Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland

Jo Fahy, Simon Zryd

An English Podcast about Switzerland for Expats living in Switzerland.
A podcast about Swiss culture, Swiss hidden places, work and living in Switzerland.
Your British guide to Switzerland: an audio podcast for English-speaking expats living in Switzerland and Swiss interested in Britain. Everything expats need to know about finding a job in Switzerland, how to find an apartment in Bern, Geneva or Zurich, how to find friends and get to know Swiss culture, traditions and of course, how to learn the language. We will answer your questions and give you a personal insight into what moving from London to Bern is like. This is not just a view from the outside looking in however, we will also bring you the Swiss perspective, from a "real" Swiss, born and bred in the Bernese Oberland.
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Top 10 Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

The Swiss and Chips guide to dating in Switzerland

Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland

08/20/19 • 17 min

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Is dating in Switzerland any different to anywhere else in the world? The Swiss have a reputation for being difficult to get know, so in this episode, we talk about expectations, stereotypes and traditions when it comes to attempting to get romantically involved with a Swiss.

How to date in Switzerland: Show notes

How to make friends in Switzerland.
Where to look?
How to ask?
What to do on a first date?
Special things to think about?

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What noise does an animal make in Swiss German?

Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland

12/07/23 • 19 min

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Discovering animal sounds in Swiss German: A fun exploration at the Dählhölzli Petting Zoo

Come with us on a stroll through the famous Dählhölzli petting zoo in Bern where we talk about the different animal noises in English and Swiss German.

A special welcome and thanks to all our super early subscribers: Samir, Julian, Nuclei, Alicia, Nicholas, Joee and many more - we really appreciate the early support!

And Krissy! She was the first to comment in the subscriber chat about what advice she’d give anyone planning to move to Switzerland.

Notes on this episode of Swiss and Chips: Your British Guide to Switzerland

Why ducks say "quack-quack" in English but "ga-ga" in Japanese. By Quick and dirty tipps
Bee, bird, cockerel, owl, horse, frog, sheep, cuckoo, dog
John’s explanation of what a Bünzli is

Learning Swiss German

Liiri, Liiri-Bänz, Gritti-Bänz

Becoming Swiss, part two: 'Getting the Right Information'

Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland

03/12/19 • 15 min

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Applying to become Swiss is a long process and requires lots of forms, documents and appointments. If you've lived in Switzerland long enough to think about applying, this probably won't come as a surprise! In the city of Bern, an information evening is offered to people who want to apply. We went along to clear up some questions I had about the process, and to find out as much information as possible.

Notes on this episode of Swiss and Chips: Your British Guide to Switzerland

What the evening was like: who was there, what language did they speak, how long did it last
New information we found out: applications to start the process can only be submitted from the day you have been in Switzerland for ten years, citizenship in Switzerland is threefold (local community, canton and federal level)
What you can do in advance of the ten year mark: learn or improve your German and take a recognised language test (A2 written, B1 spoken is required), fulfil residency requirements (check with your local community and canton, and check years in advance. In Bern you need to have lived three of the last five years in the place where you are applying, and the last two years before you apply in the same local community, "Gemeinde" of Bern), get a C permit, and if you previously lived in a different canton you need to apply for the document to confirm when you lived there
Costs vary, but it looks like it will cost approximately CHF3000 and take roughly 2.5 years

How to find an apartment in Switzerland as an expat

Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland

09/11/18 • 35 min

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It's not easy to find the perfect place to live and it's even more difficult if you move to a different country. In this episode we answer the all-important questions for English speakers moving to Switzerland, who are looking for the perfect apartment. Should you rent or buy? How much will it cost? Where to find an apartment in Switzerland as an expat, and which documents will you need before you can secure a lease on a new place. After this episode you'll know where and how to start looking and be prepared for when you find the place you could start to call home, whether it's in Geneva, Zurich or Bern - or somewhere in between.

Notes on this episode of Your British Guide to Switzerland: How to find an apartment as an expat

This is where it all began for this episode: in our Facebook group, Kate from Moscow asked: "How to find an apartment to rent in Switzerland?"

General things to know about finding a place to live in Switzerland, should you rent or buy, is it difficult to find a place, what possibilities you have as an expat when you move to Switzerland and what are the prices you can expect?

How do you find the perfect area to move to?

A flat-share is called a WG in German, short for Wohngemeinschaft
For a bit of fun and to get the feel of a place, check out this hipster map

An utterly delightful royal wedding special

Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland

05/22/18 • 13 min

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What drives someone who's not particularly interested in the monarchy to watch a full royal wedding? We found out this weekend as we switched our TV over to the BBC and soaked up the atmosphere in Windsor for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding, all from the safety of a Swiss chalet in the Bernese Alps.

Notes on this episode of your 'British guide to Switzerland' podcast

Who pays for a royal wedding? BBC's 'Reality Check' does a nice job of trying to break down the figures, albeit it without too much information at their disposal.

And while we're on the topic... how does the Queen afford all those new dresses?

Not everybody loves the Royal Family, and not everybody wanted to watch the wedding. Campaign group Republic launched a petition in advance of the big day to try and stop taxpayers' money being spent on the event. It had 32,000 signatures.

And something we didn't hear mentioned during the festivities, but which was covered in the UK press beforehand, was how the homeless were having their property, including sleeping bags, put into storage before the wedding, while royalists camped out on the streets overnight to secure a spot to watch the day's events.

Full steam ahead! Buying Swiss train tickets

Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland

05/08/18 • 17 min

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There a number of different types of tickets and railcards you can buy to travel around Switzerland whether you have just moved here, or you're only visiting. We run through the discounts available, where and how to buy tickets and how much you can expect it all to set you back.

The 'GA' - an annual pass for whole country: worth it if you‘re commuting or travelling a lot. CHF3860 per year / CHF340 in monthly installments.
The 'Halb Tax' - the half-fare card: enables you to buy tickets for half price. A one-off payment of CHF185 / CHF165 if you automatically renew.
You can buy weekly and monthly passes for specific routes, prices vary.
The Swiss Federal Railways, SBB, has an app where you can buy all train tickets. Also available in English.
Local transport companies have their own apps where you can find more options than in the SBB app for cheaper tickets for a specific route.
There are ticket machines at railway stations and most bus or tram stops.
Travel at a specific date and time and book in advance: you can get a cheaper 'saver' ticket for the train. Otherwise, the train ticket costs the same all the time, whether you buy your ticket weeks in advance or five minutes before you leave.
For visitors to Switzerland, it can be good value for money to buy an Interrail pass: CHF326 for 3 days travel in Switzerland within one month.
There are also a few varieties of the Swiss Travel Pass which although slightly cheaper, has to be used on consecutive days. Costs CHF225 for 3 days, for example. Includes free entry to many museums.
All of the above prices are second class.

Ten Swiss German phrases you need to know

Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland

07/17/18 • 19 min

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There are many word or phrases in Swiss German that expats in Switzerland or tourists in the country will start to hear. The dialect varies from place to place in German-speaking Switzerland - so prepare to be surprised!
There also aren't as many grammatical rules as there are in high German, which sounds great in theory, but makes learning Swiss German quite difficult for expats in Switzerland.
But don't let this discourage you if you're thinking of moving here or coming to work here as an expat. You can move to Switzerland without knowing any Swiss German or even German at all and will still be able to communicate, get around without any huge problems, enjoy the Swiss lifestyle or simply start your new life abroad.

To give you a glimpse into Swiss culture, here are a few words and phrases that you will soon hear as an expat in Switzerland or while here on holiday. We talk about where you will hear them and what they mean.

We hope you enjoy the show! If you want to hear more or have any comments, let us know on our website or join the discussion in our Facebook Group ‘Switzerland for English speakers‘.

The Swiss German phrases we talk about in this episode of Your British Guide to Switzerland:

Grüessäch, tschou
- Adjeu, tschüss, uf Widerluegä
- Merci vielmal
- Exgüsee
- Heiter z Zedeli wöuä / Seckli wöuä?
- Gäbig
- Velo
- Z‘nüüni and z‘vieri
- Koleeg or Koleegin
- Stangä

How to hike to the top of a Swiss mountain

Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland

10/08/19 • 19 min

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Hiking in Switzerland is a favourite national pastime, especially in autumn, which means there are plenty of maps, online resources, and books to help you find the perfect hike! To get you into the mood, we'll tell you what you have to watch out for and give you all sorts of other tips, including a short excursion we made recently up a mountain and tell you what secrets are waiting for you at the top.

Notes on this episode of Swiss and Chips, Your British Guide to Switzerland: How to prepare for a mountain trail

What is the difference between: Hiking trail, mountain trail, alpine trail.
Myswitzerland map
Admin map
Wanderland map
Weather
What do the different signs mean?
Our trip to the Bunderspitz

Becoming Swiss, part four: The Swiss citizenship test

Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland

10/27/20 • 19 min

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We're still here and still making podcasts: not as often as we'd like, but there's a good reason for that, which we'll explain in this week's episode. But the main topic in this episode is the Swiss citizenship test.

Did you know we have a Facebook group? Switzerland for English Speakers is a great place to ask questions and share experiences. Take a look!

Notes on this episode of Swiss and Chips: Your British Guide to Switzerland

Why is an exam part of becoming Swiss?
How do you prepare for the test?
What's it like to take the test: atmosphere on the day, set up in the room, what kind of questions will you face?
Book recommendation: 'Der kleine Schweizermacher'.

'Fête des Vignerons': make merry at the Swiss winemakers' festival

Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland

04/22/19 • 15 min

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If you’ve looked at any Swiss newspapers or programmes in the past few months you’ll have heard about the ‘Fête des Vignerons’. It’s a once-in-a-generation event that sounds like it's not to be missed. So what’s all the fuss about, and will there be wine?

Notes on this episode

We try to answer the most important questions before it begins.

What is the 'Fête des Vignerons'?

The festival is a massive production that takes place in a huge arena in Vevey, French-speaking Switzerland. There is space for 20,000 spectators for every performance. The show itself is a celebration of the winemaking tradition that exists in this part of Switzerland. There is also a festival village with lots of entertainment and music being put on over different stages.

The history of the 'Fête des Vignerons'

It has a long history, estimated to have begun in the 1700s. Back then, the winemakers’ association which represented landowners, awarded winemakers in the region for their work and gave prizes to encourage the perfection of the art of growing the grapes. There was a parade and eventually in 1797 a stage was erected so more people could see the prize giving. At this point the event started to look more like it does today. The last edition was in 1999.

What’s so special about it?

It’s the first living Swiss tradition that’s recognised by UNESCO for its ‘intangible cultural heritage’. It can take place a maximum of five times every hundred years.

What happens in the show?

It’s all about a year in the life of a vineyard, it starts and finishes with the harvest. At the centre of the event is the crowning of winegrowers, who did particularly excellent work. This takes place on July 18. In the show, which is on until August 11, there are 5,500 actors involved, who come from the local region. The costumes are elaborate, handmade, fantastical pieces. There is a gigantic choir, an orchestra, a brass band, a jazz band and more. There are giant video and LED projections.

Where can I get tickets?

Here. They cost from CHF39-359.

Anything else you need to know?

The director of the the 'Fête des Vignerons' is Daniele Finzi Pasca, from Lugano. He created the closing ceremonies for the Olympic Games in Turin in 2006 and Sochi in 2014, and has worked for the Cirque du Soleil.

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FAQ

How many episodes does Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland have?

Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland currently has 80 episodes available.

What topics does Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland cover?

The podcast is about Expat, Places & Travel, Society & Culture and Podcasts.

What is the most popular episode on Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland?

The episode title 'Walk with us along Bern's Aare river' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland?

The average episode length on Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland is 18 minutes.

How often are episodes of Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland released?

Episodes of Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland are typically released every 14 days, 1 hour.

When was the first episode of Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland?

The first episode of Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland was released on Feb 20, 2018.

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Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland

Jo Fahy, Simon Zryd

Top 10 Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland Episodes

Notes on this episode of Swiss and Chips: Your British Guide to Switzerland

Notes on this episode of your 'British guide to Switzerland' podcast

Notes on this episode of Swiss and Chips, Your British Guide to Switzerland: How to prepare for a mountain trail

Notes on this episode of Swiss and Chips: Your British Guide to Switzerland

FAQ

How many episodes does Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland have?

What topics does Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland cover?

What is the most popular episode on Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland?

What is the average episode length on Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland?

How often are episodes of Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland released?

When was the first episode of Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland?

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