Bonjour de Suisse! About a week ago, I hopped on a plane to Switzerland, leaving behind my family and friends, and well, my expectations. I feel incredibly blessed to have the opportunity to study here. People say studying abroad is an experience of a lifetime, and I don’t doubt it. But I know that these experiences will include moments where I may take the wrong train, or find myself unable to communicate in the local language. These are the moments for growth, which will push me to adjust to a new life, a new place, and new people. The next few months are going to impact me in ways that I cannot foresee, but I feel ready…ready to take on this challenge to adventure, get lost, and find new paths to understand the world we live in today.
Over the past week, I have been exploring and adjusting to my new home in Lausanne. Photographs alone don’t do much justice for this sweet, picturesque town sitting on the banks of Lake Geneva across the French Alps. Breathtaking is an understatement; you must see it for yourself! Places like this make me realize how much we take our surroundings for granted. When you see someplace new, you tend to notice the little details: the hustling of people at the train station, how the bath water makes your hair feel softer, the rugged feel of hand-paved roads through your sneakers, and the smell of crisp, cold air on your morning run.
Through the busy days of orientation, and first week of classes, I’ve caught some of these details and moments on camera. So here is a little introduction of what I have to share with you. As I continue to plan my travels for this semester, I would like to thank those who voted for my video for your gracious support, my parents for their never-ending encouragement towards all my endeavors, and Grand Trunk for providing a scholarship to support my travels around Europe this semester. Stay tuned for posts about my upcoming trips around the continent!
Highlights of the past week:
On our first day arriving in Lausanne, our program sent our group on a scavenger hunt around the city of Lausanne. It was kind of funny because most of us have never actually used a printed map to find our way around. I guess we’ve become so accustomed to having GPS systems in our cars, phones, or even conveniently searching directions on Google maps. We spent the evening getting to know the streets of Lausanne, and finally had the chance to use our French outside the classroom.
Unfortunately, je ne parle pas français bien! Let’s just say, I definitely overestimated the amount of people who speak English here. Switzerland is a multilingual country, with four national languages including Swiss German, French, Italian, and Romansh. Having to actually use another language for any sort of communication in Lausanne has forced me to push lingual boundaries, and is helping me gain confidence in my ability to speak French. Although most kindergarteners here speak better French than I do, I am hoping that by the end of this semester, I can at least return with un accent français correct! But seriously, it is the coolest feeling when you can actually have a full conversation with the barista at the local coffee shop, tout en français!
Our group had the opportunity to visit Cathédrale Notre-Dame of Lausanne, a 12th century gothic cathedral, with a private tour from our very own professor. The cathedral houses an enormous organ, weighing about 40 tons! I am quite tempted to attend one of the concerts held at the cathedral later this month.
On the last day of orientation, we took a day trip to Bern, the capital of Switzerland. We toured the Einstein museum, the Parliament building, played chess in the streets, and casually strolled around the city.
Best part of traveling = food! Okay, so I admit I am a total foodie and addicted to cooking foods from around the world. My first Swiss meal here was Raclette, home cooked by my professor and his wife! A typical peasant meal, Raclette is a delicious type of Swiss cheese, which is melted and then poured on top of veggies! Next up, cheese fondue!
My friend and I took a morning run down to Lake Geneva a few days ago. Swans treaded along the calm, clear water and the clear skies made the Alps look even more enormous! You can see France right across the lake, so we may hop on a ferry to check out what is on the other side sometime soon. Seriously though, the sunsets on the lake make me want to sit out on my balcony with watercolors and a fresh, white canvas.
Priyanka S.
