Geneva

[andyhinch]

A good mate of mine worked there for a few years, popped over to see him a few times, found a very interesting strip club, it's a bit of a boring place in general but some of the foods good, doesn't gelsons dad live over that way?

 

[SWP's back]

You going to work there?

Been offered a position there this afternoon but weighing it up. To be honest, I know very little about it, though its 2hrs and £20 (easy jet) from Manchester so I would have to give up my season ticket which is a bonus.

Bloody hell, we've only lost 1 game.

Fucks sake! Meant to say "wouldn't have to"

-- Tue Aug 27, 2013 9:32 pm --

Been offered a position there this afternoon but weighing it up. To be honest, I know very little about it, though its 2hrs and £20 (easy jet) from Manchester so I would have to give up my season ticket which is a bonus.

you not going to keep working for yourself then?

Would you be happy to go back in to the workplace as an Employee after being self employed? I don't know many who would consider it but everyone has their own perspective. I know one English guy who loved Lausanne in Switzerland (based back here now) and a Swiss girl who went back to Basle after time in London because she was being looked after at a new company.

Switzerland is politically neutral and tolerant of pretty much everything.

It's depends on ones definition of employed though and benefits offered really.

I don't really want to go into it but I've been offered both employed and self-employed roles. It would take a hell of a lot to go back into employment you are right.

Was just after some opinions of the place really as I've no knowledge of it and this place is handy for that kind of thing.

 

[Gaz in Zurich]

I'm working in Zurich now if you need any info. Geneva is slightly different culture wise with it being french and Zurich german but prices, salary's , tax questions I can answer

I am led to believe there are a huge amount of ex pats out there and well paid, I take it the cost of living reflects this?

Switzerland is expensive. Most people fuck off to france for their daily shopping.

Some things are expensive but some things are relatively cheap. The rule of thumb here is that if someone serves it to you it will be expensive, because the wages are so high here they need to recoup it through the products they sell.
For instance a barmaid will earn over £3000 a month so that takes a lot of markup to pay their wages, hence the 8 chf price for beer you can get for 1chf in the supermarket.
But all in all most people with semi decent jobs earn enough to be able to live to a high standard and save 30% of their wages.
There are lots of expats and there is a good social scene. The Swiss have lots of things on throughout the year so there is always something to do. Crime is very low and getting around is easy with the transport system.
Geneva will be dirtier than Zurich because it is french and they are not as anal about cleanliness as the german part, but the food is a lot better there.

 

[BimboBob]

Geneva is brilliant. Expensive lagers and full of flange you've got no chance of pulling.

You know him then?

 

[SWP's back]

Geneva is brilliant. Expensive lagers and full of flange you've got no chance of pulling.

You know him then?

Cheeky twat.

 

[Josh Blue]

I think it would do you the world of good to spread your wings fella.

Go for it kidda!

 

[Gelsons Dad]

I am led to believe there are a huge amount of ex pats out there and well paid, I take it the cost of living reflects this?

Switzerland is expensive. Most people fuck off to france for their daily shopping.

Some things are expensive but some things are relatively cheap. The rule of thumb here is that if someone serves it to you it will be expensive, because the wages are so high here they need to recoup it through the products they sell.
For instance a barmaid will earn over £3000 a month so that takes a lot of markup to pay their wages, hence the 8 chf price for beer you can get for 1chf in the supermarket.
But all in all most people with semi decent jobs earn enough to be able to live to a high standard and save 30% of their wages.
There are lots of expats and there is a good social scene. The Swiss have lots of things on throughout the year so there is always something to do. Crime is very low and getting around is easy with the transport system.
Geneva will be dirtier than Zurich because it is french and they are not as anal about cleanliness as the german part, but the food is a lot better there.

Can't disagree with this. Low tax, high cost of living but low VAT makes some things cheaper than UK.
Culturally it is very different to the UK in some ways. People are considerably more respectful but also colder than in the UK. It can be difficult to establish yourself in a Swiss social group and some expats never do. But once you're in, you're in.
Not much in the way of good live pop music but lots of high arts. Geneva is well situated for trips to Italy and of course France.

I've been here 10 years and the general standard of living is so good that it would be hard to live in the UK despite my heart still laying there!

I get to 5 -6 games a year but it would be more if I didn't travel so much with work.

Forgot to add: it's a bureaucratic nightmare at times!

 

[andyhinch]

Trust me Sam you'll have no problem pulling, on another plus note the Veal sausage over there is very good, football, sex and food are big parts of my life, as meatloaf said two out of threes not bad, think the sex club was in Zurich now I think about it.

 

[carlos]

I've lived and worked in Geneva for about 7 years and can confirm much of what Gelsen's Dad said. Geneva itself is pretty quiet but the lake and mountains more than make up for it with skiing 15 mins away in the Jura (<a class="postlink" href="http://www.monts-jura.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">www.monts-jura.com</a>) if you're into that sort of thing. Some of the main Alpine resorts like Morzine and Flaine are about 45 mins away by car. There's definitely a divide between the Swiss and the expats (the latter make up around 45% of Geneva's population - mainly UN and finance blokes) but the expat community is very active and there's always lots to do. Have a look on this site which is the main expat forum:
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.glocals.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">www.glocals.com</a>
Geneva is eye-wateringly expensive at times (but the salary levels do make up for it) and most ex-pats either rent a flat in Geneva (good central one bed from around CHF2000 /GBP1400 per month) or rent or buy in neighbouring France to the north (Pays de Gex is the region, Ferney Voltaire the largest and closest town -10 mins away by car or bus).
Re City, there's a few diehard blues around who've washed up here. Many of us have season tickets and, as you say, with Easyjet it's actually faster and cheaper to get home to Manchester than if you lived in London. If we don't go back for games, we normally watch at one of the ex-pat pubs. The 2 best are:
Mr Pickwick (<a class="postlink" href="http://www.mrpickwick.ch" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">www.mrpickwick.ch</a>) or, in my view the better one, The Clubhouse (<a class="postlink" href="http://www.theclubhouse.ch" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">www.theclubhouse.ch</a>).
If you need any more info, just drop me a PM...
See you soon, hopefully!

 

[NipHolmes]

Take the job Sam.