It’s been a year since my trip, so why not write a memoir? 🤭
During my Master’s at ESADE, I had the opportunity to go on a study tour at the University of St. Gallen. The train ride from Geneva to St. Gallen was a long four-hour journey, but I enjoyed it regardless—thanks to the internet.
While my study tour at the University of St. Gallen was insightful and an amazing experience, I just need to air my pain: St. Gallen is so HILLY! I was practically forced into an involuntary fitness regime😭. Adding salt to the injury, the cafeteria was about a 20-minutes walk from our classes. Honestly, I wouldn’t have minded, but the fact that I had to trek up and down those hill just to eat👎.
As someone who thrives in combinations but isn’t overly experimental with food, I decided to be adventurous this time. Some of my food experiments were great, some… not so much. We also had fondue (basically bread and “hot” cheese), but since I’m not a big fan of cheese, I just stuck with the bread.
Exploring Appenzell: Traditions & History
One of the highlights of this trip was our visit to Appenzell. From visiting the oldest beer factory to exploring their church and town hall, every moment was a discovery.
One of the biggest surprises was learning about their town square voting system. I must say, Switzerland is still traditional. In their cantons, if you’re not physically present, you can’t vote. Instead of ballots, votes are counted through designated exits—one for ‘yes,’ one for ‘no.’ Elections and town hall meetings can go on for hours, even past midnight. They vote on everything so far a change is required to be implemented—from constructing a new hospital to the littlest things. The anchor comes to explain to the community what’s about to happen, hands over to the contestants or “debaters” and a consensus is reached there and then. To win, candidates must be exceptional communicators and highly persuasive.
Appenzell itself is such a beautiful old town. The main trade for women is embroidery, while the men focus on farming. We learned that farmers take their livestock up the mountains to graze while they cultivate crops back home
SIGNIFICANT MOMENTS
Beyond the study tour, my absolute favorite part of the trip was THE BREAKFAST😋 at the hotel.
Every morning at the hotel, I religiously ate brioche and fruits. Now, this brioche isn’t a bread—it’s more like a muffin. Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, with just the right amount of sweetness. Silly me never thought to ask for the name. I got back to Barcelona, began craving it intensely for weeks. I searched through numerous pastry shops to no avail. At some point, I even considered traveling back to Switzerland just for brioche. 😂 (When I have money, there will be signs😉).
Eventually, I asked a Swiss teammate if he knew where to find it in Barcelona. I couldn’t explain properly, so I showed him a picture (thank God for pictures!). He told me it’s called brioche and told me where to get it in Barcelona. I eventually got it💃. Although, it wasn’t as perfect as the one from the hotel, but it helped satisfy my cravings.
Apart from my study tour and newfound brioche obsession, one refreshing moment for me was seeing a tampon and pad dispenser at the University of St Gallen. It was such a simple yet most thoughtful thing. I was in awe yet all I could think was: God whennnn—on behalf of Nigeria. 😂
A couple of days before leaving, I and some course-mates visited Lake Constance, which borders Austria, Switzerland, and Germany. That was the first time I saw a swan—a truly beautiful creature.
On our final night, we had a class dinner, and I had one pasta dish that was ah-mazinggggggggggggg.😋😋
Although my journey back home wasn’t the smoothest (read here for the full story) but St. Gallen was splendid. It was splendid not just because of the study tour, traditions, or stunning landscapes, but because of the little things that made it memorable. And yes, brioche is at the top of that list. 😂