A close-up and personal look at Switzerland
Most Swiss love having guests over for dinner and entertaining and we are no different. Of course with the number of people toasting with red wine and eating tomato sauces and red foods you would expect more things to happen… Read moreSpills and Thrills
The obligatory school is only 9 years in Switzerland but in reality only very few are truly done with schooling after that. The curriculum in the school is different in each canton. For example, each canton dictates which second language… Read moreSchooldays and Teachers
We do it. Many of our friends do it, in fact, I know of very few people who have never played the lottery. The Swiss have a national lottery, the funds go to sponsoring sports I believe. If you are… Read morePlaying and Winning the Lottery
One of the unique Swiss pastimes is playing cards. Their favorite game is Jass (pronounced yahss). The deck consists of 36 cards (6 to Aces) using either the French cards or the German cards. There is also a special mat you… Read moreJass and Hearts are Trump
The Swiss have a work ethic that is second to none. There is next to no traffic on Sunday evenings not because there is soccer game or a ice hockey game on TV but because the majority of people are… Read moreWork Ethics
I think I’m a nice sort of person. I smile and sometimes nod as a greeting when passing someone on the street to acknowledge them. I learned that in Switzerland you actually say ‘Gruessech’ too. Before we were married, Ben… Read morePure Gold
The Swiss telephone company once had a monopoly and could and did charge anything they wanted for a phone call. Long, long ago, when I was still in America and Ben would call me, you could hear a light, steady… Read moreRing, Ring, Telephone!
There are times when an American shakes someone’s hand but very rarely, if ever, do they kiss an acquaintance or friend. Here in Switzerland you are forever holding out your hand to shake someone else’s. They start learning these manners… Read moreTouchy, Touchy
Okay, I give up. When is bread not bread? Why, when it’s Zupfe, of course. Everyone knows that. You never go into a bakery and ask for bread when you mean Zupfe. Zupfe is a special braided white bread. For… Read moreWhen Bread isn’t Bread
Geneva. Home to the Jet d’Eau, many international agencies like the Red Cross or the World Health Organization and international diplomats. In fact, Ben’s parents met there while they were both working at the Red Cross during the second World… Read moreHigh Society
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