Nearly Six Years in Switzerland: An Experience That Shaped Me and a Family That Brought Me Back to Austria

Zilan from Innsbruck spent nearly six years living and working in Switzerland. For GlobalTalent24, she speaks about leaving her family, adapting to a new country, working in a hospital and ultimately deciding to return to Austria. This is how Zilan describes her experience.

Moving to another country is never simply a change of address. It means leaving behind your family, familiar surroundings and the everyday life in which you once felt secure. When I moved to Switzerland, I knew I was beginning a new chapter, but I could not have imagined how much the experience would change me.

I spent nearly six years in Switzerland. Although Austria is not far away, distance is not measured in kilometres alone. The hardest part was knowing that my family was no longer part of my daily life. I missed the spontaneous visits, the moments we shared and the feeling that the people I loved were always close by.

When you arrive in a new country on your own, one of the first challenges is building a social circle. People in Switzerland can seem reserved at first, but that does not mean they are unfriendly. Genuine friendships take time, a little initiative and a willingness to step outside your comfort zone. My work helped me greatly in meeting new people and finding my place in a new environment.

When it came to my professional life, I had very good working conditions. I have especially fond memories of Zurich, where I worked with a wonderful team. I enjoyed spending time with my colleagues both at work and outside it. We were more than just people who worked together. We were a team that supported one another, shared laughter and enjoyed spending time together after the working day was over.

Of course, there were also days when the job demanded a great deal of patience and emotional strength. Working in a hospital carries considerable responsibility. Every day, you are in contact with people who need help, understanding and reassurance. Such an environment can be demanding, but that is precisely what gives the work its special value. The difficult days never changed my overall impression, because I knew I was doing something meaningful and that I was surrounded by good people.

Switzerland is a beautiful country. Its mountains, lakes and green landscapes can genuinely feel like something from a fairytale. The sense of order, security and a high standard of living can be felt in almost every aspect of daily life. Nature offers a special kind of peace, while the quality of life is one of the reasons many people decide to stay.

At the same time, Switzerland is also a highly bureaucratic country. Procedures, documents, appointments and deadlines are taken very seriously. Punctuality and precision are expected because people are accustomed to a system that operates according to clearly defined rules. It takes time to adjust to this way of life, but eventually you begin to appreciate the order and reliability it provides.

I first heard about GlobalTalent24 through friends. The opportunity to search for jobs initially caught my attention, but I was particularly impressed by the GlobalTalent24 Magazine. It features genuinely interesting and useful stories, personal experiences and articles that help people better understand what it means to live and work abroad. This kind of content can be extremely valuable when you are considering moving to another country or taking your first steps towards a new career. That is why I would recommend registering on the platform to anyone looking for a new professional opportunity.

Looking back today, my time in Switzerland was a wonderful life experience. I learned a great deal, developed professionally, met inspiring people and became more independent. Still, I decided to return to Austria because I increasingly missed my family. It was a decision from the heart and a choice to once again be closer to the people who mean the most to me.

Could Switzerland become an option for me again in the future? Very possibly. Life often leads us in directions we never planned. For now, I am enjoying every moment with my family in Austria and appreciating what I missed most during those years away.

Warm regards,

Zilan