Swiss Expat Stats

The Swiss apparently do not find their motherland to be a particularly exciting country, since the most common (although not the most important) reason for their relocation is the search for an adventure or a personal challenge (mentioned by 28%). In addition, 24% of the Swiss report that they specifically wanted to live in the country they currently reside in, and according to a further 22% they simply enjoy living abroad.

Many Swiss expats have previous experience with life abroad. Almost a quarter (24%) has lived in four or more countries before, excluding Switzerland and their current host country; globally, only 16% of participants can say the same. Planned lengths of stay do not deviate as much (e.g. 27% Swiss vs. 25% overall plan to possibly stay forever). However, in contrast to the worldwide trend, stays of 3–5 years are somewhat more popular with the Swiss than those of over five years (20% and 10%, respectively).

Luckily, the Swiss passport seems to open many doors, as an exceptionally high percentage of the Swiss expats (59%) mention that getting a visa for their host country was very easy, an opinion only 41% of their global peers share.

10 types of Expats

Last year InterNations published their second annual Expat Insider survey. The expat organisation surveyed 14,000 of its 1.8 million members from around the world to assess the living situations and wellbeing of expatriates. With this wealth of quantitative and qualitative data, they defined 10 specific types of expats as shown in the infographic below.

Naturally, the 10 categories are not 100% inclusive – there will always be people who don’t fit neatly into one – but considering the size of the survey, it is the most representative data we have. Which type of expat are you? Or, if you haven’t yet taken the plunge, which would you likely be in the future?

To download the full Expat Insider 2015 report, click here: https://internationsexpatinsider/pdf/expat_insider_2015

Family Fun Fair in Lugano

It is the event of the year: the Family Fun fair organised by the IWCL (Int'l. Women's Club of Lugano). Not to be missed come rain or come shine!

There are ongoing activities during the day for big and small. Come along, even if you do not have little people with you. All you need to bring is an empty stomach as our vendors will offer everything from amazing Asian Fusion Catering to wonderful Guily Pleasure cupcakes.

Kids' Klub will be offering ongoing face painting, bouncing castle and the possibility to discover and try instruments under the supervision of wonderful music teachers. Looms workshop will be organised by some volunteers. NANATelier will surprise you with their little creations. Be Unique Suisse provides fun in a unique and stylish way. Karin Hochapfel will make your children sing, Clown Poppins will pop by in the afternoon and Kelly Fischer will be storytelling.

Meet, Sample or Buy:
Taste of America
Cecilia Tsai and Miamily
Lugano Family tour 
Robin Bognuda and All for Kids
Mary Kay
Cloud of Cloth
El Galeon
Book Nook

The following sponsors are offering special discounts. You can collect coupons by writing to iwcleveninggroup@gmail.com. Every Family will receive a goodie bag so - if you are sure to come - please let IWCL know.

International Women’s Club of Lugano
The American Women of Ticino
U Name It Stickers
Children helmets
Rock My Baby
boo-merino.com
Just Rosy
Pinkfish
English Counselling Switzerland
Hello Switzerland
Città del Sole Lugano:
Forever Living Products
"Be Fit for Life"

Venue: Family Fun Fair
Where: Hotel Pestalozzi, Piazza Indipendenza 9, 6900 Lugano
Date: Sunday, November 9, 2014
Time: 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Have a wonderful Sunday,

InterNations Over-40 Event in Lugano

InterNations are happy to invite you to their first get-together created for their members who are over 40 years old, to mingle, catch up with friends, and meet new people with similar interests.

New International friends are very welcomed too but are kindly asked to sign up to InterNations. Register by clicking onto their site: http://www.internations.org.

So join them on Saturday, February 16th, 2013 at the Viva Café and get partying! Over 30 people are registered already.

Venue: Baby Boomers & Early Generation X" Networking Event in Lugano
Where: Viva Café Lounge & Restaurant, Via Lambertenghi 5, 6900 Lugano
When: Saturday, February 16th, 2013
Time: 19:00 onwards
Cover charge:
Basic Members: 10.00 CHF
Not on guest list: 20.00 CHF
Cover charge includes: a welcome drink and appetizers, exclusive use of the place with music and entertainment during the evening.

InterNations Lugano Christmas Party

“At every party there are two kinds of people - those who want to go home and those who don't. The trouble is, they are usually married to each other.”
Ann Landers

Join InterNations on Wednesday, December 5th, 2012 @ Viva Café Lounge & Restaurant from 19:00 onwards. Enjoy the incredible Brasilian meat menu with seven different types of meat and Brasilian specialties, all-you-can-eat, plus two drinks of your choice.

There will also be a Christmas Raffle with several prizes, so don't miss this great opportunity to meet fellow expats, greet the new members in the Lugano community and have a fun evening!

Register for this at www.internations.org directly. Click on the Accept Invitation button by 18:00 of November 28th, 2012 in order for the staff to be able to order the meat and be well prepared. So far 94 people have confirmed.

Feel free to bring your International friends, but please invite them to sign up for InterNations first.

Live the InterNations spirit – Nobody stands alone!
For many guests, it’ll be the first InterNations event; quite a few people will arrive on their own. Please help make them feel welcome. If you see someone alone in a corner, it’d be great if you introduced them to your friends. In this way, we can share the spirit of connecting global minds, and every member will have a lovely time.

Venue: InterNations Christmas Party
Where: Viva Café Lounge & Restaurant, Via Lambertenghi 5, 6900 Lugano
When: Wednesday, December 5th, 2012
Time: 19:00 to 3:00
Entrance Fee: Basic Members - 60.00 CHF
Cover charge includes: Dinner and 2 drinks
- All-you-can-eat Buffet
- 7 meat specialties
- Brasilian Cuisine
- Christmas special
- 2 drinks: prosecco, wine, water and/or from boule
- Christmas Raffle with Several Prizes

And most of all: don't forget to HAVE FUN!!!

Lugano's InterNations October Netwoking Event

You’re cordially invited to join InterNations at Ristorante Parco Ciani on Wednesday, October 17th from 19:00 onwards!

Together with over 200 other expats you can enjoy great music, nice cocktails and the famous Parco Ciani Buffet of appetizers. Cover charge of CHF 10.- includes a free welcome drink as well as a tasty selection of appetizers.

Register for this event by clicking the here by 16:00 of 17.10.12. Bring your International friends but please do invite them to sign up to InterNations, too.

Venue: InterNations October Networking Event
Where: Parco Ciani, Piazza Indipendenza 4, 6900 Lugano
When: Wednesday, October 17th, 2012
Time: 19:00 - 0:00

...and don't forget to have fun!!!

InterNations June Networking Event

Would you believe that there are already 261 people signed up for the InterNations meeting tomorrow night? The monthly InterNations Meet-up Event is proof that the Expat community is growing fast in Lugano. Don't miss this event, you'll have a chance to make friends with people of all ages from Mongolia to Zimbabwe and from Taiwan to Jordan.

The InterNations Lugano group will be meeting on Wednesday, June 13, 2012 from 7 pm onwards, at NYX Lounge in Lugano, a trendy and modern Lounge Bar in the centre of town overlooking the lake. Great atmosphere, decor and good music combined with a superb selection of wines, cocktails and food are guaranteed.

They have exclusive use of the upper floor and half of the downstairs at NYX Lounge in the centre of town.

Please register for this event by clicking on the InterNation site here.

Venue: InterNations June Networking Event
Where: NYX LOUNGE, Via Stauffacher 1, 6901 LUGANO
When: Wednesday, June 13th, 2012
Time: 19:00 to 23:00
Entrance fees for the event:
Free for Albatross Members
CHF 10 for basic members
CHF 20 for attendees who are not on the guest list.
The entrance includes one welcome drink as well as a tasty selection of appetizers and snack foods. After that, as usual, drinks are pay self (pay as you go / no tabs)!

InterNations May Networking event

InterNations are happy to invite you to their May 2012 Lugano get-together, to mingle, catch up with friends, and meet new people.

InterNations will be meeting on Wednesday, May 16th, 2012 from 7 pm onwards, at Bar-Restaurant LA LANCHETTA on the shore of Lake Lugano. La Lanchetta is particularly appealing during summer time, when they open the whole front wall. You can enjoy your aperitivo right on the lake.

Live the InterNations spirit – Nobody stands alone!
For many guests, it’ll be the first InterNations event; quite a few arrive on their own. Please be open to making them feel welcome. If you see someone alone in a corner, it’d be great if you introduced them to your friends. Thus you can share the spirit of connecting global minds, and every member will have a lovely time. Thanks from InterNations Lugano Team.

Venue: InterNations Lugano get-together
Where: La Lanchetta, Viale Castagnola 16, 6900 Lugano
When: Wednesday, May 16th, 2012
Time: 19:00

Entrance fees for the event: 

Free for Albatross Members

CHF 10.- for basic members

CHF 20.- for attendees who are not on the guest list. 

The entrance includes one welcome drink as well as a tasty selection of appetizers and snack foods. After that, as usual, drinks are pay self (pay as you go / no tabs)!

Please sign up for the event by visiting their site here. Search for the event website where you still need to put yourself on the guest list to attend the event. 

Art Matters

"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures."
Henry Ward Beecher

Curious about Modern Art? Would you like to meet the artists personally? You might actually know them already! Just visit the new art exhibition of Modern Art this weekend, organized by InterNations member Paul Mathews and his partner Maryam Dayhim.

The exhibition will feature new and young talents, including some local InterNations Lugano members:
Helen Roowalla (www.zhibit.org/hero)
Hannah Matthews
Anneke van der Zwaag (www.inspirationsbyanneke.com)
Romina Farrugia (http://mina74.wordpress.com/

The exhibition will take place in the Il Ciani, directly opposite the Parco Ciani and the Lugano Congress Center. Paul and Maryam hope many of you can stop by at the exhibition!

Venue: Il Ciani, Viale Catteneo 5, 6900 Lugano

When: Friday March 30th from 10 AM to 8PM

Saturday March 31st from 10AM to 6PM

Price: Entrance will be CHF 10 and includes a free drink (free entrance up to 16 years of age)

InterNations Lugano Networking event

"Every person is a new door to a different world."

Can you believe there will be over 160 Lugano Expats meeting tomorrow night? Well, it is true. After the success of the Expat expo with over 2000 visitors Lugano's expat community is thriving.

Get ready to party on. You are invited to InterNations Lugano get-together, to mingle, catch up with friends, and meet new people. They will be meeting on Wednesday, March 14, 2012 from 7 pm onwards, at NYX Lounge in Lugano. InterNations has exclusive use of the upper floor and half of the downstairs at NYX Lounge in the centre of town.

Join the InterNations Lugano community and enjoy a free welcome drink and a tasty selection of delicious appetizers and snacks. Meet fellow global minds from more than 40 nationalities for a night of networking and catching up with friends and contacts from the community.

Venue: NYX LOUNGE, Via Stauffacher 1, 6901 LUGANO
Date: Wednesday, March 14th, 2012
Time: 19:00 - 23:00

Entrance fees for the event:
Free for Albatross Members, CHF 10 for basic members and CHF 20 for attendees who are not on the guest list. The entrance includes one welcome drink as well as a tasty selection of appetizers and snack foods. After that, as usual, drinks are pay self (pay as you go / no tabs)!

Please register for this event by clicking here. Feel free to bring your international friends but please do invite them to sign up to InterNations, too. The guest list will be closed at 4PM on the day of the event.

InterNations Lugano Networking Aperitivo

It is time again to join InterNations Lugano for their January Networking Event. InterNations aim is to help you, as an expatriate, in becoming part of the Switzerland expat community and exploring the Swiss way of life in all its aspects: From enjoying the traditional rösti to celebrating the Swiss National Day.

The Lugano section of InterNations will meet at Villa Saroli, which they will have exclusive to themselves! All attendees will receive a free welcome drink plus a tasty selection of appetizers. The Villa Saroli offers the perfect setting for the January event, as it enables effortless networking and catching up with new and familiar faces from the Lugano community! So far over 90 members have signed up!

So go ahead, share some holiday anecdotes, hear the latest news from the community, and have a fun time mingling in a fantastic crowd of expats and global minds! Don't miss InterNations Lugano's very first event in 2012!

Location: Villa Saroli, Ristorante, Lounge & Bar, Viale Stefano Franscini 8, 6900 Lugano
Date: Wednesday, January 18th, 2012
Time:       19:00 - 22:00
Fee:         Albatross Members: Free
                Basic Members: 10.00 CHF
                Not on guest list: 20.00 CHF
                Non-InterNations Members: 20.00 CHF
The entrance includes one welcome drink as well as a tasty selection of appetizers and snacks.

Please sign up for the event by visiting their site here. Search for the event website where you still need to put yourself on the guest list to attend the event.

Feel free to bring your international friends, but please invite them to sign up for InterNations first.

InterNations Christmas Party in Lugano

Christmas is just around the corner. Need to let your hair down and take a deep breath between rushing around shopping for the perfect gift, organizing holiday trips or preparing culinary delcacies? The answer is a night out with a bunch of fun-loving people.

InterNations' December event will differ from their regular events and features a unique format. At NYX Lounge InterNations have put together a special Standing Christmas Buffet Dinner package including lots of extras for our members. Doors will open at 7pm.

All attendees will receive a free welcome drink (Martini Prosecco) and the Standing Buffet will start at 8pm. Please check the event post for details on the offered food and please do sign up at the InterNations site.

Not only will you be offered a choice of Prosecco/White Wine/Red Wine (3 glasses per person) and
LIVE MUSIC,but you'll also receive a free welcome Poker Chip for the Casino worth CHF 5.-.

So what are you waiting for? It's all happening tonight with over 125 people signed up for the fun. See you there.

Venue: InterNations Christmas Party
Where: NYX LOUNGE, Via Stauffacher 1, 6901 Lugano, Tel. +41 79 870 93 13, www.nyxlugano.ch
When: Wednesday, December 14th , 2011
Time: 19:00
Price: Members Chf 55.-, Guests: CHF 65.-