Brittni Paul, Healthcare Delivery in Switzerland Summer 2023
For our study abroad we stayed in different hotels in each city we traveled to; therefore, there was no cooking during our two-week trip. Every meal we ate out, with the exception of the complimentary hotel breakfast every day and the few medical facilities that provided us with an unexpected complimentary lunch. In addition, every medical facility served coffee and snacks that were traditional for Switzerland. On the first night and the last night of the trip, we had group dinners which were three course meals made up of traditional Swiss food and were paid for by the University of Pittsburgh. The first traditional Swiss meal we had was similar to a stew and was either beef or chicken depending on dietary needs. It was served with vegetables and spaetzle (European egg noodles). The second traditional Swiss meal we enjoyed was schnitzel and fries. Schnitzel is a thin sliced meat that is fried and the group was given the option of pork or chicken depending on dietary preferences. On one of our free nights, many of us enjoyed the traditional fondue dinner which is traditionally cheese fondue served with bread and meat for dipping. Other than the traditional Swiss meals we had, I found myself ordering a lot of Italian inspired dishes as Switzerland and Italy share a border. Multiple nights I ordered pizza or pasta as my main meal and we always found time for gelato. For me, ordering foods such as pizza and pasta was a way of maintaining my eating habits while abroad as I’m known to be a picky eater. This was a concern of mine heading into the trip but no matter the restaurant we dined at, there was always something on the menu for everyone to enjoy. The biggest change that needed to be made was the time of day each meal was eaten at. As a group we quickly learned that the typical dinner time in America is much earlier than the norm for Europeans.
A major part of European culture revolves around cafes where people enjoy a small bite to eat and many enjoy espresso or coffee. Since our itinerary included mostly morning activities we were unable to experience this part of the culture during the week but on the weekends and if there was free time we loved to sit outside a café and immerse ourselves in the culture. Typically, I prefer to drink iced coffee; but, in Europe most restaurants serve hot coffee as iced drinks are not as popular as in the United States. Besides enjoying cafes, a chance to buy Swiss chocolate was a must. Switzerland is known for their chocolate as they are home to the brands of Lindt, Sprungli, Toblerone, and more. While in Lucerne on a day trip, some of my friends and I went on a chocolate tour which concluded in a chocolate shop where we bought treats for ourselves and gifts for our family and friends.
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