Can You Make Friends in Switzerland? Our Experience with International Associations
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Making friends in Switzerland can be challenging, especially if you arrive without knowing any locals. Many expats find that it takes them some time to find a new social network. So, how can you connect with others if you’re a newcomer? Are there any ways to speed up the process? Our content manager Kathrin attended several events in and around Zurich to find out what it’s like to make Swiss friends from scratch.
Zurich International Women's Association
ZIWA is a large organisation that connects women living in the greater Zurich area. In addition to their major annual events, the group offers a wide range of activities, from regular coffee meetings to book clubs and conversation groups to hiking events. Kathrin joined ZIWA several times to get a feel for the different options.
Friday Morning Walk and Coffee
A walk around town is one of the best ways to meet new people because it’s informal and you immediately have something to talk about: your surroundings.
The Friday Morning Walk and Coffee event takes place every week, so it’s easy to get to know the other members well. This week, the group walked to the botanic gardens and then had a drink at the garden café. The group was mixed, with both locals and expats as well as younger and older members.
Book and Language Clubs
ZIWA offers many book clubs in English and several in other languages. There are also meetups where you get to speak a specific language. These groups are perfect if you’re learning a new language and would like to practice or you’re a native and miss speaking your native language.
I attended the Spanish book club, which was held in central Zurich. In the first half of the meeting, the group spoke extensively about the book. It was great to get so many perspectives and to see how different readers interpreted or experienced the text differently. After the discussion, everyone stayed on and chatted about various topics. The atmosphere was very friendly and welcoming, and having a book to focus on gave the meeting some structure and an interesting focus.
Hiking
Several hiking groups take place each week. There is an Easy Hike group that usually travels to other cities and explores a cultural or historic site there. I joined the outing to Lucerne, where we walked to the Richard Wagner Museum and back.
The more strenuous hikes might take place in more remote locations and include more hill walking. Hiking is a great way to quickly get to know multiple members because the group is more fluid than during a sit-down event. You also automatically have something to talk about since you’re exploring your surroundings.
Find a Women’s Association Near You
ZIWA is a great place to start, but if you don’t live in Zurich, you might still be able to find a women’s organisation. For example, there are options in Basel, Geneva, Lausanne, and Lucerne. Simply search for international women’s groups in the city closest to you, and you should be able to find one.
The American International Club Zurich
The AICZ is a social club designed for American and international expats. It has been running since 1957, so it is an established organisation among Americans in Zurich. The club runs several events per month, the most regular being the TGIF drinks evening, which is held on the third Friday of every month. Other events include a 4th of July (American Independence Day) party, a 1st of August (Swiss National Day) brunch, and occasional guided tours or outings.
First of August Brunch
The First of August brunch was my first AICZ event, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. It was held in a restaurant in a small rural town. The first thing I noticed upon arrival were the decor, food, and music, which were very Swiss, in keeping with the theme of the event. I was very impressed with the traditional food and drinks provided by the rustic restaurant.
The Executive Committee members who hosted the event were easily recognisable because they wore name tags. They welcomed me and helped me to settle in. I soon got talking to the couple sitting next to me as well as people further along the table. Several others were also new, so I didn’t feel like an outsider.
The attendees were mainly in their 40s or older, and some were retired. Many were long-term residents who are settled in Switzerland and/or married to a Swiss person. Although most came with friends or a partner, I didn’t feel at a disadvantage attending on my own, as I was included in conversations right away. What surprised me was that at least 40-50% of the attendees were Swiss or partly Swiss. It doesn’t necessarily follow that you’ll only meet expats at an expat event.
TGIF Drinks Event
TGIF is a great event to attend if you don’t know anyone yet because it’s very open-ended. It starts at 6:30 pm at the Rathaus Cafe in central Zurich, but you can arrive at any time. During the August event, it was very hot, so we sat on the terrace overlooking the Limmat.
Over 30 people joined. Identifying others was easy because we all wore name tags. The attendees included everyone from teenagers accompanying their parents to retirees. I spoke to people working in various industries such as finance, marketing and language. As the evening progressed, people often got up and moved around the table. This allowed us to meet a wide range of attendees. After a couple of hours of lively conversation, people started to move on, either to go home or to another event.
Find a Club Near You
There are several American clubs in Switzerland. Another large one is located in Geneva. The best way to find out more about specific expat clubs in Switzerland is to visit the directory of migrants’ clubs. You can browse by country or language.
Zurich Together
Zurich Together is another big organization dedicated to bringing people together in and around the city. The Meetup and Facebook group was founded by Ben Crawshaw six years ago, and it has grown to well over 30,000 members. Events run almost daily. Some, like the Language Exchange, happen every week, while others, like the August 1 water war and BBQ, or the weekend excursions, are one-offs.
The Language Exchange
On Monday, I attended the Zurich Together Language Exchange event at Platzspitz Park. When I arrived at 7 pm, the organisers were laying out various large flags on the floor. They welcomed me and asked me briefly about my background. I said I’d like to speak French and headed over to the relevant flag, where several people were already chatting in French.
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The French group was small, with only 10-15 people. The largest groups were speaking German and English. In total, around 80-100 people attended the event. The crowd was very diverse and came from a wide variety of backgrounds and industries. I spoke to people from India, Austria, Senegal, Spain, Indonesia, Italy, Switzerland, and Colombia. Zurich Together attracts a young crowd, with most people between 20 and 45.
For me, the Language Exchange was a success, and I would definitely go again. Speaking a foreign language is a great way of meeting new people because you immediately have something challenging to do together. This makes it easier to connect to others on a deeper level. I met very interesting people and got to know a lot about them in a relatively short time.
Find a Group Near You
Search for your city and ‘meetup’ or ‘together’, and you’ll almost certainly find international groups on Meetup. Another great option is Facebook. There are some established groups but also individuals looking for others to spend time with on local Facebook groups.
Conclusion and Advice for Newcomers
I had a great time at the events I attended in August. Although the groups are quite different, I would highly recommend them all. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you start socialising in Switzerland:
- Many people go to expat clubs on their own. There are almost always other newcomers in attendance, so you won’t be the ‘odd one out.’ If you’re worried about attending an event for the first time, you can contact the hosts beforehand. They’ll look out for you and make sure you’re included.
- It’s important to try out different events. I suggest attending two to three per week if you’re new and have few contacts in your city.
- You can meet someone great the first time you go to an event, but there’s no guarantee. More likely, you’ll get to know people over time as you continue to attend. Recurring events like the ZIWA Friday walk, TGIF and the Language Exchange are great because you can meet new people but also build connections with regulars.
- Although the groups presented here are located in Zurich, you can find similar ones in other Swiss cities. Use Meetup or Facebook to find out about organisations in your area.
Building up a brand-new social circle can seem daunting at first, but it’s possible with groups like the AICZ and Zurich Together. Sign up for our monthly Rigby AG newsletter to get more tips and stay up-to-date about what’s happening in Switzerland.