MILSA participants 2018/2019

Anais Sommer

Portrait of MILSA participant Anais Sommer
© Anais Sommer

Canterbury

I went abroad mainly because of my studies, as it is mandatory for English students at the University of Bern to do a stay abroad in an English speaking country. But I decided to embrace it as a chance to grow, meet people and to experience life outside of my comfort zone. For the first three months, I went to the US (five weeks in Texas, six weeks in Arkansas), and for the second half I went to the UK (thirteen weeks in Canterbury) with ERASMUS to study at the University of Kent. I am taking part in MILSA because I deemed it a very good opportunity to reflect on my experiences and cope with them in a way that helps myself but maybe also others interested in my journey.

Severin Künzi

Portrait of MILSA participant Severin Künzi in Athens
© Severin Küenzi

Athens

Between Switzerland and the Levant lies Greece. A fruitful place where European and Middle Eastern culture have met since time immemorial and new ways of thinking and beliefs have emerged. It should also be a fruitful place for me (a 25 year old theology student), which should challenge me through its simultaneous strangeness and familiarity. MILSA accompanies me on this journey. Be it shopping, studying at a Greek Orthodox faculty or having coffee with Greek friends. In everything I do, I try to speak Modern Greek in order to dive deeper into the culture and gain new insights.

Valentin Moser

Portrait of MILSA participant Valentin Moser in front of a mountain scenery
© Valentin Moser

University of Technology (UTS), Sydney

I am a Biology student in the last year of my Bachelor studies.  During the second half of 2018, I am doing an exchange semester at the University of Technology Sydney. In Australia, one might see mice running around and moles in the ground, but if you look closely, there is something strange about these animals - they have a pouch! The fauna and flora, but especially the Marsupials mammals of Australia are truly unique. However, it is often the case that their niches and habitat are not very different from other regions in the world, what I find very interesting and a good example of how evolution shaped animals with different ancestors into very similar body forms, food preferences and habitat requirements. I love the opportunity to study this evolutionary process up close.
As everywhere in the world, conservation is nothing without the involvement of people. MILSA will make me reflect on the social side of this exchange semester, as well as the interaction between humans and nature in Australia.