Submitted by Carolyn Jones on the 2013 fall semester exchange program with the Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality…
I have had 14 “first days” of school in my lifetime, and this one was incomparable to all of them. All of the students here want to be in some segment of the hospitality industry, so for the first time I am around people (besides my father and grandmother) who love eating and dining as much as I do. I think one of the most incredible things about being here so far is that I am going to school with people from all over the world: India, Korea, Germany, Switzerland, and we all have this passion in common…even if we cannot express it in the same language. Although having a class where food and beverage is the topic may seem like a dream, it would be an understatement to say that it is hard work. My day started at 7:00 this morning and went right up until dinner at 6:30 this evening. My class was in charge of serving lunch to the rest of the school this afternoon, so needless to say it was a little unnerving after a 30 minute fine dining tutorial. I never knew the placement of silverware or the etiquette behind clearing a table could evoke so much stress and anxiety. It was all worth it though, because my roommate was on dishwasher duty and accidentally lost control of the hose…completely spraying my new professor and drenching him from head to toe. Personally, I thought it was a great way to start the semester. If things continue to get crazier from this point on, my semester abroad will be complete.
