So, what’s the deal with Switzerland, you ask? Well, good question. Switzerland is a country in western Europe tucked between France, Germany, Austria, Italy, and lest we forget, Lichtenstein. Its Latin name is Confoederatio Helvetica giving it the CH designation on the internet and in reference to it’s currency. Switzerland has a population of almost 7.8 million people (2009 estimate) and covers an area of about 16,000 square miles (about one quarter the size of Wisconsin). Switzerland has four official languages: German, French, Italian, and Romansch (closest modern spoken language to classical Latin).
Switzerland is composed of 26 cantons which are given some autonomy regarding schools and other local governmental tasks. The federal government is composed of a legislative parliament (The Council of States and the National Council, collectively known as the Federal Assembly), an executive Federal Council, and a Federal Court. The Federal Council acts as the Head of State, and is a collection of seven people. Each member of the Federal Council is elected to a four-year term, and the President of the Council is elected in rotation to a one-year term.
But why are we moving there, you ask? Well, Joe graduates from his residency in Orthopaedic Surgery in June of 2011. Following graduation he has been accepted to the Maurice E. Müller European Traveling Fellowship in Hip Reconstruction. He has chosen to spend most of his time at the Inselspital Bern to study diseases of the hip and their treatment. This is a one-year appointment during which time we plan to experience as much of Europe as we can, while Joe pursues his studies.
Switzerland has been a major contributor to modern orthopaedics through the work of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen, of which Maurice Müller was a member. In the last 25 years, the Inselspital Bern has become a center for evolving ideas on diagnosis and treatment of hip conditions ranging from the pediatric to the adult patient.
So we’ve been preparing for the move by reading about Swiss culture. Our two older kids have been going to the Milwaukee German Immersion School, and they speak German quite well already. All told we’re excited, a little nervous, but definitely ready to take on the challenge of living and working in a foreign country. Check out the video below to see what we’re in for.
[youtube Q6MK0S2Vcc0 nolink]
One Reply to “Switzerland Experience”