Moving to Geneva

[Selky]

Can anyone tell me about Geneva? We have 5 year old who would be starting school this year - does he go to nursery still?

Is there any hope of working when I don't speak French?

How high is the cost of living? Is f100,000 a good wage?

Thanks

We lived in Geneva 2003-9 and are moving back there in the summer, so feel free to ask away!

You can get by no problem without French but I highly recommend enrolling in French class asap though, it will enrich your experience no end and make life easier. We speak French and did before going there the first time, it did make a difference.

The big problem in Geneva is housing, incredibly difficult. If you only have one child you will be lucky to be able to get anything bigger than a 2 bed apartment, and the competition for rental apartments is massive. We own our own apartment over the border in France and are very happy with it, you might investigate if you are permitted to depending on whether your work lets you.

What type of schooling are you considering for your 5 year old, local or international? If you are thinking about Swiss state school then one parent is much better off not working, the timetables are odd and before and after school care not prevelant. On the French side the locals schools have more regular hours. Otherwise there are Swiss and French private schools as well as international schools.

Cost of living is pretty bad think London and more. Is the job private sector or international organization? Do they provide good health insurance?