the world – since 2015
Growing up in Europe – especially Switzerland – means that from early childhood you come into contact with different languages and thus inevitably with the cultures associated with them. In my case, this happens on the playground in my neighborhood, where children of different origins play together. From the 5th grade on, I learn a lot about France in French classes, but also about overseas departments like Haiti. Later, I enjoy an introduction to typical British humor with “Little Britain” and in the elective Spanish class, the teacher celebrates Christmas with us with Polvorónes.
At my first job in the hotel industry in Lucerne, I meet employees from Portugal, Eastern Europe and Africa and look after guests from all over Europe, the USA, India and East Asia. Unconsciously, my own behavior changes when I communicate in different languages and I notice the different needs depending on the origin of the guests. I absorb the information like a sponge and then venture out into the big wide world myself. At 19, I move to London to continue my career at the hotel reception.
My roommates and work colleagues are from Italy, Germany, Austria, Spain and France. The reception manager is Finnish and the other managers are from England. Within no time, I automatically adopt the British accent and start swearing in Italian (thanks Cinzia). I enjoy a typical English Christmas dinner, which we finish at home with a cup of Ciobar. After returning to Switzerland, I keep in touch with my friends and learn a lot about Italians and their way of life while visiting Milan.
After further stations in the Swiss hotel industry, I am drawn to Latin America. There I learn fluent Spanish, enrich my playlist with a lot of music from Calle 13 and let myself be initiated into the secrets of Mexican and Peruvian cuisines. In addition, I come into contact with a very unique culture for the first time: Travelers from all walks of life, with diverse pasts and future plans inspire me and I pack the tips and behavioral patterns that are valuable to me into my mental backpack. I also notice big differences in research and implementation of itineraries in people from different parts of the world. Somehow it happens that on further travels I meet less and less German speaking people.
In the first Spanish school in Mexico, for example, I only go to school with Japanese people. Yoko invites me to visit her in Tokyo – which I do at the end of my trip. This way I get to know Japan again from a completely different side. At Takuya’s home, I immerse myself in typical Japanese family life and slowly get used to the language. As I travel on alone to more rural areas, I find myself one evening at a table with students from Osaka and suddenly join the conversation with a “そです”.
With a lot of knowledge about Latin America (& a bit about Japan) I return to Switzerland. When I’m lucky enough to be able to speak Spanish again, I adapt to my counterpart and drop in the appropriate phrases from their home country. For my parents I cook Chilaquiles and Causa Rellena, with which we drink Pisco Sour. During the following 2 years at the tourism school, I especially enjoy the conversations with fellow students about their own travel experiences. Otherwise, life in Switzerland (even during the pandemic) seems too pre-planned, too safe and too boring for me.
From the beginning, I firmly plan to look for a job abroad after finishing my studies. The postponement of Expo 2020 in Dubai by one year fits perfectly, as entry restrictions due to Covid are still in place in large parts of the world. I secure a position at the Swiss Pavilion and move to the United Arab Emirates for 6 months without much prior knowledge about the Arab world. My roommates both have personal connections to Egypt and initiate me into the culture of Shisha & Chai, Kunäfa and the music there. The call to prayer, utterances like “yalla” or “inshallah” and flowing clothes are omnipresent.
I only realize how ubiquitous much later when, even months after leaving Dubai, I continue to use Arabic words that are just too fitting in some situations. Besides, I suddenly feel a bit uncomfortable in the short shorts and strapless tops that are completely normal in Europe. In Malaysia and Singapore I get compliments for that, in other places confused looks. In the rest of Southeast Asia, I find myself once again in the backpackers’ own universe and realize how much digitalization is changing and influencing our travel behavior. At some point, it becomes too much and I long for winter, familiar food and some relaxation.
I don’t return to Switzerland, however, but travel on to Japan. As soon as I land in Tokyo, I nevertheless feel a sense of “coming home”. Phrases I learned during my last stay spontaneously come back to my mind and I have a whole list of food I missed. I’m happy about getting to shop at Uniqlo and over the next few months in East Asia, I unconsciously adopt bowing slightly as a form of saying thank you/excusing myself. Using the spoon as a knife has also become normal for me.
Despite all the similarities between Japan, Korea and Taiwan, I still notice subtle differences in the culture. Language and food are changing, as are political and historical aspects that can be felt in different ways in everyday life. I feel another culture shock when I stop in Central Asia before returning to Switzerland. Everything is louder, the smells are different and people mostly move around in cars. The first question I’m asked is no longer “Have you eaten yet?” but “Are you married?”
Thanks to a Kazakh music festival, I get to know local artists and on a bus tour I collected Russian-language hits from the last 30 years in my Spotify playlist. Just like my suggested reels and the recommendations from Netflix, it is now a colorful mix of all possible styles and languages. When I think about it, these online worlds strongly reflect my own personality, which continues to change every time I spend time in different cultures.
These are probably the reasons why people from all corners of the world keep telling me that I’m “not probably really Swiss”.
thattravelstory 