Culture+shock

=Culture Shock!!!!!=

When moving to a new country there is always a certain amount of Culture Shock.

Switzerland
Switzerland is a modern European nation with a rich culture. It is this culture that some people find difficult. Yes, the cows do wear bells and people do play Alpine Horns. Chocolate is everywhere and you will be surprised by the amount of different kinds of mountain cheeses. The Swiss are a friendly people (everywhere you go you will be greeted with "//grüezi" // and a smile.

Customer service
This is probably the first thing people notice. Public service, especially to a North American, can seem down right rude. It is not, it is efficient. At the grocery store you good will be scanned and rolled and pushed into a collecting area for you to bag. This is not done to annoy you, it's done to make room for the next customer. At restaurants you server will seem to ignore you after the meal is served. Thy will typically only come to your table when you flag them down. This is done so you can talk and enjoy your meal and not feel pressured to hurry up and leave (Restaurants typically do not turn over tables during an evening so a reservation for a table is for the evening). Also Tipping is not usually done with the exception of rounding up the bill to the next 10.

What to be aware of
Some items that people find different and can cause some trepidation are;
 * Having to weigh your fruits and vegetables yourself BEFORE you get to the check out
 * Paper work
 * Driving (watch that speed!)
 * Paying bills
 * Normal hours of operation (on Sunday, almost all shops are closed)
 * Costs

Everyone of these are easily overcome as far as culture shock goes. The most important thing for you to do is talk to your buddies and always ask for help as soon as you think you might need it. Remember, we have all been through this as well and have been in your shoes.