Tucked in the center of Europe, the small country of Switzerland is a planet of its own. And just like any other planet, it has its own culture and set of rules.
Expats arriving here from another continent must feel especially mesmerized. Yet, from the moment you leave a note on your neighbor's door asking them to keep it down after 10 PM, you realize that you are becoming Swiss...
From food to sports, here are 15 unmistakable signs that you're becoming Swiss:
You get irritated when you go abroad and find that stores do not carry at least 10 different kinds of Swiss chocolate and 15 kinds of Swiss cheese.
You know what "Röschti" is (and have crossed the "Röschtigrabe" at some point).
You were legally allowed to drink beer and wine at the age of sixteen.
And you order beer because it is cheaper than anything else - even water!
At the restaurant, you feel cheated if they serve your beverage with ice. There are no free refills in Switzerland!
Obviously, you prefer "Elmer Citro" from "Sprite".
You're the proud owner of a Soda Club machine.
You have ever prepared a dish based on a Betty Bossi recipe.
You pick up a liter of fresh milk every other day.
You compulsively buy ice-cream during the break at the movie theater. (Yes, movies break straight down the middle in Switzerland.)
You are not surprised when the grocery clerk greets you by name.
You work out on the Vita Parcours outdoor gym in your local forest.
During school, you attended state-funded ski camps every winter.
You have ever worn a pair of these:
Or these!
Oh so true! LOL :)
Then: Carving pumpkins in October.
Now: Carving turnips in November.
Then: Going to dinner before going out for the evening.
Now: Sitting in a restaurant all evening.
Then: Normal numbers, normal addresses, normal dates.
Now: Backwards numbers, addresses and dates.
Then: July 4th
Now: 1. August
Then: Getting to the airport three hours early to get through security.
Now: Schengen.
Then: Hershey’s
Now: Lindt & Sprüngli
Then: Garbage.
Now: Compost.
Then: Buying vegetables at the grocery store.
Now: Growing vegetables in the garden or buying them from the farm down the street.
Then: Doing things because I could.
Now: Doing things because I should.
Then: One family home with a private yard.
Now: Two family home, sharing a yard with the neighbors.
Then: Shopping mall
Now: Bahnhofstrasse
Then: Bud
Now: Feldschlosschen
Then: Drive-thru banking
Now: On-line banking
Then: College football
Now: Schwingen
Then: Sliced bread
Now: Fresh bread
Then: A good idea of what it means to be Swiss.
Now: A way better idea thanks to the many creative contributions of moonchild!
Thank you so much, and keep ’em coming!
Then: Pay phone
Now: iPhone
=)