Yes! It would be nice to just sit down and have a nice meal at the restaurant again. Take-aways are just not the same. Fingers crossed for life getting back to normal again soon. 🤞
@@SlovenianGirlAbroad I'm glad to provide you with the info, but, in terms of "being interesting", I beg to differ!! Just yesterday, I replied to a comment about "how annoyingly long the working hours are in Geneva", and I gave as a point of reference what the working hours are like in New York, that, except for the "9-to-5"/office work settings, virtually, every working place stays open till, at least, 10:00 PM, for, at least, 5-6 days/week (with, maybe, 2-3 reduced working hours, for 1-2 days/week); and, although (again, except for the "9-to-5" work settings) everybody gets, at least, one day (any day of the week) off/week, there is no such thing as "weekends off". Personally, I'm choosing Switzerland, and the Swiss ways (over the United States, and the American ways), Any Moment!!
yes, we speak Swiss German, which means, each area speaks a different kind of a dialect. But, we learn “High German” beginning in 1st class and this is how we have to converse with most people from different countries. We also speak French, starting in School in 5th grade. Italian is not compulsory, but many also take advantage of classes thought in Schools. Romansch is only spoken in a very small part of Switzerland and comes from latin.
You're definitely right about our society being patriarchal .. I am so embarrassed by women's voting rights for example.. We only got it in 1971, super fucking late, and the canton of Appenzell-Innerrhoden didn't even give women the right to vote by choice, they had to be forced by a supreme court decision in 1991 ... And YESSS spontaneity isn't a huge thing, but we do after-work drinks and spontaneous dinner as well, at least I do. 20 vacation days are mandated by law, 25 is the norm however. And in general, the consensus is that you don't work if you're sick, and don't you DARE answer work emails after hours. Bosses can't ask that you're available on the weekend or after hours either, that's illegal. LOOVE the language dance you describe, if it makes you feel better, we have that problem amongst ourselves too .. in Biel/bienne where I work for example, some people will address you in French, others in German because it's a billingual city. Everyone speaks both, but it's a matter of preference, so the "dance" is a nice way of describing it. Thahahaha the garbage thing made me laugh. Since you speak German, you may like Kaya Yanar; he's a German comedian who married a Swiss woman, and he did an entire skit on recycling and how complicated it is in Switzerland. to make it worse, every city has different rules for it too :-p my friend who lives just 20 minutes from me has different garbage rules than me. And yeah we do follow rules, but we also break them. I'll always cross at a red light if no cars are coming, in my city people care waay less than in other places. Also, Sundays are supposed to be holy, so the Swiss don't get why anyone would expect stores to be open that day :-) The alcohol thing is funny to me .. in the US, carrying guns is considered less dangerous than drinking alcohol, which is sooo weird :-) Great vid, thanks a lot, I love hearing what people from different places think of our funny little culture :-D
Thank you so much for the comment! I appreciate you watching and taking the time to share your thoughts too!! 😄 I definitely need to look up that comedian and the recycling skit!!
Yes, the voting right for woman is a shame and as long as a lot of families can afford to have one parent stay at home this will not change. But on the other side we were the first country to legalize homosexuality and prostitution and to make abortion accessible to everybody. We voted on it 1937 and it was put into effect in 1942. Zürich was the "Mecca" for gays in the 50ies.
@@DramaQueenMalena that is true, there are many things I do appreciate about our country too, not least of which is the legalisation of homosexuality. Let's hope we'll finally legalise marriage equality in September, too!!! #ehefüralle
@@Julieseven Yes, let's hope. I think what we have in common with the US is that we have people in the cities who are liberal and people in more rural areas that are more conservative. In other countries there is this difference too but "nicht so krass".
As a Swiss, I agree with everything you said, but I would like to correct a small factual mistake: the soldiers you see are not 18 years old, but at least 20 (with some rare exceptions 19)! Military service is compulsory from the age of 20 to 32 (40 and more for the officers. I personally served until the age of 50). But, as the Swiss army was significantly downsidized after the end of the Cold War, it has become relatively easy to opt out of military service, but you have to serve under a "civil service" in compensation. For exemple, one of my sons did that and had to spend a total of one year taking care of handicapped children with Down syndrome in compensation for avoiding military service.
Funny to hear all this things from my home country Switzerland 🇨🇭. I do understand you very good. I‘m in the US for almost 10 months and I felt the opposite 😉 . Greetings from us
3 kisses 😃 in Gibraltar we give 2. Its a very affectionate way to greet friends and even people we have just met. In Spain especially its very common. Great vid. Keep on rocking
@@joeyjo7802 france tends to be 2 as well. But it depends on the region. Also in Switzerland. in the french speaking part of Switzerland, 3 kisses is the widespread way of greeting, in other parts not necessarily ;)
#10 is inaccurate: There is an age limit to BUY alcohol, but there is NO age limit to DRINK alcohol. This is entirely left to the responsibility of the parents. (Of course, if a child repeatedly appears drunk in school or the like, then at some point the child protection agency will look into it.) The same applies to tobacco.
I also never had a Swiss speak to me when crossing at a red light. This might be a Basel thing. You'll have old people with a walker crossing on a red. If anyone says anything it's a German. People in Basel say "I have a brain. I know when I can and cannot cross the street." When it comes to parents with kids they teach their children how to cross safely on red.
I'm a New Yorker who's been living in Germany for decades and about to move to Switzerland. Regarding the strict rules, I was standing at a red light in a pouring rain with my bike after midnight and since the streets were empty, I'd thought I'd just keep going. I got caught by the cops and had to pay a fine of 100 DM. That was my first culture shock.
Surprised that you didn't mention the federal system. Switzerland is smaller than New Your but it was made from 23+3 different countries, now called Kantone or cantons. There are huge differences between the cantons, every German one has its own dialect and some things you mention are different on other cantons. For example school system, every canton has their own school system, has there own program what to learn and their own times for lunch, so the 2h lunch is not true for every canton. The way you greet someone is different. Even something like the buildings look different. If we where in school in Biel, in canton Bern, and visited something in canton Zürich some said we go "is usland" (which mean foreign country).
I am.a swiss citizens but live in America I was born in 1942 in Zurich I immigrated to America in 1965. Speaking of the compulsory military service, the minimum draft age was 19. It is, or it was the patriotic thing to undergo military training When job hunting, the first thing you were asked by a prospective.employer was, did you do your.militsry service, not what school did you graduate from. The perception was that if you had your military service. You were more disciplined then someone who didn't I settled in the San Francisco Bay Area when I arrived in America in 1965 I visited Switzerland in 1971 for one month I just.returned from my 2nd. visitt to Switzerland with my wife. I was aware of how expensive Switzerland is and therefore I wasn't to surprised. I was saddened by the many changes that have taken place, but l guess that's progress...
FYI the 3 kisses thing is slso very regional and age related. It has stopped due to covid. But even before that only certain prople dd it. My Swiss wife is over 60. She left Switzerland and she never experienced the kissing growing up. But when we returned on 2008 it was popular?!
Strict rules in Switzerland...I feel.you hhahha Coming from Manila, Philippines , we have rules, of course, but no teeth ;) I got to enjoy Sundays too,now without going shopping :)
I lived there as an American.... TOO many rules. Generally cold natured people. Bad weather 8 months out of the year. But there are trade offs. It is stunningly beautiful and safe.
My brother is one of the luckier people in the US. He can have a buttload of vacation. He automatically gets 3 weeks of vacation a year. He gets extra vacation for overtime. He also gets paid time in a half. If you make $50 an hour you will get $75 an hour for overtime. His vacation also rolls over from year to year. Like when his son was born he had 6 months of paid time off. The shitty part is work never respects his time off. My brother came to visit my mom for vacation and he got a call from work asking him to come into work the next day. He of course said he is in Nashville (he worked in Miami). His boss had the balls to ask him to catch a flight back to Miami. My brother asked him if he was paying and of course he said no. My brother said to bad. My sister-in-law can take as many days as she wants off. This is the nice thing about being a boss.
When it comes to strict rule following, I have a different perspective to that point. Yes, we, meaning swiss, but also Germans or Austrians, take rules for serious and tend to obey them automatically. But that is less a result of liking strict rules, than it is a result of social control at its best and most positive appearance. We live in densely populated areas, and we all need some recreation time. I want to sleep at night, so I make sure, my neighbours and fellow citizens can do the same. I do not like to accidentally make an emergency stop when driving a car through a city or town, so I don't cross the street as a pedestrian when the traffic light is red. And, I know as a pedestrian, that drivers are not used to that, and I don't want to be killled. So I stay on the secure side by obeying rules. The rest of it is just motivated by not wanting to have arguments with people that live in your neighborhood, because thats a kind of waste of energy that nobody wants and nobody needs in their lives.
well you must be close to a military base or a bigger train station.. in my town you only see them at the train station. but yeah its mandatory and its a tiny country.. in USA i only saw military at big airports because its a huge country.. so dont worry..
Point 8: Strict Rule Following That's not something you'd see in cities or suburbs in little villages maybe but in cities no one could care less about the points made just be mindful of others and you're good
So true! In the US you don’t discuss it with your coworkers or acquaintances of course but between friends and family you can talk about it, not super unusual though some people are sensitive. I was so surprised here that my husband doesn’t even discuss it with his parents or siblings etc. at least he can talk to me about it though LOL 😅
@@jeanpieerjean7356 I don't think you can make friends with people who only do small talk. Small talk is prevalent in most of the southern states of the US.
Hey there, thanks for taking the time to analyze "my" country :-) Maybe I can offer a different point of view on the topic of men and women and staying at home. I have to admit, the swiss model is a little bit outdated. BUT: 1) compared to the US we earn a lot more. Of course everything is more expensive here. But in many cases it is not necessary for both parents to continue working. I guess in the US it is more like both parents need to work to cover all expenses. So I guess in many cases this has not much to do with patriarchy. 2) yes, men still get payed more than women in Switzerland, and yes, that is something we need to fix. On the other hand, that might be the reason why more women stay at home to take care of the kids. Because men have higher wages and it is easier to live on his salary then on her's. Cheers from Zürich :-) Oh and by the way: Zurich and Geneva are like two totally different countries :-D
Hi David, thanks for the comment and appreciate your sharing your perspective and point of view here! And yes, from living in geneva just briefly (3 months) and Zurich for nearly a year, I can already get a sense of just how different these two places are :)
There is always big shocks when you move within Cultures, never mind half way across the world like you did. Go to know that you got used to them though...Bravo
I moved from Switzerland to Thailand...culture shock?!?¨Bruahaha..You don't know what it means..Fortunately I grooved up biculture when I was a child..Italy and Swiss..even 2 countrys so close eatch other in Europe has 2 completely different culture..
I think the lack of spontaneity is more present in the German speaking part of the country and less in the French and Italian speaking parts, at least that would be my experience living here all my life :) Great video btw
The rule following is in most cases a question of respect and/or safety. If a rule does not make any sense we dont follow it. In Basel not many will wait till the red light turns green at night. Daytime it‘s diffrent. Interesting what you say about the daycare for children. How is that organised and payed in New York?
Check out my update CULTURE SHOCKS after living in Switzerland for almost 5 years! th-cam.com/video/5-o--NewLuE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=fGQH1YkKgyh5H6sz
The whole country is smaller than the city you come from lol. Me (swiss) living a few months in Thailand: where do i recycle my plastic bottles? Thai: wtf?
Hmm.. in northern Thailand they recycle them also..heheh..especialy when my mother in law found out that she get small $$ for them.... haha
@@edgarkrattiger9185 I would be happy to give my empty bottles to someone who can use them. I wonder if there are places where i can bring them for the local community 🙏
@@glaubhafieber Bring ?!?.heeeii here in Uttaradit, from time to time they come
with theyr pickups take & give $$ for them.. you only have to be aware and present at such days at home.
I want to know which language is used to communicate with other people. Is English speaking people must be learn Swiss German, Spanish, French and Romanish or it is optional. If i am a English speaking person will i face any problem in switzerland and used to with native/local people.
@@akashgoswami2967 there are different regions. Most speak german, some french or italian. But you’ll be fine with English here. I know native English speakers who learned german by visiting the local pub ( swiss go there to practice English and English speakers go there to learn german. Swiss German is only a bonus-skill to impress the locals 😂
I visited Switzerland once and I love it. I am from America but it would be a dream to actually live there. It's so beautiful and the smell of nature is like heaven. Love the Alpine!
I'm very surprised you didn't mention our unique way of communication. I'm not referring to Switzerland's multilinguality but rather to the fact that Swiss people express themselves in highly indirect ways. I'm Swiss and married to a Japanese woman. She often tells me this mentality makes her feel as though she were back home in Japan. I often call Switzerland "the Japan of Europe" and this is one of the reasons. When Swiss people say something, the real message is usually left between the lines and you're expected to "catch the hint". Great example: I recently had to get something from the communal laundry room but our neighbor had locked the door and taken away the key because she was going to do laundry the next day. When I rang her bell and asked for the key, she made this endless dance where she kept saying: "But I've got my laundry there." I said: "Yeah, that's fine, I just need to grab something quickly." She'd reply: "Yeah but doesn't it bother you?" I said: "Not at all, I just need to get my thing." Her: "But... my laundry is there, maybe it will bother you!"
Of course what she was ACTUALLY saying was that SHE was bothered by me getting to see her dirty clothes. But that would've been too direct and she probably thought I'd feel attacked, so instead she pretended to be concerned about my wellbeing.
If this happened in the US or in Germany, I'm almost certain the neighbor lady would've just said: "Uhm, I'm a bit uncomfortable with you seeing my dirty laundry." This culture of "I will say X but I actually mean Y and you've got to figure that out by yourself" is very uniquely Swiss in my experience (within the western world I mean). The only places I've encountered this so far, other than Switzerland, is in East Asia.
Hey, that‘s very special. I moved to Oklahoma and I kind of made the opposite experience. I feel like swiss people are very straight forward when american people kind of want to please each other by saying stuff although they not really mean it.
Ah krass, ihr schlüssed de wöschcheller ab? Hani no nie gmacht. Interessant!
I have heard of this from a young woman who lives & works here & who is checkoslovakian
@@lucagislergolf3559In a professional context yes, we are. But on a personal level… with people you dont know.. i would never be direct and offensive.
That's called 'passive aggressive ' ....lol
As a Swiss person, the lack of spontaneity drives me absolutely crazy in Switzerland. It might be due to coming from an immigration background but I hate how you have to sometimes plan weeks in advance with some people. You win some you lose some I suppose 😊
And lack of human touch 😊
Not totally true. Maybe they want to avoid you as long as possible.
@@brass427😅
Had to comment, this is to good :D
1. The amount of army you see depends on the day, recruits are the most common and they go home on Saturday and back to the barracks on Sunday. Also none of the guns have ammo in them!
2. 3 kisses, believe it or not, i varies even in Switzerland from region to region :D
3. Sadly gay marriage is not legal and the right to vote was grated really late. I'm ashamed when it comes to these points to be Swiss. Luckily it's getting better.
4. We need some time to make friends, that's typical Swiss :D
5. It's called worker rights. There are lots of benefits for the workforce.
6. We dislike miscommunication, so we switch to the language our opposite speaks best.
7. Every company that sells something has to take it back to recycle. The only exception is general garbage.
8. Can confirm we follow all the rules. We also learn a lot of them in school and every Swiss has a OR (laws for the general puplic) at home.
9. Sundays are to relax, that's all there is to it. Restaurants are usually open on Sunday, but closed on Mondays. It's also against the law, not everywhere, to hang up laundry outside on Sundays :D
10. It better for teens to have their first experience with alcohol openly, this way it's easier to have an eye on them. When you have to hide from adults to drink, bad things can happen. Ofc they happen here as well, but there's usually someone nearby that can help.
Anyway, great video and really observant remarks about swiss culture. Most channels just list the usual stuff.
Wow!! Thank you so much for all of the detailed notes here! I didn't know that companies need to take back what they make to recycle - I'll have to look into that, so cool! Thank you so much for watching and commenting! :)
@@TheTravelingSwiss I want to know which language is used to communicate with other people. Is English speaking people must be learn Swiss German, Spanish, French and Romanish or it is optional. If i am a English speaking person will i face any problem in switzerland and used to with native/local people.
@@akashgoswami2967 Hi! It depends on what part of Switzerland you are in. I've found that more often than not, Swiss people from different regions wind up using English to communicate - it tends to be the most widely understood. The Swiss Romande (french speaking) tend not to speak german well at all, but Swiss Germans can often communicate very well in French. But overall, I think English is a safe bet if you aren't comfortable with the language of the region.
@@TheTravelingSwiss you are correct. I’m from a Swiss Italian valley in Graubünden and, thanks to the primary school, I’m fluent in French and German … but I can (somehow) manage English too. In other Cantons, it will be the same, except that they don’t know Italian (except for Ticino: they are mother tongue as I am).
I'm from the french part, but I can definitly says go for english, german isn't a language french people like to speak ^^' (as for me, I'm pretty decent in all languages, but I speak for the most people I know !) Also, you can always use a translating app if you can't communicate with people ^^
I'm Swiss and I love to watch these videos 😂 I like to know what seems weird to other countries
Saaaame, I don't feel alone anymore
Same 🤣
ich au finds furchtbar wie anderi länder überhaut läbed ohni eifach iri regierig umzbringä. ich mein speziel USA
I am a foreigner who want to work in switzerland but hate it how hard all the political parties like SVP make it so hard for foreigners to work in switzerland. They paint foreigners in such a bad light.
I think those differences between the US and Switzerland are the things that make Switzerland such a great country to live in.
Coming from south east Ontario Canada, living here in Switzerland since 1999, I wouldn’t trade it for nothing, great safe beautiful Switzerland. Try to come and hang out here in Biel/Bienne, pretty amazing city. Lake, rivers, mountains, gorges, trails…tons of tolerance, got a love it. Great commentary Alexis.
You left Canada to Switzerland??? Wow interesting
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@@evesorichevelyn9236 Hello, it's a privilege to connect with you on here, how are you doingℹ️
Yeah, but living in Switzerland is not everywhere the same, e.g. if culture is a big part of your life, no city in Switzerland has more cultural opportunities/options than Geneva.
Healthcare, low crime rate, low tax, quality life = Switzerland @@evesorichevelyn9236
You're probably still in the comparison phase (not just in this video), where everything you encounter is first run through your "how do we do this in the US" filter before realizing everything is different. For people that have move to different countries multiple times, this is considered the "mourning" phase of having "lost" your home environment where everything was one solid picture, to a new frame of reference where things don't yet fit together. This is normal, but imho it helps to recognize this phase and talk about it with others. Also, it's helpful to constantly quiz people WHY things are the way they are, rather than just describing the delta to New York or the US. Understanding the WHY of certain behaviors in the new environment requires curiosity and time, but helps overcome the mourning phase and eases the transition into the new society.
I loved this comment so much! I'm definitely going to keep this in mind and focus on the "why" of everything to help with the transition! :)
@@TheTravelingSwiss I agree with Chris the Swiss. It takes some time to be integrated in a different culture, so just watch out for the "negative" phases of culture shock and be aware of these "negative" phases. Switzerland is not an easy country to be integrated in if you do not have a social circle to discuss the experiences with.
I think this lasted me a week 😂
@@TheTravelingSwiss well, how long have you been living in Switzerland (that you're, still, in the "Culture Shock" phase)?!
Everything about Switzerland sounds incredible!
The day to go shopping, run errands, do house/garden work here is saturday instead of sunday. So at least for those who have both days off, there's one day to do all the work at ome you haven't had the time during the week and one day to just rest and do something relaxing. I think that's very neat.
The recycling system in Switzerland is really amazing , wish our governments here in south Africa would do that but third world countries are way behind in these infrastructures , wonderful video :)
I want to know which language is used to communicate with other people. Is English speaking people must be learn Swiss German, Spanish, French and Romanish or it is optional. If i am a English speaking person will i face any problem in switzerland and used to with native/local people.
That’s because most of our African leaders are corrupt.
Hello, it's a privilege to connect with you on here, how are you doingℹ️
@@pattyalfama Hello, it's a privilege to connect with you on here, how are you doingℹ️.
@@akashgoswami2967 well, it depends where, in Switzerland, you'd go, and for how long/what purposes: e.g. if you're planning to stay in Geneva for an extended period of time, then, you should be able to speak, at least, enough French to make your way around; however, if your stay in Switzerland will be short, then, being able to speak English is good enough.
little correction: 25days of holliday while you are in apprenticeship. per law a minimum of 20 days as an adult and mostly 25 again if you are 50yrs + . And yes: i hate it if someone is making noise at sunday 😂
I am American, in our trip in Switzerland last year, we slept in on Sundays as to not make any noise. I am latino so being quiet is difficult 😂.
I fully respect the Swiss dedication to country thru their military duty. I think it's awesome. Thanks for pointing that out. That would be nice to be able to disconnect from work entirely when you're on vacation. The garbage and recycling setup sounds very good. I never cross against the light and I'm in the US. I think crossing against the light is more of a New York thing. I have witnessed a lot of that when I have been in New York. Great video.
No one ever said something to me when I crossed the street on a red light but people complaining when you recycle glass on a Sunday, that's definitely a thing 😂 As a Swiss, I really enjoyed this video, keep it coming!
Hello, it's a privilege to connect with you on here, how are you doingℹ️
Very interesting. I lived in Zurich when I was an au pair 50 years ago and it sounds as though not much has changed since then! I agree with most of your observations and loved my time there.
There are tax benefits to staying home with children. EVERYONE comes home for lunch and you have to learn that is the norm for most of Europe. So is the sick day, vacation policy. We, as Americans, are the weird ones. I love the balance of home and work. Being a workaholic is not appreciated, and I liked that. Al that you mentioned about vacation is the normal in Switzerland, France, Germany, etc.
I have "friends" from Switzerland and they are SO hard to get to know. Americans will tell your whole life story the day after they meet you. You can know someone who is Swiss for 5 years and know nothing of their personal preferences, etc.
I want to know which language is used to communicate with other people. Is English speaking people must be learn Swiss German, Spanish, French and Romanish or it is optional. If i am a English speaking person will i face any problem in switzerland and used to with native/local people.
@@akashgoswami2967 xd there is no Spanish region in Switzerland
Raised in Switzerland, have family there. Americans work hard and long, with little security. Medical/ insurance is awful and corrupt. I have a family here, or I would go back. Americans are really good people, they deserve a better life. Hence the life expectancy difference, and health.
Not everyone is going home for lunch, that is wrong. In my company about 80% of the employees eat their lunch at the canteen!!!
@@patriciabourqui when i referencing going home for lunch I was referring to children in school specifically versus office employees
Its always a great experience to put yourself in and learn other cultural social norms. such an awesome list! noticed a few similar ones from other countries
First time watcher and Swiss born and raised. You're spot on with the rule following in the Swiss German part. As soon as you go to Ticino, however, (and i'm pretty sure the same happens in Romandie, too) you'll take the risk and actually cross the street with a red light EVEN if there are oncoming cars.
Our opening hours put a lot of stress on working people. They have to run their errands on Saturday, which makes for crowded parking lots and supermarkets.
Heh, funny thing is... as an Italian now living in Ticino, *even* Ticino people look quite rule-abiding :-D
...but yeah, even the Ticinese say that the Inner Swiss are way more strict :)
@@RenatoRamonda 😂 that's what we hear 😂. No rules in Italy
Growing up in the U.S. in the early 70’s, mostly everything was closed on Sunday’s except for Gas Stations, bakery’s early in the a.m., & churches/ places of worship an in a.m. and it made for a very relaxing Sunday. ❤
All of the things you mentioned were a shock to me too and they are also some of the reasons why I love Switzerland so much. 😊 The Sundays with everything being closed was weird for me at first, but I got used to it. I mean EVERYTHING is closed. But that's good. 😊 The vacation and sick days shocked me too.
Switzerland sounds like my kind of cup of tea. This was further confirmed after watching this. Thanks for making it👍
Thank you for watching! If there’s anything else you want to see about Switzerland please let me know! :)
@@TheTravelingSwiss of course
I proposed marriage to my wife in Zurich during New Years Eve fireworks in 2006. We spent a week sight seeing in Zurich and took day trips to Rhein falls, Interlaken, and Lucerne. It was definitely different with how many places were closed because of the holiday and on Sunday but we loved it there. We are now planning to take our daughters to see Switzerland and so looking forward to that experience.
Culture shock seems to be difficult to overcome at first but when you get used to it, it's like your second homeland. Nice share.
Love this vlog!!! Can relate to language barriers. I speak Spanish as I grew up in Spain, recently I have been Mexico, Costa Rica and Colombia and wow it is so different!!!
Great vlog!!
You are so right about the lack of spontaneity! It has changed a little during the crises though, which is probably the only good thing about it. And you are also right about the rule following. But this is definitely even worse in Germany.
Welcome in Switzerland. Cool to have you here!
Hello, it's a privilege to connect with you on here, how are you doing🙋
This is so interesting. I like the thought of no housework on Sunday 🙂. It sounds like a more peaceful existence. I'm from the UK.
It is. It's really nice. I live in the USA, it's really hard life here in comparison.
Having watched many videos about Switzerland, including more than I can remember on the topic of cultural differences, I think you’ve made some insightful observations here. Given the number of lengthy comments below, I’m apparently not alone in thinking that.
You are so accurate. I see child care as one of the major problems in Switzerland for the equality of women. I did the opposite in my life, moving from Switzerland to LA for a few years, which was also a culture shock. But I love it. I love different cultures and diversity.
Nah. Wouldnt want to send my child to childcare.
@@oof5020 Since it is not mandatory, it is your personal choice. I agree with you by the way.
Did you not find diversity in Switzerland? The major cities have so many ethnicities...? I didn't realize the quality was f lol fe u til I got older and have health problem. You end up losing everything you worked for
@@crembruley2694 Is diversity important tho?
@@crembruley2694 We have four languages, almost 25% foreign population and we are doing fine. The majority of foreigners is from the EC.
I'm swiss, and i temporarily moved to sweeden for study and i live with my bf there who is swedish. I had a culture shock about how spontaneous they were and it actually bothered me since i was so used to plan everything with my friends when we go and where always a couple of days ahead. And to be honest it still bugs me to this day and i've been here for almost 3 years.
Love this video!👍🏻 Greetings from Japan🇯🇵
Even with all the culture shocks, I still want to live there if I can :)
I want to know which language is used to communicate with other people. Is English speaking people must be learn Swiss German, Spanish, French and Romanish or it is optional. If i am a English speaking person will i face any problem in switzerland and used to with native/local people.
@@akashgoswami2967 Well actually you won't have to learn spanish because one of the languages here is italian and not spanish😉But the language you'll have to learn depends on the area you'll live in because in most areas we speak swiss-german (where you can also speak high-german) or in other areas italian, rumanian or french. So if you live in zurich, just learn high-german because we will understand you and in a french area you'll have to learn french etc. And if you're a tourist then english should be enough because we also learn english at school.(I'm sorry for my english😅)
@@alanafux471 Very helpful information, thanks! Your English is perfectly fine, please don't be sorry. Someday, I hope to communicate in German as well as you do in English. 🙂
@@alanafux471Danke !!! Du bist sehr nett
As a fellow expat living in Zürich for the last 4 years originally from a small EU island (Malta)....all of these really hit home!! These were all things I struggled with in the beginning. Having said this, like you mentioned many of these are actually benefits of living in this beautiful country. When it comes to your comment with regards to patriarchy, this was definitely the hardest thing I have had to deal with as a working professional. The expectation that women stop working when they have children was absurd to me. It seems like this is changing more and more but still nowhere near what it is in other countries.
Thanks for the comment and for sharing your experience! Yes that was a bit unusual for me as well, but hopefully it continue to improve in the future :)
Hello, it's a privilege to connect with you on here, how are you doing🙋
I'm an American woman with kids and I think the Swiss have the right idea. I hate juggling work with raising kids. Bring on the patriarchy if it means I don't have to work and we can live off one salary. Americans are the ones who have it wrong. Mothers who have to work feel guilty all the time because they feel like their kids are not getting the care from them that they wish they could give them. Then you start resenting your boss and your job. This feminism thing kind of sold us all down the river, women I mean. When they poll women more women wish they could stay home with their kids than those ambitious career oriented types who want to work. Also, New York City is not indicative of America at all. It's like it's own culture and country, separate from the rest of the USA. LA is the same. Neither count as typical America.
So awesome culture shock. Big like#33, full views. Thanks for sharing, friend. Take care & have a very blessed day. ^^
Younger people normally are more spontaneous than the older generations 🙈
Sunday is a day of rest, no shops open, love it. Sunday is a day where you can go to a restaurant, go for a picnic, go cycling etc. No-one died because the shops are closed on one day. Also i have crossed the road before when the light was red, no-one said anything. If i want to vaccuum on Sunday i will, i own my own apartment.
It’s great to have one income households, especially for children. In Canada both spouses work 2-3 jobs each and still cannot make ends meet.
And here's my parents who thinks going to Canada will be worth 💀
Very accurate description - Funny enough whenever I have traveled to the US, the other way around was true. I was shock to learn that my US friends have limited "sick days" and only two weeks vacations a year. And yeah, the drinking in the street too, probably :-)
Thanks for sharing your perspective! I've been in Switzerland for a year now and I'm already wondering if I would have these shocks but in reverse if I one day move back to the US!
You probably would. I am also not Swiss, but moved here 14 years ago. After a while you get used to it. Whenever I come back to my home country I find myself looking nervously at the watch when a train is for instance more than 2 minutes late. (•‿•)
Such an interesting culture!! Definitely would have some shocks but also some very welcomed ideas. Such as the recycling and having to pay per bag, this is amazing...! Imagine how many landfills we could not have if this were true for the USA! If I could provide a little feedback possibly to help you / your channel, try looking at the camera more? It felt like you were talking to yourself / looking at yourself in the side screen than talking to us the viewers. Just think it would help feel more like we're having a conversation face to face, because I love your personality and was engaged but just think this little fix will boost your channel!! Love the intro!
Thank you!! really helpful feedback my friend, I'll keep it mind next time!
Nowadays, a functioning democracy might be the biggest culture shock
Some of them sound very familiar to me because I live in Germany and a couple of them shocked me too!!!!
Certainly US is just another culture and way of life....
Really wonderful well builded video share dear! 😊❤️👏
Very nice video, and while being Swiss myself, I can't really argue with any of your observations (not that I intended to, btw 😆).
Hugs are a thing here, too, but usually only with people that you at least know for some time, and is normally limited to family and close friends, compared to the 3 kisses which we would give anybody even as a first greeting. The 3 kisses are in most cases only seen in woman-woman or woman-guy greetings. Guys between each other normally only shake hands unless they're good friends in which case they'd be hugging each other.
Tks for ur videos!, my country has more got the american mentality I love Usa a lot! I love the swiss relaxing sunday too and the respected swiss holydays we do not have in my country. I hope one day to visit Switzerland too.
I was born in Bern but NOT from a Swiss familz (Jus Sanguinis) LIke San Francisco whichis just one city in the States, in Switzerland there is a noise abatement law that forbits making unecessary noise between 22:00 and 07:00 the following morning. No showering, loud electronic devices, motors, no 24-7 refrigerator or air mattresses compressors either.etc.or anything else that would conceivable disturbing or waking up neighbours. I LOVE that law!
Th am you so much for sharing your experience. It sounds like it was a learning experience. Love the triple kiss! It’s awkward at first for sure. Switzerland sounds like very interesting and beautiful place. I’m originally from NJ and things are different out in the world
For sure! Great job 👏
triple kisses..Hahah... when the President of Nordkora Kim..hmm.. whatshisname.. visited his collegue from Southkorea, he gave him also a triple kiss and the southkorean was realy shocked..haha Kim was educated at a Swiss school during his childhood..
I do agree that the Swiss like to follow rules in general. It seems as if we all had a little policeman inside of us. But it‘s not that uncommon to ignore a red light when crossing the road. The Germans seem more strict in that respect. Still, this is a very informative video to watch. 😎👍
I love watching videos where US culture is compared to EU.
The fact that you guys don’t have unlimited sick days is mind blowing to me.
And the whole work life balance seems non existent in the USA.
At my last employer in Germany, I was encouraged to take vacation. My boss even told me that I should deinstall mail app and slack app so that I would not be distracted by work during my vacation.
One thing I love about Switzerland (I am an American) is how safe I felt in Zurich. I spent the majority of a day walking around the city on my own and I did not feel targeted as a woman walking alone. In America, I find that walking alone as a woman can be really intimidating and people can be rude or creepy towards you...even in the small town where I live and speak the language fluently. I really appreciated that about my visit to Zurich. Granted this is my personal experience and I do not speak for everyone who visits under the same circumstances. I was on a work trip and my flight was delayed a day. It was one of the best days of my life.
I feel the same!
I'm American, and definitely a shame how we don't feel safe in our country. We need to change things here.
There are a TON of countries in Europe that are unsafe for women to walk alone in some VERY touristy. Barcelona is AWFUL, the touristy areas near barrio G. they warn you do not travel at night alone and be careful of gangs of guys mostly new Arab migrants who are claiming the area as theirs. They would go after Americans. We were told to leave by an owner of a bar becuase the men were talking about violating us and killing us. They blew up the train station a week before we got there killing MANY. So yeah, it can happen anywhere in Europe just a heads up. The Swiss have been lucky because they are still VERY conservative about their migration policies of open borders and have a running list of checks for terrorists and criminals. I would say Switzerland is probably the safest because of their conservative policies.
Love your video, the differences are quite significant!!!
Thank you for watching!!
Hello from Berne
May I ask you, where that cow-painting in your background is from?
Thanks!
We found it in Micasa!
@@TheTravelingSwiss Thanks!
I want to know which language is used to communicate with other people. Is English speaking people must be learn Swiss German, Spanish, French and Romanish or it is optional. If i am a English speaking person will i face any problem in switzerland and used to with native/local people.
@@akashgoswami2967 from a swiss german perspective, you shouldn’t have that big of a problem with english. A lot of people around here speak english and learn it in school. Also to mention, normal german is enough, no need to learn Swiss German. But it depends, if it is only for vacation, english is perfectly fine, but for a permanent stay I would recommend learning a bit of the language depending on the area you want to move to. :)
Very interesting comments on the differences. Thank you for the nice video material
You can actually get fined for recycling afterhours. And for crossing a red light on the pedestrian. I once got a 280.- fine for recycling at around 10:30. They used to do these undercover patrols around the main station in Bern to catch pedestrians crossing during a red. It’s the plumpest, small-minded and petty way to generate money 🙄 I haven’t seen it happening for some time though. Great video, again!
😳😳😳 280?! Wow! I’ll
Make sure not to recycle after hours LOL
@@TheTravelingSwiss It goes back to the 7 day God 'rest' period which is a very good thing to observe. Everything has it's place and reason. BTW It's not years literally FYI but I won't elaborate more due to 'culture censorship' .
Thank you for this information! In regards to things being closed on a Sunday… we are planning a 9 day trip in June, and obviously will include a Sunday. If we are in Geneva on the Sunday will shops and restaurants still be open as it is a bigger city? TIa
Restaurants will be open but shops will be closed!
Honestly, so many of these things sound wonderful. We need to go back to our roots. Society is dying because we are trying too do too much for too many.
I'm Swiss and I'm crossing the streets when the lights are red and no cars approaching all the time... oops 😂 Anyway: love your video, very interesting to see what kind of culture shocks you had!
Hello, it's a privilege to connect with you on here, how are you doingℹ️
Slovenia and Switzerland are very similar in some aspects, so I haven’t experienced any huge cultural shocks. Some of the things you’ve mention sounds very familiar though. Everything closed on Sundays frustrated me at the beginning, but now I got used of it. Now it bothers me more, so many restaurants close their kitchens after certain hour and you can’t get a meal in the afternoon. 😀
I miss the days of complaining about restaurants having limited hours, now all I want is for them to be open again AT ALL lol! hopefully in March!!
@@TheTravelingSwiss Yes! It would be nice to just sit down and have a nice meal at the restaurant again. Take-aways are just not the same. Fingers crossed for life getting back to normal again soon. 🤞
@@SlovenianGirlAbroad well, in the United States, (virtually) no restaurant has a closing time that's earlier than 9:00 PM, every day.
@@mariusmatei2946 It's so interesting how different things work in different countries. :) Thanks for this additional info. :)
@@SlovenianGirlAbroad I'm glad to provide you with the info, but, in terms of "being interesting", I beg to differ!! Just yesterday, I replied to a comment about "how annoyingly long the working hours are in Geneva", and I gave as a point of reference what the working hours are like in New York, that, except for the "9-to-5"/office work settings, virtually, every working place stays open till, at least, 10:00 PM, for, at least, 5-6 days/week (with, maybe, 2-3 reduced working hours, for 1-2 days/week); and, although (again, except for the "9-to-5" work settings) everybody gets, at least, one day (any day of the week) off/week, there is no such thing as "weekends off". Personally, I'm choosing Switzerland, and the Swiss ways (over the United States, and the American ways), Any Moment!!
yes, we speak Swiss German, which means, each area speaks a different kind of a dialect. But, we learn “High German” beginning in 1st class and this is how we have to converse with most people from different countries. We also speak French, starting in School in 5th grade. Italian is not compulsory, but many also take advantage of classes thought in Schools. Romansch is only spoken in a very small part of Switzerland and comes from latin.
Super helpful. Thank you !
You're definitely right about our society being patriarchal .. I am so embarrassed by women's voting rights for example.. We only got it in 1971, super fucking late, and the canton of Appenzell-Innerrhoden didn't even give women the right to vote by choice, they had to be forced by a supreme court decision in 1991 ... And YESSS spontaneity isn't a huge thing, but we do after-work drinks and spontaneous dinner as well, at least I do. 20 vacation days are mandated by law, 25 is the norm however. And in general, the consensus is that you don't work if you're sick, and don't you DARE answer work emails after hours. Bosses can't ask that you're available on the weekend or after hours either, that's illegal. LOOVE the language dance you describe, if it makes you feel better, we have that problem amongst ourselves too .. in Biel/bienne where I work for example, some people will address you in French, others in German because it's a billingual city. Everyone speaks both, but it's a matter of preference, so the "dance" is a nice way of describing it. Thahahaha the garbage thing made me laugh. Since you speak German, you may like Kaya Yanar; he's a German comedian who married a Swiss woman, and he did an entire skit on recycling and how complicated it is in Switzerland. to make it worse, every city has different rules for it too :-p my friend who lives just 20 minutes from me has different garbage rules than me. And yeah we do follow rules, but we also break them. I'll always cross at a red light if no cars are coming, in my city people care waay less than in other places. Also, Sundays are supposed to be holy, so the Swiss don't get why anyone would expect stores to be open that day :-) The alcohol thing is funny to me .. in the US, carrying guns is considered less dangerous than drinking alcohol, which is sooo weird :-) Great vid, thanks a lot, I love hearing what people from different places think of our funny little culture :-D
Thank you so much for the comment! I appreciate you watching and taking the time to share your thoughts too!! 😄 I definitely need to look up that comedian and the recycling skit!!
@@TheTravelingSwiss th-cam.com/video/8Jg22No2OB0/w-d-xo.html found it :-) He's very on point and super funny! :-)
Yes, the voting right for woman is a shame and as long as a lot of families can afford to have one parent stay at home this will not change.
But on the other side we were the first country to legalize homosexuality and prostitution and to make abortion accessible to everybody. We voted on it 1937 and it was put into effect in 1942. Zürich was the "Mecca" for gays in the 50ies.
@@DramaQueenMalena that is true, there are many things I do appreciate about our country too, not least of which is the legalisation of homosexuality. Let's hope we'll finally legalise marriage equality in September, too!!! #ehefüralle
@@Julieseven Yes, let's hope. I think what we have in common with the US is that we have people in the cities who are liberal and people in more rural areas that are more conservative. In other countries there is this difference too but "nicht so krass".
Thank you for sharing !
Just subscribed ❤️
As a Swiss, I agree with everything you said, but I would like to correct a small factual mistake: the soldiers you see are not 18 years old, but at least 20 (with some rare exceptions 19)! Military service is compulsory from the age of 20 to 32 (40 and more for the officers. I personally served until the age of 50). But, as the Swiss army was significantly downsidized after the end of the Cold War, it has become relatively easy to opt out of military service, but you have to serve under a "civil service" in compensation. For exemple, one of my sons did that and had to spend a total of one year taking care of handicapped children with Down syndrome in compensation for avoiding military service.
Thank you for the comment! Appreciate you provided the accurate information here as well!!
Thanks. No hug or kiss we are British 🤣. Have fallen in love with there culture, sounds perfect, except for the kissing. 🌈🙏
I'm swiss and I don't like it either.
Never done that, was never a problem.
@@Slithermotion It depends how you are looking..hahaha..
The Swiss Kiss 😊 Also Swiss society and culture are big reasons why I want to move there
Funny to hear all this things from my home country Switzerland 🇨🇭. I do understand you very good. I‘m in the US for almost 10 months and I felt the opposite 😉 . Greetings from us
Thank you for watching ❤️
very nice, but I don't think I could ever leave sunny Florida behind!
3 kisses 😃 in Gibraltar we give 2. Its a very affectionate way to greet friends and even people we have just met. In Spain especially its very common. Great vid. Keep on rocking
I can get behind 2 kisses, but 3 just feels like too many! lol
@@TheTravelingSwiss Swiss are like the french then..3 kisses...haha
@@joeyjo7802 france tends to be 2 as well. But it depends on the region. Also in Switzerland. in the french speaking part of Switzerland, 3 kisses is the widespread way of greeting, in other parts not necessarily ;)
#10 is inaccurate: There is an age limit to BUY alcohol, but there is NO age limit to DRINK alcohol. This is entirely left to the responsibility of the parents. (Of course, if a child repeatedly appears drunk in school or the like, then at some point the child protection agency will look into it.) The same applies to tobacco.
My friend would but cigarettes and alcohol for their parents, but that was 30 yrs ago 😅
I also never had a Swiss speak to me when crossing at a red light. This might be a Basel thing. You'll have old people with a walker crossing on a red. If anyone says anything it's a German. People in Basel say "I have a brain. I know when I can and cannot cross the street." When it comes to parents with kids they teach their children how to cross safely on red.
I'm a New Yorker who's been living in Germany for decades and about to move to Switzerland. Regarding the strict rules, I was standing at a red light in a pouring rain with my bike after midnight and since the streets were empty, I'd thought I'd just keep going. I got caught by the cops and had to pay a fine of 100 DM. That was my first culture shock.
Surprised that you didn't mention the federal system. Switzerland is smaller than New Your but it was made from 23+3 different countries, now called Kantone or cantons. There are huge differences between the cantons, every German one has its own dialect and some things you mention are different on other cantons.
For example school system, every canton has their own school system, has there own program what to learn and their own times for lunch, so the 2h lunch is not true for every canton. The way you greet someone is different. Even something like the buildings look different. If we where in school in Biel, in canton Bern, and visited something in canton Zürich some said we go "is usland" (which mean foreign country).
I am.a swiss citizens but live in America
I was born in 1942 in Zurich
I immigrated to America in 1965. Speaking of the compulsory military service, the minimum draft age was 19. It is, or it was the patriotic thing to undergo military training
When job hunting, the first thing you were asked by a prospective.employer was, did you do your.militsry service, not what school did you graduate from. The perception was that if you had your military service. You were more disciplined then someone who didn't
I settled in the San Francisco Bay Area when I arrived in America in 1965
I visited Switzerland in 1971 for one month I just.returned from my 2nd. visitt to Switzerland with my wife. I was aware of how expensive Switzerland is and therefore I wasn't to surprised. I was saddened by the many changes that have taken place, but l guess that's progress...
Great videos! Thank you for sharing!
I am a swiss person and this is a task from my school. Cool
FYI the 3 kisses thing is slso very regional and age related. It has stopped due to covid. But even before that only certain prople dd it. My Swiss wife is over 60. She left Switzerland and she never experienced the kissing growing up. But when we returned on 2008 it was popular?!
Strict rules in Switzerland...I feel.you hhahha Coming from Manila, Philippines , we have rules, of course, but no teeth ;) I got to enjoy Sundays too,now without going shopping :)
Strict rules = lower crime rates and people are good (because of that)
So agree with the women at work. I’m still not used to it! It also changes the work culture.
I lived there as an American.... TOO many rules. Generally cold natured people. Bad weather 8 months out of the year. But there are trade offs. It is stunningly beautiful and safe.
girl, what camera do you use? it's awesome
We always shook hands I grew up in Ch and the 3 kisses is relatively new development.
My brother is one of the luckier people in the US. He can have a buttload of vacation. He automatically gets 3 weeks of vacation a year. He gets extra vacation for overtime. He also gets paid time in a half. If you make $50 an hour you will get $75 an hour for overtime. His vacation also rolls over from year to year. Like when his son was born he had 6 months of paid time off. The shitty part is work never respects his time off. My brother came to visit my mom for vacation and he got a call from work asking him to come into work the next day. He of course said he is in Nashville (he worked in Miami). His boss had the balls to ask him to catch a flight back to Miami. My brother asked him if he was paying and of course he said no. My brother said to bad.
My sister-in-law can take as many days as she wants off. This is the nice thing about being a boss.
When it comes to strict rule following, I have a different perspective to that point. Yes, we, meaning swiss, but also Germans or Austrians, take rules for serious and tend to obey them automatically. But that is less a result of liking strict rules, than it is a result of social control at its best and most positive appearance.
We live in densely populated areas, and we all need some recreation time. I want to sleep at night, so I make sure, my neighbours and fellow citizens can do the same.
I do not like to accidentally make an emergency stop when driving a car through a city or town, so I don't cross the street as a pedestrian when the traffic light is red. And, I know as a pedestrian, that drivers are not used to that, and I don't want to be killled. So I stay on the secure side by obeying rules. The rest of it is just motivated by not wanting to have arguments with people that live in your neighborhood, because thats a kind of waste of energy that nobody wants and nobody needs in their lives.
well you must be close to a military base or a bigger train station.. in my town you only see them at the train station. but yeah its mandatory and its a tiny country.. in USA i only saw military at big airports because its a huge country.. so dont worry..
I can understand the language dance, personally i always start in swiss german no matter your ethnicity, i learned especially PoC appreciate that
Point 8: Strict Rule Following
That's not something you'd see in cities or suburbs
in little villages maybe
but in cities no one could care less about the points made
just be mindful of others and you're good
If person love nature beautiful lakes then must visit once in life this heaven on earth ❤️🍃🇨🇭
Totally agree :)
nombre 11 don't ask in Switzerland how much you earn how much is your salary that's very personal here.
So true! In the US you don’t discuss it with your coworkers or acquaintances of course but between friends and family you can talk about it, not super unusual though some people are sensitive. I was so surprised here that my husband doesn’t even discuss it with his parents or siblings etc. at least he can talk to me about it though LOL 😅
Great video. Thanks for sharing. New friend all the best.😎🖐💞👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Switzerland sounds amazing
I am happy for you - your life in Switzerland 🇨🇭
With Love ❤️ 🇺🇸
Do people smile there? Are people direct? I love how direct Dutch people are. Are they open to have genuine conversations or is it all small talk?
No small talk in Switzerland that’s why most of people think it’s difficult to make swiss friends .
@@jeanpieerjean7356 I don't think you can make friends with people who only do small talk. Small talk is prevalent in most of the southern states of the US.
Hey there, thanks for taking the time to analyze "my" country :-) Maybe I can offer a different point of view on the topic of men and women and staying at home. I have to admit, the swiss model is a little bit outdated. BUT:
1) compared to the US we earn a lot more. Of course everything is more expensive here. But in many cases it is not necessary for both parents to continue working. I guess in the US it is more like both parents need to work to cover all expenses. So I guess in many cases this has not much to do with patriarchy.
2) yes, men still get payed more than women in Switzerland, and yes, that is something we need to fix. On the other hand, that might be the reason why more women stay at home to take care of the kids. Because men have higher wages and it is easier to live on his salary then on her's.
Cheers from Zürich :-)
Oh and by the way: Zurich and Geneva are like two totally different countries :-D
Hi David, thanks for the comment and appreciate your sharing your perspective and point of view here! And yes, from living in geneva just briefly (3 months) and Zurich for nearly a year, I can already get a sense of just how different these two places are :)
Hello, it's a privilege to connect with you on here, how are you doing🙋
Greetings from Switzerland 😁 , from Winterthur (near Zürich) 😇 have a nice day
Hello, it's a privilege to connect with you on here, how are you doing🙋
It’s nice if a mother can stay home if she chooses. And is not shamed if that’s her choice.
So true. If I h
Ad kids, I would want to see them grow up.
The Sfr.2 price per bag is to cover the cost of garbage collection.
There is always big shocks when you move within Cultures, never mind half way across the world like you did. Go to know that you got used to them though...Bravo
I moved from Switzerland to Thailand...culture shock?!?¨Bruahaha..You don't know what it means..Fortunately I grooved up biculture when I was a child..Italy and Swiss..even 2 countrys so close eatch other in Europe has 2 completely different culture..
I think the lack of spontaneity is more present in the German speaking part of the country and less in the French and Italian speaking parts, at least that would be my experience living here all my life :)
Great video btw
The rule following is in most cases a question of respect and/or safety. If a rule does not make any sense we dont follow it. In Basel not many will wait till the red light turns green at night. Daytime it‘s diffrent. Interesting what you say about the daycare for children. How is that organised and payed in New York?
New York has quite high (relative to the rest of the US) state and local taxes which are use to fund the programs for children 3 and up
Hello, it's a privilege to connect with you on here, how are you doing🙋
The "three-kiss-greeting" has virtually disappeared with COVID. These days, we just give a hug.
is this like a cantonal thing? i havent observed that around me in canton zurich.