[Archived] Zurich

[Claytons Left Boot]

We have the chance of living in Zurich for six months in the very near future.

Will find out more over the next few days but I would say that we are at 60/40 chance of it happening.

Don't know much about the place although Grasshoppers do play in Blue & White halves!

Anyone live there.......any recommendations......?

[thenodrog]

We have the chance of living in Zurich for six months in the very near future.

Will find out more over the next few days but I would say that we are at 60/40 chance of it happening.

Don't know much about the place although Grasshoppers do play in Blue & White halves!

Anyone live there.......any recommendations......?

FOR

Driven through it many years ago. BUT I think anywhere in Switzerland must be a fantastic place to live. So close to Italy, Austria, SE France and Germany and with so few of our national hang ups.

AGIN

The tide doesn't come in very far and it's a long way to the beach mind......

[American]

The most expensive place I've ever been to. Mixed drinks were roughly 17USD each and every lunch for one was 25-30USD at the cheapest, without alcohol.

[cn174]

We have the chance of living in Zurich for six months in the very near future.

Will find out more over the next few days but I would say that we are at 60/40 chance of it happening.

Don't know much about the place although Grasshoppers do play in Blue & White halves!

Anyone live there.......any recommendations......?

I'm sure what DP who is around here sometimes lived there for a while.

[philipl]

Six months might be OK but everybody I know of every nationality who has lived there hated the place.

The Swiss German regimentation eventually gets to you- hyper bureaucratic officials, police etc etc. Unfriendly but nosy neighbours who are only interested in maintaining appearances.

The hidden side of it is that it is actually a pretty violent place with murder and assault rates relatively high irrespective of what the statistics say. As everywere is pretty well middle class it means unsavoury incidents happen in nice areas. There is a serious heroin and cocaine problem which again tends to be more visible to every day life.

And it is mind bogglingly expensive and has none of the compensations of other Swiss Cities.

Sorry to give it a downer. I have only visited on business so none of what I have written is first hand but I know three foreign families- one English, one French, one Argentine who loathed the place and nobody who lived there and was positive about anything except the Canton of Zug tax rates...

[T4E]

none of what I have written is first hand

[jim mk2]

Swizterland is dull as ditchwater and ferociously expensive.

You'll be pining for East Lancs within 2 weeks.

[DP]

CLB. Ignore pretty much everything that's been written on this thread. I have no idea what Philipl's talking about but he must have misread the thread and thought you said Moss side!

Lived there for 18 months from Jan 2006 to June 2007. Would have stayed there but got offered kind of dream job and came back to London. If I could take this job and move back there then I would in a flash.

The things I enjoyed:

Mountains (1 hr on the train to the nearest ski resort) - Go hiking or mountain biking as well.

Lakes - beautiful and clean, you'll need them with the continental summer climate

Bars/Restaurants - Relaxed opening hours, great choice of muticultural restaurants - it's a major European city! All goes without saying.

Safety - I've never felt safer walking the streets at any time of day or night. Never once felt threatened in a pub or club.

Ex pat scene - Easily avoidable but there's loads of Brits and other Europeans there who are all eager to meet people. Plenty of pubs showing English footy. Have a look at www.englishforum.ch

Location - Hop on a train to Milan, Munich, Stuttgart, Salzburg (that was a handy one)

The things I didn't enjoy:

Beurocracy - It is a pain, but assuming you're only moving there temporarily your company should sort most of this out. I was pretty much on my own after a month and got used to having to find random offices to get documents processed. Ask, the Swiss are always eager to give advice.

Shopping/opening hours - In general, shops aren't as good and Supermarkets don't offer as much choice. Don't be caught with nothing in your fridge after 5 oclock on a Saturday! Everything closed on a Sunday

Rubbish sandwiches - Great bread, great cheese, great selection of deli food. But can they make a sandwich?

TV - not as good, although you can get a lot of UK channels through cable. You're abroad, what do you expect?

No real ale in the pubs/bars! - Guiness available and the lager is better as it always is on the continent

Is it expensive? Debatable, I would say no, because I moved there from London for pretty much the same money but I took more home because of the lower tax. In Zurich I managed to rent my own flat near the centre whereas in London I was sharing out in Zone 2/3. The transport is also far far better value for money. Food and drink is more expensive but then I always saw this immaterial when you're saving so much on the major monthly costs.

Like anything, you've got to make the most of it and it all does depend on the circumstances. I made some great friends that I'm still in touch with now and had a go at learning German although a good proportion of the Swiss Germans speak English. They also prefer speaking English than high German (as you'll never understand the Switchydeustch)

If you're a remotely outgoing person, then I say go for it. You only live once!

[Claytons Left Boot]

Thanks for the replies folks, especially yours DP. I needed that one after Phil's.

I had already stumbled across the English Forum and have been looking at the various topics over the last few days.

Will know more this week and am hoping that it comes off.

Thanks again.

[Claytons Left Boot]

Well, Zurich here we come! Mid October for 6 months.

It's actually Mrs CLB who has a secondment for a specific assignment with the company she works for. I am taking 6 months off work unpaid but will return to my existing job next year.

I have always been an outdoors person and I love anywhere with mountains. Look forward to reacquainting myself with the ski slopes, reacquainting myself with the German language in the form of an intensive course and generally taking things easy for a few months.

There'll be a gap on the Blackburn End for quite a few games. We do get one flight home each month for a weekend return.

Thanks for the info, DP and others.

[philipl]

The New York Times does Zurich in 36 hours.