thumperclone wrote on 11/27/10 at 06:47:14:whats their tax rate??
With your permission Mick, I would like to forward your feelings to a Swiss colleague of mine who works in Zurich.
One thing I can tell you all, though, they are not as multicultural as you are made to believe, and they are much stricter in social rules and customs than any American would be willing to bear.
Exampe:
Geneva is in a French-speaking canton, all business is done in French.
Sure, people will understand and speak German, but only lawmakers, Police & Army and Courts of Law have the obligation to be multilingual.
Oh, and Universities.
Zurich and Berne are in German-speaking Cantons, and all business is done in German.
Sure, people will understand and speak French, but only lawmakers , Police & Army and Courts of Law have the obligation to be multilingual.
Oh, and Universities.
Ticino and
Bellinzona are in Italian-speaking Cantons, and all business is done in Italian.
Sure, people will understand and speak Italian, but only lawmakers , Police & Army and Courts of Law have the obligation to be multilingual.
Oh, and the University.
Davos is in a Ladin-speaking Canton, and all business is done in Ladin (a Celtic tongue which survived the ages).
Sure, people will understand and speak German (not French), but only lawmakers , Police & Army and Courts of Law have the obligation to be multilingual.
Oh, and Universities.
But if an Italian or Ladin goes to Geneva, Zurich or Berne, he had better speak French or German...
Also, you cannot wash your car on Sunday, nor hang the laundry to dry.
There is a plethora of rules, regulations and local laws which would drive a normal European crazy.
I can imagine Americans...