Let's Not Waste Time

If there is one thing that I really love and appreciate about the Swiss culture, it is how punctual they are. In America, I feel as though people are just flat out lazy, and don't really make the effort to be somewhere they are supposed to be. In Switzerland, I know for a fact that when I go to the train station and the train is supposed to leave by 2:34, it will leave at exactly that time, and if you're late, you're out of luck. I think one of the most frustrating things I have to deal with in America, is people saying they are going to be somewhere at a certain time, and they end up getting there 30 minutes to an hour late. Not only is that frustrating, but it's just flat out rude. Americans, please, don't be late. Think of how much more we can get done if we don't make people wait on us. I promise things would be so much better!

Swiss-Europe

The "overseas" for me was last year and it was a great new experience. So i thought that by coming to Europe for an International year it would not be so different from Romania and all the other places in Europe where my friends from back home study...

BUT NO. Switzerland had a lot in store for me. At fist i was not thrilled about the fact that it is so quiet and everything closes so early, not many people speak english, but not german either, cause Lausanne is in the french speaking part of Switzerland; but in time i realized that i needed a change, i needed to go away from the big city, all the cars and noise, i needed some fresh air and the gorgeous view i wake up to every morning...

Lausanne was probably the best choice i could have ever made and i'm glad i came here. Christmas and then a new fresh exciting semester.

Switzerland = Ideal Home :)

I think I really will miss the “quiet” aspect of Switzerland….in comparison with the US and the multiple countries we’ve traveled to throughout the semester. When we first got here, I think a lot of us were irritated with the perceived judgment that was aimed toward us whenever we slightly raised our voices in public, started laughing loudly, etc. Honestly we are just as loud now as we were then, but we don’t really care as much. However, the fact that in general Lausanne is kind of low key really adds to the fact that this is home. And it’s not that they don’t know how to have fun, but I believe they really adhere to the “there’s a time and place” concept. It’s peaceful here. Basically, I just think Swiss people are the least obnoxious people I’ve ever encountered.

Swiss Culture

After one full semester in Lausanne, Switzerland I have come up with a list of various culture shocks I faced upon arrival and have come to greatly appreciate. Culture shock number 1, it is safe to drink water all over Switzerland, whether from taps or from the public street-fountains. Culture shock number 2, the drinking water that comes out of Swiss taps is as pure as bottled mineral water - and 500 times cheaper. The Swiss are far more effective in their protection of waterways when compared to America. In numerous parts of America one cannot even drink from their own water system without a water filter. Also, the Swiss are far more conscience in regards to their environment as a whole. Culture shock number 3, when walking through Switzerland I cannot think of one place that has high amounts of litter or signs of pollution. When flying back home, I know I will be back to the states when I see the huge cast of fog covered throughout the LA sky. The cleanliness and protection of environment within Switzerland has really made me appreciate the importance of taking care of our surroundings. This is something that I hope to see more of in the states.

Take your time.

After living in Switzerland for three months, I have learned the art of patience. The Swiss choose to take their time in every aspect of life. They seem to have the mindset that if you are going to do something, you might as well do it thoroughly. It almost killed me when I first arrived. I am so used to the fast paced American lifestyle that demands for instant results. It is habit for me to road rage through traffic, race through my meal, and run to catch the bill. The first experience I had with this patient lifestyle was in a restaurant. Although the meal was delicious, I had waited about 30 minutes to get it, then realized after an hour of sitting there that you had to ask for the check. But looking back now, I can see that this process of enjoying the meal thoroughly and having time to talk with friends is a reflection of the slow paced lifestyle in Switzerland. The importance of living for every second of the day and not thinking about what we have to do next is something that I have come to appreciate about the Swiss culture. Living here has taught me to enjoy the here and now and appreciate the time that I spend with friends.

J'adore la Suisse

While here in Switzerland one can not help but notice the differences between Switzerland and the US. One of the things that stands out is the fact that here in Lausanne everything closes quite rather early and almost nothing is opened Sundays. Also, not to say that they completely disrespect customers, but there are times in which employees come across as rude. In the US throughout the week things are opened until quite rather late and everything is opened on Sundays. In those regards I do believe the US is better. It is not so much a matter of perceiving the Swiss as lazy, because they are not, but more of a matter of convenience and what I am used to. I am also used to the mentality that the customer is always right (and I know how annoying that can get from the employee's perspective), as opposed to here. In the US if an employee is rude to you there are steps that can be taken so as to go about that. Here if an employee is rude to you there is pretty much nothing you can do. A lot of it falls with the language barrier, where you can not even properly respond.

SWISS VERUS US!!!!!

While living in Switzerland I have noticed many things that have caught my eye and made me really think as to whether or not it was “better” than the way we do things in the states. One thing I did like was the fact that they do not have work necessarily on Sunday’s. Yes, to our Western minds, its annoying, stupid, lazy and the reason I cannot get a decent meal without stockpiling the smelly fridge downstairs. I used to think this way until I started thinking back to what Sundays had been for my family as a child, and wish my parents did not have work on Sundays because the weekend would have been much more simple and a lot more family oriented. And now, thinking towards the future, I really hope this way of life is instated because I could not bare to do any work on a Sunday nor depriving my child from a bike ride through the park. I find that the Swiss are a much more straightforward type of people who setup their laws around their ways of life and in some fashion it all works out and everyone is happy. I feel as though in the United States, laws are put in place and people are forced to follow them; there are no “good” laws per se in the states that our people rave about. I wish our culture in the US did not feel so hardcore, here in Lausanne I feel as though the people know what is right and what is wrong, they know what the consequences are and what will happen, they do not test the limits, they abide by them. Hopefully, someday in the United States our people will be able to see the law as something to respect rather than something to poke and prod at.

Step by Step

Christine Broyhill
December 8, 2009

If there is one thing that I truly admire about the Swiss culture, it would have to be their active lifestyle. Because owning a car in Europe can be expensive, most people walk everywhere or use public transportation. Being abroad for a whole semester so far, I love having to go out each evening and walk across Lausanne to get dinner. As the months become colder, there are times when I wish I had a car so I could avoid the cold, but when you’re walking with people that you’ve gotten close to, it makes it all the more enjoyable. I feel like the simplest things mean a lot more to me now that I’ve experienced them aboard. I love walking to Migros or Coop and coming back to La Croisee with my purchases. At home I saw it as an errand, but here I value the time I get to spend out of the house when I’m able to walk around the city of Lausanne, grab some groceries, and then come back to the house with a feeling of accomplishment. I’ve gotten used to walking everywhere and I remember the first week when I was here I wasn’t sure if I would get used to walking everywhere. Places back home don’t seem as far as they did before and I know that going in a car to the grocery store during winter break will feel strange because it is so close to where I live. The Swiss live an active lifestyle and are always moving. I’ve never had a day here where I feel like I haven’t been productive and I love that feeling. The semester has flown by so quickly and I can’t wait to treasure more of my time here next semester.

Community

I appreciate that the Swiss (and Europeans in general) value a sense of community that is somewhat lacking in the United States. My first Sunday here, I remember walking through the deserted Old Town of Lausanne and later that day a park filled with families. The next day my teacher informed me that law prohibits (most) stores from being open on Sunday allowing the Swiss to spend more time with family. This is particularly startling in the United States, where Sunday is often just a day to finish all the work and errands that did not fit into the work or school week. While this is a government mandate, if the people did not value a work-less Sunday, the law would probably change. So the fact that people are willing to forgo profit opportunity for quality family time is refreshing. Also remarkable in Switzerland and throughout Europe is the ability to celebrate together successfully, which strengthens the sense of community. Oktoberfest, Electrosanne, and the Christmas markets are all massive celebrations where people from all over the world dance, talk, drink and shop together without much error. Similar events are less common in the United States and would require much more security to run smoothly and I think we are generally colder toward complete strangers than people abroad. The popularity of these celebrations is indicative of the Swiss and European recognition of community and the value they place on others.

"Be There When You Say You Will"

I was raised with the mentality that being on time for everything is a way of showing respect and common courtesy to others. As a result of that I do my best to always be on time and I tend to be very anxious when other people are late. In the U.S. I feel that being late is a trend for so many things and for most people. Whether it is a friend picking you up for dinner or an important meeting that is on hold due to one person running behind or even a flight delay. I feel as if majority of the people in the United States have become very passive when it comes to being somewhere or doing something at the exact time that they say they will.

In Switzerland punctuality is not an issue. If a train says it is going to leave at 4:27a.m. that means that it is pulling away at 4:27a.m. and it does not mean even three minutes later at 4:30a.m. I have yet to ride a train that has not left at the exact time it was scheduled to leave or be picked up by a taxi that has not been there in five minutes when the driver said that they will arrive in five minutes. I see this as being such an advantage to the flow of daily life in Switzerland knowing that you can be certain that you will arrive at your destination at the exact time you desire to and you do not have to worry about tardiness. I have truly come to appreciate this about Switzerland and it will definitely be missed once I return home.

Swiss Service

One thing that I have noticed since living in Switzerland for about twelve weeks now, is the service at restaurants. I have discovered that not only are the waiters and waitresses quite rude, they also tend to not acknowledge your presence until they absolutely have to. It is interesting to me that they also get very offended when you want to share food, for example fondue. Whenever we order one serving for two people the waiter or waitress automatically becomes rude and does not even appreciate your business. I find this interesting because in America it is very common to share food, even so common that they offer a 2.00 dollar split charge to 'officially' split your meal. Aside from the rude service the food is wonderful!
I think that even though the Swiss tend to be more rude, this sometimes encourages their customers to order more food, which means the restaurant benefits and makes more money as a result. I really appreciate that Switzerland has a few foods that are 'Swiss'. My personal favorites are 'Fondue au Fromage' and 'Swiss Chocolate'. In America, the food that shapes our identity is greasy, fast, and terrible for you. I absolutely love that in Switzerland most anything you order, you can almost guarantee that it will be as fresh as possible. The milk we drank probably came out of the cow the day before, the cheese made about 45 minutes away, chocolate made in almost all regions. This benefits the people as well because it allows for a healthier, more beneficial lifestyle. I have found that Swiss people in general appear to be more healthy through eating well and walking everywhere. In my opinion, Switzerland has one in the food and health category in comparison to America. The service may be bad, but the result is fabulous!

Punctuality

Elle and I have a connection in Basel Switzerland with the brother of a friend from Pepperdine. Upon trying to coordinate with Ben, Elle and I learned an important cultural differences between the Swiss and Americans. Ben became frustrated with us because we ket canceling and changing plans super last minute like typical American students do. Ben kindly explained to us that the Swiss love to plan in advance and stick to their plans. Even though I love spontaneity the Swiss sense of commitment is commendable.