A semester in the alps
Studying abroad is a big step. A new culture, new people, a new environment, everything is unfamiliar. Despite that, it has always been a dream of mine. When my study program offered me the opportunity to go abroad, I grabbed it with both hands. Living in another country for a longer period of time teaches you so much, not just about a place, but about yourself. I had previously completed an internship abroad in Sint Maarten, where I experienced a culture and lifestyle very different from what I encountered in Switzerland. Both experiences reinforced my belief that studying or working abroad is something I would recommend to everyone. You learn more than you ever expect.
When people talk about doing a minor abroad, the same cities often come up, Barcelona, Paris, London. During information sessions, these destinations are usually the focus. I always found that disappointing. Big cities are easy to imagine, you often already know what they’re like. Much less is said about smaller or less obvious countries and cities, and I believe that needs to change.
I spent half a year living and studying in Switzerland, a country that was not my first choice at all. I had always imagined myself in a large city and truly saw myself as a city person. Instead, I ended up in a place where nature plays a central role. This experience broadened my perspective beyond the big cities I thought I loved. While that love is still there, I also learned to deeply appreciate Switzerland’s breathtaking natural landscapes. Stepping outside my comfort zone turned out to be one of the most valuable parts of my time abroad and it’s something I want to encourage others to do as well.
That is why I created this video about my experiences in Switzerland. I took my camera with me to Arosa and captured the stunning nature surrounding the place where I lived. With this video, I want to return to the Netherlands and share it with students who are considering studying abroad. Not to show yet another “standard” city, but to widen their perspective and inspire them to consider destinations they might not have thought about before.
The video is intentionally kept simple and visually driven. There is no voice-over and no overload of information just space to enjoy the images and immerse yourself in the beauty of the landscape.
With this video I hope to inspire students who want to study abroad to look beyond their comfort zone and give them a glimpse of Switzerland and its powerful natural surroundings.
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I thoroughly enjoyed creating this project. From the beginning, I wanted to work on something that could have meaning for others, and I hope this project contributes to that in some way.
This project was a completely new challenge for me. I had never made this type of video before, although it had been on my bucket list for a long time. I was able to borrow a camera from a friend, which allowed me to capture high-quality and visually engaging footage. Filming turned out to be one of the easiest parts of the project.
Editing, however, was the biggest challenge. I knew in advance that this would be difficult, so I tried to keep my expectations realistic. I deliberately challenged myself by working with Adobe Premiere Pro, a program I had no prior experience with. Learning to use this software during the project was both enjoyable and frustrating at the same time. Editing can be very satisfying, but also extremely challenging when things do not work as expected.
If I were given the opportunity to do this project again, there are several things I would approach differently. I would capture much more footage. Although I spent three full days filming, next time I would film even more to capture spontaneous moments. During this project, my friend and I were very focused on creating “perfect” shots, but filming more freely and spontaneously could result in even more authentic material. Additionally, I would start the editing process earlier. I underestimated how time-consuming editing can be.
Overall, I truly enjoyed working on this project and I hope it inspires Dutch students to explore opportunities for studying abroad, preferably in Switzerland of course;)