Submitted by Giuliana Lorusso on the 2013 fall semester exchange program with the Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality...
Waking up to a view of the Swiss Alps is something I don’t think I am ever going to get used to. I’ve been at the Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality in Chur, Switzerland for two weeks now, and the views are continuing to amaze me every single day.
Going to the Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality, or SSTH, is unlike any other semester exchange program. I am going to school with students from all around the world- Germany, Switzerland, China, India, Thailand, and Korea, just to name a few. Experiencing this much cultural diversity is both eye-opening and refreshing. The school itself is beautiful. My roommate Stefani and I have a room with a bathroom, shower, bay windows, and a balcony. The students here are nice and accommodating, especially because our German is a little questionable at the moment. We are determined to learn!
My classes are broken up into Theory and Practice. Therefore, I learn all about the food and beverage industry, and then I get to serve a three-course meal to all the other SSTH students every Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday and Thursday, I learn about cuisine and cooking techniques in Cuisine Theory, and then I get to help cook the three course lunch for the students. These are long and hard days, but they leave us all feeling great and accomplished. I have three German lessons a week along with two beverage classes. In beverage classes, we are learning about beverage formation and service ranging from coffees and teas to wine and beer. I love the professionalism of SSTH; the dress code for every class is a business suit, something I hope to be my daily dress code one day. Everyday I am reminded what an amazing opportunity this is; nothing can compare to this hands-on education.
The UD girls and I have visited Chur a couple times now. It is about a 30 minute walk down to the city and about a 5 minute bus ride back. It is a beautiful city filled with local, old-time restaurants as well as modern convenience stores. This weekend, we are planning on going to Interlaken and Lucerne. We are extremely excited to see more of the beautiful Swiss countryside!
Here is our gorgeous school and a view of Chur!
