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Cambodia: Heat, Tuk Tuks, Temples, and Discovering the Country (posted by Indira in South Korea)

June 11, 2013

This semester I spent in South Korea and it was my very first visit to Asia. This continent has always been something different and somewhat far, but once I was in one of the Asian countries I tried to do my best to see as much as possible of it. Even though I decided to spend quite some time traveling in South Korea and discovering the beauties of this amazing country, I also knew I wanted a big trip to some other Asian country. Luckily two of my friends were of the same opinion so we planned a week long trip to Cambodia, a country I actually never even thought of visiting up until we started discussing the possibility of it.

Denis, Michael, and I were all very excited to board our Korean Air flight (definitely the best airline I flew with so far) to Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital. We left Seoul on Friday afternoon and embarked on the adventure of lifetime. We landed around 10pm Phnom Penh time and were instantly greeted by the heat and humidity. It was quite a shock, I have to admit! A temperature of almost 100 degrees and humid air made it hard to breathe, but one can get used to it after a while. After going through immigration, getting our arrival visas, and making it through Customs, the biggest culture shock of my life took place (and we haven’t even left the airport, mind you). It was really interesting seeing all the tuk-tuks (the most common means of transportation in Cambodia) waiting for their customers, people trying to sell you all kinds of products for a super low price just to make enough for living, and the general atmosphere. We took a short cab ride to the place where we would stay that night before we headed to Siem Reap the morning after. On our arrival we also tried some Khmer (local Cambodian cuisine) so we had some soup, which pretty much discouraged us from trying anything else local.

On Saturday we traveled from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap by bus. This was not a really good idea. Very cheap, but not a good idea (that is why on the way back we got a private car: A bit more expensive, but much faster and comfortable). We spent over 8 hours in the bus with almost completely broken air conditioner. I tried to sleep through most of the trip in order to avoid the heat. Once we arrived to Siem Reap we were overwhelmed by all the tuk-tuk drivers who wanted to take us to our hotel and be our tour guides for the time we stayed in Siem Reap (there are not that many tourists in Cambodia at this time since it gets too hot and humid and the wet season is starting).

During our 4 day stay in Siem Reap we visited all the major temples including Angkor Wat, Bayon, Ta Prohm, and Angkor Thom. It is amazing to see how an ancient civilization managed to build such impressive temples a 1000 years ago but this beautiful country is facing such poverty nowadays. The temples we visited were by all means fascinating and something that is worth seeing just to understand how small a human being is compared to what he can make.

Ta Prohm temple, used in the film “Tomb Raider”

We also went to see the sun rise at Angkor Wat but unfortunately due to bad weather we weren’t able to see it. Another day we tried to see the sunset at Phnom Bakheng, a temple located on the top of the hill. We actually rode an elephant to the top of the hill and it was quite an interesting and fun experience. Unfortunately, there was no spectacular sunset that we were expecting due to the fact it was cloudy. Nevertheless, we had fun since the view of the jungle and Angkor Thom was very nice. Siem Reap is a really great place to visit as you can see the temples, but also get a more up-to-date Cambodia experience since the city is quite modern. Most of the city, however, caters to the tourists so there are lot of shops where you can buy souvenirs and there are plenty of western restaurants. We also went to see the floating village located on the lake just outside the city.

Riding the elephant

The floating village

Our last day we spent in Phnom Penh visiting the Royal Palace and the Killing Fields. It is quite a contrast to see the streets of the Phnom Penh and then the riches of the Royal Palace. It is very beautiful and worth a visit! Visiting the Killing Fields was a very emotional experience since I learned more about the genocide that happened during the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia. Seeing the mass graves, the killing tree where babies were killed, and hearing personal stories of the people who survived the atrocities of Pol Pot’s regime was very moving and I learned a lot. Even though it was very hard being there, I am happy we got to visit the Killing Fields and learn more about the history of this beautiful Asian country.

The Royal Palace

The Killing Tree

Once you get past the humidity and heat, and get used to the tuk-tuk rides, it is very easy to enjoy Cambodia. No matter whether you visit the temples, the Killing Fields, or just engage in a conversation with the friendly locals (they all speak at least some English!) the beauty and the rich (no matter whether gloomy or fascinating) history of Cambodia shows through. The most impressive part was meeting Cambodians who are so helpful and have this great will to live and to be happy. Cambodia won my heart and it is definitely a country that I would visit again and recommend others to visit. This trip is surely one of the biggest highlights of my semester.

Leave a Comment » | Indira in South Korea, Spring 2013 | Tagged: Adventure, Culture, History, Public Transportation, Sightseeing, Travel | Permalink
Posted by indirainsouthkorea

지평선: N Seoul Tower, Richmond Reunion, and Our Husky Friend (posted by Indira in South Korea)

April 24, 2013

Seoul is a big city and it is always interesting to go and explore different areas as each part of the city is very unique: Sinchon (where Yonsei University is located) is very busy and there are many young people, Ewha is full of cute little stores and shops as this is where Ewha Women’s University is located, Insa-dong is a touristy place, while Itaewon is very Western-like as most of the Westerners who work in Seoul live here, and Gangnam is very modern with skyscrapers everywhere. This city has so much soul and spirit that it is rather hard to comprehend it all. There is, however, one place where you can take a good look at the entire city of nine million people and enjoy the view of a place where modernism and tradition coexist – N Seoul Tower.

Last week a group of my friends and I decided to go to N Seoul Tower and see Seoul in its full beauty. It was really good that we had nice weather as the sunset was beautiful and the skyline was breathtaking. Getting to N Seoul Tower gave us a view of different parts of the city as we had to go to the subway stop in Sinchon, walk through Myeondong, take a cable cart and finally hike up to the Tower. The best part of it all was seeing how different Seoul is and then getting a good view of the entire city, which makes you wonder how is it possible that so many diverse areas are so united and make this city what it is. The view is rather breathtaking – you can walk around in the 360° observatory platform and see the city from all the sides. We managed to see the sunset from the outside before we took an interesting elevator ride (they show you a short video clip that basically takes you from the Tower to outer space when going up, and when going down it takes you from the outer space to the Tower in Seoul in a mere 30 seconds) to the top of the Tower. This is definitely one of the top touristy activities I’d recommend to anyone (even though it took me over a month to do it). I’ll definitely go back to N Seoul Tower in late spring!

Sunset over Seoul

View on the City of Seoul from the N Seoul Tower

Being so far away from Richmond doesn’t mean it’s impossible to find Richmond affiliated people in this part of the world. Since Ms. Leslie Stevenson from the CDC was on a conference in Seoul, she invited all the Richmond graduates and students currently in Seoul, as well as Yonsei students who either were, or are going, on an exchange to UR for a dinner in Gangnam (unfortunately no one thought of getting a group picture as we were all too excited for the reunion). It was really great having dinner in a Richmond spirit, as well as getting to know so many new people. I also enjoyed talking to three Yonsei girls who will be studying abroad at Richmond in Fall 2013. I tried to give them some advice and they seemed super excited to start their semester at UofR. Seeing Ms. Stevenson was also great! She accompanied my Leadership and the Common Good SSIR group trip to Spain in January last year and seeing her in Korea this year was just wonderful. It truly shows how global Spiders are!

Seoul is a diverse, modern, and global city full of surprises – you never know who you might meet/see. One of my favorite things in Sinchon is seeing a Husky dog that is usually chilling outside one of the numerous Korean restaurants in the area (supposedly since his owner works there or something of a kind). This big fluffy ball of fur is just about the most amazing dog ever. He is so friendly and playful and it is always great running into him when walking around Sinchon.

Husky dog we always see when walking around Sinchon

I have also noticed that as midterms are approaching (last week of April) I have more school work to do. The beautiful spring weather, blossom, and temperature of about 67 degrees is unfortunately hard to ignore. However, it is very much possible to stay on top of the schoolwork and also enjoy the life in Seoul. All it requires is a bit of sacrifice and hard work, but it is completely worth it.

Leave a Comment » | Indira in South Korea, Spring 2013 | Tagged: Academics, Adventure, Food, Friends, Host University, Public Transportation, Sightseeing, South Korea | Permalink
Posted by indirainsouthkorea

Voyageur du Monde? (posted by Pierre en Suisse)

April 19, 2013

Zero: the number of foreign countries that I had ever visited before coming to Switzerland. Three: The number of countries I have visited (or lived in) so far by the time that I am writing this. Four: The number I will have reached by the end of this week when I head to another famous European destination! Compared to the “Pierre” I was before leaving the US, I am definitely on my way to becoming a voyageur mondial (global traveler)! This is far from being an actual title I can claim, I still have some other continents to get to, however it certainly feels this way, being so new to this whole traveling thing. After coming back from Italy during my Spring Break, I spent one day back in Switzerland before hopping on a plane to Barcelona!

I had quite a different experience in Barcelona compared to Italy, just from the standpoint of language. In Italy, I did not know a single word of Italian, which made me feel bad every time I needed to ask someone for English, and even worse when I was on a train and had no idea how to say “excuse me” or “I’m sorry!” However, after having a single year of Spanish combined with my French, I did pretty well in Spain. As Barcelona is in the Catalonian region of Spain, the people speak both Catalan and Spanish. Luckily, I was able to meet up with a friend I met at Richmond who comes from Barcelona and did a semester of exchange at U of R. She helped me out with some key phrases that I would need to know as well, and explained to me the language. She said that Catalan sounds like Italian, and has a lot of influence from the French language, such as some of the letters and even words, since the region is so close to the French border. Luckily, she also spent a great deal of time with me, showing me some of the streets and main areas that tourists would not normally go down on their own. In the sunlight, it was so easy for me to fall in love with such a beautiful place very quickly, when looking up around me and seeing the narrow streets lined by buildings with terraces and plants coming down from them, walking into a main square and seeing a group of people start performing a dance show, and then being introduced to the main tapas dishes of the region.

Managed to capture this image of the birds while in the oldest parts of the Barcelona. Completely fits my image of the stereotypical European image

Managed to capture this image of the birds while in the oldest part of the city. Completely fits my image of the stereotypical European image

My guide also explained to me one of the most notable features of the architecture in Barcelona. The modernist style is unlike anything I had ever seen before. Just like my friend told me, it is something you just have to see, and not anything that is easily explained, but with the help of my friends at Wikipedia I will attempt. The movement began towards the end of the 19^th century, and combines very rich, ornate decoration and detail, while preferring curves over straight lines. One of the most famous sights in Barcelona, the Basilica I Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia, designed by one of the most renowned modernist architechts, Antoni Gaudi, was designed and meant to feel like a forest on the inside, for example. Still unfinished, it was one of the most impressive sights I have ever seen!

Feel like you’re looking up into the tops of a manmade-forest? Well, this would be the inside of Gaudi’s famous Basilica!

Among other things that we did in Barcelona, aside from just seeing amazing architecture, I also got to tour the Olympic park where the city hosted the summer Olympics in 1992, in addition to finally seeing the beautiful Mediterranean Sea for the first time! While I know I am still so far away from being able to call myself a world traveler, it certainly is beginning to feel like it, having been exposed to two fairly different countries within the same week. Despite all the excitement of the travels, I still get beyond excited when I return to Switzerland, and feel back at ease with the language and get back to the certain degree of familiarity I have with what is still this foreign land. But in any case, the travels shall continue, so stay tuned for what is to come!

One of my famous images of the city, the fountains in this park were absolutely gorgeous!

Leave a Comment » | Peter in Switzerland, Spring 2013 | Tagged: Adventure, Culture, Food, Language, Public Transportation, Sightseeing, Switzerland, Travel | Permalink
Posted by PeterinSwitzerland

Uncomfortable, and savoring it! (posted by Blair in Ecuador)

March 6, 2013

I often feel uncomfortable.

I stick out like a sore thumb, walking down the street in my sneakers and backpack, while Ecuadorians pass in heels with their pocketbooks clutched tightly to their sides and wiping my blonde hair out of my face after a bus soars past. The stares, car honks, hisses, catcalls, and whistles ensure that my attempt of ‘avoid eye contact and if you can’t see them, they’re certainly not staring at you’ does not work. They make me feel a bit uncomfortable.

I typically walk home from school with my gringo neighbor, Nick, and one or more gringa girls who live nearby as well; we generally get a few honks and plenty of stares, but it is easy enough to ignore them and continue our group conversation. However, one day last week, I walked home alone to stop off at the grocery store. I had nothing to distract me from the expressions of attention being paid to me. I was making sure to stare straight ahead at my path on the sidewalk (which is actually essential to walking the sidewalks of Quito, there are bumps, cracks, small and large holes, chunks of missing sidewalk, trash and dog poop cluttering the sidewalks), but I could still feel the stares coming from all sides. Walking along a main road, I heard a chorus of honks, but knew better than to turn my head for any one of them. When I got to my bus stop, three middle-aged men hissed and clicked as I walked by. And sure enough, when I got off the bus and was heading into my neighborhood, a kind gentleman leaned out the bus window as it pulled away and whistled his approval of my backpack (certainly nothing else, right?). That day, there was no conversation to drown out the noises, there was no group to retreat into. I felt very uncomfortable.

Last weekend, I was in a group of new Ecudorian friends I met through my cousin. I missed a part of the conversation and I wasn’t sure whether to laugh along with the group as they very easily might be laughing at me – something I did, something I said, or just because someone cracked a gringa joke (more or less your classic blonde jokes).

Although I have an absolutely wonderful homestay family with an incredible house, delicious food, and a luxorious room, to retreat to my home would involve a couple hours on a plane. Living only about 45 minutes from University of Richmond is something I have always taken for granted. Any time I just need to get away from UR, I hop in my car and head home, where I get a big hug from my doofus dog, an even bigger one from my mom, a wonderful night’s sleep in my own bed, and some steaming blueberry pancakes in the morning. The flight home from Quito, Ecuador would be a bit more than 45 minutes.

It’s these moments that (well, first I laugh to myself, then…) I remind myself that I may never get this opportunity again. How many more times will I get to say that I feel uncomfortable and have very little control over changing it? Sure, I can go abroad and say, “wow, when will I have the chance to travel throughout all of South America, see Igazú Falls and Patagonia, lay out on the beaches and go to the Rain Forest, and come home with pictures of beautiful places” but, personally, I want my abroad experience to include truly experiencing a bit of the culture. I want to be able to tell the stories of the people in my pictures, to talk of my conversations with my sister when we went hiking that time, and to be able to share what I’ve learned about the struggles that the Ecuadorians of the Oriente are facing.

More than that, there are many people who do not have the opportunity to study abroad, to experience a different culture, and to feel completely and utterly uncomfortable in that culture. I am so incredibly fortunate to have this opportunity, to feel this feeling.

On the other hand, there are international students at UofR who are certainly going through this entire process in my culture. These students certainly have moments when they feel students’ stares all around them, they don’t know whether to laugh, and they feel that they don’t have anywhere to call home. Let’s look out for these students, help them to understand our converstaions and our culture, see if we can’t help them to feel more comfortable, maybe even to feel at home.

Now what about the “and savoring it!” part then? When I do realize they’re laughing at me, I first remind myself what our director told us: “The Ecuadorian government lets in hundreds of thousands of US tourists each year for two reasons: first, they provide income for many Ecuadorians and second, they are a source of entertainment for the rest of us.” With this in mind, I proceed to tell one of two jokes I have now mastered in Spanish, depending on the audience. That way, we can all laugh together (though they’re certainly still laughing at my horrible accent).

Finally, at the end of the day, no matter how frustrated I was that afternoon with the ridiculous catcall or at dinner when I couldn’t follow the conversation, I always remember that I will never feel quite this same type of uncomfortable again for a long time. And it’s the rain that helps us see and feel the sun, right?

Some of the group went to Crepes & Waffles for Hannah's birthday, where we felt right at home in our gringa group; all white foreigners! ...and the chocolate crepes didn't hurt.

Some of the group went to Crepes & Waffles for Hannah’s birthday, where we felt right at home in our gringa group! …and the chocolate crepes didn’t hurt.

“I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness

because it shows me the stars.” -Og Mandino

Leave a Comment » | Blair in Ecuador, Spring 2013 | Tagged: Culture, Language, Public Transportation | Permalink
Posted by blairinecuador

Alpsolutely Amazing! (posted by Pierre en Suisse)

March 1, 2013

Okay, so quick confession: I have been to the Alps so far about three times and I have yet to actually write about it. When I say I have been to the Alps three times, I am talking about skiing. What’s it like here in Europe? Well my title says a lot, because it is just incredible!

I had always planned on doing some skiing while in Switzerland, but I honestly had no idea what to expect, aside from huge mountains of course. I have skied my entire life but mostly on the East Coast, and have been out west before as well. As many of my friends know, I could tell you basically anything you would want to know about North American skiing, but Europe was a mystery! Someone had told me once that Europeans spend more time just relaxing while at the mountains and skiing every now and then. Someone else had also told me that in Europe you spend half the day going up the mountain and the other half actually skiing down. Both of these myths have not ended up being my actual experience. However, I can happily report that skiing here is better than I could have ever imagined! I’ll do my best to actually describe it, but I warn you it is difficult to put into words.

Because Switzerland is a country completely connected by rails, the ski day starts for us with a train ride into the mountains. The first morning I went, I was on the train at 6:30 in the morning while it was still completely dark. About an hour later, when the sun began to rise my view from the train window was just the silhouettes of the jagged summits and snow-covered peaks of the mountains. Once off the train, we always have to take a connector bus or an additional train to get to the actual mountain. I won’t lie, Swiss engineering is impressive. The first place that I went to, or “station” as it is called in French, was really far from the train and required a bus ride to get there. The roads are a continuous series of windy turns as you head up the steep sides of the mountain. In many instances, there need to be tunnels to get around. Whatever the case, I couldn’t help but wonder how people were able to live in this country before the modern technology that was put in place to simply move around. It was impressive to see what people are capable of doing! This may be worth looking into more, but hopefully it is done in the most environmentally conscious manner possible.

The actual skiing is completely different than what I am used to. As soon as you get to the top of one of these mountains, you are above tree line. That means it is completely wide open, unlike what I am used to where there are trees lining the trails. You can also be at the top just looking at glaciers all around you. These can be quite scary but at the same time amazingly impressive to just see the blue crystallized ice that has been there for such a long time! It is also deceiving for me of how high these mountains are. Because everything is in metrics here, I’ll be at the top of a mountain and everyone around me will be gawking at the fact that they are 3500 meters in the air! The first time this happened, we literally rode the highest mountain subway in the world. It was an actual train to carry skiers through a tunnel to the very top of the skiable area. When we got to the top, we had to walk up a set of stairs to get out of the “metro.” It hit me just how high we were when I got light headed and had to sit for a while to adjust to breathing the thin air. While waiting, I looked on my phone for the conversion and realized that we had started out at 5,905 feet at the base of the mountain, and by the time we were at the top, we were almost 11,500 feet high. Like I said, the elevation really hit me when we were at the top. But the views are unreal! Everything at the top is so open! From one of the places, I could see Italy at the top! At another one, I could see France (even though I can see France every day just across the lake). It is simply a magnificent scene; pictures cannot do it justice.

Skiing adventures will keep coming, and I will say I am especially excited for next weekend, when we will have a three day trip planned by the exchange student association here in Lausanne. Because skiing is literally such a part of the culture here in Switzerland, they said it was necessary for them to host one. I’m excited! But that’s all for now! Until next time, à bien tôt!

Leave a Comment » | Peter in Switzerland, Spring 2013 | Tagged: Adventure, Culture, Friends, Public Transportation, Sports, Switzerland | Permalink
Posted by PeterinSwitzerland

Bernin it up! (posted by Pierre en Suisse)

February 22, 2013

Bonjour à toutes et tous! This is to say, hello to all ! This is typically how emails that I receive from the University begin. For those of you who are not familiar with the French language, toutes and tous both mean “all,” so essentially I just said hello to all! However, in French there are also the different genders. As such, it is necessary in various circumstances to use both the masculine and feminine forms when sending mass emails or writing to many people! It doesn’t happen all the time, but it does often with official emails. Hope you enjoyed your free French lesson of the day!

What a whirlwind the past two weeks have been. To sum it up really fast before reading on, I have experienced fondue and the festival known as Carnaval. Within the course of a quick four days, I feel as if I got a lot of Swiss culture really fast, but it was all amazing! I will start with the food.

Last week, I went out to fondue with my cours de vacances class, which you may remember reading about in my last entry. Fondue is a very traditional Swiss meal. It is not the typical chocolate fondue that we like to think of using fruit, although one can find it. Rather the Swiss eat bread, a mixture of cheese, and then finish the meal off with wine or tea. The cheeses most typically used are gruyere and emmenthal, melted together in a pot. At the restaurant, we were presented with a plate of bread, and it is your job to take a piece, break it up, put it onto the “fork” and cover it in cheese.

Cheese for the fondue!

The utensil used was something that I’m used to roasting marshmallows on. It is also critical to make sure you don’t delicately or lightly cover it just to taste the cheese. It was completely obvious to all Swiss people around me that it was my first time eating fondue. I was instructed by a friend who comes from the German part of Switzerland to completely sink the piece of bread into the cheese, then pull it out and let the excess cheese fall off. One also must pay close attention that the bread doesn’t fall off of the “fork” because then the person who lost it needs to either sing or do some other embarrassing task that the table decides. Luckily, this didn’t happen to me. When the cheese is all gone, there is usually some burned cheese left on the bottom of the fondue bowl. According to the fondue experts, this is the best part, and cannot be left! I tried it and must say I loved it. While this entire meal is going on, you need to drink either white wine or tea with the fondue. Otherwise, your stomach is going to be left to digest a block of cheese. While it was very filling and unlike anything else I’ve ever eaten, I did absolutely love it and I am excited for the next time I’ll get to try it!

The food experience certainly doesn’t stop there. This weekend I also got to go to a Swiss festival known as Carnaval! It is very similar to the idea of Mardi Gras, though it happens throughout the country on various dates, beginning anywhere from the weekend before Ash Wednesday to the end of May in some cases. On Saturday morning, a friend and I hopped on a train and headed into Bern for Carnaval in the Swiss capitol city. After a breathtaking train ride through the mountains, we arrived in the city, without a single idea of where to go! Our friend who had planned it wasn’t able to go at the last minute, so we had to improvise in order to figure out where to go. The one thing we did know about Carnaval is that people would be dressed in very colorful costumes. Luckily, we saw some people dressed up for the party and followed them from the train station into the city, until we found where we were supposed to be. Along the way, we saw some of the famous sites such as the Swiss Parliament building, and the most elaborate clock tower I have ever seen (so far). Included in this tour was trying probably way too much food that we found at various street vendors lining the main street of the festival. We ate things such as tarte flambée, crêpes, and of course, German sausage. With our stomachs filled, we lined the street with the rest of the carnaval-goers! In Bern, it is tradition to commence carnaval celebrations with a freeing of the bear that had been captured and held in prison for its winter sleep, and so the parade begins with the bear leading the way.

Parade starts when the bear comes marching through the street!

After the mascot passes through the street, there are marching bands dressed unlike anything you will ever see in your life, playing all kinds of music, and throwing candy to the crowds. There is also a lot of confetti throwing. If you ever go to a Carnaval in Switzerland, don’t be surprised when a kid maybe as young as six year old looks up at you, takes a handful of confetti from a bag, and throws it right up at you with a huge triumphant smile. People usually have confetti of their own to throw right back at whoever throws it at them, but my friend and I didn’t know about this before everything began, so we generally just laughed with surprise when we would get covered in all sorts of colors. I absolutely loved Bern! The city was truly quite beautiful and the festival was amazingly fun!

So many colors!

There were many creatures like this who also joined in throwing confetti

Probably my favorite site at Carnaval was this lady, who was dressed like a snail and walking at the same speed as a snail (despite kids throwing confetti at her the whole time)

This week has been the first week of classes. Stay tuned for my next post to hear about just how very different of an experience trying to get settled into classes here at a large university has been, and also to get a glimpse of some photos of the Alps, as this weekend I’m headed skiing! Thanks for reading, and à bien tôt!

1 Comment | Peter in Switzerland, Spring 2013 | Tagged: Academics, Adventure, Culture, Food, Friends, Language, Music, Public Transportation, Sightseeing, Switzerland, Travel | Permalink
Posted by PeterinSwitzerland

Courses, Travels, and Cheese (posted by Pierre en Suisse)

February 13, 2013

Salut! I am now entering my third week here in Switzerland, and I can comfortably say that I’m getting settled into life here. Over the past two weeks, I have been participating in the University of Lausanne’s cours de vacances (vacation course). The course is designed for people of all ages and all levels of French who wish to improve their French language skills. There are three different levels, and I am in the class which is essentially been a preparatory course for taking classes in French at a Francophone university for students whose maternal language is not French. The class has students from all over the world; I have met people from the German part of Switzerland, Russia, Australia, Mexico, and other places, of a variety of ages as well. I am on the younger end of the spectrum, as the course is open to people of all ages who wish to improve their French. With such a diversity of people, it is pretty amazing to hear all the languages that can be spoken at once. One morning in particular, I remember reading an article in English while having a conversation in French at the same time, and hearing people speaking German around me; while all this was happening, one Russian girl even began speaking to another in Russian at one point to figure out how to say something in French. Yes, it can be a tad confusing at times but overall I think it is amazing.

One day after class last week I hopped on a train to go to Geneva. The university has a program that pairs exchange students with Swiss students to introduce us to Switzerland and help us get adjusted as well. My partner lives in Geneva right now. Luckily, the Swiss rail system is incredible, and after a quick half hour train ride without a single stop from Lausanne and some really pretty views of the snow-covered Swiss countryside, I was back in Geneva! This time I got to see more than just the inside of the airport; I got almost a full tour around the city! I learned quite a bit about the city that I didn’t realize before, such as the fact that the famous philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau was born there, and not in Paris as many people believe. I got to see his statue, and also the entire city from the top of a church roof!

Statue of Jean Jacques Rousseau in Geneva

Went to the top of this church in Geneva and got a view of the entire city

This is a rare occurrence in Switzerland at this time of year, because of how much it likes to rain and be cloudy in these parts during the winter. The city seems like quite a great place to live! There are a ton of parks, places to go swimming, and beautiful views.

View of Geneva from the top of the church

The city’s public transportation network, just like that of the other places in Switzerland I have seen, was also quite interesting. There were buses and trams, which were a new site to me. I am extremely interested in urban studies, and as such it was really cool for me to see how advanced the city was in its transportation network. I’ve found that its the same in Lausanne. The metro lines are always running on time, and are so very clean and up to date. The buses even generally run on time, except for a few very rare times that they have been one or two minutes off in the morning rush to work and in my case, school. The Swiss stereotype of being on time definitely holds true!

I am also happy to report that the chocolate has been incredible, as I was expecting. I will admit I never go a single day without it. While prices of basically everything are really expensive here, the grocery stores always have bargain products which are still an incredible quality, and cost far less than the rest of the selection. I won’t lie though, going to the small patisseries and fromageries is my favorite shopping experience. My flatmate and I walked into a patisserie one morning for croissants for breakfast, and we essentially began drooling over everything we saw. The assortment of breakfast foods and breads just looked so good! The two ladies who I am assuming owned the store saw the looks on our faces and had to ask us if everything was okay, we were just so excited! We explained how we were here on exchange and this was our first time in Switzerland with a selection like what was there. We got pain au chocolate aka croissant-like bread filled with chocolate, and then a croissant au jambon which is a croissant filled with ham and cheese. Another time, I visited a small cheese shop, called a fromagerie to buy local cheese. I had asked a Swiss person for some advice on what to buy since there are just so many cheeses, and I wanted to try something really local to the area. Armed with some recommendations, I went in and was still overwhelmed, but I explained to the shop owner in French that I was American and I was here for studies and was investigating cheese. He helped me out quite a bit with the different types of cheeses and sold me two very traditional cheeses, called emmental and gruyere, just to start me off. He also explained to me that it would be a good idea to start off with lighter cheeses before moving on to the stronger stuff, so I really appreciated his advice! I made a second trip back there after I finished my first cheeses and they remembered my face and helped me buy other types after I told them what I liked! Can’t beat service like that!

Needless to say, life so far in Switzerland has been great! I am enjoying my time here immensely, and am really looking forward to next week when I will be starting real classes here at UNIL. I have some ideas of what I will take, but nothing set in stone just yet. More on that next time though!

Leave a Comment » | Peter in Switzerland, Spring 2013 | Tagged: Academics, Adventure, Food, Friends, Language, Public Transportation, Sightseeing, Switzerland, Travel | Permalink
Posted by PeterinSwitzerland

Last night in the US! (posted by Pierre en Suisse)

January 25, 2013

Hello! Or as they will say in Switzerland, bonjour! My name is Peter CampoBasso, and I will be writing this blog over the next twelve weeks about my journeys, trials, and tribulations in Switzerland. Why so dramatic about the trials and tribulations? I have never been abroad before! This will be my first time ever leaving the safety and comfort of the United States, unless you count my family’s one trip to Niagara Falls, where we were on the Canadian side for less than twelve hours. We didn’t even need passports back then! Thus, tomorrow will mark the first time in my mind that I have ever left United States territory!

Why did I choose to study in Switzerland? I was looking for a program in Europe where I could have a truly authentic European experience, but also where I could speak French. I chose this program in Lausanne over another in Paris because this would be an exchange program, meaning I would be studying at a European university with European students, rather than an American-run program with other American students. I thought this would help me to better practice the language, which is ultimately the real reason I am studying abroad. No better way to learn French than to be in a Francophone country! I am a Leadership Studies major with a concentration in Urban Studies, and a French minor along with an Education and Society minor. The classes I had to choose from at this University that I could take in French all seemed to fit most in line with my interests. Plus, I am enrolled in a three-week long French immersion program to prepare my language skills for the university classes. This was one of the biggest draws to the University of Lausanne, because no other universities that I was looking at offered a comparable program.

If I attempted to say that I wasn’t nervous about going, I’d be lying. Yes, I am looking forward to speaking French every day to the point where my brain hurts, yes I can’t wait to have a beautiful view of both the Alps and of Lake Geneva (or Lac Leman as I understand the locals call it) every day for the next five months, and yes I can’t wait to eat absurd amounts of Swiss chocolate. And not to be stereotypical, but I am so excited to live at Euro-sophistication status while I am away. But again, this being my first time leaving the US, this is bound to be a memorable experience.

The first day that I land will be one that I will never forget. I will land in Geneva after a nonstop flight from New York City, and have to navigate the Swiss rail network on my own to get to Lausanne, which is about an hour train ride. I hope I don’t get lost! I have this recurring nightmare that I will ask someone for directions, misunderstand them, and end up on a train to the Principality of Lichtenstein or something. Assuming I get to Lausanne in one piece, I will have to find my way to my hotel where I will spend the first two nights, and spend the rest of the day trying to entertain myself. Maybe I’ll do something productive like get things I need, such as bedding? Definitely not. I’m going to explore, the second that I drop all of my bags off in my room. If there’s one thing I learned from packing tonight, it’s that suitcases can fit far more than any suitcase company wants you to know. Every single empty air space in mine is packed with something. I was pretty impressed when I finished!

My packed bags. I give the international students who can travel with less so much credit!

My biggest fear is honestly language. I feel pretty confident with my French language skills, but what if the Swiss have an accent I cannot understand? What if I can’t find the words to express something I want to say? Will I just have to speak English? I started taking French my first year at U of R, and two and a half years later, I find myself on the eve of leaving for the real test of what I’ve learned. One of my major goals is to speak as little English as possible so that I can improve my French immensely. I am confident this will happen.

In any case, I am as ready as ever to get on that plane! After seeing the Inauguration on Monday and having a stereotypical American dinner of burgers and fries, I can safely say that the past few days have been especially America-filled.

Last “American” dinner with my family!

I’m ready for my journey. In my excitement to go abroad, I have been checking the weather in Lausanne every day for the past three months. I expect it to be around freezing with some snow on the ground. I am going armed with my new pair of boots I got in expectation of more snow than we could ever imagine in Richmond. It sure is a good thing that I grew up in New England and love winter! Be on the lookout in the next week for my post about my arrival! I will report on how well (or miserably) my first day goes, and have some pictures of the scenery! À bientôt!

Leave a Comment » | Peter in Switzerland, Spring 2013 | Tagged: Academics, Adventure, Host University, Language, Public Transportation, Switzerland, Travel | Permalink
Posted by PeterinSwitzerland

Uppsala: A Journey of Discovery (posted by Indira in Sweden)

January 4, 2013

The time truly flies by. It’s already 2013. 2013… it feels really weird to write that number. Since it’s the New Year we all makes wishes and hopes as compared to the previous year(s). I was thinking really hard, but my 2012 was good on so many levels that I honestly didn’t want it to end. My semester abroad in Uppsala definitely plays a huge role in that.

Today when I checked my Facebook there was an entry saying: “Graduated from Uppsala University” and then it hit me – wow, that was really it. The best semester yet is over, but I learned so much about Sweden, as well as other countries, traveling, people, my major, and most importantly about myself. The last 5 months in Uppsala have truly been a journey of discovery. I started learning a new language, learned how to cook (I’m really proud of this one), figured out how to live on my own, mastered the art of constant cycling, made friends from all over the world, survived Swedish winter (which involved -7F temperatures and a major snowstorm), travelled a lot, attended a Nobel Lecture, took some amazing classes, gained the experience of living in Sweden, and so much more. It’s really hard to remember everything I went through over the past semester. Sometimes it feels like August was just yesterday, but then again when I think of everything that has happened since, August seems so far away.

The Swedish summer truly is amazing: You learn to appreciate every second of the sunshine, enjoy countless barbecues in parks and on the rooftops, and buy a bike. Uppsala looks absolutely breathtaking in summer – there is green everywhere, city parks and squares look stunning, and people are so happy.

Summer in Uppsala

Fall is no less impressive: Uppsala puts on new clothes and amazes everyone with its colors. The whole city looks like it came from a fairytale scene. Golden and red leaves, somewhat pleasant cold, and warm sunshine, as well as rain create a perfect atmosphere to spend hours in cafes drinking some hot beverage, eating cake or a cookie, talking to friends, watching people, or simply studying. Fall In Uppsala has it charms for sure!

Fall in Uppsala

Before you can notice, the rain is replaced by a snow layer and golden leaves are nowhere to be seen. That is a sign that another glorious season has arrived in Uppsala – Winter makes a grand entrance and it doesn’t cease to impress. It is not hard to enjoy Swedish Winter even with the cold and snow: Glögg, Julmust, fikas, sledding down the Flogsta or Uppsala caste hill, cycling in the snow adventures, and snowball fights can definitely make anyone enjoy Uppsala even during its most cruel months.

Winter in Uppsala

Seeing Uppsala change through the seasons is like seeing yourself grow fonder and fonder of this place, but also seeing yourself grow as a person. There is something magical about it. I feel Uppsala is home. But that is not the only reason why someone would want to study abroad in Sweden; the list of things one can love about Uppsala is very long:

Uppsala University is an old and prestigious university
Diverse classes
Great professors: knowledgeable and chill (you can go for fika with them)
Mixed student body: a lot of internationals from all over the world and Swedes from every part of Sweden
You are very much in charge of your in class experience: some classes are not mandatory and you choose your seminar groups
One class at a time system: you take only one class and you focus on it for about a month, take the final exam and then move on to the next course
Campus makes up most of the city and the buildings are in different parts: great way to explore the city
Each building is unique in its own way and has a story to tell
Attend Nobel lectures: Need I say more?

Chance to make friends from all over the world
New culture, language, traditions
Everyone speaks English: In the beginning when I needed help with something I would always first ask if the person spoke English but then I would just go over and ask for help right away. Basically everyone is bilingual in this country
Flogsta: you get to live in the most amazing and fun accommodation area ever! Ever thought of a 500 person Halloween party in two corridors? Well, that is how wonderful Flogsta is. The party was even featured in the local newspaper!
Your corridor: you corridor-mates become your family and your corridor your new home. Corridor dinners and parties are definitely one of the best part of dorm life in Uppsala.
Cycling: you get to cycle everywhere, anytime. And you’re gonna love it. Seriously.
Ekonomikum: Most amazing place to study, chill, or simply get some snacks
Blåsenhus: probably my favorite building. One part of the building looks like a spaceship hovering over the entrance hall. Great place to study or get fika
Carolina Rediviva: the most beautiful library ever. Even if you don’t have to study, you simply go there to hang out since it’s so cozy
FIKA! Forget Starbucks or whatever you consider to be “the best coffee ever” because I’m sure nothing beats Swedish fika. Just imagine great coffee/tea with amazing pastries, cookies and cakes, cozy kaferummet atmosphere, and the warmth of the people around you while it is snowing outside. And you get to do this for hours every day. One of those “I don’t think life can get any better” moments!
Kanelbullar: Oh, sweet love o’ mine! Cinnamon buns/rolls that simply taste great. Oh, and there is a day dedicated solely to this delicious treat: Kanelbulledag.
Marabou: best chocolate ever! Don’t even try to argue it. I mean it.
Music: Do you love house? Electronic music? Well, then Sweden is a heaven for you. Everyone makes music (I don’t think it’s even possible to keep count of how many people who make music I’ve met) and Sweden’s home to Avicii, SHM, Adrian Lux, Alesso, Lykke Li and many others.
Student nations: It’s really hard to explain, but once you get here you’ll get it. BEST thing ever! Every university should have them.
Great night life!
Stockholms nation’s lunch: make sure you get there at 12 sharp otherwise you’ll spend some time waiting for the deliciousness prepared by the Stokcholms nation’s Kökmästare
Värmlands nation’s bread: I don’t think I ever had better bread. Definitely worth going for the lunch at Värmlands. Make sure you start queuing at noon.
Gasques: there is a gasque for everything (newbies gasque, Halloween gasque, Fall gasque, Christmas gasque, Lucia gasque, and even Doomsday gasque)
Uppsala: it’s a student city so literally everyone is organized in a way that serves the students.

I think those reasons are more than enough to make anyone want to study abroad in Uppsala. I couldn’t have asked for a better semester. Coming to Uppsala was one of the best decisions I ever made. I fell in love with the city, country, and the people – I plan to go back one day. Maybe even sooner than I think. I actually remember my first month in Sweden when I met so many international people who live/work in Uppsala and they kept telling me that one day I will be back to Uppsala (or at least Sweden) for whatever reason, and could quite possibly make this place my home. I sure hope they are right, but right now I should focus on Seoul.

In less than two months I will start a new adventure on the other side of the world; with new people, a new system, new language, new culture. It is frightening, but also exciting. Knowing that the new adventure awaits around the corner makes me miss Uppsala a little bit less. New year – new adventure. And I’m more than ready to embrace it in the fashion of the words of one of my German friends: “Vollgas!”. 🙂

Leave a Comment » | Fall 2012, Indira in Sweden | Tagged: Academics, Adventure, Culture, Food, Friends, Host University, Housing, Language, Music, Public Transportation, Sweden, Travel | Permalink
Posted by indirainsweden

Sleepless in Uppsala: Exams, Projects, and Concerts with a “Little” Pinch of Snowstorm (posted by Indira in Sweden)

December 15, 2012

Too much to do and not enough time! That is basically my life right now. Can’t a day last longer than 24 hours? Or can we at least get an extra day in a week?

Finals – we all know the stress and the amount of work that comes with them. Even when abroad. Last week I had my final exam and a project for the two classes I was taking in November. For one of the classes 100% of the grade is based on the final exam. Actually, that is one of the things I am not that happy about. I like it much more when there are different assignments that each carry a certain percentage of the final grade. For my Sustainable Development class, for example, we had to write three individual papers and a group case study, and make a group presentation. In this way I feel like the grade is much more structured. Having only one exam, however, does have its benefits. Classes and seminars are much more relaxed and as a result students feel less pressure. On a happy note – now I am done. Yesterday I had my group presentation and my November courses are finished. It was actually sad thinking that I might never again see the people I worked so hard with on our group case study.

Speaking of exams: they can be a challenge…but think about going to the exam hall (which is located on the opposite side of the city compared to the area where I live) in a raging snowstorm. Yea, you read well – snowstorm. It was snowing the entire day, but it got really bad about the time I finished my exam. I tried walking over to the bus stop to go back to Flogsta and it was so hard walking because the snow was getting in my face – it was kind of snowing horizontally. First the busses were late and then they were not running at all after 5pm. I was lucky enough to catch the very last bus to Flogsta and get back to my room. The trip back, however, took more than an hour (usually it shouldn’t take more than 15-20 mins cycling): I had to wait so long for the bus and the ride took much longer since there was so much fresh snow on the roads. I have to admit though: This was a rather interesting experience. I figured out that if I survived very low temperatures and a snowstorm, and yet I still love every bit of Sweden… well, then it must be that special study abroad bond. 🙂

View from my window: Snowy Uppsala

After the snowstorm, the skies cleared, the roads were cleaned and I hopped on a new adventure – an all Swedish concert. In the Stockholms Nation there was a gasque and at the after-party Alina Devecerski (she is pretty popular Swedish singer, especially among the youth) was to hold a concert, so I went there with a couple of my friends. The place was full! I don’t think that Stocken (Stockholms Nation’s club) was ever that full. And the concert was amazing: I enjoyed it so much, especially the front row! The only bad thing was that she sings in Swedish and that makes it kind of hard to sing along. We were also in a very Swedish crowd; there were only five exchange/international students there, which makes this event “all Swedish” as my friends call it.

Alina Devecerski concert (hosted by Stockholms Nation)

And then came Stockholm City as a great finish to a busy week, kind of a well deserved time off. I went to Stockholm with one of my friends simply because we felt like it (good thing Uppsala is only 40mins by train away from Stockholm and trains are running almost all the time so it’s easy to get to Stockholm and back anytime you want/need). We had a great afternoon of walking around the city, seeing the Christmas market, enjoying fika, and doing some shopping.

Stockholm City

One really has to use one’s time wisely – only one more week left and I’ll be leaving Sweden. I always try not to think about it, but it’s impossible. I feel like I’m on a time pressure now: I want to do as much as possible before I leave, but the time is simply slipping away. Still, I’m postponing the thought about leaving for some other time (Basically along the lines of “I can’t think about that right now. I’ll think about that tomorrow”).

Leave a Comment » | Fall 2012, Indira in Sweden | Tagged: Academics, Culture, Friends, Public Transportation, Sweden | Permalink
Posted by indirainsweden

Cambodia: Heat, Tuk Tuks, Temples, and Discovering the Country (posted by Indira in South Korea)

지평선: N Seoul Tower, Richmond Reunion, and Our Husky Friend (posted by Indira in South Korea)

Voyageur du Monde? (posted by Pierre en Suisse)

Uncomfortable, and savoring it! (posted by Blair in Ecuador)

Alpsolutely Amazing! (posted by Pierre en Suisse)

Bernin it up! (posted by Pierre en Suisse)

Courses, Travels, and Cheese (posted by Pierre en Suisse)

Last night in the US! (posted by Pierre en Suisse)

Uppsala: A Journey of Discovery (posted by Indira in Sweden)

Sleepless in Uppsala: Exams, Projects, and Concerts with a “Little” Pinch of Snowstorm (posted by Indira in Sweden)

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