Personal Narrative Essay: On The Road Again

On The Road Again Tuesday, September 8th, I walked down to my kitchen and said to my mom, “It’s about time I lived in another country.” She laughed and thought I was kidding, but I was serious. I haven’t lived in one house, one neighborhood, one state or even a country for more than three years. I spent the majority of my childhood in two different cities in Japan and the rest of my time scattered throughout the United States. My jaw drops when people tell me they’ve never moved. Living in the same town for eighteen plus years would bore me. Moving around the world has helped me become more diplomatic and conscious of the different cultures that I experience. When I arrived at Los Angeles Airport, Tuesday morning, I was excited and yearning

I’ve noticed that the younger generations are less reserved and louder in public compared to the previous generations. Walking around department stores I’ve found that children aren’t screaming and whining for their parents, and everyone is calm and collected. This wouldn’t be the same story in America; children would be crying, parents would be yelling and the stores would be much louder. We also learned that modesty is important. Wealthy people dress, act and drive cars that a normal person would drive in order to not drag attention to them. Whereas in America, public display of wealth is a way of showing your status in society. The American culture is weak in comparison to Switzerland’s. The miles of vineyards and farms that cover the hillsides of Lausanne is breathtaking, historical and has been a part of the culture since the 1400s. My favorite part, so far, about living in Lausanne is how easy it is to travel. I love walking around the city and exploring different walking streets with quaint coffee shops and bakeries. Without having access to a gym, walking around the city is a great way to exercise. I’m excited to start exploring the cantons of Switzerland as well as the countries of Europe with my train passes. The easy access to all sorts of public transportation will be a great asset that I can’t wait to start