The Grass is Always Greener

While living in Switzerland, it was easy to compare (and sometimes complain) about the various aspects of work in Zurich as compared to San Francisco. When anything went wrong, it was easy to exclaim...“that would never happen at home” or “why can't they do things like the US”…. I was less than happy about my job in San Francisco when I left for Zurich, but after a few weeks in Switzerland, I couldn’t stop singing its praises…how does the saying go “You don’t know what you’ve got, til it’s gone.” And now, after a month of working back in San Francisco, I have to apologize to my Swiss counterparts; they definitely got some things right over there. My bias towards San Francisco was, in some instances, unwarranted and it became all too obvious as soon as I stepped on public transportation for my daily commute. So in an effort to even the score -

• While in Switzerland, I never gave a thought to the always on time and clean trams, although I never hesitated to give the locals a hard time for throwing elbows to get on and off the tram or never giving up their seat to a lady (whether old, pregnant or in uncomfortable shoes). Back in San Francisco, I was immediately excited when people allowed me to get on the bus before them and I almost fainted when a gentleman offered his seat to me. Although that joy was short lived...come quitting time, I was unable to get a bus home due to overcrowded and always late public transportation. San Francisco only redeemed itself with the abundance of cheap and available cabs.
• While in Switzerland, it took me a few months to build up a repore with my team, co-workers, admins and favorite lunch ladies. I had clearly taken advantage of the fact that everyone knew me in the San Francisco office...but they should, I had spent 4 years there, on the social committee, Involve committee and Local Action Committee... I don't have a real excuse as to why or how my breakfast burrito lady recognized me after 2 and a half years (I thought I only went there when I was hung over, so I am not sure if I was that memorable or always that hung over). But I am thankful that those relationships in Zurich finally did develop and my impatient desire to speed up the process was a bit unrealistic
• While in Switzerland, I initially complained about the excessive coffee breaks taken by the team (I could never find anyone around 4pm) but I ended up embracing them (if you can't beat em...). Back in San Francisco, I have tried to re-instate the coffee breaks, although it is more of a coffee walk to get the goods and some fresh air, rather than a proper coffee break.
• The Emergency Martinis enjoyed by my co-workers and I in Switzerland are only trumped by the quantity of people who attend the happy hours in San Francisco - quantity and maybe classiness. Emergency martinis were primarily with just a few people and held at a posh hotel bar which attracted business men and high class hookers alike, our happy hours in San Francisco include everyone, including their roommates, friends and uncles, and are at the local dive bars… and we may or may not have recently had an an ugly x-mas sweater themed one during the holidays.
• And to tip the scale in favor of Zurich, technology and accounting support in San Francisco has far surpassed my belief as to how long it takes to get something done. In Zurich, I received a blackberry on my very first day, without asking and never had a problem with back office support. In contrast, I have tried for the past four weeks to order a Blackberry via Tech Support and IT still can't get it together, plus accounting messed up my payroll, tax withholdings and job title, all of which had to be sorted out through numerous phone calls and emails.

When it is all said and done, I would call it a tie. Both locations have equally great and frustrating things which you can only fully appreciate after being gone.