Random Swiss Facts- Part 2 (F)

Please see my quick note at the top for Part 1 if you have not already.

1) “The right of Swiss women to vote and stand for federal elections only came in 1971, and women’s right to vote in Appenzell-Rhoden (one of the cantons) was only passed in April 1991.” – Insights Guide Switzerland

First, few women work in professional careers, hence the abundance of secretaries here, which also leads me to one of Switzerland’s greatest mysteries, “Just what exactly do secretaries here do???”

Although, before I continue, there are some very good ones out there, and in their defense, are not normally treated so well. But then again, unfair treatment is something you simply need to learn to accept, unless you are a married Swiss man (think US about 40 years ago).

Upon my first day of work commuting into the Basel office, I boarded the morning first class train from Zurich to Basel. Seat after seat was filled with tall, skinny white guy in black suit. Upon arriving at the office, I was then introduced to colleague after colleague, whose appearance held no distinction other than white guy, black suit, with a name such as “*&%$” “&*@#” and “#*^%”. To this day, I have trouble differentiating the people at the firm.

The attitude in the workforce here is the following:

“Why would we pay you and promote you if you are just going to have babies and quit? But don’t worry, we will take care of your husband for you.”

Actually, I digress, this isn’t the attitude, this is what is explicitly said. If we were in the States, I could probably have had half the firm fired for some of the things that were said to me as well as my colleagues. But I am no feminist, this not a political blog, and we are not in America (some Americans have trouble figuring this out), so I would prefer to not go into this subject. Instead, I moved to London (for many other reasons as well). I mean, I do have this thing for overweight, pale guys with bad teeth….

4) There is no single culture here. This fact leads me to one of Switzerland’s second greatest mysteries which is twofold, “How do people meet each other?” And “Where are all the single people??”

Although, as it is socially unacceptable to be single here ( I have been informed that all single girls are on a desperate hunt for a relationship and that many Swiss guys are too shy to even approach a girl), troubled relationships with a false pretense of perfection are common, and so is cheating. Again, please do not take offense to this as this is just a generalization. What you do find a lot of are people who have been together for many years, usually since school years that stay together because, well, who wants to be that loser single person (such as myself).

I get asked a lot by friends back at home about the guys and bar scene here, but to be completely honest, I have no answer, because there isn’t one (at least compared to American standards). However, upon my trips to the States I do become overwhelmed and admittedly a bit frightened at being attacked by the “Marina guy.”

What they do have here is lounges, lots of them. And the purpose of going to a bar is not to meet people, but to hang out with the people you came with. Strange concept, huh? Why would you want to hang out with just your friends?

But you will most certainly not find the big groups of girls out for a night on the town. Some groups of guys, but they consist mainly of a bunch of stuffy Swiss bankers, still dressed in suit and tie, whose look is normally complemented by the slightly slicked back hair and air of “I am utterly boring and dull, but hey, I have money so I am great”.

I would love to bring my Cali girls here for just one night on the town in Zurich. I am sure we would all be arrested.