A Humorous Guide to Switzerland

Zimtstern - Joujou  / pixelio.de  It's true, we Swiss eat cookies all year round but there are certain types of cookies that we only eat in December. Some of us might start eating Christmas cookies in November or others even as early as October because we can't wait for the Christmas season or - which is the case more often than not - we simply are looking for any pretext to be eating something sweet. Famous Swiss Cinnamon Stars Now,  Zimtsterne  (Swiss German: Zimetschtern, English: Cinnamon Stars) are on of the most popular Christmas cookies in Switzerland. A Zimtstern is a star shaped almond cookie with lots of cinnamon in it and a merengue on top. Although some Germans claim that Zimtsterne are in fact a German cookie, they are certainly very popular in Switzerland and have become an almost iconic Swiss item. So much that even a clothing company named " Zimtstern " was founded in Zurich. Their brand logo is a combination of mountain and a cinnam...

When writing (and talking) about the Swiss education system, there is one part of it that is fairly easy to explain to a foreigner: university and other higher education. This is mainly due to the fact that in the last 10-15 years, Swiss university education has been adapted to international standards and norms. How to Enter a Swiss University One of the biggest differences between Swiss universities and American universities (and universities in other places around the globe) is that t here is normally no entrance exam or the need to formally apply. If you successfully passed your Matura exams you are free to inscribe to any university in Switzerland. The big exception is the field of human medicine which requires an entrance exam called Numerus Clausus. Also, Technical Universities usually require at least one year of work experience in a relevant field before they receive applicants with a Matura certificate. Degrees Available at Swiss Universities A lot of university relat...

100000jobs.ch - You'll find your new job here!  In an older post I wrote about the job market in Switzerland and gave some recommendation on finding a job in Switzerland . In a way, the situation in the Swiss job market has changed and at the same time hasn't changed since then. Unemployment rates remain low The Swiss economy might not be in an all-time high but it is rolling steadily. This keeps unemployment rates relatively low which in turn allows a lot of employees to earn their living and to invest their earnings (i.e. consuming and buying) which again stimulates the economy. Capitalism at its best, right? Well, even in Switzerland there are people looking for a new job. Maybe they currently have a job they don't like, maybe they would like to advance their career and are looking for the next step on the career ladder, maybe they just lost their job and need to make a living or maybe they just recently graduated and are now ready to enter the job market. Peo...