On June 16th I arrived in Switzerland for my 4-week exchange. I was picked up at the airport by past incoming delegate to Canada, Angelika Zimmerman who I met two years ago. She took me to my first host family, the Hostettlers, who I would spend the next two weeks with on their farm.
Incoming Weekend
As part of my JFAO Exchange in Switzerland, I attended the incoming weekend for delegates from around the world.
We hiked to Schlossgarten Lenzburg, where we enjoyed snacks while overlooking the town and surrounding countryside. Along the way, we tried several Swiss treats, including Knoppers, military biscuits, and Swiss military chocolate.
One of the most interesting parts of the weekend was learning about agriculture, rural life, and youth organizations in different countries. Although farming practices vary around the world, many of us shared similar interests and experiences.
The following day, we travelled by train to Lucerne, where we explored the city through a scavenger hunt. We visited Kapellbrücke and other landmarks while also enjoying ice cream by the waterfront, mini golf, the planetarium, and the beach.
The weekend concluded with a host family lunch attended by current hosts and former IFYE participants. It was inspiring to meet past delegates who now host participants themselves. During the lunch, I taught everyone the line dance to “Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” which became a fun way to bring everyone together.
Host Family #1
I have spent the past two weeks with a family in Sissach, Switzerland. During my stay, I helped with cherry picking on their farm, pitting cherries, and making schnapps and cherry jam.
The family owns a beef farm so I got to help cut grass for cow feed, help with chores and take the cows outside to the pasture
I also had the opportunity to learn traditional Swiss recipes, including baking Zopf (Sunday bread) and making Spätzli.
The landscape in the area was beautiful, with many different mountains to explore, including two that I hiked: Sissacherflue and Belchenflue.
My favourite part of my stay was visiting Basel for the Eidgenössisches Jodlerfest (Swiss Yodelling Festival). I got to explore the city, swim in the Rhine River, enjoy great food, and experience Swiss culture firsthand. I became good friends with one of the Yodellers who taught me about naturjodel, a type of yodelling unique to each region of Switzerland. In this type of yodelling where the high and low pitches resemble the terrain of the region they live in.
I’m excited to see what the rest of this trip has in store for me.
Emma Cummings
