The concept of time has always amazed me. It was just over a year ago that I was applying for exchange, hoping that I’d be accepted to my first-choice destination: the Université de Genève (UNIGE) in Geneva, Switzerland. 14 months later, I’m feeling very Swiss with my newly developing accent, sitting in my very own piece of 12 meter2 Genevois real estate, otherwise known as my dorm room, and munching on the best chocolate this world has ever known. Not to mention that I am also a proud holder of the ever-so-coveted Swiss bank account.
Time has flown by so far. I arrived in Geneva on February 3rd not knowing what to expect. Switzerland was a new country and Geneva a new city, with a completely different culture than anything I had ever experienced before.
Walking out of the airport, the smallness of the city was a direct contrast from what I saw daily in Montreal and my experience growing up in the United States. The small cars, the lack of skyscrapers, the narrow roads, the tiny aisles at the grocery store – speaking of which, I pretty much live at Migros, the Swiss version of Provigo, for access to its heavenly chocolate and cheese.
Since orientation for exchange students at the UNIGE wasn’t until February the 14th and dorm move-in day wasn’t until the 15th, my arrival 11 days early was to serve me well in exploring the city, giving me time to attempt a full transition into a “Genevoise” even before I started school.
Well, almost two weeks after my arrival, I can honestly say that I am nowhere close to even being considered a Genevoise. Despite my quick adoption of Swiss-French words (70 is septente and 90 is nonante, unlike soixante-dix and quatre-vingt-dix, respectively, like in other Francophone countries), my hybrid American-Haitian-French accent doesn’t seem to cut it to achieve 100 percent Swiss integration. But with time, I’ll get there.
Before my trip, people I met would always ask me why I chose Geneva to study abroad. “Why not London? Or Paris? Or somewhere in Australia?” they would ask. As an international development studies (IDS) and international relations (IR) major, Geneva was the only place to go, in my mind. The city is home to numerous international organizations’ main headquarters, such as the United Nations Human Rights Council, the World Health Organization, the World Trade Organization, and the Red Cross.
This is probably the proper time to mention my embarrassing (but exhilarating) fan girl moment when my uncle, a native Genevois, drove me past the headquarters of the World Trade Organization. I’m sure IDS, IR, and Political Science students can relate.
This culture of internationalism in Geneva is not only due to the presence of these organizations but also the diverse citizens that call themselves Genevois. According to swissinfo.ch, 40 percent of the city’s population isn’t even Swiss. This statistic is highlighted every day when I take the tram or bus, where I hardly hear French being spoken by the passengers but rather a lot more English than I expected, as well as many other languages.
The University, or Université, is ranked second most international university according to Times Higher Education, and this globalized culture is very strongly felt. I hear from a friend who is a student at UNIGE that she hardly ever hears French being spoken in the hallways at school, despite the French-speaking nature of the institution. Even at the orientation where I met all the other exchange students, I spoke English with almost all of the students who seem to be here for the same reason as I am: to improve their French. How that will happen with English as an omnipresent comfort zone remains to be seen throughout the next four months.
Probably the most surprising aspect of my life in Geneva thus far is the outrageous cost of living in this tiny city. Not only is the Swiss Franc a very expensive currency to convert, but the prices are immensely high in Geneva, one of the most expensive cities in the world. One of the exchange students advised me that a small regular coffee at a Genevois Starbucks is around 4.50 Swiss Francs (CAD 5.62) . My eyes went wide as she told me. I mean, I pay that much for my large caramel apple spice at the Starbucks in Montreal. I haven’t gone to a Starbucks here to confirm her statement because I’m embarrassingly too scared to have my favorite coffee shop ruined for me. Or maybe my caffeine-crazed obsession is a North American characteristic that will change during my time here. Who knows.
Throughout my first two weeks here in Geneva, one of the vital lessons that I’ve learned is that everything takes time, including establishing yourself in a new city, let alone country and continent. I mean, this is the land of the famous Swiss watches so time is obviously something I’ll need to consider.
It’ll take time before I stop falling off my skis and rolling down the Swiss Alps. Probably a lot of time.
It’ll take time before I stop taking the wrong tram or bus and looking super confused but trying desperately to hide it to the locals who I think can still tell.
Time alone will heal the pain of high prices for weekend outings, casual shopping, and the occasional coffee drink.
But with time, I can also tell you that I’m falling for this city. Despite my awkward and clumsy musings, I feel very at home in Geneva. And it’s just the beginning.
Source:http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/The_capital_of_peace.html?cid=34224714
Image Retrieved From:http://www.studyinginswitzerland.ch/unige/university-description?id=5