Switzerland: Moises Hernandez (A Home Away from Home in Nyon)

Every morning, I woke up to the beautiful sight of the Swiss Alps from my bedroom window. I would prepare for the day and go to the bus stop, taking the bus from Longirod to Nyon. This bus was full of elementary and middle school students who also took the bus to school every morning. The 44-minute bus route brought a beautiful scenery of many villages, passing farms and schools.

The route’s last stop was the train station in Nyon, where many of my fellow students and I got off. Every morning, I stopped at Coop Pronto, a grocery store, to buy a croissant and a coffee before walking to the SIT office, where we would have our global health lectures. My favorite places for lunch after our lectures were Restaurant Migros and Café Ex Machina. I often walked around the city with my peers before returning near the train station to École-Club Migros, where we had our French classes. My favorite thing to do after French classes was get gelato with some of my peers, including two fellow Badgers, and eat it near the lake.

After a long day, getting home in the evening always felt relaxing. Back in Longirod, I always looked forward to having our family dinners when we shared our day and plans for the next. After eating a delicious meal, I went up to my bedroom, where I worked on my homework and later got ready for bed, always excited for what was to come the next day.

 

Moises Hernandez

Hometown: Fitchburg, Wisconsin

Major: Neurobiology; Psychology

Program: SIT Global Health and Development Policy

One goal for my program is to apply the skills I learn to my future career seeking social justice in healthcare. One reason I chose this program was to learn more about healthcare systems worldwide in a place where international organizations are dedicated to public health, social justice, and sustainable development of healthcare. What I most look forward to learning about in my program city is how this culture compares to my culture at home and how it impacts the region’s healthcare systems and development policy.