Browse De Faoite, Diarmuid

1-39 out of 39 article(s)

Title	Date	Words
Lost in translation--miaow.	Oct 1, 2011	546
Batman (and Beatles) need not apply: there are no Swiss superheroes for the simple reason that we all possess superpowers over here. We may not be able to stop a speeding bullet, but we can stop a speeding Ferrari simply by stepping out in front of it on a zebra crossing. That's why even Swiss nerds feel empowered! Here are some more things I have learnt while living in Switzerland.	Sep 1, 2011	523
The things you learn ...	Aug 1, 2011	549
For whom the bell tolls: sandwiched between the asparagus- and the wild-game seasons, in the sweltering heat of summer, you'll find another well-known season that isn't just confined to Switzerland. Yes folks, it's wedding time again!	Jul 1, 2011	518
Learning from German--los geht's! It is estimated the English language comprises 600,000 words, yet there are times when its paucity is hard to ignore. This usually happens when you learn a new word in the (more compact) German language for which there's no English equivalent. German speakers know how this confounds us, and describe that smug sense of satisfaction with the useful word Schadenfreude.	Jun 1, 2011	547
Mystery shops (not mystery shoppers).	May 1, 2011	589
Swiss microcosm.	Apr 1, 2011	572
Swiss people (and your) party.	Mar 1, 2011	534
Exploring Swiss flats: Switzerland may be in Europe, but adjusting to its idiosyncrasies can involve changing everything you ever thought to be true. For example, the days of the week in my house now go like this: Monday, Tuesday, Washday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Zopfday.	Feb 1, 2011	496
2010: a Swiss odyssey: what an outstanding year that was! We had referenda to deal with the problem of foreigners. The world pressured us to end some of our more dubious financial dealings. Roger Federer racked up more tennis titles. Admittedly, I could be talking about any year over the past decade ...	Jan 1, 2011	562
The game's up for the Christmas criminal! These days it is possible to haul people in front of international criminal courts for countless reasons, big and small. So, I think it is high time for one long-reigning trickster to face justice.	Dec 1, 2010	545
VIP--Very interesting person: the voice-over man.	Dec 1, 2010	228
Minds reading Swiss style! In these difficult times, many of us are forced to find creative ways of filling the growing financial black holes. For one Swiss resident, overcoming this troubling situation is all in the mind ...	Nov 1, 2010	499
Fabrique en Suisse / Hergestellt in der Schweiz / made in Switzerland: this year Switzerland introduced the Cassis de Dijon principle (which states that all sorts of cheaper food from the EU can be now be legally imported). Where will this leave food and drink in Helvetia? Gourmet (fancy French word for glutton) Diarmuid De Faoite investigates Switzerland's gastronomic delights.	Oct 1, 2010	598
In the eye of the beholder.	Sep 1, 2010	546
Do you speak German? Proper German? Every 15 minutes a German immigrates to Switzerland. This frightening statistic would be even more shocking if it were true. Nonetheless, it is correct to say that a lot of Germans have moved to Switzerland since a bilateral deal was arranged with the EU in record time.	Jul 1, 2010	543
Summer holidays in Switzerland: in Switzerland, people with children of school age love the summer holidays. After all, what could be more relaxing than getting away for a couple of weeks during the three-week window the schools dictate to you?	Jun 1, 2010	591
You're in the army.	May 1, 2010	574
Everybody's gone 'surfen'.	Apr 1, 2010	534
Looking back: the year 2009 will be long remembered 'round these parts, If Luxembourg was Switzerland's nemesis in 2008, this was the year in which Libya was the country beginning with 'L' that tried to ruin our Alpine peace.	Feb 1, 2010	586
Silence is golden: recently I had a blazing row with my Swiss-German wife. It was probably the worst one we've ever had. Luckily it took place before 22:00; otherwise I'd have had the neighbours calling the police about the noise.	Sep 1, 2009	521
... The living is easy: the onset of summer in Switzerland is best greeted with a mild panic about the need to change your car's tyres. But what's the point of getting ready to go on holiday by road? The queue of vehicles in front of the Gotthard Tunnel stretches all the way back to Basel in the north and Milan in the south. Nope, best to stay at home and enjoy what Switzerland has to offer.	Jun 1, 2009	499
Going, and staying, green: before moving to Switzerland I thought 'going green' was what you did just as the rollercoaster began its descent. Now I understand that any puke produced belongs in the compost bin. Yes folks, thanks to my years in Zurich I am now environmentally aware!	Apr 1, 2009	533
The year in review: there's something very comforting about the never-changing news flow here in Switzerland. So sit back and enjoy a trip down memory lane before you rush out to buy your 2009 Autobahn Vignette.	Jan 1, 2009	505
It's snow joke: I am a little bit like Paul Simon. When September or October comes around every year you'll find me "laying out my winter clothes, wishing I was gone". (And the similarities don't just end there--I haven't spoken to Art Garfunkel in years either!).	Nov 1, 2008	484
Summer in Switzerland: I love summertime in Switzerland for several reasons, not least because this is the time when all the Sunday motorcyclists shatter the peace.	Jul 1, 2008	490
Euro 2008 city guide: Switzerland is home to football's two biggest governing bodies, UEFA and FIFA. This had absolutely no impact on Switzerland being awarded hosting rights for the 2008 European Championship.	Jun 1, 2008	536
Outdoor paradise in Davos.	Jun 1, 2008	117
Serve us: Swiss restaurants are fantastic. Although it is slowly changing, they are generally places where people go to smoke rather than to eat. After all, what makes more sense than indulging in an appetite suppressant in a place that exists to serve food? Mind you, given the paltry portions often served up here, maybe the smokers are on to something!	May 1, 2008	525
Hands up for democracy: if there is one thing the Swiss love it is democracy. So, voting in Switzerland is practised with all the serious enthusiasm of a Grateful Dead fan.	Apr 1, 2008	421
Pen pushers and dealers: if you happen to see a guy walking down a street in Switzerland clutching a bunch of flowers, it's probably not that it's someone's birthday or he messed up with his significant other and is trying to make amends. Most likely he just started a new job.	Mar 1, 2008	543
Love is in air? love in Switzerland is a strange business (sometimes it's a real business too but I'm not going to talk about that here)!	Feb 1, 2008	447
The early bird catches the ... bread? Shopping in Switzerland can be a very strange experience. For example, in reality there are only two main supermarket chains. This lack of choice leads to a rather surreal experience--when you are around other people's flats you'll see a lot of stuff that you own too.	Jan 1, 2008	516
Relocation! Moving abroad can be a thrilling yet nerve-wracking experience. To pave your way, here's a handy guide to make your relocation to Switzerland child's play.	Dec 1, 2007	483
Baby grows up: now, some people would have you believe that Switzerland is not child-friendly. I disagree. From the cookers with the dials on the front so that little hands can easily reach them to the elevators without an inner safety door, Switzerland is like a high-energy adventure park for toddlers. (You may also like to note the huge role insurance companies play in Swiss life.).	Nov 1, 2007	410
Swiss babies? It's child's play ... if, like me, you're a parent you will know what a special event it is to have children. If, also like me, you became a parent while in Switzerland, you will of course know that even giving birth here has its own special rules and regulations.	Oct 1, 2007	910
Island on a continent.	Aug 1, 2007	580
Train karma: like a lot of people who live in Switzerland, I have a carbon footprint the size of a newborn baby's bootie. In order to leave the planet a better place for future generations, I recycle and almost exclusively use public transport. And it's worth noting that this has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that to do otherwise would cost me a boatload of money!	Jun 1, 2007	528
Golfing with the Swiss: you might imagine that golf is not very popular in Switzerland for the following reasons: mountains tend to get in the way of fairways. 'Green fees' translate as 'environmentally friendly pixies' for those who speak Swiss-German.	Apr 1, 2006	377