Cash, cuckoo clocks and confusion with Sweden – Switzerland as seen abroad 

Precision, multilingualism, neutrality, gold, cheese, yodelling and, last but not least, a Swedish accent. We asked our Swiss readers living abroad what stereotypes about Switzerland, true or false, they came up against most often. All countries are associated with a series of stereotypes or clichés in the minds of the rest of the world. While some of these may reflect reality, or at least in part, they are often the result of misconceptions and a good deal of confusion. Not surprisingly, it is this kind of misguided stereotype that seems to exasperate our readers living abroad the most. Many of the false ideas about Switzerland that the diaspora finds itself having to refute are, as it happens, actually about Sweden. “You’re Swiss? Why aren’t you tall and blonde?” one of our readers, Angela, was asked. “You make that beautiful car, the Volvo, right?” someone gushed to Petra. “Oh! You are from Switzerland,” Ruth was told. “I can hear your Swedish accent!” “I don’t think anyone has ...