May 12, 2023
Jamyang Choden '24
Notes from Abroad: Jamyang in Switzerland
Jamyang '24 visiting the Royal Palace in Madrid, Spain
Jamyang '24, an economics major with a minor in environmental studies, studied abroad at the University of Bern in Switzerland.
It feels like yesterday that I first arrived to Bern, a cute little city hidden in the valley between the luscious green hills and the turquoise river. Time has flown by in the blink of an eye and now I only have a month left before the semester is over. Being able to come to Switzerland for my study abroad semester has been a dream come true. I was able to experience so many new things and see such beautiful places that I never even dreamt of.
During my stay here so far, I was able to discover different parts of the country with the amazing Swiss trains. One of my favorite things about Switzerland other than its cheese and chocolates is the public transport. I love how people in Bern are very relaxed yet still have a public transport system that isn’t a minute late. Other than the trains, Bern is a great place to be at because it is in the heart of the country and is accessible to other parts of the country just within an hour by trains. The city of Bern is also a UNESCO world heritage site with architecture remains from the 15th and 16th century. My favorite thing to do in Bern is exploring the old cellars which are now used as restaurants, stores, and bars. On a sunny day, I also like going to see the bears in the bear park located right next to the river and visiting the local farmers market that opens two times a week in front of the parliament building.
Other than Switzerland I also visited a few countries around Europe. It was an eye-opening experience for me to be able to experience all the different cities and observe the differences and similarities with each city. One of my favorite memories from those trips was visiting art museums and relaxing in the parks. I loved being able to see the amazing architecture in different countries and trying out different cuisines. Barcelona by far has impressed me the most with its architecture and food. It was so great being able to see Gaudi’s work and trying out the local tapas. Coming to Europe for a semester has been one of the best decisions I have made so far and is something I will remember for the rest of my life.
Lake Brienz in Switzerland:
