Overheard at the LFGSS golf club bar

Wouldn’t have happened if you’d audaxed/randoneered.

I know you've visited Switzerland a lot, but have you actually lived there?

I have. I really didn't want to be one of those Brits who lives in another country and hangs out only with other immigrants, but all my early attempts at building friendships with locals failed. I talked to a Swiss colleague about this and he made it very clear that he thought most Swiss people don't befriend foreign workers as they won't stay long. Which seems a very insular approach.

I think there's some truth to what you say. My grandad, as an Austrian man living in Switzerland used to recount tales of struggles of integrating although I have always semi dismissed that as down to the Austria/Switzerland nationalistic rivalries that were much more prominent in the 50s.

I have a couple of friends who settled in Switzerland in the mid 2000s from West Africa and another friend who settled from Greece and they speak glowingly of their experiences of integration in St Gallen.

I think there's also a huge difference between the cities and the Alps. Most of our friendships have been forged in small town Switzerland over a shared passion for mountaineering and the outdoors. Probably not representative.

people don't befriend foreign workers as they won't stay long. Which seems a very insular approach.

thats enough about Beckenham

all my early attempts at building friendships with locals failed

Same as here then?

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jokes bro, we luvs u :-*

I have. I really didn't want to be one of those Brits who lives in another country and hangs out only with other immigrants, but all my early attempts at building friendships with locals failed. I talked to a Swiss colleague about this and he made it very clear that he thought most Swiss people don't befriend foreign workers as they won't stay long. Which seems a very insular approach.

I think this could equally be said of many Brits...I've found it much easier to meet and befriend other expats (am British born but my accent marks me as a Kiwi). Many of my British friends have foreign partners and do feel that Britons natural inclination is to orientate themselves towards school/university friends.