Submitted by Morgan Gravatt on the 2019 summer session program in Italy sponsored by the Department of Hospitality Business Management…
For months, I had been waiting to attend the Switzerland/Italy Hospitality program and the time has finally come for 15 fellow UD students and myself to embark on this new adventure. Upon arriving at the Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality (SSTH), I was immediately amazed by the architecture of the school and the views of the Swiss Alps all around. These views continued throughout my first week, from hiking in the mountains to walking to Lake Caumasee to passing farms on my way to downtown Chur. During these experiences, all I could think about was how peaceful and different this environment was from what I am used to. It wasn’t anything like New Jersey or Delaware, or the East Coast at all. It was different. Different in the way the people seemed to value nature, rather than sitting inside on their phones or laptops. Different in the way that no one seemed to be in a rush. Different in the way that the people know our language, but we can’t understand theirs.
Before attending this program, I told myself that I would make the most of my experience, whether it be traveling on free weekends or having a conversation with the people who lived in Switzerland. So far, I have done exactly that. Not only has our group become extremely close already, but we have branched out and met fellow students and staff at SSTH. In particular, a man named Giuseppe stood out to me. He was someone who oversaw the kitchen/restaurant department. The first day we met him, he went out of his way to get to know us, which allowed us to do the same throughout the week. The most interesting conversation we had, involved Giuseppe talking about his experiences living in Florida and New York City. Giuseppe informed us that out of all the countries he’s been to and lived in, that the United States was the most polite, generous, and welcoming. At first, this had shocked me. I immediately reacted with the word, “what?” because we think people can be pushy or rude. But then, he continued to talk about how Americans are always willing to say hi, respect their visitors/where they are visiting, and help others. Once we delved into this discussion, I was able to truly think about how Americans compared to the Swiss and other Europeans we had met or seen around. This conversation was educational, rather than mindless, and will forever leave a lasting impression on me.
As we traveled from spa to spa, throughout Switzerland, I was able to discover the passion people had when it came to self-care. In particular, the two hotels/spas we visited (Waldhaus Flims and Grand Resort Bad Ragaz) allowed me to discover a variety of ways people can focus on themselves and relax. Relax meaning not using cell phones or sitting inside, but rather focusing on the importance of your body and appreciating the views of nature. With everything going on in this world today, I truly see a spike in spa and wellness centers in the United States in the near future. I cannot believe it has already been a week here and I cannot wait to gain more life-changing experiences.
