Living in Switzerland (I): "Strayed" into Switzerland
This article is machine-translated by Google.
September 2014, I came to work in Zurich, Switzerland, has been moved to New York last month to leave far, I spent about a year in Switzerland and a half. During this time, I have experienced in the world's most developed countries called life, and took the opportunity to travel almost all European countries , leaving a lifetime experience.
Origin Switzerland
Speaking is how I came to Switzerland, dates back to the summer of 2013 I was in London Facebook internship experience . That was my first trip to Europe, before going to the UK, I would like to do themselves a Schengen visa, bought a train ticket, two weeks went to Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Italy and a number of cities . Have to say, Europe is a great place for young people backpacking, dense urban, cultural diversity, young people and friendly, almost all places are reachable by public transport. I ran into an interesting people from all over the world, it can be said to make my first eye-opener.
Back home in the UK after the internship, I participated in some of the interviews, most eventually I found my heart post is a software engineer at Google Zurich. In fact, I so choose an important reason is the US H-1B visa lottery needs, but also with an undergraduate degree smoke probability is less than one-third, not to mention the material submitted in April, when I did not graduate. Tsinghua University, more stringent provisions, unlike a university in southwest of Shanghai or Beijing University students to open the back door, like hair, "pre-graduation proof," so I simply do not a lottery. In addition to Zurich, I actually have a chance in London, but Britain is not taking into account the Schengen area, but "lonely overseas," as good as "crossroads of Europe" Switzerland, abandoned this option, later proved my choice is correct.
Into the most difficult countries in the world
In fact, I applied for a visa to work in Switzerland flow smoothly, from start to finish and did not take long, so let me have a go good impression of Switzerland. But a few months later, I saw a press report saying that Switzerland has tightened immigration policies on EU citizens, and even lead to tensions between Switzerland and the EU. So I went to Switzerland a few months, the Swiss work permits for non-EU citizens also tightened, require the applicant to have at least three years of professional work experience recognized, which is equivalent to blocked I traveled this road. I was fortunate indeed to go to the last batch of graduates to work in Switzerland. So I went to Switzerland, I told one of my German friends at Tsinghua know, he is a man of Munich. He knew I was in Zurich after the Google work, I suddenly shouted completed two "difficult", the world's most difficult to go to the company "Google", into the most difficult countries in the world into a "Switzerland."
Sleepwalk came to Switzerland, only to find the place thought to be more powerful than me. Switzerland is not a European Union (EU) members, not the European Economic Area (EEA) member until before 2008 are not Schengen area, even in 2002 before joining the United Nations. Switzerland joined the Schengen area and the United Nations are in a referendum by a small majority, and Switzerland are still controversial, political parties have been actively seeking to exit the Schengen area and the United Nations. Switzerland is simply a model of isolationism, comparable to a pre-war United States. Switzerland is known as "permanently neutral" In World War II across Europe have been destroyed Background survived, and now there is universal military service system, all 20 to 42-year-old man should serve, first serve 15 weeks thereafter until 42 years every two years to participate in a 20-day refresher training. Since Switzerland insists isolated, Switzerland influx of refugees in the European crisis spared, because it is not the EU, there is no obligation to accept refugees, plus the Middle East would have less immigration, and relatively low welfare, refugees are not willing to come.
Absolutely neutral
About Switzerland's "absolute neutrality", many historians and even Swiss nationals are skeptical. Switzerland during World War II and post-war propaganda has been precisely because of the neutrality of Switzerland, makes Switzerland from war attacks. Switzerland, however, in fact its military strength, and can not guarantee that it is not easily captured by the Nazis, Hitler, in fact, already formulated a good week to win the Swiss battle plan. Switzerland from the real reason for the war, in fact, is to provide financial support for the Nazis, the Allies break the economic blockade, from this point of view, Switzerland should be the burden of the crimes of Nazi Germany the necessary responsibility.
Switzerland is not a closed-door policy it? Yes, no. From the perspective of immigrants, the Swiss really seclusion, because it has a frighteningly high migration threshold, permanent residency or citizenship in Switzerland want to get very difficult. In addition to requiring lived in Switzerland for 12 years (much longer than in other European countries), as well as demanding integration requirements, such as residential communities "referendum" to determine whether you have "integrated into Swiss life."
But from an economic point of view, the openness of Switzerland in the forefront of the West, especially welcome foreigners to invest (hiding assets). Swiss export products to all over the world, and the world is one of very few countries can achieve a trade surplus of China.
Swiss attitude towards immigrants, in general, is not welcome emotionally, but intellectually acceptable. Switzerland is a direct democracy country, countries, large and small things have a referendum, so almost every Swiss has a pretty good political literacy. Why intellectually accept the foreigners, because the Swiss clearly, Swiss industry dependent on foreign labor and investment, especially professionals. As one of only a few million people a small country, Switzerland, is how strong enough to support so many high-tech industries, including manufacturing, financial services and information technology industry, relying on nothing more than talent around the world. If Switzerland does not have much ability to attract foreign talent, then it can not be so prosperous industry. And emotionally, Swiss and foreigners have considerable gap, even if it is the Swiss German-speaking Switzerland, German and also has a very big difference. Swiss Italian region of Italy is not a little goodwill. And small countries around the world, like the neighboring country of Switzerland has always had a sense of fear, and carefully balance the relations among States in order to ensure their own interests. Almost all Swiss believe in "Switzerland Swiss Swiss" idea that foreigners in Switzerland should have been treated as second-class human beings. This mentality a bit like the attitude of locals to foreigners in Dubai, Hong Kong people on the mainland Chinese people.
Demographic Switzerland has a very interesting phenomenon in Switzerland, 800 million people, about 200 million are foreigners , representing a quarter of the total population. This phenomenon explains the one hand, the Swiss economy is strong, very attractive to foreigners, on the other hand describes a foreigner to join Swiss citizenship, so that after a lifetime of work or foreigners. With other European countries, Swiss immigrants, mainly from other European countries, such as Italy accounted for 15.3% of immigrants, followed by Germany, 14.9%, 13.1% Portuguese. While immigrants from other European countries from the third world countries are poorer. In addition to the difficulties of naturalization, there is a reason many foreigners in Switzerland Swiss citizenship unattractive for EU citizens, because the EU passport has been good enough . However, considering the recent German began to follow the United States for all citizens worldwide income tax, if implemented, it will give many EU citizens in Switzerland to join the dynamic Swiss nationality.
Swiss and foreigners in Switzerland Swiss
I've Switzerland first day, did not intend to forever live in Switzerland down, my colleagues in many other countries have similar ideas. Switzerland is good, but not for everyone. Since the Swiss Jungfrau, Lucerne and other attractions Chinese tourists have been occupied, so I will be strange looks as Swiss Chinese tourists. When I told when I was working in Zurich, the Swiss first reaction is: "Oh, when you walked to work?" Is really dumbfounding answer, but this is, after all, Swiss, Switzerland.
Although polite, no matter what you look like Swiss, greet the first sentence always use Swiss German saying, if you find you do not understand, say German standard, if still do not understand, only to switch to English. One of my German colleague complained to me too, even though it does not have any language barriers, but because it is not Swiss-German accent, or hard to make friends in Switzerland. He several years in Zurich, acquaintances also were German immigrants to Switzerland. Zurich, a foreigner more than local nationals, or society as a whole is divided into Swiss and foreigners, both difficult to communicate.
Swiss nationals on preferential treatment (discrimination against foreigners) everywhere, and the United States as being "politically incorrect" concept does not exist. Take my personal experience, in Zurich rent is simply a tragic history. From the first day I started to Switzerland four showings, see the basic right to apply for the first time, applied for almost forty to fifty apartments, all the results were rejected. Rent in Switzerland, you need to apply, after initial screening agency, landlord to interview applicants who passed the interview only, in order to sign a lease. I sent forty or fifty applications to give reply to a dozen, only three were invited to an interview, and then refused all interviews. In contrast, my Swiss colleague rent only apply for one, and then passed the interview. For me, the absolute rent in Zurich harder than finding a job many times. From an economic point of view, this shortage situation in a free market should not exist. Yes, renting one of the Swiss government's strict control of a handful of industries, there is a system of price controls and complex protection of tenants. Since the landlord can not be any price increases, leading to excessive number of applicants, the landlord had by other conditions, such as personal likes and dislikes to screen tenants. In my opinion this is very unfair, only the market can guarantee to any person regardless of any condition (except how much money) equally. In the Swiss view, if entirely rely on the market, then Switzerland will become the world's richest real estate investment toy, Switzerland on their poor are homeless. Compared voting Swiss homeless, it is better to let the homeless foreigners.