topics
tools
Expatica countries
editor's choice

How to assimilate

Crime and the legal system in Switzerland

Major museums in Switzerland

Culture and social etiquette in Switzerland

How to open a Swiss bank account

Index Last Var.(%)
BEL 20 2119.44 0.28
DAX 6339.94 0.38
IBEX 30 6543 0.13
CAC 40 3047.94 0.32
FTSE 100 5351.53 0.03
AEX 292.76 0.23
DJIA 12454.83 -0.60
Nasdaq 2837.53 -0.07
FTSE MIB 13154.8 0.36
TSX Composite 11576.47 0.09
ASX 4081.2 -0.61
Hang seng 18713.41 0.25
Straits Times 2772.75 -0.24
ISEQ 20 500.94 1.55
You are here: Home Life in Expat voices Expat Voices: Malene Charles on life in Zurich

Expat Voices

archive
Enlarge font Decrease font Text size


30/09/2009Expat Voices: Malene Charles on life in Zurich

Expat Voices: Malene Charles on life in Zurich Canadian expat Malene Charles of foodie.ch discusses relocating to Switzerland, warts and all.

Name: Malene Charles

Nationality: Canadian (Torontonian to be exact)

City of residence: Zurich

Civil status: Married

Occupation: Designer/New media specialist  

Reason for moving to Switzerland: Marriage

Lived in Switzerland for: 5 years and 5 months

What was your first impression of Switzerland?

Clean with old folks everywhere.

What do you think of the food?

Good. The standard can be quite high.

What do you think of the shopping in Switzerland?

It depends. For clothing: very safe. Nobody dresses avant-garde or with too much colour. For food: it’s better than it was five years ago. More variety but at a cost.

What do you appreciate about living in Switzerland?

A park is never far away. The badi culture can be a lot of fun.

What do you find most frustrating about living in Switzerland?

That people sass one another on a daily basis for no reason.

That it’s difficult to get a full answer when you ask a simple question (this applies mostly to bureaucratic situations).

That no matter how long I live here, I will never be considered Swiss. The open racism and ignorance that I’ve encountered while living in this country has been devastating and heartbreaking.

What puzzles you about Switzerland and what do you miss since you’ve moved here?

I miss a true multicultural environment. Back home, my friends came from all backgrounds such that you learned the difference between Chinese and Korean or African and Caribbean. There is such a lack of diversity here that people just make assumptions as to who you are, what you can do or what you want from Switzerland. I will never get used to that.

How does the quality of life in Switzerland compare to the quality of life in other countries that you’ve lived in?

I’ve lived in many different cities. Basically you need a lot of money to enjoy living here, which in my book makes the quality of life medium. Literature, music, gyms, cultural events, museums all can be very pricey. When costs are so high, generosity becomes low. One has a harder time being spontaneous especially when you have to save and plan all the time.

I think if I was in my elder years I’d have a blast here. Fun is catered to an older demographic. It’s very hard for young people to thrive in Switzerland. There is very little incentive to start something while the new is more often rejected than not.

If you could change anything about Switzerland, what would it be?

Nothing. I no longer try to come up with solutions. You can’t change how things are here; you either accept it or move on.

What advice would you give to a newcomer?

Know who you are before coming here because this is not a place where you can find yourself.

Most importantly, your gender and nationality will make a difference on how well you will integrate into Swiss society.

Would you like to add anything that we haven’t addressed in the questionnaire?

I’ve struggled to answer this questionnaire. I wanted to be honest and discuss the situation here, warts and all. I’ve tried to only look at the positive but there are issues that cannot be overlooked.

I’m an optimistic person and pride myself on living without regret. But if I knew how difficult it would be for me to immigrate and integrate here, as it has been, I would have done things differently.

EVJoining Expat Voices  
If you would like to share your perspective about life in Switzerland, please send an email to editorCH@expatica.com with 'Please send me an Expat Voices questionnaire' in the subject line.


0 reactions to this article

Be the first person to add a comment

General rating: Not rated yet

Rate article:    Add my rating



0 reactions to this article

Be the first person to add a comment
Life in essentials
Life in expert Q&A
ask your question
Life in A-Z listings
find the business you need
Discussion Forums

Finding your way in Switzerland

Trekking and Backpacking

Community Noticeboard Switzerland

Let's coach..Saturday.Free.In English.

Finding your way in Switzerland

Chinese Nanny (Ayi) wanted

Finding your way in Switzerland

Need Househelp who prepares Thai food

Student forum Switzerland

@SAP Business Objects Online Training in Netherlands by SAP BOSS

participate in the forums

Inside Expatica
Residence and work permits in Switzerland

Residence and work permits in Switzerland

How to apply for a residency or work permit in Switzerland for you and your family.

How to rent and buy a house in Switzerland

How to rent and buy a house in Switzerland

Information about renting property and obtaining a mortgage in Switzerland.

Switzerland's healthcare system

Switzerland's healthcare system

Information about the Swiss healthcare system, health insurance, pharmacies and emergency numbers.

Banking in Switzerland

Banking in Switzerland

Explaining Swiss currency, banknotes, credit cards and bureaux de change.