When I worked in London at Christmas they would get a box of guillan praline chocolate and say it’s the best in the world I’d shudder, they have never been to wodey suchard or walder in their life and most probably will never be able the simple joy of a 50.- box of chocolates. I honestly would rather not have any chocolate for Christmas at all than have to eat Belgian chocolate.
Great video Mark! I would add the following: -Look the Swiss in the eyes when doing cheers (and cheers everyone) -Hold your wine glass by the stem -Don't call Switzerland 'Sweden' or ask the Swiss if they are 'Swedish' -Always bring something when you go to someone's house
Since i have cousins in Switzerland, im glad i was able to travel there for real cheap. A great experience traveling there by bus from Croatia honestly. The scenery is out of this world!
As a Swiss citizen I'd agree with most of your points, not so sure about flushing the toilet at night, though. Maybe they'd ask you to avoid doing that in some special accommodations (like a small hut that you'd share with other people) but in most places it's completely acceptable to flush the toilet at any time. About being loud in general...yes, it certainly helps if you tone it down. People are gonna appreciate it if you're not too loud in public spaces and especially in public transport but to be honest, people aren't likely to call you out. They might throw you an annoyed look but that's usually it.
That annoyed look speaks more than a thousand words, though. Doesn't mean we line the behavior if we don't verbalize our annoyence. If I speak up against annoying tourists, or even a local for that matter, I'm at the point where I hope they'd leave the country lol.
the flushing the toilet at night thing is such a ridiculous myth. No neighbour is going to complain about that unless you have already made them angry by being noisy at night, which is after 10pm.
I am sure many have learned to relax over the years. But the obnoxious US tourist is a thing that we have never gotten rid of in the US. It would be nice if that was a thing of the past someday.
I can joke about fondue and expensive trains all day, but if you disturb my peace and quiet, I WILL hope you leave the country as soon as possible lmao
Actually, I lived in Basel for a year and in the first house where I lived for 4 months, I did my washing on a Sunday, and by hell did the Neighbours let me know what they thought of that (I think that rule is ridiculous - still do, but I abided by it for the remainder of my stay), but then when I moved to another canton which, for CH was at the complete other end of the political spectrum - Obwalden - for my second year, they laughed when I told them about it. I get the feeling that the Swiss country people have a much different outlook on life and priorities to the Swiss city people
@@juandenzer637 I have an American friend I met in France. I think she's great, BUT 1. When we took a bus with her overnight to Berlin from Lille, France, she tried mocking my friend's accent and sounded AWFUL 2. We tried to warn her that England isn't all Downton Abbey and Harry Potter. She ignored us. She then proceeds to send me an SMS at 5.30 in the morning when I'm asleep and she's at Calais waiting for her ferry crossing criticising the girls' makeup skills (I'm assuming that was her first interaction with what we Brits call a 'Chav' judging by how she described them LOL)
i am from switzerland and i can say don't belive it too much. The only thing to upset me is being impolite and loud talking in the tram. And how you know you are loud? easy if you dont hear anyone around you anymore then you are loud.
@@winterlinde5395 the countryside is spectacular. Some of the best hiking I have ever done in my whole life. That being said, it’s very true that it is extremely expensive, and unfortunately I experienced racism. A small mom and pop restaurant straight up refused service to myself and my wife and it was unfortunate even more so because we were on our honeymoon. It does seem like there is a big unspoken racial divide between Swiss and Indian & Middle eastern folks. I am American and part Hispanic so I have tan skin so I’m sure they mistook me for Indian or middle eastern. Never experienced that before so it was weird, but I still believe it is a country everyone should see in their lifetime. The landscapes are just breathtaking
Switzerland looks beyond stunning, who needs nightclubs when you can just go hiking and have the time of your life doing so?!! I really hope to visit someday. :)
Hmm I’ve been to Zurich twice and other areas near the Alps. Everyone was super friendly and country was unbelievably beautiful. I guess I’ve been lucky to enjoy all my travels ❤
Oh we are super friendly if you're polite and respectful! We can even be great at small talk once we open up. It just takes a while longer than certain tourists might be used to, but if you give us time and appropriate space (And don't talk too loud), we'll instantly like you alot more. We're like cats in that regard lol. Many Swiss are also excited when tourists show real interest and will gladly be your impromptu guides, as long as you don't ask rude questions like "Do you have McDonalds in Switzerland?" Or "I thought you lived in the mountains". Personally, if someone asked me "do you speak Swiss?" I wouldn't be annoyed, I'd find it funny and gladly explain our national languages, the difference between German and Swiss German, and how people shouldn't be discouraged by the fact that we have so many vastly different local dialects. Honest curiosity is always welcome, same as, I guess, everywhere else. I'm happy you had such great experiences and hope you'll continue to do so!
Hi Wolter I am swiss and i love my country more than anything else , as a swiss it upset me the most when people think Switzerland is Germany and we all german oh ja they get from me the angry face
those things have a true core but i would say most swiss do not really get upset from them. the only 2 things to really upset swiss people is unpolite behaviour and indeed noise. be always friendly and respectful and keep the volume of your conversations in public places on a decent level. then you won't have any problems in switzerland.
Another thing we don't like is being photographed on purpose without asking for permission, especially children, some asian tourists do this. Don't be rude or agressive if you have a complaint or you are dissatisfied with service, say it in a calm and polite manner and I guarantee you it will be resolved and if it's food or drink, you'll probably get replacment. About tipping: it is wellcomed but not in any way expected, so don't feel guilty if you don't tip.
As a Swiss I’ll add my two cents. - Don’t be late, totally agree with that, it’s rude and inefficient. - Be quite, totally agree, don’t talk obnoxiously loud indoors. But even as a local, I find some noise laws in apartments excessive. I would, for example, never rent an apartment, that didn’t let me flush the toilet at night. Generally, if you just don’t make a lot of noise after 10pm and on Sundays you should be fine. - Totally agree with the small talk. Please don’t force us, we don’t typically do it. But you can of course, still ask a stranger for help and such. - I think the cheese ones, such as wrong assumptions about Swiss cheese, fondue or raclette etiquette are a bit exaggerated. Most people don’t care how you eat it and we will gladly recommend that you try Swiss cheeses and chocolate. - In the same vein, if you complain about the expensiveness of Switzerland, it’s not like we haven’t heard that line before. But to tourists it is extremely expensive. Even to us locals, it is not cheap to live here unless you are really rich. Some products are way more expensive than in Germany for example, even if you account for our higher salaries, so we would likely agree with the statement. - It’s generally good advice not to criticize your travel destination, especially on groundless basis. Why would you even go to a country, if you thought it was boring? As for the lack of party culture. We do have clubs in the bigger cities, like anywhere else in the world, which are expensive, but I would recommend doing other stuff while being here. - I personally would not be offended if somebody asked if we speak Swiss, especially if they are not European. While I would recommend at least reading the Wiki article of a country to inform yourself before visiting, our four national languages are kind of advanced knowledge, I don’t expect other people to just know about. A language fact that wasn’t mentioned in this video: while people in the German-speaking part of Switzerland read and write in Standard German or High German (that is used in Germany), they don’t actually speak it. Instead, we use various Alemannic dialects that can sound quite different from Standard German. I think, it's rude if people belittle the way we speak and tell us that we sound funny or weird.
If you travel to a country only to complain about how expensive everything is, then don't go there. That's the rule number one. And by that I don't mean going to a shop and saying, oh, that's expensive. I mean constant moaning. BTW: your written standard differs from Standard German. That's why you have your own Duden. You know, HB, Velo, Pneu, no Eszet, parkieren....
My kind of place, I am introverted, anti-social, don't do small talks, don't smile, wear smart dark colored clothes, and want to be left alone. I travel for sightseeing and not for interaction with the locals. I would spend a day or two at a location and then move on to the next destination like Swiss clockwork, all business.
I hear this all the time from ppl who have travelled to Switzerland, but personally (as a Swiss) I never even cared. I flush whenever I want and nobody ever complained.
@@maschinensohn Good! That's how it should be. I can't imagine feeling so entitled to perfect silence that you try to dictate your neighbour's bathroom behaviours 😆 But interesting that it is apparently a recurring complaint nevertheless.
That you can't flush the toilet in Switzerland after 10pm is something that does not exist anymore since many years. This existed back in the day within "very old" Buildings with very thin walls. But the reason many foreigners still think that this is a thing because we have something called "Nachtruhe", in which you need to avoid unnecessary noise between 22:00-6:00 (10pm-6am). And going to toilet is not "unnecessary" and even taking a shower. There are more and more people in Switzerland working in shifts. The problem is that it is not really good defined what counts as "unnecessary noises". But as i already said, flushing and taking a shower is allowed and nothing can happen to you. But only taking a shower. Bathing is not.
Good video (as always) I've been lucky enough to visit Zurich and Geneva and what you say about the prices is true (along with the Swiss salaries), but it's such a gorgeous country. The Alps are 😍 I hope to get back someday as the Raclette is delicious!
You're wrong about Swiss cheese in America. It isn't processed, and is a perfectly fine cheese. It is just a straightforward take on Emmentaler (which I frankly find a bit boring given the range of cheeses in Switzerland).
My Swiss 🇨🇭husband took me 🇪🇨🇨🇴to his home for our honeymoon before COVID & I remember he always told me if your on time your already late lol so the Swiss believe in being early! Especially for interviews
I really like your content and as a local I'm delighted you made a video about Switzerland ! However, life still expansive for most of us here even though we seem being well paid
@@mellyklint6199 agreed, but compared to other countries it will seem like that. but we have poverty and minimum wage workers here too, just like everywhere else.
@@rosc2022 They have silly and unreasonable requests. I will happily refrain from vacuuming or installing a shelf in Sunday, even though I think that is dumb. But they don't like the volume at which I speak on the phone in the office and don't like that I cook dinner after 8pm sometimes? That's dumb and I will ignore it.
Oh, and apparently I sneeze too loudly. I don't know if Swiss nasal passages and ears are built differently or something, but I will sneeze as I have my entire adult life. I don't even know how to go about altering that one!
I’m American and get very insulted when people show up late. I find it very rude. I will not wait more than 15 minutes for anyone. If you’re trying to date me, forget it if you are late. I love this about the Swiss.
Nice Video. It really nails it. Especially the 'don't talk expensive' part. In Switzerland one doesn't talk about money or rich (or poor) he is. Stick to that in general. Also very accurate is the 'don't be late' - people are really offended if you come late it is considered an insult to the person you are about to meet. The only reason where it is accepted is if the train is late, but again, they are 99% on time - So you better send a photo. Maybe you are a bit too much on the 'no noise and no smalltalk', feel free to chat people up - but just drop it if they are not in the mood. And you can always flush your toilet, I don't know where this comes from, it get repeated over and over again but it's not true. You can even take a shower at any time (the latter is ruled by supreme Court, yes apparently those issues make it to the supreme court) However, lawn mowers, hoovers and washing machines are infact a nogo on sundays/nighttime. But would you use those as a tourist?!
It is worth remembering that Switzerland has been managing and exploiting tourists for longer than any other country - since the 1850s at least - so they are experts. Tourists are regarded as economic units. The more you spend, the more ingratiating your Swiss hosts become. A backpacker is treated very differently from a guest in a plush hotel in St. Moritz. Secondly, one in every three people in Switzerland is a foreigner, so the Swiss are wary of being culturally submerged. They are therefore reluctant make friends with tourists; they keep them at arm's length, or at best regard them with bemused tolerance. There is no country or people that the Swiss admire. However the Swiss are generally honest and seldom cheat; you get what you pay for. The country is clean, well run and beautiful. The goods and services are of high quality.
Tourists are more likely to be regarded as economic units in cities and parts of the world that are totally dependent on tourists, which is not the case of Switzerland in general, maybe just in specific areas. Although it is true that the Swiss are introvert, a backpacker has a better chance of meeting and chatting with people than a rich guest in a plush hotel, who is going to be treated just like any rich guest in a plush hotel anywhere in the world.
You will meet the same kind of mentality in Alsace and Austria. And nobody is going to get on your back in Switzerland if you talk too loud or if you are late!
It’s not that the Swiss are introverted. They’re insular. They can be quite extroverted..with each other. I always tell people who ask what it is like living here that it’s like I am Captain Kirk living on the Planet Vulcan; they don’t understand my sense of humor and that, I appear completely illogical to them. I agree with Swiss promptness, but my Swiss wife is an exception to this rule. 😂 The rules regarding ‘Ruhigzeit’ (quiet time) are arbitrary. It depends on how ‘bünzli’ one’s neighbor is. The rules are real, but only a malcontent will use them as a reason to call the authorities. One thing to consider..if you are not Swiss, you will always be considered an ‘Ausländer’ by the Swiss (Germans), even if you have earned citizenship and speak one of the four languages. Knowing this, I unabashedly embrace that status and find that there is a certain freedom in not being culturally-repressed by Swiss judgement, which is unfortunately something that I find quite common among the natives here - everyone must fit in. It’s all about conformity.
This toilet flushing is probably something that is about to become the ultimate annoying thing to hear for Swiss people, lol. Swiss people like clean ordered places, and they make it a rule to let the place clean after they have done their business (well... usually). So the very last thing they want to find behind you is your poop, pee, blood, dirty paper, smell, whatever. So please DO FLUSH your mess away !! And concerning the noise that could disturb the neighbors, Swiss houses are generally super well insulated... just saying.
Just being there upsets them. The French speaking Swiss were the rudest people I have ever been around in over 50 countries. They look for a reason to not be happy with you.
@@Evil.Turkey I won't disagree. When asking for a pack of cigarettes in a store is enough to have a lady have bad attitude, well it's the reason I didn't stay in Switzerland very long. I avoid or leave places were they are so rude to the people that have traveled, in my case thousands of km, to spend money there. Did you ever notice they don't smile? They have a mindset that makes them unhappy because it is judgemental. The opposite is south America. Staying at family hotels, I became family. Believe it or not but Colombians would go out of there way to help you. They welcome people with smiles and if your smile is real, they are so nice. Morocco, while not a country I would return to as it is dirty, also had people so nice and that helped me out big time. Simple things like help at the bus stop or inviting me to sit with them for tea. Most of Europe the people were helpful and depending on where personable. The more central and east, the more they will talk to people they don't know.
@@guharup well I'm telling you first hand and someone that lived there for a year agreed. Go. You will see. It's also one thing to say it's a very pretty country that was nice to see vs the people were rude.
I think if you are a tourist, eating out, going to some theme park, theater, etc. It is just plain tacky to complain about how expensive something is there. Those are things you do with disposable income for pleasure. Going to a grocery store to feed your family and complaining about costs is legitimate. The worst people are the ones with lots of disposable income who complain.
I'm all for respecting other cultures and locals of places I visit but my goodness it sounds like the Swiss would rather be left alone. Maybe one of the reasons it costs so much for foreign visitors is they are trying to price us out and discourage tourism. Might be best we visit other more welcoming countries or places in our own countries.
You should not pay too much attention to videos like this which, also being well intended, will have you believe you have to watch every move you make. Switzerland is no different from any other Northern European country and is so used to tourists, people are not likely to pay much attention to what you do
Where in Switzerland is the shot in your video (when your talking about the country not being boring and great for hiking) of the white bridge entering into the side of the mountain??? 4:01 mark
Theres no Swiss Language but in the biggest part of switzerland they speak schweizerdeutsch. Even tho they learn Hochdeutsch in the schools, they still use dialects in everyday life. And it’s kinda another language. There is no way for Germans to understand unless they live in this particular region for a while
Some Swiss-German dialects are easier to understand (like in the urban areas around Zürich). And then there's stuff like the dialects spoken in Wallis that even some Swiss people struggle with. Baslerdeutsch can be pretty tricky as well.
My wife and I flew into Zürich, arriving in the morning from Florida. We spent a few hours there before taking the train to visit my many Austrian cousins in Dornbirn, Austria. We decided to have lunch, so we entered a restaurant. We were met by cold stares. It was a bar (with food) affiliated with a Swiss soccer club. It was almost like we were trespassing. The woman tending bar was quiet and respectful, but I knew she was thinking, "What are these idiotic tourists doing here?" (She immediately came to take our order. We asked for a menu. She brought it, and then disappeared for a long while. The food was good, but perhaps she hadn't planned on cooking, considering the place was basically empty.) My heritage is Austrian, Swiss, Italian, and Portuguese.
soccer club bars are not where people normally go to eat so I think they were probably confused and as you said, had not planned to cool lunches. As a Swiss I would have felt she treated me very kindly.
I think most of these things won't really upset people in Switzerland all that much. More in a funny way, where we can verbally spar a bit or make fun of what most Americans think is "Swiss" cheese etc. but the one that really *will* piss off Swiss people (and potentially garner you some stern looks or even some open verbal hostility) is the noise thing. Not only making excessive noise on Sunday or playing loud music in close vicinity to other people but even just how loud many Americans speak. Basically, if a person sitting two or three seats over can hear your conversation, you're being a nuisance to most Swiss. And if you're talking loud enough to be heard through half the train carriage, you're certainly going to be considered a bad-mannered tourist (or worse, a typical American). Respect towards your surroundings and towards other people is a big thing here (to the point where it's too extreme honestly and a lot of Swiss people could do with relaxing a bit more in that regard). Still, drawing the attention of strangers onto yourself is generally not something that most Swiss people will feel comfortable with and if tourists are doing it you can expect eyes to be rolled excessively. Oh, and most people here will totally agree that Switzerland is very expensive so I don't think that's really contentious (especially hotels and eating out or ordering in is really expensive, even with a Swiss wage, which is the reason why most Swiss people cook most of their meals themselves and only eat out or order in a few times a week). On the other hand, this is a well known fact so why come to Switzerland and complain about it all the time. Nobody is forcing you to come here after all. ;-) Enjoy your stay.
I recently went on an 8 country trip through Europe: Germany, France, Belgium, France, Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Czech Republic, and Poland. Switzerland was the prettiest out of all of them, but I found the Swiss in general to be extremely arrogant and rude. I was in Zurich, and it seemed like there was wealth and beauty everywhere, but no warmth or happiness.
We're not arrogant. Just don't expect staff at shops, restaurants and tourist places to kiss your butt because you are a tourist. This is not the US with all the fake smiles which have the sole intention of getting a tip. Zürich is a special place as half the German-speaking Switzerland commutes there for work so naturally these people are in a hurry. But, tbh I found NY to be much worse in that respect.
Well depends in which situation. If you are talking too loud on a train than we will suffer the noise rather than ask you to speak quietly. If you are listening loud music after 22:00, we are calling the police.
My family and I loved Switzerland. But we don't travel as stereotypical Americans so maybe that was the difference. We found everyone to be lovely and pleasant, very hospitable and friendly. Even a little chatty once we got to know them. And naturally, great respect for cheese and other delights does go a long way.
One thing about Swiss German is it not exactly the same as "standard German " it is a unique dialect. I'm just going to assume the same for French and Italian. I hope to get there one day. Peace be with you.
Swissgerman is unique with its wide range of local dialects. It's not the same with the other languages that tend to be nearer the standard. Swissgerman is a different language to standard German. If it's considered a dialect group of German it's very much due to the fact that it had no written standard.
Swiss German is definitely a dialect but French and Italian are not. There are slight differences with France and Italy, like in any region, with accents and some local words, but it's the same language. You might not understand people if you speak standard German, but you'll have no issue with French or Italian. All Swiss Germans speak standard German though, so they'll understand you!
Well, I am a quiet introvert around people I don't know and who is fanatical about being on time so I will hopefully do ok when I get to Switzerland in April.
Yeah, but all the other stuff they don't like makes it sound so unwelcoming. I wouldn't be able to relax because I constantly be afraid of unknowingly doing something to offend them. Who wants that for a vacation destination? No thanks!
It will be great! And you have enough time to try to learn some words of the language they speak in the part of Switzerland you want to visit. At least a little bit. They will appreciate it and then switch to English to make things easier 😊
I don't believe I would like to visit an unfriendly,expensive for me, place where I feel I'm walking on eggs...no thanks.Ill stick to visiting the UK.❤️
I still think it’s absolutely worth it and I didn’t have any bad experience here at all. Switzerland was hands down the greatest country that I’ve ever been too. In my opinion they are very friendly and the most beautiful country on earth.
Also to all the touchy Americans whining here how they were badly treated in a touristy restaurant or hotel: You should be aware that most of the staff in the tourism industry in the touristy places are seasonal immigrant workers, not Swiss.
I think it has to do with the experience that many tourists behave like in Disney World while roaming through our everyday lives. Every. Single. Day. Just respect that we live there. And that we are most likely not on vacation right now.
German here. I like having people from all over the world visiting our country. I like when they try to understand what they experience. And when they see that we are human beings, too. Living our lives. Not being employed to make them have an awesome time. That would be an amusement park. We try to help, to speak your language if you need it. But we are also tired, when we go home from work by public transport. That’s when we don’t want to small talk to yet another tourist about the same thing again. Seeing tourists just complaining about people not abiding the tourists‘ countries rules is sad. So I don’t think we are touchy at all but there is a certain kind of tourists that can be a bit overwhelming… Come and see for yourself!!!🤗🌸
I agree that this type of video is a real turn off from visiting a country. I've lived in Switzerland for 30 years and the only real thing that a tourist might encounter is that the Swiss are introvert. For the rest, there is not much tourists would do that would upset the Swiss, as they are so used to them. Like anywhere in the world, you might have a good or bad experience, some people are pleasant and some are not and you could be unlucky. But on the whole, as tourists have been visiting Switzerland for well over 150 years, they would have to be really obnoxious to have an issue with the locals.
The thing is that most tourist don't really get in touch with the locals. I mean how do you want meet locals when you do a guided tour? Has anyone made new friends with locals on a guided tour? How do you imagine making new friends in a bigger city during working hours? Mark and all other vloggers: you need to give us a real chance. We are not that reserved. Join us in our leisure time and you will make new Swiss friends.
Here in Finland quiet hours are just normal life like in Schwirzerland - as well as being on time. I think that we Finns would be much preciate the Swiss habits🤗
Well... Swiss people aren't nearly as quiet as you guys, to be honest 😅I think no one on this earth gets even close to your level but yeah in general our habits are quite similar
im swiss i never stop talking how stupid expensive everything is. noteveryone is born in wealth, the only source of "making it" here. so please keep talking about the golden cages
Well, you don't have much choice. But a tourists that first goes willingly to one of the most pricey countries in the world and then moans about it 24/7 should get teir head checked. Some of the stuff isn't even that expensive. Drinks are pretty much at the same price level as here in the UK while our salaries are much lower.
Use your inside voice then, like if you're at a church or funeral home. I have a friend like that though and we've told him we're screwed if we ever need to be quiet and communicate if our lives depend on it. lol
DON'T BLOCK FOUR SEATS IN THE TRAIN WITH YOUR GINORMOUS RIDICULOUS SUITCASES!!!!! these trains are used by commuters too and the can get very full. After a hard days work I really don't want ot be jostled around on my way home by your effing luggage. The luggage goes IN BETWEEN THE SEATS !!! And if the train is full don't "stand your ground" MAKE WAY so more people can fit in jeeeeez.....
Mark, you recently featured a video on behavior that is insulting to Germans and I mentioned how I have German ancestry and could relate to some of the things you were talking about. Well, I also have Swiss ancestry and I can certainly relate to some of these Swiss characteristics such as being on time and not liking loud noises. There's a saying where I work in reference to attending meetings, "If you're not early, you're late".
German here. Mark did never say anything to insult me. The differences he talkes about are just that. I feel seen. I can laugh at myself. Sometimes you could need a bit of exlpanation if you want to understand us. If you want that there are many channels from USAmericans living in Germany or other European countries. They make time in their videos to dig deeper. 😊
Oh man... I strongly disagree with the expensiveness for locals. I am swiss and I do have the luck to earen the average swiss median salary so yes, i can live a good live. Hoewever i know too many people not being able to afford a rwnt on their own and are forced to stay with the parents or form up with other youngsters to be able to pay a rent. Please, please, please stop sharing this klischee that swiss people are all wealthy and stuff. Life here is very expensive for us as well! And since i do have more luck, i always try to give some of it back in form of tips or charity donations. But we are starting to have a serious issue with poorness here as well since it is growing
I remember getting off a train in the Swiss Alps and walking up a grassy hilltop to sit down and eat a sandwich. Moments later we could see the station guard shaking his fist at us. We went down and his first words were "Do you think we grow our beautiful green grass for ugly Americans like you to sit on?" When we said "we're British" he said "Even worse!" Later that day a middle aged woman pushed my wife off the sidewalk. While we were in Basel we met some lovely young people but we've never been anywhere where we were generally made to feel so unwanted.
Absolutely beautiful country. The people are dreadful - always an exception to the rule of course. If you live high in the mountains, you will find very close-minded, backward, narrow thinking, judgemental, and frosty demeanour. Dark Age mentality. They treat you very badly if you are an individual, a non conformist. I'm quite sure they all dream at night about being little policeman. If you look at them the wrong way they will yell at you. Awful.
You were very unlucky. The Swiss Alps are THE place for a picnic, so it was really unfortunate for you to meet someone like that. I've lived here for 30 years and it has never happened to me, let alone being pushed off a sidewalk, which is totally agains the Swiss idea of being polite.
@@PeterNGloor Did I say I was in a cow pasture? No. Were there any cows there? No. If I was politely asked not to be there with a good reason given it would be ok. Was there any need to call a stranger ugly and insult his nation? No. I should have mentioned also that when my wife objected to his aggressive rudeness, the railway guard raised his hand as if to strike her. I said if he struck her I would call the police - his reply? “The police are on MY side!” Beautiful country, ugly xenophobia.
@@jasminealixandranorth That seems to be cherrypicking. My experience wandering around the Swiss countryside has been nothing but awesome. There was only this one racist French woman who got upset because I apparently took away her space. You are more likely to encounter rude and aggressive people in the cities, especially by junkies or teenager gangs of a certain Balkan ethnicity, hanging around at train stations or parks and listening to loud rap music
Worst thing you can do: tell a Swiss that you prefer chocolate from Belgium - we forgive everything but not that 😂
When I worked in London at Christmas they would get a box of guillan praline chocolate and say it’s the best in the world I’d shudder, they have never been to wodey suchard or walder in their life and most probably will never be able the simple joy of a 50.- box of chocolates. I honestly would rather not have any chocolate for Christmas at all than have to eat Belgian chocolate.
Even worse than that is telling them that theyre Germans xD
@@miliba usually, people confuse us with Sweden 😅 but yes, that would be a capital offense 😅
Great video Mark! I would add the following:
-Look the Swiss in the eyes when doing cheers (and cheers everyone)
-Hold your wine glass by the stem
-Don't call Switzerland 'Sweden' or ask the Swiss if they are 'Swedish'
-Always bring something when you go to someone's house
Sounds like a Mexican household lol
Also take off your shoes when entering a house
Since i have cousins in Switzerland, im glad i was able to travel there for real cheap. A great experience traveling there by bus from Croatia honestly. The scenery is out of this world!
Switzerland is very good place to live it’s really nice I wish I can live there it’s really pretty there also
As a Swiss citizen I'd agree with most of your points, not so sure about flushing the toilet at night, though. Maybe they'd ask you to avoid doing that in some special accommodations (like a small hut that you'd share with other people) but in most places it's completely acceptable to flush the toilet at any time. About being loud in general...yes, it certainly helps if you tone it down. People are gonna appreciate it if you're not too loud in public spaces and especially in public transport but to be honest, people aren't likely to call you out. They might throw you an annoyed look but that's usually it.
wow you guys are lucky...in a sense you have great nature to accompany your depression most people face between age 20-35
That annoyed look speaks more than a thousand words, though. Doesn't mean we line the behavior if we don't verbalize our annoyence. If I speak up against annoying tourists, or even a local for that matter, I'm at the point where I hope they'd leave the country lol.
the flushing the toilet at night thing is such a ridiculous myth. No neighbour is going to complain about that unless you have already made them angry by being noisy at night, which is after 10pm.
So, in Switzerland, I can go to a restaurant and hear myself think? Sounds like Heaven to me.
No, actually people talk a lot in Switzerland, I noticed the difference when I went to Japan. Your Restaurant Heaven is Japan.
Chill everyone, nobody here in Switzerland takes these things seriously. Just come here, relax, don't worry and have a good time 😊
I take things *very* seriously when it comes to noise.
I am sure many have learned to relax over the years. But the obnoxious US tourist is a thing that we have never gotten rid of in the US. It would be nice if that was a thing of the past someday.
I can joke about fondue and expensive trains all day, but if you disturb my peace and quiet, I WILL hope you leave the country as soon as possible lmao
Actually, I lived in Basel for a year and in the first house where I lived for 4 months, I did my washing on a Sunday, and by hell did the Neighbours let me know what they thought of that (I think that rule is ridiculous - still do, but I abided by it for the remainder of my stay), but then when I moved to another canton which, for CH was at the complete other end of the political spectrum - Obwalden - for my second year, they laughed when I told them about it. I get the feeling that the Swiss country people have a much different outlook on life and priorities to the Swiss city people
@@juandenzer637 I have an American friend I met in France. I think she's great, BUT
1. When we took a bus with her overnight to Berlin from Lille, France, she tried mocking my friend's accent and sounded AWFUL
2. We tried to warn her that England isn't all Downton Abbey and Harry Potter. She ignored us. She then proceeds to send me an SMS at 5.30 in the morning when I'm asleep and she's at Calais waiting for her ferry crossing criticising the girls' makeup skills (I'm assuming that was her first interaction with what we Brits call a 'Chav' judging by how she described them LOL)
I’ve been watching since I was a child and now I’m 21 traveling Europe. Thank you for your helpful videos. Audio significantly improved.
Oh, I love this! I am in Lucerne right now and traveling my way from Zurich to Geneva. Thank you very much for all the info!
Thanks Mark. All so true! Love going to Switzerland. Gorgeous country!
It is gorgeous
Hello, I film my vlogs in Geneva. Please tell me if you want to see anything
i am from switzerland and i can say don't belive it too much. The only thing to upset me is being impolite and loud talking in the tram. And how you know you are loud? easy if you dont hear anyone around you anymore then you are loud.
I found the Swiss very easy to converse with, but I beefed up my French and German before I went, which was a huge help.
Great video Wolter! I’m going to Switzerland in October
How was it?
@@winterlinde5395 the countryside is spectacular. Some of the best hiking I have ever done in my whole life.
That being said, it’s very true that it is extremely expensive, and unfortunately I experienced racism. A small mom and pop restaurant straight up refused service to myself and my wife and it was unfortunate even more so because we were on our honeymoon. It does seem like there is a big unspoken racial divide between Swiss and Indian & Middle eastern folks. I am American and part Hispanic so I have tan skin so I’m sure they mistook me for Indian or middle eastern. Never experienced that before so it was weird, but I still believe it is a country everyone should see in their lifetime. The landscapes are just breathtaking
Switzerland looks beyond stunning, who needs nightclubs when you can just go hiking and have the time of your life doing so?!! I really hope to visit someday. :)
We have both - nature cures any hangover
Hmm I’ve been to Zurich twice and other areas near the Alps. Everyone was super friendly and country was unbelievably beautiful. I guess I’ve been lucky to enjoy all my travels ❤
Oh we are super friendly if you're polite and respectful! We can even be great at small talk once we open up. It just takes a while longer than certain tourists might be used to, but if you give us time and appropriate space (And don't talk too loud), we'll instantly like you alot more. We're like cats in that regard lol. Many Swiss are also excited when tourists show real interest and will gladly be your impromptu guides, as long as you don't ask rude questions like "Do you have McDonalds in Switzerland?" Or "I thought you lived in the mountains". Personally, if someone asked me "do you speak Swiss?" I wouldn't be annoyed, I'd find it funny and gladly explain our national languages, the difference between German and Swiss German, and how people shouldn't be discouraged by the fact that we have so many vastly different local dialects. Honest curiosity is always welcome, same as, I guess, everywhere else.
I'm happy you had such great experiences and hope you'll continue to do so!
Hi Wolter I am swiss and i love my country more than anything else , as a swiss it upset me the most when people think Switzerland is Germany and we all german oh ja they get from me the angry face
You need to relax! Bünzli!
those things have a true core but i would say most swiss do not really get upset from them. the only 2 things to really upset swiss people is unpolite behaviour and indeed noise. be always friendly and respectful and keep the volume of your conversations in public places on a decent level. then you won't have any problems in switzerland.
Another one is the utter confusion there often are between Switzerland and Sweden.
Another thing we don't like is being photographed on purpose without asking for permission, especially children, some asian tourists do this.
Don't be rude or agressive if you have a complaint or you are dissatisfied with service, say it in a calm and polite manner and I guarantee you it will be resolved and if it's food or drink, you'll probably get replacment.
About tipping: it is wellcomed but not in any way expected, so don't feel guilty if you don't tip.
I love that they are big on being on time. The cheese looks great
As a Swiss I’ll add my two cents.
- Don’t be late, totally agree with that, it’s rude and inefficient.
- Be quite, totally agree, don’t talk obnoxiously loud indoors. But even as a local, I find some noise laws in apartments excessive. I would, for example, never rent an apartment, that didn’t let me flush the toilet at night. Generally, if you just don’t make a lot of noise after 10pm and on Sundays you should be fine.
- Totally agree with the small talk. Please don’t force us, we don’t typically do it. But you can of course, still ask a stranger for help and such.
- I think the cheese ones, such as wrong assumptions about Swiss cheese, fondue or raclette etiquette are a bit exaggerated. Most people don’t care how you eat it and we will gladly recommend that you try Swiss cheeses and chocolate.
- In the same vein, if you complain about the expensiveness of Switzerland, it’s not like we haven’t heard that line before. But to tourists it is extremely expensive. Even to us locals, it is not cheap to live here unless you are really rich. Some products are way more expensive than in Germany for example, even if you account for our higher salaries, so we would likely agree with the statement.
- It’s generally good advice not to criticize your travel destination, especially on groundless basis. Why would you even go to a country, if you thought it was boring? As for the lack of party culture. We do have clubs in the bigger cities, like anywhere else in the world, which are expensive, but I would recommend doing other stuff while being here.
- I personally would not be offended if somebody asked if we speak Swiss, especially if they are not European. While I would recommend at least reading the Wiki article of a country to inform yourself before visiting, our four national languages are kind of advanced knowledge, I don’t expect other people to just know about.
A language fact that wasn’t mentioned in this video: while people in the German-speaking part of Switzerland read and write in Standard German or High German (that is used in Germany), they don’t actually speak it. Instead, we use various Alemannic dialects that can sound quite different from Standard German. I think, it's rude if people belittle the way we speak and tell us that we sound funny or weird.
Bünzli..
If you travel to a country only to complain about how expensive everything is, then don't go there. That's the rule number one. And by that I don't mean going to a shop and saying, oh, that's expensive. I mean constant moaning. BTW: your written standard differs from Standard German. That's why you have your own Duden. You know, HB, Velo, Pneu, no Eszet, parkieren....
Some Swiss-German dialects sound funny and unintelligible to other Swiss. Walliserdütsch sounds like swallowing soapwater for example
Be polite.. it works everywhere
Nah, not in Switzerland. They will often treat you bad and sometimes you will have to get rude to make them treat you seriously.
I have to 40 countries and the hardest people to deal with is the Swiss
My kind of place, I am introverted, anti-social, don't do small talks, don't smile, wear smart dark colored clothes, and want to be left alone. I travel for sightseeing and not for interaction with the locals. I would spend a day or two at a location and then move on to the next destination like Swiss clockwork, all business.
All of it makes sense to me - except not being allowed to flush at any time 🤢 That is something people should just get over...
I hear this all the time from ppl who have travelled to Switzerland, but personally (as a Swiss) I never even cared. I flush whenever I want and nobody ever complained.
@@maschinensohn Good! That's how it should be. I can't imagine feeling so entitled to perfect silence that you try to dictate your neighbour's bathroom behaviours 😆 But interesting that it is apparently a recurring complaint nevertheless.
Well. It's more flush quietly 😀
That you can't flush the toilet in Switzerland after 10pm is something that does not exist anymore since many years. This existed back in the day within "very old" Buildings with very thin walls. But the reason many foreigners still think that this is a thing because we have something called "Nachtruhe", in which you need to avoid unnecessary noise between 22:00-6:00 (10pm-6am). And going to toilet is not "unnecessary" and even taking a shower. There are more and more people in Switzerland working in shifts. The problem is that it is not really good defined what counts as "unnecessary noises". But as i already said, flushing and taking a shower is allowed and nothing can happen to you. But only taking a shower. Bathing is not.
not being allowed to flush anytime is a myth, or probably a joke. I have never heard of such a thing in Switzerland!
Good video (as always)
I've been lucky enough to visit Zurich and Geneva and what you say about the prices is true (along with the Swiss salaries), but it's such a gorgeous country. The Alps are 😍
I hope to get back someday as the Raclette is delicious!
Don't double-dip your fondue, either! One dip, one bite. Don't bite half and dip again. Gross! :)
You're wrong about Swiss cheese in America. It isn't processed, and is a perfectly fine cheese. It is just a straightforward take on Emmentaler (which I frankly find a bit boring given the range of cheeses in Switzerland).
How about not knowing the difference between Switzerland and Sweden?
That's true
That’s annoying for us Swedes too!
I would love it there lol, I hate loud noises and I like to stick to myself and see nature.
I love a bit of piano accordion folk music....love it
Are those cows getting frisky in the thumbnail pic? 😂
My Swiss 🇨🇭husband took me 🇪🇨🇨🇴to his home for our honeymoon before COVID & I remember he always told me if your on time your already late lol so the Swiss believe in being early! Especially for interviews
I really like your content and as a local I'm delighted you made a video about Switzerland ! However, life still expansive for most of us here even though we seem being well paid
Well paid? Not everyone is well paid in Switzerland.
@@mellyklint6199 agreed, but compared to other countries it will seem like that. but we have poverty and minimum wage workers here too, just like everywhere else.
In Switzerland I've had neighbors complain about how loud I am. Jokes on them--my wife and kids are Swiss citizens so I'll be back again and again!
Really? You can't just tone it down and be a good guest?
@@rosc2022 They have silly and unreasonable requests. I will happily refrain from vacuuming or installing a shelf in Sunday, even though I think that is dumb. But they don't like the volume at which I speak on the phone in the office and don't like that I cook dinner after 8pm sometimes? That's dumb and I will ignore it.
Oh, and apparently I sneeze too loudly. I don't know if Swiss nasal passages and ears are built differently or something, but I will sneeze as I have my entire adult life. I don't even know how to go about altering that one!
already feeling sorry for your wife and kids who will have to live with those neighbours while you're away
I’m American and get very insulted when people show up late. I find it very rude. I will not wait more than 15 minutes for anyone. If you’re trying to date me, forget it if you are late. I love this about the Swiss.
Nice Video. It really nails it. Especially the 'don't talk expensive' part. In Switzerland one doesn't talk about money or rich (or poor) he is. Stick to that in general.
Also very accurate is the 'don't be late' - people are really offended if you come late it is considered an insult to the person you are about to meet. The only reason where it is accepted is if the train is late, but again, they are 99% on time - So you better send a photo.
Maybe you are a bit too much on the 'no noise and no smalltalk', feel free to chat people up - but just drop it if they are not in the mood.
And you can always flush your toilet,
I don't know where this comes from, it get repeated over and over again but it's not true.
You can even take a shower at any time (the latter is ruled by supreme Court, yes apparently those issues make it to the supreme court)
However, lawn mowers, hoovers and washing machines are infact a nogo on sundays/nighttime. But would you use those as a tourist?!
I got sushed once for being to loud at night 😀
It is worth remembering that Switzerland has been managing and exploiting tourists for longer than any other country - since the 1850s at least - so they are experts. Tourists are regarded as economic units. The more you spend, the more ingratiating your Swiss hosts become. A backpacker is treated very differently from a guest in a plush hotel in St. Moritz. Secondly, one in every three people in Switzerland is a foreigner, so the Swiss are wary of being culturally submerged. They are therefore reluctant make friends with tourists; they keep them at arm's length, or at best regard them with bemused tolerance. There is no country or people that the Swiss admire. However the Swiss are generally honest and seldom cheat; you get what you pay for. The country is clean, well run and beautiful. The goods and services are of high quality.
😳exploiting tourists? How did the Swiss force them to go there?
Tourists are more likely to be regarded as economic units in cities and parts of the world that are totally dependent on tourists, which is not the case of Switzerland in general, maybe just in specific areas. Although it is true that the Swiss are introvert, a backpacker has a better chance of meeting and chatting with people than a rich guest in a plush hotel, who is going to be treated just like any rich guest in a plush hotel anywhere in the world.
Switzerland is a wonderful country 😊
I'm sure it's beautiful and I would enjoy the nature but it sounds like the locals would rather not have visitors.
@@Chillaxing113 I think you got the key word. It’s visiter. Far too many tourists don’t behave like visitors but like entitled customers.
@@winterlinde5395
Even worse than the annoying type of tourists are certain immigrants from the Balkans
Hello Mark, I live in Montreal Canada, and we don't speak canadian, so I will never ask a swiss if he-she speaks swiss ! that was funny !
Everyone and every place has their ways..but after this video I think I’d prefer Alsace, France or even Salzburg, Austria.
All these places are pretty much the same as told on the video. Very beautiful, expensive and rather intorvert 😄
You will meet the same kind of mentality in Alsace and Austria. And nobody is going to get on your back in Switzerland if you talk too loud or if you are late!
As someone who hates loud people, I am looking forward to my Switzerland visit...
It’s not that the Swiss are introverted. They’re insular. They can be quite extroverted..with each other. I always tell people who ask what it is like living here that it’s like I am Captain Kirk living on the Planet Vulcan; they don’t understand my sense of humor and that, I appear completely illogical to them. I agree with Swiss promptness, but my Swiss wife is an exception to this rule. 😂 The rules regarding ‘Ruhigzeit’ (quiet time) are arbitrary. It depends on how ‘bünzli’ one’s neighbor is. The rules are real, but only a malcontent will use them as a reason to call the authorities. One thing to consider..if you are not Swiss, you will always be considered an ‘Ausländer’ by the Swiss (Germans), even if you have earned citizenship and speak one of the four languages. Knowing this, I unabashedly embrace that status and find that there is a certain freedom in not being culturally-repressed by Swiss judgement, which is unfortunately something that I find quite common among the natives here - everyone must fit in. It’s all about conformity.
I'm Swiss and this video upsets me!
Awesome video
Thanks tobi
Mr. Honesty is back
Always
@@woltersworld love it
This toilet flushing is probably something that is about to become the ultimate annoying thing to hear for Swiss people, lol. Swiss people like clean ordered places, and they make it a rule to let the place clean after they have done their business (well... usually). So the very last thing they want to find behind you is your poop, pee, blood, dirty paper, smell, whatever. So please DO FLUSH your mess away !! And concerning the noise that could disturb the neighbors, Swiss houses are generally super well insulated... just saying.
wow me as a Swiss, this is so fun to watch XD
Just being there upsets them. The French speaking Swiss were the rudest people I have ever been around in over 50 countries. They look for a reason to not be happy with you.
That’s more in general in all countries where they speak French.
I lived there for a year in Zurich. Also traveled all over the country. I fully agree with this statement, even in the German and Italian sections.
@@Evil.Turkey I won't disagree. When asking for a pack of cigarettes in a store is enough to have a lady have bad attitude, well it's the reason I didn't stay in Switzerland very long. I avoid or leave places were they are so rude to the people that have traveled, in my case thousands of km, to spend money there. Did you ever notice they don't smile? They have a mindset that makes them unhappy because it is judgemental.
The opposite is south America. Staying at family hotels, I became family. Believe it or not but Colombians would go out of there way to help you. They welcome people with smiles and if your smile is real, they are so nice. Morocco, while not a country I would return to as it is dirty, also had people so nice and that helped me out big time. Simple things like help at the bus stop or inviting me to sit with them for tea.
Most of Europe the people were helpful and depending on where personable. The more central and east, the more they will talk to people they don't know.
But so many people travel to Switzerland every year and report a great experience
@@guharup well I'm telling you first hand and someone that lived there for a year agreed. Go. You will see. It's also one thing to say it's a very pretty country that was nice to see vs the people were rude.
iam from Jerusalem and we have our problematic tourists especially big groups wo stay in the middle of the market on the most busiest day
Very interesting, had no idea
I love their style.
Cool
I think if you are a tourist, eating out, going to some theme park, theater, etc. It is just plain tacky to complain about how expensive something is there. Those are things you do with disposable income for pleasure. Going to a grocery store to feed your family and complaining about costs is legitimate. The worst people are the ones with lots of disposable income who complain.
Don’t brag that you’ve had their Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate.
😂🤣😂🤣
I'm a straight man and unknowingly made reservations at a gay hotel in Zurich. Had a blast at the hotel's bar! It's not that boring
😂😂😂😂😂😂
Swiss people are quiet in their own country. But abroad? for example in Southern Germany you can hear them for miles!
I'm all for respecting other cultures and locals of places I visit but my goodness it sounds like the Swiss would rather be left alone. Maybe one of the reasons it costs so much for foreign visitors is they are trying to price us out and discourage tourism. Might be best we visit other more welcoming countries or places in our own countries.
You pay the same prices as the Swiss do in Switzerland. It’s just an expensive country
@@winterlinde5395 might be by design. 🤷 But I have no idea.
You should not pay too much attention to videos like this which, also being well intended, will have you believe you have to watch every move you make. Switzerland is no different from any other Northern European country and is so used to tourists, people are not likely to pay much attention to what you do
Where in Switzerland is the shot in your video (when your talking about the country not being boring and great for hiking) of the white bridge entering into the side of the mountain??? 4:01 mark
Filisur, Grisons
Speak and act with respect and purpose and be on time. It's not that hard, everyone.
Sounds like a country I was meant to be born in. I like all of those things.
Theres no Swiss Language but in the biggest part of switzerland they speak schweizerdeutsch. Even tho they learn Hochdeutsch in the schools, they still use dialects in everyday life. And it’s kinda another language. There is no way for Germans to understand unless they live in this particular region for a while
Some Swiss-German dialects are easier to understand (like in the urban areas around Zürich). And then there's stuff like the dialects spoken in Wallis that even some Swiss people struggle with. Baslerdeutsch can be pretty tricky as well.
My wife and I flew into Zürich, arriving in the morning from Florida. We spent a few hours there before taking the train to visit my many Austrian cousins in Dornbirn, Austria. We decided to have lunch, so we entered a restaurant. We were met by cold stares. It was a bar (with food) affiliated with a Swiss soccer club. It was almost like we were trespassing. The woman tending bar was quiet and respectful, but I knew she was thinking, "What are these idiotic tourists doing here?" (She immediately came to take our order. We asked for a menu. She brought it, and then disappeared for a long while. The food was good, but perhaps she hadn't planned on cooking, considering the place was basically empty.) My heritage is Austrian, Swiss, Italian, and Portuguese.
I see so many possible misunderstandings 😞
soccer club bars are not where people normally go to eat so I think they were probably confused and as you said, had not planned to cool lunches. As a Swiss I would have felt she treated me very kindly.
If you like to talk, Italy is your go to country.
I think most of these things won't really upset people in Switzerland all that much. More in a funny way, where we can verbally spar a bit or make fun of what most Americans think is "Swiss" cheese etc. but the one that really *will* piss off Swiss people (and potentially garner you some stern looks or even some open verbal hostility) is the noise thing. Not only making excessive noise on Sunday or playing loud music in close vicinity to other people but even just how loud many Americans speak. Basically, if a person sitting two or three seats over can hear your conversation, you're being a nuisance to most Swiss. And if you're talking loud enough to be heard through half the train carriage, you're certainly going to be considered a bad-mannered tourist (or worse, a typical American). Respect towards your surroundings and towards other people is a big thing here (to the point where it's too extreme honestly and a lot of Swiss people could do with relaxing a bit more in that regard). Still, drawing the attention of strangers onto yourself is generally not something that most Swiss people will feel comfortable with and if tourists are doing it you can expect eyes to be rolled excessively.
Oh, and most people here will totally agree that Switzerland is very expensive so I don't think that's really contentious (especially hotels and eating out or ordering in is really expensive, even with a Swiss wage, which is the reason why most Swiss people cook most of their meals themselves and only eat out or order in a few times a week). On the other hand, this is a well known fact so why come to Switzerland and complain about it all the time. Nobody is forcing you to come here after all. ;-)
Enjoy your stay.
I recently went on an 8 country trip through Europe: Germany, France, Belgium, France, Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Czech Republic, and Poland.
Switzerland was the prettiest out of all of them, but I found the Swiss in general to be extremely arrogant and rude. I was in Zurich, and it seemed like there was wealth and beauty everywhere, but no warmth or happiness.
We're not arrogant. Just don't expect staff at shops, restaurants and tourist places to kiss your butt because you are a tourist. This is not the US with all the fake smiles which have the sole intention of getting a tip. Zürich is a special place as half the German-speaking Switzerland commutes there for work so naturally these people are in a hurry. But, tbh I found NY to be much worse in that respect.
Only Zürich is arrogant and rude. Even other Swiss hate Zürich
I would be in so much trouble over the "don't be loud"
Well depends in which situation. If you are talking too loud on a train than we will suffer the noise rather than ask you to speak quietly.
If you are listening loud music after 22:00, we are calling the police.
@@somebodyCHBiH We might suffer it, but we will wish them to the moon lol. It really is a no go.
My family and I loved Switzerland. But we don't travel as stereotypical Americans so maybe that was the difference. We found everyone to be lovely and pleasant, very hospitable and friendly. Even a little chatty once we got to know them. And naturally, great respect for cheese and other delights does go a long way.
One thing about Swiss German is it not exactly the same as "standard German " it is a unique dialect. I'm just going to assume the same for French and Italian. I hope to get there one day. Peace be with you.
French is the same.
Its several different unique dialects to make it even more complicated 😂
Swissgerman is unique with its wide range of local dialects. It's not the same with the other languages that tend to be nearer the standard. Swissgerman is a different language to standard German. If it's considered a dialect group of German it's very much due to the fact that it had no written standard.
Swiss German is definitely a dialect but French and Italian are not. There are slight differences with France and Italy, like in any region, with accents and some local words, but it's the same language. You might not understand people if you speak standard German, but you'll have no issue with French or Italian. All Swiss Germans speak standard German though, so they'll understand you!
@@cmlazar Not with the numbers. They copy the Belgians on that and say nonante instead of Quatre-vingt dix
the only time you can be loud in basel is if your at an fc basel match in that case be as loud as possible
Söttige fuessballfans si zum teil richtig wüest
Well, I am a quiet introvert around people I don't know and who is fanatical about being on time so I will hopefully do ok when I get to Switzerland in April.
Yeah, but all the other stuff they don't like makes it sound so unwelcoming. I wouldn't be able to relax because I constantly be afraid of unknowingly doing something to offend them. Who wants that for a vacation destination? No thanks!
It will be great! And you have enough time to try to learn some words of the language they speak in the part of Switzerland you want to visit. At least a little bit. They will appreciate it and then switch to English to make things easier 😊
My wife calls Switzerland real life Disney.
I don't believe I would like to visit an unfriendly,expensive for me, place where I feel I'm walking on eggs...no thanks.Ill stick to visiting the UK.❤️
I am thinking the same thing.
It's still gorgeous
Uv clearly never been to the uk 🤣
I still think it’s absolutely worth it and I didn’t have any bad experience here at all. Switzerland was hands down the greatest country that I’ve ever been too. In my opinion they are very friendly and the most beautiful country on earth.
I recommend Ireland just had a two week vacation there. Their small talk would drive the Swiss crazy!
Swiss seem sensitive.
Also to all the touchy Americans whining here how they were badly treated in a touristy restaurant or hotel: You should be aware that most of the staff in the tourism industry in the touristy places are seasonal immigrant workers, not Swiss.
Hello, I love the Swiss stuff. I do most of my vlogs in Geneva, cheers
if you go to switzerland dont go to geneva (except for the food), its boring there ;) and cheese fondue.... the best I ever had (in Bern).
Also avoid Zürich
They sound even less fun than the Germans, although I do, too, like the quiet, but this is next level.
I think it has to do with the experience that many tourists behave like in Disney World while roaming through our everyday lives. Every. Single. Day.
Just respect that we live there. And that we are most likely not on vacation right now.
Switzerland is Germany on steroids!
This is the way we living in Florida feel about the annual snow birds 😂
@@robingreenwood7627 wow, yes! 🫣😆
They get the money, so I’ll flush the freaking toalet
The past few videos have been a bit ‘negative’. Sort of a turnoff from visiting Germany or Switzerland. Are they that touchy or unnerved by Americans?
German here. I like having people from all over the world visiting our country. I like when they try to understand what they experience. And when they see that we are human beings, too. Living our lives. Not being employed to make them have an awesome time. That would be an amusement park. We try to help, to speak your language if you need it.
But we are also tired, when we go home from work by public transport. That’s when we don’t want to small talk to yet another tourist about the same thing again.
Seeing tourists just complaining about people not abiding the tourists‘ countries rules is sad.
So I don’t think we are touchy at all but there is a certain kind of tourists that can be a bit overwhelming…
Come and see for yourself!!!🤗🌸
I agree that this type of video is a real turn off from visiting a country. I've lived in Switzerland for 30 years and the only real thing that a tourist might encounter is that the Swiss are introvert. For the rest, there is not much tourists would do that would upset the Swiss, as they are so used to them. Like anywhere in the world, you might have a good or bad experience, some people are pleasant and some are not and you could be unlucky. But on the whole, as tourists have been visiting Switzerland for well over 150 years, they would have to be really obnoxious to have an issue with the locals.
The thing is that most tourist don't really get in touch with the locals. I mean how do you want meet locals when you do a guided tour? Has anyone made new friends with locals on a guided tour? How do you imagine making new friends in a bigger city during working hours?
Mark and all other vloggers: you need to give us a real chance. We are not that reserved. Join us in our leisure time and you will make new Swiss friends.
Here in Finland quiet hours are just normal life like in Schwirzerland - as well as being on time. I think that we Finns would be much preciate the Swiss habits🤗
Well... Swiss people aren't nearly as quiet as you guys, to be honest 😅I think no one on this earth gets even close to your level but yeah in general our habits are quite similar
I've spent time in Finland. I found the Finns reserved but not nasty or rude like CH.
As soon as you said Extroverted and no loud talk I booked a ticket 😂
Nice
This would be a great place to visit if you don't talk to anyone and never take a dump after 10pm.
Exactly! 😂
@@Chillaxing113 And be careful about swiss cheese references, get that wrong and all bets are off, and I'm not talking lactose intolerance.
Who in is right mind would put the raclette on the side of the potatoes... this is insanity
im swiss i never stop talking how stupid expensive everything is. noteveryone is born in wealth, the only source of "making it" here. so please keep talking about the golden cages
Well, you don't have much choice. But a tourists that first goes willingly to one of the most pricey countries in the world and then moans about it 24/7 should get teir head checked. Some of the stuff isn't even that expensive. Drinks are pretty much at the same price level as here in the UK while our salaries are much lower.
Not doing laundry on Sunday is nonsense.
It’s not when your system is basically preventing women from working if they have children xD
I must be Swiss!
Dont have fun
😂 this has told me all I need to know 😅
Good to know....I can't help being loud. My voice volume is all over the place
Use your inside voice then, like if you're at a church or funeral home.
I have a friend like that though and we've told him we're screwed if we ever need to be quiet and communicate if our lives depend on it. lol
@@SilverSamurai12 I am so bad at it, I am always told not to be loud, but unfortunately, I don't have an inside voice.
Jeez. No wonder Anthony Bourdain never had intentions of visiting Switzerland.
DON'T BLOCK FOUR SEATS IN THE TRAIN WITH YOUR GINORMOUS RIDICULOUS SUITCASES!!!!! these trains are used by commuters too and the can get very full. After a hard days work I really don't want ot be jostled around on my way home by your effing luggage. The luggage goes IN BETWEEN THE SEATS !!! And if the train is full don't "stand your ground" MAKE WAY so more people can fit in jeeeeez.....
for some reason, I always thought the "Swiss" language by default is Swiss German..
Mark, you recently featured a video on behavior that is insulting to Germans and I mentioned how I have German ancestry and could relate to some of the things you were talking about. Well, I also have Swiss ancestry and I can certainly relate to some of these Swiss characteristics such as being on time and not liking loud noises.
There's a saying where I work in reference to attending meetings, "If you're not early, you're late".
German here. Mark did never say anything to insult me. The differences he talkes about are just that. I feel seen. I can laugh at myself. Sometimes you could need a bit of exlpanation if you want to understand us. If you want that there are many channels from USAmericans living in Germany or other European countries. They make time in their videos to dig deeper. 😊
Oh man... I strongly disagree with the expensiveness for locals. I am swiss and I do have the luck to earen the average swiss median salary so yes, i can live a good live. Hoewever i know too many people not being able to afford a rwnt on their own and are forced to stay with the parents or form up with other youngsters to be able to pay a rent. Please, please, please stop sharing this klischee that swiss people are all wealthy and stuff. Life here is very expensive for us as well! And since i do have more luck, i always try to give some of it back in form of tips or charity donations. But we are starting to have a serious issue with poorness here as well since it is growing
we dont speak swiss we speak swiss-german
I think this is where I belong 🤣
So don’t talk to anyone, be quiet in public, don’t take a shit after 10pm. Remind me to never go here.
The sign at 1:07 looks American. 😮
I remember getting off a train in the Swiss Alps and walking up a grassy hilltop to sit down and eat a sandwich. Moments later we could see the station guard shaking his fist at us. We went down and his first words were "Do you think we grow our beautiful green grass for ugly Americans like you to sit on?" When we said "we're British" he said "Even worse!"
Later that day a middle aged woman pushed my wife off the sidewalk. While we were in Basel we met some lovely young people but we've never been anywhere where we were generally made to feel so unwanted.
Absolutely beautiful country. The people are dreadful - always an exception to the rule of course. If you live high in the mountains, you will find very close-minded, backward, narrow thinking, judgemental, and frosty demeanour. Dark Age mentality. They treat you very badly if you are an individual, a non conformist. I'm quite sure they all dream at night about being little policeman. If you look at them the wrong way they will yell at you. Awful.
You were very unlucky. The Swiss Alps are THE place for a picnic, so it was really unfortunate for you to meet someone like that. I've lived here for 30 years and it has never happened to me, let alone being pushed off a sidewalk, which is totally agains the Swiss idea of being polite.
@@jasminealixandranorth Do you live high in the Swiss mountains?
@@PeterNGloor Did I say I was in a cow pasture? No. Were there any cows there? No.
If I was politely asked not to be there with a good reason given it would be ok. Was there any need to call a stranger ugly and insult his nation? No.
I should have mentioned also that when my wife objected to his aggressive rudeness, the railway guard raised his hand as if to strike her. I said if he struck her I would call the police - his reply? “The police are on MY side!”
Beautiful country, ugly xenophobia.
@@jasminealixandranorth
That seems to be cherrypicking. My experience wandering around the Swiss countryside has been nothing but awesome. There was only this one racist French woman who got upset because I apparently took away her space.
You are more likely to encounter rude and aggressive people in the cities, especially by junkies or teenager gangs of a certain Balkan ethnicity, hanging around at train stations or parks and listening to loud rap music
Greatest country on earth 🌎 🇨🇭