Let's see...

Study the relevant public transportation lines: http://www.tpg.ch/fr/index.php

Get a monthly transportation pass at the TPG shop at the train station (Gare Cornavin) - Significant saving if you use public transport all month.

Make sure you know you pay all the bills at the post office (cash or special postal credit card only).

Go to a nice glocals event to meet fellow ex-pats :)

If you start a casual monthly "Understanding India" meeting with a 15 minute intro to any subject that makes Indians of your age happy or depressed, I would gladly come along and I'm sure others would.

No stuffy institutional waffle or clichés or superficial bad-news-only like in the press.

Maybe you could physically act out some roles to explain what it's like to live in India today - rich, poor, in-the-middle, north/south/west/east and places in between, what people wear, or what Sonia has for lunch, or how Bangalore geeks keep fit, or swamp fishermen handle pollution, or the symbols to watch for in Indian body-language, or how the political parties function in each state, or where to jog in Hyderabad, or how trendy youth buys fashion, and anything you would like to start in India that would have a good impact there. Then hook us up with a roving street-camera in India during the meeting, or ask somme students to do a podcast on something that you can comment on.

Just ideas. Get some of your new fellow students to help. Tell us why we should love India or worry about it. You'll soon have more friends than you can handle.

Cheers, Mike.

Thanks! I really appreciate the help.

I just completed my first week here myself. So, I can say all the recommendations above are completely spot-on. Although, I am yet to attend a glocal event yet. That shall soon change!

Further to that, make sure you get here with lots of passport sized photos (need one for every application, immigration forms, insurance papers etc.)and the right electrical connectors or suitable adaptors so you can plug your laptops, mobile phone chargers etc. into the swiss power supply points! Small thing, but I can assure you it is really annoying to not be able to use your laptop cos your charger doesn't fit!

Other than that, land with a big smile and hope you enjoy your stay here in Geneva! :)

1. Opening a bank account - UBS maybe also accepting a pre-application so you will be able to already receive your bank card upon arrival.

Post offices are also convenient according to some fellow expats. But please consider that if you want to transfer money from abroad to your Swiss bank acocunt that sometimes this can take ages!!

2. Make sure you have enough money on you as Switzerland is expensive.

3. Transport - if you stay in a hostel, they will provide you with a free transportation within Geneva so only go to TPG if you dont stay in a hotel/hostel to start with.

Main train station: Gare Cornavin this where also the TPG offices is (public transport for Geneva and around)

4. www.sbb.ch  the Swiss train lines 

you may also ask for a half fare card as it will give you 50% discount on train travel and also on public transport reductions all over Switzerland (does not apply for season tickets).

5. Check out the health insurance as you need to have one within 90 days of arrival 

Univ students normally have something special here but I am not a student so cannot help you with it.

6. Worldwide adaptors

You probably can pick up them at the aiport already upon your arrival (all newstands and the electronic store on the departure level has them).

7. And last but not least - dont sit at home during the evenings - go to glocals event as it will be easy to make at least temporary friends and you will not feel that much alone.

Welcome!

Réka