Chantal Panozzo

Swiss Life- 30 things I wish I’d known

1. When you move house you cannot wrap up your identity with your parents beliefs and values and way of treating people either humanly or financially and still be successful living on your own. You can’t. Take some time to figure out who you are as a person, as a woman,, as a contributor to society and figure out what kind of culture you want to adapt to for the language you are currently learning and how to do that without losing the essence of ‘you’.
2. Don’t lose your independence when you get married. Keep being independent and honest to your values and your morals. Especially from the Bible!
3. Whether you feel like you are a part of your native country’s culture it does not beget the notion that living life on your own terms-with incredible privacy intact-does not mean you have to be open or be a blabbermouth. Be discrete and polite and do not ever say something that will make you conform to what other people are doing with their money or how they pay for their lifestyle. That is none of your business. Live your own life and do not push to begin the center. Instead, be in the background and live a quiet but private life. Be carefully guarded. Only trust those who have earned your trust and loyalty.
4. Hen you write something always take two days away from it before sitting down to edit and comment on your own work. Then take three days to edit and another three days to compile it into different formats of books.
5. Be kind to your neighbors. They are there to help you if needed. Just don’t be rude. If you need help ask.
6. Help your neighbors if they need it. But help yourself first by being independent as much as possible. Baby steps. Incremental steps. Start with your bed and your bathroom. Spend thirty-three minutes every morning, afternoon, evening, and night tidying and cleaning up your home. Then spend a majority of your time outside or in the library. Also do not get Internet installed in your home unless your parents say so. Just use your phone hotspot or library.
7. ‘in Switzerland, people thought small talk was superficial and false. If there was nothing important to say, they preferred silence.’ (Panozzo 57) Do not do small talk. It is pointless.Do not share information about yourself. Instead bring a book to read on your break time and do your assigned work and leave. Only speak or directly spoken to. Or else do not speak at all unless it is something very important like answering a client’s question. Otherwise shut up and be silent like the Finns and avoid small talk and personal conversations as well as prefer silence like the Swiss.

Biggest Takeaway

“Love being adaptive conscious to whatever is around you in that given moment. Whether people and cultures and customs or listening deeply to those around you. Being orderly, clean, and keeping your home and outside it spotless and shiny. Being a good neighbor by being private and not doing small talk or idle chit chat. Remembering others names and communication styles is important as well. Especially phone etiquette and the grace and wisdom to lend a helping hand to those around you…if they need it.”

Quote in Summary

“Adapt at your own pace. But adapt! Remember that time is important and money is time. Be mindful of how much you speak and relay information whether in the two languages you speak or not. Respect. Cleanliness. Privacy in all things and no small talk or idle chit chat. Be uniquely you by noticing the scenery around you and be adaptive conscious at every given moment without complaining or concessions.”… (más)