Sarah Tayyem, Genève
December 17, 2014 | esapi-gspiaHello future and current GSPIAns!
This blog post I’m going to get away from talking about work so much and focus a bit about the location, as I’m certain you’re keen to know a bit more about what Geneva is like.
As I already mentioned in my first blog post, Geneva is a city where 39.2% of the population is made up of non-nationals and 60.8% Swiss inhabitants. And you’ll certainly see throughout your internship in Geneva that these two populations exist in different and separate worlds. For example, there are GIA (Geneva Intern Association) drinks at different pubs and bars throughout Geneva every Thursday, which become spaces filled by international students and unpaid interns. Soon you’ll find that you’ll have met eight interns from Germany, six interns from Canada at various international agencies, and other interns from Norway, Sweden, Italy, France, Australia, the Netherlands… but rarely, very rarely, will you meet an actual Swiss person at the drinks! And vice-versa, you will find that there are events you will stumble upon that are attended entirely by Swiss citizens, such as the wine and cheese market in les Grottes every Thursday.
You will find that this will happen not only in your personal life, but in your work life as well: events at the United Nations are restricted to those who are “pass-holders” (those who work at the United Nations, international organizations, permanent missions, or at non-profits that have business at the United Nations). This means that the international community will work and attend recreational events in a space that the local population by and large cannot access.
This means that it is even more important that you go out of your way to respect the local customs and ways of life in Switzerland. While you can certainly get by in English it is worthwhile to make an effort to use French. Additionally, take advantage of your location to attend Swiss events, to explore Geneva and to discover Switzerland’s national treasures. On that point though, beware of the cultural differences between Canada and Switzerland! While Canadians may be considered the “nicest” and most “polite” of all the nationalities, we do not come close to the Swiss who are one of the most rule-abiding people I have ever met. Trains, trams, and buses run on time; there is no trash in the street; it is your responsibility to know the rules for living in Geneva; and you will definitely get a ticket if you try to ride the tram (which runs on an honour system) for free.
Two points of very specific advice: first, Genevians, in general, respect your privacy. So much so that if you’re wandering around and look clearly lost, no one (except other foreigners) will come up and give you a friendly, “Hey, do you need some help? Are you lost?” So if you need help- get comfortable at asking for what you need! Second, note that when you’re sitting on the bus on the aisle seat, only foreigners will generally ask you to move for them to get to the door. Genevians will gather their stuff together and it will be your prerogative to pay attention to them and move when they’re ready to get up. I thought people were quite rude until I learned to pay attention to the surrounding passengers!
My time here in Geneva has been quite eye-opening, as this is my first visit to Europe. I’m sad that my internship is coming to an end, and I hope to visit again… this city certainly grows on you after a while!