Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland

Children in Switzerland walk to school alone. They go home at lunch time and there is no security at the school. A typical Swiss school day also contains some surprises compared to other countries and can be quite a revelation for expats new to Switzerland. In this episode, you'll get two different perspectives: what surprises expats in Switzerland about the schools and what a typical Swiss s...

It's one of the big questions you'll be asking yourself before you move to Switzerland: how can I find a job there? Once you arrive in Switzerland it might not prove as easy as you'd hoped to find a job as an expat either. However, if you know where to look for a job and what you must include in an application, it will be much easier. Where should you look to find a job in Switzerla...

A heatwave has been hitting Europe and while Switzerland’s not part of the EU, it’s still part of Europe! To cool down on these baking hot days, Swiss, tourists and expats alike flock to the country’s lakes, rivers and pools whenever they can. So is it better to experience summer or winter in Switzerland? In this episode we try to explain Swiss weather and when the best time to visit Switzerland i...

There are many word or phrases in Swiss German that expats in Switzerland or tourists in the country will start to hear. The dialect varies from place to place in German-speaking Switzerland - so prepare to be surprised! There also aren't as many grammatical rules as there are in high German, which sounds great in theory, but makes learning Swiss German quite difficult for expats in Switzerla...

Summer has started in Switzerland and with temperatures rising above 30°C, all over the country people are jumping into rivers and lakes to cool down. One more reason why Switzerland is a great place to live as an expat, right? With crystal clear water coming from the Swiss mountains there are many beautiful places to go for a dip, even in the big cities. In this episode we talk about what it&apos...

For the first time on our show, we're answering questions from our listeners in the Facebook group "Switzerland for English speakers". If you'd like to join in the discussion, network with other English speakers interested in Switzerland and share your experiences, please feel free to join the group and say 'hello'! This episode is all English speaking expats in Switz...

You've found your way to Switzerland and started setting up a life here. Now it's time to try and get to know the locals, and what better way to do it than over some food? But where to begin? And how to go about it without committing any major faux-pas? There are some simple (unspoken) rules that will enable you to hit the spot. In this episode, we answer the most important questions and...

What drives someone who's not particularly interested in the monarchy to watch a full royal wedding? We found out this weekend as we switched our TV over to the BBC and soaked up the atmosphere in Windsor for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding, all from the safety of a Swiss chalet in the Bernese Alps. Notes on this episode of your 'British guide to Switzerland' podcast W...

There a number of different types of tickets and railcards you can buy to travel around Switzerland whether you have just moved here, or you're only visiting. We run through the discounts available, where and how to buy tickets and how much you can expect it all to set you back. The 'GA' - an annual pass for whole country: worth it if you‘re commuting or travelling a lot. CHF3860 pe...

The food people pack for a picnic would be similar all over Europe, right? Well, as it turns out, a Swiss picnic contains some very typical items, and they're quite different to what would be found in a British picnic basket. Notes on this episode Brits in a Swiss newspaper (for all the wrong reasons) Renewing a British passport when you live in Switzerland A typical Swiss picnic: what you ne...

We are in Italy for the week: first at the International Journalism Festival in Perugia, and then Rome. In this episode we talk about why it's different to travel from Switzerland to neighbouring countries, than it is from England. Notes on this episode * What is it like to have Paris and Rome on your doorstep? * How often do Swiss travel and how easy is it to cross the border? * Is there a d...

Although Switzerland isn't a big country, it still has a number of airports and each of them has their own advantages and disadvantages. Looking for the perfect flight home can be like searching for the holy grail at first, but if you know some basics, it becomes pretty straightforward. Notes on this episode How can you find your perfect flight home? It's all about a combination of the b...

Most Swiss have an opinion about everything and everyone. And that includes the English. Although the first image that springs to mind when thinking of the English might be one of Brits abroad: the red faced, football shirt-wearing, beer can-waving lad that's a familiar sight in warmer countries during the summer months; on second thought, the English also have a reputation for being polite,...

Chunky chips or skinny fries? And is there a place in any ham sandwich for a slice of gherkin and a bit of hard-boiled egg? There are some big differences between Swiss and British food, and the expectations on both sides. Jo and Simon talk about what they love and hate in both country's cuisines. Notes on this episode Simon's first experience with Fish and Chips. Chips vs. skinny fries:...

The first show is about Swiss surprises: expectations versus reality. Notes on this episode All about the Swiss and Chips podcast, why we're making a podcast in the first place and what can you expect. Jo talks about how she moved from England to Switzerland. Jo's expectations of Switzerland and the (surprising) reality. We discuss snow, toothpaste and obviously chocolate. How to get a b...