To overseas contractors......

[Green Mango]

I did a 16th month gig in Bavaria and thourghly enjoyed it.

An ex-collegue was telling me that there is stll work in Bavaria, A400M and Tiger Helicopter being prominent. If there are any aerpospace orientated engineers out there, might be worth a try.

I believe the rates were around the 60 Euro mark, but the agencies/clients are reducing rates as the £ is so low.

[sunnysan]

Ch

I am starting in Vaud in CH in April.

Should be slightly better off than living in London and I am basically taking a leap of faith really, but I have heard more good things than bad.

Never underestimate the hassle and expense of relocation :-), I am not saying dont do it, but its pricy and stressful

[NotAllThere]

I'm in a small town very close to Basel. We came over here in 2002, when I was offered a permie job with full relocation package, with the intention to stay. Started contracting in 2005, with my own GmbH. The total of my payments for health insurance (family of 5), + NI equivalent + Income tax, is considerably less than it would be in the UK.

Cost of living is higher, but value for money. Also, many things are cheaper if you're a resident. We do a lot of shopping across the border in Germany, for which we get back the VAT. Quality of life is high - amazing public transport, cleanliness, etc. - the country works.

Crime rates are low. The city is pretty safe. There is more integration with the Swiss in Basel than there is in Zürich, though there is more xenophobia than in the UK. It's quiet, shops are closed on Sunday, and about 5pm on Saturday. The education system is as good as when it's good in the UK - but they don't specialise as much.

I've had to commute a few times when I started contracting here - my first contract was in the UK! But I've now a pretty stable set of clients who are either local, or for whom I work remotely.

They recycle a lot, you aren't allowed to wash your car yourself because of the pollution from the run off, and there are laws about making a noise so you cannot drill or mow the lawn on a Sunday.

Same!

The different parts of Switzerland do differ in character. If I'd have had a choice, I'd have been in the French speaking part. But Basel is now my home. Which version of Swiss German does your wife speak?

btw - I'm on the English Forum as well.

[stek]

The different parts of Switzerland do differ in character. If I'd have had a choice, I'd have been in the French speaking part. But Basel is now my home. Which version of Swiss German does your wife speak?

btw - I'm on the English Forum as well.

The Basel one! The co she works for is based in Basel. wouldn't say she spoke it fluently or owt tho - she's an interpreter and 'fluent' means something different to her profession than it does to the rest of us. Always winds her up when some actress like Nicole Kidman says she's 'fluent in Russian' cos she learned it for her lines in 'Birthday Girl'....

Anyway, they all generally speak Hochdeutsch there at work.

With regard to the logicists of relocation, I'm gonna take the flog-the-lot, buy when get there method, very cathartic, plus gets rid of loads of crap you thought you should keep but don't actually need.

[NotAllThere]

I cha e bisstli Baslerdyytsch glernt. So move to Basel and stop fannying about!

[Sysman]

With regard to the logicists of relocation, I'm gonna take the flog-the-lot, buy when get there method, very cathartic, plus gets rid of loads of crap you thought you should keep but don't actually need.

That's the approach I took. I was moving from a country cottage to a modern place so little of the furniture suited anyway.

[sunnysan]

Leaving

With regard to the logicists of relocation, I'm gonna take the flog-the-lot, buy when get there method, very cathartic, plus gets rid of loads of crap you thought you should keep but don't actually need.

Get rid of loads of cr"p but , it appears that if you have stuff you want to keep it may be better to store it. I have a pretty good sofa and dining table which works out cheaper to store and ship(Since I have to store and ship clothes and things), than to toss and throw out. Basically my storage and shipping is working out to about £150 per cubic meter.

But yes, its great to throw out all the old tosh. Its amazing how much cr"p you collect

[doodab]

Get rid of loads of cr"p but , it appears that if you have stuff you want to keep it may be better to store it. I have a pretty good sofa and dining table which works out cheaper to store and ship(Since I have to store and ship clothes and things), than to toss and throw out. Basically my storage and shipping is working out to about £150 per cubic meter.

But yes, its great to throw out all the old tosh. Its amazing how much cr"p you collect

Don't just bin it. Ebay or freecycle it. Or even just hand it out to anyone who wants it.

[expat]

...They seem to lack those members of society who get off on spoiling it for everyone else.....

Precisely.