Unfortunately there isn't really much for me to say right now. If you know that I'm going to Switzerland, you know just about as much as I do. I have yet to be assigned a host family, so I do not know which part of Switzerland I will be living in. The good thing is, the country is so small that it doesn't really matter where I live. That is, unless I'm placed in the French canton (state). Then I might be in some trouble.
So far, I have learned that my departure date is August 22, less than three months away. Now the summer appears very short, but at the same time, I am even more excited. My mom is, quite understandably, the opposite of excited, since I am the last of the nest to leave.
I haven't gotten to do extensive research of Switzerland yet, but I've realized in recent conversations with
people, that I probably know more about it than most Americans do.
First of all, the Swiss do not speak English. Yes, this means that I will have to learn a different language, but that was part of the reason I chose to study abroad. They do not speak Swedish either; that would be in Sweden. Well, who knows? It's possible I might meet a Swiss person who speaks Swedish... but that is highly unlikely. The Swiss mostly speak German (with a Swiss dialect of course), and that makes about roughly 90% of the population. Less than 10% speak French, and even fewer people may speak Italian. Though, in all likelihood, most of the Swiss probably speak all three languages. If you look at a map, Switzerland is smack dab in the middle between Germany, France, and Italy, so it makes sense.
Also, I learned just yesterday that the United Nations headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. It's called the Palace of Nations, and it is supposed to be the largest building complex in Europe second only to the Versailles Palace. I had been wondering about this because in my History class, we were learning about the Geneva Accords in 1955 where the "big four" met together and also when President Reagan met with the Soviet Union leader in 1985. Naturally, I was the only one to pick up on this. Why would these Cold War negotiations take place in Switzerland, a country that had nothing to do with the war? Now, it makes sense because Switzerland is known for its neutrality even though it's in the center of everything, so it is the perfect place for the UN.
I guess you might be wondering why I of all people chose to study abroad during my junior year, how I got the opportunity, and why I selected Switzerland. I chose to study abroad because, why not? To answer the second question as well, there is a Speedwell scholarship that pays the full $13,000 to go through AFS, and it is available to students in the Lancaster and Lebanon region. Once I applied, I was one of the 40 some students to be granted it. It's an amazing opportunity, and I am so thankful for it. AFS stands for American Field Service, and it is the organization that makes all of this a reality. Switzerland was my first country of choice because I can trace my family roots to a specific town in the 1500s: Guggisberg, Bern canton. There's basically a guarantee that I will get to go there because of the country's size. Also, Switzerland is a safe country, known for the beautiful Alps, and I will learn to speak German fluently.
If at any time you think of me this summer, please pray that I am matched with a really good host family. Everyday I thank God that this fantastic adventure is made possible, and I simply can't wait!
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