Tell us about yourself (Where do you study in Italy and Why did you want to do a PhD? Why did you select the SDC?)
I'm a PhD Candidate at the University of Insubria in Varese. I wanted to do a PhD because I think research is my mindset and I love it, I'm always there looking to understand how things work around me. I chosed the SDC because I felt it was a good opportunity to engage in a transdisciplinary, current and interesting field such as climate change and the environment. I hope that research, now and in the future, can have an impact on understanding, views, and choices.
Where were/are you during your period abroad, and how long did/will you stay there?
I've been at the University of Geneva, Switzerland, and I chose it mainly because it was an opportunity to meet, get to know and work my co-supervisor in a different environment from what I'm used to.
What were/are your first impressions of the university, your supervisor, and the research team? Did you feel well integrated into the team?
The University and the city were very organized and full of resources for students and researchers, my supervisor and the office worked in were very welcoming and open to discuss issues of my and their study, and that helped me a lot to consider important things I couldn't see before.
Did/Do you face any challenges during your time abroad? If so, what were they? How did you solve them? What advice would you offer to colleagues preparing for their own experience abroad (particularly regarding administrative practices, funding, or opportunities specific to the destination country)?
Yes, the challenge in Switzerland is mostly about the price of life, so I decided to get a room in Annemasse, France, rather than Geneva and cycle back and forth, doing 20km a day, which sometimes was tough but also helped me to keep my mind clean and my body active after sitting most of the day in front of a screen. The other big challenge was the bureaucratic procedures which were not so easy to solve from the beginning and took a good amount of time and stress to resolve. The advice I could give is to anticipate things as much as possible, try to stay calm but keep at it until you solve everything, don't give up. Having someone from the inside who hepls you is also crucial.
What are your plans upon returning (or after your return) to Italy? Do you feel your time abroad enriched your research project and personal growth? If so, how? Additionally, do you believe you made a meaningful contribution to the activities at the host university? If yes, in what ways?
I've been there this year and I'm planning to come back there next one, so I can say that the experience has been clearly positive. It definitely enriched me and my project, as I mentioned in previous answers. I don't know if I gave significant contribution to host university's activities, maybe a little bit indirectly with the doctoral students I met there and discussed a lot with.
What aspects of the local culture stood out to you (something you loved or perhaps found challenging)? Was there a favorite place where you enjoyed spending time, and how did you make the most of your free time?
It wasn't easy to get to know people in their own environment; they have their lives and it's normal. The first month, outside of the work, I have been mostly alone but also because I wanted to. I enjoyed my free time walking in the mountains, running along the river or exploring and observing the cities of Geneve and Annemasse. Then I've been able to make good friends both in my french flat and at the university, and we hanged out together often. I also received quite some visits from my Italian friends, being not so far, and I got to introduce them to my new reality.