Wrap-up

The day has arrived!

Bitter sweet but it is time to go home :)

I have spent the last couple of days finishing up papers, studying for finals and saying goodbye to so many wonderful friends I have met throughout this year.

I would be lying if I said I am not excited to go home. This year has definitely taught me a lot. I have truly enjoyed it and it is an experience I am thankful for and will never forget but there is truly no place like home. I can't wait to go back to Texas and share my amazing experience with everyone.

First things first. Let's finish up packing and wrap-up on an amazing year. Here is what I have been up to since my last blog.

As I said before, the last couple of weeks have been full of studying and packing. I have been stuck between my apartment and the library the majority of the time but that doesn't mean I couldn't make a few stops in between :)

One of the best things about Europe is that you can walk around and get from one city to another by just jumping on a quick train. WIth no time to waste I made sure to visit a Bern and a few other cities one last time and get plenty of Swiss Alps before I head back to Texas.

The weather couldn't be more beautiful so I have found time to go on a few runs and enjoy so time outside by the beautiful lake Leman. 

One of the best things about my time in Switzerland has definitely been the people i have met. They have truly become like family to me and I feel blessed to have spent so much time with them. I have shared with them many things and grown learning from them. I am definitely going to miss our dinners, get togethers and wonderful adventures. 

I know I said my life has been stressful lately but I did manage to squeeze in a little more traveling. This time not just around Europe or Switzerland but why not make it all the way to Russia! Forget moving out, forget studying for exams, forget everything. I jumped on a planed with a couple Rotaractors and it was HELLO MOSCOW! 

Now please don't think I was being completely irresponsible. Besides visiting Russia sounding fun and interesting I had a very important reason to make the trip, EUCO! EUCO is the annual European Convention for Rotaract. Being now part of Rotaract Geneve I had the wonderful opportunity to join the convention this year, a wonderful opportunity I couldn't turn down. 

The whole trip was amazing. We got to do a lot of site-seeing and visited all the touristy spots. We also took part in wonderful cultural activities and events set up by the Rotaract committee like an elegant ball and some traditional food tasting dinners. 

It was great not only to get to visit a complete different country and culture but to meet amazing Rotaractors from all over Europe and Asia. I learned about amazing projects they are working on and once again was reminded of the power of team work and the beauty of the Rotary Family. 

 Last but not least, I received great news! I got an internship with the UNESCO which means that I am not done with Geneva quite yet!  I will be coming back in September to intern for the Curriculum Building Department of the UNESCO working with Latin American Diploma projects and joining and amazing team! I will also be continuing my studies at IHEID. So excited about the opportunities to come.

It has been a great year and one amazing adventure! So much to tell and so much to share!
I am glad to be able to close one more chapter and on to another one!

CHEERS TO AN AMAZING ROTARY AMBASSADORIAL SCHOLAR YEAR!  

Je bouge, je bouge BEAUCOUP!

So here it goes again, a blog about how my days in Geneva fly by and are full of adventures. I cannot believe I have been here for almost a year ! I am so glad I have so many wonderful memories to remember my Ambassadorial year by :)

Last week, I had my last meeting with the Rotaract Club of Geneva. We met at the usual bar in the Old City to discuss the club's next projects over some wine. Even though my experience with this club does not involve hamburgers and strawberry lemonades at a small cafe like they do back home, it will never stop to amaze me how no matter the culture the spirit of Rotary is present everywhere you go. Our fund raisers here do not involve crawfish boils or Rodeo auctions but rather fondue dinners and classical music concerts. Our social events involve going to the theater rather than picnics with water balloon fights. However, many things are the same: more than one language is always spoken, there are members from at least 4 different nationalities, and the willingness to cooperate, to help, to make a difference is always present. The spirit of Rotary is present at every meeting and no matter in what language, the "4 way test" always applies. 

I am really glad I was able to be part of Rotaract Geneva. I learned a lot, shared a lot, and was able to extend my Rotaract family far beyond I had ever expected. 

What is a "my life in Geneva blog" without some crazy adventure? Of course I had to do something wild and crazy to finish off the year with style. When you feel overwhelmed some might say you should take a deep breath I say " GO JUMP OF A MOUNTAIN!" 

Nothing like a nice 30 minute paragliding flight over the beautiful town of Verbier. I am now convinced that Peter Pan had it right when he said flying is the best feeling ever! I want to be a bird so badly! I had never felt lighter, freer, and so small but so great at the same time. 

Paragliding is definitely one of the best experience I have had this year and quite possibly my whole life. Definitely a redo! 

One of my favorite things about Geneva is that when the sun shines the view by Lake Lemain resembles paradise. As social chair for my class I decided to take advantage of this wonderful phenomena to bring a little "american pop culture" to the institute and give my fellow class mates some time to bond before the end of the semester. This is how the "First annual, MIA Class Favorites Picnic" came to be. 

First and second year International Affair Masters students gathered on a sunny Sunday afternoon by Villa Barton, our Institute's main building, and we enjoyed some fun time over delicious snacks. We chatted, played frisbee, took pictures and had some laughs when the 2012 Class Favorite results were revealed. My best friend Tugce and I were honored to receive the "Bilateral Agreement/Best Pair" award. We beat two other real couples that were nominated in this category so we were pretty proud haha. We do indeed make a great pair, it is no wonder they call us "the twinsies." :0)

I have many times talked about Rotary as being like a second family to me and that is true in so many ways. Rotary became my family back home when I realized there are so many people who share my same goals and passions. It extended to other countries when I traveled and visited Rotary Clubs abroad that welcomed me with open arms. It was reassured when I arrived to Switzerland and felt at home thanks to my wonderful Rotary Counselor Ian and the Rotary and Rotaract Clubs of Geneve. Last week, it became that much more clear when I was able to visit my Rotary Exchange student sister Mathilde and her family in Bordeaux. 

Mathilde lived with me and my family for several months while my sister Denise was in exchange in Belgium. Having a french sister was a wonderful experience and my family and I were happy to host her entire family in Texas when they came to visit in the Spring that year. I remember my mom trying to speak French and Mathilde's parents trying to speak English while the rest of us giggled. No matter what they always managed to communicate and we spent a lovely couple of weeks sharing our mutual cultures. 

As I have said many times, the hardest thing about being so far away from home is exactly that, being so far away from home. There are days when I feel sad, nostalgic, overwhelmed and I wish I could get a hug from a familiar face. I had not realized how much I needed a family moment until I arrived to Bordeaux to visit Mathilde and her family. They welcomed me with such warmth and love that I couldn't help but feel like part of the family.

 We spent an amazing weekend visiting the city, eating delicious food, having wonderful conversations in three different languages (their English and Spanish have improved so much!), and they even treated me to one of the most magical beaches I have ever been to "La Dune du Pilat." All in all, once again Rotary proved to always have my back and bring me the family feeling I need in right moment.

One thing that definitely made me smile this month, was receiving wonderful feedback from our participating schools of World Connect, my Rotary project. Seems like the kids are really enjoying being part of the program and learning a lot about other cultures. Receiving such nice comments and wonderful pictures fills me with joy as I see that efforts do make a difference. I really do want to see a better a world. I really want to share what I know and bring to children everywhere the opportunity to learn from one another. If I can make a difference in one school, or one child, if a student in Senegal now knows about where Gruyere cheese comes from and a girl in Argentina understand the significance of an American flag, if a Swiss Boy can re-tell the story of the Taraumara natives, and if a child in Mexico can sing a Senegalian traditional song, then I can say that this project has been a success.


In the middle of so many events and adventures I was able to meet with my counselor and his wife for a hot chocolate and one last rendez-vous before leaving. It was very nice to talk to him about how much I have learned and how much I have grown this year. Walking into his apartment I couldn't believe that it was almost a year ago that I spent my first night in Geneva there. I was so scared, so uncertain, with no idea what to expect and so much ahead of me. Things turned out very differently then I had imagined but from every experience and every moment I learned, I grew, and became a stronger and better person.

I told Ian about my hectic weeks and so many plans to come and right before saying goodbye he looked at me and with a big smile said " Tu bouges Daniella, tu bouges beaucoup. Ca c'est tres bien." ( You move Daniella, you move a lot. That is wonderful.)

Two more weeks to go. Let's keep moving. :)

So here it goes again, a blog about how my days in Geneva fly by and are full of adventures. I cannot believe I have been here for almost a year ! I am so glad I have so many wonderful memories to remember my Ambassadorial year by :)

Last week, I had my last meeting with the Rotaract Club of Geneva. We met at the usual bar in the Old City to discuss the club's next projects over some wine. Even though my experience with this club does not involve hamburgers and strawberry lemonades at a small cafe like they do back home, it will never stop to amaze me how no matter the culture the spirit of Rotary is present everywhere you go. Our fund raisers here do not involve crawfish boils or Rodeo auctions but rather fondue dinners and classical music concerts. Our social events involve going to the theater rather than picnics with water ballon fights. However, many things are the same: more than one language is always spoken, there are members from at least 4 different nationalities, and the willingness to cooperate, to help, to make a difference is always present. The spirit of Rotary is present at every meeting and no matter in what language, the "4 way test" always applies. 

I am really glad I was able to be part of Rotaract Geneva. I learned a lot, shared a lot, and was able to extend my Rotaract family far beyond I had ever expected. 

What is a "my life in Geneva blog" without some crazy adventure? Of course I had to do something wild and crazy to finish off the year with style. When you feel overwhelmed some might say you should take a deep breath I say " GO JUMP OF A MOUNTAIN!" 

Nothing like a nice 30 minute paragliding flight over the beautiful town of Verbier. I am now convinced that Peter Pan had it right when he said flying is the best feeling ever! I want to be a bird so badly! I had never felt more light, more free, and so small but so great at the same time. 

Paragliding is definitely one of the best experience I have had this year and quite possibly my whole life. Definitely a redo! 

One of my favorite things about Geneva is that when the sun shines the view by Lake Lemain resembles paradise. As social chair for my class I decided to take advantage of this wonderful phenomena to bring a little "american pop culture" to the institute and give my fellow class mates some time to bond before the end of the semester. This is how the "First annual, MIA Class Favorites Picnic" came to be. 

First and second year International Affair Masters students gathered on a sunny Sunday afternoon by Villa Barton, our Institute's main building, and we enjoyed some fun time over delicious snacks. We chatted, played frisbee, took pictures and had some laughs when the 2012 Class Favorite results were revealed. My best friend Tugce and I were honored to received the "Bilateral Agreement/Best Pair" award. We beat two other real couples that were nominated in this category so we were pretty proud haha We do indeed make a great pair, it is no wonder they call us "the twinsies." :0)

I have many times talked about Rotary as being like a second family to me and that is true in so many ways. Rotary became my family back home when I realized there are so many people we share my same goals and passions. I extended to other countries when I traveled and visited Rotary Clubs abroad that welcomed me with open arms. It was reassured when I arrived to Switzerland and felt at home thanks to my wonderful Rotary Counselor Ian and the Rotary and Rotaract Clubs of Geneve. Last week, it became that much more clear when I was able to visit my Rotary Exchange student sister Mathilde and her family in Bordeaux. 

Mathilde lived with me and my family for several months while my sister Denise was in exchange in Belgium. Having a french sister was a wonderful experience and my family and I were happy to host her entire family in Texas when they came to visit in the Spring that year. I remember my mom trying to speak French and Mathilde's parents trying to speak English while the rest of us giggled. No matter what they always managed to communicate and we spent a lovely couple of weeks sharing our mutual cultures. 

 I have said many times, the hardest thing about being so far away from home is exactly that, being so far away from home. There are days were I feel sad, nostalgic, overwhelmed and I wish I could get a hug from a familiar face. I had not realized how much I needed a family moment until I arrived to Bordeaux to visit Mathilde and her family. They welcomed me with such warmth and love that I couldn't help but feel like part of the family. 

 We spent an amazing weekend! Visiting the city, eating delicious food, having wonderful conversations in three different languages (their English and Spanish have improved so much!), and they even treated me to one of the most magical beaches I have ever been too "La Dune du Pilat." All in all, once again Rotary proved to always have my back and bring me the family feeling I need in right moment. 

One thing that definitely made me smile this month, was receiving wonderful feedback from our participating schools of World Connect, my Rotary project. Seems like the kids are really enjoying being part of the program and learning a lot about other cultures. Receiving such nice comments and wonderful pictures fills me with joy as I see that efforts do make a difference. I really do want to see a better a world. I really want to share what I know and bring to children everywhere the opportunity to learn from one another. If I can make a difference in one school, or one child, if a student in Senegal now knows about where Gruyere cheese comes from and a girl in Argentina understand the significance of an American flag, if a Swiss Boy can re-tell the story of the Taraumaras natives, and if a child in Mexico can sing a Senegalian traditional song, then I can say that this project has been a success. 

In the middle of so many events and adventures I was able to meet with my counselor and his wife for a hot chocolate and one last rendez-vous before leaving. It was very nice to talk to him about how much I have learned and how much I have grown this year. Walking into his apartment I couldn't believe that it was almost a year ago that I spent my first night in Geneva there. I was so scared, so uncertain, with no idea what to expect and so much ahead of me. Things turned out very differently then I had imagined but form every experience and every moment I learned, I grew, and became a stronger and better person. 

I told Ian about my hectic weeks and so many plans to come and right before saying goodbye he looked at me and with a big smile said " Tu bouge Daniella, tu bouge beaucoup. Ca c'est tres bien." ( You move Daniella, you move a lot. That is wonderful)

Two more weeks to go. Let's keep moving. :) 

Making it Count

Once again,  adopting an adventurous spirit I have continued my travels throughout Switzerland and beyond. It is amazing how fast time goes by when you keep yourself busy.

Last week, I joined a group of lovely UN interns for a wonderful Sunday in Lausanne. The weather was not the best, but Lausanne is always a nice place to visit. A lovely lunch by the lake and a nice walk downtown can always bring my spirit up even when the sun is missing.

I also had the pleasure of visiting the vineyards in Lacaux. The view was absolutely amazing and once again I enjoyed the multicultural company of some lovely students and interns.

After more than 8 months in Switzerland I FINALLY made my way to Zurich! I was forced, yes forced, to do some shopping since it rained most of the day, but I was also able to walk around town, see the lake and the river, and finally admire a beautiful view of the city. I stayed at my friend Artemis's grandparents house. They were absolutely adorable and great hosts. They even insisted on making me lunch to take with me the next day. I not only felt so cared for, but I was able to enjoy a wonderful conversation with a French Swiss (grandma) and a German Swiss (grandpa) over tea. I love learning about other cultures and hearing the stories of those who have had so many interesting experiences.

For Easter break, I decided to go visit my friend Katrin in Vienna. It was a last minute get away decision, but also one I am extremely glad i made! Austria is beautiful! Katrin once again proved to be an amazing host and tour guide. I spent some time in her family's home in the outskirts of the city and a couple nights in her flat in Vienna. Although my german is pretty rusty, I enjoyed meeting her family and they were all very welcoming and caring.

It was great to visit the city, eat a million different types of bread and pastries, attend a traditional festival, admire the architecture and monuments, shop in the street market and fancy shops, visit museums (I saw The Kiss, my all time favorite painting!), relax in the award winning benches in MQ, submerge myself in the German language, and spend time with one of my best friends. All in all an amazing trip! 

My ambassadorial year is slowly coming to an end and it has surely brought a lot of ups and downs, some of which can be very overwhelming. Sometimes getting away for a few days is exactly what you need to clear up your mind and this trip could not have come at a better time. 

I really miss home and I am still counting down the days to go back, but I am also making the rest of my days here in Switzerland really count. 

Beautiful Spring

Spring has made its way to Switzerland and oh is it beautiful. With only two more months to go, I have been filing up my schedule with lots of activities. I want to take advantage of my last weeks in Switzerland and at the same time can't wait to be back home with lots of stories to share.

Joining the hiking club is seriously one of the best ideas I have ever had. Switzerland from the top is simply breath taking. I would have never thought of myself as the "outdoorsy type" but the more I hike, the more I breath the fresh air, the more I see the beauty of the Alps, the more I fall in love with nature and with Switzerland.

Le Reculet proved to be quite challenging. I was amazed to see the difference in terrains. Half way up the mountain we went from a rocky ground to hills full of snow. I have come to accept that there is no appropriate clothing or shoes or enough amount of preparation that you can have when taking on these type of adventures, no matter what, a hike is full of surprises!

Le Mole was a long but very pleasant hike. I do not know if it was do to the better weather, the fact that we were climbing the south side of the mountain (which allowed us to avoid the snow), or simply that I am becoming a better fit and a lot better hiker, but this last hike was definitely my favorite. Arriving to the summit and admiring the view while enjoying a meal, taking pictures and celebrating the victory, felt so sureal. I felt so blessed to be able to experience all of it.

One of the harshest things about being abroad is losing your comfort zone. For this reason, building a community is extremely important. When you are far away from the people you love, when events in your life bring you down, when you need a hug or someone to listen, that community is what keeps you going. I have been extremely lucky to find a family here in Geneva. Through good and bad times I do not feel alone because of the amazing friends I have made.

Katrin came to visit from Austria and it was refreshing to catch up and enjoying a girl weekend. Whether it is chitchatting by the lake, taking a walk in old town, drinking hot chocolate at a cute cafe, or having a girl sleepover, I have learned that moments become the best memories because of the people you share them with.

I miss home. I miss my family. I miss my friends. I miss Jovan. I miss the warm texas sun. I miss comfort and familiarity. There are days when I wonder what I am doing here, what I am suppose to be doing, learning, seeing, and living. There are times i wonder if this is right, how my life would be different if I had made different choices. There are times I close my eyes and pray for enlightenment, guidance, a sign, a plan. But then I come to understand that love, life and situations are sometimes unpredictable, unexplainable and we must take them as they come and accept them as they are. We must look at life with good eyes, affront situations with a positive spirit and remember to take with us the best memories.

I might never figure out why I am in Geneva or what I am doing here, but one thing is sure, in my memories and my heart, Geneva will always be walks by the lake, shopping in the old town, UN seminars, saturdays hiking the Alps, delicious chocolate and unlimited fondue, a time of learning and personal growth and friendships of a lifetime.

Keeping busy

I cant believe how fast time is going by. Two more months and I will be at the end of my ambassadorial year! So much still to do and so much left to learn.

Being abroad has definitely brought many wonderful opportunities but as anything in life it has also come with sacrifices. It has taken a toll on me emotionally in some aspects, but as I follow my always present philosophy of life, I try to stay positive and remember to take the best out of any situation.

Thankfully, the weather has majorly improved and Twinsie and I have found plenty of ways to enjoy Switzerland to the maximum and stay "busy, busy."

Gruyere is probably one of the cutest little places I have ever visited. While there, we visited the cheese museum and learned about the process of making the famous swiss cheese, tried some fresh ones ourselves and enjoyed walking through the old city.

Broc is another town near Geneva and home to another famous Swiss delicacy, CHOCOLATE! Both the Caillet and the Nestle factories are located in this beautiful little town. The chocolate museum and factories were a blast. I was happy to learn that even the best Swiss chocolate has its roots in my beautiful Mexico. We had so much chocolate that I promised myself I would never eat it again (naturally, that promise only lasted a few hours).

La Saleve is a mountain in the French Alps. Although not expert hikers, the weather forecast promised a beautiful day out so Tugce and I decided to take on the challenge and joined the hiking team for the day. It was tough but the view and sense of accomplishment when we reached the top was worth every bit of effort. We have now been bit by the "hiking bug" and decided to join the team in their weekly weekend adventures. I can't wait to see all the other beautiful views that Switzerland has to offer.

As part of Gender week, the Gender Dialogue Committee at IHEID put together a showing of The Vagina Monologues which was interesting and very successful. I was happy not only to see the talent among my classmates, but also the support and interest (the place was packed). For another event, my friends and I attended Gender Bender where you had to dress as another gender. I finally got to let the masculine side of me shine! haha

Finally to finish off the week in a great way, I joined a couple of Rotaractors in a visit to the Children's Hospital in Geneva. We spend a few hours playing and interacting with the children. It was a beautiful and rewarding experience. It is true that children, even in the worst of times, have a way to bring a smile to your face.

The days are going by fast and in a blink of an eye I will be back home for the summer with lots of stories to share and memories to treasure.  Life is surely giving me a lot of lemons and I am making sure to produce the best lemonade :0)

BACK TO REALITY

The holidays were nice but after a long awaited and well deserved break it was time to go back to reality. A reality that involves long lectures, waking up really early in the morning and going to bed really late at night, reading, reading, and more reading, brain overload, and making the library my second home. Luckily when this reality starts to seem a little too overwhelming, I have the privilege to say I get to live it in Geneva, a truly beautiful place.

Yes, it is freezing cold and way too early to have to walk to a Statistics class, but how could I ever complain when I get to admire this view on my way to the Institute.

The back to school party was a big success. Glow sticks everywhere and familiar faces made the night really special. It was nice to catch up with friends and hear about their holiday adventures.

Getting my project of the ground has been quite the task but all hard work pays off and the first packets have finally been sent. I have gotten wonderful feedback from the participating schools. The students seem excited about the World Connect Project and I couldn’t be happier.

Rotary continues to be of course a big part of my life in Geneva. I finally got to meet all the members of my host club. I was invited to one of their luncheons and given the opportunity to give a short presentation. I was happy to share a little about myself, my country, my Rotary District, and even my experiences here in Geneva with the Swiss Rotarians, all in French!  We exchanged banners, cards, a meal, and wonderful conversations.

This week was also the International Day of Women. I attended a benefit concert with a couple of Geneva Rotaractors that one of the Rotray Clubs in Geneva put together to raise funds for a young women house and school project in Africa. The concert was magnificent and I once again got to meet many wonderful Rotarians. Ironically, it was on this day that I learned that even in conservative Rotary Geneva, there have been some feminist successful movements. The Palais Wilson Rotary Club not only accepts women as members but has a woman as president this year. Rotary Geneve Lac also voted just last year in favor of accepting women as members. I have always loved to see the differences between Rotary clubs around the world, some of which I find really interesting and reflect culture and/or tradition. I, however, love even more that it the commonalities, such as the messages of Service Above Self and cooperation to make a difference that takes precedence. Men Rotarians, women Rotarians, Rotaractors, Interactors and every person that holds these messages at heart can and is part of the Rotary family.

The cold continues and there is a stack of books and articles for me to read on top of my desk. I miss my family, boyfriend and friends. I have some essays to write and emails to respond to. I could really use some sleep and those Birthday-cake Limited Edition Oreos everyone in the States keeps talking about. Reality is here, but even when I sometimes wish things were a lot easier, lets face it, my reality in Geneva is far from being that bad.