Be one of the first to post tips about living (working, parenting, moving to, retiring, etc.) in Switzerland in our new Expat Tip section. Or, you may submit general tips about expat life! The 3 expats who submit the most tips in May will receive $75 Amazon.com gift certificates! (Note: tips that are promotional in nature are not counted in this top tip competition -- although tips that promote events and professionals who submit helpful advice are WELCOME on Expat Tips!!) Expat Tip Section: http://www.expatexchange.com/expattips Post a Tip: http://www.expatexchange.com/expat/index.cfm?pr=tip Help build an amazing resource for the expat community! Thank You! Betsy Burlingame Expat Exchange

We wanted to send out a note to introduce our new Expat Tip Tool. It helps you offer advice and grab tips from other expatriates about international jobs, moving overseas, retiring overseas and more. Use it to keep track of your expat insights and save tips from others living abroad all in one place! http://www.expatexchange.com/expattips Or, click on "Expat Tips" on the top of any page of Expat Exchange! Also, if you would like to add a photo to your profile, you can do that now, too. Click on "My Profile" - "Photo" and upload a photo today!

A reporter recently contacted Expat Exchange and is working on a story for a major U.S. newspaper about people who have retired abroad and are continuing to work abroad. Her deadline is today. If you're a retiree who is continuing to work abroad, we would love to hear about what type of work you are doing, any challenges you faced getting the job or getting started on the job and anything else you would like to share. If you started a business as a retiree abroad, tell us about your business and how you decided to start it. If you would be willing to speak with the reporter, please let us know that it is okay to share your name, e-mail and telephone number with the reporter. Send your comments to Betsy Burlingame betsy@expatexchange.com.

A reporter recently contacted Expat Exchange and is working on a story for a major U.S. newspaper about people who have retired abroad and are continuing to work abroad. Her deadline is today. If you're a retiree who is continuing to work abroad, we would love to hear about what type of work you are doing, any challenges you faced getting the job or getting started on the job and anything else you would like to share. If you started a business as a retiree abroad, tell us about your business and how you decided to start it. If you would be willing to speak with the reporter, please let us know that it is okay to share your name, e-mail and telephone number with the reporter. Send your comments to Betsy Burlingame betsy@expatexchange.com.

I am a swisslady looking for a 3 room apartment in Zurich or arround ZH, furnished or unfurnished for app x 15.may or end of may 2013 or also I am a house/petsitter , I will look after your animals, when you are away it would be nice to hear from you and thank you in advance kind regards Lisa

Offered a job in Geneva with a large salary it seems amazing and exciting! We have all heard of Geneva and what a great place Switzerland is. THE REALITY OF LIVING HERE IS VERY DIFFERENT. This has been my unhappiest posting and the most difficult to culturally adapt to. I have worked in many countries including some of the most restrictive in the Middle East as well as other European countries, but this has been by far the most difficult. 1. Finding somewhere to live is a nightmare. I have colleagues who ended up camping, sleeping on floors, living in serviced apartments and hotels. As an experienced re locator I had researched quite well and insisted on a company apartment to start with ( three months) even then it was a nightmare. a) you need your work permit and attestation from employer before you start to look. b) you have to bring a whole pack of paper work- more than applying for a job!! Most places ask fro three receipts from your previous three months rental. c) Most contracts are for two years and they legally binding- it is up to you to find a replacement if you leave early. d) estate agents will never get back to you. They really do not want to deal with "estranger" especially if your French is not perfect. None ever replied to any e-mail. They did not want to show me anything even on personally visiting. e) Unless you have lived in Hong Kong you will be staggered at how small accommodation is for the money. f) Things we take for granted like a washing machine will probably not be in it ( unless you are on a Mega salary and can afford something bigger) The furniture may be tatty and old. two kitchen cupboards, tiny fridge etc and mine was better than many! g) I ended up in a tower block that would not have been accepted as a council flat in the UK. It had graffiti on the lifts, was a grim 60 concrete construction. My kids as students would certainly have turned up their noses at it. h) IT IS SO EXPENSIVE- this one bed was 1,800 CHF a month and not near the centre of Geneva. i) I managed to get a sublet for 6 months - often a way in- BUT even though the tenant wanted me to stay- the REGI ( who are like gods and dictate everything (except the colour of your knickers) would not let her rent to to me even for another month- she was threatened with eviction if she did - even though she was studying abroad. j) every time you move it is a administrative nightmare and you have to pay fees. h) dealing with utilities/ internet connection etc is really tough- nothing is straight forward. 2. Everywhere closes ALOT so the only time you can deal with anything or even to shop is in working hours. Geneva is like a ghost town on a Sunday. Finding places to eat out or have what I consider a normal life is not possible. My husband on visits said it reminded him of the MIddwich Cuckoos. It certainly is really spooky how you do not see anyone. In 6 months only one hello in a tower block. 3. Geneva is tiny. It does not have the facilities or activities that you would expect even in a small Uk town. It is SO boring. 4. You have to by law have medical insurance and they trace you and demand it - I delayed and had a threatening letter about a fine- they trace you as you have to register with "population controle cantonal" - and maybe you will also have to show this to rent a flat! I did for my last one. This is Expensive even for the most basic ( you will still have to pay costs on top if you visit a doctor. An EU medical card is not valid if you work here. 500CHF a month for basic. ( another dint in what looked like a great salary) 5. IT IS SO EXPENSIVE to do anything. Quite simply on the whole I only walk in the country side ( when the weather is good enough) and use the trains, unless you are on a huge expat package then you will feel really poor here. 6. PARKING is a nightmare - as described by previous helpful writers when I was researching. 7. You will not believe how not being able to wash your clothes can get to you! ( Again described by a previous poster I think) I nearly left after the shared 30 year old one- with tokens from the conceirge, and codes etc keep flooding, not opening etc and a horrible concierge shouting at me in french " essaurage essaurage" of course I want the bl---- thing to spin. I do not want my clothes left overnight in wet. Especially as you only get one 2 hour slot a week to use ( honest to god there is a rota and wo betide you if you do not stick to it.) I was lucky I had Sunday- what if has been one in daytime. In the end I bought a washing machine- the only way for sanity. It cost 700 chf for a mini thing that fitted in the bathroom - honestly you would not think they made machines like this now ( you open up the drum and it fitted a tiny load. the outlet pipe goes into the bath.) 8. The Swiss are just as cold as the country. They really have had enough of expats. I just missed the friendly smile and greetings of other cultures. there are many other difficulties which make life hard- even if your job is great. I know I am not the only one who feels this way, and now fly home most weekends to Uk ( easy jet are great from Geneva) I met someone who has only spent one weekend here in three years. So my advice 1. Think long and hard before taking a job here. 2. Maybe come and spend a week here ( trying to find a hotel room and the cost might also give you a clue) 3. Unless your employer actually provides the apartment ( has it all sorted, paper work, internet etc) it does not matter if you have to pay them for it- do NOT come. If you have had any standard of living you will find it hard. 4. Factor the medical insurance into your calculations- or only take a job with it provided. 5. Know that this is not a glamorous exciting city. If you area skier on a really good salary ( none of my colleagues can afford to go! or travel into france) or a really big outdoor sort of person ( hiking is great here) and you do not mind really cold weather for long periods ( Oh factor in winter tyres 1,400 CHF if you drive) Do Not come.

It is important for all parents, especially those most familiar with other school systems to understand why math and reading are not emphasized/taught in Swiss kindergartens: the goals are set by the cantons and are focused on social competencies. My Intention: I am currently working as an English teacher at Children`s World, a kindergarten in Switzerland. When I first began searching for a teaching job, I noticed significant differences between the school goals here versus in the United States where I formerly worked as a teacher. I want to help parents realize the schools are following goals established by each canton and that the kindergarten goals are based on social competencies. I have heard complaints from expat parents that they do not feel their children are learning enough math or reading in kindergarten and it is important to understand why they may feel that way. Quite simply, it is a different school system and students are taught these skills later in the Swiss schools. For those interested, there are supplemental classes at private institutions to give your children an opportunity to learn these skills earlier, but I am not very familiar with those institutions. A second intention is to describe what I feel is the school that offers children the most holistic educational experience in the Zug, Zurich, and Baden areas: Children`s World. I fortunately was able to observe multiple lessons/activities in multiple kindergartens while looking for the school where I wanted to teach. My Background: I have a Masters degree in education from a university in North Carolina, USA. I was a kindergarten teacher in the public school system of North Carolina. I also was a remediation teacher in the public school system in North Carolina, working in small groups with students in the 4th and 5th grades who were struggling in math and reading comprehension. I also have experience working in a daycare in Germany, an English school in Japan, and as a part-time nanny in Switzerland. My Observations: I am very familiar with writing lesson plans based on federal and state guidelines. When I first arrived in Switzerland and searched for teaching positions in kindergartens throughout the German-speaking part of Switzerland, I began to notice significant differences between the two systems. The lesson planning is quite similar, but the goals are very different. It is important to take a look at the goals of the canton before entering a school. I have talked with many teachers and parents here that have experience with school systems in other countries and the first thing they notice is the absence of math and reading/writing in the kindergartens around Switzerland. These activities are reserved for first grade in the Swiss school system. Some basic counting and number recognition skills are included in some kindergarten curriculums here, but not much beyond that. In most public Swiss kindergartens, it is not allowed to teach math and writing skills. In some private kindergartens, there is a bit more flexibility, but the most important goals in each school are those set by the canton, which consist mostly of social competency objectives. Choosing a kindergarten: why Children`s World stands above the rest (it was the original!) Why Children`s World from my point-of-view (the teacher): Children`s World was established 7 years ago (a long time for a private kindergarten in Switzerland and the first to be officially recognized as a kindergarten outside of the public kindergartens in Switzerland). The founder, a Swiss native, wanted to find a better system for her son. After speaking with experts in the field of education and undertaking much research, she created the concept of Children`s World. Only 22 months after her first kindergarten opened, the kindergarten concept won the LENA AWARD for the most "Successful Women's Start-up-Company". I was offered several positions at kindergartens in the Zürich, Zug, and Baden areas. After multiple days of observation, discussions with the administrations, and conversations with teachers about their experiences and backgrounds, it was extremely clear to me which school stood out beyond the others. I have not been disappointed. We are supported by the administration in workshops, classes, etc… and therefore, the staff is updated regularly on new information in the field of education. The lead teachers of each school also have met with experts from PH Zug to continuously revise teaching methods. It is a very professionally run school, which in return creates an environment of confidence and respect, as well as creating a good supportive team atmosphere. The program we offer is challenging both to the teachers and the students. When looking into other kindergartens, I realized professionalism was lacking there, but I finally found the right fit for me. Why Children`s World from a parent`s point-of-view: Children`s World offers Montessori classes in the mornings and offers bi-lingualism with German and English as constants throughout the week. At some locations, even Chinese lessons are offered. Students participate in yoga, gym classes, one complete forest day, and nutrition classes. The schools are in multiple locations: Cham, Zug, Baden, and Ennetbaden. The opening hours are extensive and the vacation hours are not as long as in the public schools. Therefore, it is a great place for parents who are working full-time. The school also gives the parents multiple opportunities to be involved. Once a year, the school offers parent evenings, two weeks of visiting days, a turnip carving event (including carving, soup and sausages, and a parade of lanterns), as well as a summer party before the two week summer break. Twice a year, the school offers teacher-parent conferences. These are a few highlights of the Children`s World concept. I hope the above information is helpful. I am including the school`s website to give you further information, if you are interested. http://www.childrensworld.ch/ If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact the school or send me a message. Some of the cantons only have their goals in German. I speak C1 level of German and would be glad to try to help you translate the goals so you can better understand them.

I am in need of a fully furnished one bedroom apartment or a room in a flat , possibly close to the World Health Organization in Geneva from March 27th to June 30th, 2013. Any referrals will be greatly appreciated.