Hi i've just come to terms with a swiss company to relocate myself there, and although i'm quite eager to get there, i'd like to hear from you lot what's it like to move to a foreign country alone and leaving everything behind
At University, I did an IT degree with Erasmus year in France and really liked the culture, the people (well most of them
) and also met a young lady..... Things worked out with young lady, but I was unable to find IT work in France after my degree and she was still a student so not really feasible for me to stay out there. So I came back to the UK and worked in London. On one of my many trips / holidays to France to see my gf during this period, I saw an IT job offer for someone fluent in English with good French skills in the same city as said gf (Orléans) I applied and got offered the job and immediately resigned from my job in London.
So I moved to France, age 23 with just all my belongings in my Ford Fiesta. I got a cheap return ticket on the ferry by collecting coupons in The Sun for 2 weeks. I think the ferry company alerted the authorities of a missing person, cos I never used the return
I am now 34, still in France. No longer in Orléans, and no longer with the original gf
I am now in sunny Montpellier on the med, working for a French IT company as a programmer/project manager and life is pretty good.
It does feel pretty weird though. - I worked out I have spent a third of my life out here now.
Bit of advice:
1) Make the move for positive reasons, ie if you really DO want to live in Switzerland, and DO want that new job. Don't just take any old job that you wouldn't really take if you were in the UK. Don't move "just to get away from the UK" The grass isn't always greener on the other side...... Weigh it all up and then make the decision.
2) Learn the language. Might be a bit harder in Switzerland though. I've met other expats during my time in France who have been here for > 7 years and still don't speak the language. It's no coincidence that they're the ones who moan the most and are the most miserable, and don't mix with the locals. It's a viscious (sp?) circle and they just end up alienating themselves and returning to the UK complaining about how rude the French are....
3) Don't do the expat thing. Don't join up with expat clubs/societies etc as soon as you get off the plane. I know it's tempting to surround yourself with people in same boat yourself who can explain stuff to you in English. But seriously don't do it. Once you do, there's no going back! All your friends will now be other Brits. You will get invited to parties with other Brits where you will meet other Brits. This will result in problem number 2 (see above) and also you getting labelled as someone not wanting to integrate by the locals.
As for Switzerland as a destination, well I think it is a very "Utopian" place to live. Pretty stereotypical German way of life, from what I've heard. If you like everything in its place, clean and quiet and you believe everyone else should do the same, then I'm sure you'll like it. Ok, I'm exaggerating a bit, but I think you get the idea. All IMHO of course
hth and good luck
