Lynds... its normal after the initial period. Youre getting the "end of summer blues" that we all experience here (every year). Wait for the excitement of skiing, fondues and bbqs in the snow... Autumn parties and Christmas parties... its just a lull before the next storm.

Better to be "over whelmed" by Geneva rather than "under whelmed".

ps expectîng your call re Juno...

No its not just you, It happens to me quite often even now having been in Switzerland for just over 2 years.

I am back job hunting again and going through all the over complicated swiss systems with, RAV and arbeitslossekasse and sometimes just get the urge to say F..K it and jump on a plane back.

Just remember why you came here in the first place and keep going forward, wax your snowboard (or skies) ready for the season and enjoy the good things Switerland has to offer....... remembering every country has its issues and its what you make of your circumstances.

Keep your chin up !

Completely normal, natural, even rational reaction...

Fear is healthy, you take stock of what has happened often in a retrospective fashion -  it can be daunting when you realise your potential and what you can become but never be afraid to live

You are made for this city and this city will look out for you

Look forward Lyndsey as there is so much to look forward to

Totally agree with Ian on this one ! 

So look forward move forward, and looking forward to read your next post that better be from the UN office where you'll be soon ;) 

Take care and lighten up ! 

x

I came here with two suitcases after being hired by a Swiss company with no idea whether it would be long term or not. The company put me up in a hotel for a week during which time I had to find a flat.  They commandeered one of the secretaries to help and within a week i had a flat.  Sixteen years and three jobs later, I am here with wife. Three years ago our daughter jacked in her job in London and came here for a lower salary but a better life style.  However, from a job point of view i have always regarded Geneva as being less dynamic than the City of London.  More an old guys place and had I moved here in my thirties, I doubt I would have stayed.  At the end of this month, thanks to the company being wound up, I am in the fortunate? position of being unemployed but with a guaranteed unemployemnt benefit until retirement age in two years time - not that i intend to remain unemployed but this is a better situation than in UK.  I am however talking as an old man and not as dynamic 30 ish person.   I was also lucky enough to develop a social life which is part expat and part Swiss which are almost totally separate and I think that helped a lot as I found it depressing to be only in the expat community where there are so many people who are short term.  So I am here until retirement and probably afterwards.  But who knows - I still live day to day.   If you feel professionally unfulfilled be pepared to move on but do not move on unless you are sure you have a good alternative as thwe quality of life here is good.   

Totally normal to have the "fear" Lyndsey! I arrived after 3 interviews for my job in Birmingham, London and Paris then arrived for the final one the night before in Geneva - this being my first visit to Geneva. I accepted the job on the basis of a sunday eve wandering round a dead old town!

Still 4 yrs on there will always be ups and downs, not to mention the post summer pre winter lull which is unavoidable - but the quality of life is undeniable.

Having said that I still expect to be asked to leave due to some crazy Swiss red tape - am still here and intend to be for a while yet!

I hope the "signs" you refer to in the past days are just due to the initial "OMG I am here now and its not just a holiday" phase.

Enjoy the time you are here - and not wanting to sound all Alco Anon on you (which would be rich from me!!) take each day as it comes!

I have been here for 3 weeks and panic doesnt even begin to describe the feeling! Its like you realise uve messed up and wish u can flick a switch so it never happened! people keep telling me to take everyday as it comes - which i do- i try to embrace it but guess what it still doesnt work. normally and overly optimistic person but v worried that this place has beaten me! 

please someone tell me its going to get better

It's interesting reading this.  I had my nervous breakdown on day three.  Life got better and better each day after that.  I'm doing fine now and I like it here.

I do have a theory that a lot of expatriations fail because the person couldn't get their love-life sorted in the foreign country.  I'll save that discussion for another day.

Amrita, Lyndsey, it will get better, a lot better! I agree with all the commentators here above, do consider the really good points they made.

I came here, like Paul, with my life in suitcases and hotels. Left a really good job, a great band, my best friends and my most beloved family, for something that, although looking unbelievable on paper, I had no idea about really what I was getting myself into. Had my share of moments thinking about the next plane back to my previously well established and cosy life.

But, these moments we also get elsewhere I believe, and any new place we would move to. Here, perhaps, we associate them more with Switzerland per se (as no other country in the world markets itself as much as this one). Brainwashed, Swiss made. 

If you take a broader perspecive though, the downsides are really minimal to the fantastic quality of life this place has to offer! It really pays hanging in there, these before-mentioned moments get fewer and shorter. You get to discover amazing things, amazing places and get to know amazing people!!  You will reach fantastic heights, like the Mont Blanc! I got a slight post summer blues the other day and that night I dreamt I was skiing. Now I can't wait for the winter to arrive!!  

Hang in there gals, your life will become awesome!!  ;-)

Lyndsay

This is common problem amongst the ex-pat community. 

You are probably going through a phase questioning the reasons why you are here.

The key is to integrate into the community - meeting lots of people and   taking part in activities - you seem to have understood this already judging by the number of posts you have made/activities attended.

Just hang in for a while – it will pass!!

I hated my first month here and questioned on an almost daily basis the decision we made coming here.

I had given up my business/job, friends, family, home and moved to a country where I found myself unable to communicate with the locals and easily deal with things like sorting out permits, insurance, vets etc.

On top of that Geneva was ridiculously hot, our temporary apartment was noisy and unpleasant in the heat and I felt isolated.

We went back to the UK for a week after our first month here to pick up the dog. As soon as we got off the Euro Tunnel in Folkestone it started raining and the M25 was closed due to a fuel spillage. What should have been a simple 2 hour journey took over 4 hours!

I loved seeing friends again but I noticed immediately how much more aggressive, busy, over populated the UK was. Not to mention the weather!

A week back in the UK was all I needed to convince me that whilst Geneva is far from perfect the lifestyle on offer over here is so much better than the UK.

We moved into our apartment when we arrived back, our stuff has arrived, my French courses are about to start my partner is happier at work here and after less than 2 months of being out of the UK I am now beginning to wonder if I will ever be able to cope with moving back.

It will get better and probably without you even noticing your life here will start to feel completely normal. 

Thank you everyone,

lots of positives and it means a lot you took the time to post

x

Switzerland is an acquired taste.. but once you have it, it's hard to shake!