ABOUT

For those of you who may not know me, I'm Claire and I'm a junior at Duke University.  This Fall, instead of returning to Duke for the first semester of my junior year, I will be studying abroad in Geneva, Switzerland with the School For International Training's Switzerland: International Studies and Multilateral Diplomacy program.  SIT's programs are based around field work and an independent study project, rather than the traditional semester at a foreign institution.  I chose this program because it seemed to combine a lot of my academic interests, and Geneva is a beautiful setting in the heart of Europe.  In addition to conducting my independent study project, I will also be taking an International Studies and Multilateral Diplomacy seminar, a Field Study seminar, and Intensive Language Study: Advanced French.  I will be traveling to Bern, Brussels, Paris, and Croatia on field trips with SIT, and I also plan to travel a lot within Switzerland as well as to several other countries such as Spain and the UK.  Learning to ski is also a must while in Switzerland...although anyone who knows me is probably thinking that this will be a challenge!    


I plan to speak only French with my host family, who live in Gland, a small city along Lac Léman that is twenty minutes from Geneva by train.  Based on the pictures I have seen online, Gland is beautiful, and its position halfway between Geneva and Lausanne is ideal.  Let's just hope I can figure out the train system and make it to school on time.  

My schedule for the semester is as follows:

August 25: Arrival in Geneva, Switzerland 

August 25 – 28: Program Orientation  

August 28: Move in with home-stay family in Swiss village / town in the Canton of Vaud (neighboring canton with Geneva)  

August 28– November 20: Home stay  

August 30 – October 21: Intensive French Language Study, International Studies Seminar, Field Study Seminar  

September 15-16-17: Excursion to Bern, Switzerland 

September 26-October 1: Excursion to Brussels, Belgium and Paris, France 

October 25 – November 19: Independent Study Project (ISP) and Interactive Research  

November 20: Transfer to Pula, Croatia 

November 21 – December 6: Completion and final editing of ISPs, ISP oral presentations, Final group activities and program evaluation 

December 7: End of the program / Departure from Pula to Zagreb, Croatia (via bus) 

I'm a little bit nervous, but I think I'm in for a wonderful semester!  Enjoy reading my blog, and be sure to click on the pictures if you want to make them bigger.  See you in December!


--Claire :) 

View from Cathédrale St. Pierre, taken May 2009 in Geneva

Gland is right on the railroad line that runs between Geneva and Lausanne