The KFC near our house has finally re-opened after months of refurbishment. I haven’t stepped inside yet, but peeking through the door I spotted the shiny new self-ordering machines, which are on the rise wherever you look. Because nothing says ‘holiday cheer’ quite like tapping a screen to beg for fried chicken while a robot silently judges your choices. But with staff shortages and rising cost, it’s the world we live in. You want chicken? You better learn to negotiate with

Every December, my inner Swiss wakes up and begins reminiscing about a very specific childhood ritual: the annual hunt for the perfect Christmas tree. We would head to the supermarket or the village square, where hundreds of trees were lined up like contestants in a beauty pageant. Tall, short, skinny, round, slightly wonky – all waiting to be chosen as someone's living-room centrepiece. And if you were feeling extra rustic, you would venture out to a proper Christmas tree fa

No matter how long we live abroad, how well we master the language, or how convincingly we nod at jokes we don’t quite understand, our stomachs eventually betray us. Assimilation may work on the outside, but deep inside, the gut is waving a little national flag and shouting, “Feed me what I grew up with!” Take my Japanese wife. Though our daily meals are mostly Western, she is occasionally seized by an undeniable, primal urge for pickled plums or hot miso soup. And of course,

It’s that magical time of year again – the air is crisp, the leaves are turning gold, and my inner Swiss is screaming for those Swiss delights that remind me of my childhood. Yes, winter is here, and with it comes the irresistible craving for raclette and fondue, those glorious dairy-based dishes that warm both the belly and the soul. So off I trotted to our favourite upscale supermarket, visions of bubbling cheese and crusty bread dancing in my head. This place had always be

There are moments in life when you realise just how differently countries operate. Take car licence plates, for instance. Here are some facts about Swiss number plates that may surprise you. 🏷️ 1. Licence Plates for Life – Like Marriage, But More Binding In most countries, plates belong to the car. Easy. Logical. Efficient. Predictable. Switzerland looked at that idea and said: “Nein. Too easy.” In Switzerland, your plates belong to you. Forever. You don't just register a ve

Halloween is firmly behind us, and the ghostly costumes and plastic pumpkins are packed away. And now – in countries like Switzerland and Japan, where Thanksgiving doesn't exist to provide a buffer – nothing stands between us and the overwhelming, glittery dominance of Christmas. Well, almost  nothing. First, we must navigate that seasonal no-man’s-land where society collectively debates: Is it socially acceptable to play Mariah Carey already? My answer: Yes. Japan's answer:

Last week, my wife and I went to see Back to the Future  in concert – 40 years after its premiere. Forty years! Sometimes I do feel old. As the orchestra launched into that epic opening theme and the DeLorean thundered to life, I felt chills – partly from nostalgia, partly from the dawning realisation that humanity has somehow managed to invent AI that writes poetry, but not a single functioning time machine. And frankly, some days, I'd love to travel back – ideally to an era

Let’s set the scene. It’s the third day of a long weekend – that blissful stage where you’ve lost all sense of time and start to believe you might never have to work again. My wife and I had just purchased a shiny new washing machine at our local tech wonderland, also known as the electronics store – where reason goes in with you, but somehow never makes it back out. All that was left was to pay. Simple, right? A quick beep of the credit card, and we’d be home to enjoy the t

One of the things I’ve always loved about Japan – apart from the polite people, super-efficient trains, and vending machines that sell everything short of life insurance – are the gigantic  electronics stores. These are not just shops. They are cathedrals of consumer technology, temples where you can lose yourself for hours among the latest gadgets, futuristic household appliances, and mysterious contraptions you didn’t even know existed but suddenly can’t live without. The u

Last month, I once again did my civic duty (or privilege, as I prefer to view it) as a Swiss citizen: I voted in a national referendum....

Living in Japan as a Western foreigner can be rather interesting. People spot you, freeze, and then quietly decide not to engage unless...

On 30 September, I will be celebrating my 29th Japaniversary – that's right, 29 years since I started a new life in the Land of the...

Last week I made the bold decision that our loyal, 8-year-old car had earned its pension. Time for a shiny new replacement, I thought. A...

It’s official: The Japan Meteorological Agency has confirmed that Japan just survived (barely) its hottest summer on record. The national...

🗻 Mountains: A Matter of Ownership and Space Sure, the Swiss Alps are world-famous, but here's a surprising fact: Switzerland only owns...

So, here's a fun fact: around 11% of Swiss citizens live abroad. That's right – roughly one in ten people born in the land of cheese,...

Last week, I talked about the British "apology reflex" – th at charming Olympic sport where two strangers bump into each other and then...

Last week, I reflected on how different cultures handle small talk. Just a day later, I was reminded of this in the most unexpectedly...

I’ve just returned from a two-week holiday trip to Switzerland and the UK, and once again, I'm left marvelling at the wildly different...

Summer has kicked off in earnest, temperatures are soaring, and hydration has become a competitive sport. Health experts are telling us...