Hello all!
I'll be moving from the UK to Geneva toward the end of January to start a new job at the beginning of February. I thought I'd post on here to see if anyone who has had a similar experience ha any advice.
I'm rather daunted with the prospect of moving to an entirely new country where I do not know anybody and do not speak the language. Small things like going to the dentist, getting a haircut or going grocery shopping now seem like herculean tasks as I'm faced with a language barrier and no familiarity with the city.
As such, I have a list of things I need advice on:
- Learning French - are there any courses/clubs that are run for English speakers you would recommend?
- Grocery shopping - best places to buy food, are there stores to avoid for being too expensive?
- Dentist/doctor - How would I go about booking appointments and conversing with doctors or dentists when I do not speak French? Is there a translation service? Are there English-speaking facilities?
- Hairdressers/salons - Any recommendations for salons that have English-speaking stylists would be appreciated.
- Bank account / money transfer - Any banks you would recommend? How to transfer my UK funds with me to Geneva with minimal bank charges for doing so. Again, experiences with setting up bank accounts when you don't speak French would be helpful!
- Renter's insurance? - I've seen a few posts about needing renter's insurance in Geneva. I already have an apartment lined up, but believe the insurance is someting you sort out yourself. Are there any companies you would recommend?
My first priority is obviously to learn as much French as I can to get by, but in the meantime I'm stumped as how to go about some basic day to day things! Any advice or tips you could provide would be much appreciated!
Best, J.
