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Hi guys, I am moving to Switzerland for a project and am curious what the general opinion of Swiss people is. I have heard lots of different voices (mostly positive) before, now that I am actually going to live among them I need to find out more. Are Swiss naturally kind, helpful, and welcoming or do they sometimes behave in a grumpy, antisicocial manner? Since I have heard lots of different stories over the years I am curious to find out what the people out there think. Thanks for that.....
As far as I can make out, there's some cultural variation, as would be expected, between French, German, and Italian Swiss. The German Swiss are reserved, and themselves report that it takes years to develop a true friendship with them, vs. an acquaintance-ship. I wouldn't expect people there to be friendly and welcoming like North Americans. What part of Switzerland are you moving to? And, as is true anywhere in the world, it helps if you know the language/s. People appreciate your meeting them halfway, in that respect.
I might offend some people here, but I find the Swiss extremely anal retentive. During a visit to Lucerne, we went to a pizza place. The cashier there yelled at us for taking the hot sauce bottle to the table INSIDE her restaurant. Apparently, we are only allowed to bring our pizza to the condiments table and put some sauce there, then put the hot sauce bottle on the EXACT same spot where we got it from. The way she yelled we thought we forgot to pay or did something very serious like we were stealing her hot sauce away from the restaurant.
I guess if you take the hot sauce bottle to your table, there won't be any hot sauce at the condiments table for others? So she viewed you as being thoughtless of others? Still, you'd think in a country with such heavy tourism, they'd be used to visitors making minor mistakes like that. Yelling at the customers really isn't the best business practice.
One lousy experience makes a whole country assessment ?
I find that calling people *extremely anal retentive* is really *extremely anal retentive* !
I did not say I was an expert on Switzerland, but this was my experience and am just sharing it. And it's not just one lousy experience, because I have a couple more that I did not write about here. It's just that from my observation and experience, when the Swiss (the German side) can go ballistic over minor stuff when it concerns orderliness, punctuality and organization.
I did not say I was an expert on Switzerland, but this was my experience and am just sharing it. And it's not just one lousy experience, because I have a couple more that I did not write about here. It's just that from my observation and experience, when the Swiss (the German side) can go ballistic over minor stuff when it concerns orderliness, punctuality and organization.
I'd agree with your assessment but that's why it's such a well oiled machine.
I'd agree with your assessment but that's why it's such a well oiled machine.
It's hard to believe "Iloveyou", but to a certain extent your comment makes sense. It is economically running well and people are super detailed about everything.
I have my own theory about it: since Switzerland is so small compared to the rest of the world they need to make use of every little square inch the best way possible and nothing needs to be left unused. That's why everything is so tediously organized. On the flip side people seem to trust eachother a lot more compared to especially the U.S, where lies fly all over your head. In simple words, take it or leave it, the Swiss are who they are I guess, and they are proud that way.
I'd agree with your assessment but that's why it's such a well oiled machine.
Yes, but that's no reason to yell at customers over a fairly trivial matter. Is politeness not valued in Switzerland? Verbal abuse is the order of the day? Really??
I might offend some people here, but I find the Swiss extremely anal retentive. During a visit to Lucerne, we went to a pizza place. The cashier there yelled at us for taking the hot sauce bottle to the table INSIDE her restaurant. Apparently, we are only allowed to bring our pizza to the condiments table and put some sauce there, then put the hot sauce bottle on the EXACT same spot where we got it from. The way she yelled we thought we forgot to pay or did something very serious like we were stealing her hot sauce away from the restaurant.
That is your side of the story.
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