In November of 2023 my wife and I visited Europe for the first time. Our destination was Geneva, Switzerland. While we visited other countries while we were there, Geneva was the primary location of interest.
We had an overnight flight out of Washington, D.C. and arrived in Geneva early the next morning. Immediately upon landing I noticed that the weather was what I would call “typical” for Europe. Very cloudy, cold, foggy, and sort of dreary. It was great. We made our way to our apartment and starting walking the streets. The traffic was heavy and people were everywhere. The people were different than what we were used to seeing. When we see people in America everyday, Europeans appear “different”. Swiss people were all dressed very classy. Higher-class branded clothing, iconic jewelry and watches, handbags, and more. The majority of them were smoking cigarettes. It was very European.
Everyone we met and talked to spoke French as their first language. However, when speaking to them in English, they all could communicate back. In our week-long stay in Geneva, we didn’t meet a single person that did not speak English. They all did, and spoke it well. The people were so happy, friendly, and genuinely seemed intrigued in conversation with us. They were not the type of people to start the conversation, yet didn’t shrug us off or turn away when we spoke to them. Very friendly people.
After a few days eating at the local restaurants one thing became clear. Swiss people are more relaxed. This lifestyle is normal for them but for us Americans, it seems super relaxed compared to the hustle and bustle we live in the States. Americans’ priority in life seems to be work. A career. Making money, hustling, and frankly…stressing. It wasn’t like that in Switzerland. Swiss people’s priority was simply living a good life. They focus on having good friends and family, eating good food, and doing things they truly enjoy. For goodness sake, they take 3 hour lunch breaks there! I noticed that many of the European cities will literally shutdown during lunchtime so that businesses and their employees can go enjoy lunch with those they love.
I also noticed that nothing opens early in the morning, and everything shuts down early in the evening. There aren’t many places open from 5am to 11pm live in the U.S. Again, the focus isn’t work…it’s life. While it may have been little inconvenient for me as a hungry American at 6am, it was good for them and their quality of life.
Geneva is a super expensive place. I knew this before traveling there but didn’t realize quite how expensive things would be. Everything from gifts and luxury watches, to simply food or drink items. It all cost way more than what I was used to in North Carolina. Cost of living is higher in Switzerland, perhaps one of the highest in the world. Minimum wages are higher, entry-level jobs pay more than normal, and living expenses are increased.
So you may ask, “why” would I move to Geneva Switzerland? There a few top reasons.
People Are Happy
The people were genuine happy and simply just trying to live their best life. They were friendly and smiled when talking. They weren’t going to initiate a conversation with us, but were happy to talk when we spoke to them.
Geneva Is Super Clean
There wasn’t a lot of homelessness, trash in the streets, odd smells, or anything that would give the perception of anything but “clean”.
The City Is Very Classy
Everyone has charm, both appearance and personality. Very few people were dressed in bluejeans and a t shirt. Many of them were dressed in what the average American would consider “Sunday best”. High-end clothing brands, luxury watches, tidied haircuts, etc.
Things To Do
While stuff does cost money, there’s lots to do. The train can take you almost anywhere you want to go if you want to get out of the city. Even in the city though, there’s tons of shopping, food, and drink options. The Swiss Alps are prevalent all around you. Lake Geneva is massive and offers an interesting walk, picture opportunities, and relaxation. Lake Geneva is one of the cleanest bodies of water in the world.
I haven’t been to many countries yet, but of those that I have visited, Switzerland is at the top of my favorite list; specifically, Geneva.
