The Schilliger Garden Centre's Christmas market is here until Christmas Eve and is open every Sunday until 12th December. With beautiful decorations, stunning displays and fun activities, there is plenty to keep us all entertained. Every year the garden centre comes up with new and magical ways to get us into the Christmas spirit. Once again, the decor transports us into another world. There are also plenty of activities to take advantage of. The Christmas market is already up and will remain there until 24th of December. Decorate and personalise your own Christmas tree baubles! Running until Thursday 9th December (09:00-18:00) Create your own Christmas wreath. Sunday 5th December (10:00 - 17:00) Father Christmas is coming to visit too! He will be there from 10:00 until 16:00 on Sunday 12th December. There is more than enough to keep you busy at Schilliger; roam around the store and be inspired this Festive season. Shop for Christmas decorations and gifts, and then make a stop at Café Agnès before bringing some of the magic home with you. If you're looking for tips on how to decorate the Christmas tree, here is some handy advice from the experts (in French) themselves!

The turn of the year is often a natural reflection point to pause and do some self-evaluation or set intentions for the year ahead. To ask yourself, how did I develop last year? What made me feel purposeful? Where will I be at the end of 2022? If you are at a pivotal moment in your professional career, it can be hard to know which path to take in order to move in the direction you want. B-inspired founded by Mandy Bronsil, is a company that supports other companies’ individuals and teams uncover their true talents and passions and then creates a clear, career strategy for success. They also offer some services for individuals looking to do the same. Here are a few ideas for you to consider to get started: Join a network that makes sense for you. Whether you are thinking of setting yourself up independently or finding a (new) job, networking is a crucial part of the process. In Switzerland, around 70-80% of job positions filled every year are not posted publicly. They are found “via-via”, meaning most of the people looking for work are only applying to at best, 30% of the jobs. The remaining 70% are filled relatively quickly, quietly and with much less competition. The same principle applies to sourcing new clients. You will sooner find new clients through word of mouth and a good strong reputation, than through the rigmarole of cold calling and hard sales. B-inspired has a non-exhaustive list of networks available for you to download. It will help find you a network that suits you, your objectives and purpose here . Read up on business creation and the support that is available to you. The Vaud Chamber of Commerce has a team dedicated to integrating international people within Vaud; they offer a wide range of activities and workshops which are free to attend. There are a number of entities in the region dedicated to the start-up world, supporting aspiring entrepreneurs. Access B-inspired’s information guide to local partners and networks here . Contact a career coach to help you clarify your ideas and set you up with a coherent strategy. B-inspired provides tailored Career Roadmaps that start you off with a data-driven assessment which is then adapted to your particular circumstance. These four sessions are structured for you to have a clear strategy to follow. This process can be reapplied any time you find yourself with questions regarding your next steps professionally. Evaluate where you stand now and set your goals for the roadmap. Create your big future picture. In an ideal world, where do you want to go? Identify all the potential paths that can lead you there (and exclude those that do not). Audit your current environment and networks to understand what the immediate steps to take are and then establish your milestones. Find out more about the career roadmap here So, are you ready to get started and bring in a new perspective this year? Who and where do you want to be at the end of 2022? Visit the B-inspired website for more tips, articles and information, or book an introduction call with Mandy to see what are the best options available to you. Happy New Year! May it be filled with inspiration!

What do we do now that 2021 is fast fading into a distant memory? Well, we look ahead to the next exciting event … Tax declarations! Perhaps you are a Swiss babe, born with a working knowledge of the Swiss tax system and you are ready to get started. Or, like the large majority of us, you are feeling confused and not sure where, or how to begin. Our partner taxadvice , has some useful support material on their website, providing clarity on the process of filing our taxes. First things first: A tax declaration is a part of your obligations. Become certain on when your deadlines are. Consult the fiscal calendars for the cantons of Vaud and Geneva here. Once you have established a clear timeline you can start chopping your tax returns into workable bite-sized pieces. taxadvice offers checklists for clients depending on their different situations. Once you fill out a general questionnaire, you can then work through the specific checklists that apply to your particular situation; making sure you have all the relevant information. Complete the questionnaire and consult the different checklists here. Before filling out all the forms, it helps to have all your documentation already at hand. Here is a useful overview of what you will need to collect. Another top tip is simply to get some good, solid support and advice and shift that worry off your shoulders entirely! This might then be an excellent opportunity to discuss some tax planning opportunities relevant to your own situation. Contact taxadvice for any questions. Set up an introductory meeting here , or by phone on +41 (0)22 361 30 47. Read more about taxadvice in our previous interview with Christine Ledure. Christine is the managing partner and gives Living in Nyon insights into their specialisation in international tax, as well as their office work culture and ethos. One of the key points she makes is: What’s really important is that you look at your tax returns as a reflection of your life. Factor it all in there and gather up the information properly. In the meantime, we wish you good luck and a fanTAXtic start to the new year!

When it comes to selling a property, there are so many questions to ask and answer and the amount of information available can be overwhelming. This article breaks some of it down for you. Many thanks to Harriet Kibbe for continuing to provide us with developments of the local Nyon Real Estate in real-time! She provides our readers with insights and great tips in dealing with the local real estate market. The start of a new year is the perfect time to take stock of the past year's accomplishments and to make plans for the year ahead. When it comes to real estate, how do you know if you are making the right decisions? It is important to stay well informed in this ever-changing market. How much is my property worth? Getting an agency or bank to provide you with an independent valuation of your property is the first step. The next step is deciding what to do with the property. A few questions that I ask clients who are trying to figure out what to do with their properties are: Do you need the money from a sale to finance another project and if so, by when? Do you want recurring income from renting out and re-take possession of the property at a later date? A rental that washes its face should cover its costs and have a small profit; a single unit should give you 3,5-4% gross return, or you will be losing money eventually. Is your mortgage expiring soon? We are all expecting interest rates to increase, so if you’re not sure if you want to sell, look at renewing at a favourable fixed interest rate as soon as possible and ideally without early repayment fees. Quick tip: figure out what the early repayment penalty fees might be with your lender. Whatever your situation, it is always helpful to discuss with several professionals - notaries, brokers, bankers, architects... Anyone who can bring a new perspective and potential solutions to the table! Harriet has lived in the Geneva-Nyon area on and off since 1988, growing up as part of the transient international community. Having moved several times she has always offered her help to newcomers and people from the international community to assist in their integration and understanding of the region. Access Harriet’s previous Living in Nyon article on trends in construction here .

We are all familiar with the Nyon tourist office and the fantastic work they do in the region. Now it's time to take a look behind the scenes and really get to know them better! Their mission A non-profit association, Nyon Region Tourisme's main objective is to promote and encourage tourism in the area. They cater to the town's visitors but are also a useful resource for locals when looking for activities, events or ideas for things to do. They promote quality tourism and take care of the overall brand image for the region. Based next to the Nyon Library in the heart of the town centre, the dedicated team are always ready to give you some tips and tricks or point you in the right direction with information on the area. They endeavor to highlight the best and most charming parts of Nyon whilst promoting its service providers and local businesses. They have an up-to-date events calendar that you can consult as well as an app  Nyon:Guide  you can download for free.   The Team Seven people are operational at the tourist office, with Didier Miéville the director and Heidi Muller, who is in charge of the welcome desk and partner relations. The team make sure their information and events remain current and up to date and also cover upcoming initiatives and associations in the area. They support and promote the region's initiatives far and wide whilst ensuring relations with neighbouring communes remain strong through collaborations and cooperative efforts. Information available The main website page available in French, English or German, has an overview of current popular activities that may be of interest. The events page is kept up to date and filled with ideas and offers. Worth an extra mention are the numerous lists they have available to the community from rooms to rent for events to snowshoeing trails . It is worth taking some time to have a search on the site for any particular interests. You can also buy the museum pass at the office directly and discover eight museums throughout the year for just CHF12! Read more about it in our previous article. The app can be downloaded at the app store by searching for Nyon:Guide. If you are looking for local gift ideas definitely check out their  online souvenir shop for some Nyon branded goodies. Opening hours It does not matter how long you have been living in the region, there are always new things to do or see. One of the best ways to find out the latest is to pass by the office in person. Pick up a few of the dozens of flyers available and if you have something specific in mind, simply ask Heidi or one of the team at the reception desk for help. Open Monday to Thursday from 09.00 to 12.30 and 13.00 to 17.00. You can also call them on +41 22 365 66 00 or contact them by email at info@nrt.ch The Nyon Region Tourism also manages several other offices in Saint-Cergue, Coppet and Rolle. Check the website www.lacote-tourisme.ch for their opening hours too. Have fun discovering more about Nyon!

The Celestina Code is a new book that aims to empower children (aged 10-14). Imagine The Da Vinci Code and The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People written for kids! The book is the unexpected outcome of the author’s psychology master’s degree, for which she was researching success and fulfilment. Nora Szanto was particularly interested in finding the reasons that allow some people to thrive in life, despite the adversity they have experienced as children. The Celestina Code is an adventure fiction book for children .... with a twist! It merges all the excitement of a thrilling quest around the world with the added advantage of learning about growth mindset, emotional intelligence and resilience. The world needs a book like this now more than ever. It's exciting to be part of this movement and support the next generation of leaders and change agents. If you too want to help the cause and pre-order the book (and the accompanying workbooks) for a limited time only. The early bird offer only stands until the 3rd of March. you can find all the details through this link .

Well look no further! Atelier 9 has rapidly become THE coworking and office space in Nyon. And there are still a few private offices available at the Place du Château as of March or for a later date. Don’t miss this opportunity! Benefit from a 14 m2 office that can host up to three people. It includes desks, comfortable office chairs and lots of shelf space. The notice period is only 3 months as compared to traditional rentals with some contracts lasting up to five years! Atelier 9's offer comes with the following services : • High speed Wi-Fi • 2 hours of meeting room credit per month • Credit for 200 prints per month • Free coffee and tea • Access to Atelier 9's chill corner and cafeteria • Cleaning 3x per week • 24/7 building access • One day per month included at our coworking partners located in Lausanne and Geneva • Notice period : 3 months only. No deposit, entry or exit fee Company domiciliation is also an option. Please contact them here for more details, give them a call on 022 565 3355 or simply drop in for a visit! For more information on Atelier 9's coworking or meeting room rentals read our previous articles.

In January 2016 Cornelia Tosch and Bilal Ojjeh took over the Montessori school with just 11 students enrolled. Today Deux Mille Feuilles have 72 students! Read all about their story in the interview below. Thank you to Bilal and Conny for their time and insight into the 2Mille Feuilles Montessori school of La Rippe. Connie Tosch – Copyright: 2millefeuilles Bilal Ojjeh – Copyright: 2millefeuilles LIN : Could you tell me a little more about how you decided to take on the adventure of running the school together? BO : Both Conny and I had our children at the previous school in La Rippe and we were really happy with the school and the education they were receiving. To our surprise we learnt at the end of 2015 that the school was due to close as it was going bankrupt. After some discussions and quick decision making, we decided to join forces and take over the school in order to keep it running. In a record time of four weeks we managed to get our business approved, communicate with the parents and get the school ready to open again. We had 11 children enrolled when we opened, three of which were our own! CT : It really was a leap of faith, we didn't know each other that well before deciding to work together but I can't imagine a better partner. We're very complementary in our way of thinking. We both combine the human side with the professional side and through different thinking processes, come up with the same solutions. LIN : A great match to bring the project to life in such a short time! What made you want to take on the running of a Montessori school, beyond liking the education your children were receiving? CT : I was already working at the old school on a voluntary basis. I knew a lot of the parents and how things were being done. I was quite involved in the running of it and enjoyed it a lot. The idea of expanding on it made sense to me and it felt like the perfect opportunity. BO : I have always wanted to be involved with something in this space. It has to do with my professional background as a career coach. I saw the opportunity in working with children for it to be done right from the start. LIN : Soon after re-opening, 11 students became 36 within the space of a few months! Most parents visiting the school, were signing up their children. According to you, what allowed for this success? BO : We are so passionate about the school and the concept. Parents simply feel that. When they take the decision to leave their young children somewhere, it's about WHO will be in charge of their children and do they trust those people? Seeing us on one hand, with such a strong belief and passion in the education system we have, and on the other hand, having our own children in the school, gave them the trust they were looking for. We also take a very holistic approach to learning. For example, it's not just in the classroom, but we pay careful attention to the meals and the food we use. We have also an electric bus to transport the children. LIN : The Montessori approach is something we covered in an earlier article . Could you tell me a little more about what it means to you specifically? BO : Children are born with a natural curiosity, with creativity and love. That's not something we have to teach them. Our role is to nurture that and to help them preserve their self-love. It's like writing a poem. You have to learn the Alphabet. You're not going to invent new letters, you have to use the letters that already exist. But within that context, you are free to create any type of poem you want. That's how we approach learning here. CT : Children get to be very independent here because everything is set up for them to be as autonomous as possible. Our teachers act as guides that are present, in a prepared environment, to support the children. Our objective is that in their early years, the 3-6 age group, they learn to “do it themselves". Then later in the elementary class, the 6-12 age group, they learn to "think for themselves" - find their own solutions and build synthesis, etc. LIN : So there is a lot of freedom in the teaching style. BO : Yes there is. But sometimes the Montessori approach can be seen as having no rules. That is not the case at all, we have some strict rules, but they are there with specific psychology behind them. For example, we have a lot of different sensory materials for the children to play with. But we only have one of each. If a child wants to play with one that is already being used, they have to wait their turn until the other child is finished with it. This teaches them respect and self-control. The notion of work is also very important to us. To create something, develop it and then take pride in the result. And not to be scared of failing or trying something different. Children have to be free to question, but for them to feel comfortable doing that they first have to have a strong foundation of self-belief and self-love. If not the questioning process is destabilising. LIN : Could you give an example of how this teaching impacts a child's life - beyond school? BO : Yes! I have a great example from my own son who is in the 6-12 age group. That's really where you see how big a difference it makes in their lives. It's when they start to capitalise, more consciously, on their learnings. My son was frustrated at something that had happened with a friend of his and felt uncomfortable about it. After a while, he told his mother, "I need 10 minutes alone to think". He sat on the balcony, meditated, and came back 10 minutes later, calm. He had managed to transform his own mindset very quickly and independently..... I wish I could do that! LIN : So this takes us back to the beginning, whereby they acquire tools as a child that will serve them as adults. The same ones we spend a lot of time teaching ourselves as adults later on in life! BO : Exactly. Montessori is well known for the 3-6 ages, but I believe very strongly in the 6-12 age groups because they take the learnings to a much higher level. We have a very strong academic program, especially maths and languages. But the huge difference is in their general understanding of life and people. Everything is learnt through stories and put within the context of each other. Topics aren't isolated and taught in silos. They see therefore how learning about the subject relates to them and their own lives, which is one of the issues with traditional teaching where the children don't understand why they need to be learning about history for example. LIN : Thank you so much Conny and Bilal for the interview! To organise a visit, contact Deux Mille Feuilles here and read our previous article about the Montessori School here

We welcome the newness of Spring, with all the new scents and sounds, the flowers begin to bloom and the days become longer. It is the ideal time of year to think of how we too can blossom by looking after our own well-being and engaging in some self-growth and improvement. The École-club Migros offer a wide-range of classes and courses for you to do just that. Whether you want to get fitter, improve your health or take advantage of this season's gastronomy, here are some of their options below. Exercise is a great way to gently wake up your body from the winter cold.Pilates Developed in the 20th Century by Joseph Pilates, Pilates is a mind-body exercise aiming to strengthen deep muscle alignment and the stability of the body. This method helps to build better natural posture and stronger joint mobility. Practice this powerful, low-impact exercise in a calm atmosphere. Courses are held Monday evenings from 19:30 to 20:20. Find out more here . Gentle Gymnastics Getting back into exercise slowly post-accident or childbirth? Try a mix of stretching and gentle muscle toning to regain some strength and confidence in your body. Classes are Wednesdays from 10:00 to 10:50. Find out more here . Cooking... What is better than enjoying a delicious meal with family and friends? Having a little get-together or party? Wow your guests and discover how to make delicious, original and gourmet aperitif starters and elevate your cooking. This class will be held Monday 11th of April 18:30-21:00. More information here . Or maybe you want to host a dinner party? Learn to cook a full, festive menu using simple, accessible recipes. The recipes are adapted according to the time of year and current festivities; Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Mardis Gras, Candlemas, Chinese New Year, etc.  The class takes place 14th of April 18:30-21:00. More information here . Relax, unwind and explore your creative side Drawing and painting are wonderful stress relievers. Learn basic techniques for painting and drawing, and deepen your colour knowledge. Create what you love and love what you create! Learn more about course options here . *Covid certificates are no longer required for joining.       French Classes If you want to improve your French, have a look at our previous article on how École-club Migros can help you depending on your level and your objectives. Check out École-club Migros and discover even more classes and courses for you to sign up for.

More than 16’500 CHF was raised for the response of Médecins Sans Frontières in Ukraine by local walkers along the Toblerone Trial in Gland! Over the weekend of 19th-20th March 2022, 73 local residents (and four dogs) joined together for a fundraising walk along the symbolic Sentier des Toblerones in Gland. Raising 16,500 CHF (as of 25th March) for Médecins Sans Frontières’ unrestricted fund.  This money is being used to support their emergency work in Ukraine and neighbouring countries. Who participated? Participants were a truly international mix of 73 Swiss residents , originally from Ukraine, Russia, Poland, Hungary, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Portugal, France, UK, Ireland, South Africa, USA, Argentina, Colombia, India, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.     Adults and children of all ages took part, as well as a special mention for the much-adored bulldog Gus. Delighting many along the journey, and generating donations with his very own fundraising page . Particularly impressive also was the performance of eight-year olds, Bastian and Ines, and 10-year old Maya, who walked the full 18km trail, from Bassins to Nyon.   “Our family has been watching the attack on Ukraine with horror for weeks. This walk was a great opportunity to channel our concern into positive action. We walked alongside others in our local community as an act of solidarity with Ukraine, as well as to raise much needed funds. As a bonus, we made new friends along the way.” (Rosa, Eysins) Why the Sentier des Toblerones? A local friend of the organisers suggested the hiking trail would be symbolic, as it follows a defensive line of concrete triangular tank traps set up in the second world war between the Jura peaks and Lake Geneva.  Walking along this reminder of war, the group would think of those that are suffering today. “The choice of a walk along a fortified anti-tank line meant we had a constant reminder of what is happening in Ukraine, and the heart-breaking destruction being cast down on the people there, partly by tanks like those that would have been impeded by the fortifications.” (Damian, Crans-près-Céligny)  Learn more about the history of the Sentier Route and an interesting Polish-Ukrainian link that was discovered along the way. Where did the idea come from? The idea for the walk came from a family breakfast table conversation.  Parents Elisabeth and Matthew Crudgington from Eysins wanted to know how their children (12 and 8) were coping with the news of the war in Ukraine.  “We asked the children to describe how they were feeling, and unsurprisingly they said they felt sad, angry, anxious and helpless.  We knew, then, that we all needed to do something that would both be a contribution to the cause AND that would help us all manage our own emotions… something good for the soul.  For our family, that means getting out into nature and walking together – and what better thing to do in solidarity with the refugees walking long distances to find safety!? So we decided to combine walking and taking time out to reflect with raising a little money to help the people of Ukraine.” One week later the idea for a walk along Sentier des Toblerones came about and they set up a JustGiving fundraising page   “We thought a few local friends might join in.  We didn’t expect to be more than 70! We were blown away….beyond anything we could have imagined when we first spoke about a walk at the breakfast table!” Future projects: Children’s books to enhance compassion as refugee children integrate into schools The Crudgington family said they may well consider organising more walks in the future along other routes.  They also are thinking about how to help refugees integrate into the local area – especially refugee children entering the local schools.  As a start, they are putting together a list of children’s books that can help children and their parents reflect, discuss, and enhance compassion and empathy for refugee families. Two recommendations thus far: ‘ The Boy at the Back of the Class ’ by Onjali Q. Rauf.    ‘ My Name is Not Refugee ’ by Kate Milner.  Do you have children’s book recommendations?  If so, please email them to: compassionforrefugees@gmail.com .   It’s not too late to donate… More information on the MSF response here and if you would like to donate, please visit the fundraising page and donate funds for MSF here.

Did you move to Switzerland for love? Or follow a spouse or partner who had a job here? Well Erica Chew Howard, a psychologist at ZHAW, School of Applied Psychology in Zürich wants to know more! Erica is also a PhD-student at the University of Basel, Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy. A daughter and a spouse of people who moved to Switzerland for a relationship, Erica is a mom of three bi-national children. As part of her thesis she is carrying out a study entitled Migrating for Love and is looking for English speaking people who came to Switzerland for a partner, to participate in an anonymous survey for her PhD-project. She is looking for people who would fit the profile below to fill in her survey and conduct her research. The main reason for moving to Switzerland was for a partner or spouse whose home country or country of residence is or was Switzerland. OR for a partner or spouse who relocated internationally to Switzerland for employment or education. The main goal of the study Migrating for Love is to: Examine how migrating partners are adapting to living in Switzerland. The challenges migrating partners may face, such as finding paid employment and the feeling of being discriminated against. The role personal resources play. The development of a sense of belonging to Switzerland. The survey is anonymous and takes about 10 minutes to complete. All participants also have the choice to be entered into a draw at the end to win an iPad! Read more about the project here  and to access the survey click here.  If you have any questions email Erica directly at erica.chew@zhaw.ch Living in Nyon will be publishing Erica's findings in early 2023 from the survey once it's complete!

Did you know Nyon has its own local TV station? It covers local news, activities and businesses and is a great source of information for the local population. About Nyon Région Télévision (NRTV) The TV station is an independent regional audio-visual media of information and entertainment for the entire canton of Vaud. It is managed by Mediago as mandated by the Communyon association. The Communyon association was created in 1988 by local personalities and companies. NRTV is broadcast by district and national cable operators. You can also access programmes on the internet and social media networks ( Youtube , Facebook and Instagram ). 4 people make up the core team of NRTV pictured below: Florian Cavaleri - Editor Andrea Bras Lopo - Assistant Editor Alexandre Caporal - Journalist Rodion Bolshakov - Director NRTV Shows NRTV offers a variety of different types of programmes ranging from local news, politics, cultural shows and local-featured businesses. A full overview can be found here . One program of interest may be "Do you speak English?" . It is aimed at the francophones to highlight the "faux-amis" or "fake friends" that exist between the languages. This term refers to those words that sound pretty much the same in French and English, so we think we know what it means. But it actually refers to something totally different! It can also be used in reverse to know which words sound similar in French but are not at all the same. For example, "photographe" and "photograph" the French refers to the person whereas the English refers to the image. Avoid a big "faux-pas" by knowing your "faux-amis". Check out episodes of this fun show here . Paléo Festival  The NRTV team also do brilliant coverage of the Paléo Festival on their site and Instagram account. If you can't make it to the festival, you can be sure to catch up on all the latest news and not miss a thing! Not only does NRTV produce shows you can also rent out their studios for your own show. Next time you're looking for a good location to film, don't do it by halves, rent out a professional TV studio! Find out more about the full range of services they offer here . Next time you have some time to spare, why not watch one of NRTV's shows. They really have something for everyone!