where are all the Swiss?

[lamamabel]

I can't believe this is the first Swiss thread. Thought I'd better start one incase they're hiding somewhere. I'm Aussie, but dh is from Switzerland and I also lived over there (that's where we met!, my excess baggage!).
Anyway hello!

[Coffee]

What do my eyes see? I got company, eventhough, you're not Swiss, you still lived there, that's good enough :)

Where did you live? How long did you live there? Where abouts do you live now in OZ?

In my case, it's the opposite. I'm Swiss and my Husband is from Australia. But like you, we met over there, while he lived and worked there.

We live on Brisbane's northside and used to live near Zurich :)

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

[lamamabel]

Hello! In Switzerland I lived in Kusnacht (near Zurich) and then I lived in Altendorf. My dh is from ticino so his mother language is Italian but he also speaks French and German. I can speak Italian but mein deutch? Das ist serh slecht!! Are you Swiss German? We live now in Perth. I visited Switzerland a couple of times when I was travelling in Europe. My base for living back then was the Uk, but that bored me so I moved to Greece, then after seeing Switzerland, made that my base and lived there for nearly a year. We now have 2 kids.
look forward to chatting with you.
ciao ciao!

[Coffee]

Yes, I am Swiss German and therefore I don't speak italian, only swiss german and a bit of french, basically what I learnt at school and haven't forgotten.

We also have 2 Kids, the older nearly 3 and the younger one 7 mths.

I love Perth, I visited it, when I was traveling in Australia, about 10 Yrs ago. I bet it has changed a lot since then.

I just moved to Australia at the end of 2005, basically from a freezing winter to a slaughtering hot summer, change of temparatures from about 40 Degrees.. Shoking. :D

[lamamabel]

Hello hello! Can you believe I went out without kids and dh last night! I thinks it's a first for me! You know it's been a long time since going out when you need to borrow your dd's makeup! I have a ds (3) and dd (6). I used to live in QLD. First the Gold Coast, then Port Douglas. Loved the Far North. Have you been up there? When my dh first arrived he too came from freezing to scorching. I think it was around -17 and then 40 here. He had heat intolerance for about 1 week and broke out in a rash. Now he handles the heat better than me and works outside with no complaints. Says he will never go abck to working inside again!
Did you have your kids in Switzerland? Are all your family still there? Do they come to visit? My dh's family are all in Switzerland and don't speak any English which isn't a problem, but they're not very adventurous in Foreign lands. My Dh has been back once in 10 years and I've been back twice. He doesn't seem to miss it as much as I would miss my home if I was over there. Hope you have a nice weekend! It's wet here!

[Coffee]

Hope you enjoyed your evening out. :)

I know how you feel, I hardly get out of the house alone. Mostly, I'm the one who stays at home, while my husband's going out with his mates.

No, I haven't been any further than Cairns in QLD and any further than Exmouth in the west but one day, when the kiddies are older, we're planning to travel more in OZ.

I really want to cross the Nullabor Plain, I dream of that already for ages :o

My older one is born in Switzerland but he has both passports. He gets the Australian one because his Dad is an Aussie and the swiss, because he's born there and I'm swiss the younger one is born here in Brisbane and will later on, before we go overseas, get both Passports as well.

All my Family and Friends are living in Switzerland and Germany. My Mum and her Sister, which makes my Auntie, were here for about 5 weeks in February/March. So that my Mum could see her grandkids. She hasn't seen my younger one at all, only on Photos.

My Mum doesn't speak english, she knows a few words but that's about it. She understands quite a lot but in a conversation, she just can't formualte the sentences she wants to say. It's always a bit difficult, when we're all together, I always have to switch between swiss german and english.

I don't really miss them so much. I did in the beginning but now it's ok.
We probably will go over to switzerland mid next year for a couple weeks but nothing really planned yet.

It was wet here yesterday as well, which is okay, we really need the rain, our dams are almost empty..

[lamamabel]

Hi Coffee! I'm eating swiss Chocolate! mmmmm!! yum, yum! You sound like my dh when you say you don't really miss home. You must be well adjusted like he is. We both find it hard to go to Switzerland. Apart from the expense, we feel it a bit of a shame to go so far and only go to Switzerland. We have friends in other parts of Europe and also like to visit different places and have a real holiday. Because his family is not that way inclined they don't understand and get offended if we have 5 weeks off and only spend 3 in Switzerland. Their idea is that we should be spending the whole time with them. (That would really send me to Graylands!!). Oh, sorry, Graylands is Perth's major mental health hospital.
Anyway next year we are hoping to do a yoga retreat in Bali. There's one coming up this September but it's not a family one and my dh doesn't have holidays then. So fingers crossed for next year. It's not completely planned but there's talk of all sorts of things for the kids and Nannies on hand. If it doesn't work out with the yoga we'll probably go anyway as Bali is our neighbour and cheaper than going anywhere in Aust.
How are your kids going? Are you breast feeding? I'm enjoying our little chats but I still can't believe there are no other Swiss mums. They must be hiding!
Bye for now, have a good night!

[Coffee]

Hey there :)

Funny enough, I don't really like swiss chocolate to much.
I don't mind the white Lindorballs but that's about it.

I just see, that I have here such a better lifestyle than back in Switzerland, we just bought a house, there would have been no way, we could have afford buying a house in Switzerland, the country is so much better for kids, so many more parks and playgrounds.
Plus the CC option. In Switzerland, you must be lucky, to find a CC spot, if you're working not to mention, if you're a SAHM.

^^ Had to laugh about your Comment about the mental hospital. Seriously, as much as I love my Mum after having her here for nearly 5 weeks, one of them they spent in Sydney, I had enough and was quite glad, that she left.

Luckily, she doesn't mind, if we're coming over to visit them, that we're also going to visit friends in the UK and I'm also very keen on seing Norway. We even have the option, to leave the Kids there over a weekend and just the two of us go away some where. Something, we couldn't do here, my PIL aren't the youngest and healthiest anymore, so they couldn't look after them over night. (not that there's to much to do but YKWIM)

If I travel all the way to europe, I don't wanna stay in Switzerland at my Mum's the entire time. I'd join you in Graylands..

i'll cross my fingers, that it works out for the Yoga retreat in Bali.
Personally, I have no interest, neither in Bali nor in Yoga for that matter..

I'm more hooked on Rugby and Moto GP. I wish, we could go and watch more Rugby Games but eventually, when the boys are bigger, we can take them to the games.

My Boys are ok, Jason has become such a chatterbox over the last few month, he was a late speaker, due to the fact, that I spoke Swiss german with him, which I after about year here gave up and Nathan, he's rolling everywhere, checks out the location, he wants to go and rolls there. He has no interest in crawling at the moment but that's ok, he prob. will go straight to walking, like Jason did.

I'm not breasfeeding, with Nathan, it just didn't work out, he never seemed to get enough, each hour or 2 I had to feed him again and couldn't go anywhere, because, as soon as we left the house, he got hungry again and I had a screaming baby and a social screaming toddler in the car.

So I gave up and put him onto Formula, which worked out much better for me and for him.

He's so much more pleasent and quiet now and sleeps also so much better. Before, I got hardly sleep during the night.

I enjoy our Chat as well, I really don't think there are some other swiss here.

I know a few Germans but no Swiss.

[lamamabel]

ciao Coffee! Sorry I've taken a bit to get back on here. First I was really busy and then yesterday I had a horid migrain! yuck! and I never get them, so don't know what that's all about. My Dh would love you, he's right into moto GP. Infact right this minute he's in the loungeroom doing his all time favourite night time relaxation things: playing formula 1 playstation!! Boys love their toys don't they. I'm not into it but happy he has a hobby that keeps him out of trouble.
I see you're not a chocolate girl. That's a good thing. I'm guessing by your user name that you're a coffee girl? I'm not. I never drank coffee until I went to Greece and suddenly became addicted to it. I stopped soon after and haven't gone back. I'm a herbal drinker myself, but I do love the smell of coffee. I tell myself I don't like coffee but I know it's a lie so I won't drink it. I seem to be good at convincing myself though, I did it through self hypnosis and now I believe it. When I sit down and think about it, like now, my mind knows the truth but on a day to day basis I forget and continue to believe I don't like coffee. It's a good trick and works for lots of things. When you want to hear about learning languages through tomatoes I'll tell you, it's quite amuzing and at the same time bizarr.
So this week has been busy. DD had her first iceskating competition yesterday came 2nd. That was pretty exciting!! I've been busy trying to balance all my work and family life and hobbies. I need a time management coach!! Never enough time!!
I think we will go away in the school holidays. Nowhere too far. Somewhere in the country. Probably a farm stay, that'll be fun. I'd better book it.
Time to go Caffe Frappe (it's a greek coffee,mmm yum....)!!
bye!!

[Coffee]

Hi, haven't forgotten you, life's just pretty busy at the moment.

Hope you got over your migrane. It's horrid to have such pain.

I look forward to tomorrow, when the next Moto GP will be on. Hopefully Stoner wins :)

I don't know why I'm so addicted to sport. Already when I was a child, i loved all sorts of sport. Everyone said, it'll get less, once I get older but til about 20 I was playing Ice Hockey in a club and soccer with my friends in parks or friendship tournaments. It was so fun :D

Yeah, I'm def. a coffee girl. First thing I do in the morning, turning the coffee machine on.
And throughout the day, I have about 3 to 4 more Coffees and after diner another one. I'm helpless. Also when I go shopping, before I start, I have to go to Gloria Jeans, Starbucks or Coffee Club and get a Coffee or when I fill up the car at a BP, if there's a Cafe in the Store, I have to get another Coffee..

I only drink tea when I feel sick, really sick. If I can't move because of pain or so, then I like a peppermint tea but else than that, I don't drink tea.

Wow, congrats to your Daughter in becoming 2nd in her first competition. That's really great.

So, now I gotta go to bed, I'm so tired. Ha a couple of sleepless nights, Nathan is a horrible teether and despite the first tooth being out for a couple weeks now, it doesn't seemed to get any easier..

[lamamabel]

Hi Coffee, sorry, these school holidays have been crazy!! We went away in the first week to a little town in the country. It was fun but unfortunately my dh had some troubles with a wisdom tooth and was in severe pain! He was pumped with pain killers for the whole time which meant he was quite sleepy which therefore meant I was left to entertain the kids. I didn't mind too much, I had fun with them, but I was looking forward to long solitary bush walks which obviously didn't happen. Never mind.
You sound just like my dh! He also played icehockey and can't get enough of the motor sports. Is your dh into it too?
Yes my migrain did go, thanks. I think it was a first and hopefully the last!!
Apart from the school holiday mayhem, I've been quite busy lately as I've just upped my work a bit. That's ok because I love my work, but it means I have to be more organised for all the other things. I don't posess those amazing Swiss skills of being extremely organised with the house in complete order. Are you like that? It seems alot of Swiss are and Japanese are quite good at it too. My dh has been training me rather than the other way around!! It's not that I can't or don't do things, it's just that Swiss and Japanese people seem to have such a great technique of getting things done efficiently and with time left over!! How do you do it?
Have a nice weekend!!

[Coffee]

Sorry, it's been ages again.

I just seem like not having enough time for everything I plan..

We just had a major renovation done at the house, we got a new kitchen and new floor tiles, so we're in the process of cleaning and settling again.

My husband isn't into Icehockey at all but mainly because he doesn't understand the rules and can't see the puck ;)

He loves the moto gp and Rugby league though, so that's fun to watch together.
I hope the boys will get into Rugby as well, so we can take them to watch a few games when they're older.

I'm an unusual swiss, I'm rather a messy person, instead of having everything neat and tidy. And I rather finish work on the last bit, than ages before the deadline is.
I generally also leave the house just early enough to be at a place on time. Not that I have to wait somewhere for ages.

I've started about 1 month ago at Tafe in Brisbane with a Tourism and hospitality course. It's alot of work and takes also up a lot of time but it's interesting. I hope I manage to keep up with it and finish at least the 1st semester, all up, the course takes 2 yrs but I don't know, if I can do that. It's just not so easy, the kids are still very young and take a lot of time, which I should spend with studying. But we'll see. I take it as it comes, if I can finish it, good if not, it doesn't matter.

Last Saturday, my older one celebrated his 3rd Birthday. He was really happy with his present. He got one of these massive Tonka Trucks and he's pushing it through the house and out in the backyard.
He wouldn't go anywhere w/o it.
According to him, he had the best Birthday ever. Sure, it's the first BD he really understands but still it's cute to hear.
He tells everyone, who looks at his truck, that this is his and he got that for his BD.
He's normally really good with sharing his toys but noone is allowed to touch his truck.
In the beginning it was cute but now it starts to get a bit annoying. But if I say, we leave his turck at home, he throws a massive tantrum. He's just so obsessed with that..

Hope you guys stayed healthy and didn't catch the flu germs.
We avoided them so far, my husband was sick over the weekend but he's much better now. Hope none of the boys is getting it.

Now, I have to finish the last chapter of Harry Potter. I can't believe, it has taken me so long to finish it.

[sups]

hello all you swiss girls
we have just moved to adelaide 6months ago from near zurich. It def. is a great change and we love it here.Just that we miss our social circle....i think getting to know ppl is hte hardest part of moving.
I am 33 and DH is 35 our little daughter is 2.5.

I maynot be a promt replier but i would like to join you in your chats .
are you from the german or the french or the italian part of CH?

keep in touch
sups

[Coffee]

Hello and welcome to Bubhub and Australia.

I'm sure, you'll find heaps of people near your area on this forum and soon will make new friends. I know, it's not easy in the beginning but it will get better.

I'm for over 2 years now in australia and it feels like home to me. :)

[madlaina]

Hi there, just stumbled over this thread.
I'm swiss, DP is Aussie. We met here 8 years ago and after 3 years of long distance relationship I moved to Australia in 2002. We have one son, who is 11 months old now. Oh yes, we live in Sydney.
Just wondering, what do you miss most/least about Switzerland?

[sups]

Oh madlaine
i miss the fondue part of switzerland and the gluehwein.......of course teh rest of it is not to be said.was just wondering if one could get a fondue mixture at the superstores or at cheese specialist shops.
take care have a nice time
regards

[Coffee]

Hi,

welcome to Buhub, sorry, haven't seen that post for ages, there aren't that many swiss people on the forum, I believe, we are the only ones (some are probably hiding..)

What I miss from Switzerland? Not that much..

The cheese (appenzeller, Gruyere and Emmentaler ;)) the mountains, the bread, the Kirschstaengeli :p and yeah, in Winter the Gluehwein. Aldi had Gluehwein last winter but only alcoholfree and it didn't taste that good..

what I don't miss, are this over punctual people, where always have a crowded appointement planer and you need to let them know a couple month in advanced, that you wanna go out, otherwise, they're too busy..

The way how certain foreigner get treated in switzerland is also something I dislike.

And of course, the narrow minded people, I could go on about those forever..

And what I can't get over, is the fact, that everything, or a lot, is soo expensive. That shocked me extreme, when I was over there on holiday. When you live and work there, you don't notice it so much but once you go back on holiday, it's shocking..

Sueps, I donno about that Fondue mix but you could try out the F.Mayer Imports (http://www.mayers.com.au) those are the ones who import lots of european stuff, incl. swiss cheese, to Australia, NZ and the Pacific region. If someone, then those will have it.

You may can send them a mail or something and ask, if they know if you can buy that here and where..

HTH

[votega]

here :):hugs:

[Coffee]

here :):hugs:

I think I know you :D