Choosing to study abroad in Switzerland was one of the most uncertain decisions I’ve ever made.
About a year ago, I had taken a leap and flown outside of Canada to intern in a distant part of the world (not Switzerland). The lab had a very different work culture, support was limited, and I struggled to build meaningful connections. I came home having gained some skills – but also with lingering doubts about the benefits of gaining experience internationally.
So when I was offered a spot in the ERIP program in Switzerland, I was hesitant. I was worried that I’d face the same challenges again – another unfamiliar city, and another summer of feeling like just a small cog in a big machine.
But I said yes anyway. And I’m so glad I did.
My time in Switzerland turned out to be the exact opposite of what I feared, and one of the most transformative experiences of my life. After meeting online with members of the Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience (LNCO) at Campus Biotech in Geneva, I immediately knew this opportunity would be different. Not only was I joining a globally-known lab at the forefront of AI development in neuroscience – an area I feel personally connected with as an aspiring data scientist – but I was entering a space where people were kind, passionate, and genuinely supportive. I didn’t feel like an intern, but a part of a family.
Every day brought something new: from building an online platform for conducting psychology experiments worldwide, to analyzing large sets of patient data, to grabbing a drink with colleagues after work – I was truly involved in what I was doing, and full of purpose.
Outside of the lab, I found a second home in the community of interns I met through ERIP. And every weekend was packed, either climbing the Alps, discovering hidden spots by Lake Geneva to read, or hopping on trains to explore new cities both inside and outside of Switzerland. I gained so much more than practical experience in data science – I learned how to pursue discomfort and seek adventure.
This experience reminded me that you need to choose to be uncomfortable – choose to take a risk – in order for the most meaningful growth to happen. And if I hadn’t taken that leap, I would’ve missed out on one of the most rewarding chapters of my life.
I can’t wait to return to Switzerland someday!
Absolute bliss.
The mountains in Zermatt. Some of the best views I’ve seen, ever.
Imagine what I would have missed if I had stayed home…
Franco, University of Toronto, Host: Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience (LNCO)