Lately, I’ve been sitting in many different places, searching for the “sit spot” that calls to me. From my dorm’s community garden to Geneva’s many public parks, I’ve been wandering and watching the world go by. But my favorite spot so far has been (blasphemously) indoors. My window has this neat metal, shutter-like contraption. These shutters function as an ecological way of regulating the building’s temperature. However, they also connect me to the world outside: from the inside, I can look out the shutters and see what’s happening below, but passerbys can’t look into my room. When I moved in, right by the window, there was a little card explaining that the design was based off of a Japanese architectural design called engawa. Engawa

offers a small cozy place where we can stay to experience simultaneously the qualities of being both outside and inside: feeling protected while immersed in the surroundings, staying cozy while enjoying the weather transforming our immediate environment.

I like the idea of an in-between the outdoors and indoors that grants the ability to witness nature while feeling safe inside. However, the more I reflected on this feeling, the more I wondered, why do I tie safety to being indoors? Of course, shelter is a basic necessity for a reason. Yet why do we see nature as inherently dangerous when it provides everything that nourishes us? How many times have I held back from connecting with nature because I felt scared? How many times have we excused destroying and disrespecting nature because it is excluded from the indoors that constructs our definition of safety? Reflecting on these questions brought me back to why I joined this fellowship. I joined because I wanted to dedicate more of my time to being attentive to nature and intentional with sustainability. But why is that attention important? Why do I feel compelled to connect with nature, and why should others do it too? 

On one of my first weekends here, I wandered through the cobbled streets of Geneva’s Old Town. After being disappointed by an overly milky chai latte, I stumbled upon the House of Rousseau and Literature, a museum placed in the birthplace of Geneva-born philosopher Jean-Jacque Rousseau. Remembering Rousseau from political theory classes, I stepped in. The museum was well-curated, exploring various aspects of Rousseau’s life and legacy. An entire section was dedicated to Rousseau’s views of nature. Rousseau denounced the reckless exploitation of resources, and he criticized megalopolises for cutting mankind off from nature. To Rousseau, nature is a norm to be respected. This thought is considered a precursor to western environmentalism, influencing Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and John Muir.

Like the Rousseau-influenced Thoreau, I too have been disconnecting from society–at least digitally. I only have 15 GB of data in Switzerland, and who knows how much of that I’ve already used. I don’t want to waste any of it in case of an emergency, so whenever I’m off wifi, I turn off my data, turning it on only when I need to navigate on the map (which I’ve needed to do an embarrassing amount of times). No more scrolling on my phone while sitting on the bus. No more blaring headphones as I walk down the street (although, I did cave and download a few albums). I’m using my limited data as an opportunity to be more in the moment during this study abroad, specifically to be more attentive to the nature around me. Upon arriving, I was surprised by the extent to which nature surrounded me. I knew Switzerland was famous for its many natural wonders, but I wasn’t expecting nature to be so easily accessible within a city like Geneva. When the plane descended, I was struck by the sheer amount of greenery. That greenery follows me throughout the city. One thing I like about Geneva is how there are so many parks interspersed throughout the city. You can’t go a few blocks without stumbling upon a green space. Nature isn’t reserved for a few selected locations, but rather it’s embedded throughout the city. I think that constant interaction with nature makes it easier for people to be more considerate towards nature and lead a more sustainable lifestyle. For example, the local recycling system is very detailed and strictly followed. Aside from the usual paper and plastic recycling, food waste is composted and there are textile recycling boxes scattered around the city. Many people bicycle or take public transportation as opposed to driving a car. I’m excited to learn more about how sustainability is integrated into the everyday Genevois lives.