January 19, 2020
It was half an hour before we needed to leave for the airport. But my suitcase was flung wide open, as I tried to ensure that I was using every bit of space inside. Any open space was shoved full with my trusty instant ramen and microwaveable rice – I had heard tales about the difficulty and expense of finding Asian food in Europe. Europe! It was hard to believe that I was now leaving – finally, the study abroad trip that I had been planning and preparing for throughout my entire college career was here!
My first glimpse of Europe was within the Frankfurt Airport in Germany. After grabbing a quick snack – I had missed dinner? Breakfast? On the plane, because I was sleeping – I hurried to my transfer flight. Soon, I would be in Geneva!
The Geneva Airport was not as massive as I thought it would be. And surprisingly enough, it wasn’t very difficult to find my study abroad program – the lobby didn’t have enough room for two groups of loud American college students.
I was in Geneva, Switzerland with the School of International Training (SIT), studying within the International Relations and Multilateral Diplomacy program. Our program consisted of American students from across the country – but I could tell, very quickly, that the demographics of this group were very different from what I was used to. The 27 of us would be taking classes at the small SIT office located in the center of Geneva while living with a homestay Swiss family. Our brief exploration of the city overwhelmed my senses – countless languages could be heard, and the streets were lined with ethnic food restaurants. At a distance, we could see Lake Geneva, glistening against the city lights in the night.
Orientation flew by. The program kindly offered a guided tour of the Old City of Geneva – the age of some of the buildings astounded me! – and concluded our orientation with a fully-paid-for meal at a lovely Italian restaurant. It was a cultural shock to be offered wine without checking for identification! I keep forgetting that the U.S. is the only country where the drinking age is 21!
We were soon introduced to our homestay families. As we all crowded the hostel lobby, waiting for our homestay families to pick us up, we looked a bit like Kindergarteners waiting for our parents after school. There was a frenzy of nervous energy – it had only been a few days but our numbers were small enough that we had all bonded – and we were all nervous, for ourselves, and for each other. Our homestay families had the power to make or break our study abroad experience.
When most of the students had left with their homestay families, I was sitting with my housemate – she would be living with the homestay family as me – when we both glimpsed a flash of bright red hair. From the picture she had provided us, we stood up, uncertain but pretty sure that our homestay mom had come. And what an entrance! She came in with a bright smile and a cheerful, “Hello, ladies!” Absolutely excited, as we were. It didn’t take long to realize that, thankfully, she was completely comfortable speaking English, and that she had hosted American students for quite a few years.
Anne-Marie, as she introduced herself, would be hosting us in her home in Gland. My housemate and I were both given our own colorfully decorated rooms – and gratefully began to unpack. And over a wonderful dinner, she informed us that she was now our “Swiss mum” – what an absolute sweetheart! <3
Lively and vivacious, and curious about us, Anne-Marie and we talked long after dinner about topics from her recommendations for travel, to our college life. It seemed that I had been worried about my homestay family for nothing! If tonight was anything to go by, my housemate and I were absolutely set for the next several months in Switzerland!
Settling down in my comfy bed with a sigh of relief, I soon drifted off to sleep, content with the knowledge that my adventure had officially begun.
