Page 167 - ThePhoenix1996-97

FEATURES Thursday, April 24, 1997 - Page II Letter from abroad: one student's experience in Switzerland French class and research seminar, both By CHRISTIAN WILWOHL host mother who is an architect. She But I love the mountain scenery. and drank good Irish beer. We also vis- Contributing Writer conducted in Nyon, a small town situ- plays classical guitar and basketball, and 1often go running in the fields, lo- ited Sacre-Coeur together. ated on lac Leman between Geneva and she is very active politically. (Here in cated outside my village, which arefull For Easler, I spent four days in Nice Bonjour WMC. J'aime bien Lausanne. After French class in the Switzerland, citizens can playa much of horses, cows, and orchards. The on the French Riviera with my friends. Geneve et la Suisse. I am studying afternoon, my friends and 1 would of- greater role in government than in the Swiss countryside is beautiful, and from We passed our days on the beach and abroad this semester in Geneva, Swit- ten get a drink or two or play frisbee in States). In addition, she keeps me very the fields there is a wonderful view of hit the bars and night clubs of the Old zerland through a program sponsored the park before we had to catch our well fed. My host father works for a the Jura to the north and theAlps to the Town by night. The scenery in south- by the School for International Train- trains home. fragrance company in Geneva. I have south. ern France is absolutely beautiful. ing. Therefore, I am not directly en- I reside with a host ~amily in a vil- three teenage host brothers who love Geneva is a beautiful city, but like Shortly after my trip to Nice, I vis- rolled in a Swiss university. Rather, I ited some other Swiss citi~ - Lucerne attended my lectures in a building lo- "I often go running in the fields, located outside my village which and Berne in the German speaking part cated in a park that sits on lac Leman are full of horses, cows, and orchards. The Swiss countryside is of the country and Lugano in the Ital- (Lake Geneva). These lectures, focus- ian speaking canton of Tieino. I had ingon the manyaspectsofintemational beautiful. .. " some difficulties communicating in studies, were given by various profes- these places, especially in Lucerne and sors and professionals from theuniver- Christian Wilwohl Berne. I encountered fewer problems sity, graduate' institutes, and intema- in Lugano because Italian and French - tional organizations located in Geneva lage called Mies in the canton ofVaud Bob Marley and reggae music. And all Swiss cities, it is not very big. Only are similar. In the Swiss capital of Often, we attended lectures and brief- just outside the canton of Geneva, of course, my host family loves to ski. acouple hundred thousand people live Berne, we metwith the American Am- ings ar international organizations such which is about a fifteen minute train ride They rent a chalet in Verbier, a well- in the city itself and the canton is only bassadress, Madeleine Kunin, ar the as the UN European Headquarters, the known ski resort in the Swiss Alps, for twice that size. The sites are magnifi- American Embassy. International Labor Organization, the ::e~eh~p~~r :~thth~~~~! ~;. the entire winter. I have spent a couple cent The Jet d'eau (water jet) shoots Even though I was still in Switzer- WorldTmdeOrganization,andtheAga They live in a large home (much larger weekends skiing there myself. 'The upalmostonehundredmetersfromthe land when I visited these cities, I felt Khan Foundation. In addition, 1 had a than I was expecting) designed by my slopes are not always very friendly! lac Leman. Right now the parks are like I was in a different country. Swit- Christmas inApril recruits volunteers full of spring flowers. I have climbed zerland amazes me. I am fascinated thecathedraltower,andtheviewisquite thatfourdistinctcultures,speakingfour nice. In the Old City, the streets are different languages, live in one small By NICKI KASSOUS A group of 50 students met in Joyce said the elderly woman narrow and cobblestoned and the build- countryandconsiderlhemselvesSwiss. Assisumt Features Edisor EnsorLoungeonSaturdayat7am. was very impressed with her ings date back several hundred years.'! The mentality of the people changes Unseasonably cold tempera- Most of the students who vol un- home's remodeling. "S-he even really feel like I am in Europe in this from one section of the country to an- tures have made the month of April teered are members of one or more started crying when she knew we part of the city. The lac Leman and the other. Forexample, the French speak- seem more like December at West- of the following organizations - the had planted flowers," Joyce said. Rhone that flow out of it are beautiful ingSwiss favor Switzerland's entry into ern Maryland College. But are you social work club, SERVE, Chris- Kerrie Wille, a sophomore so- and full of swans. The water appears the European Union.whereas the Ger- ready for Christmas in April? tian Fellowship, the honors pro- cial work major, was a Christmas nuquoiseasaresultofthermnerajstnar man speaking Swiss are against it. On Saturday April 26, WMC gram, and Circle K International. in April volunteer. run off from the mountains; however, Now that my classes have ended, 1 students showed they were ready The students traveled to an eld- "I think it was a neat way to get the Rhone turned red a fe_wyears ago started an internship ata French speak- when they joined a national volun- erly woman's house in Union different groups on campus in- efterproresting Swissfarmersdumped ingNGOinGeneva. TheNGOiscur- teer effort to repair low-income Bridge, MD. Throughout the day volved in one project which helps several tons of tomatoes into the river' rently involved with projects inMada- homes .j' Christmas in-April is a. nation- ~~:~ ~:~~eb~~~s~:- !~~~~~;,~e~~~ ~hU~t~:x~~Toa~~~~t~:u::!~ee t~1:~VJi~!(!I:~~6:;:~:dealing with health and educa- wide community service project ing the kitchen floor, and install- more groups involved with the pro- I visited !he louvre. the Museed'Ors.1.Y, Ifyou want to improve your French held annually on the last Saturday ing a wheelchair ramp. gram. and climbed the Eiffel Tower at night. andgain someintemational experience, in April. West said the elderly woman "I think it would be neat to work I also spent some time with Florence then Geneva is the place for you, and I Approximately 12,000 homes was very appreciative of the help, along side with our professors," Douce,lastyear'sFrenchHousedirec- recommend this program to anyone of low-income families were re- as were her two sons who helped said West, looking ahead to April tor, while I was in Paris. Shetookme who fits this profile. As much as I miss paired by Christmas in April vol- with the renovations: She added 1998. toanawesomeSt.Patrick'sDayParty my family and friends from time to unteers across the nation, accord- that about 20 skilled laborers Carolyn Boner, math lecturer, where we danced to good Irish music time, my experience here is worthit. ing to sophomore social work ma- worked at the house with the WMC was a Christmas in April volunteer. jor, Cindy West. After working for students. According to West, Boner volun- the program in high school, West Sophomore psychology major, teered on her own accord and her wanted to coordinate the volunteer Meghan Joyce was involved with placement with the WMC students effort at WMC. recruiting volunteers for Christmas was purely a coincidence. WORkiNG diSTRibuTiNGOUR PRodUCT BROChURES. "I thought it would be a neat in April. If you are interested in volun- GET PAid - WE Supply BROChURES. thing to do here on campus," she "I liked that so many WMC stu- teering for Christmas in April 1998, Fff ORPff. FORFREE INfo WRirE: said. dents were involved," she said. contact Cindy West. DIRECTOR 1375 Coney laland Ave., Sle. 427 Brooklyn, NY 11230 -. --,........ ~--- WMC students stand in front of and smile on the hard work they put in beautifying a home that included painting and planting flowers. Tel: (410) 848·3466 Lottery & Lotto