Skip to main content

10 Things to Do When You're Missing Switzerland

Swiss Alps - berggeist007  / pixelio.de

I've been living abroad for several years now. While I'm happy with my life here in the beautiful north of Peru (you can read more about it here: Las Cabañitas de Gocta), there are moments when I really miss life in Switzerland.

I miss the great variety of cheese and bread, I miss the punctuality of people and busses and I miss hearing and speaking Swiss German and being able to converse without thinking about which word to use. A while ago I wrote about the 10 Things You'll Miss About Switzerland and it still pretty much hits the spot.

10 Things to Do When You're Missing Switzerland

Today, however, I won't write about what I miss about Switzerland. Instead I'll share 10 Ideas on how to deal with missing Switzerland in your life.
  1. Music: Put on your favorite Swiss music, preferably with Swiss German lyrics. Personally, I like Patent Ochsner but the song that I lately tend to put on when missing Switzerland is "Campari Soda" sung by Stephan Eicher.
  2. Movie: Watching a Swiss movie might help but sometimes it can make you feel even more homesick. Try "Mein Name ist Eugen", "Die Herbstzeitlosen" or the newest version of the ultimate Swiss movie "Heidi".
  3. TV: Swiss television won't let you watch anything online unless you're in Switzerland. There are ways to fake a Swiss location but I don't bother. However, I have a DVD of the Swiss TV series "Fascht e Familie" that makes me laugh even though I know the episodes by heart now!
  4. Bread: If you miss Swiss bread like I do, I recommend you start baking your own bread. I've become quite an expert Zopf baker in my years abroad!
  5. Chocolate: In most places around the globe you can actually buy real Swiss chocolate. Okay, it's usually the more commercial brands like Toblerone and Lindt but better than nothing, right?!
  6. Coloring: Try the Big Swiss Coloring Book to reminisce about Swiss-ness and Switzerland.
  7. Call: If you have family or friends in Switzerland, call them! Skype works wonderful even with mediocre internet connections!
  8. Mountains: Switzerland isn't the only country with mountains. If you're anywhere near a mountain range, go for a visit! Hike for a day and enjoy the views. 
  9. Cable Cars: Where there's mountains, there's many times a cable car. Peru was an exception to this rule until recently, when the very first cable car opened here in the north of Peru. It's not the same as going up Mt. Pilatus or Mt. Titlis but still reminds me of Switzerland in many ways.
  10. Books: There are books about Switzerland and there are books by Swiss authors. Both work to take away the worst sting of homesickness. 
I hope this helps! What are your tips for dealing with homesickness? What do you do when you miss Switzerland? Please share in the comments below!




© 2017 IRENE WYRSCH "A HUMOROUS GUIDE TO SWITZERLAND" ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Comments

  1. I follow Swiss photographers on Instagram to get my daily fix.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nice. That's a good idea! Swiss bloggers would also be a great source I think.

      Delete
  2. Definitely watching Swiss movies :) Some of my favorite: https://swiss-german.com/swiss-german-movies/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Schweizermacher is the classic ;) From the recent ones - Die Herbstzeitlosen

      Delete
    2. Yes, I loved Die Herbstzeitlosen. I also really like Mein Name ist Eugen.

      Delete

Post a Comment

You have something to add or would like to ask a question? I would love to hear from you!

Popular posts from this blog

Schätzli, Schnüggel and Müüsli - Terms of Endearment in Swiss German

Kiss -  Oliver Haja  / pixelio.de If you've ever been invited to the home of a Swiss couple, you are probably familiar with the most popular Swiss German term of endearment "Schätzli" ('little treasure') or one of it's many varieties like e.g. "Schatz" or "Schätzeli" . Obviously, this is not the only pet name used by Swiss couples (or parents for that matter). Like many other languages, Swiss German offers a wide variety of words and phrases that you can use to address your loved one. Swiss German Terms of Endearment What most of these pet names have in common is the ending "-li" which basically turns the thing or person a word refers to into something small or cute. For example "Haus" means house and "Hüüs li " means small house. Plus, this ending "-li" can also be added to first names as a means of endearment, e.g. Benjamin li , Esther li or Fabienne li . I tried to come up with a colle...

How to Say 'I Love You' in Swiss German

To be completely honest, I'm not very fond of hallmark holidays and Valentine's Day is probably the mothership of them all. In my home there will be no cheesy cards or flowers on that day and, personally, I'm happy about it. However, I know that there are many people who like to celebrate Valentine's Day and take it as an opportunity to show their love and appreciation to their loves. Even in Switzerland, there are plenty of people celebrating it nowadays. If you're short on ideas for this years Valentine's Day in Switzerland you might find some inspiration here: Valentine's Day in Switzerland . If you're already set and have the perfect date ready, how about surprising your loved one with a few romantic Swiss German phrases? You should know that the expression "I love you" has only recently made its way into Swiss German from the High German "Ich liebe dich". Swiss people used to simply say "I like you" or "I like ...

How to Spot a Swiss Person

"You're not from here, right?!" These were the words the saleslady of a small clothes store on a busy Tel Aviv street directed at me a few years ago. I was surprised she had spotted my foreignness so easily. After having lived in Israel for a few years and mastered the local Hebrew, I thought I was able to blend in quite well by then. So, I asked her how she knew. She replied with a smile and said: "You nicely folded the clothes you tried on before bringing them back out!" Oh that! Something I assumed was 'normal' but, apparently, the locals didn't do that. My Swiss background gave me away.  A Stereotypical (Swiss) Person As an expat I can usually spot fellow expats right away even if at first they seem to fit right in. Be they Swiss people I encounter abroad or foreigners living in Switzerland. Mostly, I catch a word or a phrase in a foreign language or see clothes or other items that are clearly not local. Here in South America it's very easy t...