Expatriates love Bangalore for its cosmopolitan lifestyle, salubrious environment, food and people. Rolf Frei, an expat from Switzerland, shares his experiences here.
Rolf Frei, a Swiss national, is having a great time in Bangalore. He loves his sprawling apartment and the beautiful view of the City he gets from it.
His favourite pastime after work, he says, is to stare at the busy roads. He’s spent time in many different countries but finally opted to move here.
“I moved to Bangalore last March to open the new Swiss Consulate. We had a honorary consulate previously and then, we decided to open a new one,” he says.
Visiting India had always been one of his desires and once he got the opportunity, he practically grabbed it.
“In the past, I have lived and worked in seven different countries. India has been on my wishlist for a long time.
Therefore, when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland asked me if I could open the new Swiss Consulate, I accepted immediately — and here I am now,” he smiles.
A resident of Richmond Town he is enjoying every bit of his stay here. “My favourite part of the City is Richmond Town. I have a very nice apartment with a big terrace, which gives me a breathtaking view of Bangalore.
I often just sit on my terrace, have a good glass of wine, feel the refreshing breeze and observe the busy street life of the City,” says Rolf.
Many expats like the ambience of the City and find the malls entertaining — and Rolf is no exception. “I like the UB City — the atmosphere there is very nice. Since it is close to my place, I often visit the mall,” he adds.
Despite being used to European cuisine, Rolf feels that the City has a lot to choose from in terms of food. He likes Indian cuisine, but says he samples it only in small portions. “Bangalore offers a wide range of excellent food.
I love Indian food but have to eat it in moderation because my stomach is not used to the rich spices yet. But, I like tasting all kinds of food,” he notes.
Something he is yet to get used to, though, is the constant honking on the roads of the City.
“There is no doubt that the honking in the City is a huge bother. Sometimes, I like to drive my motorcycle in the City. But I still have to get used to the honking of the cars behind me when I wait at a signal,” he explains.
He also feels that the infrastructure in the City needs to improve, owing to the current rate of expansion. “Bangalore has seen major expansion during the last two decades. It is important that the infrastructure in the City is improved — that will benefit all,” he says. He goes on to add that he loves that fact that Bangaloreans are so friendly.
“Many of the people I have met have travelled to Switzerland and even to my hometown, Lucerne. This always gives me a chance to chat with them about their trip.
At the same time, it gives me an opportunity to get to know people better. I’m always touched and of course, a little proud, when people tell me how wonderful and enjoyable their stay in Switzerland was,” he says.
“The weather here is just perfect. When I think of temperatures dipping to the freezing point in Switzerland, I feel relieved that I am here.
However, winter in my country is amazing. I love skiing and admire the astonishing landscape and the ice-capped mountains.
I normally spend two weeks during the winter in Switzerland but somehow, after that, I look forward to coming back to the warm weather of Bangalore,” he sums up.
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