Since I've been here in Geneva, there have been a few quotes that have really stuck with me. These are quotes that made me laugh, made me think, or made me feel something. I'll always relate these experiences to the awesome friends that I've gotten to know the past few months.
As ready as I am to get home, part of me is just kind of bummed. I'm a person that takes a little while to get used to people and really feel like I've formed a connection with them. What sucks is that I'm just starting to feel that way with most of the people in my classes and other abroad friends. There's the inital excitement of meeting new people, then you transition into getting settled and used to your new surroundings, figuring out a schedule for yourself, and then all together feeling like you fit in and finding your place.
It is what it is and my experience in Geneva has been unforgettable nonetheless.
A few of my favorite quotes :
(talking about the Swiss view of Americans)
"You guys have this idea...I think you call it the 'American Dream' where you literally believe that you can do anything you want to. And the crazy thing is, it usually works."
--This one really made me think and feel really excited all at the same time. I love being involved in entreprenuerial operations and am constantly pushing myself to think outside the box and come up with new ideas. I also see this being pushed a lot in the US, we're encouraged to come up with our own ideas and make our mark. I love that and I'm proud of our culture for this.
"Hey, USA, are you ready for your final exams?!"
--This straight-up made me laugh out loud. I think the first few weeks I was here I was so busy experiencing all the new-ness that I didn't even notice that I had yet to meet up with another fellow American. At times I loved it, but most of the time it would have been really nice to have someone to relate to.
"So, how do you like Switzerland? Cuz my mom moved here from Dallas, Texas and she absolutely hated it!"
-Overall, I very much have a love/hate relationship with Geneva and Switzerland as a whole. It's honestly one of the most natural and beautiful places I've ever seen and probably will always be one of my favorites. However, moving from a small town in Iowa where everyone is overly friendly, outgoing, and laid back, to Geneva was an extremely hard transition. The culture here is very reserved, business-oriented, and people keep to themselves, which was very hard to deal with at first. On the other hand, there are things about here that are really refreshing. I love the fact that it's been 4 months since I've seen someone wearing pajamas in public.
"My boyfriend's aunt lives in Texas, she has two jobs, one during the day and one at night, but she always has so much energy. I don't know how she does it."
--Being here has made me miss my obnoxiously busy life more than ever. It made me realize that as much as I exhaust myself sometimes and probably work more than I should, I truly enjoy it. I enjoy the people I work with, the jobs that I get to do, the conversations, and staying on my toes. I can totally relate to this quote and it's true. I feel the most energetic, get the most done, and am overall happier when I'm running from class to meetings to jobs and to be with friends and family. Although I try to take it easy on myself, it's been extremely hard not having a job for just four months. I have way more free time than I'm used to and care to have, and I don't feel productive. I know this is probably one of our bad habits as Americans, but it's also my personality and the way I was raised. I can't sit still.