Discovering Archamps France, a hidden gem
- brandonjbk
- Aug 26, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: Sep 2, 2023
After a thrilling trip across South Korea, China, and India, I was blessed to land in Archamps France. This area of the world is on the border between France and Switzerland, close to Geneva. My MBA program, Thunderbird, had an active campus at the time in this area for individuals interested in studying abroad with a focus on Europe as well as the international development organizations.
I spent nearly a year in this area, living in both France and Switzerland. Such an incredible part of the world. One of my favorite countries is by far Switzerland. I had the pleasure of exploring the entire country while studying. From Geneva, to Lausanne (Olympics global HQ), to Bern, back to Zurich. Interlaken, Zermatt, Chamonix, such incredible sites and views. I was lucky enough to catch the Tour de France when it made its way through the mountain stages. Even had the chance to run along the lead riders LOL. Switzerland also won the American's cup while studying there, the first land locked country to do so.
Living and studying this part of Europe also afforded me the opportunity to truly travel Europe. I spent time in Luxembourg, Italy, southern France, Andora, Spain, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, the Czech Republic. So many incredible places and experiences. My roommate Minsoo was from South Korea, we spent countless hours traveling across Europe. One of our favorite spots was a place called Balatonalmadi Hungary. A place where Eastern and Western Germans would connect during the war. You'll see restaurants that are built under ground as a safe haven for families to come together.
Just so many places and memories, towards the conclusion of my time studying in Europe, I made a solo trip up through Scandinavia including visits to Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki, making my way through the Baltic states, Poland and finally back to the U.S. Little did I know that I would be back in Europe for my career, with all these wonderful connections and experiences to relive once again! I guess the lesson from all this is to get out there early and often, don't be afraid to push yourself outside of your comfort zone. Travel safe, be smart about it, but know that each country, each culture, each individual you connect with will only help you continue to grow. And the earlier you do this in life, the more you can share these stories with you as you move forward.
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