SWITZERLAND :: EX-PAT LIFE

We have just recently relocated back to England after four years in Switzerland. While I am, by no means, an expert, but frequently asked questions prompted me to collate some information. I thought a few links and pointers in the right direction could help anyone who is new to Switzerland or thinking of a move this way.

As with living anywhere, there are a lot of pro's and con's to Switzerland. I am going to try to be like Switzerland here. Neutral.

We lived in Geneva for a couple of years before moving out to the vineyards of Vaud. Personally, I prefered the countryside. Geneva is a nice city but it is small and, in my opinion, limited. Commuting into Geneva from Vaud is a popular option for many an ex-pat.

There is a huge expat community in Switzerland. According to Geneva.Info, Geneva is the most international city in Europe with over 40% of the population coming from outside Switzerland. Thankfully, there are many resources to help make sense of the Swiss ways. Trust me, you'll need all the help you can get!

AngloInfo Geneva covers a huge range of topics from Education, Healthcare and Legal to Family and Community Life.

Glocals is similar but seems to take a more social approach. I have sold lots of stuff via their Classifieds Pages.

World Radio has a great website too with a Guides section. Their Classifieds pages are really good too advertising anything from concert tickets to property! Its also nice to check their News pages for local news in English.

Other sites I'm familiar with are the English Forum and the Know It All Passport. Know It All, supports an excellent book detailing a whole lorra information but it comes with a hefty price tag. To be honest, a second hand copy would do and with the websites having chat forums, getting local information isn't too difficult. Comparis is a great site that compares the best value for money on things like Insurance and Phone and Internet options with . They have a smart Moving To Switzerland section.

If your French is good, you're at a major advantage. If not, Google Translate will be your new best friend! We are lucky to have colleauges and neighbours to help us out when we get stuck. Our neighbours have been a huge help with the 'Swissues' we've had with our Regie {Estate Agent}.

Estate Agents, or Regies as they are called here, will be your enemy. I am yet to hear anyone say anything positive about them. Sadly, we need them. To get a roof over your head, you have submit an application for each property and then the decision is in the hands of the devil himself! Am I being over dramatic? Perhaps. Actually, no. They are a hateful bunch.

Good sites for property searches are Homegate, Immostreet and Immoscout. Each of these sites show properties from different Estate Agents meaning you don't have to trawl through a ton of Estate Agents sites.

It is compulsory to have basic health insurance.

You must change you drivers licence to a Swiss Driving Licence within one year of living in the country. Otherwise you will have to take the Swiss driving test. One persons experience can be found on this Glocals forum chat.

We use Swisscom for our home TV and Internet connection. They have a good British TV package. There is a way to get Sky TV via a UK address. If you go to Jims British Market St Genis-Pouilly shop in France {it's just across the border} on the first Satuday of the month, there is a guy who will help you out.

Bon chance!

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