Nathalie Williams ‘25

The following post was adapted from a conversation between Nathalie Williams ‘25 and Mara Jean ‘26, an intern with the Global Engagement Office (GEO).¹

Nathalie is an Economics major at Swarthmore who studied abroad in Switzerland through SIT Study Abroad in Fall 2024. This program’s small size fostered close relationships and promoted meaningful connections with locals, while the structured internship and coursework offered unique academic and professional opportunities.  Living in a homestay provided Nathalie with cultural insights, from sustainability practices to daily rituals in Switzerland. The freedom of travel and unexpected encounters made each day an adventure, reinforcing the importance of openness, curiosity, and engagement with the world—lessons that will continue to shape her life beyond studying abroad.

Your program was “field-based” and not at a University; what did your semester look like? 

The first week of the program was a study trip.  For the next four weeks, we had classes for 3 hours every afternoon. Sometimes, we would have guest speakers come in. The last six weeks of the program were focused on our internship opportunity.  

One of my courses focused on crypto AI and alternative finance. The second class was business-related. We’d have guest speakers come in to speak about what they do in their fields and their past experiences with the topics we were covering in class. The third class was on research methods and ethics. We learned how to conduct research and interview people for our final projects (what kind of questions to ask, etc.). 

For our internships, there were several possible institutions in the banking, finance, and social responsibility sectors. However, my internship was with a startup that focused on bridging the financial illiteracy gap. 

What did being in such a small program mean for you socially? Did you only interact with people in your program? 

It had a profoundly positive impact on my experience of studying abroad. I made great friends with whom I traveled—to Spain, Germany, and Milan. The program began with a group study trip, allowing us to connect with our academic advisors and staff. Because the program staff knew us individually, they could better prepare us for the study abroad experience. 

As a small group in a small town, we would go to our local pub together, and as regulars, we could have conversations with local people and get to know them better. Having such a small program was incredibly beneficial. SIT felt different from a traditional college system. It was a more interactive, immersive learning experience. It was also more individualized since academic professors knew you as a person, not just as a student or research assistant. It was an impactful and influential time in our academic careers.

How did you decide to go to Switzerland? 

I always wanted to study abroad, but my parents had been against it for most of my Swarthmore experience. It took three years to convince them, but I managed to. First, I had to complete many of my academic requirements and secure an internship. After that, my parents finally agreed to consider a few programs. Then, when I discovered a niche program that offered unique experiences and opportunities that I wouldn’t find at Swarthmore, they were excited. 

The classes I took were ones I could never have taken at Swat, and the internship opportunity spoke for itself—Swarthmore doesn’t typically offer internships like that. This program had the internship fully built into the course selection, which aligned perfectly with my interests and met all my parents’ requirements. The location itself wasn’t the main factor, though Switzerland ended up being ideal because it’s in the middle of Europe, allowing me to travel frequently. 

The real draw was the academics—focused on economics—which were incredibly helpful for me as an economics major. Since I’ll be working in finance after graduation, this experience was a perfect fit. Coming from an internship in New York, I appreciated the chance to continue gaining work experience with fewer classes and more preparation for post-grad life. I also wanted an immersive experience, and the small program combined with the homestay aspect made it especially appealing. All these factors combined to create the perfect study abroad experience for me.

What was your experience with a homestay? How culturally immersive was it?

I could generalize this to most of my programmates’ experiences, but I lived with two other girls from my program, so three of the ten of us stayed with the same host. We lived with a woman who had three older kids. Her youngest was only a year or two older than me, but they were all out of the house. She also had a dog, which was super sweet. 

Our host was a “chronic yapper” (her words), which was great for us because it often led to conversations about Swiss culture, her experiences growing up in Austria, her parents immigrating to Switzerland, and her life there. Early in the semester, I did an electricity conservation project involving interviewing people; she was incredibly helpful. Beyond that, she regularly shared insights about Swiss culture and daily life, which was invaluable.  

The lifestyle at home was very different from what I was used to in the U.S. Electricity and water conservation were major priorities—we were constantly reminded to turn lights off. I was already mindful of short showers because my parents emphasized them, but conservation was strictly implemented in Switzerland. Overuse of electricity could result in hefty fines. Composting and waste management were also taken very seriously, much more than in the U.S.  Observing daily habits, from food to energy use to work culture, gave me a deeper understanding of Swiss life.  

Food was another key part of the experience. We were provided breakfast and dinner in the homestay, with a lunch stipend. She cooked traditional Swiss meals—mostly bread and cheese—which wasn’t my favorite, so I faced a bit of adversity there. Meat was also less common in their diet, which I had to adjust to. But overall, I really enjoyed the homestay experience. 

It is unfortunate that hosting study abroad students in Switzerland is so expensive. Accommodating even one student, let alone three, is costly, which might be one reason my program was eventually canceled—they struggled to find enough host families willing to participate. That was disappointing, but my homestay was still a great fit. Not everyone had a perfect experience, but the academic advisors were very proactive. They emphasized that if something wasn’t working, we should speak up immediately so they could help find a solution. They were incredibly accommodating in that regard.

How was the Swiss Transportation System?

Transportation was phenomenal—the best public transportation I’ve ever used. Switzerland is incredible. Everything runs on time. There were only a handful of times when things were delayed, and even then, it was always announced, usually by just a couple of minutes. Everything was also impeccably clean. 

I studied in a town about 20 minutes outside the city by train. My homestay was in Crans VD, a small town nine minutes by bus from Nyon. While we were still in classes, I would take the bus to Nyon, which came every 30 minutes, and then head to my destination. If I wanted to go to Geneva, I had to take the bus to Nyon first and then catch the train, as Crans was too small to have its own train station. Most homestay students were in similar situations—only one had a train station within the town.  The trains were incredibly lovely, though expensive. 

Fortunately, the SIT program gave us Swiss passes for our entire three-month stay.  That pass completely changed my experience. I remember one weekend, after finishing a tennis match with Artem, my homestay mom had mentioned a place three hours away that I should visit while I was there. On a whim, I thought, why not just go? I ran back, showered, grabbed my things, and caught the next train within an hour. It ended up being one of my favorite days in Switzerland.  My homestay mom was jealous that we had those passes—they were incredible. We could go anywhere, anytime, and take the train merely for the experience. The rides were beautiful;  looking out the window, you’d see mountains, greenery, and snow. And the places you could reach? Breathtaking.

Can you share a bit more about your experiences with Swiss sustainability practices?

Engaging in sustainable practices in the U.S. is much more challenging because they’re just not as accessible. In Florida, for example, we don’t have proper recycling, and composting doesn’t exist. 

In Switzerland, sustainability was constantly reinforced. They have to pay for trash bags, and the more trash you generate, the more you have to pay. That made me much more mindful—if I weren’t finishing my food, I’d save it for tomorrow, or if we had leftovers from dinner, we’d incorporate them into the next meal. That wasn’t something I really practiced before Switzerland or even thought about as much. It’s also hard to implement at Swarthmore and back home.  When I returned, I wanted to create a compost bin for my house, but we’d get fined for having one outside, so I couldn’t do it. 

Electricity and water conservation were also significant adjustments for some of my housemates. One of them had a tough time adapting—she left her light on all night a few times, and I’m not sure if she was scared of the dark or just forgot, but I remember her having a few conversations with my homestay mom about it. She also took extremely long showers, so that was a challenge.  Our program staff did a great job reinforcing why conservation was so important. They made it clear that if we weren’t mindful, our homestay families would have to pay extra, creating a financial burden for them. That helped put things into perspective. 

Before studying abroad, I usually turned off the lights when leaving a room before, but now it’s ingrained in my mind. Even if my friends leave their lights on, I automatically remind them to turn them off. It’s become second nature, which is a good habit to have.  Short showers were undoubtedly more challenging than electricity conservation. After traveling—like returning from three days in Spain—I only wanted to scrub off every trace of the hostel. But I had to practice being quick. I’d turn the water off while washing and only turn it back on when necessary. It was an adjustment, but overall, these habits stuck with me, and they also remind me of my time in Switzerland, which is bittersweet.

How might this experience and the connections you made abroad show up in your post-abroad life?

First and foremost, studying abroad truly changed my perspective and my life. Everyone in my program—students and staff alike—impacted me in many ways, whether they realize it or not. They taught me to be open, passionate, and authentically myself. Being true to who I am naturally attracts the experiences and people meant to be in my life.  

As for my friendships after this experience, we’ve talked about all running a half marathon together in Chicago in May. Two of my closest friends are visiting me in New York at the end of the summer, and I’m trying to plan a surprise trip with another friend to see three of our other friends in Ohio for a lumberjack event they’re hosting in April. Three of them go to Denison; two go to the College of Wooster, one is at Yale, another at Whitman, one at Cal Poly, and another in Colorado—we’re all spread out, but I still talk to my best friends from the program a few times a week.  

The most impactful lesson I took away from studying abroad wasn’t something I consciously set out to do; however, I embraced it: being open, having conversations with anyone, trying to learn from every moment, and recognizing that every second is meaningful. You can sleep when you’re dead—stay out a little longer, pay attention a little more, and ask one more question. Everything is a learning experience, and this kind of immersive learning is rare. 

The people I met were open and eager to talk, share, and learn from each other.  My academic advisors and program staff played a massive role in shaping this experience. I was actually writing a letter to one of them today. They taught me how to connect with people, my environment, and the world in such an intimate way. It completely altered my perspective. Coming out of this program, I want to stay as open as possible, learning and engaging with the world in every way I can. Every conversation matters. I want to talk to anyone willing to speak to me, to soak in as much as possible.  

There was so much freedom abroad—you never knew what would happen. That unpredictability, the feeling that anything was possible, was one of the most unique parts of the experience. Coming back to Swarthmore, the most challenging adjustment has been the routine. Here, I kind of know what the craziest thing that will happen to me is. I know the wildest rumor or the most unexpected thing that could happen on a Saturday night. I had a routine abroad, too, but there was always an element of surprise, curiosity, and unexpectedness that made every day feel exciting.  

One of my favorite memories was the first time we went to our local pub. A guy started speaking to me in French, and when I told him I didn’t speak French, he immediately said, “Oh my gosh, you’re American!” He bought drinks for my three friends and me—three rounds each—then took us to another bar in town and kept buying more just to talk with us. He asked what we thought of the U.S., Swiss culture, Trump, the presidential election, our studies, our goals, and how long we had known each other. It blew my mind that someone would spend so much money on strangers just to engage in meaningful conversations and hear our perspectives. Experiences like that made studying abroad feel so unique and transformative.

1. The views and/or opinions represented in the GEO blog belong solely to the student(s) and do not represent Swarthmore College; students are not liable for any errors or omissions in the personal experiences they share ↩︎