Go beyond Swiss chocolate, beyond the initial fun and adventure of a new country and a new career to immerse yourself in the cultural attitudes of Switzerland's fascinating, multi-faceted society. These thought-provoking insights are based on extensive interviews with Swiss and international people who know well the ups and downs of life in Switzerland. These observations enable newcomers to better understand the perspectives of their Swiss neighbours, friends and international business colleagues. Margaret Oertig-Davidson conducts seminars at international Swiss companies and universities as an expert on relations between Swiss and English-speaking cultures. This engaging study exposes different attitudes and potential misunderstandings about friendship, neighbourliness, being professional, giving and getting compliments and criticism, parenting, schooling, being polite, entertaining, negotiating, decision making, business etiquette, team work, leadership, making plans, and much much more.

Beyond Chocolate: Understanding Swiss culture

Politics & Social Sciences

Oertig-Davidson, Margaret

Bilton, Paul N

Curdy, Ariane

Social Sciences

Schwabe

This is the light-hearted diary of an Englishman, married to a Swiss, who decides to live and work in Zurich. It compares the values of the Swiss and the British with wit and insight, relating the pleasures and pitfalls of cross-cultural adaptation. He discovers the many different ways the world is viewed in Switzerland, attitudes about having a good time, getting a job and the qualifications for it, queuing and attention to detail. He observes how Swiss vote, pay bills and taxes, what they celebrate and how they get along with each other. He is astonished and amused at what the Swiss worry about (almost everything) that most British people do not even think about. He is also shocked at what the Swiss do not worry about (real candles on Christmas trees, three-pin plugs and lifts with no inner doors). He laughs his way through most bureaucratic formalities and relishes discussions in English with automatic cash dispensers. He claims his appreciation of cultural diversity comes from being a perpetual tourist - being ever surprised and fascinated by things new and different from one's own land.

The Perpetual Tourist, In Search of a Swiss Role

Travel

Europe

Bergli Books Ltd

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Books by Bilton, Paul N