Cleaner NIGHTMARE

So Chantal asked if we could detail what cleaners we used and I was all ready to write up a big report about how expensive but how great they were, but then they SCREWED IT UP! Let me explain.

When you move out of your apartment in Switzerland, the place has to be clean. And this is Switzerland after all, so they mean eat off the toilet seat clean... they mean so clean you can sterilize things just by placing them in the uber clean oven. We are talking spotless. So when it came to deciding whether we would clean the place ourselves or hire someone, we decided to hire someone... mostly because hiring someone meant that we had a guarantee that during handover the cleaner would be there on site, mop in hand, in the event that something needed to be spot cleaned... AGAIN.

We knew this would cost a pretty penny from stories we heard, but we also had heard that if the cleaners were not called in and the apartment was not handover ready and the rental company had to call in cleaners to clean up after you, they would take the cost of this out of your deposit anyway - so you might as well pay for it the first time and save yourself the back ache. This was our plan....

So I got two quotes for cleaning. Both four digit figures. I am NOT kidding you. (Keep in mind, these quotes were based on our Swiss equivalent  4.5 room apartment with two bathrooms...)Now, I imagine there are back door services you could use that would indeed be cheaper, but I used services that came recommended on the expat sites - I got quotes from Markus Leutenegger and MrClean. In the end, I went with MrClean because their quote was CHF 500 cheaper... plain and simple.

To be honest, MrClean really did a great cleaning job. I did in fact eat off the toilet seat before leaving the apartment and didn't taste a thing... just kidding. But really, all was SUPER clean. We are talking every nook and cranny, they powerwashed the blinds (lot of work), cleaned the oven, machine washed the carpets, got all the calk out of the taps, and did a makeover on our two bathrooms. They even locked up on their own and showed up to the handover on time... but...

When I arrived at the handover, I noticed something on the floor and thought, 'Well, good thing they are coming as they will have to do that again for the price I paid them...' but after I showed it to them, I realized after much scrubbing on their part that it was not just dirt, they had chemically burnt the wood flooring in two places - right in the middle of the entry and near the dishwasher. At first they wanted to blame it on the movers but I made a big hoo ha and told them that I walked the movers through the place the day before after all was packed - no damage - and that this was their mess and they would pay for it. After some arguing, they decided to send their specialists and Wincasa sent theirs and the latest word is that it is chemical damage... and someone (NOT US!) will have to pay... that is the nightmare part of this whole story....

I am not sure how we could have avoided this, or if we could even, or if this means I would not recommend MrClean as it was obviously a spill from one of their super cleaners, but I cannot help but be disappointed that my handover was marred and my bond is being held until this crap is dealt with... so Cleaner Nightmare indeed, but I am still really glad that we had the professionals do it.

Moral of the story - professionals good.... just take photos of everything before they clean so you can assess damages afterward. I realize that is crazy as I type it but what else could we have done.... ah the joys of moving out of your Swiss apartment.

There you go, Chantal! ;) Speaking of Chantal - she will be guest posting on Swisstory tomorrow about
Why Being an Expat Blogger in Switzerland is a Great Thing... do join us will you? ;)


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Ten things to do before moving out of your Swiss Apartment (part 1)

I am not sure if you are aware or not, but the Top 10 Things to do Before Moving into Your Apartment in Switzerland is the most read article on this blog. So I figured, it is only right if I let everyone know the 10 things to do when leaving your apartment in Switzerland as well... here goes:

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10 - Give notice regarding your apartment
This is VERY IMPORTANT - as I mentioned before the notice periods are WAY in advance in Switzerland. We had to give four months notice, and you cannot give notice to leave in December... the whole December thing is tricky to me, so if you plan to move out in December, contact your agency FAR FAR in advance to ensure this is possible - as most tenants want to stay put in the holiday months.

You also have to give notice IN WRITING. I had someone assist me here to ensure the German was appropriate. You should also send the letter via registered mail. The way you do this is you write 'EINSCHREIBEN' above the to address on your letter, and when you take it to the post, the post person will know that you want to send it registered. This costs CHF 5 to ensure a signature is received. This is a requirement as far as I know. So just do it!

9 - Give notice to the EKZ and Cablecom
These two need the most notice, as EKZ (electricity company) needs to set up a time to do the final meter reading - usually the day after you move our and you do not need to be on site. Cablecom requires a 3 month notice for cancellation of accounts, or you can do it at any time if you have a letter from the Gemeide notifying them that you are leaving. See number 8.

8 - Deregister from the Gemeide
I wrote all about this already, it was an ordeal. What is important to know here is that you MUST do it before you leave the country. Do not leave this important, important step out or you may not be able to return to Switzerland again. If you want a confirmation of your deregistration, and I recommend this as we needed it for several service cancellations and our retirement money transfer, it costs CHF 30 per person for the confirmation letter and any additional original copies you want/need. Make sure that you keep your now de-registered permit - our has holes in it now so that officials know it is no longer valid - and the confirmation letter in a safe place, especially to show officials if required when leaving at the airport.

7 - Get quotes from Movers
We contacted two moving companies to get quotes - Crown Relocations, who moved us to Switzerland in the first place, and Interdean. In the end we went with Crown because they were cheaper for our move and we were very happy with their professionalism in moving us to Switzerland. We went back and forth between moving our stuff and selling our stuff. It is a personal choice, definitely dependent on your finances. We saved up so we could take our stuff back with us to have something to start with in Australia. Make sure you also look into any insurance options, storage, additional charges for stairs or delivery, etc. They always seem to get you with those extra charges - and also check if the charges for moving some and/or all your stuff differ much. The difference in cost to move all our stuff compared to just some was so small that in the end we decided to take it all. I guess once you get above a certain volume, you get a container and the cost is pretty flat after that. So check all options... then decide what stays and what goes. I will let you know after we get our stuff back in Australia whether it was worth it or not! ;)

6 - Get quotes from cleaners
Have you heard? The Swiss are pretty anal when it comes to cleanliness... so you can either clean the apartment yourself, or you can hire someone. Just know, that if you do clean it yourself, you really need to be thorough. The list of things they are going to clean in our apartment, as we decided to hire someone to clean, is HUGE. And as we need an empty apartment to clean it and we will have no supplies, we thought it worth the effort and cost to get someone to assist here. Also, on handover, it something is not cleaned to scratch you either clean it again or it comes out of your bond to have a professional clean it. By hiring the professionals from the start, the handover is included and someone will be there on the handover day as well from the cleaning company, so that if something is not clean enough - they will do it again. It really saves us the hassle and allows us to hopefully keep our entire bond/deposit. Here's hoping. Again, get multiple quotes, as the differences here were great for us - the second quote was about CHF 500 cheaper! And they were doing more! Shop around. But I would advise you go with the professionals if you can as I can only imagine the troubles if your cleaning is not up to snuff.

That is part 1. Part 2 next week! Stay tuned. ;)

Tomorrow, Guest Post from Chantal!
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Taking our Swiss Retirement with us...

Our days really are numbered now. I can count them on my hands without having to use my toes. Boy am I talented indeed! Our last days are filled with mini adventures, but not like you might think - more like showing our apartment, throwing out the crap that accumulates after a few years abroad, figuring out what we can and cannot take back to Australia due to customs regulations, and therein arguing about whether or not down comforters are allowed in the country... to say I will be happy when this whole moving scene is over and I am on that plane to Australia is an understatement.

One of the things we have had to do a lot of leg work for in the last few weeks is getting our retirement money back. Now, I am not really hip on all the terminology when it comes to the Swiss retirement scheme, so bear with me, but what I do know is that if you work in Switzerland, you contribute to a retirement plan and (I believe) a pension scheme automatically. When you leave the country permanently, this money is yours to take with you. If you leave to go to another European company, you can easily transfer the money to your next retirement scheme - very much like American 401k programs or Australian Super programs. If, however, you leave Switzerland to go far, far away, outside of Europe, you can get the money paid out to you to go on a shopping spree!!!!!!! Err, I mean, to put into your international retirement program of choice. Er hum.. That's right.

Just so you know what we went through to enable this retirement plan payout and in order to help others, here is my retirement payout checklist:

1. Deregister at the Gemeinde and get the 'Abmeldungsbestätigung'  This is important, because in our case SwissLife, the retirement program, neededw confirmation that we were in fact leaving the country. Information about how we deregistered...
   
2. Fill out necessary paperwork that says you are leaving and where you want the money sent - in our case we are having it deposited into our Swiss bank accounts and we will transfer it to Australia before we leave. We got this paperwork from our employers - so enquire within if they do not come to you with it first.
   
3. If you are married, and this is important, you need your spouse to sign off that it is OK that you are getting this retirement money paid out - so that at least the government knows you knew where the big spending spree money came from in the event your significant other decides not to support your future... so not only do you, as a spouse, need to sign the form, but in our case you also have to...
4. Get the form witnessed - not only does the spouse need to ok the pay out, the signatures must be witnesses... All in all, we needed 4 signatures witnessed at CHF 20 a pop or CHF 80... just another example of how Switzerland likes to rip off the foreigners as they leave... did I mention the Abmeldungsbestätigung in step 1 cost CHF 30 each!??!
5. Make a copy of said form and witnessed forms for your own safe-keeping. You will thank me later. It is always a good idea to keep a copy or scan yourself a copy if you are going GREEN.
6. Send the form, copy of the deregistration confirmation and witnessed signatures to your HR department or directly to your retirement agency... 

This should be all that is needed - or at least it was in our case - and you can just sit back and wait for the money to roll into your account and be used for Christmas gifts... er, I mean, be used for your future retirement goals. In all honesty, we are big fans of saving and compound interest, so not to harp, but do roll it over and start saving early. At least we are trying to do so! :)

More on our last days and tips for leaving Switzerland coming soon.... 10 days to go. Good God.
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Car Owners BEWARE: Marders Eat Your Car's Rubber!

Picture from Autopartner-atr.de

A friend of ours recently had the unfortunate experience of taking his car in for its regular service, only to be totally shocked by the quote for the work when he came to pick up his car. When he asked why it was so expensive, the mechanic had one word, 'Marder.'

I imagine the conversation went something like this.

Friend: You want to charge me how much for this regular service? Is this highway robbery or what?

Mechanic: No, it's marder.

Friend: Yeah, I know I am going to be a martyr if I pay this ridiculous bill... you have to be joking.

Mechanic: No, it's marder, Sir. Little animals. They eat car.

Friend: Uh huh. And if I feed my car at night-time it also turns into a wild gremlin. I get it. HA HA. I want to speak to your boss. This is a disgrace.

Mechanic: No, no, you do not understand. It is a marder. These animals like hot tire smells and rubber smells and eat your car if you not careful. Marder. (showing teeth in a fast chewing motion, hands like paws crouched at the chin, making a chewing sound like a crazy rabid animal...)

Friend: Oh you think you are funny, eh? You think I am supposed to believe there are some rubber eating weasels out there that like the smell of my tires? HA! Well, we'll see about that! Yeah, that is what you will look like when I am done with you, you stupid cow. (Tearing quote into pieces and storming out...)

There ... my role playing is fulfilled for today. :) But honestly, this is true. The scene above is not, but the marder is real enough. I would not have believed this had I not heard it from a very reliable source... make that several reliable sources because all my colleagues at work went on and on about how this little weasel creature will and does in fact ruin lots of cars in Switzerland, eating the hot rubber at will. There are even insurance plans that protect your car from these creatures, although I am certain the Swiss do not buy them as I am convinced that the Swiss do not inform the foreigners in advance of this real-threat of a car rubber eating creature, there in turn protecting their own Audi's from imminent consumption... It is a ruse, a conspiracy I tell you! Show me THAT in the Living in Switzerland Guidebooks! (Ok, if it is in there, I give up! :)

So PLEASE if you have a car, make sure that you are doing something to protect it from marders - or else you might, too, be slapped with a heafty fee to replace all your marder eaten rubber plumbing in your car. Good luck!

More on the Marder here - in German and in English, although I am not convinced it is the same creature as described in the German text.

More about Marder's eating your cars:

• It's Marder time, lock away your cars 
• Marder: Wie Sie Auto und Haus schützen können 

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International Ski School Apero - November 11th

Just got this via email - for all of you wanna-be snowboarders or skiers, this is a MUST DO for your first snow season in Switzerland - the International Ski School! I highly recommended joining. You learn a lot and it is totally worth it - here are posts from my lessons last year:

• What doesn't hurt - 1st Day at Snowboarding Lessons
  
• Snow & Rail Pass
  

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11.11.09 Info Apero Online Registration Ski School 2010 
A get-together with the chance to get information about ski school, the new online registration, etc. Ski instructors from Flumserberg and members of the ISCZ committee will be there to answer your questions. Or come by to just party!

Place:  SwissotelTime: 18:00
How to get there - http://www.swissotel.com/EN/Destinations/Switzerland/Swissotel+Zurich/Hotel+Home/Maps+and+Directions

Address:
Am Marktplatz Oerlikon
Schulstrasse 44
8050 Zürich
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Gemeinde Update

We had a great weekend in Alsace. More on that this week. For now, I wanted to write a quick update about the Gemeinde and how we (FINALLY!) successfully deregistered on Friday.

Actually, I called before Friday and talked to my favorite Gemeinde employee, Frau B., and asked her what it was that we were supposed to be doing - because if you recall, the last instructions we received were that I was supposed to call all the utilities again and ask exactly what form they wanted this letter in to prove that we were leaving the country....

Well, I did that. And when I asked, "What is the name of this form? As the Gemeinde tells me they have heaps and I should know the name of the form..." they (Cablecom, Assura, the Radio thingy) were all like... "There is no name... it is just a deregistration confirmation." Dandy.

So this is what I told Frau B. when I called on Wednesday, and she was like, "Um yeah just come in and get the general confirmation for 30 CHF per person and be done with it." GREAT! Where were you last Friday. "I had a day off..." Figures.

Then I asked her about the fact that now that we are deregistered and they want to take away our permits how do we get around without being thrown in jail. And she said, "Oh that is easy - we don't take your permit - we just punch holes in your permit, you can carry it around until you leave and keep it as a souvenir and if you get stuck show them the hole-y permit and your deregistration confirmation and you should be fine."

Uh... what about the "We have to take it from you NOW! You will never see it again!" that I got last week? "Um, no that is not what happens," said Frau B. GO FIGURE. Never leave me again, Frau B. NEVER!

The moral of the story is - talk to someone who knows what they are doing... because, as if by magic, when we went in on Friday, I got the same girl as last week and THIS TIME she was suddenly of the same opinion as Frau B. - giving us three original copies each of our deregistration confirmation, punching holes into our permits and handing them back and wishing us a wonderful day. Ahrrrrrrrwww... I wonder if this all would have gone easier if I had done it in English. I really do.

If only that had happened the first time, I would still picture Gemeinde Urdorf Einwohnerkontrolle as the utopia of Swiss registration... Either way, we are deregistered now. No going back. And the letters are in the mail to stop services on all our utilities and accounts.

Just a few more weeks to go...
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Also, thanks to everyone that stopped by on Saturday for the World Blog Surf Day. If you missed it, you can still surf from blog to blog - although it might not link you to the exact post from the day. And make sure you sign up to partake next time if you missed out!
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I love the Gemeinde. Swiss de-registration woes.

Repeat that 100 times. Then try to believe it. (Ps. if this whole 'we are leaving' thing is new to you, read this post...)

Jace and I went on down to the Gemeinde on Friday, as the good little cititzens that we are. We were going, because every time I call a utlity company or the health insurance, for example, to tell them we are leaving and moving overseas, they insist that I send them some 'Cancellation confirmation' that is approved from the Gemeinde. So basically, they want the proof from our local council (Gemeinde) that we are leaving permanently and not just trying to get out of some contract for the hell of it...

So down we marched on Friday to get this piece of paper... but first back flash to last Wednesday in which I called the Gemeinde and told them I needed this paper and asked them if I could come down and get it now or if I had to wait until shortly before we were leaving when we wanted to deregister. They said come on down, that we can already do the 'Abmeldung' or deregistration now as we are leaving in 6 weeks and that is not too far in advance... So great, I thought - go in... deregister... get confirmation... go to work. No worries, right?

WRONG.

To make a long story short. We filled out the deregistration and then they wanted to cut up our permits or take them away. I said we wanted to keep them until shortly before we left and we just wanted to get the confirmation now so that I could cancel all the services. Well, this lady layed into me then about how I had the wrong form (which they had just given me), how if I filled out said wrong form they would have to take my permits on the spot, how there are 5123 different types of deregistration confirmation forms and the one which I was talking about costs CHF 30/person so I better know which one I needed before I paid for the wrong one, and that I basically am just an idiot for coming in to see them without knowing exactly what it is that I needed.

Um... hello. I thought you guys were the experts and you could tell me. Sorry.

So now I have to call up all the service companies AGAIN and ask them in black and white which form it is they want to see so that I can cancel and I have to figure out how we can get around and perhaps travel without our Swiss permits in our wallets if we deregister early.

I think in the end, we will probably end up getting the CHF 30/person deregistration confirmation papers, BEFORE WE ACTUALLY DEREGISTER (make sense? um no...), and then have to come in shortly before we leave to actually deregister and give up our permits. Believe me though - with the hassles we get at the airport lately, we will have copies of the given up permits and the said deregistration confirmation so that immigration does not give us hell for leaving, thinking we overstayed our visit.

All very complicated. All should not be - especially since they probably want us to leave... make it easy already, eh?... Err... I used to be so proud that I had never had issues with the Gemeinde. The Urdorf Gemeinde is so nice usually... and yes, this lady was just trying to save me CHF 60 if she can... but COME ON! Just give me a break with the 'tude already.

Anyone else love their Gemeinde?
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Velobörsen (Bike Market) on Sept. 26th in Zürich

As I mentioned yesterday, we do not have a car in Switzerland... and although it would be nice to have one, we probably won't buy one any time soon... we are rebels! We are living on the ohne Auto edge. Boo-ya. That said, I would possibly consider getting a bike if they were not so darn expensive. We live just down the street from a new bike shop, and the bikes that I like are $2,000 and upwards. Yikes! What happened to the $199 bikes from Target, eh?

If I were in the market for a bike though - I would get it at one of the bike markets, like the one coming up on September 26th at Helvetia Platz in Zürich from 9:00-15:00. Juanita did a great write up about this in April... so don't take my word for it. Read Juanita's post about Getting a Bike in Zürich, used or new!

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Living without a car in Switzerland... the European Way

I just realized the other day, that we have been living in Switzerland without a car for over a year and a half. Try to pry the American man's best friend, his car, away from him for even 24 hours and you will no doubt hear the cries of pain. But here in Europe, where the world is built to support mass transportation, the time ohne Auto seems to have passed by somewhat painlessly. Here is how we make do:

• Annual Train Pass - Both Jace and I have an annual train pass that allows us to travel an unlimited amount within a 12 month period for the zones on our car. There are multiple options here - I have a two zone pass and when I paid for 12 months, I got 3 months free. Jace has a pass that allows him to travel anywhere within the Zurich Kantonal zones and his card is subsidized by his work so he pays next to nothing to travel around. If you are lucky and have the cash, I recommend a GA card which allows you to travel limitlessly in Switzerland for 12 months. This is the best deal and really should get you motivated to get out and about.
  
  
• Mobility - Although I have only used this system once as I prefer the trains, the option is there to use this car sharing program in Switzerland. You simply get a membership, they send you a card after checking out your creds, and you are ready to reserve one of the thousands of cars available for when you need it. On the day, just tap the card on the window, the car opens and the keys are inside... zoom, zoom, zoom. Easy.
  
  
• Travel by Train in Europe & Switzerland - When we want to get out and about outside of Zürich, there are many ways in which we do so - 1) We buy supersaver tickets. These are only available through September 15th, so don't delay if you want to save a bundle on train tickets within Switzerland. 2) We buy day passes if we are traveling within Switzerland and will return on the same day. These are a great deal once the supersaver tickets are gone. 3) We buy in advance - if you buy in advance for trips around Germany for example, you can save a lot of money! You also save if you are traveling in a group of 5 and if one of the people's names is Juergen. Just kidding, but there are really good deals out there - just keep your eyes and ears open. And I guarantee, the prices for your tickets will probably still be less than what you would pay for car insurance! Oh and don't forget the Swiss Pass for tourists! And the Snow & Rail Pass come ski season! And above all the half-fare pass!!!!
  
  
• We walk... I walk to the grocery store and carry my bags back - and about 20 pounds of Diet Coke - thank you Jace for helping me to have toned arms. And I walk all around Zürich to do my shopping - if a tram doesn't come on time that is! We don't have a gym membership here and we probably don't need one as we do much more walking and get a lot more exercise (can you say garden?) here than in the States - all because we decided to forgo the car (and save a BUNDLE of money) and use the excellent public system. And if we weren't such tight-wads, we would get bikes, too... and oh boy would that be fun!
  

I get asked all the time if you can live in Switzerland without a car - and we are living proof... living, healthier, happier (I think so - my budget is happier) proof. So go ahead and give it a go - the worst that can happen is you need a ride to IKEA once in awhile, but that is a crutch I myself can allow. :) Good luck!

How many others live without a car!?
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How I learned German... and continue to learn!

I loved all the positive feedback related to my love list posted on Wednesday. Thank you for spreading the Swiss love around. A lot of you questioned number one on my love list though about how I love speaking German. Well, I have a few things to share here that may shed some light on why it is easier for me to speak with the locals, but then again, I actually did put in a lot of hard work to learn German in the first place. So let's do it - Here is the story of how I learned German:

Way back in the fall of 1996, sitting in my high school home room class, I heard an announcement over the morning intercom about a study abroad program in Germany - a scholarship program for a 1 year exchange. Naturally, going to a school that had no German foreign language program, not many (meaning none) were interested, but after having just quit the basketball team - no small feat being one of the few über tall girls at school - and eager to see the world and get away, I decided to apply. Heck - you never know unless you try, right? So I threw my hat in the ring, and a few months later I was accepted into the 1997/1998 Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange Program. (Sounds suspiciously like how we ended up in Switzerland... hmmm...) (Ps. this program is still running - so if you know a high school sophomore or junior that would like to spend a year abroad - what are you waiting for!)

Starting that Spring, I threw myself into preparing for my exchange - meaning, study hall each day and any free time I had consisted of me trying to learn German - on my own. That means for about 2 hours a day, I was writing out verb conjugations, listening to tapes, memorizing flash cards with vocbulary, and chatting online with teens in Germany (thank you AOL). By the time I actually arrived in Germany in August 1998, I tested in at an intermediate level. So you see - it took quite a bit of effort, but it paid off. I still have all those books and they sit, covered in dust, on Jace's bookshelf. :) So Tip 1) You have to invest time into learning the language.Doesn't matter how you learn - but it does take an investment of time and energy... so make time.

Picture of my exchange group in Washington DC, before taking off to Germany...
where's Jessica? Just looks for the big fro.

In Germany, all the exchange students had a month of language instruction in Adenau, Germany before being sent off to our families - this was great, although I think I was more interested in running around town with my new exchange mates and teasing all the cute Adenauer boys, oh and gelato... oh Straccietella from Adenau, I will never forget you. Fast forward, and the next 10 months were spent in my host family - I recall the first month or two being very hazy, little understanding, but lots of listening. I forced myself to listen. And eventually, words became very clear - I perhaps understood only 50% of the conversation but I got the jist.

So this is my Tip 2) Listening is key. Whether it be the TV or the office or the grocery store. DO NOT TUNE IT OUT. I know it sounds funny (especially in Swiss German) and may seem impossible, but the more you listen, the more you recognize and the more you learn. When we arrived here in Switzerland, after not having used my German for over 5 years, I was beyond rusty. But between interviewing and starting my job, I picked up a lot of words again - to the point in which the HR guy thought I was taking a course - NOPE! I was watching Criminal Intent and Friends in German every day and simply listening and recalling more words... so force yourself to watch an hour of German TV every night - and eventually, words will sink in here and there!

Me about half-way through my exchange, and half-way
through the chocolate section at Schlecker...
(someone please cut this girl's hair and tell her to lay off the Rittersport...)

Finally, while in my host family and at school and even now, I insisted on speaking German... Ok, so I had a crutch, too, that being Yara, the one on the far right, another exchange student in my town from the program who I got to speak English with often... but in my host family, they were relentless. Although my host dad could speak English, we only spoke German at home.

It is the same here in Switzerland now - I admit it - when it comes to speaking English, I am a bit of a witch. Up until just a few weeks ago, regardless of what language the other person used , I answered in German. Regardless of the topic, I spoke in German. You insist on speaking English with me?! - Good for you, but I am speaking German. I don't care if the other person has to wait for me to find the words or if we have to go back and forth 4 times before you understand what I mean - I am here to speak German and that is what I am going to do. I am darn stubborn when it comes to German speaking actually, and you know what - it has paid off! I get mega-respect and compliments at my improvement. So tip 3) and the most important - be relentless and speak German as much as you can. Find a language exchange partner (you in German, he/she in English), speak only German at work, have a German hour at home with your partner. Whatever it is - DO IT - and stick to it. There is really no excuse here not to - German is all around. Get stuck into it.

How about classes? I have had a lot of instruction in my day, too. And I think it is important but not essential. I had lessons in Germany, I studied German in college, and I had instruction as part of my compensation package here in Switzerland. It has paid off in the grammar and self-esteem department. I am in favor. But if you cannot afford it - go and get Rosetta Stone. Both Jace and I have used this and we love it. It works for us. It is expensive, but then again, you get to keep it and it is no doubt less expensive than lessons in Switzerland. Regardless of lessons or software though - in my opinion, if you do not embrace my three tips above, you will just be wasting your money...

So - after all that - I love speaking German. I get compliments. I still make a heap of mistakes - but I am still learning. All this did not come easy. I tell everyone though that like me, if you put in the effort, you can learn the language quickly as you have one advantage that others learning language do not have - IMMERSION! Living in Switzerland or another country is the fastest way to fluency. So turn on that TV, go chat up a neighbor, ask questions at Migro for the hell of it, try reading a book or the free newspapers in German, and get out there and use the language... and perhaps you, too, will add number 1, the joy of speaking German, to your love list soon, too. :)

Enjoy your weekends, or should I say, schönes Wochenende wünsch ich euch! :)

Need more tips? Want a recommendation for a book or online resource? Leave me a comment!
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Supersaver tickets - WOW. I am in love.

As I mentioned, I am off to Basel for the day tomorrow. Call it a mini-break if you will. It was so spontaneous that I planned it all on Monday. Thank God for the weekend. I bought our tickets yesterday via SBB online, and I got such a deal (practically 2 for 1!) that I just had to share. Repeat after me: I love SBB Supersaver Tickets. This new program allows you to save heaps on tickets between most major cities in Switzerland, sometimes 1st class is cheaper than 2nd. Booja!

Basically, you just go online, pick where you want to go and when... options are limited to those dots above.

And then pick from the Supersaver Tickets on offer. The deal is that the savings are only for specific routes at specific times, but if you are flexible about arrival times it is no bother. Only deal is you have to buy each way separately. In the end, we spent about CHF 42 for 2 round trip tickets to Basel with half-tax. Practically BOGO! All the details are here... some conditions to note:

• You can only get tickets 2 weeks in advance with Supersaver.
• Routes are set and it tells you how many tickets are left for each route. Clever.
  
• Get extra savings with half-tax.
  
• You have to buy both ways separately.
• Only available online for a limited time. This is just a pilot offer folks. Strike while its HOT!

Check out the SBB Supersaver Tickets now and Happy Weekend!

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Living and Working in Switzerland, 12th Edition: A Survival Handbook. This is an essential for anyone thinking about living in Switzerland. Buy it now via Amazon UK or pre-order your Amazon.com copy today! Thank you for supporting Swisstory by shopping on Amazon.

Sectors: Making your life easier, one platform at a time

Tired of getting on the train and finding out it is a 1st class section instead of a 2nd? Want to get on the right section the first time, every time? Boy do I have the answer for you.

Meet the 'Sektoren' map... or sectors map if you want me to translate. These maps will make your commuting life easier. I promise. Let me explain.

On the fancy new signs in the Bahnhof and at most stations in the Zurich area that have the new digital signs, the Sektoren information is displayed under the time and destination information. (BTW, I know these are not new, and the printed signs still abound. Look for them as printed maps at the Bahnhof for many of the longer distance trains...)

The Sektoren information tells you which sector (A,B,C, etc.) on the platform will have 1st class train cars and which will have 2nd. That way you can make sure you are in the sector that you need before the train arrives. Confused. Let me show you an example.

Take this photo below of the S9 sign, a train I frequent:

In this example, the train is going to be 2 platforms long. How do I know that? Because there is Sektor information above the B and C platforms and none above A. On this train there are two 1st class sections (see the number 1s?) and two 2nd class sections (there are 6 number 2s, so that means 2 big sections). So if you have a second class ticket, go ahead and get on in Sector B. There should be plenty of seats to choose from there. Just don't stand in Section A or you might be running to the train! Want another example? ...Ok.

In this example, the train will be 3 platforms long and each section has mixed cabins of first and second class. Easy peasy.

You can see where the sections start and stop using the signs on each platform, like this one:

In this picture from Urdorf Bahnhof, you can see that I am standing in the B section...

... so checking the map again, I know I will be able to
get a second class seat as there are plenty in B. And if I wanted a first class, I know it is a split section, within the B...

These maps are also available if you are getting on a train in which you have a reserved seat, as many times it will tell you which Sector to stand in for say compartment 104. Just look for 104 on the map instead of 1 or 2, and it will tell you which sector (A,B,C, D, etc.).

If the information is not on the digital sign, check around. There may be a printed sign somewhere with this information. Do check as it makes it much easier to see where you should be standing to make your boarding easy and efficient.

Good luck and let me know if you have these signs in your neck of the woods, too!
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Living and Working in Switzerland, 12th Edition: A Survival Handbook. This is an essential for anyone thinking about living in Switzerland. Buy it now via Amazon UK or pre-order your Amazon.com copy today! Thank you for supporting Swisstory by shopping on Amazon.

I got my new Swiss L Permit!

We got it! Well, at least I have. Who knows where Jace's L Permit is... but I got mine in the mail about 2 weeks ago. It took about a month to receive it in the mail, which was pretty reasonable considering the horror stories some of you mentioned about it taking 3 months to get the renewed permit.

Again, for a recap, here is what we did to renew our L Permit:

1. Contact your Gemeide about 3 months before the permit is to expire and get the paperwork to renew.
2. Take the paperwork to your HR department and get them to fill it out and sign off that you or your spouse are still employed in Switzerland and eligible for a renewed permit.
3. In our case, HR sent the forms back to the Migration Department who then informed the Gemeide that they received everything.
4. Wait for the Gemeide to contact you, we received a letter telling us to come in, and bring some money, your old permit, and passport for identification purposes. We had to fill out some paperwork as well and sign our names in the box, as the new L permit are like credit cards - all high tech and spiffy. We had the option to hold on to our old permit until the new ones came and we did.
5. I then received a note from the post office about a month later saying that we had to pick up a letter, and when I did it was a registered letter from the migration department with my new permit.
   

All in all - piece of cake really. Key take-aways : Start early, and be ready to wait for it to come. We are still waiting, as I said, for Jace's. Strange -especially considering that my permit is dependant on his!

Only 9 more months until I get to do it again. Yipppee! ;)
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This is an essential and the latest edition is due out in July. Pre-Order your copy today! Living and Working in Switzerland, 12th Edition: A Survival Handbook

Exchanging your Foreign Driver's Licence for a Swiss Driver's Licence

My new Swiss driver's license
(with some things greyed out for privacy reasons... yours will have some text on it! )

We interrupt this exciting summary of my Easter vacation to talk about:

Switching your foreign driver's license to a Swiss license!

Crowd: Yeah! Woo Hoo! Jessica, you rock!

(panties flying, cheers swell from the crowd, someone in the front row starts to cry from the emotion of it all)

So without further ado, our experience:

We knew since we arrived that we had 12 months to exchange our international driver's license for a Swiss license. And of course, we waited until the last minute - meaning we arrived in March last year, so of course we did it in March this year! If you don't exchange it within the 12 months, you have to take the driver's test (read expensive hassle) - so don't delay!

We started by picking up a form for the exchange. The first step of the process is to fill out the form and get an eye test. The form is pretty straight forward - name, address, driving class (to drive a normal car is C - no different license for stick vs. automatic) etc. and a bunch of boxes with medical illness names that you have to check to say whether or not you suffer from Nierenkrankheit (kidney illness) or Geisteskrankheit. And naturally, because we forgot to bring the forms with us to the eye test, we had to fill them out again at the eye test - so for about 20 minutes, and thankfully the place was empty, I would ask "Was ist Geisteskrankheit?" and we would play charades with the Optician until we figured out what it was and that of course we were lucky enough to not have it.

After that, the eye test is pretty painless (except we freaked out a bit and thought we were blind for a moment... oh so lustig) - you can get it at any eye doctor, or eye glass store (usually one in the same - just ask at the optometry places if they do a 'Führerausweis Sehtest'). Just pay CHF 20 per person for it, they sign off, and you are on to the next and final step.

Luckily, we figured out that instead of having to go to Zurich Strassenverkehrsamt (driver's bureau) to hand in the form, we could take it to our Gemeidehaus in Urdorf and they take care of the rest. That saved us a lot of time. I believe we paid another CHF 20 each for the pleasure and handed over 2 passport sized photos, our American driver's licenses and showed our passports and L permits as identification and that was that... did I promise them my first born, too? I can't remember exactly. Oh well...

Then about 2 weeks later... we got a letter - 2 letters to be exact, (in German of course...) - one each - saying that we should call the Strassenverkehrsamt ASAP. So the next morning I did... and here is where the trouble started. It seems that yes, you can exchange a foreign license for the US for Australia for a Swiss license (you will get them back in this case, but Europeans are not as fortunate - they don't get the European license back...). However, the foreign license has to show that you have had a license for at least 12 months (I believe, or was it 24 months?) prior to moving to Switzerland, and wouldn't it just figure that we changed our Texas licenses to Mass licenses only a few months before moving to Switzerland and the dates on them were within the last 12 months! Again - we moved to Switzerland in 2008, and the licenses we had said 2007... so they were invalid!

The lady on the telephone was really nice and said that if we had another license - like we have dozens or something - that showed we were licensed earlier, we could send those in and proceed... I asked her what kind of other license, and she said sometimes people have old licenses they keep as SOUVENIERS or something, and that perhaps one of those was older and we could send that in... I mean, WHO DOES THAT?! Um, well, it would appear we do because after searching I found our old Australian licenses from years ago and we sent those in and voila - problem solved! I don't even want to know what we would have had to do if those were not lying around. I think I have read on other forums that we would have had to contact the driver's bureau in the States and ask for a driving transcript - oh the PAIN. Toll. Thank goodness we are one of those freaks that keeps old licenses hanging around!

After about a week, we got all of our old licenses back (2 x US and 2 x AUS) and the new Swiss licenses... Yippee!!! EASY! :)

And with it was a yellow slip for CHF 85 per person for the Amt. YEAH. So all up that was CHF 125 per person for the pleasure to drive in Switzerland - considerably less, I hear, than having to do all the driver's tests and starting from scratch here!

And, the big question you all want to know - how is the driving on the new license?

HA ! I have no idea. I didn't say I used it yet, did I? I take the train everywhere... I know I am CRAZY. Mobility here I come. I have to make up that CHF 125 somewhere! ;)

So again, here's the checklist:

• Within 12 months exchange your foreign license if you have a license from one of the ok countries (those with a license not from one of these countries have to take a driving test, too)
  
• Fill out the form (in German unfortunately, the whole process is, so be patient my little German learners) and get a passport photo
  
• Get the eye test at your local optician - don't forget the form
• Then bring the form, the photo, your valid license (and any 'souvenir licenses' in case you have a new license that does not show your validation within the last 12 months and some dough to the Strassenverkehrsamt in Zurich or to your Gemeide, pay any fees
• Wait - and pray that you did it all right!
  
• Get your license in the mail, and your old license returned - Pay more... for the priveledge to drive.
• And for goodness sakes - DRIVE around Switzerland and love every minute of it! Good luck.
  

More details (in German) from the Kanton Zurich Strassenverkehrsamt. Or a good write-up here from the AWC Zurich Website.

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This is an essential and the latest edition is due out in July. Pre-Order your copy today! Living and Working in Switzerland, 12th Edition: A Survival Handbook

What's in my wallet? - IKEA Family Card

In these tough financial times, you need to save every little bit you can. So if that means pulling out the IKEA family card every time I visit my favorite home goods supplier just to get a free espresso from the IKEA restaurant - there is no shame. And so what if it accompanies a mandatory slice of Princess Cake (Pricessatorte auf deutsch, my mouth is drooling just typing it.... Princessssss...wiping chin...) and happens to be followed by an obscenely overstuffed shopping cart, filled with items I will be unable to carry on the bus home, or justify buying at a later date. These are tough times people - you gotta save where you can! ;)

You can get an IKEA family card in any IKEA store or online. They really are good for savings (I mean, goodness, have you seen furniture prices in Switzerland?), beyond the coffee, but don't forget the coffee... and the Princess cake for goodness sake. It's the green one. I also get a cool quarterly magazine, coupons and sale info via email, and it gives me entry into the VIP lounge out the back of the store where you learn how to give a Swedish massage, translate the assembly instructions, and make those yummy Swedish meatballs... um not really, just checking that you are still reading. :)

It is worth it though - and it's in my wallet. Happy shopping, er saving, folks!

And PS. Did you know that one of the most read articles on this blog is about IKEA... have you read it?
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Zurich Guide on Design*Sponge

I am a big fan of design blogs, my favorite being Decor8, and sometimes I stop by Design*Sponge as well, but I TOTALLY missed this and therefore am very thankful for Leigh for pointing out this excellent Zurich guide. There are so many cool places on this list that I want to check out, like the Schwartzenbach tea cafe and Cakefriends... thank you again, Leigh, for the HOT (ouch! it's hot) tip!

What's in my wallet? - Annual Train Pass

Since I commute to work everyday, I have to buy a round trip ticket at least 5 days a week. For the longest time I was just buying the monthly pass, but then after awhile I got smart to the annual pass and shelled out the dough - now I can travel as much as I want between home and Zurich (zone 10).

Why buy an annual train pass?

• Convenience - I don't have to mess with the ticket counter or the machines anymore. It is a plastic card that I just whip out when I get spot checked on the trains.
• Savings - when you buy the annual ticket, the price is reduced so you basically get three months of travel for free. Where have I been all these months to have missed these savings!
• Security - If you lose it, I believe all you have to do is go in and get another card... I mean, your photo is on it so unless you have a doppelganger you are safe.

So if you travel frequently within the same zones, go ahead and consider the annual pass. It was worth it for me.
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The Freizeit Box - Freetime activities in and around Zurich

So lately, while things have been looking like this lately ...

We have just been holding down the fort and chilling indoors. It has been good all around as I have not gone to work with sore muscles and a stiff back for a few weeks and Jace has been able to rest up and get over his nasty virus - but all this time indoors does make you wish for some warmer weather so that you can take advantage of the great outdoors - and as if I didn't have enough on my list of things to do around Zurich come Spring, along comes the Freizeit Box.


Strangely enough, sponsored by the energy giant EKZ, the Zurcher Freizeit Box is my new favorite type of resource (a box full of cards, you will see what I mean in a minute) and my new favorite gift for newbies to the area. Although the cards are in German, I think you will see that they are user-friendly enough for everyone to use - and perhaps learn a bit of German along the way.


The box is filled with just about 100 cards with activities color coded to a region in Zurich, and a handy map. Each card is numbered and the activity is then numbered on the map so you can see which are closest to you.

On the front of each card is a description of the activity and a nice full color glossy photo...

On the back is more information and contact details. Very handy. I can see myself taking the card with me on the outing and stuffing them in my purse when I don't need them. Convenient.

I have dreams of spilling these out on the table and randomly picking an event for the day - or seeing as though I am in Switzerland now I might just pull one out of the top in a nice orderly fashion... perhaps a Rasante Schlittenfahrt is what I should do this weekend! :)

The cards are about 18 CHF and I picked these up at the bookstore near Stadelhofen... these cards are most likely available at all bookstores in Zürich in the local travel section. Enjoy!

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What's in my wallet? - Coop Supercard

I figured as long as I am giving out tips on how to save money, I might as well mention the Coop Supercard. Similar to the Migros Cumulus Card, the biggest difference is that the Coop card can only be used at Coop stores or affiliates (resounding duh... ok, I heard it, but it had to be said).

I have to admit, I do most of my shopping at Migros so I have yet to accumulate the big points with Coop, but it works the same-the more francs you shell out the more points you earn and the more unlikely you will be of retiring a millionaire - but you will be more likely to have nice sheets and pans and towels, as Coop also has stickers that you can collect to redeem for reduced price house supplies.

You can apply for a Coop card at the service desk at any Coop supermarket or superstore. Just make noises like this, 'Cooooppp Karrteeee' and they should get it eventually that you want a card - or that you have flown the coop, but 'es ist egal.'

Actually, Susan has a great write-up about Coop points on the Write-On blog sponsored by the Swissinfo.ch news site. Good luck!
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What's in my wallet? - Migros Cumulus Card

So this starts a new series of posts that I thought might be interesting to other Swiss expats - the What's in my wallet? series... and yes, a total Capital One rip-off. :)

What's in my wallet today? Well, I am glad you asked because today I am showing you my Migros Cumulus Card. All of the guide books and forums say to sign up for this baby as soon as possible because you will inevitably spend a lot on food in Switzerland and therefore you might as well earn a bit back. And they are right.

For every dollar you spend at Migros supermarkets or partners, you get 1 point on your card, and eventually you get coupons in the mail that you can spend like cash (see how much you have to spend to get a 5, 10, or 20 franc coupon! in german). You also get special rebate coupons and special offers in the mail - so it is worth it.

To sign up, just go to the customer service desk at your Migros and say, 'Ich möchte eine Cumulus Karte Anmeldung bitte.' That means you want an application. They will then hand one over with a smile and a twinkle in their eye, knowing you are on your way to joining a very posh club where the savings just keep on coming... ok, so perhaps not, but it is worthwhile. Fill out the form and hand it back over to the friendly customer service personnel and in moments you are on your way to FREEDOM!!! FREEEEDOMMMMM!!! Ok... so they will just give you a couple of cards and some stickers in case you want to use those instead... but in any case you are off!

Now you just have to remember to hand over the card each time you buy something! Good luck.

More info on Migros Cumulus Card - in German.
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