 Poster: A snowHead
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What a day at 11 the whole company is informed that the European HQ based in Windsor is to be relocated and that we are to be made redundant.
At 12:30 I'm called into a meeting to be told that the company wants me to relocate to the new HQ in Geneva !!!
Obviously there are a lot of good reasons to go, easy access to skiing regions being fairly high on the list. I was just wondering if any snowheads live or lived in Geneva/ Switzerland and could give me a heads up as to what it's really like to live there ?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Wheely, I have a few friends that do, 'life of reiley', good for you see you soon. 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Wheely,
Good luck. I'm sure a few locals can advise you 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I spent a month there and had a ball. Couldn't tell you if that would continue but it's got to be worth a try. Worked with a bloke who lived in Lausanne and regularly commuted home in the evening by boat - bar and food on board.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Wheely, Not in Geneva but just a stones throw away around Ferney-Voltaire and Gex area for 4 years, 1987 to1991.
It was fab, you know what Winter is about but Summer was top notch too as there are so many places to go and things to do. And the weather is somewhat more predictable than blighty.
Don't even think about it, just go.
Good luck.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Wheely, gosh, I could even tolerate the airport for that 
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Wheely, wow! Well done and good luck! You've got to go for it......
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Wheely, gift horse..mouth...
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Whooo lucy you! Go for it I'd say! I'd love to have a chance like that...
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Thanks for all the good wishes. The wife is doing cartwheels just need to break the news to the kids and it could be all systems go. Flying out next week to look at schools and houses etc etc it's all happening a bit quick !!!
Another silver lining is that it is only a 4 hour drive to our place in PSV !!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Wow you lucky devil! The only info I can offer is that we have friends (of friends) who relocated about 6 years ago, they love it. They are totally settled their kids have settled into school very easily and they say that they probably won't be coming back.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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go! go! go!
that's just about the best news one could hope for...
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Wheely, Lucky you. I'm having to relocate myself out there (SWMBO moved out 4 weeks ago). If you're 22 and want to club every night you'll find you're on the Lausanne train a lot. Otherwise it's very civilised (although I haven't yet lived there for more than a few weeks at a time).
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Poster: A snowHead
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My sister lives in Thoiry (NNW of Geneva, near where CP stayed) and works in Geneva itself. She loves the life there, the location, the scenery, the walks, the social life. Her sons are in a great school getting a real multi-lingual education. The 2004 Tour de France went past the gate of her house so I had a easy view of the entire Tour carnival and cheap accomodation. There are two Jura ski resorts, one within 10 minutes drive and the other within 20 of their house. Small resorts but wonderful for a half-days skiing when time permits.
Wheely, if you employers want to pay for you to move then I would recommend going for it.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Just do it. Even if you hate it, it'll look really good on your CV. But I'm sure you won't hate it 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Wheely, was talking to some Brits on holiday who lived in Geneva earlier this year, they certainly seemed to think it was a good location, it's a grand location with a more cosmopolitan feel than much of Switzerland
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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richmond, I’m still here yes, what I was saying was given the opportunity offered by work I would differently go, even if it was a year or 2. I can see this as a problem with kids etc but you never know the grass maybe IS greener.
Given that the company I work for is German and we have just opened a plant in Romania. If offered I would go, but I don’t think they need the likes of me, plenty of cheap labour over there.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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D G Orf, I would humbly suggest that Zurich is actually more cosmop'n but maybe it's just livelier.
richmond, the grass is greener. In the Alps anyway. And greener than my lawn anyway. But seriously, in recent timesI have spent something of the region of £5k a year skiing (based on £110/day average x days x reality factor).
Apart from the fact that we may divert this towards more heliskiing and more exotic summer skiing locations living in Geneva will simply make skiing easier/?cheaper?
Although, as has been noted by many friends, when you live there you ski less...
Noooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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As Geneva is on the French border there might be benifts to living a few Km down the road in France and commuting. That leaves you still in the EU for free healthcare and probably a lot of other things. I don't know how old you are but I believe that you don't get annual increases on the UK state pesion if you live outside the EU.
They might pay to move you out there but will they pay to move you back in a year's time if it doesn't work out ?
And if you do go would you please, pelease write a comprehensive post on how to return a Hertz hire car to that airport.
Good luck.
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mike.healy, was it French or Swiss side?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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.....
[duplicate post deleted]
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Fri 21-04-06 23:07; edited 1 time in total
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.....
[duplicate post deleted]
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Fri 21-04-06 23:08; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Wheely, snowcrazy lives in Geneva. ise (lives in Switzerland) might be able to help as well.....
PM them?
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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mike.healy, I doubt it would be possible for Wheely to live in France. The Swiss will normally only grant a border commuter work permit to someone who already lives there. Makes sense, the Swiss want your taxes after all. And Switzerland is one of the countries you can live in and have the UK state pension increase as usual (as a pensioner)
Edit note: ooer don't know what happened there, turned into a quote instead of an edit!
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This country is in decline and going to dogs. Nothing will be any better in, say 5 years time IMV. I never ever thought I would say this, but if the oppurtunity came my way, I'd be off like a shot
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You know it makes sense.
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JT, dead right.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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So Wheeely - how do we all get jobs with your company including relocation package to replace all the people who won't relocate? 
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Poster: A snowHead
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This looks like an argument between leaving the UK forever and hating everything about it, or staying through thick and thin and going nowhere. It doesn't have to be like that. We spent years living and working abroad but the UK was always the home base. Even if an overseas posting isn't the best in the world (and Geneva probably comes close....) it is great experience for the whole family. Go, it would be a great shame to turn down such a fantastic opportunity. but that doesn't mean you have to join in the chorus of people denigrating the UK. It's great to live in a variety of places. One of the best things about a Geneva posting has to be the chance for kids to become fluent in at least one new language. How old are they? Keep us informed about how it goes.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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David Murdoch, although, as has been noted by many friends, when you live there you ski less...
this is true, I worked in Zurich for some time & longed for the time to ski - but it was amazing, really beautiful, would live there like a shot now - would be an unbelievable experience for my kids - I had a swiss italian boyfriend  who was from lugano & we used to do that incredible journey by motorbike!! go, definitely! good luck
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Helen Beaumont, The car had to be returned to the Hertz area of the car park, on the Swiss side. After more than an hour of searching we met two guys in another car trying to do the exact same thing. And one of them was French so he could read all the road signs properly. I'll probably try and use Grenoble next time.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| JT wrote: |
| This country is in decline and going to dogs. |
Excellent stuff. Many of my Swiss (and American and French) friends say the same (about their countries). It's a wonder they, and all the other countries in the world aren't totally depopulated by now. Come on JT, admit it; if you disliked this country so much, you'd find the opportunity to leave.
wheely, from what I hear, Lausanne is the place to live if you work in Geneva (or anywhere else in Suisse Romande).
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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mike.healy, never had any problems finding it.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
| wheely, from what I hear, Lausanne is the place to live if you work in Geneva (or anywhere else in Suisse Romande). |
Then you can commute by paddle "steamer".
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richmond,
The only thing that keeps me here is my pension - which is deemed good by today's standards. If the company is split and and there are redundancies - possible - my pension will be frozen, and I'll no excuse not to go and nothing to keep me here.
D-day within a year or so, I'd guess
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Well we have an update meeting this Thursday to take us through all the Q&A's that people have in regard to Pensions, Health Care, cost of living etc etc so at least I'll be better prepared for when I travel across to Geneva.
Mrs Wheely has already had the estate agents round to value the house to either sell or to rent. We have asked the kids how they would feel living in another country and just need to persuade the daughter (11) that she can still listen to English music and the son ( that he can still play football !!!!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Wheely, sounds good, although your son will presumably have to play for a team called 'Grasshoppers' or 'Young Boys' (which presumably won't bother him as he is one) or the like.
Anyone know why Grasshoppers are called Grasshoppers? There's a rugby team in London with the the same name.
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richmond, I *think* they played in green...but it was a while ago I was told and I was very drunk. He'd actually have to play for Servette who are Geneva's team.
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