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Tips for Visitors
from A Swiss
by Thomas Bollinger
For a Swiss, Switzerland is of course
about as attractive as Louisiana is for a Lousianian.
First time visitors look at the
magnificent scenery or the interesting city and don't bother understanding. You'll find
all the clichés fullfilled that you are expecting: Great Mountains, Snow, Cows,
Chocolate, Strange Country Folk, etc.
But if you're really interested, I
have the following tips:
- Read about the places you want to visit.
If you don't have the background knowledge, get it.
- Talk to people (mainly younger, urban people, they
sometimes speak decent English) and be open minded.
Forget American standards like "All drugs are bad and their users should be in prison
for the rest of their lives" or "Everybody needs to be converted to a new born
Christian." Don't wear Bermudas with your hairy legs, or white socks. And -- yes --
about 50% of the Swiss smoke.
- Avoid politics and racial discussions.
If Swiss want to discuss that with you be polite, but avoid it.
- Be prepared: Swiss people in restaurants, kiosks etc.
are generally very, very unfriendly.
Don't worry about it, they are unfriendly to the Swiss too. [Editor's note: in our experience the Swiss -- on the surface -- may seem to lack
warmth, but always have been helpful, if not in fact distantly friendly. Our own thought
is that, as a group, the Swiss are very 'private', stoic people, at least with strangers.
We've come to know some Swiss at least moderately well and find them little different from
friends at home, albeit a bit more reserved. Mr. Bollinger's comments should not be
equated to the reputation the French have, and at one time deserved, for being rude and
unhelpful toward Americans and other non-French speakers.]
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