Joyfulness in this precise moment is to pour a glas of
fraîchement pressées Jus D´oranges and snack on
Bênenuts with the taste of
Goût Fromage. Yes, we're spending the weekend in Geneva, one of the many French parts of Switzerland. Oh, how I wish Zürich spoke French instead av Swiss-German. Apologise for my rudeness, but how much more interesting isn't the French vocabulary in all ways possible?
I have the house of my own for an hour and trying to just enjoy some piece and quite atmosphere here without our little son and the rest. The cats are sleeping, the dogs are napping and it's me and the mountain view. The only thing missing is a good book or a good film and it would be almost perfect. Have a peaceful evening.
Dear Stina, I truly love your blog but I really can't understand why you are so againt the Swiss-Germans!? I also live in Switzerland (Berne) and like the people here very much. In my opinion they very ploite and friendly. You would maybe understand the culture better if you try to learn the language. You are stay at home mother so take some courses. I did this too and even if I don't speak the dialect perfectly, the people appreciate my efforts to integrate myself.
ReplyDeleteAll the best,
Katrin
Completely agree with Katrin.
ReplyDelete- Lover of all things German :D
Katrin and Anonymous:
DeleteI never said I didn't like Swiss German people - I wrote that I think French is a prettier language. Just like I think French is prettier then Swedish. It has nothing to do with the people of the native language.
Read again please and don't misinterpreting what I write with your own opinion.
Best,
stina
nicht sehr charmant ausgedrückt, gegenüber deinen deutschsprachigen leserinnen :(
ReplyDeleteI hope that you wont take that personally. I said nothing negative about the German people, of course not but i do think French is by far prettier as a language. Prettier then most languages actually.
DeleteI love my German readers, why wouldn't I??
Best,
stina
Uta wrtiting. As I wrote you in Geneva you would be more happy Stina. XXx uta
ReplyDeleteUta, maybe ... But Switzerland in general might not be the country for me ... Hugs, stina
DeleteAnswer to Katrin. Your name looks German or Swiss German it's not the same for Stina and learn the Swiss German hould be crazy, it's not a language but an horrible dialecte and you dont understand that the mentality in your dear Swiss Germany is far away of all other people! OK in Bern and Basle it's less difficult than in Zurich you have to admit it at least. Where they are arrogant and rude.
ReplyDeleteFor xou Stina, I am happy that you recuperate a little bit in Geneva, which I told you already would be much more happier to leave, mainly near the town. With a Franch mentality not so rough. XXX
Dear Uta, I have polish roots.
DeleteWhy is it crazy to learn a language? The language is essential if you want to integrate and get to know the people in a country and every language you are able to communicate in is an enrichment for yourself.
I lived also some years in Paris so I can say that Frenchs can be also ver rude and arrogant.
Just a short addition to my previous comment. With your response you just proofed yourself as quite arrogant. BR, katrin
DeleteI think what Uta means is that it's rather crazy to learn a dialect that is not even possible to write because there is no writing language in Swiss-German. And also, it a language only spoken in small parts of Switzerland and nowhere else in the world. German would be much more sufficient to learn because it's a language used a lot in business etc. French even better because it's spoken in many places around the world.
DeleteBut of course, if we're going to stay here, German is essential for me to at least learn a little to integrate and make myself ready for the society.
Best,
stina
Are you fluent in French, Stina?
ReplyDeleteAnna: Ohhh no, I so wish I was but I understand some but is not very good at all.
DeleteDear Stina, my comment was not meant in a bad way and I'm sorry if you had the impression. My comment was also not just related to this specific post but if I remeber right you mentioned also several times before that you l
ReplyDelete"Like" the mentality / language in the german part of Switzerland very much or at least you are struggling with that. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Dear anonymous, I'm not sure I understood what you wrote? Sorry, try t explain again.
DeleteBest,
stina
Dear Stina, I came to Switzerland 16 years ago. I think, you would not be very happy even in Geneva. It´s allways difficult to come new country or area where you don´t know anybody. And be happy, that you have your partner, I didn´t know anybody when I came here. People in German part of Switzerland are very similar with skandinavian( I come from Scandinavia) and I think they need little bit more time to learn to know you, be patient. I can imagine how you feel, because I also felt like that when I came. I never felt very much homesick, but it was kind of process I went through. You just have to work with yourselves and find you happiness where you are and maybe you should also start to learn to language. Start to think and be thankful what you have now and take the maximum out from this time in Zürich and go after some time to Geneva and do the same there!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for those words. I will try to do my best!!! Nice to hear from someone is the same situation!
DeleteBest,
stina
My point is that when a person is not able to communicate in a specific language, whatever language that might be, his or her life and impressions are completely different from someone who knows and can speak the language. The amount of doors that are closed/open is huge.
ReplyDeleteOf course!!!!
DeleteI agree that learing the local language is essential in order to integrate. Without it you will be confined to a smaller part of society, an "expat ghetto" or maybe only to a minority language group. I have been in situations like this in my life and I was not happy at all. In my experience, all languages have beauty in them and they will become accessible once you start learning the language. Some languages are easier to love without knowing them than others (maybe French or Italian sound more beautiful even to an "untrained" ear than Swiss German or Dutch for example) but really there is beauty in every language. How is it in Switzerland, do you need to lear Swiss German to get by (in the German speaking parts) or is standard German sufficient? I can understand that Swiss German is a small language and maybe you choose not to learn it if you do not plan to spend many years there but knowing German is a different story entirely - it is a very useful language in my experience.
ReplyDeleteMK
MK: I'm not sure SWitzerland is the country for me in the long run unfortunately.
DeleteGerman i can quite understand some of already, but Swiss-German is very difficult and in all honesty, I would really go through the struggle of learning such an extremely small dialect. German is another story, because you can use it broader. I do think I would manage here with German and hopefully with time I would start understanding this Swiss-German without needing to learn it myself.
Best,
stina
Swiss german is not a language it's a dialect very rough and they are very unpolite there with people speaking the real German language.
ReplyDeletesorry.... but you have no clue!!
DeleteI leaved to Swiss German (Zurich) particularly and they never had been kind to me because speaking my other language... They are rude and any effort to understand other people. Zurich is particular even it's a nice town with many possibility of going out and seeing exhibitions etc. When I returned to my country I breath agasin.... No! Zurich is made for Swiss German....not even German. Good luck Stina.
ReplyDeleteFrancesca from Italy.
Ok, thank you all for explaining, I did not realize that normal German is not sufficient in Zurich (I have only visited that city briefly and have very little experience of how people are there). The problem remains that integration will be much more challenging if one does not learn the local language.
ReplyDeleteMK
Hello Stina,
ReplyDeleteI am sorry that you are finding it difficult to intergate in Zürich. I am South African and have lived in Germany now for 8 years. Even though I am now fluent in the German language real intergration in German Societies takes a while, it seems to me that you have to be willing to assimilate yourself to the main culture in order to be truly accepted. Even after 8 years and fluent German, some people still ask me where I'm from or address my husband instead of us both. I hope in time you will start to think of Zürich as your second home instead of a temporary place of residence.
All the best
N
N: Thank you for this comment. I agree that when needing to integrate in a country, the language is essential. And I do understand that it takes time to adapt to the culture, social activities and to understand a city/country!
DeleteRead my other answers to understand my point better!
Best,
stina
i do understand you. me i am fluent in German, it is even my second mother tangue, but zh speaks dialect, which i learnt to understand, but not to love. it is ugly and i do not want to speak it!!! but swiss germans expect you to speak it )))) otherwise you are not integrated)) but what does it actually mean? i do not want to be swiss ))) why they just do mot accept it?))) some do, but most dont )) dont care! zh is so international, you can have many friends from everywhere and it is NO ghetto!))
ReplyDeletefunny, I live allready very long in ZH. Nobody ever expected me to speak swiss-german. They say my hochdeutsch is wonderful! And this I hear from my swiss colleagues! German is not my mother tongue.
DeleteJe suppose que la réponse est non :)
ReplyDeleteJe peux écrire un peu de français, mais très peu ...
DeleteMerci!
stina