Newly Swissed Online Magazine

Here are 25 unmistakable signs that you are turning Swiss

Swiss Air Lines Roundabout Kloten

Some come to Switzerland as a au pair for a year. Others have an expat contract lasting several years. But whatever the length of the stay, everyone has a breaking point.

Because sooner or later, you will see the writing on the wall: You are turning Swiss. Have you ever cursed at drivers who exit a roundabout without using a turn signal? Voilà: You are halfway Swiss. The realization comes during moments when you catch yourself react like a detail oriented, law abiding Swiss person. Now, do you recognize yourself when reading the following signs?

You know the difference between red and green Tilsiter cheese.

You speak five languages and aspire to learn more.

You talk in military time: “Let’s meet at sixteen hundred!”

Mondaine SBB Wrist Watch

You have ever been asked to yodel.

You wear earplugs at a concert.

You keep your surroundings clean – from the bathroom to the public bath.

You figured out that Betty Bossi is not a real chef.

You fly to Thailand once a year to get your physical exam done.

And you hop on a Flexibus to Prague to get your dental hygiene done.

You come home from vacation telling everyone how cheap everything was.

You would never accidentally book a ticket to Sweden or Swaziland.

Swaziland Passport Control(Photograph copyright Wikimedia Commons)

You only buy eggs produced by local, organic, free roaming chickens.

You go to a Metzgete and eat game in the fall.

Your happy hour drink is Aperol Spritz.

You pick an empty train compartment with four seats and sit in the forward direction by the window.

SBB First Class Train Compartment

You apologize to the cashier for paying less than 10 francs with a credit card.

You air out the apartment once a day.

You live alone in a studio apartment and have a cleaning lady.

And you apologize to your guests about the “mess”.

You always carry a Swiss army knife in your purse.

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You think it’s normal that the church bells ring in the middle of the night.

You stock up on toilet paper when it’s 10 percent off.

You start dressing like summer when it’s above 14 degrees Celsius.

And you wonder whether the sun will ever come out again!

Schloss Sargans

If you don’t think you have reached the breaking point, maybe you are still at the beginning of the process to becoming Swiss?

Dimitri Burkhard

As the founder, editor, and community manager of Newly Swissed, Dimitri owns the strategic vision. He is passionate about storytelling and is a member of Swiss Travel Communicators. Dimitri loves discovering new trends and covers architecture, design, start-ups and tourism.

2 comments

  • Hahaha, very funny and really true! I didn’t get couple of things. Could you explain please:
    – You go to a Metzgete and eat game in the fall – what does it mean?
    – You pick an empty train compartment with four seats and sit in the forward direction by the window – why?

Dimitri Burkhard

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