Living in Geneva, Switzerland

I am majoring in International Relations and minoring in Peace & Conflict Studies for the most comprehensive immersion in international affairs offered at Colgate. This spring, I had an opportunity to study in Geneva, Switzerland — a city built for nothing less than immersion. I had to fly home early in the midst of the pandemic, but even two months in Geneva supplemented my coursework immeasurably.

Geneva is inspiring: its quality of life, its status as a cosmopolitan city in the heart of Europe, its highly-skilled multilingual workforce, and its dense network of international organizations and top academic institutions. I was enrolled at one of those institutions — the Graduate Institute, the oldest in the world entirely devoted to preparing students for an international career. The setting of Geneva, a central, secure, and neutral environment, allows the school to attract an astonishing level of diversity.

The program was a rigorous lesson in multitasking. It entailed managing three graduate-level classes, an internship with Geneva-based think tank IMPACT Initiatives, and travel to international institutions across Europe. In addition to traditional finals, the semester culminated in a 25-page thesis applying classroom learning to a comprehensive analysis of IMPACT Initiatives and its role in humanitarian crises.

Coursework included International Institutions, International Law, and French. I was particularly excited for the French class — a month-long homestay in Biarritz, France during high school had been an incredibly impactful experience, leaving me restless for another opportunity to immerse myself in the language.

Further travel gave me an opportunity to learn about the nuances of other cultures. The trip began with two weeks across four countries, and the juxtaposition of each city against the next vividly illuminated both similarities and differences. I developed a much deeper appreciation for each place in turn.