Xander’s story in Zurich
Xander knew exactly what he wanted, to work as a neuro physiotherapist. In Switzerland he found the depth, challenge and freedom he was looking for, even though the step was not always easy.
From Belgium to the Swiss mountains
Xander (23) comes from Londerzeel, near Brussels, and studied in Leuven. He quickly knew that he wanted to work as a neuro physiotherapist. During his studies, he deliberately chose internships in neurology and also worked at the burn center of UZ Leuven. In Belgium, however, he noticed that the opportunities within neuro did not always match what he was looking for. Treatment paths are often shorter there, patients return home more quickly and the guidance is less intensive.
That is why he decided to take the step to Switzerland.
Not because everything is perfect, but because he is doing exactly what he wanted to do
Working as a neuro physiotherapist in Switzerland
Xander has been working for five months in a rehabilitation center in Bad Zurzach, where he focuses entirely on neurological patients. He treats people with Parkinson’s, MS and polyneuropathy. It is exactly the kind of work he wanted to do.
What appeals to him most is how individual the profession is. There are no standard treatments, but rather a real focus on what each patient needs. He also notices differences compared to Belgium. There, the focus is more on evidence based and hands off work, while in Switzerland treatment is more often hands on and experience plays a bigger role. Xander finds that interesting. He wants to discover what suits him best and remains open to different ways of working.
No standard treatments, but really looking at what each patient needs
Living in Brugg
Xander lives in Brugg, near Aarau. He chose that place deliberately. He did not want to live in one of the small villages around Bad Zurzach, but preferred to be somewhere more central. From Brugg, he has direct train connections to Aarau, Zurich, Bern and Lucerne. That means he can get to many places easily without needing a car.
He is not ruling out buying a car later on, but for now public transport works well for him. A bike might be added at some point too. His commute to work is about one hour. That can be quite tiring, but for him the content of the job mattered more than the distance. He also feels comfortable within his team. He works together with Swiss colleagues, Germans and another Belgian colleague. Sometimes they also see each other outside work. Every month there is a team day and they do something together, for example cooking. Everyone takes a turn. Xander made wraps.
Building up a social life outside work is happening more slowly. He notices that Swiss people are not as quick to open up and, on top of that, he first had to find his rhythm himself. A new job, a new country and a new language naturally take a lot of energy.
Language as the biggest challenge
The language may have been the biggest challenge. Although he had already done an internship in St. Gallen, it still took time to adjust in the beginning. As a neuro physiotherapist, good communication is essential. If patients speak dialect, or when people are talking in a group, it costs extra energy.
By now, it has improved a lot and he understands the dialect of Aargau well. Other dialects can still be difficult at times, but the difference compared to those first months is huge. That first period was intense, but it also flew by.
Free time in Switzerland
Outside work, Xander has found his rhythm. He does a lot of sports, especially Brazilian jiu jitsu. Precisely because it is so different from his work, it is a great outlet for him. He also used to do kickboxing, but had to stop because of hip issues.
In addition, he regularly goes to the thermal baths in Bad Zurzach with colleagues. One of his most special experiences so far was a snowshoe weekend in Graubünden. Two days of walking through deep snow, up to 2700 meters altitude. Tough, but also very special. Not cheap, but absolutely worth it.
What he misses, and what he gains in return
Of course, Xander misses his family and friends. And his cats. His sister has already visited him and soon a good friend will come over as well. Together they want to explore Zurich, a city where he immediately felt safe.
Life in Switzerland is different from life in Belgium. He now works 42 hours per week instead of 38. That is more demanding, but he deliberately chose it in order to gain a lot of experience at the start. Later on, he may want to reduce his hours a little, although that is not always easy to organize within neuro.
The support from PhysioMatch
Through PhysioMatch, Xander found his job in Switzerland. He looks back positively on that process. He especially appreciated the guidance and the checklist with everything he had to arrange. It gave him a good overview of what needed to be done and when, and he could always call if he had questions.
What is still ongoing is the recognition of his diploma by the SRK. He has already been working for five months, but is still waiting for the official recognition. That is frustrating, but with his Belgian master’s degree he is confident that it will work out well.
It is not a perfect step, but it can be exactly the right step
If you ask him whether he would take the step again, his answer is clear: yes. Not because everything is perfect, but because he is doing exactly what he wanted to do, in a country where he continues to grow and where he can enjoy nature in his free time.
Would you like a personal conversation?
Emigrating isn't something you do every day, thankfully. We understand there's a lot to consider. Register now and explore your options in Switzerland with us.