An Erasmus Experience in Geneva, Switzerland, by Hanna.

Why did you choose to go to Geneva, Switzerland?

As a French student, my options were between Switzerland and France. I had already been to France many times before and, despite my limited choices, I did genuinely like the idea of living in Geneva. Before my placement abroad, I hadn't actually visited Switzerland, but I did a lot of research. The main thing which caught my attention was that Geneva is one of the safest, cleanest and most expensive cities in the world - which is all true, by the way (especially the last point).

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Geneva is one of the most international cities in the world, you meet all sorts of different people from all over the world. Geneva is also a host for government organisations such as the UN, WHO, etc., which is ideal for anyone considering a career in politics. The Geneva International Model United Nations (GIMUN) conferences are led and organised by students at the University of Geneva.

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How long is the scholarship? How much money do you receive to help you with living costs?

My Erasmus placement lasts the whole academic year (from September 2013 to June 2014). My Erasmus grant was deposited into my Swiss account in Swiss Francs, therefore, I'm not sure what the exact amount is in British pounds, but the total of the first payment I received was just over 4800 CHF; which is 80% of my total allowance. I'll receive the remaining 20% at some point during the second semester (I think).

What is the student lifestyle like in Geneva?

Despite the high living cost, students do benefit from great discounts for fun activities. Once you start going to Uni, you can join ESN Geneva (Erasmus Student Network) which organises lots of trips/visits around Switzerland for VERY reasonable prices.

E. g., a few weeks ago, we went on a weekend trip to beautiful Lucerne which came to a total of 75 CHF. This included: return train ticket, accommodation for one night, guided tour, entry to a party and entry to a monument of our choice. A standard single ticket to Lucerne normally costs 70 CHF! ESN also organises day trips, for a total of 15 CHF, as well as other fun (and free) events within Geneva. There are quite a few bars and pubs dotted around the city. I'm not a drinker/party animal, but some of my friends are and they've said drinks are expensive - not many people can afford to get drunk in Geneva, apparently.

Would you recommend the city and the University of Geneva to other students?

YES! It is quite a small city (compared to London), but there is just so much to explore. As I mentioned earlier, you meet all kinds of fascinating people. Also, exploring Switzerland is an adventure itself! The other advantage of living in Geneva is that France is literally less than 30 minutes away. My friends and I often organise day trips to Annecy in eastern France, which is the second prettiest place I have been to (after Lake Como in Italy). Sometimes, we go grocery shopping in France because it is slightly cheaper. Speaking of being frugal, living in Geneva has taught me the invaluable art of money management.

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As a student of languages and linguistics I'm in the Translation & Interpretation Faculty, all of my classes are at the Uni Mail campus in Plainpalais. Most of my lecturers also work as professional translators/interpreters in reputable organisations (i. e. UN, EU, Swiss banks), so it's inspirational to be taught by people who are already in the field of many students' dreams.

What is the food like?

There are a lot of Italian restaurants all over Geneva. Of course, there are also many Swiss restaurants that offer fondue, raclette and rösti (yum! ). Eating out is fairly expensive (for me anyway). A decent meal in a reasonably priced restaurant costs between 25 and 35 CHF.

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Also, if you're Muslim or Jewish, it can be difficult to find halal/kosher meat for a reasonable price in Geneva. I often go to neighbouring Annemasse in France to buy meat. Restaurants rarely offer halal/kosher meat options though there are a few halal kebab/shawarma places in Paquis. I'm not a big fan of kebabs, but I have visited Parfums de Beyrouth on Rue de Berne, their shawarmas are scrumptious.

If you're Muslim and planning on having cheese fondue, beware that cheese fondue is normally prepared with wine. You can request to have yours without wine, but understand that the wine creates a smooth consistency, so once it is removed the cheese becomes very stringy. What I found to be a solution was to ask the restaurant to prepare it with apple juice, which can act as a substitute for wine, and prevents the cheese from getting stringy and nasty.

What did it cost you to find your accommodation in Geneva?

Apart from my deposit and rent, it didn't cost me anything to actually find accommodation. I registered with the Bureau de Logement, which is the student housing association for the University of Geneva, so they found a room to accommodate me for the year. However, I do know that the Bureau de Logement were not able to accommodate everyone and there were students who had to pay agencies to help them find somewhere. There is a very high demand for accommodation in Geneva. My advice would be to apply for student accommodation as soon as possible.

How much does it cost to live in Geneva?

As a person who lives in student housing, my costs are relatively low, compared to someone who may rent privately. I would highly recommend that anyone who is planning to live in Geneva as a student applies for student housing.

Anyway, in terms of other costs, I pay 465 CHF/month for rent (this includes internet, electricity, gas). Also, the student rooms come fully furnished, all you have to bring/buy is bedding, dinnerware and things to make your room look pretty. I pay 45 CHF for a monthly bus & tram travelcard. I would say, on average, I spend about 150-250 CHF on food per month. I try to keep 100 CHF aside per month for travelling and exploring Swiss/Francophone culture. I would advise anyone who is planning to travel around Switzerland to invest in a half-fare card, which is 175 CHF for one year. It allows you to buy CFF/SBB train tickets with a 50% discount. Trust me, it is worth the investment.

I don't really spend much money on anything else in Geneva. Before I left London, I bought 3 months supply of shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, face wash, moisturisers, toothpaste and other necessities (hence the 75kg of luggage). My mum thought I was crazy for doing this, but I'm honestly really glad I did because it has saved me a lot of money!

Is the language easy to get to grips with? Are there language courses available in the University?

What I found troubling in Geneva was that almost everyone speaks English! My whole purpose for being here was to learn French. I would say this is the only downfall of this very international city. The majority of Swiss students are essentially bilingual (if not trilingual) so most of them can communicate in French/German/English. The Swiss are very polite people, so if they sense that you are having trouble expressing yourself in French, they will speak to you in English. So, if you really want to learn and practice French, just insist on speaking French!

The University of Geneva offers French language courses (les cours d'appui) and Erasmus can take on 2 courses for free and they're each worth 2 credits.

You can also set up a tandem through this website. I have a French Tandem who wants to learn English. So we meet up once a week for 2 hours, we spend 1 hour speaking in French and then the second hour in English. As we speak, we correct each other and suggest alternative ways to say something. In most cases, after the first few weeks, the tandem becomes a friend, which is lovely.

What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Geneva from your city?

To be honest, it depends on how much luggage you are planning to bring. Easyjet is obviously the cheapest in terms of flights, but if you're bringing more than 60kg of luggage (I brought 75kg), it would be more economical to fly business class with Swiss Air.

Where would you recommend to go on a night out in Geneva?

Barrio Latino in Plainpalais... And this is about all I know, I don't really go 'out' to party. A lot of students often organise flat parties that everyone is invited to. In the cité bleue accommodation, there is a bar area in the basement where people hold parties. My friends often speak of wild nights on Rue de l'Ecole de Médecine but I have never been there, so you will have to find out from someone else.

And for eating? Can you recommend some good restaurants in Geneva?

Boccalino in Carouge, Pasta Prima in Bel Air, Swiss Chalet on Rue de Carouge and my personal favourite: Bains des Paquis! In the winter they do the best fondues and in the summer they have delicious 'plat du jour' (meal of the day) offers. I also found Bains des Paquis to be very reasonably priced.

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What good cultural sites are there to visit?

• The old town,
• Lake Geneva,
• The Red Cross Museum,
• Palais des Nations,
• The Patek Philip Watch mMseum,
• Try to see a concert at the Victoria Hall (pricey but worth it! ).

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