20 telltale signs you have gone native in Switzerland
From kissing strangers three times on the cheek to staying up past midnight to organise the recycling, here are 20 ways you know you have been in Switzerland too long.
1) You are now officially either a Migros person or a Coop person…but you carry a loyalty card for both supermarket chains in your wallet – just in case.
2) You automatically take your shoes off when you go into someone’s house…and have bought special slippers for guests to wear when they visit.
3) You think it's normal to have a dozen different insurance policies..and that your health insurance doesn't cover ambulance trips.
Read also: 43 habits you pick up living in Switzerland
4) You are awake past midnight tying up bales of newspapers with string to put them out for recycling the next morning…and you think it is reasonable to drive five kilometres to recycle some tin cans.
5) You kiss your friends three times on the cheek when you go back home…and can't understand why they look so confused.
Three times lucky? Photo: Depositphotos
6) You actually like the fact most shops are closed on Sundays…it means you can have some quality time with family and friends.
7) You complain when the train is more than three minutes late…go on, admit it.
8) You write passive aggressive notes about your neighbours and post them in public places…because talking to people is too confrontational.
Read also: Here's what annoys our readers about their neighbours in Switzerland
9) You do your weekly shopping in another country…and think crossing two or three national borders in a day is normal.
10) You no longer think twice about paying five francs for a cup of coffee…and you drink it at one of those weird standing-up tables. You know the ones we mean.
Why sit when you can stand? Photo: Depositphotos
11) You know when your apartment washing day is...and avoid your neighbours like the plague when it comes around.
12) You call 2,000-metre mountains 'hills'...and get completely disoriented in flat places.
13) You shake hands when you meet…a five-year-old.
14) You have an opinion on how to eat fondue...and there is no way you would eat it in summer.
15) You no longer think having a Swiss bank account is cool…but are happy when your four-year-old son gets a free money pouch upon opening his first one.
16) You have stopped singing The Sound of Music every time you step out of a cable car...but still hum the words under your breath.
17) You have a special set of clothes just for hiking…and for skiing, and bike riding.
18) You are forever telling people cuckoo clocks are actually from Bavaria…as if anyone in the rest of the world cared.
19) You actually like the soft drink Rivella…and you are nostalgic about the now defunct Migros version Mivella.
20) You complain about Switzerland all the time…but you actually love it and secretly can’t imagine living anywhere else.
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1) You are now officially either a Migros person or a Coop person…but you carry a loyalty card for both supermarket chains in your wallet – just in case.
2) You automatically take your shoes off when you go into someone’s house…and have bought special slippers for guests to wear when they visit.
3) You think it's normal to have a dozen different insurance policies..and that your health insurance doesn't cover ambulance trips.
Read also: 43 habits you pick up living in Switzerland
4) You are awake past midnight tying up bales of newspapers with string to put them out for recycling the next morning…and you think it is reasonable to drive five kilometres to recycle some tin cans.
5) You kiss your friends three times on the cheek when you go back home…and can't understand why they look so confused.
Three times lucky? Photo: Depositphotos
6) You actually like the fact most shops are closed on Sundays…it means you can have some quality time with family and friends.
7) You complain when the train is more than three minutes late…go on, admit it.
8) You write passive aggressive notes about your neighbours and post them in public places…because talking to people is too confrontational.
Read also: Here's what annoys our readers about their neighbours in Switzerland
9) You do your weekly shopping in another country…and think crossing two or three national borders in a day is normal.
10) You no longer think twice about paying five francs for a cup of coffee…and you drink it at one of those weird standing-up tables. You know the ones we mean.
Why sit when you can stand? Photo: Depositphotos
11) You know when your apartment washing day is...and avoid your neighbours like the plague when it comes around.
12) You call 2,000-metre mountains 'hills'...and get completely disoriented in flat places.
13) You shake hands when you meet…a five-year-old.
14) You have an opinion on how to eat fondue...and there is no way you would eat it in summer.
15) You no longer think having a Swiss bank account is cool…but are happy when your four-year-old son gets a free money pouch upon opening his first one.
16) You have stopped singing The Sound of Music every time you step out of a cable car...but still hum the words under your breath.
17) You have a special set of clothes just for hiking…and for skiing, and bike riding.
18) You are forever telling people cuckoo clocks are actually from Bavaria…as if anyone in the rest of the world cared.
19) You actually like the soft drink Rivella…and you are nostalgic about the now defunct Migros version Mivella.
20) You complain about Switzerland all the time…but you actually love it and secretly can’t imagine living anywhere else.
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