In my last posts, I wrote about the behavior of Swiss people on public busses and how they seem to feel uncomfortable when too close to a strange person . This makes us Swiss look quite introverted and maybe even a bit rude. While walking to the train this week, however, I was reminded of how polite and friendly the Swiss actually are. In Switzerland, we have a clearly defined code of greeting . We greet friends and family but also acquaintances and even strangers we meet on the streets. This code only only applies to rural areas or neighborhoods because in urban areas it simply doesn't work because there are too many people walking around. How to Greet a Stranger in Switzerland This is how it works: If you walk in a small town or village and you cross paths with another person you should greet that person with a friendly " Grüezi " (= polite form of hello in Switzerland) or a " Guete Tag " (= good day). It doesn't matter if you know the person or no...
tidbits of life in Switzerland