moving to zurich

[mymotherisveryold]

My dh is waiting for a relocation package for a role in Zurich

How much is enough? We have 3 dc age 11-2.

Do we need international school for the eldest?

The rentals seem really high, even coming from London/South East.

Also can anybody explain the different tax rates please? eg Zug lowest in Switzerland, how does it compare with Zurich?

And are the different areas in Zurich taxed differently? I was looking at the Old Town, Horton (sp) and Zug.

Appreciate any advice/knowledge.

Thanks.

lottie I am - just testing the waters right now but I think it's Zurich or Luxemburg - I was planning to bend your ear loads a little if the Zurich move progresses.

Oh I took a quick look on that site earlier and was doing these faces at the sexism displayed... and yep - first question I looked at was "why didn't you just search the forum?"!

Agree about Decathlon , you'll find that there are some good value stores (H and M, Manor department store, Migros supermarket - their equivalent of Tesco but much more restricted choice ,has clothing furniture, sports in larger(MMM) stores - Dosenbach - predominantly shoes but also sports wear and aequipment) but nothing matches Decathlon or GoSport pricewise. If you are arriving post January there will be relatively little choice of winter clothing left as it is used form novemebr through to March/April.

btw I'm not sure that is as true about ISOZ & L being more "British" as it once was. It has expanded hugely since we left and certainly used to only go up to Middle School age, then kids transferred to Riverside or ZIS for High School.

London thank you for your reponse.

DH company have given him a salary which seems to be sufficient, although it is impossible to tell until we are actually living on it.

We will have some assistance with a relocation company to help find us a school place at one of the international schools (company paying fees)for our 11yo. Once we have decided on the school they will help us find accomodation.

I am going to take my dd1 out at the beginning of November to visit the schools and have a quick look around the town.

I would like to take her to Alpa Mare whilst we are there.

Hi sorry I was Annabel, forgot to name change.

Regarding stables in the Zürich area - I don't have a horse at the moment, but I regularly drive past quite a few nice stables in the Forch area.

Within a 15 minutes drive you could look into living in Küsnacht, Zollikon, Zumikon, Herrliberg, Feldmeilen, Meilen or the other way towards Greifensee, e.g. Maur.

Thank you DKmum - very helpful! :)

You also might like to consider within that drive area smaller places like Langnau am Albis/Albispass, Mettmenstetten, Stallikon and Hirzel, which are the other side to DKmum's suggestions, all relatively rural and likely to have access to stabling. However bear in mind rural does tend to mean fewer expat neighbours (if any!) and longer drives for playdates, supermarket etc.

I have received some information about the school visits we are making to ZIS and ISZL.

I am surprised that we are being advised to sell ourselves to the schools.

We have been advised what to wear, what sort of questions we should ask, and what sort of questions they might ask us.

I know that places are limited but is this overkill?

I am pulling a very face about selling yourself to schools. I do know that there are waiting lists for both though. As there are so many ex-prats and so few schools to serve them they can be choosy. IMVHO, the one without the L in it would be the one to go for.

Thanks. I was a bit [gosh] about selling ourselves.

I am looking forward to seeing them and seeing Zurich for the first time too.

Has anybody got any recomendations for a bit of sightseeing whilst we are there?

It will be my dd(11) and me so we are hoping to have some girly fun.

Where are you staying? Zurich is full of stuff to do and shops to look in.
Zug is gorgeous but much more quiet. The old town in Zug is really pretty, depending on how long you've got and what the weather is like, I'd take a boat around the lake.
If you have a car, get up to Sattel Hochstuckli and take a gondolier to the top then find the suspension bridge.
It is very new and me and DD didn't get a chance to go on it before we left.

We are staying at the Etap hotel in Zurich West. Is this area a bit rough? Very cheap hotel. It is meant to be 2 km from the main station.

We won't have much time in Zug as we wanted to see both schools in one day and I won't have a car.

I was going to get the 72 hour train pass from the airport and we both like the look of Alpa Mare.

That bridge sounds interesting.

I think we will have Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday all day until we fly back probably head for the airport after dinner.

Zuri-West is more ex. industrial / bit clubby than it is rough (I've yet to find anywhere in Switzerland with any edge at all :) )

Etap is attached to the Novotel, in a sort of square opposite a revamped factory. Nice gym in there for a girly swim /sauna (Puls 5) though CHF35 each to get in (everything is Zürich is expensive though....) also nice asian restaurant on the left as you go in. Train station is Hardbrucke (direct from airport on S2 train) and about 10 mins walk from there to hotel. I stop on train from there into city, or take a tram (never walked it but guess you could) If it rains, Abaton cinema 5 mins from hotel. most films in English.

Stuff to do - don't know many 11 year olds, dd only one, but I'd suggest:

Wander through city - by river and through old town, cool little shops. stopping off at www.cakefriends.ch. near Bellevue. Lunch at Tibits vegi cafe opposite Stadelhofen station (DH assures me no self respecting man would be seen in there lol) . Look into the yummy chocolate shop next to the operahouse. Wander down side of lake. Down bottom of Bahnhofstrasse - the lake end, to see the designer shops. No idea how grown up 11 year olds are these days :) so either Schminkbar near the main station for funky manicure. or Franz Karl Weber (big toyshop) on Bahnhofstrasse.

Zürich Zoo also lovely (tram 6) plus a wander from the Zoo stop around the Züriberg and hot choc at the Zürichberg hotel.

Ah I feel all Switzerland friendly now, not peeved as I did earlier when realised I'd eaten my last bit of Cadburys.....

Waedigirl thank you so much.

I like the idea of exploring the city centre/old town. 11 year old girls like shops. She would like a funky manicure, but she will have school on Thursday and they have already told her once about nail polish.

Thanks for the travel info too, very good.

Do you miss English chocolate? Anything else? Not English rosti?

Hi all

I am moving to Zurich in 10 days with dd1 due end of next month! Would love to meet up with some other english mums! Have been commuting back and forth for the last year since dh's job moved there so had plenty of experience of the moving issues, though not really experienced living there full time myself yet.

We have a big flat in Seebach, we found the whole rental market a nightmare to navigate but english forum was a big help (agree about the know it alls!), but it seemed to us that the tax issue was offset by the rental values so we chose somewhere to live purely based on dh's office and out need to get to the airport frequently. In the end I love where we are (now in our second flat) although I'm sure I would have loved other places too.

I have done most of my baby shopping already and will probably continue to get most of my clothes and other stuff (haircuts!) on visits back to the UK, not just because it's cheaper - I'm sure there are reasonably priced things somewhere in Zurich - I just don't know where is best to shop or how to find bargains in a language I'm not good at.

P.S. I am bringing stocks of cadburys and orange squash when I make my final trip over!

Liz - I'm an "experienced" expat and have absolutely no desire to find the international community! I doubt I'll be on the list for playdates either as it's me who works and my OH would rather gouge out his own eyes thank talk to strangers.

Definitely miss English chocolate the most (shameful when we're surrounded by some of the finest choc possible, all I need is a Twirl.....) Also squash, M&S, pret sandwiches, proper chinese takeaway and english magazines that don't cost the earth (CHF14 for OK!!!!!)

And obv family and friends :) :)

Running Rach, Starbucks Oerlikon (Max Bill Platz) is quite close to Seebach. There's an English Gymboree class Weds 9:15 - 11 you can just turn up for - with bump or newborn.... Let me know if you're planning it can meet for a coffee after - I go maybe every other week. Plus introduce you to some other Brits. Also girl nights out. Wine and a break from the kids... All welcome :)

oh yes I know the starbucks oerlikon. Like the Hong Kong whatsit restaurant on max bill platz too, but I am really going to miss proper crispy duck!

Wadeigirl I will try for gymboree on oct 20! Will pm you beforehand. thanks!

I hope to make some 'local' swiss friends too, my apartment block is new and seems to have tonnes of families with small children so hopefully friends for our little one, but moving over at 34 weeks pg with dc1 is quite a life shift I'm sure it will help being able to chat in my native language.

Hi Running Rach. In case you do make it tomorrow I can be found with green coat, black / beige bugaboo and small shouty blonde daughter...... Also somewhat sleep deprived and forgetful so come over and give me a wave :)

So neither school can confirm a place for dd. Dh might start his new job with us joining him when there is a school place.

My mother is planning to spend a week with us in Zurich every month. I guess we hadn't factored that into our budget. Maybe I will like it

Anyway I'm looking forward to our school visits, my dh says it's such a lovely place.

And I'm really looking forward to not working and taking ownership of my own dc.

What is the age limit on Gymboree? Did you meet? Was it fun?

We are just back from Zurich tonight.

I loved it. I can see myself being very happy there.

We went to visit two schools Zug International and Zurich International and I was surprised at how different they were from each other. I loved them both.

My daughter left one school in tears and the other one saying, 'I want to go to that school.'

So we know which school we are applying for and where we will be based.

Hopefully a place will come up for her for our planned January move.

We had a great time in Zurich.