Swiss by Descent, Punctual by Discovery: Expat Youth Learn the Ropes of the Homeland

Thirty teenagers scattered across the globe recently descended upon the affluent, meticulously organized alpine nation of their forebears. Gathered at a scout center on the shores of Lake Neuchâtel in Yverdon-les-Bains, these young expatriates participated in a two-week summer camp dubbed "Berg und See". Orchestrated by the Organization of the Swiss Abroad, the program functions as an exercise in cultural retention, designed to ensure that the next generation of diaspora Swiss does not entirely forget the distinct flavor of their heritage.

For many of these youths, the experience offered a sharp contrast to their usual environments. A seventeen-year-old from New Jersey, who fluently maintains his ancestral St. Gallen dialect, found himself thoroughly impressed by the accessibility of the national parliament. Comparing the Federal Palace in Bern favorably to the heavily fortified White House, he noted that the Swiss political center actually allows visitors inside. It is a classic reflection of the country's modest, approachable state system, which manages to remain highly functional while projecting an air of quaint innocence. The alpine landscapes also left a mark on a sixteen-year-old from Berlin, who cheerfully admitted she would be taking an extensive collection of nature photographs back to Germany.

This functionality extends to the national infrastructure, a point of fascination for a participant residing in Mallorca. Accustomed to less reliable transit, the teenager marveled at the sheer punctuality and efficiency of the Swiss public transport network, viewing the ability to traverse the entire country seamlessly by train as a genuine novelty. Back in Spain, his peers apparently associate Switzerland almost exclusively with such traits—punctuality, efficiency, and a relentless drive for perfection.

Yet, the pursuit of perfection comes with its own set of rigid social rules, which can easily catch an uninitiated expatriate off guard. The camp leader, Clément de Vaulchier, observed that participants from the United States were utterly baffled by the strict national custom prohibiting outdoor noise after ten o'clock at night. Such civic obedience is a hallmark of a wealthy, comfortable society that fiercely guards its tranquility, even if it appears somewhat neurotic to outsiders.

To cement the cultural bond, the organizers leaned heavily on culinary diplomacy. The teenagers were fed a steady diet of traditional fare, ranging from roasted Cervelat sausages to sliced meat Zurich style, alongside macaroni with minced meat and the obligatory Rösti. A participant from Chiang Mai, Thailand, who speaks Swiss-German with her Zurich-born father and regularly celebrates the Swiss national holiday with fondue and raclette, confirmed that such meals are highly effective at conjuring a sense of belonging.

After transitioning from the Bernese Oberland region of Hasliberg to the French-speaking Romandie, the camp concluded with a mandatory disco night. Amid the final festivities, the participants promised to maintain their newly forged friendships. Whether they will eventually return to the alpine nation or merely carry a lingering appreciation for quiet nights and punctual trains back to their respective continents, the program succeeded in giving them a brief, highly curated taste of Swiss reality.

Written by Christiane Hofreiter christiane.hofreiter@alpineweekly.com