Who are you?
My name is Diana, I was born and raised in Mexico. I am currently living in Switzerland and I am married with Emmanuel that is French (I am half French, but have never lived in France). I am currently working at 100% and also have my own blog about Geneva, I love to share my expat experiences with others!
Where, when and why did you move abroad?
I am living in Geneva for more than 3 years now, and moved to Switzerland 6 years ago! I moved here for my hospitality studies and fell in love with the country and of course my husband that lived in Geneva.How did you find somewhere to live?
That was quite an experience, since I am in Geneva (3 years) I moved 4 times! First I rented a room to a lady that had a big apartment, then I moved to a very small and horrible little room, then I finally found a cute and charming apartment, but last but not least we moved in to our couple’s apartment. It is very complicated in Geneva to find a decent and correct place to live.
Are there many other expats in your area?
Yes! Geneva is super international and there are many many expats! The UN and all the other ONGs bring tons of Expats in the city. Making it a cosmopolitan city, were you do not need to speak French to get things done (however it is recommended to learn it)
What is your relationship like with the locals?
I have many locals friends, this is thanks to my previous jobs. On both previous jobs I had Swiss colleges and created very nice relationship that soon became friendships.
What do you like about life where you are?
What I like the most about Geneva is the calm, it is a nice city, everything is comfortable and I love that it is very easy to go to other places too. Meaning you are never trapped! Either sky, lake or city getaway everything is accessible.
What do you dislike about your expat life?
I think that what I dislike the most about living here is missing my best friends and family, they are so far away and with the time difference we can never properly talk 🙁
What do you think of the food in your new country? What are your particular likes or dislikes?
I am a number one fan of Fondue and Raclette! However, you can get tired of eating only cheese (yes it can happen), and in that case there is not a huge option on the super markets. What I like about Europe in general is that you have to go along with the seasons and adapt to the products each season brings, which makes it very interesting in terms of cooking.
What advice would you give to anyone following in your footsteps?
Have fun, learn french, take skiing lessons and never forget to leave one foot in your country and the other in the new one. The key is to adapt entirely without loosing your identity.
What are your plans for the future?
I have absolutely no idea! For the moment share everything I know from Geneva!
Diana shares more information about expat life in Switzerland through her blog, LivinGeneva.