Well...we've been here in Switzerland for almost 7 months now. Wow! It's hard to believe we've been here over half a year so far. So now that we've settled into day-to-day life here in Europe I thought I would take a closer look at some differences between Europe and the U.S. and decide if I like it...or don't care for it. Since we've been here one thing Jenny and I have tried to do is keep an open mind about how life operates around here. It would be easy for us to say "anything that is different here is just weird and I'm not going to change my thinking." Sometimes I actually want to say that, but no...we genuinely want to keep an open mind about how life works around here.
So let's look at some of these differences and let's see what I have grown to like...and what really gets under my skin.
PAYING FOR SHOPPING CARTS - Whenever you go to the grocery store and you want to use a shopping cart you have to pay for it. Now when I say "pay for it" I mean you insert a "1 franc" coin in the slot on the cart and the chain releases it. Then when you're done with your shopping you put the cart back, lock it back up where you found it, and then you get your money back. So technically the carts are still free to use, but you just have to return the cart where you found it in order to get your money back. At first I hated this, after having been used to using "free" carts at Wal-Mart for years. However, this is one difference that has really grown on me. Yes, you have to work at it a little in order to pay for the cart and then get your money back. But because the carts are managed this way they're usually all in great shape, and you never get a faulty one with a bad wheel or something. So this system has really grown on me. LIKE!
MOVIE THEATERS - There are so many differences here with the movie theaters than in the U.S. One...you pay for reserved seats, much like you would at a concert, or a ballgame. I'm so used to just sitting wherever I want in a theater that I had a hard time getting my head around this concept, but I managed. Then I realized the movies here still do "intermissions." I'm not a fan of stopping the movie right in the middle of it, but again I manage. Then there's the fact that children under 6 are not even allowed in the movie theaters anywhere in Zurich. So even though Megan wants to go see Ice Age 4 (a movie she could easily enjoy in the states) here she isn't allowed to see it. So if there's a movie she really wants to see we have to drive her to Basel to see it (which is about 1 1/2 hours away.) The first time we experienced this we were pretty shocked. When we tried to buy her a ticket to a "kids show" the cashier asked me how old she was. I thought it was a weird question but I answered "4" and waited for my ticket. Then he wouldn't sell us a ticket for her because she wasn't old enough. This coincides with the fact that there isn't a "rating" system here in Switzerland. There isn't a PG, or R, or G, etc. So instead, each canton reviews each film and gives out recommendations based on ages. So it will say something like "12 and up" or "8 and up," etc. But even for a movie like Ice Age 4, (a kids movie mind you) Megan isn't allowed to see it because kids 6 and under are not allowed in theaters. Anyway, then there are the prices...the lack of air conditioning...etc. I could go on and on. Anyway, as a die hard movie fan I have to say I definitely do not care for the movie theaters here in Europe. DISLIKE!
BAG YOUR OWN - Europe as a whole is not a "service culture," and it's evident here in Switzerland. Take the grocery store for example. Unlike grocery stores in the U.S., where often times the cashier will bag your groceries for you...here you are required to bag them. Doesn't sound like a big deal right? Well, here's the catch - the cashier doesn't wait for you to finish bagging your groceries before they start checking out the customer behind you. So while I'm frantically bagging my groceries, the groceries belonging to the customer behind me are already coming down the turn belt into my pile. So now I have to bag my groceries AND keep track of which groceries are mine and which ones are the customer's behind me. Anyway, it can be very frustrating at times. DISLIKE!
DRIVING - Okay, this is kind of a loaded topic. Driving in Europe varies depending on where you are. In Zurich for example, traffic flows like its people...orderly and not too fast. But in France per se, traffic is a lot more aggressive and abrasive. But one thing I have grown to appreciate are the "roundabouts." They're great. Traffic moves along at a steady pace and you never have to stop. A 13 minute drive to the kids' school takes about...well...13 minutes. No lights or stop signs. LIKE!
RESTAURANTS - Going out to eat in Europe is typically considered more of an event or experience than in the U.S. Yes, we have a few of the American fast food chains here that are fairly quick, but typically eating out here takes about 2 hours. This is because the service is a little slower, the food takes a little longer to come out, and the waiter doesn't bring out your check until you ask for it (it is considered rude to bring out the check before you ask for it, because it is implied that you are being asked to leave before you finish eating.) So as you can imagine going out to eat for 2 hours with 2 kids isn't all that practical sometimes. The kids generally do great though. We tell them to bring a book or coloring book or something and they do fine. Anyway, just like in the U.S. we've had some good meals, and some bad ones, but generally we miss being able to go out to eat for a "simple" meal that doesn't take too long. And of course I haven't mentioned the price yet. Of course everything here in Switzerland is inflated, but when we go out to eat we usually spend anywhere from 70 to 100 francs at a restaurant for the 4 of us, (and we're not big spenders.) But having said all that I also see the positives in how Europeans go out to eat. The longer time frame makes the experience more enjoyable sometimes, and of course it's healthier for you. Also, a lot of restaurants have small playgrounds near the outdoor seating area, so the kids usually have something to do while you enjoy your meal. So all in all I would say I'm MIXED on this experience.
EATING OUTSIDE - Speaking of restaurants, one thing Europeans love to do in the warmer months is eat outside. Almost every restaurant offers outdoor seating, and in the warmer months you'll typically see the outdoor seating at a restaurant completely filled, and the indoor seating completely empty. I know there are some restaurants in the U.S. that offer outdoor seating, but in Europe it's the standard. LIKE!
HISTORY - I still haven't gotten used to the fact that no matter where you go in Europe you are surrounded by history. It's incredibly humbling to walk through a historical city center and look at all the old buildings, and then discover that each building you're looking at is older than the country you were born in. LIKE!
PAY FOR PARKING - Almost everywhere you go in Zurich, in Switzerland, and throughout Europe you usually have to pay for parking. Usually it's only a couple of francs, but sometimes it's more. After we moved here in January it took us a while to re-train our thinking about this. We would forget all the time, but now we remember. Anyway, it's just tiresome to always have to think about this. DISLIKE!
E-PAY - Here in Switzerland everyone pays their bills and services via "e-pay." Evidently no one carries a checkbook around here. When you're setting up monthly bills like car payments, rent, school tuition, etc...this "e-pay" system works beautifully. But let's say you have a contractor come out and do a service for you that you don't normally have done. Let's say you have an overhead light that needs to be repaired. He will come out and do the service for you, and then mail you an invoice days later. The invoice will have a routing number and other bank information on it, so you will know where to send your e-payment. This is where the system isn't really conducive, and you wish you could just write a check. Anyway, for this one I would say INCONCLUSIVE. Still not sure if I like this system or not.
TRASH BAGS - A few months ago I wrote about the trash bags here. You are required to use the "official" trash bag, as stated by the canton you live in. If you don't use the official bag, and instead use a typical Hefty trash bag, the canton trash collectors will go through your trash bag, find a name and address, and then come after you with a hefty fine (no pun intended.) So trash collection is taken very seriously around here. In order to get these bags you have to ask for them over the counter at the grocery store, and they're more expensive than the typical trash bags. So because of the cost you feel compelled to use them wisely and fill them all the way up before you dispose of them. Throwing away a half-full trash bag is like throwing money away. Whoever thought trash could be so stressful. I miss my curbside trash bin back in Michigan. DISLIKE!
RECYCLING - Not sure yet how it is in the rest of Europe, but here in Switzerland the only curbside recycling we have is cardboard, and newspaper. So everything else like milk cartons, cans, bottles, and glass you have to take to the recycling center. So here you have to work at it a little in order to recycle your normal items. Usually I have to take a car load of stuff to the recycle center about 2 or 3 times a month. Once again...I miss my curbside bin back in Michigan. DISLIKE!
FRESH FOOD - One major difference between the U.S. and Europe is with preservatives - in Europe they don't use them. The result is the fruits, meats, and vegetables taste fresher, and they're better for you. Of course the alternative is the food doesn't last as long here. So we have to make sure we eat what we buy fairly quickly. Still though...LIKE!
LAUNDRY - One thing we discovered shortly after we arrived here is the Swiss don't like to "totally dry" their clothes. Whenever we take our clothes out of the dryer they still feel a little damp. We've set our dryer on the "driest" setting and the clothes still come out with a trace of dampness. Back in January in our temporary apartment the dryer there was terrible. We would have to re-dry everything, and often times the clothes would shrink because of the over-drying. The reason for all of this is the Swiss like to iron everything after they dry, so they prefer to leave their clothes a little damp. Anyway, we've gotten used to it, but it took us a while to figure out a good system to dry our clothes. DISLIKE!
HOME GROWN & TRUSTING - Scattered all over Zurich and the surrounding communities are carts and stands selling locally grown flowers, produce, meats, eggs, dairy products, fruit, etc. These carts are owned and operated by local farmers in the area, and you can usually find them sitting on the side of the road somewhere. What makes these stands so interesting though is they are usually "unmanned." You walk up to the cart, pick out your purchase, see how much it costs, drop your money in a money box, and then leave. It's buying something locally grown, coupled with an emphasis on "the honor system." And the amazing part is everyone abides by the rules of these unmanned carts. Everyone shops responsibility. I'm constantly amazed by the honesty and trustworthiness displayed at these carts. I can only imagine what would happen to a cart like this in the states. LIKE!
TRAINS & PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - I have become such a huge fan of the train system here in Europe. The trains in Switzerland are some of the most efficient you'll find anywhere. Often times we'll take the train when we want to spend a few hours in the city, or if we want to take a short day trip somewhere. It's a relaxing way to travel, it's affordable, and often times you get dropped off right in the city center. I have no idea how long we will be in Europe, but whenever the time comes for us to leave the trains will be the one thing I miss the most I think. LIKE!
WINE COUNTRY - I love a good glass of wine, and I have to admit I'm enjoying discovering all the wines around here. It's so cool being able to go to the grocery store here and finding shelves and shelves full of European wines. For each bottle of wine you'll see the price below it, along with a picture of the country flag of origin. So it's fun going to the wine section and saying "I'm in the mood for something Italian, or French." And since the prices are so affordable for many of these wines I'm enjoying trying them out. I admit I am not as "wine educated" as someone who travels around Tuscany, or California Wine Country. But I greatly enjoy some bread and cheese, served with a tasty glass of wine. LIKE!
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