Introduction - Part 2

Geri Spang and her husband.

Geri Spang was born in Portland, Oregon, USA and grew up in various western states, including California, Washington, and both of the Dakotas. She and her husband raised a large family, but when the youngest were teens they decided it was time to develop a new career—which turned out to be involvement in international air and sea cargo.

In the first part of this interview Geri Spang explained how she and her husband came to live and work in Switzerland for some four years. We continue with her impressions of that land and its people in the second and last part below.

Interview with Geri Spang - Part 2

GW&M: Do you have any medical or health advice for Americans in Switzerland?

SPANG: I have some strong opinions about Swiss medical care. It seemed to me to be a combination of old remedies and the state of the art. They are progressive in their pharmaceutical technologies, yet there seemed not to be a standard for quality among Swiss physicians. I don't know that I'd want to have to deal with a major illness under the Swiss medical systems. Despite the emphasis on health in Switzerland, there is a pollution problem from some of the nuclear reactors scattered about the country, a fact that is too often overlooked. Also, chemical wastes from the many pharmaceutical and plastics plants. Dental care borders on archaic in many instances and routine mammogram screening for women doesn't seem to be a consideration.

GW&M: Could you expand on that?

SPANG: Medical and dental health care was unpredictable. I had my teeth cleaned and it took 60 seconds maximum. The same dentist seemed surprised when my husband wanted novocaine while filling a major tooth. The filling quickly fell out. Mammograms are not routinely given, even when women fall into the "danger" age group (I had none in three years.) When I became gravely ill with a large kidney stone, I was diagnosed with a disk problem in my spine and sent to a physiotherapist. Urinalysis would have detected a major amount of blood in my urine and in fact, it later was detected by my gynecologist. I then was put through a lithotripsy procedure at an Aarau hospital. However, the equipment was not adequate for the size of the stone so I spent 3 hours without anesthetic (except for urgent "Spritz" of morphine on demand) while they tried to electronically pulverize the stone with equipment that was not strong enough for the procedure.

GW&M: As a woman who lived there, what is your impression of women's rights in Switzerland?

SPANG: I wasn't affected by women's rights issues though I heard that there were definite issues. I was listened to and treated most equitably in all matters. Perhaps if I were a less positive person, it would have worked out differently.

GW&M: How did you feel about driving in Switzerland?

SPANG: I was comfortable driving in Switzerland and in Europe in general. However, I'm a positive and defensive driver and once you have identified the "rules of the road" the average driver should have no problem. Laws are common sense.

GW&M: Did you ever have any encounters with the Swiss legal system?

SPANG: My only legal encounter was when I was involved in an auto accident on the Swiss motorway. I was treated with concern and kindness, although theoretically I could have been held at fault. Instead, responsibility was spread equally among all of the autos in the multi car collision. My fine was only 100 Swiss francs [about $90], which I was told was nothing more than a slap on the wrist and was exceptionally light.

GW&M: Did you ever run into any Swiss red-tape?

SPANG: I must have been fortunate since I experienced more examples of bureaucrats cutting "red tape" for me than tying me up. It seemed that there was an exception to every rule and someone in a seat of power who knew how to go about enacting the exceptions.

GW&M: Is there such a thing as "Swiss fashion"?

SPANG: I was NOT impressed by the way the average Swiss dresses but I rather admired their independence from fads. Day-Glo colors and spandex tights are not appropriate in an office yet I worked with young girls who wore those outfits to work. Otherwise, Swiss seemed to dress with casualness that bordered on indifference except for those who were in a position of authority.

GW&M: What are your impressions of the Swiss political system? Do you feel that the Swiss are more, or less politically involved/aware than Americans?

SPANG: Politically, Swiss seemed almost oblivious to the world condition except where it affected them directly. At the same time, I heard of examples of their human rights stances that I thought were admirable. No one seemed to have much opinion on local and regional politics unless they would directly affect them personally.

GW&M: Did you travel in Europe while you were living in Switzerland?

SPANG: We traveled almost constantly while we were in Europe, most often to France and Germany and sometimes to Austria and Italy. We also were able to visit both Czechoslovakia and Poland. Travel was one of the motivations for us being there and we loved everything about it.

GW&M: What were some of your favorite places to visit in Austria and Germany?

SPANG: Some of our favorite places in Germany were the Mosel region--just about anyplace--but especially Cochem, and the back roads through the Black Forest. We also loved Nürnburg, Dinkelsbühl and northern Germany on the route between Frankfurt and Hamburg, to the Baltic. Another favorite and lesser known region is the wine country in the hills near Baden-Baden. Wonderful food, too. [See our Wine page link for more about "badische Weine."]

We most often visited the villages near Lake Constance [der Bodensee] in Austria and the Alpine areas. Salzburg is a marvel despite the crowds. Klagenfurt is a fun day visit and just riding along the country roads is a pleasure. Of course, Austrian food is marvelous and the people were very friendly in our experience.

GW&M: Earlier you said it would have been nice to know more about Swiss apartment leases and so on. What was it like finding a place to live in Switzerland?

SPANG: Because of the rigid leasing routines in Switzerland, you can only lease a new place during certain periods unless you sublease. Then you are at the mercy of both the present tenant and the landlord. There can be many pitfalls in a lease agreement, not the least of them being the very common requirement that a tenant must repaint the kitchen regardless of how clean it is upon vacating. The average Swiss, we were told, paid SF1000 [about $US900] and more to have professionals clean when vacating a residence. And even that doesn't guarantee that the owner will be satisfied. You can (and will) be billed a phenomenal sum for any possible problem areas. Swiss citizens complain as much about this as do "Ausländer." There are, however, special agencies and courts specifically to deal with landlord tenant disputes and they can be very helpful. [See our House and home link for more about housing.]

GW&M: Other than the areas you already mentioned, did you have any problems adjusting to the Swiss culture in general?

SPANG: I didn't feel terribly alienated from the Swiss culture. Our neighbors all worked, even women with children. Frankly, I was quite comfortable with the culture both in the region where we lived and in the places we visited, both in and out of Switzerland.

GW&M: What is the one piece of advice that you would give to an American or Canadian going to Switzerland?

SPANG: Bring money and don't expect it to be a carbon copy of wherever you lived in the US or Canada.

MORE > Expat Interviews

Copyright © 1997-2004 Hyde Flippo

Related topics and links:

• Part 1 of this interview
  
• The GW&M chapter on Wine
• The GW&M chapter on House and Home
• The GW&M chapter on Business in the German-speaking world
• The GW&M chapter on Language
• The GW&M chapter on Dialects
• Our Switzerland page has links and info for that country.
• The GW&M Expats Page
• The GW&M Contents Page
• Previous GW&M Interviews

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