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“Warm sunlight above and cool water below, it’s a feeling that’s both freeing and refreshing,” the 36-year-old from Nghe An Province in Central Vietnam, who now lives in Zurich, said.

Every summer, as snow melts from the Alps, Switzerland’s rivers fill with crystal-clear water. In cities such as Zurich, Bern, Basel, and Lucerne, locals embrace a unique “river-floating” tradition: drifting down waterways after work as a way to relax and unwind.

Anh moved to Switzerland in 2021 after marrying Strehler, 41. Coming from a tropical country, she was initially intimidated by the frigid water, which is often at just 18–20 degrees Celsius.

“My husband and mother-in-law had to persuade me for a long time before I dared to dip my feet in,” she recalls. Three years later she admits she’s “addicted” to the practice. “This summer, I floated almost every day.”

Near their village, the Linth River runs clear and calm, usually chest-deep, shallow enough to stand and gentle enough for drifting 10 kilometers. Strehler prefers its quiet, rural stretch, while Anh enjoys Zurich’s livelier scene, where on sunny days people float to music and clink beer mugs along the water.

Life in Switzerland has taught her “how to live again,” Anh says. Once a businesswoman managing a cosmetics company in Vietnam, she gave it all up to accompany her husband to Zurich. The financial dependence and culture shock left her so anxious that she once considered divorcing and returning home.

At the time her husband cut his workload by half to spend more time helping her adjust, while her mother-in-law supported her through cooking, gardening and small acts of kindness, slowly pulling her out of depression.

Now accustomed to Swiss life, Anh has learned to adapt to one of the world’s most expensive countries, where prices are 84% higher than the EU average, according to Eurostat 2024.

She recalls her early days at supermarkets, where she saw a price tag that said three francs (US$3.8) for lemons and thought it was for a kilogram, but it was actually for 100 grams. Her child’s kindergarten fees are 1,200 francs a year.

Anh holds her child against the backdrop of Switzerland’s natural scenery. Photo courtesy of Anh

The high cost of living encourages people in Switzerland to embrace quality-centered, minimalist eco-conscious habits, she says. They are willing to pay more for organic food and cut back on nonessential expenses. Families often exchange or resell used children’s clothes at local fairs, and 90% of Anh’s son’s items now are secondhand.

“In Vietnam, people might see that as stingy, but here it’s cultural,” she says. “It saves money, reduces waste and connects the community.”

Anh’s mother-in-law, who she says has a meticulous approach to sustainability, buys only organic and seasonal products and avoids imported goods to minimize carbon emissions. Once when Anh brought home a piece of meat she thought looked delicious, her mother-in-law wanted to return it, assuming that “cheap meat isn’t good.” Only after checking the label did she realize it was venison, a seasonal delicacy sold just one week a year.

“It’s not about being picky,” Anh explains. “It’s about respect for nature, for where things come from.”

Her family typically spends around 10,000 francs a month, half of which goes toward travel and leisure. Anh says this is considered an average amount in Switzerland.

The couple often take daily walks and go on new hikes every few days. “Switzerland is so small that within an hour’s drive you’ll find mountains, forests or turquoise lakes.”

She also admires the simplicity and humility in Switzerland. Her mother-in-law has many wealthy friends, including one who ranks among the world’s richest 1%. But every time she visits them, she drives the same old car and speaks kindly, without showing off, Anh says admiringly.

Her mother-in-law once said maintaining good relationships means “choosing the right people and nurturing those bonds.”

“No matter how rich or poor, people should treat others fairly and genuinely.”

From reusing old clothes to floating down rivers, Anh says she has found peace in Switzerland’s “less-is-more” philosophy. “I’ve learned to stop comparing and stop chasing material things,” she said. “All I need now is a blue sky, green fields and a river to float down, and that’s enough for me to feel completely at peace.”