Culture Smart! - Switzerland--Culture Smart!

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.

Adapted from Marcel Proust, Remembrance of Things Past.

ISBN 978 1 78702 860 9

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A CIP catalogue entry for this book is available from the British Library

First published in Great Britain

by Kuperard, an imprint of Bravo Ltd

59 Hutton Grove, London N12 8DS

Tel: +44 (0) 20 8446 2440

www.culturesmart.co.uk

Inquiries:

Design Bobby Birchall

Printed in Turkey

The Culture Smart! series is continuing to expand. All Culture Smart! guides are available as e-books, and many as audio books. For further information and latest titles visit www.culturesmart.co.uk

KENDALL HUNTER is a Canadian freelance journalist, author, photographer, and entrepreneur. A graduate in Political Science from the University of Calgary, she has lived in South Africa, England, Wales, and Switzerland. Her first book, Black Taxi: Shooting South Africa, describes a year she spent working as a news photographer in Johannesburg during that countrys first democratic elections. Kendall subsequently lived for ten years in Zrich. Married to a Swiss citizen and with two daughters in the Swiss school system, she wrote a regular column for an expat parenting magazine about raising children in Switzerland. She now lives in Toronto, and is the founder of Culture Dock, a new crowd-sourced global travel app that hinges on cultures of the world.

COVID-19

The coronavirus pandemic of 2020 affected millions of people around the world, causing unprecedented social and economic disruption. As the impact of this global crisis continues to unfold, in many countries social norms are being challenged, and enduring changes will be reflected in future editions of Culture Smart! titles.

Set aside your preconceptions of postcard scenery, chocolate and cheese, faceless bankers, and spotless cities. The real Switzerland is anything but bland. This small, rugged, landlocked country at the heart of Europe is full of surprises. Largely victims of their own success, the Swiss have often been misunderstood. Having escaped the traumas of war in the last century, they did not have to rebuild a shattered society. Their neutrality, isolationism, and wealth have made them appear smug and protective of their standard of living. In fact, their prosperity has been hard-won. They were not always rich. Proud, industrious, fair-minded, and creative, they have had a bad press.

Switzerland today is a model of peace and multicultural cooperation, yet historically the country was racked by conflict. Swiss mercenaries were a major export. The extraordinary act of will that brought together disparate social and regional groups against their common enemy in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries was the glue that continues to hold the Confederation together today. Its decentralized political structure means that Switzerlands cantons are largely autonomous and retain their individual character. In this grassroots democracy real power lies with the people, who exercise it directly through frequent referendums. Swissness is, above all, a spirit of independence and of communal involvement.

In private life the Swiss are no less active and responsive. They respect the individual, which means that, while they appreciate clear thinking and direct talking, they avoid confrontation. They will never intrude, yet will willingly help out if asked. If you make the effort, you will find warmth, decency, wit, and intelligence.

Culture Smart! Switzerland reveals the human dimension of this enigmatic country. It provides an historical overview, explores Swiss values and attitudes, and looks at the cultural continuity of festivals and traditions. It will help you navigate your way through various aspects of Swiss life and society. There is advice on meeting people, on how to behave in different situations, and how to avoid making gaffes. It looks at the home life of the Swiss, and describes what is important to them, how they work, relax, and how they perceive foreigners. And it offers crucial insights into Swiss business culture, and more generally on differences in communication style. All this will give you a starting point, so you can discover for yourself the many hidden riches of this fascinating society.