SwissPats

The SwissPats travelled to Cow Country — Baerau, Switzerland — where CEO Roger Kern gave us a tour of their factory and even allowed us to help make a bell. After a long day in the factory, they sat down to chat about his journey from IT to Bell Maker in his family's foundry. 

The SwissPats also discuss naked dining in Basel and a growing rat population throughout the country.

The SwissPats traveled to the heart of Swiss watch making - Biel/Bienne - to interview Giselle Rufer Delance, who is the woman behind Delance watches, which are the only Swiss watch brand created by a woman. The discussion ranges from her childhood without a father to her trail-blazing education to finally battling the male-dominated culture of Swiss watchmaking in the 1980s and 90s.

Suzi and Don traveled to Zurich to talk chocolate, specifically Swiss chocolate, with the co-founders of Attimo Chocolate, Olivia Madet and Alain Mettler.

But wait, there's more. Attimo made world-wide news late last year by producing a CHF 640.- chocolate bar weighing 80 grams. They are listed in the Guinness World Record Book as having, "the world’s most expensive chocolate." 

SwissPats listeners can WIN ONE OF THESE BARS. Download and listen to this episode to find out how. (Note: Winner must be located in Europe.)

Good luck!

Wondering what to do this month in Switzerland? Fear not the SwissPats have you covered. We may be in the heart of ski season, but there is more to do than carve the groomed pistes of Switzerland. 

From the beginning of the month that features is a charity concert for the Australian Bushfires in Basel to the end of the month and the carnival in Bern with plenty in between like igloo building, whiskey and music festival, a drag show and where you can find a 6-kilometer toboggan run. 

Charity concert for Australian Bushfire Relief | Feb. 1 | Basel

Whiskey & Music Festival | Feb. 1-2 | Metropol Restaurant, Zurich

My Mother Country – Paintings of the Aborigines | Feb. 2 | Kunsthaus, Zug

Inside the Creative Mind | Feb. 4 | Freie Musikschule, Basel

Expat Expo | Feb. 9 | Congress Center, Basel

Afternoon Tea & Quiz | Feb. 14 | St. Ursula Church, Bern

Oh G! It's Drag | Feb. 21 | Parterre Kultur, Basel

Igloo building | Feb. 22 | Trübsee Engelberg

The Dinosaurs' Garden | all month | Garden Centre in Gland

6 km Toboggan Ride | all month | Preda

Carnival | Feb. 27-29 | Bern

We are in the thick of ski season so Don and Suzi welcomed on Dave Burrows of the SnowPros Ski School to discuss what he does, his teaching philosophies and, even some golf. (Sorry, Suzi).

In addition, the SwissPats get a bit violent talking about a news item that involves a Swiss taxi driver his taser and a movie shoot that involved some actual shooting.

Welcome to another edition of the SwissPats’ How-To Series. In this episode, Heike Reinhart explains why you should learn the local language upon your arrival to Switzerland, as well as where to go, how to go about it and who you should pick.

Heike was born and raised in Germany and spent eight years living in the US developing  a business in education, mentoring and “cross cultural” training.

In Basel she has now established her own business with an emphasis in “cross cultural” training. Heike has provided training for both groups and individuals in Fortune 500 companies in the US. She is bringing together global professional and cultural experience in dealing with cultural diversity. She has taught German to adults and graduate students, and mentored international students studying in the US.

About SwissPats How-To Series:

Unlike our typical show that features a guest or our first-of-the-month What's Happening, our How-To Series is here to help those who are new to Switzerland or even those who have lived here for a long time. Hey, you might’ve forgotten what it was like when you first got here and didn’t know anything.

In our How-To Series, we have sought out those in the known to help you navigate your life here in Switzerland. From getting the train, to taking out your garbage, there are rules, regulations and guidelines that we all need to follow.

A lot of information is out there, but we wanted to bring it to you in a short, bite-sized podcast. Maybe you already have this stuff sorted out, but if you see a newcomer to Switzerland, send them our way and hopefully we can help make that transition to Swiss life a little easier. 

In the 100th episode of SwissPats podcast, Don and Suzi discuss two new Swiss rules for 2020 that may or may not impact you as well as the country's new president. Did you know there was a new president? Most people didn't!

They also welcome on Catherine Peloquin who is the president of the Basel's Toastmasters Club. What is Toastmasters? Where is Catherine from and how long has she been in Switzerland? Why does she love hiking the Swiss Alps so much? LIsten to find out. Happy New Year!

Wondering what to do this month in Switzerland? Fear not the SwissPats have you covered. It may be the middle of the winter but there is plenty to get out of your cozy chalet to do and see beginning with family ski days to a light festival in Luzern, to a snow festival in Grindewald, a hot air festival in Château-d’Oex and even a museum night in Basel.

(0:56) Three Kings Day | Jan 6.
(3:36) Women Back to Business | Jan. 13 | Zurich
(5:52) Famigro Ski Days | all winter
(8:52) Lilu Licht Festival | Jan. 9-19 | Luzern
(10:39) PhotoZürich | Jan. 10-14
(12:35) World Snow Festival | Jan. 20-25 | Grindewald
(15:08) World Web Forum | Jan. 16-17 | Zurich
(17:21) International Hot Air Balloon Festival | Jan. 25-Feb. 2 | Château-d’Oex
(20:56) Museum Night | Jan. 17 | Basel
(24:34) Cheese Festival | Jan. 26 | Markthalle Basel

Don is approaching his third year living in Europe and he just now got around to calling soccer football. And now to confuse him even more he was introduced to Jason Ransome from the Basel Dragons Australian Football Club. In order to understand this kind of football, Don sat down with Jason to discuss this newly formed team for this very Aussie sport.

Don and Suzi also discuss some good spots to go for some early season skiing and Suzi — once again — finds a Swiss police tactic that really grinds her gears.

Lewys Thomas, co-founder and COO of Lyfa, joined us to discuss his idea of a 21st century milkman. Lyfa (pronounced: LEE-fa) is an online store and delivery service for plastic free groceries. You order all your products online and they deliver everything in reusable packaging directly to your door. Lyfa is in the midst of a crowdfunding that ends Tuesday 17 December. Find out more here.

Suzi and Don also discuss where Lausanne and Basel rank in the best small cities in the world and the news/controversy stemming from Art Basel Miami, duct tape and a banana.