Buddy programme
When I came to Switzerland I came alone and I didn’t know anybody. The buddy programme consists of local students who volunteer to be matched up with an exchange student, to make the exchange transition easier. I therefore chose to sign up for the buddy programme and I was assigned the nicest buddy. She has been showing me around Switzerland and shown me all the good places in Chur. She made my start easy and took me to the coolest places that I would never have seen without her. I made a friend that I would never have thought could happen without the buddy programme at the school.
Food
Buying groceries can sometimes be expensive, so here is a tip for what you can do to save some money: You can use the Too Good To Go-app. With the app you will get a lot of food but with a last sale date. If you are trying to live a more sustainable life you can buy local cheese and eggs around Chur. There is a very nice place called Hofladen Plantahof, where you can buy local cheese and vegetables, you can even see the cows and goats walking around the grassfield. There is also a Zero Waste store called Oba Aba ZeroWaste Ladencafé where you can buy your groceries without using any plastic and you can grab a nice cup of coffee while shopping.
Transport
Before coming to Chur I wish I had known how nice it would be to have a bike. In Copenhagen everyone bikes, so I am used to biking everywhere, but I didn’t think it would be possible in Switzerland. But as it turns out most of the students in Chur use a bike as their everyday method of transportation. However, what I really quickly realized when biking around here was that the hills are very, very steep so it is a good thing to be a bit in shape and if you are not, you definitely will be by the end of this semester.
If you are wanting to travel around Switzerland, I would suggest buying the SBB half fare travel card for the trains. This card gives you the opportunity to save 50% off the tickets every time you take the train or bus. The card is a bit pricey, but it's worth it in the end. And it is even possible to take a train from Chur to Hamburg, so you can go there on a quick weekend get-away.
Sif Manniche is an exchange student from KEA School of Design and Technology in Copenhagen. In Fall semester 2020 she is studying on the Creative Media and Digital Innovation programme. In this Blog Sif is sharing her experiences about all aspects of studies at UAS Grisons and her life in Chur.