Laila Rodriguez
Geneva, Switzerland – Getting a library card upon arriving in Switzerland is one of the most rewarding, easiest investments you can make as an expat, and one of the best decisions you may take as a parent. Libraries in Geneva, and surrounding cities, have a fair selection of books, magazines, and videos in English for adults and children. Registration, and borrowing of books is free of charge. Most libraries also have large music and video collections that can be borrowed for a small fee.
Laila Rodriguez
Geneva, Switzerland – Do you know what number to call if you have an electric emergency at home? What about if you see a potential hazard in or near an overhead electricity line? What about if there is no water in your house, or a water mainline breaks in your neighborhood?
Laila Rodriguez
Geneva, Switzerland - If you or someone in your family comes down with a bad flu or small injury you don’t want to have to scramble to find urgent medical care. If you are new to the region you might want to write this one down: Permanences Medicales.
Laila Rodriguez
Geneva, Switzerland - If you had an emergency would you know which number to call? Well, here are some of the most important emergency numbers in Geneva:
- 118 Firefighters and ambulance service
- 117 Police
- 144 Ambulance service and pharmacies on duty
- 145 Poisoning
- 143 La Main tendue help line (phone and email counseling)
- 147 SOS enfants (for children, teens and their parents)
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Laila Rodriguez
Geneva, Switzerland – There are still three more weeks left to recycle your Christmas tree in the City of Geneva. If you still have not gotten rid of your Sapin de Noel the city is picking up the trees during regular garbage pickup days. Those days are: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. The tree collection will take place until 29 January.
Before clearing out your former Christmas friend, make sure to remove any decorations still attached. Trees should be deposited neatly at the garbage container for your residence, between 05:00 and 06:30 only.
Collected trees are then cut up and used in wood-fired boilers.
Remember that to get-rid of other large items you need to call the city to arrange (free) pick-up.
Call: 0800 22 42 22.
For more info on recycling and throwing out other large items read my previous blogs.
Laila Rodriguez
The new Swiss president, Doris Leuthard, and the Federal Council
Geneva, Switzerland – I arrived back to Geneva this week to find a new (yearly) president: Doris Leuthard. Madame President Leuthard and the seemingly new Conseil Federal seem ready to work. Great!
Now, if I could only keep it straight, exactly how often do we change presidents? Or, is the word president a correct term to designate Ms. Leuthard? What about the Conseil? What do they do, exactly?
Laila Rodriguez
Living in Geneva magazine cover
Geneva, Switzerland – A good resource for those living or arriving in Geneva is the “Living in Geneva” magazine.
The glossy includes a calendar of events, resources, guides and interviews with City government offices on relevant topics.
Laila Rodriguez
Thinking of importing food products? Find out which are allowed
Geneva, Switzerland – Planning a trip abroad this summer? One small tip: be sure to have a first aid kit in the car, required by law, if you are traveling in the European Union. Migros and Coop supermarket chains sells them ready-made for about CHF10.
Before you head back home with a Serrano Ham or some exotic chinchilla skins, you might do well to find out how much meat and other edible products, and other kind of imports are allowed in Switzerland.
If bringing liquors either as gifts or for personal consumption find out what the limits are before having to pay taxes.
Find out how much fruit can be imported before you head back to Switzerland
Also useful: GenevaLunch’s guide To make it happily through Swiss customs.
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Laila Rodriguez
Public road division City of Geneva - Photo ©Ville de Genève
From time to time we find ourselves with more than we need or want to. More often than not, the objects of our disaffection end up forever hidden in the attic, the “cave” or on the street clogging the sidewalks, or worse yet, they end up in green areas.
Give them a second chance
Laila Rodriguez
Albuquerque, is a modest sized city located in the middle of… nowhere, New Mexico, USA. But, don’t let that fool you. This overgrown town has decided to create a free city-wide wifi network, and their efforts are impressive. For example, to encourage commuters to take public transport, the city offers free wifi on the commuter rail service. “We know when the ‘Rail Runner‘ is here because the connection in the AirPort changes names,” says Tim McGivern a seasoned journalist in the Duke City (after the Duke of Alburquerque, Spain, that is).
Carry your laptop and have fun!
Well. Geneva is not yet offering free Internet access on its public transport systems but its efforts at free wifi are not too shabby either.
You can login for free in libraries, community centers, some museums, some parks and even at a popular Geneva beach. Find the closest free wifi near you through the City’s easy to use, interactive map.
The City assures that the connection is secure and that surfing is anonymous and unrestricted.
Warning, some restaurants and bars in town advertise “free wifi access” but if you do not have an account with an Internet provider you cannot login. In contrast, City sponsored businesses offer wifi access to anyone without having to have an account, all you need is an Airport connection on your laptop and voilá.
Find your favorite login place, say Bains des Paquis, in the interactive map and don’t forget to check out GenevaLunch from wherever you are!
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