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As my Swiss colleague said one night “ I would see you as a friend, but I have all the friend I need. My school friends, my army friends and my adult friends. The trouble with expats is that they come and go, so why bother”
I have also heard this coming from Danes (I live in DK) and think it is probably valid for any country where Brits move to work but do not learn the language fluently and then leave after a few years. I think to get beyond the work acquaintance stage wherever you move to, you need to become conversationally fluent in the language and make a serious effort to become part of where you live, which probably very few people actually do, so end up feeling isolated. I'm sure there's an aspect of oh here's another Brit who's moved here for the better quality of life/money but will be gone in a few years and can't be bothered learning the language properly, as an additional barrier to overcome.
Definitely hold onto the house you have - renting it out will cover the mortgage.
You need a bolt hole - just in case. After a few years you can then make this decisions.
I’ve also lived (for 2 yrs) and worked in Germany for 8 yrs - which I found a much easier place to be accepted. Oddly, despite what people thing about the Germans, it a pretty progressive place. They are social, they like to party, they dress worse than us, and there is less of the racism / sexism of the state in the South.
I would have been happy to move there permanently
In true STWfashion I'd say have a go though I've only visited for holidays. Rent your house and get involved with the locals. Ex pats always seem to be money obsessed whiners or people who can accept they are no longer in the UK and have a nice time.
You feel integrated when someone is sounding off about immigration in your presence and you gently have to remind them that there's an immigrant standing in front of them.
I was living/working in Spain in 1989. Madame, girlfriend then now wife, had a house in the UK. I persuaded her to sell it. We could have bought a better house cheaper at any time in the next five years (check out a graph). In the following 31 years I doubt we've accumulated a year in the UK and the cash from the house sale helped make some very good choices.
Ich auch, ich fuhle mich wohl in Deutschland. Ich fahre oft da druben in Urlaud, mein son hat zwei jahre lang in Berlin studiert und traumt jetzt von 'n ruckzug. Der is DJ und Produzent, besserer Ecosystem gibt's nicht.
Ich bin mit BigJim einverstanden, Expats sind und bleiben zu oft Ausländer. Gibt es en art von Parrallelgesellshaft in vielen Stäten, die Migliedern sind da um Geld zu verdienen und dann verschwinden mit keine langfristige Beitrag oder investitionen. Manchmal sind sie angeber, laut und haben wenig Respkect für local Kultur und gesellshaft, nur manchmal, kein Pflicht so zu sein.
Hier bei STW gibt es die die gut integriert sind und auch Expats. Die die haben ein Stattseinbürgerung, Kinder in der Schule... . Und auch die die haben immer noch 'n gelb Nummershcild hinter.
Language is the key to feeling at home anywhere. Are watching the BBC or France 24 in French this evening Rone?
gelb Nummershcild hinter.
Are they Dutch?
😉
Language is the key to feeling at home anywhere.
Urlaud? Nummershcild?
Aus welcher Sprache stammen diese Wörter?
iolo (I can also reply in Welsh and Portuguese). - living in Austria and loving it
There's only one language I don't make typos in, and it ain't English or German, it's the one my computer spell checker defaults to. 🙂
I'm really surprised there aren't any more serious faults in there, my use of gender, genetive accuasative blah blah in German is pretty random. Living in Austria, Iolo, you probably sound horrible even if it's gramatically correct. 😉 Alpin manages to sound Bayerisch even when he types.
Und einem gelb kennzeichnen vorne? Wie denken sie über dass?
Het spijt mij, mijn duits werdt heel slecht na vier jaar in Nederland...
FWIW I agree with pretty much everything about integrating, and keeping reasonably clear of 'ex-pats'.
No point hanging on to house. There's barely any mortgage. I would sooner have the capital and option to use the money and savings if needed. I'm pretty good financially and pretty liquid. So that may suit others but not me.
Also I don't think the housing market will keep on exploding to come back to in the medium term. (I know that's speculative but so is being a landlord.) I run my own business and it's so a bit of capital is handy.
Anyway - had some great advice from someone who lives out there on the forum. Thanks for that.
I did make an error earlier and confuse the Canton of Geneva with the city. So that should make it a bit easier.
You live and learn.
I hope it all works out for you.
Once settled in, will you let STWers camp in your garden and show them the trails?
😉
will you let STWers camp in your garden
There will be a law that prevents that
Be nice !
IIRC the OP is a Crypto squillionaire, so don't think money will be a problem.
No point hanging on to house. There’s barely any mortgage.
Surely even more reason to keep it and rent it...that's your income while you don't work?
If anything should give you an insight into how half of the Swiss folk think...
Backward, racist, NIMBYist toss bags....well, half of them anyway.