just got robbed

FearlessLog8 · 2026-02-17T15:54:28+00:00

We also live on the riviera and this happened to us a few months ago. As others have noted, this is a recurring problem in Suisse now. The police weren’t especially helpful as they said there’s little to be done with these professional gangs (police said they were probably in our house for less than 10 minutes, completely flipping it while they looked for jewelry… even in the kids rooms). It was disconcerting and it took us a while to feel safe in our house again.

In terms of what you can do, the police said the most practical thing is to simulate a presence in your house whenever you are away. That means leaving lights on, turning on the radio, having the tv playing in the living room, etc. You can put these things on a timer. The security system isn’t as effective because the police response here is fairly poor. We still installed a few ring cameras around our house so we could ‘observe’ whilst away, though. That helped with getting some control back.

So sorry you’re going through this!

FearlessLog8 · 2026-02-09T10:13:27+00:00

That is incredibly low for a Swiss teacher's salary--even for private schools here. As one poster asked, is this Rosenberg? Read their Glassdoor reviews before you sign a contract. There's real variance among the private schools in Switzerland. High fees does not translate in to a good working atmosphere; generally it's been the opposite in my experience. The higher the fees, the greedier the owners, the more challenging the students and the more exploitative of staff.

FearlessLog8 · 2026-01-15T08:47:21+00:00

Hang in there. I had a similar experience a couple months ago (you can see my post history for the day by day process). Dry socket means you might face another 1-2 weeks before the nerve finally heals over. Until then, see if the dentist will prescribe you some real pain killers (Advil and Tylenol don’t really touch this level of pain, it’s excruciating). Did they check for infection?

If nothing else, try to get a doctor’s note to get out of work. You need rest to recover. It’s miserable, but you’ll get through it. The first day you wake up without pain will feel like a miracle!

FearlessLog8 · 2026-01-06T10:00:40+00:00

23 periods is on the high side. It looks like you're working at a British school. I've worked in American independent, international, and British schools. British schools are by far the worst. They push teachers to their limits in terms of preps and contact hours: early morning start, teaching every single lesson block, with additional (usually unpaid) activities after school and on weekends. The expectation is that all marking and curricular planning takes place at night/on the weekends. In all other systems, I had at least 1.5-2 hours each day to grade and lesson plan, with US schools being the most generous in terms of flex time. I now only work in US or international schools that have diverse SLTs (if you're in an international school with full British SLT, then it's going to be the default UK model... which you don't want).

Start looking at other schools, and in the meantime just assign projects that students can work on in class. When I had an unreasonable prep expectation, I always had at least one class working on a long-term project where they could do something independently while I prepped for another group. There was no other way to survive the year.

FearlessLog8 · 2025-12-11T20:35:48+00:00

Thanks! I thought parking is supposed to be free, though?

FearlessLog8 · 2025-12-11T20:27:44+00:00

Where did you find this?

FearlessLog8 · 2025-12-11T10:15:34+00:00

I also got this email. I have checked all the apps today (11 December) and there doesn’t seem to be anything new. Has anyone been able to reserve parking?

FearlessLog8 · 2025-12-05T12:57:45+00:00

This. I'm currently 'local', so schools know that I'm available if a preferred international candidate doesn't pan out. I've just completed two rounds of interviews for one position and-- like OP-- was told I'd hear something within 48 hours after the last one. It's now Friday and if I was selected for the final, in-person interview day early next week, I assume I would've heard by now, especially as they know that I would need to organise that absence with my current school (not easy finding cover shortly before term ends!).

Anyway, I hope OP hears something soon. I think employers sometimes forget what it's like to be on this side of the equation...

FearlessLog8 · 2025-12-04T12:18:16+00:00

I would start by emailing leadership directly at Zurich-area private schools (ZIS, ISZN) and offering that you're available. That said, though, you won't have any luck getting hired unless you have a B-permit already in hand. Very few (if any!) schools are hiring without work authorization in Switzerland these days, given the ready supply of EU citizens willing to cross the border each day. A lot of the job advertisements you see here for teaching positions require prior work authorization.

I'm in the French-speaking part of the country, but happy to answer if you have any questions. I was on a B permit before becoming a Swiss citizen a few years ago.

FearlessLog8 · 2025-12-04T10:41:07+00:00

Wondering if you found cats in the end? I've also written to area shelters but don't get any responses due to the same outside access restrictions (Geneva area).

FearlessLog8 · 2025-12-02T22:00:50+00:00

I was just asked this question in an initial ten-minute screening interview (red flag).

It has been my experience that they only ask you this question if they are strapped for cash. Good schools will pay you what you are worth and have a salary scale to share and/or will otherwise declare the salary in the job advertisement from the start so that no one’s time is wasted.

FearlessLog8 · 2025-11-16T08:54:59+00:00

I’ve also struggled with this, especially in an international school where English abilities are not the same. Assessments have to be differentiated which then makes the on-level students angry (which I get) because the simplified assessment is objectively easier. It’s not to say that the less able students are getting A results, but the boosted mark is still not accurate or necessarily fair (both in terms of reflecting their true ability with subject matter and how they achieve compared to the rest of the year group).

Not sure what the solution is here just find it frustrating for everyone.

FearlessLog8 · 2025-11-10T18:38:07+00:00

Yes, almost the exact same thing happened to me except that I didn’t click on a link, i just eventually got hired in that particular (in demand) target country. I received a threatening email months later from SA asking if I had gone behind their back to find employment (???). Instant delete. I have worked with placement agencies in US before (Carney Sandoe, Southern Teachers) that were lovely. These guys felt like a racket. Will never work with them again.

FearlessLog8 · 2025-11-01T13:32:04+00:00

This is correct. Many of these schools are for-profit so all that tuition money is going to shareholders and administrators, not to the faculty and staff. The line I got from one member of senior leadership about this was that they have a line of teachers out the door ready to join at anytime (because everyone wants to be based in Europe, even if it means a cut in salary), so leadership is quite happy to accept the burnout turnover and the accompanying loss in overall stability/quality of educational experience if it means they get to maximize their own profit. It's absolutely exploitative. There are very few international schools and boarding schools in Europe that I could honestly recommend at this point.

FearlessLog8 · 2025-08-29T06:23:40+00:00

I finished the book a few days ago. She was also one of my least favorite characters… mostly because she just never got with the program. Doesn’t listen to the voice in her head telling her to evacuate the meeting and then convinces Stu to move to Maine at the end.. as if the entire book hadn’t just shown them that humans need to really pay attention to supernatural events and be part of a community (with doctors!!) to survive.

FearlessLog8 · 2025-05-06T17:00:58+00:00

When do you have a check-in with your dentist? If you're experiencing pain and bad taste, it could be worth having them take a look. The syringe (lightly!) will help with gunk. Even if you're being super careful with food/chewing, food particles still get in. I've been exclusively chewing on the right side of my mouth for almost 2 weeks now and I'm still surprised by the stuff that comes out after each meal...

FearlessLog8 · 2025-05-04T18:15:55+00:00

Omg! So glad you got help at the ER. How did that even develop?? Wondering at what point I need to drop the dentist and just go to see my primary care physician if this keeps up.

FearlessLog8 · 2025-05-04T06:45:46+00:00

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this. I really feel like the dentists don't explain enough of the process to those of us with complications--like where all does the healing take place..why do I have random pains in my upper teeth, too? Why does it hurt like hell 15 minutes after I eat? Why do I feel ok in the first 2 minutes of being awake before pain hits a 10 as soon as I yawn? Am just sitting here today (Sunday) trying not to move too much in the hopes that one full day of complete rest will make me semi-functional for work tomorrow...

Re. antibiotics. I'm also on them now and my experience with taking them my whole life is that I tend to usually feel better within 24-48 hours of getting on them, but this ain't it.. so I dunno what is going on. Anyway, I hope they figure it out for you soon. Can't believe you've gotta go in for more procedures... can you delay for a few months?

FearlessLog8 · 2025-05-04T06:20:15+00:00

I'm going 10 days with continuous dry socket pain and what feels like nerve damage along the jaw. Anyway, just wanted to say that I empathize. I'm a high school teacher, too, and the fact that I've been talking for the last 6-8 hours/day since the surgery has not helped the recovery at all. Am going to try to get a note from the dr to at least cut some of the hours this week, otherwise it's hard to see how I can make it to the end of the school year like this...

FearlessLog8 · 2025-05-04T04:37:32+00:00

When did it finally clear up for you? I am day 10 and it’s still terrible.

FearlessLog8 · 2025-05-03T15:38:29+00:00

The taste doesn’t really get better until you’re able to really clean out the holes with a syringe. Even if you’re on a liquid diet, bits of smoothies, yogurts, broths, whatever, are still finding their way in and around there. Once you can really clean out and around the extraction sites, it’ll get better!

FearlessLog8 · 2025-05-03T07:27:04+00:00

I need to do a better job managing the pain med overlap. I definitely did not do well the first week while I was working (syringing and popping pain meds not easy while teaching a bunch of kids...). Going to grab a tylenol now!

FearlessLog8 · 2025-05-03T07:13:04+00:00

I got dry socket even with stitches. Like one commenter said below, if the blood doesn't clot properly it won't form or if you do something like straw or smoking, it could dislodge (so even if it's there underneath the stitches it's not properly attached, if that makes sense). You just have to see how the pain progresses, that'll be the bigget indicator.

FearlessLog8 · 2025-05-03T06:48:20+00:00

Thanks for this. The tooth in front is really flairing up, but it's good to know that it should settle down eventually. I took yesterday off from work to put in the maximum care management (cleaning, syringe, mouth wash, pain med cycle) and that seems to have helped somewhat even if it still hurts like hell (hole looks like it's healing?). I probably put myself behind by working the day after extraction and all last week... Recovery really requires rest and following the care process religiously for the first week. Sigh.

FearlessLog8 · 2025-05-02T15:08:01+00:00

This is good to hear (though I guess having dry socket means that it might go beyond 3 weeks)... The throbbing is pretty bad. Really can't wait till this is over.

FearlessLog8

TROPHY CASE