Franklin University's campus

Franklin University, the university that hosts the Mosaic study abroad program, was a lovely and fascinating part of my experience in Switzerland. The campus is high in elevation, so it overlooks Lake Lugano, it is spaced out over a large area with pleasant walkways and beautiful scenery in between the classrooms and housing, it is conveniently located within walking distance to the downtown area (about a 15-20 minute walk), and it is located along a line of metro stops and and bus stops.

An outdoor class at the grotto: roughly 80% of class time is spent outdoors

Dining at Franklin University was completely different from other schools I have attended. In place of a cafeteria, the university has a small restaurant-like dining area called the grotto. It is a stunning spot to have meals at, the university makes excellent use of it with events like the 4th of July BBQ, and the staff members are very hospitable.

View from student housing

The housing in Lugano is simple but very well maintained and safe. My room was the perfect fit for me, with a big window and a view overlooking the mountains and all the necessary amenities (a large desk, a closet, a comfortable bed, and a cupboard). The apartment was relatively large as well, with 4 bathrooms in a six-bedroom apartment, a large kitchen and even larger communal spaces on both floors where we often had 10-20 people over, a small balcony upstairs we would often times watch storms from, and very quick and easy accessibility to both the classrooms, convenient stores, and nightlife.

Before arriving in Switzerland for the 2016 summer mosaic program, I had preconceptions about what it might be like. I knew what many people know of it's reputation - the snowy, mountainous landscape and wilderness of the Alps, the country's multicultural history, its notability for sustainability, and its neutrality. This reputation drew me to the I program. Upon arriving in Lugano, I found that my preconceptions had some bearing but that the country was much different than I expected. These differences were pleasant surprises that would teach me a lot about just how different life could be from that of American life ways.

After a much anticipated wait to depart for my first trip to Europe, I arrived in Switzerland just before the June start of the 2016 MOSAIC study abroad program. Though I had traveled to a few foreign countries previous to Switzerland, my first impression of the country was enveloped by culture shock. My preconceptions of Switzerland were much different from the way it actually is.

View of Lugano

The first image that came to mind when I thought of Switzerland before my arrival were snow-capped mountaintops and wilderness. As I had originally enrolled in the program with the intention of taking a sustainability course, I had imagined I would be involved in a lot of hands-on work in the mountains. As it turned out, there really are breathtaking snow-capped mountains, and the Alps are awe-inspiring. However, I quickly discovered how much more topographically complex Switzerland's landscape is than I had anticipated when I arrived in a Swiss city with palm trees everywhere.