Precision, modesty and tediousness: 12 true facts about the mentality of the Swiss

Switzerland is a small country hidden in the heart of Europe, and the Swiss — modest hardworking, genuinely proud of their country. The website shares with the reader interesting facts about what kind of people — Swiss and what their national character is different from all the others.





1. Your train leaves in 20 minutes. To go to the station in 10 minutes. You: "it's Time to leave." Swiss: "What are you! To the station to actually go to the 9 minutes 30 seconds. To buy a ticket is 90 seconds. I want to buy a coffee on the way, is 1 minute 40 seconds. Then, we need to leave the house after 7 minutes, 20 seconds!"

At the bus/railway ostanovki. Bus / train is late. The Swiss, dissatisfied with the marking, grumbling and looking surprised. Delay time: 1 minute 40 seconds.

2. You write 10 friends invite to myself in a week. 9 right answer: they are all scheduled for 3 weeks in advance. But after 3 weeks you have free time (at all different — someone Tuesday from 20:00 to 22:10, which is Wednesday from 17:20 to 19:30, someone Saturday from 10:30 to 13:45). Are you waiting for the answer of the 10th friend who is an introvert, a nerd, and you are his only friend. After 5 minutes he said, "Thank you for the invitation, but I'm only 2 weeks from Friday after 17:15. Are you comfortable?"

3. American — neighbor on the train (Swiss): "Great view, isn't it?". Swiss looks and is silent. In his view, read "Why you talking to me?! We are strangers!".

A foreign student in Russia (the USA, Spain, etc.): "I have lived here for a year, and I already have three close friends, as well as dozens of friends and hundreds of acquaintances". A foreign student in Switzerland: "I Have one Swiss friend. We have been with him for two years every day visited the same classes and help each other study for exams each semester. Today for the first time he invited me to his house. He must have recognized me as a friend!"

4. "Do you speak English?" Swiss (embarrassed): "a Little bit". (Begins to speak in perfect English without any accent). "You were in Russia?" Swiss (very modestly): "a Little travelled" (Traveled from Murmansk to Vladivostok). "Can you draw?" — Swiss (lowering his eyes): "Not very good" (studied 3 years in art school).

If the Swiss want to buy a giant piece of the pie: "Give me, please, a little of this a little puddin'." If it's -10 degrees, Swiss says: "On the street a little bit cool."

BUT: "Switzerland is a good country?" Swiss: "Of Course. In Switzerland, the best political system, the beautiful nature, the most reasonable laws..." (continues in the same spirit another 20 minutes).

5. You get the vacuum cleaner to vacuum the apartment in your only free day — Sunday. Swiss with horror in her eyes: "What are you doing?! It's Sunday! At this time not to disturb anyone!!!".

You want to do the Laundry, but the washing machine your home the queue is full for the day ahead. There is one window in 30 minutes and you want to make at least a short 35-minute wash. Almost put my clothes in the machine, as there nearby is a Swiss lady. The old woman: "Now can not be washed, after 30 minutes, turn Frau Schwyz!" You: "But I will include short wash" the old Lady: "Your washing 35 minutes and 30 minutes. No, you so did not!".

The Swiss is having a party: it hangs in the entrance of the announcement for 2 weeks, which brings a lot of apologizing for the possible noise. And still turns off loud music at 22:00.

6. You've eaten yogurt and want to throw the Cup. Your Swiss friend is staring you in the Cup and on the face of his horror. "You haven't finished the yogurt! See how much is left on the walls! We in Switzerland they are the products!" (a loud knocking with a spoon on his Cup to scrape off).

You want to throw away the remnants of the cheap rice because it has expired shelf life. Swiss: "What are you doing? It is still in perfect condition, why waste the product?"

BUT IN the store you want to buy a great looking strawberries from Spain, which is 50% cheaper than the Swiss. Swiss: "you should Not buy strawberries from Spain. Swiss food is much better and more socially and environmentally responsible, and we need to support local production".

7. On the counter is the parsley at full price and 50% discount. Same brand, same weight. You: "Excuse me, Frau, why is this parsley 50%?" Mrs. long is staring at the parsley at a discount, and then her face enlightened and she shows you 3 slightly yellowed leaf in the depth of the beam.

You come to a bar, ask for a certain brand of beer. The bartender pours the beer from the tap, but it ends before mug filled to the edge. "Excuse me, but I can't sell you this beer. Drink this beer for free and let me know if you want to order other variety".

You buy frozen yogurt. The saleswoman takes the cone, brings it to his machine, but the machine is not much, although all the horn enough, the tip does not get a nice curl. "Excuse me, please. If you will wait until I fill the car again, I'll make a new one with the correct curl. Or I can sell you this ice cream without curl with a 90% discount."

8. A foreigner wants to impress his friends in Aarau and carefully teaches phrases in the Swiss dialect of the guide, which I bought in Zurich. A few days later he comes to a meeting and said, "Guätä morgä, wiä gaht's?" They skrivaut face. "Something wrong?" They are: "This is Zurich dialect, he is the most stupid!".

They taught you how to "properly". After a few days you meet friends in Zurich say. "Guete morge, wie goht's?" All around begin to laugh. "Haha, you speak aalaykum dialect, he's so funny!"

9. You want soup and you go to the store. Nowhere raw beets. You — to friends: "Help me where I can find the beets!" — The Swiss: "Why do you beet! Now is not the season of the beets. Now is the season for asparagus, cabbage and rhubarb!".

You: "something I wanted raclette". — The Swiss "Raclette? But it's summer! In the summer it is necessary to prepare the barbecue".

On Wednesday you go to the store and want to buy Swiss kerchief bread called "zopf". Swiss: "Why do you buy the Sak in the middle of the week? This Sunday's bread, it is eaten on Sunday for Breakfast!"

BUT dyed boiled eggs in Switzerland are sold year-round. At Easter they're called Easter, and the rest of the "eggs for a picnic" (even in December).

10. You half hour sitting in the Bank and make out the bill. After signing all the paperwork, you expect to get the card and the code on the card and Internet banking. Swiss: "I'm Sorry, but I can't give you code and map. Code and map you will receive by mail". You: "is this safe?" Swiss: "Yes, of course. The card will come in the same email. Then the code on the card in a different letter at a different time of day. And the code from Internet banking to the third letter in the other day." You: ... .

You want to enroll in a German course. On the club's website you long advise on prices and conditions, patiently answering all questions. You: "I understand, paid, now tell me — when do I come?" — The Swiss: "the information about the date of entrance test, the start of the course and the number of the audience — all this comes to you in the mail." — "E-mail?" "No, by regular mail."

11. You: "Tell me, what in Switzerland taxes if my income is 5,000 francs a month?" — The Swiss: "it Depends on the Canton." You: "Where in Switzerland are permitted to pitch a tent in nature?" — Swiss: "it Depends on the Canton".

Swiss anecdote. English boy, a Norwegian boy, a French girl and a Swiss girl and discuss where there are kids. "Babies brings the stork" says the English boy. "No, the kids find the Christmas tree," says the Norwegian boy. "In France, kids can be found in cabbage, — said the French girl. — What about Switzerland?" "It depends from Canton to Canton" — meets a Swiss girl.

12. When the Swiss comes into the train, he asks: "if Not occupied a place near you?", before you sit down next to someone or in front of someone (even if it is obvious that the person sitting one). In the countryside people greet each other on the street, even if you are not familiar with. If you sneeze on a deserted street or in a store, a stranger nearby will tell you "bless you."

via www.spletnik.ru/blogs/pro_zvezd/137666_o-shveytcarskom-mentalitete

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