Comments on: About the time in Switzerland https://expatsincebirth.com/2014/01/14/about-the-time-in-switzerland/ a blog by a multilingual lifelong expat/international, linguist, researcher, speaker, mother of three, living in the Netherlands and writing about raising children with multiple languages, multiculturalism, parenting abroad, international life... Thu, 16 Jan 2014 19:45:24 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Roadkill Spatula https://expatsincebirth.com/2014/01/14/about-the-time-in-switzerland/#comment-7824 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 19:45:24 +0000 http://expatsincebirth.com/?p=1095#comment-7824 I grew up in Colombia where the view of time is similar to Italy’s, but as an adult I learned that being late was disrespectful to people who were expecting promptness. My wife (a Colombian) tries very hard to be prompt, but somehow doesn’t calculate the full hour it takes her to get ready into our preparations, so we are still frequently late.

]]> By: expatsincebirth https://expatsincebirth.com/2014/01/14/about-the-time-in-switzerland/#comment-7818 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 13:23:30 +0000 http://expatsincebirth.com/?p=1095#comment-7818 In reply to Stephen Greene.

Thanks, Stephen. It seems to have a pattern then 😉 About the public sector: would you like to give some examples?

]]> By: expatsincebirth https://expatsincebirth.com/2014/01/14/about-the-time-in-switzerland/#comment-7817 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 13:15:06 +0000 http://expatsincebirth.com/?p=1095#comment-7817 In reply to Tanya Moss.

Tanya, that’s an interesting point: motherhood and our time perception. I think that’s a moment where many parents change, right? I became less strict about time thanks to my children. Someone else would become less “fluid”. – I think, once you live in Switzerland, you’ll find a way to adapt to this. And like you say: you’ll still have the weekends 😉

]]> By: Stephen Greene https://expatsincebirth.com/2014/01/14/about-the-time-in-switzerland/#comment-7816 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 13:11:26 +0000 http://expatsincebirth.com/?p=1095#comment-7816 In reply to expatsincebirth.

That’s a difficult question to answer. For social occasions it is not uncommon for people to say they will go and then never turn up at all. In private business, especially those that deal with international companies, they are quite punctual. For the public sector, forget it.

]]> By: Tanya Moss https://expatsincebirth.com/2014/01/14/about-the-time-in-switzerland/#comment-7804 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 02:31:15 +0000 http://expatsincebirth.com/?p=1095#comment-7804 Great post. I also have a very “fluid concept of time” that I have grown up with in Southern California. My husband is from the North of England and he was taught punctuality as a sign of respect. We have been at odds with this difference on so many occasions! Of course, motherhood has helped me step up to punctuality a bit, and I hope to improve even more so especially with an upcoming move to Switzerland! I think I might have to have x2 watches set! With more strict time keeping, I’m sure I will look forward to the weekends and “free time” as times where I can be more relaxed about it : )

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