Submitted by Carolyn Jones on the 2013 fall semester exchange program with the Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality…
I have officially been in Switzerland for a week now and finally feel like I am getting to know the city a little bit better. The clouds have shown up the past few days, but being up in the mountains with them is absolutely breathtaking. The sounds of Chur echo throughout them, and it feels like the city is right outside our window. My roommate and I frequently find ourselves perched out on our balcony, regardless of the weather, snapping endless pictures of the rain as we watch it drift throughout the mountains.
Today was our second trip down to the city, but unlike last time we swallowed our pride and unwillingly paid the 2 Swiss francs it costs to take the bus back up. Chur was well worth it though. After having several awkward encounters with the people at the bank, the train station, the grocery store, and the phone booth–we can thank the language barrier for those–we finally came out with the half tax which cuts all of our travel expenses in Switzerland in half, along with a $19 franc phone, a delicious butter-filled pretzel, and an excessive amount of chocolate. My roommate and I have a plan to try every kind of chocolate we come across, and to decide once and for all which is the best to bring home. All of the locals seem to have their own preferences, so it seems we have to suck it up and just try all of which hopefully won’t be too hard. The cheese here is also very impressive. I am usually particular and stick to the usual cheddar and Parmesan, but I have yet to find a cheese here that I do not like. A cheese platter is served with breakfast every morning, along with the most wonderful loaves of bread. As for our other meals, my vegetarian friend is finding it quite difficult. We were served lamb for lunch today which was not one of my favorites, but that might have had to do with the fact that I opened and drained all of the packages of the raw meat yesterday. Needless to say, it was not the most pleasant job. Most of my meals here have been wonderful, but when in doubt, there is always bread, cheese, and chocolate.
