Online connections: being new to Switzerland became a lot easier with the advent of the Internet. From informational and social forums to yahoo groups and business networking, many websites have sprung up to give newcomers a helping hand. We've talked to three founders of online communities to get the inside scoop.

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Online connections: being new to Switzerland became a lot easier with the advent of the Internet. From informational and social forums to yahoo groups and business networking, many websites have sprung up to give newcomers a helping hand. We've talked to three founders of online communities to get the inside scoop.

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The first months in Switzerland can be very daunting. You leave all that you knew behind and embark on a new journey in life. If you're an English speaker, there's the new language(s) to come to grips with. You have to deal with all the trappings of Swiss bureaucracy--the frustrating permit process, finding housing, etc.

And generally, you do this by yourself, surrounded by a funk of loneliness and homesickness, your ears pricking up whenever you...

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