It’s not one month yet but I just couldn’t wait to update on life in Lausanne.
My first impression after landing into Geneva airport was – damn, I forgot how beautiful this country is. Switzerland is the perfect example of why God is unfair – he simply spoiled the Swiss. I rented a car from Geneva, and even the drive was so enjoyable. Move-in was easy, and I settled into my new apartment in no time.
Geneva from the air
I get along with my suitemates sursingly well. The first two weeks of life here involved daily trips to Lac Leman, swimming in the open water, playing the guitar and singing, baking all kinds of desssert, and talking till 4am in the morning. I enjoyed the time spent with them tremendously – even though nothing I did I’d categorize as “productive” in anyways. I am surprised and delighted by the change of my mindset. 2016-Gladys could not have enjoyed the moment like I do now.
I do not live in center Lausanne thankfully, but in a smaller commune 45 mins away (by bike). When still in Seattle, I was quite worried about the ruralness of my future apartment. It is indeed very idyllic – cornfield next door, surrounded by local church, vineyards, forests. To my delight, there is a river 3 mins away with the most beautiful trail. A round trip is precisely 6 miles. I couldn’t ask for a more suitable location. Running in the shaded trail, or between the cornfields and apple trees, I just feel so priviledged and appreciative of life.
Lac Leman
But life is not all sweet. Being an Asian here is difficult – there is virtually no diversity everywhere I look. “Switzerland is the Texas of Europe” is definitely true. They are indeed the proudest people who hold their heads very high. Unconsciously, the middle-Easterns, the blacks and Asians are second class people. I definitely miss the diversity and liberalism of the U.S. A five minute stroll along Fremont, I could see cuisines from 5 continents and people from 26 countries easily. Here, you will mostly see Swiss people who are totally unaware of their priviledges.
Another thing is that people are just not as friendly. On almost all my runs in the U.S., other runners will nod at you, smile at you, or say “morning!” happily. You might argue it’s all fake and pretentious, but these small, kind gestures just make life a little bit better. I remember when I was running up the Mailbox trail, people will see me breathing really hard and shout “good job! keep up!”, sometimes from 200 meters away. Here, no one smiles at strangers. When I smile or nod to them, they seem so confused and not knowing how to react. It’s a little cold, but I will get used to it.
Idyllic Neighborhood
I also feel the language barrier. When I first arrived in the U.S., things were strange too – what is a PB&J? What are dryer sheets? But at least everything was in English, and I quickly picked up the lingo. Even when I couldn’t participate actively in the conversations because I didn’t speak English well enough, I could at least follow what’s going on. Not here. Not yet. It’s going to take a little bit of time, but hopefully one day I will feel just as comfortable.
The last thing is the general geographical knowledge that I lack. I’ve built up an understanding of American history and geography over time – I took APUSH in high school, and traveled across the States. I know where Jackson Hole is and what the name entails – skiing, mountains, rich people. I know where New Orleans is and what it suggests – jazz, french food, southern culture. Here I simply don’t have the knowledge yet – I didn’t know where Aosta is (an Italian mountain town), or that Croatia has the best coast, or that Scotland has some decent hills. When others are talking excitedly about a town or a beach, I don’t even know where it is. Is Slovakia close to Slovenia? Where is Serbia exactly? I am not too frustrated by this – gradually building up the mental knowledge is a very fun thing to do. The key is to not be self-conscious and admit your ignorance. After all, the key to confidence is not to assert our abilities, but to become at peace with our own idiocy and ridiculousness. The more shamelessly I ask, the more I will learn.
A Typical Day
I listed a few difficulties but frankly I am enjoying my life so much here. I will attach a few photos – semester is about to start as well. I hope to keep up with the journaling (something I regret not doing during the undergraduate years). Cheers to a new chapter!