Away - More Swiss Admin

Zurich, photo (c) Geraldine Thompson

My past came back to haunt me while I was away.

Just before I left, I was getting together all the cash and credit cards I would need when I realised that, although I had plenty of money in my Swiss bank account, I no longer had a Swiss cash card because it was stolen shortly before I left Switzerland (see blog from 28 September 2013 "And More!"). I didn’t replace the card, because I wouldn't need it in Egypt anyway. There didn’t seem to be much point. Until now, when I was visiting and needed to get cash out. I guess forward planning isn’t my strong point.

I took out some GBP from a UK cash machine in my stopover at Gatwick and changed it into CHF when I arrived at Zurich. For some completely inexplicable reason, I forgot I could use my UK cash card in Switzerland. I do wonder if my brain has deteriorated over the last 9 months. However, to my credit, I had planned the finances for my trip based on my Swiss bank account covering the Zurich part and my UK bank account covering the UK part, and I wasn’t too sure whether my UK finances could stomach the Swiss expenses as an addition. Consequently, I was nervous about using my UK bank account to finance my Swiss trip in case I ran out of money altogether. Switzerland isn’t exactly cheap.

It was frustrating knowing that I had money in the bank in Switzerland but wasn’t able to access it. I made it as far as the UBS in Zurich Bahnhofstrasse to ask if I could somehow get money out without a card, but I dreaded having to explain that I’d moved country, hadn’t replaced my cash card, hadn’t been paying the overseas fee for maintenance of bank account etc (see blog 17 July 2014, "Admin"). In the end I bottled out. I find that inaction often works surprisingly well.

I thought I could get by on my credit card, but I used it three times and got my PIN code wrong three times, so now that seems to be blocked. I then remembered that the replacement credit card (the original was stolen before I left Switzerland) had come with a new PIN that I’d forgotten I had.

Fortunately, Hye-Youn saved me by lending me some money. But this hassle just illustrates how one small act of theft can totally screw up your life for months. I had no cash card, I had no credit card, I was in fear of bank officials (OK, maybe that last one is partly my own fault).

Incidentally, I’m still waiting for my deposit back on my rental flat in Switzerland (see blog 17 July 2014, "Admin"). The rental agent’s office apparently had only one guy authorised to co-sign the form I'd sent that the bank needed in order to hand back my deposit and, yes, that's right, that guy’d just gone off on vacation for three weeks. So, I couldn't close my bank account when in Switzerland.

When I returned home, I then received an email from the rental agency informing me that the bank had subsequently refused the authorisation form because it was only a scanned copy; they needed my original signature before they would release the money. Who says that banks aren't regulated enough?

I am now faced with an unknown period of delay while I wait to see when or if the Egyptian post will finally deliver the form with my original signature to Switzerland. If only I could have known that while I was in Switzerland and done it there and then. But life was never intended to be easy.

Also, after having signed the documentation to confirm that the Swiss tax office had calculated everything correctly for my tax return (again, see "Admin" blog), I received another letter from them while in Switzerland informing me that actually they’d overcharged me by 1k CHF. Was this all some kind of test? Again, oh, the irony!

Anyway, I had a great time in Switzerland and will use this opportunity to apologise to all those there and nearby who I didn’t see – including the marketing folk at Novo Nordisk, Sheila, Holger, Emil, Idette... I will have to try to plan a more all-encompassing trip next time! But thanks to all those who I did see for making my trip so worthwhile.

Finally, I had to leave Switzerland to embark on the UK part of my trip. Even though I hate getting up early, I took the earlier rather than the later train to the airport. It turned out that this was a wise decision. I went to passport control, the guy studied my passport carefully and informed me that there was a note by my name and that I should wait to one side for the police to arrive. So that was me, a hunted criminal.

A policewoman came along and took me to a little room behind passport control. She handed me a letter explaining that I had to pay a fine and admin costs for dumping my electrical items in the recycling area (see blog  from 25 Sept 2013 "What Else?"). I had ten days to appeal and thirty days to pay; I was requested to sign the form that I had read and understood the conditions. Fortunately, I didn’t have to pay straight away as I didn’t have the money on me, but I still feel it is very unjust as I had been trying to do the right thing.

On my return to Egypt, I emailed them a complaint about the fine, but I’ve paid up rather than facing any further fines. Since any appeal had to be within 10 days and handwritten, I doubt my complaint will be worth anything, other than for venting my feeling of righteousness; nevertheless it was actually quite satisfying to write. Maybe Egypt, which would never be so organised nor so particular, is more my kind of place!