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Do you know how to respond in Switzerland to avoid an intercultural mishap? Once you've started picking up the language as an expat, you'll start to notice the mother-tongue speakers around you reply in certain ways to specific situations or questions. This can be from anything as simple as a sneeze to trickier discussions about salaries, or dare-we-go-there, politics. It can take a while to work out what you need to say when, to avoid seriously offending your new-found friends, colleagues or anyone else you meet, so we have a few short cuts for you.

Notes on this episode of Swiss and Chips: Your British Guide to Switzerland

• When one word isn't enough: saying goodbye
• Heard a sneeze? Make sure you're ready with this word...
• Food at a restaurant tastes like rubbish? Be prepared to dish this phrase out
• What to say (or not to say) when you bump into Bob from the office at the weekend
• You're in deep water if you find yourself in a discussion about salaries or politics. Be prepared!

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If you're moving to Switzerland you might think that skiing will become a big part of your life: as a beginner that can either be really exciting or completely terrifying! However you feel about taking to the slopes, it's definitely something to try, or how will you ever know if you like it? Once you've decided to go for it, there are lots of things to consider before you even set foot in the snow.

In this episode we guide you through all the important questions and share our experiences from the side of a complete beginner, and as a former ski instructor!
 
 Notes on this episode of Swiss and Chips: Your British Guide to Switzerland

• Does every Swiss ski?
• How important is skiing for Swiss people?
• Is skiing really a must-do activity if you move to Switzerland?
• If you do want to learn, where do you start? Location, slopes, equipment, lessons, first day on skis.

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Imagine walking along a snowy path between the trees in the Swiss Alps until suddenly, a vast lake, completely covered in ice and surrounded by a sheer cliff face, opens up before you: this is what you'll experience if you head to the Osechinensee or Lake Oeschinen in the Bernese Oberland, which has frozen over. It's a veritable winter wonderland!

We wrapped up warm and headed out for a skate on the ice. And we've compiled everything you need to know to experience this magical day in the Swiss mountains.

Notes on this episode of Swiss and Chips: Your British Guide to Switzerland

- What is the lake like?

- What makes it so special?

- How do I get there?

- What should I take with me?

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You've taken a huge step: packed your bags, filled out all the forms and moved to a completely new place. But once the initial period of excitement wears off, living abroad can start to feel a little bit lonely, especially if your new life isn't fully set up yet, or something great is going on back home. Don’t worry, everyone feels homesick at some point! We've got some ideas to help you get through it.

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With only a few weeks to go until Christmas, it's definitely time to pick up the Christmas presents you want to take or send back from Switzerland for friends and family abroad. We have sack-loads of ideas, from traditional Swiss souvenirs, to the more unusual. Hopefully there will be some ideas for you as well!

Notes on this episode of Swiss and Chips: Your British Guide to Switzerland

Here are some specific gift ideas that we talk about in this episode:

•  Alprausch
•  Swiss Federal Railways watch: they even sued Apple over using the design, and  won
• Caran d’Ache pens and pencils
• Läderach chocolate
• Tête de moine cheese
• Hobelkäse
• Belpler Knolle
•  Kressi vinegar
• Products made from Swiss army materials

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Switzerland has four national languages: German, French, Italian and Romansh. But how often do the Swiss use, or try to use, a language that's not their mother tongue? A trip to see the famous annual light projection at the Swiss Federal Palace, the Rendez-vous Bundesplatz, brings up the question as to how much the Swiss are expected to use Swiss languages other than their own in their daily life. 
 
 We answer listener questions:
 - when are high German and Swiss German used?
 - is it possible to get a working holiday visa as a Canadian?

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Making the move to Switzerland is the first big step for expats: starting a social life is one of the next, and it can be just as difficult. The Swiss are not known to be very open at first - luckily there are some simple steps you can take that will make your life in Switzerland easier, and hopefully better.

In this episode we talk about my first steps trying to make friends and get to know people in Switzerland as an expat, and I'll give you some tips and ideas from my own experience. We also talk about some prejudices expats have about Switzerland and give you the Swiss perspective: What do the Swiss think about expats, what do the Swiss think if you don't speak their language and how can you respond if the Swiss are rude?

We really hope this episode will make your life in Switzerland as an English speaker a bit easier and give you the courage to get out there and start making this country your home!

Notes on this episode:

• Celebrating the 20th episode of 'Swiss and Chips': thank you for listening! If you like the show, please support us and leave a review on iTunes.
• German C1 exam: I took the test: here's how it was, and I explain how a language tandem works.
• How I made friends in Switzerland, and what it was like when I first moved here.
• Make friends with a Swiss: some tips from a Swiss perspective.

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In German and Swiss German there are some words that we don't have an equivalent for in English. We think you'll find some of them quite useful! As there are so many words that are hard to translate, we split the show into two episodes: this is part two of the Swiss German/ high German challenge. How many of the words do you know?
 
Notes on this episode of the podcast:

Zugzwang

Innerer Schweinehund

Hundsverlocheti

Bürogummi

Verschlimmbessern

Kummerspeck

Bünzli

Tüpflischiiser

Sturmfrei

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Today's episode is a direct challenge for you! We talk about Swiss German words, Swiss slang and German words that are hard to translate into English.

Notes on this episode:

Input from our listeners in our Facebook Group:

Susy: Schadenfreude

Seamus: Bitsly

Katharina: Fremdschämen

Susy's second word: Längizit

Some others:

• Fernweh
• Feierabend
• Muskelkater
• Zugzwang
• Innerer Schweinehund
• Hundsverlocheti
• Ohrwurm
• Bürogummi
• Verschlimmbessern
• Kummerspeck
• Bünzli
• Tüpflischiiser
• Sturmfrei

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"All" shops are closed on a Sunday in Switzerland! Well, maybe not all, but many at least. Luckily Switzerland offers many other exciting things for expats and tourists to do on a Sunday. We recorded this episode on the top of the Gurten, a 'must see' in Bern - on a Sunday. Tune in and get some inspiration and ideas about what you can do, and what the Swiss do, on a Sunday.

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