Summary
We went on vacation in Switzerland in September 2017, and we can say, that it was one of the best vacations we have had as a family. We spent some in time Geneva, Bern, Interlaken, Lausanne, and the peripheral areas in between. Switzerland is so beautiful in so many ways. But if I were to just narrow the list of beauties down to three, I would have it in this order:
- Switzerland takes care of its own people
- It is truly an independent, self-sustaining country
- It is naturally beautiful, inside and outside
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Switzerland is really about taking care of its people
One of the things that is not mentioned in Wikipedia is the country’s observance of Sunday as a day of rest. With the exception of transportation and other public services (parks, etc.), public and private institutions are closed for business. I don’t know if this makes sense to many who have not been exposed to this practice, but the whole country is closed for business on Sunday!
In every place I have been to, businesses are open on Sundays. In the US (and many other developed countries), the busiest day of the week is Sunday. It is the day for NFL championships, it is the day when malls are full of people, and all other activities combined make the streets congested.
Back to the story, on our first Sunday in Switzerland, we had no idea that all the stores were closed. We needed a few necessities like food and water (we didn’t necessarily want to eat at the hotel, but we did). It was an inconvenience! The second Sunday, however, we were prepared. We shopped on Saturday just like the Swiss, knowing full well that businesses were going to be closed the next day. As a result of this, we spent that Sunday at the park and brought our lunch. We had fun, talked to each other, and got to savor the beautiful sceneries everywhere.
As we reflected on this, we actually thought that the decision of the Swiss people/government to keep it as a day of rest provided plenty of social benefits. As was validated by our personal experience, many Swiss spent more time with their families, outdoors. It was very nice to witness a less-commercialized Sunday.
From a business standpoint, I do not think that businesses will necessarily lose money because if everyone agrees not to do business on Sundays, everyone will try to do business the rest of the week.
Switzerland is an independent, self-sustaining country
It has a diversified industry base: from high-end watch manufacturing segment (Rado, Rolex, Swatch watches) to drug production (Novartis, Roche); from investment and commercial banking (UBS, Credit Suisse) to food and agricultural production (Nestle); from chocolate concoction (Lindt, Toblerone) to tourism (Zermatt, Bern); and from vehicle equipment fabrication (MOWAG) to international arbitrations (Geneva Conventions, United Nations)!
For a small country that not only participates but also dominates in many industries, this is quite impressive!
Interestingly enough, however, even if they do not dominate an industry, they still produce the goods. Consider the case of Schulthess. It is a manufacturer of washers, dryers, and refrigerators. I had not heard of this brand or company until we visited Switzerland and used their products for the first time. Usually, one would see the GEs, Samsung, Bosch, Miele, Maytag, Hitachi, and others. But, I saw the label: Schulthess: “Made in Switzerland.” The slogan, “Switzerland First” sounded so clear in my ears!
Washers and dryers are commoditized goods that it is easier for a country like Switzerland to get them from their next-door neighbor Germany, just an hour drive north away!
I am not entirely sure of the reasons why they choose to do this because according to some economic theories if one does not have a comparative/competitive advantage over a particular production, the recommendation is to trade or import these goods.
I had to think deeper about the potential reasons why they do this: perhaps, it is skill preservation and security. It helps keep jobs and skills at home and provide a level of comfort that when other countries can’t produce these goods or if there is a war, they can manufacture these themselves.
Along with this line of reasoning, I found out that agriculture is heavily subsidized by the Swiss government. Here’s a short explanation from their website:
“Switzerland is traditionally an agricultural country. When neutral Switzerland was isolated during the Second World War, the Swiss farmers fed the nation.”
Enough said. You. Get. It!
Switzerland is naturally beautiful
Putting Switzerland in a mathematical equation, it sort of looks like this:
ES = US (RMW) + H (SV) – PO
Europe’s Switzerland = US Rocky Mountain West + Hawaii Streams & Vegetation – Pacific Ocean.
I am tempted to end it at that because I feel like it is self-explanatory, but let me go ahead and explain this anyway.
Switzerland has the beauties of the US’ Rocky Mountains (Utah/Colorado) and Hawaii’s lush green tropical feel (in particular, the town of Kohala, Big Island). During our visit, we felt like we were in Utah or Colorado, yet at the same time, we felt like we were also in Hawaii because it was very lush green. The air was also very fresh.
With the exception of the heavy winter months, or when it does not snow, a vast portion of the mountains below the snow caps is green! In the southern portion or near Italy, then it’s really green. The rivers and lakes are very clear and vibrant! The color is off turquoise. It’s hard to explain, but it is a beautifully refreshing sight to behold!
We didn’t see any littering! There is a natural inclination for people to make and maintain this place clean. It’s hard not to. The moment you do so you’d feel like you have desecrated a heavenly place! (And that guilty conscience will make you run after a litter your 6-year-old child unconsciously threw away. Yes, it’s my personal confession).
The saying that heaven is quite an expensive place to live in applies so true for Switzerland as the cost of living is high or relatively high. The reason why I say relatively high is because if you are coming from places like NYC, Tokyo, and London, the cost of living in Switzerland is probably on par with them. But, I would say that you get more value in Switzerland because it is much nicer, cleaner, and more heavenly than these big cities. The products and services they produce are of outstanding quality and differentiated, so the prices associated are appropriate. No doubt about it.
I have concluded that the people of Switzerland and their government really do care about their own well-being as well as those of others. While it is hard to personally know their leaders and all their people individually, I could say that by the collective “fruits of their labors,” I can witness their motivations and desires as they have naturally crystallized these into results and actions that can be witnessed by anyone visiting the country.
I hope that they continue their practices as they are a beacon of light to the rest of the world, and more importantly, to the younger and future generations that will be part of this world. I hope my kids will one day visit Switzerland again, and I hope they feel inspired also by the things my wife and I have witnessed and be deeply impacted by it that they themselves, in some ways, can apply some of the underlying principles this country believes.
To Switzerland, Till we meet again!