I remember vividly the fear and anxiety starting to set in during the overseas flight in January 2012. I was on my way to Switzerland to spend 6 months at a European high school. The next time I felt feelings that strong was the night before my first day of school.
I was going to a local high school in Neuchatel, an advanced scientific based IB high school. The high level courses are in French and help prepare students for some of the best colleges in Europe like the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. Although I had two years of high school French, I barely understood when people spoke and certainly couldn’t express myself well.
So the night before “Day 1” I just layed in bed, imagining the best and worst case scenarios of what the next day would bring. I held onto each moment as if it was the most pleasurable second of my life. I did not want tomorrow to come because it would be so new, difficult, and foreign. I was both excited and intimidated by what I was about to encounter. I would look at the clock and think, “six hours left of joy... three hours left of joy...” My alarm went off, zero hours left. The time had come to face the situation head on. Physically, I got out of bed, took a shower, ate breakfast and prepared for what was to come. Mentally however, I was psyching myself up and out but doing my best not to show it. My father walked me down a steep hill, across the street, and into the school. Then he left me, and I was on my own. I walked up the spiral staircase to my first class.
I was used to the American school system where you went into class, sat down and waited for the bell to ring. This was not how things were done in Switzerland. Like an idiot, I unknowingly walked past my classmates and tried to open the door to Room 202, Biology. It was locked. Completely embarrassed and confused I walked away from the door and just watched the others. The door opened ten minutes later, after the bell had rung and the students entered the room. I got out of my reclusive state and followed. Looking around I quickly decided on a seat in the back of the classroom. The classroom was very small, with three rows of five wide desks. Each desk had room for two students and was facing towards the blackboard, yes blackboard, where the teacher taught. I had never seen a blackboard before then and realized I was far from home.
After an hour of trying to understand what was going on, I watched as the class got up for a break. I remained seated, mostly because I had no idea what the teacher had said. I felt lost and alone. Three girls, who I would later know as Neige, Noemi, and Lesly, came up to me and asked me a question. I didn't understand. They repeated: “Comment t'appelles tu?” What is your name? As if I wasn't embarrassed when I tried to open the door earlier, I didn't even understand them asking my name! At this point I realized I was in for a long six months.
But fortunately that wouldn’t end up being the case. After two months, I was able to communicate with my classmates, but not well. After four months I had become their friend and was socializing with them outside of school. By the time the six months was over I was almost fluent in French and very attached to the European lifestyle I had experienced and enjoyed.
When the time came to return to Colorado, I was excited to be going home and to see my old friends again but sad to leave my new Swiss friends from school and soccer. I wouldn't realize until later that this was one of the most difficult yet best experiences of my life. My semester in Switzerland was uncomfortable and challenging but ultimately opened my mind to a new culture, a new language and new ways of living and learning. I will never forget the unbelievable experiences and challenges I had to endure and know that this time abroad will impact my life forever.
