Studying Abroad - Is it Worth It?

(Feature) 

By Sabrina Lettera 

Lausanne, Switzerland 

Photo by: Krzysztof Golik

Studying abroad is something a college student probably thinks about multiple times in their years of being at college. This is when a college student goes to a foreign country for a semester or sometimes even a year to study there and learn about that country's culture. 

Sidonie Moutran, now a junior at Uconn, studied abroad in Lausanne, Switzerland at EHL Hospitality Business School during her freshman year. I asked her a couple questions regarding her time there. 

What was a major difference you noticed when being in Switzerland? 

“Mannerisms is the biggest difference between Swiss culture and American culture. Tone of voice is much lower, and way of holding oneself in a public setting is much more sharp. Everyone is dressed very formally even if there are no occasions to dress for.”

Why did you choose to study abroad? 

“I chose to enroll at EHL hospitality business school because they are ranked number one in the world for hospitality business management. Furthermore, easy access to travel within Europe and Africa, was a great experience. Lastly, I have lived in France for 10 years, so I was already feeling familiar with European culture, which made me more comfortable in my decision.”

How did you immerse yourself in Switzerland's culture? 

“As mentioned previously, I grew up in France and French and Swiss culture are very similar so I didn’t really need to “immerse myself” per se. I would say the biggest adjustment was having a uniform at college and always having a nice outfit on and doing my hair and my make up even if I wasn’t going to do anything special. As part of the immersion, I ate very well, lots of different European dishes, mostly French and tried many different wines from Switzerland, which were delightful for the most part.” 

What is your favorite part about studying abroad? 

“Meeting so many different people from all over the world. My friend group consisted of people from South Korea, several from India, a few from the United Kingdom, and even one from Kenya. Additionally, the food was just excellent and being able to travel every weekend to a different location was really wonderful.”

EHL Hospitality Business School

Photo by: Sergio R

Thank you to Sidonie Moutran for taking the time to answer these questions about her experience in Lausanne.