Sara Howley
UMBC Faculty-Led: International Health Policy in Switzerland
Major: Public Health
Predeparture Post
Grüezi mitenand! / Hello everyone!
I am Sara Hawley, a junior here at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. I cannot wait to detail my time abroad in this blog with you all, as it’s quite exciting to have you all join me on my first trip to Europe! Specifically, I will be traveling to Geneva and Zurich in Switzerland with my International Health Policy (PBHL 385) class. That means I am one of twenty lucky students chosen to go on this trip alongside our instructor, Professor Birger. So far, we have learned about several other peer nations, their healthcare policies, and their health delivery systems, and we most recently juxtaposed Switzerland with the United States healthcare system. In class, I was taught that universal insurance coverage has recently been incorporated into Switzerland’s constitution, therefore making it the first and only country to have this scheme passed by an amendment and not just a law. This makes traveling to the country especially interesting, as I will get to see how their unique coverage model changes the services available and accessibility of such services!
As I sit here writing this post, I am set to leave in two days through Dulles Airport to land in Geneva, and I am just filled with anticipation for this study abroad experience! I have been busy acquiring and packing a week’s worth of supplies in my luggage set since two Sundays ago – I never realized how much planning you have to do when you’re traveling internationally compared to traveling domestically until I attended our meetings with the Education Abroad office and our partner travel company, Learn From Travel. One of the many things I learned is how important it is to keep documentation of everything you might need while abroad, including your insurance information, copies of your prescriptions, copies of your passport and other forms of identification, and all other flight and travel information. As a result, I filled a file folder with all of these documents so that I would be ready for any scenario, including an unforeseen hospital stay or a visit to a site of international diplomacy like the United Nations!
Besides my emergency folder, I have also been packing strategically across my checked bag, carry-on luggage, and personal bag so that I can access everything I need to on the flight and in case my belongings get separated on the way to Geneva. To keep myself organized, I have created packing checklists for each piece of luggage, as I figured this would both allow me to ensure I have everything where it needs to be flying out from and I can locate these items once I land easily to hit the ground running! Besides my checklists and folder, I am bringing some other important belongings. One notable item I am bringing that I have had to carefully consider when packing is my Canon AE-1 Program camera. With the new x-ray scanning technology at airports, I had heard the film can be developed if it is not under a certain ISO level. As a result, I’ve made sure to only bring 400 ISO film and keep my rolls in dark canisters to avoid them being developed when I am getting my bag screened. Another component of my camera equipment I have had to check is the battery, as there are limits on the quantity of lithium batteries you are allowed to bring. Consequently, I decided to only pack alkaline batteries just to be safe. Besides these more regulated items, I am also bringing a special power converter for the outlets in Europe and power banks for the flight just to be extra secure when charging my devices.
There’s just so much I am looking forward to when I land in Geneva! Our itinerary is pretty tightly packed since we are only in Switzeland for a week, and in our planned scheduled I am most excited to see the Palais des Nations and the International Museum of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. Besides these more certain plans, I hope to steal a glance at the Jet d’Eau de Genève, possibly in a commuter boat, and visit the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre Genève or the Musée d’Art et d’Histoire. I also cannot wait to try real Swiss chocolate and cheeses once I arrive – yummy!
Part of me is also a little anxious to be so far away from my family, but I luckily am planning on communicating with my loved ones back home via Whatsapp and my international phone plan. Of course, I will also be updating this blog once I am in Switzerland and when I return to Maryland, and that means we can all stay in touch, too!
Talk to you soon,
Sara Hawley
In-Country Post
Bonjour!
It’s been a busy few days here in Geneva since we last talked, and it’s been challenging to even find the time to catch a moment to write since our trip has been so enriching! The last time I communicated with you all, I still had to wait a few days before catching my flight to the Peace City, and I have to say I am a different person since that post now that I’m here. I don’t know how I’m going to come back home— the people are lovely and kind, the city is multicultural and embraces people from all walks of life, and the healthcare is progressive, so I’m really going to miss this environment! Everyone I have talked to has appreciated my willingness to try their culture and listen to their perspectives on matters of both a health and social nature, and for that I now love Geneva!
On our first day, we arrived at 6 in the morning to the Geneva Airport and took a Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) train to our hotel accommodations. I quickly learned a stark difference between American and Swiss culture when we took this train, though. As I found out through our travel guide and some stares, talking on the train must be in a whisper, if done at all. I guess it’s true what they say; you can spot an American by how loudly they talk! So, I promptly adjusted my behavior and was off to our next stop at the Hotel Auteil located only fifteen minutes away from Old Town in Geneva. Since it was too early to check in, we all had to place our bags in a safe room and used the time we had to wait productively with a four hour long walking tour of the city following a brief (but delectable) breakfast at a small shop called “Oh Martine!”. Remember how I said I wanted to visit the Jet d’Eau and the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre Genève? We did that in the first two hours of being in the city! Pictures don’t do the views justice, but please take a look at what I saw in Old Town to get even a fraction of the beauty of the city. The architecture of every building has such character and intricate detailing from top to bottom, and the beauty of older Europe speaks loudly amongst an otherwise progress-driven area. We also were able to see the Reformation Wall and related Protestant Reformation statues throughout the city that spoke to the history of the area, as well as the Tavel House which has relics from the medieval era such as suits of armor, a guillotine, art of the period, and a three-dimensional map of old town from the architect who constructed it. After visiting these sites, we were able to check in to our hotel and get ready for some Swiss cuisine for dinner. We had fondue —naturally a favorite of many members of our group— and I learned that Coca-Cola has unique mixes for most countries in the world so that the flavor is tailored for the unique palette of each population. All in all, it was a great first day!
On our second day, we visited a retirement home called the Val Fleuri to learn more about the long-term care options available for people over the age of sixty-five in Switzerland. After an orientation around the facility, I learned that nursing homes are more of a last resort option for people who have tried community living (living at home) but were unable to thrive to their fullest capacity. Some groups baked with the residents or took a Swiss quiz, while my group learned about Swiss culture through special songs to the region like the national anthem and the song sung during the summer cow parades to really immerse ourselves in the mindset of a local. One notable thing I observed is how kind and affectionate the staff and the residents are with one another, as they really do seem fond of each other and care for one another in their use of physical touch. After we ate the best food I have ever had from a retirement home and finished our activities, we spoke with some English-speaking residents (a common phenomenon since 20-25% of Swiss residents are immigrants to the region) and exchanged stories of our upbringing and interest in fields of academia. Generally speaking, the atmosphere felt lively and cheerful in the Val Fleuri, and I find that to be a sharp contrast to the nursing homes in the States.
On the third day, we had a very exciting tour of the Palais des Nations (United Nations) where we saw real delegates from areas like Cyprus, sat in the conference rooms where important matters are discussed, and even used the ear pieces provided to hear interpreters convey the messages the delegates were sharing regarding interesting topics like Iran and national debts. I particularly enjoyed learning that all of the 500 art pieces in the building are donations from member countries. Later, we visited an organic farm called the Ferme de Bude and spoke with two members of the self-sufficient farm about their process for farming, organizing the market, baking, and generally integrating sustainable urban practices into their facility and daily lives. We all made an apple tart together and enjoyed it with some herbal tea and fresh produce from the garden. It was a lovely, relaxing end to the day, and I find it so beautiful how important knowing the origin of a product is to Swiss locals.
Finally, on our fourth day, we visited a safe injection site to see how Swiss cantons and the federal government fund an operation that handles drug use in a non-punitive way. It was an eye-opening experience to see the process someone must take to become registered, as well as the rules that are followed at the site to prevent violence and maintain the space. After this visit, we checked out a market called the Halle de Rive that had fresh produce, meat, cheeses, baked goods, and plenty of beautiful floral arrangements as we waited for the time to pass for our tour at the humanitarian Red Cross Museum later in the evening. Seeing the museum for the first time and really learning about the seven rules that command them, their history with Henry Dunant and other leaders throughout world crises like World War II, and their three main purposes in terms of international aid and relief was beautiful as a public health student, as it showed how peace can be promoted through neutrality. While today had plenty of activities, I feel revitalized and a renewed sense of purpose visiting such important sights to my public health education.
I can’t wait to share more with you from the rest of the trip after I get back, especially as I will have seen and experienced Zurich by that point!
Au revoir,
Sara Hawley
Return Post
Guete daag! / Good day!
I write to you all from the States once again. It was quite bittersweet leaving Zürich this past weekend, as while I was, of course, missing my loved ones, I had substantial trouble saying goodbye to such an inviting city. We were only in Zürich for two nights, so I left knowing there was so much more to see and do, and I think that was the real pull that made it hard to leave.
In my last post, I detailed days one through four in Geneva and ended with a discussion of the humanitarian efforts the Red Cross performs in such a neutral country. Since we did so much in such a short time, I want to discuss my final days in Switzerland before reflecting on the entire experience.
Day five was another action-packed day, as we saw both the WHO in Geneva and caught a three-hour SBB train to Zürich all in the same day. At the WHO, we listened to a few different lectures and met with some spokespeople from the organization who were able to inform my group on their focuses moving forward. Specifically, we heard about the Polio Eradication Initiative and alcohol/drug use trends on a global scale, and these two presenters were more than willing to field our abundance of questions on how our country can help with these endeavors. I found the eradication effort to be particularly applicable to what I have learned in different public health classes, as it employs surveillance methods to global health issues which allowed me to test my knowledge from UMBC.
After a brief respite following our WHO visit, my group and I caught the SBB train with all of our luggage and enjoyed a scenic trip through the Swiss countryside to Zürich. You just have to see our view of the Alps from the train! I couldn’t believe how beautiful it was to see the Alpine lakes in front of the mountains. I hope to be able to come back soon and take a hike through this beautiful territory and see these views even closer. Once we finally arrived, I enjoyed dinner at the train station and had some of the best pizza I have ever consumed!
On our last and only full day in Zürich (day six), we visited a site called the Living Museum where psychiatric patients, both ambulatory and hospitalized, can rebuild their lives through art. Patients have the option to engage in ceramics, knitting, crocheting, wood crafts, music, painting, drawing, and a plethora of other artistic activities and work alongside each other to feel a bridged sense of community when they are coming back from personal lows or mental anguish. Comparing this service to the options available in the States, I think this would be a great way for my peers and I to go through transitional periods that impact our mental health statuses, as it allows for people to come as they are, transform their struggles into something meaningful, and add structure back into their lives after taking a step back to get the care they need. The Living Museum program director even allowed us to work alongside the patients at the facilitiy, and it was here I met a kind soul from the Green Bay area who allowed me to borrow her materials and create something to bring back home. After this period, we all enjoyed a filling farewell dinner and prepared for our flights back home.
After a largely uneventful flight back home on day seven, I now sit here writing this post, reminiscing about my brief trip to Switzerland and craving yet another journey. I would love to continue experiencing healthcare systems around the world and gather insights to reframe my view on the American system. Naturally, I would also love to stretch beyond my academic field and just travel to enrich my views on all sorts of issues.
Moving forward, I plan on seeing even more of the world by starting with local adventures. I think I could perhaps go to rural Maryland and see Cumberland and the Appalachian Mountains. After that, maybe I will visit the Northeast – a region I have always felt called to – to see the major cities/ports and then go across the country to see the West and its parks for the first time. While this might seem like a menial goal compared to my trip out of the country, I believe finding the joy in the world around me starts at home. Of course, I would love to see more of the globe if an opportunity presents itself, but I need to save up again to make such an international trip worth while.
Wherever I find myself, I hope to keep in mind the following lessons I have learned on this trip to Switzerland. For one, I want to always approach the community I travel to ethically. In other words, I want to take on the role of a local and view the new culture as a local would as opposed to viewing the new environment from an outside, judgmental perspective. Additionally, I aim to find the hidden gems of every place I go to, particularly as they relate to my academic interests in health care and social networks, so that my trip is more meaningful than what a simple tourist spot could offer. This means I hope to also talk to members of the community to see their perspectives on where they live, their recommendations on where to go, and how they feel they would improve the places they call home. Finally, I wish to learn as much about myself on each trip as I do about the areas I visit. Essentially, I hope to push myself; I want to try new cuisines, activities, and lifestyles, and I want to live authentically me. Perhaps I’ve gone too introspective, but I think that is one of the first things about myself I have learned to appreciate on this escapade.
Thank you all for taking the time to read my travel musings over the past week. It has been such a pleasure to recount my time in both Geneva and Zürich to you, reader! After this trip, I can say with great certainty that I have caught the travel bug, as I now am dreaming about my next adventure! For now, let us see what the future holds – perhaps you will be hearing from me soon, writing from a new post.
Bis wir uns wiedersehen / Until we meet again,
Sara Hawley