Switzerland is a lovely country. The first time I visited was in 1988, when I accompanied my aunt and uncle and one of my cousins on a business trip. I was fascinated with Switzerland and always hoped I would get to go back to visit. I never imagined that I would someday live there part-time. But, in 2011, the opportunity presented itself.
My husband, Jimmy, worked for a Japanese-owned company headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, and he was needed in the Swiss office more and more. So, we decided to embrace the European experience and make it our “home away from home. ” It was exciting thinking about living there and learning about the Swiss culture.
One thing however, that I knew would be fun but difficult, was learning how to communicate. Jimmy and I do not speak French, German or Italian — the three languages spoken there. So, you can imagine the hurdles we encountered living in the French part of Switzerland. We survived by learning a few French words and phrases. One time in a market, I wanted to make sure of what I was buying, so I reverted to charades by flapping my arms like a chicken so the woman behind the counter knew exactly what I wanted. She and I had a good laugh.
We decided to look for an apartment, which was an eye-opening experience. Apartments — or flats as they are called — are not found easily. Many Swiss rent in the cities and keep their flats for years, making available ones scarce. Luckily, we found a flat in a part of the city that was close to the lake and had a magnificent view of the Alps from the terrace. I loved seeing the mountains and often was mesmerized by their majestic appearance every morning. Our apartment was small but well-appointed, with all the necessities. Our refrigerator was tiny and just a little bigger than the one I had in my dorm room at college. Even though our flat had everything we needed, it did not have air conditioning. It was not a problem most of the year, but July and August could be as hot as Florida — without the humidity.
In America, I was used to going to the grocery store and stocking up on groceries for the week or month. In Switzerland, I learned quickly to shop “small” when going to the market and got in the Swiss habit of going every day to get just what we needed for dinner. Plus, I had to carry it the two miles or so from the store to our flat, because we chose to not have a car. That may seem strange and totally inconvenient, but many Swiss rely on the extremely efficient and comfortable public transportation or walk wherever they go — making most of them very fit!
We enjoyed so many things about Switzerland — from the scenery to the food. There are many storybook villages where you think “Heidi” should be living, where cows wear bells around their necks, so they can be found when grazing over hills and out of sight. Most of the churches have bells that toll on Sunday mornings and clocks that grace the steeples. In the countryside, barns are attached to the farmers’ houses and often have window boxes full of pretty flowers.
Food-wise, traditional fondue and chocolate, which can be bought everywhere, were highlights. However, chocolate chips are not easily found in the markets — even though Nestle Corporation has a big presence there. Filet de perch (filet of perch) is a specialty in lakeside towns, and sandwiches made with pretzel bread are delicious.
Aside from the food, we enjoyed the Wanderweg trails that are walking and hiking trails all over the country. The trails lead from one town or village to another, often maneuvering right through a farmer’s hay field and next to his house or through the many vineyards. Jimmy and I discovered these trails when we first visited the Alpine town of G’Staad. It is in the German part of Switzerland and quite picturesque. Ski lifts and gorgeous chalets dot the landscape where the flower Edelweiss grows all over the hillsides in summer.
Finally, we appreciated the accessibility of Switzerland to other places and countries. Evian, France, is right across the lake from Lausanne and is the home of famous bottled water. There is a fountain in the town where you can fill your own bottles with the cold, spring-fed water.
The Swiss love their terraces and green spaces and spend as much time as possible outside during the warmer months of the year. At noon, people spill out of their offices and work spaces to get a glimpse of sunshine and warmth often eating at outdoor cafes or sitting on church steps. Most Swiss grow up learning how to snow ski, and, on weekends, the trains are full of skiers taking trips into the Alps for a day of skiing in G’Staad, Villars, Interlaken or in neighboring Chamonix, France.
Our time in Switzerland came to a close in July. Jimmy and I had some great experiences there that I won’t soon forget, but we are glad to be back full time in the United States. Switzerland is a great place to visit, but there is no place like home!