STUDY ABROAD_Zürich: Introduction
Study abroad: the ultimate way to experience a different culture, the dream of countless students wanting to “spread their wings” and try something new, and the single-most amazing requirement for graduation in the UT School of Architecture, beginning with my year.
I always knew I wanted to study abroad. In fact, it was an important consideration for me when choosing my university. So, even though I wanted to go to the German-speaking part of Switzerland (where apparently no architecture school in the US has an exchange program), I chose a school that required me to study abroad even if I didn’t end up at my dream destination. Being the only student from UT currently studying at ETH (Eidegenössische Technische Hochschule for anyone who wants to try their hand at Swiss-German), no one told me how scary it was. Or that studio takes up your entire life no matter what country you happen to study in. Or that no one outside of school would speak English (people actually told me the opposite). But, here I am, and every day is amazing.
Even though there was not a study abroad program to ETH, I still somehow managed to get here. I picked out a school and got really excited (also sad because I knew I couldn’t actually go there). Then I saw that someone else from UT went exactly where I wanted to go and studied exactly what I wanted to study. Coincidence? I think not. I talked to him about how to apply and what hoops I had to jump through at UT before I left, and, aside from finding out that the architecture program at ETH is consistently ranked among the top 5 design schools in the world, it seemed completely doable. A year later, I submitted my application (transcript, portfolio, and all) directly to ETH and hoped I would be accepted.
This Saturday marks my living in Zürich for exactly two months. Part of me realizes it’s been that long and it’s almost ready to go home (yes, despite the USA’s lack of good chocolate, I do miss it); but part of me is wondering where all the time has gone. I know how to get around now. I can buy groceries, send mail, and understand conversations I overhear on the bus entirely in German. I’m confident in my ability to travel on my own and experience new things, but it still feels like I just got here. New things happen every day. There is always something I have never seen, heard of, or had to deal with before, and I love it.
So, here’s to the rest of my adventures; I can’t wait to share them all.