Inna Chernychuk arrived in Switzerland and settled in Nyon as a result of the war breaking. One year later she looks back with both sadness and gratitude. Read her story below. Thank you Inna for sharing this with us. "One year. A year of not just challenge, year of life and death. A year of love and hate, and all possible human emotions for each Ukrainian... A year of the war, horrible, terrible war in my Ukraine. 24th of February 2022. I remember every hour of that day…yes there were a lot of conversations of possible invasion, but still I believed, as did many other Ukrainians, that war is not a possible solution in the 21st century. That morning, my feelings were frozen. My phone turned red with calls and messages. For the first time in my life, I didn’t want to go anywhere. I was trying to convince myself that it would stop very soon, but it didn’t… As an adult I had to make an adult decision, and my first task was the security of my family, my kids. This year has taught me a lot: to accept, to be thankful for your life, for people, to start learning new things, new rules, a new language. I do believe that human life is a precious gift and every life matters. Each of us is important and we must do our best in that place where we are, starting with the smallest things. My motto for this year has been: “Please, don’t freeze, every sunset brings the promise of a new dawn”. I am grateful for all the incredible people in my life whom I met during this year, starting with the border of my country. I want to say thank you so much Switzerland and Swiss people for your support, protection, help and benevolence. I wish that not a single person in the world has ever witnessed the war in their lives, as we, human beings, were created to make love not war." Nyon, 24.02.2023 Inna Chernychuk.

Touch Rugby is a new fun way for women to get fit – try it on 3 April no previous experience needed, you'll be taught all you need to go and get started! Thank you to Nadine McCormick for writing the article and the information. Formed in September 2022, les Gazelles are a women’s touch rugby group – that’s rugby without any tackling – who meet on Monday evenings in Gland. We already have more than 20 regular participants, only two of whom had ever played rugby before joining. Could touch rugby be your new sport? Created as part of the La Côte rugby school (the largest in the country), les Gazelles are guided by two highly motivated coaches, Laurent and Titi. Our players range from 30 to 60 years old and have varying levels of fitness and French. The sessions kick off with a warm-up and some basic skills training. This is followed by a 6 vs 6 no-tackle game. Maybe you’d like to join us? Whether to improve your fitness, meet new people or just have some fun. Learn a new sport (where the main challenge is to remember to pass the ball backwards!)? Meet other women in the area and have a chance to speak a little more French in a friendly environment? Or experience the thrill of scoring a try?! We have a special session for beginners on 3 April , however, you're welcome to come along and try any week. We meet at École des Perrerets, just off the motorway at Gland, every Monday starting at 19h. The sessions run until 20h30 and are usually followed by a ‘third half’ in the clubhouse with a glass of wine, a refreshing shandy or a cup of tea. It’s a great way to start your week. Any questions, please reach out to info@rugbylacôte.ch. Have a look at these links for some more information: our Facebook  page, specifically the introduction evening event , or on the website Rugby La Cote We hope to see you there!

Recent troubles in the Swiss Banking Sector have caused damage to its dependable and steady reputation but how does this affect local real estate and what do we need to know? Thank you to Harriet Kibbe as always for sharing insights with us on the local real estate market. There is so much uncertainty at the start of this 2nd quarter with the Credit Suisse takeover by UBS, mortgage rates above 3%, and even the bold and unexpected move of the Swiss National Bank to increase the inter-bank lending rate. Many prospective buyers are at a loss as to whether this is a good time to buy or if they should cave into the fear of uncertainty ahead and make a move before mortgage rates go even higher. Vendors are no longer comfortable that they will get their desired asking price and if they can afford to wait, they may be tempted to do so.   There are a few things to bear in mind that can assuage concerns on both sides of the transaction. For Buyers - Prices hiked up during Covid and will have to stabilize - they still remain high in the Nyon area. - Many homeowners need to sell, and it is possible there will be an above average number of properties coming to market this year. - Some vendors may still benefit from low mortgage rates, which could be transferred to the buyer. For Vendors - There are a lot of incoming expats who are not needing mortgages at all. - Property prices remain high, although the cusp of the Covid tidal wave is definitely behind us. - If buyers cannot get financing on your sale price and you have little margin in terms of sale price, look for other concessions that might allow for a win-win transaction. In any case, for perspective, it is helpful to remind ourselves that there is really nothing new under the sun. Mortgage rates are nowhere near where they were in 2008 and it is still an investment to purchase your own home rather than pay rent every month. There is always an opportunity where one looks for it! 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. You can connect with her on LinkedIn here. Read some of Harriet's past articles here on how to manage your property or the local trends in construction .

Not only is summer about sun, barbecues and general beach vibes, it is also a wonderful time to expand your network. The mix of great weather and outdoor events creates the perfect setting to meet new people. Below we have 5 fantastic networking groups available to get you started on your journey plus a networking cheat sheet from B-inspired. Nyon Business Forum Doing business in Nyon? This mostly French speaking network was originally started by Robert Jenefsky (Nyon) 6 years ago. It is a wonderful group of local professionals that gather every month for lunch meetings as well as some evening apéritifs and workshops. Examples of recent meetings are one leveraging LinkedIn and last week Lionel Thorens "Délegué à l'économie" for Nyon, presented an overview of Nyon's economic activity. Fun Fact: Did you know that more people come into Nyon for work than leave Nyon to work in other cities? Meetings are held in French but the network is officially bilingual. The next meeting will be held on 23rd of June and will be a visit to the Vineyard Domaine de la Passion in Luins (the tour is in French). Find out more about the network here and join a next meeting as a guest for CHF 40. To register and for more information email (in French or English)  info@nyonbusinessforum.ch Coffee and Bubbles  This women's only online Facebook group is run by three highly motivated and energetic ladies; Jessica Théodoloz (Prangins), Rachel Tompsett (Arzier) and Ginny Medland (Longirod). They have created an incredible community that brings together women on and offline. This vibrant group provides a wealth of information as well as organising frequent events such as walks, book clubs, visits or social get-togethers. The group is free to join but you must be based locally. Look up the Coffee and Bubbles group on Facebook here and request to join by filling out the application questionnaire.   Toastmasters Nyon Want to improve your speaking skills, conquer your stage fright or just simply looking to refresh your communication skills? Nyon Toastmasters is definitely the place to start. You'll receive a warm welcome and have a great evening whether you take the plunge and dive into the improvised speaking round or just sit back and watch. Meetings are held two times a month on Wednesday evenings and you can come and join a meeting as a guest - Living in Nyon's Mandy Bronsil is likely to be there to welcome you! Read more about Toastmasters in our previous article . The next meetings are Wednesday 14th and 28th of June - you can join up to 3 times as a guest. For questions get in touch here . Yearly membership runs from July to June (following the school year) and costs CHF260.   Pitch & Meetup Events Geneva This is one of the most popular monthly events held in Geneva launched originally by Clement Cohen whereby people come and pitch their business ideas in front of an audience that are potential clients but also provide great feedback and insight. If you have an idea you would like to practice pitching, or if you are just curious as to what people are up to and want to meet some like-minded people then this is a date to include in your networking agenda. The next meeting is on the 12th of June starting at 19:00 in Geneva. It costs CHF5 per event. Get more details or join the meet-up group here .   The British Swiss Chamber of Commerce The British Swiss Chamber of commerce hosts many events in Geneva and always offer inspirational and interesting topics that are well attended. There are 4 upcoming events at the very start of June ranging from: What to expect from the next round of sanctions on Russia, Montreux Jazz festival and the British residents association . Definitely something for everyone! Visit their website here and have a look at the agenda or how to become a member.   Networking Cheat Sheet If you want to first brush up on your networking skills before getting out there, B-inspired have a host of ideas with this painless networking cheat sheet ! Do you know of any other networks that give you great energy and you would recommend? Let us know!

How do we find fulfillment and happiness in our work and in our lives? Find your flow is the book coming to the rescue to help us find some answers. Thank you to John Zimmer, co-author of "Find your Flow" for sharing this information! What's the book about? Born from a question the authors asked themselves - how could people find happiness and fulfillment in their work lives? The discussions led to the creation of a book entitled Find your Flow complete with workbooks allowing you to work through the exercises. Copyright @worklife-flow Who are the authors? When a group of people with diverse and complementary skills get together, ideas come to life and magic happens. Read more about authors Tony Anagor, John Zimmer, Zsuzsanna Ferenczi, Paul Jeremaes and illustrator Kevin Woodson here . How do I get a copy? The book is available on Amazon . Have you read it? Do tell us your impressions. For any questions reach out to the Find your Flow team on their website here .

Thank you to Clare Bhalla, the founder of Raison d'hêtre for sharing the information on her summer camp with us and giving some more information below: Hello I’m Clare! I live in Begnins not far from Nyon. I am now a proud mum of two wonderful small people. I am British and Swiss. I worked on my first kids camp 24 years ago and have learned plenty since then! Apart from having fun flying on the summer camp, I am looking forward to supporting children in their awareness of themselves. We work on techniques like feeling strong, confident, happy and calm. Date: 24 to 28 July Timings:  8:45 to 11:45 6 to 10 years and 13:45 to 16:45 for 11 to 15 years (age range is just an idea not exact) Price: 347CHF Location: Begnins - easily accessible by car or bus Follow Raison d'hêtre on Instagram @clarebhallawellbeing, have a look at the Facebook page , or head over to the website for more information.

Calling all sports fans to the Nyon Triathlon for the 23rd edition! Whether you're participating or supporting the sporting event of La Côte is the Nyon Triathlon For this 32nd edition, the Nyon Triathlon will welcome you on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 August. The Nyon Triathlon is the largest triathlon in Switzerland. Every year 600 volunteers of all ages (5 and upwards!) come together and collaborate to make the event a success. 2'300 athletes participate in a variety of races adapted to all levels. Have a look at the site for details on the types of races here . It happens this weekend on Saturday the 5th and Sunday the 6th of August at the Colovray sports center: Route de Genève 37 1260 Nyon There are even last minute subscriptions possible on the spot! If you've been doubting and missed the online registration deadline that is today (4th of August), you still have a chance to register. We wish all the athletes a great race and spectators a great day out in the sports vibes!

The Mid-Summer Festival in St-Cergue takes place every year in mid-August. This is a traditional yearly event where the cows get dressed up in flowers and the pigs race (so fast they almost fly!)! This one-of-a-kind event is held on the 12th of August in St-Cergue. If you haven't been in the past, this is the year to make it happen! Just to get you in the spirit of it, here is the story inspired from the Mi-ete website: The archives indicate its first edition in the 1930s, but no one has been able to say why, or when exactly it stopped. Now let's go back to 1995, to the Auberge des Cheseaux where Yuber Brahim was the tenant. Like any good merchant, he was chatting with his customers one evening. One of them tells him that traditions are being lost, such as the Mid-Summer party. Yuber asks questions about this festival that he does not know and from there the idea of reviving the lost tradition came to him…He goes to meet the shepherds and explains his project to them. Everyone is enthusiastic and Yuber revives this party around his inn in August 1995. The shepherds present their most beautiful cows in the morning competition. Local products and cow fights attract the curious passersby in the afternoon. The party ends with a dinner and a country ball. Every year the party is held again, but soon enough there is not enough space around the inn. So, in 2001 the event moves to the communal centre of Vallon. The full address is Chemin de la Vieille-Route 1 - 1264 St-Cergue. There is no entrance fee and there is parking available in the area. There will be activities and games you are not likely to find very often, like the "bouze au carré" competition. A grid is drawn in a field and cows are then released in the field. People bet on the square that the first cow pat will land in. You bet the right square, you win! Here's what's on the agenda: 09:45  - Arrival and presentation of the cows 12:00 - Election of the cow winning "Miss Alpage 2023" 14:30 - The "bouze au carré competition" 18:00 - Cantine opens for dinner 21:00 - "Bar ambiance" to continue until the early hours!

In case you're looking for some ideas of things to do this summer, the best local resources for inspiration is the Nyon Tourist Office. They have information on events available with all the necessary links and contacts. You can find the full overview here or download the PDF format if that is easier for you. Here are a few ideas you'll find on there: Festival des Arts Vivants: more information here The race of unidentified objects in St Cergue: more information here High School Musical on Stage (in English): more information here Have a look and get some fresh ideas for all tastes and all ages!

Nyon is packed with small business owners with big ideas! B-inspired has launched a new Mastermind initiative that allows them to harness their collective brilliance and grow together.What is a Mastermind? A Mastermind is a group of peers who meet on a regular basis to give each other support and help each other grow. The term was coined by Napoleon Hill in his book Think and Grow Rich and the system has since been widely used and credited as a big success factor for many an inspiring business person. What is the B-inspired Mastermind membership? B-inspired is launching a Mastermind initiative for local business owners in Nyon and the region that will meet in person every Monday morning in Nyon. The sessions are high-energy and power-packed with collaboration, brainstorming and encouragement that will kick-start your week full of inspiration and action. Meetings are held in English and Mastermind members represent both the local and international community. Click here for an overview of what the Mastermind is. Want to join? Ready to surround yourself with like-minded entrepreneurs and small business owners? The Mastermind is for everyone, especially those who Miss an authentic peer group that will challenge and motivate you. Want a safe space to share wins and challenges with others. Feel isolated working as an entrepreneur. Have trouble identifying exactly what your strengths and blind spots are. Sign up here and be a part of a group that is creating: Forward momentum Clarity and confidence in your next steps Continuous learning. If you have any questions or are simply curious about the people and the Mastermind vibe, B-inspired is hosting a Q&A session online on 17th of August between 12:30 and 13:30. You can register for free here and get all the necessary information to join the session. Find out more about the structure of the Mastermind on the B-inspired website here.

For the third year in a row the "Cyclomania" challenge is on during the month of September! Nyon, Gland and Prangins are joined by Rolle this year too as they launch a challenge to the people to cycle as a means of transport as much as possible throughout the whole month of September. For those of you with a competitive spirit, there are points to collect and prizes to be won! The bicycle is the ideal means of transport for short daily trips. In order to encourage this mode of travel, the Communes of Nyon, Prangins, Gland and Rolle are joining forces to launch one of the 24 regional Cyclomania challenges which will take place from September 1 to 30. It's easy to participate: download the Cyclomania application, register for the Nyon-Prangins-Gland-Rolle challenge, then record your bike journeys using automatic or manual tracking in order to collect points. Many instant prizes are up for grabs. A draw will also allow you to win two nights for two people in one of Faern's lifestyle hotels, nestled in the Swiss Alps in Arosa and Crans-Montana. In addition, the Commune of Nyon is taking part in European Mobility Week from 16 to 22 September. In this context, various activities will be offered to the population. The program will be communicated soon on the municipality's website. Read more here and happy cycling!

If you are wondering what to do with interest rates, energy prices and inflation having gone up and the uncertainty of today’s markets, rest assured you are not alone! Thank you to Harriet Kibbe for once again keeping us informed of the local real estate market and how to be property-smart! Borrowing money is indeed more expensive than it was 6 months ago, although not so much compared to other EU countries, and it is possible that the higher interest rates will drive prices down… but demand remains very high in the Nyon to Geneva area, so what to do? Is it a good time to sell? Is it a bad time to buy? The answer is one that you may not like: it depends, on your circumstances and on the property itself. Some owners may really need to sell whether or not they can make the most of the recent increase in property prices, while other owners can wait and sit it out, but we can hardly say that we're still in a seller's market. If you are selling , make sure: - The property looks livable: consider minor repair work, painting, tidiness and home-staging; - You anticipate any potential issues that could delay the sale or impact an offer negatively (disputes with neighbours, getting any authorizations that might be required, etc); - You have one aspect of the sale that you can negotiate on if not the price: date of transfer of ownership, furnishings or taking on repair costs. If you are buying: - Put in as much of ‘fonds propres’ as you can; - Check with the vendors if they are willing/can transfer their existing mortgage, the rates could be more interesting, even if they expire in a year or so; - Shop around for mortgage offers, don’t solely rely on your existing bank. I highly recommend using an independent broker, there are many out there who can provide you with a tailor-made financial solution for you. Either way don’t put a cross on your property plans, seek advice and keep an eye out for opportunities! Harriet writes articles on the local real estate market and always has some great tips and insights. Have a look at the previous article on construction trends here .