I relocated from New York City to Switzerland in 2020.
There were many surprises during my time overseas, from the clean public transportation to the cheap pizza.
The city seemed to operate at a slower pace than New York.
I moved to Switzerland in 2020.
The quality of life, low crime, and work-life balance my partner raves about after accepting a job offer in Switzerland had a positive impact on his mental health.
I packed three months worth of clothes so I could join him in Switzerland.
The things that surprised me the most were listed.
New York City is fast paced and people are rushing to their next destination.
It's easy to say that all New Yorkers are rude. You would probably hustle if you had to pay rent.
I was surprised by how friendly the people I met were. They took some time to get used to the slower pace.
The barista seemed to be interested in how I was doing and not in a rush. He gave me my drink as I asked.
A man was sitting at my table while I was gone. He apologized, cleaned off the crumbs from his coffee cake, and moved to another location.
I was confused by our exchange. I would have been more comfortable with the middle finger.
I was both amazed and impressed by the kindness of strangers.
I am always on edge about my safety.
I'm always aware of what I'm wearing, how late I'm in the city, and how to avoid offensive catcalls in New York.
Being a woman in Switzerland wasn't the same as being a man. I didn't want to look over my shoulder for signs of danger.
The sun was setting when I had coffee with my friend. On our way home, we walked along the river. My girlfriends in New York always text me when they get home.
"This is Switzerland, girl," she said. We don't pay attention to that.
According to research by Georgetown University's Institute for Women, Peace and Security, women in Switzerland feel safer walking at night than women in the US.
81.9% of women over 15 years old reported feeling safe walking alone at night in Switzerland compared to 70.6% of women in the US, according to a survey.
I have never had a problem getting around the city. The city has a lot of buses, taxis, and trains that get me where I need to go.
I worry about tackling a new system of public transportation when I travel outside of NYC. I was pleasantly surprised by Switzerland exceeding my expectations.
Most people in the city got around by bikes or trains. I was able to get anywhere I wanted to go with little to no hassle because the trains and buses were always on time.
Switzerland's public transit was clean in comparison to New York's.
Many people on the New York City subway look at their phones or read a book.
People weren't on their phones as much when I was in Switzerland. They were talking to each other and enjoying the view from the window.
People were so present that it was refreshing to see them.
I almost pulled out my phone when I became more immersed in Swiss culture. Several people are staring when I stop to take a picture.
I was just a tourist who was addicted to his phone.
When I was in the US, the topic of race came up more often in conversations with my friends than it did in Switzerland.
It was normal for me to talk about my experiences with racism with my friends in the US.
When I had an experience with a police officer who I believe profiled me, I realized the difference in my Swiss friends' reaction to the topic.
A policeman stopped me from leaving a crowd at the train station when I returned to Switzerland. He wanted to know where I came from and why I was in Switzerland. I told him that I was from France and that I was with my partner. The policeman asked my partner if he knew me, and he replied that he did.
There was only one person of color in the crowd.
One of my Swiss friends told me that maybe he was just doing his job.
I wasn't happy that this was the reaction from more than one of my friends.
These moments made me miss my friends in America, who I am sure would've listened, comforted, andValidated my experience without making me feel like I had to explain the events multiple times.
Racist issues need to be addressed in Swiss society, even though the topic didn't come up in my conversations.
According to the Federal Statistical Office, the number of racist incidents reported by the Swiss Federal Commission Against Racism went up by 30% from the year before to the year after.
New York is home to a lot of different cultures. In Chinatown, Dominican cuisine in the Heights, and soul food in Brooklyn, I have found affordable and mouth-watering food.
I knew I was spoiled by New York's food, but I was disappointed to find that traditional Swiss food was more expensive than I thought.
The national dish of Switzerland is a potato and sausage-laden plate called rsti.
It cost us an arm and a leg because of my rsti. I wanted to go with the fondue, but I didn't.
There were many different food options in Switzerland.
Thai food, Italian pizza, Mexican food, and ramen were all delicious. A slice of pizza at all of these places cost me around fifteen dollars.
Food prices in Switzerland were high.
Switzerland has the highest prices for food and beverages, as well as the most expensive restaurants and hotels, according to a Eurostat-OECD survey.
The city of Basel has a population of 200,000 and is located on the borders of Germany and France.
I heard a lot of German, French, and English while I was there.
Ticino borders Italy in southern Switzerland. The area has a heavy Italian influence because it is close to places like Milan.
I felt closer to New York City because of the variety of languages and cultures in Switzerland.
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