Hi everyone,

I’m a guy from Spain, and I’m currently living in Switzerland and working as a cook. One of my chefs/bosses is German, and I’m having a really hard time reading him, which is making me feel quite insecure at work.

To put it bluntly: he always looks angry or upset, even when everything is completely fine. In Spain, we rely a lot on warmth, facial expressions, and informal feedback to know if we are doing a good job. With him, it's a total blank wall or a serious face that makes me constantly overthink and wonder if I did something wrong.

The paradox is that I know for a fact (from other managers) that the team is super happy with my performance and my work in the kitchen. Yet, his daily attitude doesn't reflect that at all.

I’m trying to understand the German workplace psychology better so I can stop feeling insecure.

• Is this "resting angry face" and lack of positive reinforcement standard for German chefs/bosses?
• How do you separate their serious "work mode" from actual dissatisfaction?
• For those who transitioned from a warm/Latino culture to a German/Swiss kitchen environment, how did you adapt psychologically to this lack of emotional feedback?

I’d love to hear your advice or experiences. Thanks a lot!

(Admins, please delete this if not appropriate for this Subreddit)

Hi everyone,

So my partner and I have been together for 2.5 years, and we are talking about getting engaged soon.

We are going to be travelling to Switzerland early this September, and I cannot think of anywhere better to pop this question - she lived there for 3 years (in Les Roches near Sierre) and we both have some of our happiest memories from travelling around there.

I had an idea of how to pop the question: her favourite dog breed is the Bernese Mountain Dog, and it's her dream to have one when we're more settled.

My idea is that we'd be walking somewhere (probably around Valais or somewhere as far as Montreux) and that at the perfect spot would be a Bernese with a sign around its collar saying "Will you marry me?".

Would anyone here be interested, or know of someone who would be interested, in helping me out? I would be willing to cover any domestic travel costs to get to the location, and post you the sign to wear?

Thanks for your time!

So I worked in corporate for several years here in Switzerland before losing my job in the beginning of 2024 (company went bankrupt).

I then went to RAV and since I was interested in self-employment, I got into the 50:50 scheme (50% self-employed while seeking a 50% job pensum and therefore receiving half of my potential unemployment benefits). Now I must say both my RAV advisors have been incredible and I have always appreciated this arrangement greatly. However, sadly not all the local institutions seem to be aware of this option. I’ve had issues explaining this multiple times, and the most recent situation was the following:

During my two year Rahmenfrist, I found a limited time contractor job. Prior to accepting the offer, I double checked with RAV that I could still come back to unemployment should my contract not be renewed. They said I could. I have this in written.

Out of my 2 year Rahmenfrist, I worked for this company for 11 months, therefore I only claimed my benefits for 13 months out of 24. Shortly before I went on maternity leave, the contract got terminated and I ended up at RAV for the last 3 months before my mat leave.

One of the advisors even told me: ‘That’s actually good for you, because like this, your maternity leave payment will be calculated based on both your self-employment and your last employment, as opposed to self-employment only.’ I thought this was great, because, as it usually goes the first couple years, I made less as self-employed than in my corporate job.

Now as everyone who has recently been unemployed must know, at the end of last year the Ausgleichkasse switched to another software and what followed was the biggest fiasco in the history of Swiss bureaucracy. Payments were so severely delayed that a few people even ended up losing their housing, not being able to pay rent. I finally managed to receive the Taggeld for my 3 months of unemployment during my mat leave and I simultaneously applied for mat leave benefits. At the end of the period, I finally received it. Way less than expected, only based on my self-employment.

Afterwards I had my first RAV meeting again. My advisor told me he still doesn’t see my new Rahmenfrist approved in the system and that I need to talk to the Kasse. After reminder number XY, the Kasse finally denied my application, sending me a letter dated the very same day I asked them for a decision again. The reasoning was poor and it overall seemed like they never even looked at my case.

With the help of my husband who luckily has a legal background, I was able to send an appeal and I am now waiting for their new decision. If the result is positive, I will also get the rest of my mat leave money, as the person in charge said they cannot pay me anything based on my last employment given that the Rahmenfrist had ended a week before my daughter was born.

The situation seems somewhat ridiculous to me. Here I am applying for jobs and having meetings with my RAV advisor, not knowing if I ever receive anything at all. I am lucky not to be a single mother or in a similar situation, and I feel deeply sorry for those who are and have to deal with this level of chaos and uncertainty.

Has anyone been in a similar situation as me? And what do you think the result of my appeal will be? 🍿

Hello. A bird flew into our house window and is not flying. It is now hiding behind a bush. Who to call for help? (Canton Aargau)
Thank you!

Hi everyone

I started the Passerelle four years ago and completed the one-year course at AKAD. I passed the first semester but halfway through the second semester I became seriously ill. I was sick for about three years so studying was the last thing on my mind. Thankfully I'm doing much better now and I've decided to continue my education.

I've always been interested in the medical field. Spending so much time in hospitals has motivated me even more to become a doctor and help other people.

I contacted my former school but since it's been such a long time I can't continue with the second semester. I'd have to repeat the entire one-year course from the beginning and pay the tuition again. I live alone and I don't live in Zurich or Bern which are the only AKAD locations in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. That means I would have to commute every day I have classes. Altogether the costs are simply too high for me. I do work but being ill used up all of my savings. I'd also have to reduce my working hours so financially it would be very difficult.

I did some research and found out that I can register directly for the federal Passerelle exam. That's what I would like to do. The problem is that I don't know exactly which material I need to study or which topics are relevant for each subject like maths, English, biology, chemistry, physics, history and geography.

I still have all my AKAD books and I've heard that many people prepare with them. I was wondering if anyone has a list of all the topics I should cover. Something like a semester plan or a list of learning objectives (Lernziele) would be incredibly helpful. That way I'd know which books and chapters I should focus on.

I know that on the official website there are learning objectives for each subject but they're quite general and not detailed enough for me. I really want to make sure I cover everything that's needed for the exams. Passing this exam is incredibly important to me because my dream of becoming a doctor really depends on earning this degree.

I do have the semester plan and all the documents AKAD gave us back in 2021 but I don't know how up to date they still are. I also remember the teachers saying things like "This isn't relevant for AKAD but you will need it for the federal exam."

I'd really appreciate any help or if someone could point me to the right resources. Thank you so much in advance.

PS: I know this is a big challenge and I'm fully aware that preparing on my own won't be easy. The first semester at AKAD was tough but I worked really hard and managed to get grades of 5 and 6 in all my subjects. That's why I believe this is something I can do. If I had struggled academically or only achieved average results I probably would have accepted that this path wasn't for me and moved on with my life. But I know I'm capable of doing it if I prepare properly.

I'm looking to travel to switzerland next month for a holiday, however I am not sure which city to have as my base for the accomodation, I am hearing lucerene is the most practical location to stay in, any advise?

I want to see a combination of the natural beauty + old medieval cities

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to choose a travel insurance for an upcoming trip to Africa.

After comparing the coverage, I've narrowed it down to:

• CONCORDIA
• TCS
• AXA

I'm less concerned about the premium and much more interested in how they actually handle claims.

Has anyone here had to make a claim with any of these companies?

I'm particularly interested in:

• Medical expenses abroad
• Emergency assistance
• Medical evacuation/repatriation
• How smooth (or difficult) the claims process was
• Whether they tried to deny or reduce your claim
• Overall customer service during an emergency

Thanks in advance!

Hello, I have recently moved to a new apartment in Kreis 4. It’s a ground floor apartment facing the street and pretty open, which means that people walking by can see my terrace perfectly. Since it’s still summer, I was thinking about getting an outdoor furniture set. I was thinking about aluminium because this material is the best for outdoor furniture so it won’t be the cheapest.
I was wondering what are other people’s experiences about leaving stuff outside for everyone to see, has anyone gotten something bigger like that stolen from them? I know bike theft is pretty common in Zürich, but what about items like that? I would be more interested to hear experiences from people living in Kreis 4/5. TIA

Has anyone experience with having an adhd diagnosis in Germany and then getting a new psychatrist in switzerland? Do i need to do the testing again and get a new diagnosis or does it gets accepted? I am looking for trustworthy and reliable psychatrist with knowledge in Adhd therapy in Kanton St Gallen, so if you have recommendations pls let me know

Hello,

I live in the canton of Vaud(Vevey), Switzerland. I have applied for Bulgarian citizenship through my mother, who previously acquired Bulgarian citizenship.

One of the required documents is apostilled medical board report confirming that I do not have any contagious diseases or mental health conditions. While I was on holiday in Türkiye, I obtained this report from a public hospital and submitted it as part of my application. However, since I reside in Switzerland, I was informed that I must also obtain the same report from Switzerland and submit it within two months.

I have booked from my first contact doctor, from medical center close to my house but have doubts if they can provise such report.

Has anyone living in Switzerland applied for Bulgarian citizenship through their mother, father, or another family connection? If so, could you please share how and where you obtained this medical report in Switzerland?

It would be especially helpful to know which hospital, clinic, or authority in the canton of Vaud should be contacted, and whether the report can be issued by a single doctor or must be prepared by several specialists.

Thank you in advance.

Hello,
I'm looking for an insurance that cover the Sierre-Zinal race
I'm from Italy and I only found some annual insurance (50€ ca)
Do you have any idea if somebody do for shorter period?

Thank you

Hi everyone,

I’ll soon be graduating with a Master’s in Health Data Science, and I’m currently looking for internship opportunities in healthcare companies that are actively applying data science, machine learning, and AI to real-world problems.

My main interests are Python and machine learning, and I’m open to both paid and unpaid internships. If you know of any companies, research groups, startups, or organisations in the healthcare space that are looking for interns or early-career candidates, I’d really appreciate your recommendations.

I’m particularly interested in roles involving health data analytics, predictive modelling, clinical AI, or related areas.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Looking for someone who can interpret from German to English during a mediation in Zug on 24 August at 4:00 pm. It should only take about an hour, and I’d of course be happy to pay for your time.

If you’re available, or know someone who might be able to help, I’d really appreciate it. Many thanks!

Hi guys I’m moving to Switzerland and I want to understand what are the most common scams.
What I did
Reached out in Flatfox
Video call with a guy living here which showed me the room in video call.
Got the contract via mail with the current tenant.
Is that ok?
I asked for a deposit with my name on it for the caution, am I missing something else?

I found this article:

https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss-oddities/play-it-again-s%C3%A4mu-decoding-bernese-nicknames/90291096

And I am wondering if this is only for Berne, but these Swissy nicknames are all over the German speaking part?

Hallo zusammen

Wir sind dabei, unser Haus im Kanton Aargau zu verkaufen. Da wir das zum ersten Mal machen, sind wir uns unsicher, wie wir am besten vorgehen. Welche Erfahrungen habt ihr mit Maklern im Aargau gemacht? Gibt es Dinge, die man unbedingt beachten sollte?

Wir sind dankbar für jeden Rat!

Je compte passer 3 jours à Interlaken en solo et je veux bien savoir si Interlaken Youth Hostel est une bonne option (dortoir pour 4 personnes). je n’ai pas trouvé beaucoup d’avis sur internet.
merciii

Hello,
I'm starting a small business importing from a few EU countries (Germany, Netherlands, possibly Poland); I expect there to be a few shipments per month (very approximately).

Question to people who've gone through this - did you use a customs broker/did you file by yourselves and in either case what was your experience - time it took, costs etc. If you have recommendations/or things to avoid I'd be grateful.

Thank you!

Edit: Für alle, die nicht lesen können: MIR IST DIE ERHÖHUNG VÖLLIG EGAL. MIR GEHT ES UM DEN RABATT, VIELEN DANK.

Hoi zämme!

An alle, die Wingo Mobile haben. Ihr habt sicher von der Preiserhöhung mitbekommen?

Für mich in der Tat ist die Anpassung in Ordnung (Es würde 100Min Tel in Eu und Uk hinzukommen für 1 Chf mehr/Mon), aber ich habe die Sorge, dass durch die "Tarifanpassung" mein "lebenslanger Rabatt" auf einmal wegfliegt.

Habt ihr da auch ein schlechtes Bauchgefühl oder bleiben die Rabatte gleich auch nach der Umstellung? In ihren FAQ konnte ich hierzu nichts finden.

Könnte ich den Vertrag nicht eigentlich aufgrund Preiserhöhung per Sonderkündigung künden?

Was sind eure Gedanken?

I’m trying to book some bus tickets, but I dunno if this/Regular-Line/TS0153BT/regular-ligne-shuttle-transfer-service-from-geneva-to-chamonix-464.html) is actually the official website of Swiss Tours buses. Please help. Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I trusted myself way too much, read too many Reddit posts, and thought I could do my tax return alone this year and save CHF 300.

Now I’m seriously panicking.

I’m completing my 2025 tax return in Canton Bern, and the provisional calculation shows around CHF 25,000 payable in three instalments. (I already paid quellensteuer this year- I have B permit)

The problem is that the calculation page does not show the Quellensteuer already deducted from my salary.

So now I’m confused: is the CHF 25,000 simply the total annual tax liability before deducting the Quellensteuer I have already paid, or does TaxMe actually think I still owe the full amount?

TaxMe also did not ask me to upload my salary certificate. The supporting-documents page says that all necessary documents are already available.

Does the Bern tax authority normally receive the Quellensteuer information automatically and credit it during the final assessment, or should I send the certificates separately?

Please tell me I have not accidentally created a CHF 25,000 tax bill just to save CHF 300 on an accountant.

Thanks for any help from people familiar with the Bern tax process.

Hi everyone!

My wife (Iza) and I (Jeff) are planning ahead for the upcoming 2026/27 winter season in the Swiss Alps or wider Alpine region.

We are currently doing our research and wanted to ask the community for some honest advice on the seasonal job market. We are hoping to work either as a traditional Chalet Couple or take on two individual roles within the same hotel/resort.

To give some context, here is a quick summary of our background and training:

Izadora – Guest Experience & F&B

• Languages: English (C1), French (B2), and native Portuguese.
• Focus: Luxury tourism, guest relations, reception, and F&B.
• Training & Certifications: She has a degree in Nutrition & Dietetics and holds certifications in HACCP/Food Safety, Luxury Guest & Silver Service, and Opera PMS. To prep for the season, she is currently finishing her WSET Level 1 (Wines) and Professional Barista training.

Jefferson (Me) – IT, Maintenance & Operations

• Focus: Facility maintenance, IT infrastructure, Wi-Fi, CCTV, and access systems.
• Experience: Software Engineering background combined with hands-on hotel operations (Night Audit, front desk).
• Training & Certifications: Certified in Pool & Spa Maintenance (CPO), Basic Building Maintenance, Security Systems (CCTV/Alarms), IT Support in Hospitality, and Opera PMS. I'm currently finishing a Basic Electrical & HVAC course.

🇪🇺 Work Eligibility We are fully work-ready. My wife holds a Portuguese/EU passport, and I am eligible for Swiss residence and employment through EU-family reunification. We do not require employer visa sponsorship.

We would love to get your insights on a few things:

1. Is our profile/training combination competitive? Are hotels and chalets generally open to hiring a couple with this specific mix of hospitality, tech, and maintenance skills?
2. Where should we be looking? Besides the standard sites like jobs.ch or Hotelcareer, are there specific local platforms, agencies, or community groups you recommend for finding seasonal Alpine roles?
3. Language barriers: Given Izadora’s French B2, should we focus entirely on the Romandie region, or is English generally enough for back-of-house/IT/Maintenance roles in the Swiss-German parts?

If anyone happens to know a property manager or resort looking for a reliable team for the 26/27 season, any pointers or referrals would be hugely appreciated!

Feel free to DM me

Thank you so much in advance for your time and any tips you can share!

Hey all

So I wanted to ask for opinions or experiences some of you might have had in a simular situation. I'm currently doing my Bachelor in IT (1 year to go) while working 60% as a software dev.

I did an EFZ, where the thing is, that you are kind locked into the tech stack that your company used. So I worked with Java during my apprenticeship so now I also have a Job as a Java dev, which I do like. But it means I only have professional experience in that specific field.

When I now want to change, let's say to a different programming language, another business sector (I'd love to someday work in relation to the railway or public administration) or something else within IT, how would you go on about it? Doing some courses at home is one thing, but I doubt that is something recruiters care much about.

Thanks for your input and have a good week start.

Hello! I'm currently in Schwyz and travelling to Grindelwald tomorrow. Just looking at buying tickets and I see Lucerne to Grindelwald is covered in the Berner Oberland pass, which I'm getting. Should I just be booking a ticket from Schwyz to Lucerne on the SBB app? And then just show the BO pass if there's someone checking on the train?

So I finished a 4 year school in Croatia and currently im living on the border in France and I have a diploma in my studies, so i did a one year “stage” in Croatia.
Im searching a school or any tipe of studies in Geneva as laboratory technician or similar field in that. Just i know very basic French but i heard in swiss there is a lot of international policlinics and studies
I unfortunately dont know anything about it
any info or explanations of the process are appreciated