Lily Töngi-Andrews

Lily is a freelance writer from Australia, living in Switzerland. She has a view of the craggy peaks of Pilatus that she finds both mysterious and inspiring. Lily has a BA in Creative Writing and her favourite genre is creative non-fiction. She is passionate about writing about people with limb differences as it is essential to start normalising disabilities in society.

LivingIn.swiss •

Donations to the Women's Shelter - LivingIn.swiss

Christmas is but a couple of weeks away and most festivities are underway. It’s a joyful time of year with much to look forward to for most of us, but unfortunately it isn’t joyful for everyone.


The Women’s Shelter, here in Luzern, currently has women and children who have needed to escape difficult, challenging and often violent situations.


Domestic abuse is universal and unfortunately Switzerland is not an exception as can be seen in this report by the Federal Office for Gender Equality:...
LivingIn.swiss •

Advent season: in and around Luzern 2025 - LivingIn.swiss

Advent is a journey towards Bethlehem. May we let ourselves be drawn by the light of God made man – Pope Francis


Advent season is here. The traditions and symbolic gestures that are celebrated throughout the season include both traditional and fun activities to be enjoyed as the days dim and pass into darkness earlier.


Some of the traditions have already begun with the large Christmas tree at Europaplatz illuminated on Saturday, as well as Geisslechlöpfe, evening Advent concerts and Luzern...
LivingIn.swiss •

Your guide to Luzern's Christmas markets 2025 - LivingIn.swiss

The Christmas markets, oh the Christmas markets! So popular now that they are even being sold as top tourist destinations around the world.


Christmas markets in Europe are known to be the best in the world, and although Luzern’s markets may not reach the likes of Strasbourg or Dresden, they are still great to enjoy that cosy Christmassy feel that invokes nostalgia, are a celebration of culture, tradition and community and the savouring of seasonal delights. Glühwein anyone?


The Christmas l...
LivingIn.swiss •

Life-cycle of the Luzerner forests - Autumn - LivingIn.swiss

The leaves are falling rapidly and shuffling and crunching through them is a joy to kids and even some adults. As the shuffling and crunching time is passing by quickly and into winter we wanted to take a look at the life cycle of the Luzerner forests and how the Luzerner Forstbetrieb (Luzern Forestry Operations) and other corporations maintain them throughout the year.


Beginning with autumn, because here we are: skies greying, days shortening, one minute a thunderstorm and golden leaves piro...
LivingIn.swiss •

School lunch, lunch at school, day school - LivingIn.swiss

If you are from a country where children spending lunch at school is normal & expected, then you know that the first school year in Switzerland takes some adjustment. For example, in Australia, children go to public schools generally from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm every school day & family & work life function around this. Children take their own lunch or can buy something from a canteen & the teachers are on a roster to monitor morning tea & lunch times, commonly known as ‘playground duty’.


There h...
LivingIn.swiss •

Where to find the colours this Autumn - LivingIn.swiss

We are a month into autumn & the weather has started to turn cool & the leaves are changing to orange, red, gold & yellow. It’s a glorious time of the year & the colours bring all sorts of feelings: warmth, nostalgia, awe, even melancholy & wistfulness.


Autumn symbolises change, transition and renewal not only in the local forests but also within us. It is a time that reminds us that change is inevitable & also required. It is a time for harvesting & foraging & is the season for thanksgiving...
LivingIn.swiss •

Geisslechlöpfe or the art of scaring winter away - LivingIn.swiss

Geisslechlöpfe is a custom celebrated in the city of Lucerne that gets everyone, well almost everyone, in the mood for Samichlaus season. This year the streets will resonate with the rhythmic sounds of whip cracking between 3 November and 8 December when the Geisslechlöpfer are allowed to perform.
Geisslechlöpfe originated as a Swiss pagan tradition to scare away the winter spirits and demons with the sound of cracking whips. The tradition gave way to a Christian context and now introduces Samic...
LivingIn.swiss •

Christmas Services in English in the region - LivingIn.swiss

For those who want to celebrate Christmas with a church service there are several services in English to be enjoyed in Lucerne, Zug and Zürich. Although Christmas is much more today, it is at heart a celebration of the birth of Jesus, and for many it is the only time of the year they go to church.


Lucerne


The International Church of Lucerne has a Christmas Sunday service at 10.30 and a special Christmas Eve service from 23.00 with a one hour Candlelight service with traditional readings an...
The Aussie Hands Foundation Inc. •

Felix finally approved for a myoelectric arm - talking to Dario who built it

Finally approved for a myoelectric arm and talking to Dario who built it

Dario Ruckli is an Orthopaedic Technician at Ortho Team in Luzern, Switzerland. He is working with Dominik Sager, Divisional Manager Prosthetics to build an arm for our 12-year old son, Felix, who has been approved for a myoelectric arm by the Swiss Invalidenversicherung (Swiss disability insurance). As a family, we know this side of living with a limb difference, the frustration, the fight for approval and the 12 months w
The Local Switzerland •

The Swiss regional stereotypes you need to know

There are certain stereotypes foreigner have about Switzerland that just aren’t true’ but what about the clichés that have developed within Switzerland for certain cantons?

Are the locals in Zürich really arrogant? Are the folk in Bern living the slow lane? Is anyone who lives in Geneva actually from Geneva?

It seems that the canton on Aargau receives the most flak from the rest of Switzerland. To start with the car number plates begin with AG, and the cliché goes that it stands for Achtung Ge
LivingIn.swiss •

Lucerne Spring Festival

It is spring (although last Saturday’s surprise snowfall had us all wondering), and time for the Lucerne Spring Festival. From 31 March to 2 April, the KKL (Lucerne Concert and Congress Centre) will be echoing with the sounds of international and local classical music.

The festival was founded in 1938 as a summer festival and is now flanked by the spring and autumn versions and this year a fourth festival will be added in May: Piano Festival.

The Spring Festival will include an array of musica
LivingIn.swiss •

Spring into spring

A successful Luzern Fasnacht season is over, the Sports holidays have finished, the kids are back at school, and you may have done your last skiing and snowboarding of the season, so what is next?

Spring, glorious spring! The radiant season is almost here and with it lots of outdoor activities, nature, fields of wildflowers, trees in blossom, sunshine and new beginnings.

Hiking, cycling and in-line skating are popular if you are ready to peel off the snow gear and get back into your sports gea
The Local Switzerland •

Brockis: What you need to know about shopping second-hand in Switzerland

Switzerland is known as a rich country and is on the Forbes 2022 list as one of the richest countries in the world. In fact, according to this list ranked by GDP (Gross Domestic Product or goods and services produced by a country during one year), Switzerland is the sixth richest country in the world. Not bad for a landlocked country that has more mountains than usable land, is around 238 times smaller than America, or 188 times smaller than Australia.

Although a rich country, it might be surpr
The Local Switzerland •

Reader question: Is it better to learn Hochdeutsch or Swiss German?

There are a huge variety of Swiss German dialects within the small Alpine nation of Switzerland.

But people in German-speaking or multi-language areas also know standard or high German - or Hochdeutsch.

So when people arrive in Switzerland, they often wonder which form of German they should seek to understand and speak first.

If you are trying to learn either Hochdeutsch or Swiss German you will be aware of the complications that all the different ways of communicating can present in everyday
LivingIn.swiss •

Recycling in Luzern

If you live in Switzerland you already have some experience with how recycling works here. Or maybe you are new here and need some tips. Rubbish bags cost more to encourage recycling so it is always worth trying to recycle as much as possible, along with being eco-conscious and supporting the planet.

Here we will provide you with a refresher and information on a recent update to the recycling system.

Calendars with collection dates for your rubbish, paper, cardboard, compost and garden recycli
LivingIn.swiss •

Celebrate the LiLi Centre 2022

There are not many days left of what has been a memorable year at the LiLi Centre. So let’s celebrate, not only Christmas and New Year but also what the LiLi Centre has achieved in 2022.

Charlie, the Managing Director and heart and soul of the centre, shared, “This has been a challenging and exhilarating year. I am taking with me that when the community comes together everything is possible. Together we are strong. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone.💖”

Here are some of the LiLi Cen
The Local Switzerland •

Swiss German vs Hochdeutsch: What are the key differences?

What is Swiss German - and what is Hochdeutsch?

If you live in a Swiss German speaking canton you may, or may not, be aware that you are part of a complicated language system that's called diglossia. Diglossia is a fancy linguistic term that means within a society there are distinct formal and informal languages that are utilised in different social contexts.

What this means in Switzerland is that Hochdeutsch, also known as High German, Standard German, Swiss Standard German, Schriftdeutsch an
The Local Switzerland •

‘Grabesruhe’: What are Switzerland’s strict rules around burials?

For the unassuming foreigner visiting a Swiss cemetery, they may be surprised to see that many of the headstones will be dated back only 20 to 25 years.

Cremation is the preferred funeral rites in Switzerland, however, earth burials are still a thing – for an alloted time anyway.

More than 80 percent of the deceased, according to the Swiss Funeral Institute, are cremated. Ashes can remain with family members, be scattered over lakes, rivers, favourite mountains, placed in a columbarium or buri

Best birthday party ideas in Luzern | Momizen

The Best Birthday Party Ideas For Kids & Teens In Luzern

Kids love birthday parties. They are fun, they get to do cool things with their friends, and it makes them feel special. Win win win for the kids.

It isn’t always a win win win for parents, but a well chosen birthday party venue can definitely help ease the stress of organising one. Here we are looking at the party that is not at home, so no cleaning up, and either catered for or minimal catering required. Here is a range of birthday par
LivingIn.swiss •

Snow Sports Camp - Carnival holidays - register now

Registration is open from today until 30 November for the Snow Sports Camps that will take place during the Carnival holidays in February . Your children will enjoy six or seven days of snowy delight, exercise and fun both on the slopes and off the slopes in the middle of the beautiful Alps.

The camps are for children from 3rd grade to 10th grade in the city of Lucerne. Children from other cantons can register after the registration period has passed and will include a 50% surcharge.

It doesn’
LivingIn.swiss •

Autumn hiking around Lucerne

Sunny autumn days are invitations for hiking in the glorious mountains of Switzerland. Not only is the weather moderate, therefore perfect for hiking, the changing colours of the trees and falling leaves add a magical ambiance to your hike.

Switzerland has 65,000 kilometres of marked trails that criss-cross the country and are maintained by around 1,500 volunteers. Beginner, moderate and difficult hiking trails are available throughout the country to suit your level of fitness and ability.

Her
LivingIn.swiss •

Dog ownership in Switzerland

Switzerland is a dog-friendly country where your fluffy friends are allowed on public transport, in certain restaurants, shopping centres and shops, of course accompanied by their human. However, they are generally not allowed in cemeteries, bathing establishments, hospitals, playgrounds, areas of schools and sportsfields designated for playing.

Swiss dogs are on the whole well behaved but there are a myriad of rules and regulations dog ownership entails to maintain order and cleanliness.
• The
LivingIn.swiss •

Integration - Eligibility for citizenship

Swiss citizenship can be acquired in a number of ways: by marriage, by maternal or paternal descent, if you are a child with a parent with Swiss citizenship, have been recognised as a stateless child, if you believe you have been a Swiss citizen for at least five years, reinstatement of Swiss citizenship or if you have lived in the country for ten years and possess a C permit. For information on acquiring a C permit see the post: Integration – Eligibility for a C Permit.

Children are considered
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