Makaya_Kekoa_Resner_Balloons_Alps

Makaya Kekoa Resner with hot air balloons in the Alps.
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By Makaya Kekoa Resner ’19

So far we have visited the United Nations, Doctors Without Borders, and the Red Cross and Red Crescent, with an upcoming trip to Brussels and Paris for the European Union and UNESCO.

At the summit. A play on words in multiple ways. Situated in the Alps, the whole world gathers to shape humanity. And I can’t believe I finally made it to where it all happens. These rooms are dealing with the largest issues of our day, and I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to explore them. I can’t wait to see what else I learn and who I meet here in the next few months.

I am studying this spring in Geneva, Switzerland with SIT International Studies and Multilateral Diplomacy. However, I am actually living in Nyon, a canton near the metropolitan area thanks to the efficient public transportation. That is just one aspect of Switzerland I have appreciated. On the surface level, Switzerland shares a lot with the United States so the transition has gone smoothly. The differences are quite subtle, for instance, the way people just walk across the street without crosswalks or green lights, and that everything closes at 5 p.m.

With time all the little differences will subside, especially since I already have a busy schedule of school and travel to distract me. The program is progressing more quickly than I anticipated, with midterms and finals all moved up a month, and the resources shared with us have been invaluable. Not only are the permanent staff wonderfully helpful and knowledgeable, the visiting guest lecturers are experts in their fields. To top it off, the group excursions have added a whole new dimension to our education. So far we have visited the United Nations, Doctors Without Borders, and the Red Cross and Red Crescent, with an upcoming trip to Brussels and Paris for the European Union and UNESCO.

I have already booked three additional trips for the semester. I never imagined that I would have the opportunity to explore so freely. Not only are other countries easily accessible, the program gave us each an unlimited Swiss travel pass, and I plan to take advantage of it. In just a few hours I can be across the country in Zurich and everything will feel like a different country, with a different cuisine, buildings, and language.

Speaking of language, I arrived in Geneva with very amateur French skills, but with constant exposure in public and a host mom who cannot speak English, I can already notice improvement. With more confidence, the worries of traveling alone are subsiding.

 

March 5 2018

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