YBI BASEL
You belong in Basel.
We started this project as a way to further build the Basel community and to help newcomers settle. Many people come here having to learn a new language, discover a new culture and find a new purpose. We want to help with that process and work to strengthen the bond between Swiss and foreign national communities.
Our Story
The YBI Basel story began in 2018. Meaghan Renner Ofori and Ariana McBride didn't know each other before moving to Basel, but became fast friends over a shared sense of adventure and love of exploring.
They faced many challenges in those first few months and realized that other newcomers had common experiences. From small details like having to buy light fixtures for your apartment, to bigger challenges like learning a new language or even finding a new sense of purpose after a personal or career change, they realized the process of settling in can be formidable.
During this time they also began to discover why Basel is such a great place to live! With museums and festivals, lively neighbourhoods, some fantastic restaurants and the perfect location for travel throughout Europe, they felt Basel was the best kept secret in Europe.
In an effort to share their love for this city, help other newcomers settle and further build a community that included both expats and Swiss, they formed YBI Basel. Since then they have been working hard to reach out to other community organizations, while producing interesting content to highlight the many varied facets of life in this region.
In 2022 Ariana's time in Basel came to an end, but Meaghan is committed to keep the project going, hoping to find some like-minded individuals to help her along the way.
So, whether you've been here for two months, twenty years or your whole life, the hope of YBI Basel is that by showing you how much this city has to offer, by introducing you to some of the people who live here, that can you feel like Basel is your home and that you truly belong.
You Belong in Basel.
YBI Community
Meaghan Renner Ofori
Founder, Creative Director
Home country: Canada eh!
Been here since: 2018
Basel Favourite: Grocery shopping in 3 different countries
Cheese or chocolate: Chocolate!
Meaghan has lived in Basel since 2018 with her husband and two children. After going through the process of settling in and finding a new purpose in Basel, she grew to love this city and all that it had to offer. She wanted to help others find their home here as well. A former fundraiser, event planner
and graphic designer, Meaghan has a passion for sewing and dancing and enjoys cooking, hiking and yoga.
Top Contributors
These star contributors have contributed four or more times to You Belong in Basel!
Writer, Student
Antara Das
Writer, Student
Home Country: India
Been here since: 2013
Basel Favourite: The museums and Rhein river
Cheese or Chocolate: Chocolate
Antara is from India and has lived in Basel since 2013. She is currently studying psychology in the UK.
Writer, Student
Steve Sanderson
Writer, Neighbourhood Mapper
Home Country: USA
Been here since: 2018
Basel Favourite: Sense of community, great architecture and Döner Kebabs
Cheese or Chocolate: What are you kidding? Chocolate, always.
Steve writes fiction and nonfiction. He is very dedicated to giving back to the writing community. He grew up in Queens, New York where he worked in film as a camera assistant, then switched careers to work as a Technical Writer for two decades. He's a book obsessive, loves running, satire, and walking everywhere.
Writer, Student
Haluk Tekbulut
Writer
Home Country: Turkey & Finland
Been here since: 2016
Basel Favourite: Strolling along the Rhine, Sutter Coffee
Cheese or Chocolate: Chocolate unfortunately.
Originally from Istanbul, Haluk has lived and worked in Turkey, Canada and Finland and also studied in Turkey, USA and Finland in engineering and business. He has a genuine interest in travel and culture, which brought him to Basel at the end of 2016, as a trailing spouse. After moving to Switzerland, he has been busy settling his family and supporting his children's schoolwork.
Writer, Student
Ariana McBride
Co-Founder, Writer
Home Country: USA
Time in Basel: 2018-2022
Basel Favourite: Neatly tied recycling
Cheese or Chocolate: Cheese
Ariana lived in Basel in from 2018- February 2022 with her husband, two daughters and two cats. While going through the experience of moving to a place where she did not know anyone or anything, Ariana thought a lot about the value of community. She is a city planner by training, a lover of well-organized closets, and an aspiring gardener.
Writer, Student
Melinda Taylor Schoutens
Author, Fresh Air Kids Switzerland
Home Country: USA
Been here since: 2007
Basel Favourite: Our proximity to the Alps...pure bliss!
Cheese or Chocolate: Chocolate...always chocolate!
Website: www.freshairkids.com
Melinda is an American who lives in Basel. She loves exploring the Alps with her husband, two children and anyone else who is up for an adventure. She writes, reads, listens to podcasts and hikes. She’s passionate about sharing her love of nature and has a dream of having a little chalet in the Swiss Alps!
Writer, Student
Alison Waterfield
Writer
Home Country: UK
Been here since: 2011
Basel Favourite: Tri-regio location, Nature, Gabriella Gelato
Cheese or Chocolate: Läderach fresh Schoggi everytime!
Alison is a Brit who has been in the Basel area for over a decade. She currently resides in Oberwil, where she enjoys having countryside on her doorstep as well as town being only a short tram ride away. She loves cooking, baking and anything food-related and is a beginner food stylist and photographer. She enjoys creative activities such as abstract and fluid art, and crochet.
Contributors
Andrea is Personal Health Coach with a passion for supporting startup founders and teams optimise their health for ultimate success. She has a background in International Studies, Masters inInternational Business and is also a yoga teacher and certified integrative nutrition coach.
Andrea is Personal Health Coach with a passion for supporting startup founders and teams optimise their health for ultimate success. She has a background in International Studies, Masters in International Business and is also a yoga teacher and certified integrative nutrition coach.
Writer, Student
Salina Berg
Writer
Home Country: USA
Been here since: 2016
Basel Favourite: Infinite hiking possibilities
Cheese or Chocolate: Always chocolate
*
Writer, Student
Johanna Bousfield
Writer
Home Country: USA
Been here since: 2012
Swiss Favourite: Amazing nature
Cheese or Chocolate: Cheese, especially the hard stuff
*
Writer, Student
Andrea Cristancho
Personal Health Coach
Home Country: Venezuela
Been here since: 2019
Basel Favourite: Floating down the river
Cheese or Chocolate:
100% a chocolate gal
Andrea is Personal Health Coach with a passion for supporting startup founders and teams optimise their health for ultimate success. She has a background in International Studies, Masters in International Business and is also a yoga teacher and certified integrative nutrition coach.
Writer, Student
Sabine Erker
Writer, Podcaster
Home Country: Austria
Basel Favourite: Along the Rhein, Unternehmen Mitte
Cheese or Chocolate: Chocolate
Website: www.schoenesdeutsch.at
Sabine is an online German language teacher, content creator, editor and podcaster. She holds several examiner licenses for TELC and ÖSD and prepares students for all common German language exams and more. Her podcast focuses on interesting topics for German learners and reaches listeners in over 80 countries worldwide.
Writer, Student
Vanessa Gatelein
Writer, Health Coach & Yoga Instructor
Home Country: New York City (USA)
Been here since: 2003
Basel Favourite: Schoggi Wegg with a Schale from Sutter Begg
Cheese or Chocolate: Cheeeeeeese!
Website: www.foodchangeseverything.me
Vanessa arrived in Switzerland in 2003. Straight off the plane from New York City, the city of pizza, burgers, bagels, and dirty water hot dogs. Even though she struggled at first adapting to the food in Switzerland, she can now say her diet (and lifestyle) has shifted for the better. She loves to help people find ‘their food’ that they love in Switzerland, and the food that loves them back.
Writer, Student
Alain Grimm
Grimm Kultur&Management GmbH
Home Country: Switzerland
Been here since: Birth
Basel Favourite: Walking along the Rhywyera (banks of the Rhine in Kleinbasel) in summer
Cheese or Chocolate: Cheese
Website: www.grimm-kulturmanagement.ch
Alain was born and grew up in Basel. He is deeply rooted in the city and its traditions. He has been an active carnival reveller in one of the oldest carnival cliques since childhood and is a member of one of Basel's historic guilds. Even though the centre of his life is very much focused on Basel, he loves cultural trips to other countries to broaden his horizons.
Writer, Student
Megan McCrory
Personal Development Coach
Home Country: Indiana, USA
Been here since: 2010
Basel Favourite: Markthalle
Cheese or Chocolate: Cheese
Website: mybestself.fit and meganjmccrory.com
Megan has been in Switzerland since 2010. After working in the medical device industry for 17 years, last year, she started her own business. She is a wellbeing and personal development coach, but she also helps female solo entrepreneurs build their online businesses with digital tools. She’s always ready to meet new people.
Writer, Student
Dina Bonefacic-Mihaljek
Architecture Guide
Home Country: Croatia
Been here since: 2000
Basel Favourite: Bird’s-eye-views from rooftops of buildings
Cheese or Chocolate: Both :)
Website: www.architecture-walks-and-talks.net
Dina has now lived in the Basel since 2000. She earned her MA in Architecture and pursued doctoral studies in the field of computational modelling of design processes in the USA. Dina founded architecture walks and talks in 2007, drawing on her professional interest in architecture as well as her desire to share the knowledge she gained while exploring the Basel area. She offers bespoke guided tours and illustrated presentations on architecture related topics.
Writer, Student
Stefanie Busse
Swiss Education Consultant
Home Country: Germany
Been here since: 2011
Basel Favourite: Hiking and swimming in Switzerland's beautiful lakes!
Cheese or Chocolate: Chocolate
Stefanie has a background as a German teacher working in both Swiss public and private schools. Being a parent that has moved internationally has given her valuable insights into the Swiss education sector and a passion to help international families settle into their new school life. Her mission is to assist expats in navigating the Swiss school system.
Writer, Student
Douglas Drake
Writer
Home Country: USA
Been here since: 2018
Basel Favourite:
Swiss culture and life along the Rhine
Cheese or Chocolate: Cheese
Douglas has lived in 10 states in the US and that many countries, including Switzerland.
Professionally, Douglas has more than 30-year experience in the Life Science industry. Central for Douglas is his family: his 2 daughters and wife. Douglas recently picked up a trombone after 40 years and joined a Basel Guggenmusik Clique and now is part of the Fasnacht noise and Räppeli.
Writer, Student
Catalina Escalante
Photographer
Home Country: Columbia/USA
Been here since: 2018
Basel Favourite: It's so clean and accessible
Cheese or Chocolate: can't decide :)
*
Writer, Student
Charles Glover
Financial Advisor
Home Country: UK
Been here since: 2015
Basel Favourite: Fresh air, peace and quiet
Cheese or Chocolate: chocolate (not even close)
Website: Imperial Wealth Planning https://www.iwp.ch
Charles is a Brit, based in the Zürich area, but who’s first Swiss experience was of Basel. He loves to travel to Greece (with his Greek wife) and Italy. He speaks 5 languages, loves to read and collects art.
Writer, Student
Amruta Iyer
Writer
Home Country: India
Been here since: 2011
Basel Favourite: 'Culture Unlimited' - and it's so central - quick train, drive, or flight into nearly anywhere in Europe.
Cheese or Chocolate: Chocolate (The darker, the better!!)
Instagram: The Bohemian Storyteller
Amruta's day job is that of a Change and Communications Manager and her passion lies in enchanting narratives that are a fusion of captivating photography and exquisite prose. Amruta is also a skilled dancer and loves to share Indian culture with her environment through food, dance, and cultural exchange while imbibing the Swissness that Basel offers.
Writer, Student
Asha Mentzer
Writer, Neighbourhood Mapper
Home Country: UK
Been here since: July 2018
Basel Favourite: Rhein swimming followed by an Aperol Spritz
Cheese or Chocolate: Cheese! especially fondue
Asha has lived in Basel-Stadt since 2018 but has previously lived in England, France and the US She loves exploring Switzerland with her husband, two children and dog. Her hobbies include hiking, travelling, spinning and reading.
Writer, Student
Kate Michaels
Singer, Director, Educator
Home Country: USA (California)
Been back since: 1997
Basel Favourite: Sunsets! We have the best sky colours!
Cheese or Chocolate: Smelly soft cheese and dark chocolate- couldn’t choose!
Website: www.katemichaels.com
Kate Michaels (now a Bebbi!) is originally from California and came to Basel with the cast of Lloyd Webber‘s Phantom of the Opera in 1997. She fell in love with Basel and decided to stay in Switzerland and become Swiss. She performs, directs and teaches voice both in Basel, greater Switzerland and the rest of Europe.
Writer, Student
Amy Novak
Etiquette Coach
Home Country: Croatia
Been here since: 10+ year
Basel Favourite: Watching the sunset from the Gempen plateau with a warm Glühwein in hand.
Cheese or Chocolate: Chocolate!
Website: www.modern-manners-guide.com
Amy is an etiquette enthusiast with an international background, dedicated to helping expats settle and thrive in Switzerland. Having lived and worked across various countries, she has gained a unique perspective on adapting to new cultures and fostering meaningful connections. Her passion lies in making social interactions effortless and enjoyable.
Writer, Student
Zahra Pasha
Public Speaking Coach
Home Country: England
Been here since: 2017
Basel Favourite: The quality of life for children
Cheese or Chocolate: Chocolate
Zahra defines herself as a language enthusiast and part-time domestic goddess. Zahra is also a public speaking coach, a proofreader, a PhD student and a mum to two children and a golden retriever. She enjoys cooking, reading, travelling and working on her goal to be a polyglot!
Writer, Student
Christine Pesold
Co-Founder, Basel Life
Home Country: Canada
Been here since: 2002
Basel Favourite: The abundance of culture packed into this perfect-sized city!
Cheese or Chocolate: Both
Website: www.basellife.com
Originally from Montreal, Canada, Christine moved to Basel with her family in 2002 and has been an active volunteer in the expat community since her arrival in Switzerland. She is responsible for selecting, researching, and writing most of the content of Basel Life.
Writer, Student
Heike Reinhart
The GermanTestPerfectionist
Home Country: Germany
Been here since: 2015
Basel Favourite: Enjoying life around the river in summer and winter.
Cheese or Chocolate: Chocolate
from Brändli
Heike is the German Language Specialist. She provides German test preparation (Goethe, Telc, Fide, SDS) allowing her clients to quickly and successfully obtain Swiss visas and citizenship. She is the author of two books: The German Grammar Guide (GGG), and The Helping HandBuch (HHH). Heike is based in Basel, Switzerland and is the founder and president of her company.
Writer, Student
Jacob Mettler
Tour Guide, Historian
Home Country: Switzerland
Been back since: 1971
Basel Favourite: The old city – ideal for a tour guide
Cheese or Chocolate: Both (at their respective opportunities)
Website: www.jamix.ch
Jakob was born in Basel and grew up in Rome, Wimbledon and London. He returned to Switzerland for university and after began an interesting career in international marketing in the pharmaceutical industry. Jakob is now retired and is passionate about showing people Basel.
Writer, Student
Kasia Narashima
Digital Content Creator
Home Country: Poland
Been here since: 2020
Basel Favourite: Basler rooftops, skiing slopes nearby
Cheese or Chocolate: Cheese
Instagram: mama.on.board
Kasia is from Poland and she’s the founder of mama.on.board. On her Instagram profile you’ll find inspirations for next trips and activities with your family. She’s on a mission to make expats’ life easier so she’s sharing ideas and tips for daily life in Switzerland. She has past experience working at Mars, General Mills and Nestle and she’s a passionate winter sports athlete.
Writer, Student
Jamie Nunn
Writer
Home Country: USA
Been here since: October 2021
Basel Favourite: Schoggiwegglis from Confiserie Bachmann
Cheese or Chocolate: Chocolate!!
Jamie is an American by way of the UK and Hong Kong. She has lived in Basel Land with her husband, two children and two dogs since October 2021. She loves coffee, travelling, being outside and animals. Her hobbies include skiing, obstacle course racing and reading. She is very competitive and always up to try a new outdoor activity.
Writer, Student
Gabriela Peres D'Aquino
Writer
Home Country: Brazil
Been here since: 2019
Basel Favourite: The Rhine river (and the river banks) in the Summer
Cheese or Chocolate: hard to choose, but I guess chocolate
Gabriela was born and raised in Brazil. She is a graphic designer and has lived in Italy, France and now Basel. Along the way, she has picked up a few languages (German being the most difficult). She had a child in 2021, which means her social life very focused on children's activities and hanging out with other families with kids.
Writer, Student
Kripa Samant Parulekar
Architect, Artist
Home Country: India
Been here since: 2019
Basel Favourite: Cycling along the Rhine, swimming, vibrant art, picturesque mountain hikes
Cheese or Chocolate: Chocolate indeed
Kripa is from India living in Basel with her husband and daughter. For years, she served in the field of Art, Architecture and Design as a professional architect. Painting has always been her passion; she mostly works with watercolours. She started artstudio21k for sharing her art, thoughts and connecting with you all. You can view her work @artstudio21k on Instagram.
Writer, Student
Peggy Sacotte
Writer
Home Country: France
Been here since: 2022
Basel Favourite: charming, cultural, green, international, riverside, Swiss pocket-size city and top quality of life!
Cheese or Chocolate: Both!
Peggy is a French-Luxembourgish entrepreneur living in Basel with her husband and three kids (if her dog counts as one). As a ski lover and passionate traveler, Switzerland is for her a paradise on Earth. Always eager to learn more and meet new people, she enjoys sharing the greatest insider knowledge about the best places to discover and things to do!
Writer, Student
Maureen Senn-Carroll
Librarian
Home Country: USA
Been here since: in Europe since 1990, in Switzerland since 1995, in Basel since 1999
Basel Favourite: Great public transport and a bicycle friendly city.
Cheese or Chocolate: Cheese
Maureen was born and raised in McGregor, Iowa, USA. She taught 14 years at primary schools in USA, Germany and Switzerland. In Zürich she co-founded a bilingual primary school, taught at a teachers’ training college and published teaching materials. In Basel she trained as a librarian and has been the head of the JUKIBU library since 2005. She has two adult sons and lives with herhusband in Basel.
Writer, Student
Tegan Smedley
Pharmacist, Writer
Home Country: USA
Been here since: 2022
Basel Favourite: Self-pick flower fields
Cheese or Chocolate: Chocolate
Tegan is a pharmacist and medical writer. She is passionate about communicating information in a fun and informative way. Exploring the abundant nature near Basel has made her feel more at home since moving here in 2022. You can often find her on a hiking or cycling trail with her family in tow.
Writer, Student
Akanksha Singh
Food Writer
Home Country: India and currently studying in Australia
Basel Favourite: Cheese and Fishmongers
Cheese or Chocolate: Chocolate!
Akanksha Singh was born and brought up in India and is currently pursuing Master of Food Science and Nutrition, at the University of Adelaide in Australia. Currently, she works as a health writer in Health Today in New York, where she mostly writes blogs based on food, health and wellness. She is also a poet and has published a poetry journal entitled Ehsaas.
Writer, Student
Beáta Szablics
Well-Being Guide
Home Country: Hungary
Been here since: 2017
Basel Favourite: Merian Gärten & Rhein
Cheese or Chocolate: both, matched with red wine
Website: www.yournatureanew.com
Beàta is a certified forest and nature therapy guide, relaxation teacher and mental health first aider. Her programs aim to help individuals find calm amidst their busy lives and her work has evolved based on her own experiences of stressful international business career. She also enjoys reading, thriller movies, hiking and a good meal with nice people around.
Partners
You Belong in Basel is proud to partner with the following organizations.
Inspiring families to connect with nature one outdoor experience at a time.
Fresh Air Kids Switzerland is on a BIG mission to start an outdoor revolution that connects as many families as possible to the natural world. By breaking down the barriers of spending quality time outside, we hope to inspire, motivate and encourage more outdoor adventure in the lives of families across the globe. www.freshairkids.com
While relocating to another country can be one of the most rewarding, enriching, and exciting experiences you can have, the language barrier and cultural differences can also, at times, make it a somewhat challenging and even isolating time. As expats themselves, the creators of Basel Life have made it their mission to help the English-speaking community of Basel make the most of their stay in this
beautiful, vibrant, and culturally rich city on the Rhein. www.basellife.com
Centrepoint is a well-established, English-speaking community, located in the heart of Basel, where all nationalities are welcome. It aims to be a friendly, evolving community providing an inclusive, multi-cultural and safe environment, where members have a sense of belonging both to Centrepoint and the Basel region through participating in a diverse range of activities and social events. www.centrepoint.ch
The Basel Children's Trust, where families find their friends in Basel.
Basel Children’s Trust (BCT) is a volunteer-run organization that provides community and information to expectant parents and families in the Basel area.