Book advice for newcomers in Switzerland

There is always a lot of new information to look for (and learn) when moving to a new country. Google is an excellent tool to start the search for the common questions “How do I?” “Where do I?” “When should I?.” Things can, however, get very complicated when the critical information is only available in an unmastered foreign language.

The new book from Bergli “The Expert Guide to your life in Switzerland” is the perfect way for newcomers to learn about the country. Bergli is an imprint of the Schwabe Verlagsgruppe, specializing in books about Switzerland and the international people living here. The Expert Guide is its most recent book and it can not be better described as with its own tittle.

Here is what I like most about the book:

• It is very nicely designed, and this makes it very easy and attractive to read. There are a lot of pictures, call-out boxes with tips and several comparison tables.
• It does not need to be read in any specific order; every chapter can be understood without reading the previous ones. The book is organized in 18 sections dealing with various aspects of life in Switzerland: family, health, money, travel, social life, etc.
• Every chapter is written by an expert on the subject, including Diccon Bewes, author of the best-seller “Swiss Watching.”
• There are very useful tips: from an overview of the different train tickets and must-see places, to the types of childcare options available and the ways to save costs in healthcare and taxes.
• It includes references to key organizations/platforms (e.g., associations that defend the tenant’s interests, platforms for comparisons, for finding a place to rent or to buy, for finding a babysitter, etc.)
• There are important terms written with their equivalent translations in French and German (e.g. witholding tax, impôt à la source, Quellensteuer)

There are, however, a couple of things I missed. I would have liked (1) a mini-test at the end of each chapter to recap all the content and (2) a proper end for the book. It would have been great to read a joint statement from all authors at the end.

All in all, an excellent book for us expats living in this incredibly beautiful country.

You can find out more about the book here