Things I’ve Learnt From My solo Trip in Switzerland

Very recently, I had the pleasure of travelling to Europe for my graduation trip. The plan was to meet a close friend of mine in Germany to travel across Europe with her, but I managed to squeeze in some alone time in Switzerland.

Being an only child in an overprotective household, this solo trip to was an opportunity for me to prove that I could fend for myself and that there was no need for my parents to be constantly hovering over me. I wanted to prove that I could survive alone, without anyone’s help.

I spent a lot of time planning my trip, booking the accommodations, and mapping out my journey there, making amendments until the appointed date finally arrived. This little birdie flew from the nest and landed in the cities of Zurich and Lucerne. For the first time, I was alone in a foreign country with only myself to depend on, and here are some things I’ve learnt while backpacking in Switzerland:

1. Travelling solo brings out parts of you that you’d never known existed, and you’ll get to understand yourself more intimately than ever before.

In the entire duration of my trip, I had had some pretty interesting experiences. A man almost twice my size had hit on me during a 5-hour long bus ride and suggested we spend the night together in Zurich. I’d made friends with a little girl who had been eyeing my cheese fondue and swapped numbers with a cute guy (Hi, Fabian!) from Bern’s countryside—when I spoke only a smidgen of Swiss German.

All these experiences made me realise that I was not as introverted as I thought I was; I actually love talking to strangers. I learnt that I can be very firm but still friendly in rejections, and that I love long train and bus rides especially when I can spend them speaking to strangers.

2. Be present: Put your camera down and stow away your music.

At home, you will never find me in the streets without my earphones stuffed tightly into my ears, but in Switzerland, I’d finally realised the merits of John Cage’s 4’33”. There was so much to hear if you would just listen to your surroundings. There was even more to see if you would just put your camera away and enjoy the wind in your hair and the sunlight tanning your skin. Getting rid of distractions would allow you to be there in the present.

I was fortunate enough to be able to lunch in an isolated park hidden in the middle of Zurich, and stumble upon the Needle Dam on the Reuss River in Lucerne. Both of them had an amazing atmosphere because I was more attentive to my surroundings. There is really no replacement for the birds and crickets chirping away in the summer sun, or the gushing whoosh of water through a wooden weir first built on the Reuss in the 19th century.

3. Desperation will be your greatest friend and saviour when you’re alone.

If you are an introvert who thinks you hate speaking to strangers (like I was), desperation will lead you to do crazy things, like approach local passers-by and ask for directions. Often, these acts of desperation would lead to chance encounters and friendships. I had friendly strangers approaching me and asking me if I needed help because I had been too desperately lost and staring too intensely at a map. We started talking and eventually, we walked together as they shared very interesting things about their city.

I’d also had people walk me to destinations that are out of their way just because I’d asked and they were nice enough to show me the way. Good things really come to those who ask.

4. Get lost.

Sometimes, maps aren’t detailed enough for the small alleyways that you might want to explore. In these cases, just put your map down, trust your memory and ability to backtrack, or… just get lost! I’ve found quaint little churches unlisted on maps by just exploring Zurich and heading where my feet led me. Afterwards, I’d just ask for directions back to the river (or some monument that everyone knows about) and find my way from there.

5. Travelling solo will put you out of your comfort zone, and you will, most likely, be at your lowest, but to quote Avatar Aang, “When [you] hit [your] lowest point, [you] are open to the greatest change.”

I was very much out of my comfort zone when I spent the night in a two-star hotel in Zurich. (Note to self: just because travel apps rate a hotel as 4-starred does not mean that it is a four-star hotel.) The hotel was creepy, complete with creaky wooden stairs and dimly-lit common bathrooms (I was selfish and locked the door so I had the entire bathroom to myself when I showered.) My room was entirely red—a far cry from my own pastel bedroom– and I could hear people talking in the pub below me at night.

But I survived that night, because there was nothing to do but to grit my teeth and go through with it. When I got out on the other side, triumphant and much too ready for breakfast, there will be this sense of overwhelming achievement—and I just knew that I was ready for the other things that life might throw at me.

6. Ultimately, you will learn to trust yourself.

After even a short period of time alone, you will, ultimately, find the light. Finding your way around a foreign country is, by no means, an easy feat– especially if you don’t quite understand their language.

After getting the hang of the small cultural things (like closing your menu and waiting for servers to notice) and honing your navigational and interpersonal skills, you will ultimately learn to trust your ability to find your way around town and work your way out of tight situations. Once you realise that, your confidence and trust in yourself will spike tenfold because… Hey! You survived alone in an entirely foreign country!

On hindsight, I feel like I’ve transformed dramatically during this trip as I was not safe. There was no one I can depend on but myself, so I had to be someone else I had never been. I was so much out of my comfort zone that I had to adapt and change to survive, and I have never been so grateful for that.

I went on a solo trip to Switzerland to prove that I am independent and I didn’t need anyone. I learnt instead that I cannot, and will never be alone. (by Charmaine)

About the author: Charmaine is a graduate intern who has just started her stint with Shopback after a short graduation trip through Europe. She recently graduated from the University at Buffalo with a Bachelor of Arts (Communications).