by Ellie Baker & Bridget Lacerda
Bridget and I have been through this experience together, we were on the same flight out of New York to Marseille. We both started in JFK airport which took us on a flight to Paris, where we caught a flight to Marseille, where we were driven to Aix-en-Provence. Even after only five days, it is safe to say that we love France and experiencing all that it has to offer. Once we landed, we immediately adapted to the culture which involved changing eating times, altering some daily habits, and walking a lot more than we do in the United States. However, once we adjusted to our new schedules, we began to fully embrace the new culture. We met people that worked for the Institute for American Universities (IAU) who explained to us how to adjust to daily life in Aix-en-Provence, gave us a tour of their beautiful campus, and also introduced us to some amazing mentors to keep in contact with while we are there!
After our tour around the city, we got to experience our first class in France and our first guest speakers. IAU Professor Nitin Beeharry came to talk to us about his experience with moving outside of the United States to France and many aspects of the French healthcare system where we learned some amazing differences between their system and the US; especially in regards to hospital fees, insurance, and even medical school. Having him speak was a truly exceptional experience because he brought a registered nurse from a French public hospital who also was able to tell us about his working experience in Aix-en-Provence. In addition, Emmanuelle Hartmann, who is a volunteer with the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), talked to us about the organization’s mission and her experience as a volunteer.
After spending some time in Aix-en-Provence, Ellie and I headed to Switzerland with the group. We took a train to Lyon, and then switched over to a train from Lyon to Switzerland. The train ride was very scenic and smooth. In Switzerland, we were staying in Geneva, which is home to many fascinating sights and attractions. Upon exiting the train, the group put our stuff down at the hostel, and split up to explore the city. We both managed to explore the beautiful city of Geneva and get some fondue for dinner.
While our time in Switzerland was short, we definitely made the most of it. As a group the next day, we started off with a complimentary breakfast next to the hostel. We then went on a walking tour of Geneva, and learned the history of the United Nations, other surrounding buildings related to the UN and global affairs, and global public health buildings. We then toured the Red Cross Museum, which offered many cool exhibits related to the Red Cross and public health! There were interesting exhibits such as Red Cross public health posters throughout the years, hurricane preparedness games/simulations, personal stories, and other history and interactive experiences. After the Red Cross Museum, we took another break in which we got lunch at a local market and kept sightseeing around Geneva. We then met up with the group after a few hours, and had a guest lecture from Kimberly Lindblade. Dr. Lindblade works at PATH, and has traveled to many different countries in order to help them deal with Malaria outbreaks. She discussed her experiences with helping with Malaria, and how this impacted public health. Her talk was very informative, and gave us new perspectives on how different countries handle infectious diseases.
