Loes
In her first month in Switzerland, Loes (36) stood in the rain at a Viehschau in Wald, a cattle show. As a big fan of cows, she didn't want to miss it. “Everything was in Swiss German and we didn't understand a word.” She has now lived in Zurich for a year, after studying in Groningen and working as a physiotherapist in Zeist for ten years.
Together to Zurich
Loes's boyfriend did his PhD in Germany, so for a long time they didn't live together. When he was looking for a postdoc position, they searched for a place where Loes could work well too. He already knew Zurich from a few months of work there and knew what a great city it is. Through a friend of a friend, Loes got in touch with a Dutch physiotherapist, who tipped her off about takeoff. There wasn't much time between the decision and the move, but everything went well. In the first month she deliberately didn't work yet: she sorted out the paperwork, explored the city and found a sports club. After that, she quickly had three job interviews lined up.
More time for your patients
Loes notices the biggest difference with the Netherlands in her work. “My schedule is always full, but I work at a calmer pace. I have less admin and get more time for it.” Because of the way physiotherapy is organised in Switzerland, she often has more time per patient than in the Netherlands, where people are sometimes insured for only three or six treatments. She found the job interview in German nerve-racking. “They were very understanding about my poor German.” She was looking for a workplace with a relaxed atmosphere, and found one.
A fake Swiss with a German podcast
Loes isn't a winter sports person. “Sometimes I feel like a fake Swiss when everyone hits the slopes at the weekend, but Switzerland has more to offer.” She keeps discovering more of the country and finds it funny that every canton, every city and every village has its own traditions. She thoroughly enjoyed the burning of the Böögg at Sechseläuten in Zurich. At school she hated German; now she enjoys it. She reads German books on public transport and listens to a German podcast while running.
Loes's golden tip for your takeoff
Looking back, Loes wouldn't do much differently, except for one thing. “If I had known earlier that we were going, I would have started learning German earlier. But it goes a lot faster once you're in the middle of it and speaking German all day.” To anyone in doubt, she says: “Do it, you probably won't regret it. Switzerland is a beautiful country, and living and working abroad is a great experience.”
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