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Rotary Youth Exchange
When I was 16 I was selected for a Rotary Youth Exchange scholarship to represent my Rotary District in Northern Ontario. This was a cultural and language exchange and they sent me to spend one year in Switzerland. Over the course of they year I got to live with three host families that showed me different ways of life in Switzerland. I learned German in 6 months which allowed me to communicate with locals while I travelled around and experienced the wonderful country.


Annual Zibelemärit Market
Zibelemärit is a market that happens in the old town of Bern every year. It is called a market but it is more of a folk festival. I...

Hannah Bywater
Nov 29, 20162 min read


RYE Zermatt Weekend
Zermatt, home of the Matterhorn. If that doesn't ring a bell maybe you have seen a little mountain on Toblerone chocolate bars? That's...

Hannah Bywater
Nov 28, 20162 min read


Ameriss Thanksgiving
American thanksgiving celebrated in Switzerland Thanksgiving is not something that people celebrate in Switzerland. They have something...

Hannah Bywater
Nov 24, 20161 min read


Kilby
Kilby is a traditional Swiss celebration. It is similar to thanksgiving which the Swiss don’t celebrate. For my host family Kilby is...

Hannah Bywater
Nov 12, 20162 min read


Gruyères Castle Tour
Afternoon adventures with my host parents Gruyères is a medieval town in the canton of Fribourg. It is well known for the Gruyères cheese...

Hannah Bywater
Oct 26, 20161 min read


Hiking Monte Magno
This has been my favourite hike in Switz so far. The views from Monte Magno were breathtaking. I loveee being in the mountains. The Passo...

Hannah Bywater
Oct 22, 20161 min read


Fall Break in Tessin
Hello!! I know, it has been a while. I've been MIA but I've been studying hard and working on my German. Then I was on a week long...

Hannah Bywater
Oct 21, 20162 min read


The Good Old Hockey Game
Some of my friends at school have been asking me a lot about Canada, how cold it gets and how good the hockey is. I explained that I come...

Hannah Bywater
Sep 29, 20161 min read


Rotary night at the Parliament Building
The Rotary Club invited me to go to Bern with them for dinner and debate at the Parliament Building. Going to see the parliament building...

Hannah Bywater
Sep 27, 20161 min read


RYE Fall Weekend in Lenk
A fun weekend that Rotary organized for all of the exchange students This weekend was my first Rotary weekend in Switzerland! Lenk is a...

Hannah Bywater
Sep 15, 20162 min read


Going to School in Switzerland
I go to a school called Collège Sainte-Croix/Kollegium Heilig Kreuz. It is a bilingual school, hence the two names. Most of my classes...

Hannah Bywater
Sep 12, 20162 min read


Jugendfest
Jugendfest is a festival that brings the whole town of Cordast together every 5 years. There is a big parade where folks ride their...

Hannah Bywater
Sep 3, 20161 min read


Meeting my YEO and Swiss counsellor
Rotary Clubs appoint a couple of the members to be designated support people for the exchange students. A YEO is a Youth Exchange Officer...

Hannah Bywater
Aug 26, 20162 min read


Schwingfest
Schwingen, also known as Swiss wrestling is the national sport of Switzerland. The Schwingfest is a huge event/festival that happens...

Hannah Bywater
Aug 25, 20161 min read


Out to The Orchestra
A lovely night out with my host Rotary Club If you are familiar with Rotary International you may know that there are Rotary clubs all...

Hannah Bywater
Aug 25, 20161 min read


Living With a Family of Farmers
Getting to play with all of the animals! The Glauser family lives in the village of Cordast on a big farm. They have nearly 2,000 pigs,...

Hannah Bywater
Aug 23, 20162 min read


Horse Sitting at a Castle
So I mentioned in a previous post that I have been going to a lot of birthday parties recently and meeting a lot of the extended family....

Hannah Bywater
Aug 22, 20162 min read


Learning German
Taking my first german course in Bern, Switzerland Learning high German in Switzerland is not an easy thing to do. Before coming to...

Hannah Bywater
Aug 19, 20162 min read


First Hike in Switzerland
Day 2 in Switzerland: Up the alps we go! There is no better way to experience Switzerland than in the mountains. I have been warmly...

Hannah Bywater
Aug 10, 20162 min read


Moving to Switzerland - a Journal Entry
August 10, 2016 Wow so this is happening. I just moved to Switzerland! I am not freaking out. Ok maybe I am just a bit. SWITZERLAND! I...

Hannah Bywater
Aug 9, 20162 min read





























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