Makers Tiago & Annika
After a long-distance relationship, Tiago from Brazil and Annika from Estonia have found their first home together on the site of the former steel foundry in Schaffhausen.
Developing a sense of home abroad can be challenging for expats. Unless life leads you to Schaffhausen. After a long-distance relationship with career stops in various countries, Tiago and Annika now live together in the Stahlgiesserei, a new district with plenty of industrial charm in the city of Schaffhausen.
Schaffhausen becomes home
After Corona came the decision: Schaffhausen should be their first home together. But at first, that meant waiting a little longer. Although Tiago and Annika had already signed the contract for their apartment, it wasn't completed yet. After a few months of waiting, the time finally came. Since February 2022, they have been living together in the Stahlgiesserei – and they wouldn't move away for anything. While Annika works as a Senior Tax Manager in the pharmaceutical sector in Zurich, Tiago is employed as a Global Tax Director at an international company in Schaffhausen. Both are happy.
«Schaffhausen means home to us.»
Tiago & Annika Feracioli, Expats in Schaffhausen
The munot city and its advantages
Time for Me-Time
It takes Tiago just ten minutes to walk to his workplace. Annika commutes to Zurich almost daily, but she managed to negotiate a lucrative "deal" with her partner from the start: "We decided that Tiago would make breakfast every morning," Annika laughs. By now, the train ride has become a part of her life that she wouldn't want to miss. "I use the time as 'me-time.' I look out the window, read, or listen to podcasts," she says. The train ride from Schaffhausen to Zurich takes just 36 minutes, which is almost a bit too short.
And Schaffhausen itself? The couple can't stop praising it. Schaffhausen, they both say, offers them everything: tranquility, high quality of life, beautiful nature for hiking – and of course, the Rhine Falls in Neuhausen, which they proudly show to all their visitors, as Tiago cheekily admits. "With the changing seasons, weather, and light, it looks different every day. Simply incredible," Tiago continues.
Whether swimming in the Rhine, hiking, visiting their gym, or going to their favorite restaurant – a burger place – they love that everything is within walking distance. "You don't actually need a car in Schaffhausen," says Tiago. "I would recommend Schaffhausen as a place to live to anyone who finds Zurich too crowded or bustling. If you're looking for peace and love small towns, this is the perfect place." And for those who travel internationally, the S24 offers a direct connection to Zurich Airport.
Stahlgiesserei - «City in the City»
Future plans in Schaffhausen
The most important thing for both of them, however, is that they have found new friends in Schaffhausen. At work and in the Stahlgiesserei. "The environment is a perfect fit for our life – both privately and when we're working from home." With the large city park for strolling, the restaurants, and numerous shopping opportunities, their residential neighborhood feels like a "small town within the city" to them. With a friendly, quiet neighborhood and communal picnics in the summer.
As for their future, Tiago is certain: "Even if I were to work in another city, I want to continue living in Schaffhausen." Schaffhausen has become their home. And, Annika adds, that's not easy to find as an expat. Career opportunities, breathtaking nature, the connection to Zurich, their new friends, and a residential area that offers them all the amenities – Tiago and Annika Feracioli have never regretted their decision to move to Schaffhausen together, not for a second.
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