My Secret Geneva, Bellevue
Welcome, New Residents! Bellevue is your new home, so let’s get you comfortable with the area. As a service to you, we compiled a whole range of information about places and services, and this is not all. As Tik Tok has recently become one of the world’s most advanced and utilized mobile apps during the COVID 19 pandemic and lockdown, we chose to showcase Bellevue through this app as a convenient and effective way to discover the opportunities surrounding you.
Most surprising places in Bellevue
The stress of transition to college can result
in anxiety. It is important to take breaks from this hectic life and enjoy a few hours of rest. Bellevue might seem small, however, you’ll be surprised by the number of activities you can do around here. Our campus is surrounded by surprising places, incredible views, and a few “secrets” spots. Here we have a few suggestions for every one of your tastes.
Dog Park
For all the dog lovers out there, this is THE place for you. Whether you pull out your AirPods and blast your favorite songs, or simply enjoy listening to the sounds of nature, you can take a lovely walk through the dog park along a cute trail taking you to the hill’s top, where you will be amazed by the splendid view of the lake and the mountains across it. On the south side of the
park, a gate gives you access to the Bains de Saugy. The path, passing through a tunnel down the railway, takes you directly to the lake: on summer days you can splash in the water directly from the pier! Dogs’ access to the lake is separated from people’s one.
A little further along the forest, some large wooden benches are perfect to host a picnic: such a lovely place for a gathering!
The Bioparc Genève
Bioparc Genève, also known as Parc Challandes, is a sort of small zoo created in Bellevue in 1991 as a rescue place for lost, abandoned or wounded animals. Some of them came from official zoos and circuses who had to get rid of them. The Bioparc is a very special place run by wholehearted people and allows you to wander around, discover, learn, and recharge your batteries. Anyone can volunteer to help for one day or more.
It is approximately a 12-minute walk from Webster Geneva to the park. Whilst walking there, we encountered nice neighbourhoods and many places that could come in useful one day including a beautiful local florist. Once we reached our destination we were warmly welcomed by some of the workers. The tour of the park did not take longer than 30 minutes and we were able to see more than 250 animals including kangaroos, owls, peacocks and many more. At the end of the tour, we saw a gift shop, where whatever is purchased, the money will go towards these animals and taking better care of their living space. This small zoo is something we definitely recommend to everyone!
Best views in Bellevue
Belle Vue in French means “pretty view”! The name of the town does not do justice to the views it has to offer from literally every angle. Whether you are looking outside your room, eating at one of the restaurants, or just walking around, there is a constant view of the mountains, the lake, and the greenery. Though most of this information applies to the summer and fall times of the year, the town is just beautiful in winter, with the Mont Blanc and the Alps covered in the whitest snow.
Lake View
“Let’s go to the lake”, has been the most used phrase during orientation day and every
week since then. Naturally, you’ll be curious to visit it, as it’s one of the first things that catch our eyes in Switzerland. Just a few steps from the campus, you can enjoy a fantastic view of the Mont Blanc and the Alps surrounding the lovely lake. You will not be disappointed by other people’s appreciation for it. Welcomed by the inhabitants of Bellevue and surrounded by a peaceful and beautiful scenario, you will be definitely convinced to visit the lake again.
The lake view not only is justified by its popularity, as it gives you a very calm and relaxing feeling, but it is also a perfect spot to spend time with friends after classes or for some time alone. This gem is additionally surrounded by 2 restaurants and a small gas station shop for your quick cravings. If you are more of a scenic person, during sunrise or sunset, the lake has the most beautiful glow with a few benches, a large wooden sitting area, and rock borders with flowers, trees, and the greenest grass.
Vineyards
When we think of Geneva, we immediately think of the jet d’eau. We can easily forget that it’s also about the countryside, particularly its vineyards, which fun-fact, makes this canton the third largest wine country. On our way back to Webster University from the dog park, we discovered a new path to our destination. We walked through this street with many benches next too some beautiful vineyards. The view from there is breathtaking. Its landscapes are reminiscent of both the vineyards of southern France and those of beautiful Tuscany. This street is part of many Bellevue citizens’ daily walk. There were many old couples, families with small children and teenagers enjoying a picnic sitting on the benches.
Location: Chemin Des Rousses
Webster views
No need to go too far! We’ve been tourists of Geneva for the past month and a half and we’ve noticed that some of the best views could be seen right where we are, at Webster University. This can either be from the benches outside the LLC building, any window on campus or even walking around campus. We are lucky to live in a place that looks beautiful when hot or cold, sunny or rainy, and even windy.
Our favourite spots to socialize
Socialising is a big part of the whole University experience, and a very fun one. If you pay attention to what is around you, you may notice some places where a lot of students hang out with each other, excluding classes, these are the benches.
The Bench Next to LLC
This spot at the parking lot is known for being one of the benches where most students have small talks with each other, but also because it is one of the few places where you can smoke on campus. Some of our first conversations with people on campus have taken place on that bench, and it will always be a spot to meet new people. Another pls is that, on your right you have a beautiful forest, which you are missing out on if you have not walked through it yet!
The bench near the cafeteria
It is mostly crowded when the students or staff go and eat. The cafeteria has 2 benches, one surrounded by stunning flowers, and the other which is part of a large table. Most of the time during lunch, the bench is taken as it is in a very convenient spot where everything is right next to you; classes, cafeteria, library, and the elevators on both sides.
The benches in the woods
They are right next to the campus, and as soon as you enter the woods trail, you are sure to see them. Here most students hang around in late afternoon or evenings, however, this is not known as a place to get to know people but more of a place to go with the friends you made. This bench could also be used as an area to relax, and have some alone time and connect with nature…
If you are looking to make friends at Webster, you should consider going to these spots for a little during the day, it will spark small conversations and maybe you’ll have yourself a new friend, multiple friends or just a really interesting conversation.
Hopefully, this information will help you feel at home, not only by residing in this beautiful area but by joining our active community and taking part in the many events that make this place a better place to live and study!
By: Warona Mouyeme, Greta Sigona, and Sara Kullolli
My Secret Geneva, Museum
My Secret Geneva
Museums have always been active in shaping our views and perceptions. They help us gain knowledge about past practices yet manage to make the process of learning fresh. We chose museums as “A secret Geneva midterm project” because it is our belief that they provide the most effective way of learning. Since we are university students, we find the idea of time-saving resources essential. Furthermore, a single visit to the museum can assist in exploring in-depth information on a particular subject. Both of us are genuinely interested in nature and its history, as well as in art and archeology. Therefore, we chose to explore the “Museum of Natural History” and “Musée d’Art et d’Histoire” in Geneva.
Let us kick off with the “Museum of Natural History” (Figure 1). To begin with, the museum is located on Route de Malagnou 1. Webster University students can take a train from the Genthod-Bellevue train station to Genève-Eaux-Vives, gare, which is 10 minutes away from the learning center. The museum itself is open every day from 10 am to 5 pm, except Monday when it is closed the whole day. We came there on Saturday at approximately 4 pm. It was not crowded since we witnessed only a few families and students around. What is more, the entrance and Wi are entirely free. Nevertheless, an essential part is bringing the negative PCR / Rapid Antigen test / COVID certificate and an identity document that the staff members check at the entrance. We came to the museum with negative tests, which had to be confirmed with a passport / ID. We had only pictures of passports, and unlike in most restaurants and shopping malls in Geneva, the workers did not accept the photos. We had to go back to the university to get the identity documents and bring them to the museum.
Right after the entrance to the museum, we were surprised to see the real conserved species. Figure 2 below reveals how it looked to us. There were crocodiles, turtles, snakes, and the descriptions of them. Then, when we ascended to the first floor, we saw a cozy cafe, which was, unfortunately, closed because of COVID-19. However, on the same floor, we got a chance to explore an extensive collection of stuffed and preserved animals. For example, the tropical part exhibited camels, donkeys, and leopards. For the record, did you know that the last wild Bactrian camels live in the Gobi desert, where they face an arid climate? In order to resist the drought, such a camel can drink up to 100 liters of water in one go. That is an astonishing fact that we read in the tropical section of the exhibition. Besides, the descriptions of animals and facts about them are written down in both French and English languages. Furthermore, what we have valued on this floor was the contrast between exhibitions. As we have already mentioned, there was a tropical one. Yet, the exhibitions of various species of birds and the Antarctic were present too (Figure 3). Thereupon we checked out the second floor, which manifested such stuffed animals as jellyfish, sharks, and just fish. You can see the demonstration of jellyfish in Figure 4. We found it an exciting idea for the inventors to use glass and metal since they connected biology with art. The last but not the least floor exhibition is dedicated to geosciences, astronomy, and the evolution of man. It may seem boring to some, but the museum practically enlivens the presentation by offering biology-linked games and fun activities (Figure 5). For instance, there is a computer that helps us gain knowledge on the parasite ecology and the parasite of the day. By clicking on each concept, profound information on the topic is provided. We think that it is a great idea to come up with such activities since this exact way the younger generation can be attracted to the museums as much as the older one. Overall, the “Museum of Natural History” is a considerable place to visit for those who want to learn more about animals and geosciences yet make the observations fun and absorbing. Our personal museum experience is absolutely positive. We have enjoyed it and definitely recommend everyone to check out the exceptional quality of the museum.
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After spending quite some time exploring flora and fauna, we decided to visit the “Musée d’Art et d’Histoire” (Figure 6 and 7), which is located on Rue Charles-Galland 2 and, for the record, is 8 minutes away by walking from the “Museum of Natural History.” It is open on Thursday from 12 pm to 9 pm; Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday from 11 am until 6 pm; closed on Monday. First things first, we were impressed by the dimensions of the museum. It seemed vast and eventually emerged to be so. Besides, built in 1910, the building is pretty ancient. When entering, the negative PCR / Rapid Antigen test / COVID certificate was required as well as the original identity documents. We came there at about 5 pm, and it was crowded. The entrance and Wi-Fi are free. We decided to start our visit with the exhibition on antique fashion. At the outset, not only were we impressed by the ancient dresses, costumes, and shoes, but we got a chance to look at how these clothes were produced. Near one of the 18th century pink dresses, there was a TV where visitors observed how and which materials were being used to make the dress (Figure 8). It is a fun arrangement that is certain to amuse a regular visit to the museum. As well as a great idea to manifest the contrast between the technology (in this case the TV) and the historical stuff in the present-day time. Then we came across a small shop, where guests buy such souvenirs, as postcards (2 franks), bags (10-15 franks), etc. (Figure 9). Thereupon we have entered the room of ancient military and hunting supplies. It looked fascinating to Misha since he is a fan of earlier special forces. As for Angelina, she loves cooking, and therefore it was interesting to explore the food that middle- and high-class people prepared before (Figure 10). Later, we decided to check out the art exhibition (Figure 11). We believe this part of being our favorite since art is our common interest. The pictures of the museum exhibits are all quite big and of various artists from different times. We carefully surveyed portraits, as well as religious illustrations. Above all, we were fond of landscape drawings. Have a look at figure 12, which is the drawing called “La Montagna.” We liked it a lot due to the direct rays of sunshine on one of the mountains in Geneva. Closer to the end, we surveyed the Japanese culture. There was a broad exposition of Fans in Japan, made of paper on a bamboo frame. As a matter of fact, fans are an integral part of Japanese rituals and an essential accessory in theatres, shows, and traditional dances. They are highly successful products that were sold out from the very beginning. Eventually, we have concluded our visit with a quick glance at the archeology exhibition since the museum was about to close. Besides, there is a café that does not work because of COVID-19. Yet, it provides a beautiful garden where visitors can get some fresh air (Figure 13). An overall, the “Musée d’Art et d’Histoire” is a great learning center that offers various exhibitions and lots of historical artifacts. In such museums, visitors learn actively when they reflect on their own impressions and construct personal interpretations. It is highly recommended by us, especially for those genuinely interested in plunging into the past of art, fashion, and archeology with the help of such a good-quality museum.
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Suppose we compare the “Museum of Natural History” and “Musée d’Art et d’Histoire,” then a few points need to be mentioned. First of all, the first museum focuses on exhibitions of stuffed animals, whereas the second one on art, history, and archeology. These are exciting fields that are very distinct yet, so significant for common knowledge. Second of all, the first museum has more fun activities than the second one in general. Unfortunately, today mostly the older generation visits museums and contributes to the development of communities. However, the promotion of education needs to be taken into consideration by the younger generation too. By doing fun activities in the museums, we can attract students and thus influence the value of knowledge in present-day societies. What’s more, as for us, Misha is a fan of animals and therefore liked the first museum more. Although his major at Webster university is management, he spends his free time gaining knowledge on creatures. However, it is his belief that the second museum is way bigger. He would prefer surveying more animals of different categories and read more various facts in the first museum. As for Angelina, she enjoyed the second museum more since her university major is international relations, and thus she is a fan of history. She found particularly interesting the exhibition of archeology due to the fact that she could observe the tangible evidence of our ancestors. Despite that, we enjoyed visiting the museums, and we think that the beauty of art is what these two have in common. We believe that these museums are community centers that offer various interpretations of illumination. The expositions of stuffed animals, links between fashion and history, religious drawings, and cultural illustrations establish art.
All in all, we visited two precious community centers, which are the “Museum of Natural History” and “Musée d’Art et d’Histoire.” We strongly believe that museums provide an effective way of learning and are not time-consuming at all. They inspire us to study, give us an opportunity to develop culturally and are a great way to spend time with friends or family. When visiting a museum, we recommend you take notes of the information or facts that are usually written under exhibitions. Taking photos is also a great way to capture the moment. As for these two secret places in Geneva, they are highly recommended by us for anyone who wants to spend time educationally yet amusingly.
By: Anhelina Tkachenko
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Call For Change
Call For Change
An Age of Social Justice Movements
On March 24th, 2018 chants of “Vote them out!” rang out from the throats of over 200,000 angry protesters. I was among them. The March for Our Lives was a student-led protest in support of legislation to prevent gun violence in the U.S. It took place in Washington, D.C. after the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, which happened a month prior. The event gained national recognition and was described as a “possible tipping point” for gun control legislation. It was certainly a tipping point for me.
I’ve experienced the aftermath of a shooting in my own school, so the march was something I personally cared about, although at first I wasn’t taking it seriously. For me, going to the march was just an excuse to take a roadtrip with two of my best friends and see D.C. for the first time. Plus, in addition to the normal speakers, there was a performance from Lin-Manuel Miranda and Ben Platt that I was excited to watch. It was essentially a glorified field trip. The mood stayed light and everyone was walking around, joking, and making new friends.
My two friends on the left and me on the right.
Then, it started. The mood transformed. Suddenly, through 200,000 people, there was silence as the speakers came on stage. The energy was palpable; a mix of anger, determination, and kinship. I remember thinking, This has to change something, it can’t be worse than this. I was so moved by what was happening and I felt like my generation was doing something right as the march was largely organized and attended by young adults and high schoolers. There was an acknowledgment that every person there was working toward the same goal and witnessing that crowd in person made it hard to believe it wouldn’t stimulate a change.
Growing up we are taught about social justice movements as if they are historical events and are not things that still happen. We are given the impression that people like Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. are in the past and that we are living in a society that they made better. This is true, to an extent. Their history is closer to the present than we realize and, though we can see the success of their movements, there is still a long way to go.
Many social justice movements, such as Black Lives Matter, have received criticism for the intense and sometimes destructive behavior of some protesters. The truth is, that’s how it’s always been. We’d like to think that we are evolved enough to solve societal issues without these extremes, but that’s just not the case. We have always needed extreme measures to promote change and we may always need them. Individuals can be mad about how our society works all they want, but without movements and combining our voices no real action would take place.
When I attended the march as a teenager I was young, naive, and ignorant. It was the first time I realized that social justice movements are still very much a thing, I can be a part of them, and I should be a part of them. Many in my generation are realizing the same thing.
Now, in the midst of a global pandemic, I am once again surrounded by angry protesters, throats raw from screaming, but this time the words have changed from “Vote them out” to “I can’t breathe” in memory of George Floyd. In the US, and many countries around the world, protests for Black Lives Matter are building in numbers. Once again, I can feel that the energy has changed. Anger dominates. Now, we are fed up with inequality and we are fed up with not being heard.
Complacency is the enemy of change. We need active involvement. Seeing firsthand the way my generation fights for change allowed me to let go of a worldview that centered around myself and my experiences. I realized that I was an idiot in thinking that being a part of social justice movements “wasn’t my place” because that’s the point! Regardless of political views or background, it is everyone’s right to voice the changes they want to see.
My personal beliefs have not changed, but now I educate myself on what I don’t know and try to rid myself of complacency. Social justice is never on the back burner; there will always be people struggling for equality and those fighting for it.
Road Trippin’ to Interlaken
During this year’s March photo trip we had the opportunity to visit Interlaken and explore the mystical beauty of the city. Upon our arrival, we unloaded all of the equipment necessary to photograph our eight-by-ten negatives and slowly cruised around the city to find our first shooting location of the day.
Our first setting was in front of the Interlaken Casinò where Camilla and David took their photographs, featuring a bronze statue of an Indian film director and Interlaken’s honorary ambassador, Yash Chopra, who shot many movies in Switzerland.
Further, along with our exploration of the city, we stumbled upon a charming main street, where we took advantage of recently opened stores post-Covid lockdown. It didn’t take long to lose track of the students, roaming the shops was a much-appreciated distraction. Alessandra and I then found our shooting location along the river; the water looked clean and powerful, contrasting with the stable mountains and lazy sky to produce a symphony of the three elements; water, earth, and air. It took approximately 30 minutes to take the shots, whilst we were photographing, others were admiring Interlaken’s unique taste in architecture. By the time we were done, everyone was eager to return to our chalet and dig into the wonderful barbeque awaiting our arrival.
Bee-ware of the Consequences…
Bees are dying, climate change is happening, and we’re still polluting. These may seem like separate issues, however, there all linked to one problem, us. Imagine a world without bees. No more honey, perhaps a few less allergic reactions, and a little less buzzing here and there. Sounds good right? Well…that’s not all that bees are good for, because when you delve deeper into how bees affect the world around us from their tiny backs, you realize that they leave behind a lasting impact on our environment. To help imagine what a world without bees would look like, Melissa Petruzzello from Britannica Encyclopedia tries to answer the question, “What Would Happen If All the Bees Died?” Ms. Petruzzello points out that ecosystems around the world would begin to deteriorate as many of them depend on bees for pollination, food webs, habitats, and agriculture.
There are about 20,000 species of bees in the world, and over 600 species in Switzerland that are on the endangered list. Less bees would mean that less plants and flowers would be pollinated, which could lead to a change in food webs. Since less pollination could lead to fewer seeds to be spread by bees it creates a decline in reproductive success for both bees, flowers, and other creatures. There are also certain flowers that have coevolved with particular bees who fly in different flight patterns and have different floral preferences, which are almost impossible to replace. Most bees live close to commercial farms. Those farms use herbicides and insecticides to ensure crop survival, however, these killing chemicals also destroy beehives.
So, what’re we gonna do about it? How are we as Webster University students going to take action against the loss of bees? What can be done? To make a start on this global issue let’s start locally. There is a swiss company called “Wilde Biene + Partner” or WBP for simplicity’s sake, that aims to provide bee conscious consumers the opportunity to contribute to their local communities! A finished hive is fitted with “Mauerbienen”, otherwise known as Mason Bees. Mason bees happen to be a Swiss farmers best friend since they are known to be crazy pollinators that don’t require much to live within a hive. These types of bees are well suited to the swiss climate and come in hives of 25 mason bee cocoon eggs. They happen to be active from March to June where they gather nectar to feed baby bees in the nest while they build their bee house. During the colder fall and winter months you can send the box back to the WBP and they will clean out the hive, remove the baby bees, and prepare a new set of bees for the upcoming pollinating seasons. They tend to stay within 300m of their bee home, and the best place to put one of these mason bee hives would be near the LLC building in the front lawn. This is not only to pollinate the plants nearby, but also to encourage more wildflower growth. Keep in mind that these types of bees aren’t as aggressive as their distant wasp cousins but are actually quite tame with little risk of stinging people.
It’s important for us to start small to create a greener campus for students to be aware of the consequences that the loss of ecosystems are adding to the declining bee populations. This project idea is to inspire students about what can be done. These balcony bees are a great way to raise awareness because they’re small, easy to place, and affordable. The vision for the WBP is that there is no food without bees, and they want aim to ensure safe pollination with their bee colonies. The WBP understands that there are many different types of consumers that want to help and provide different sized bee colonies accordingly ranging from 120 CHF to 500 CHF depending on how big and experienced a bee owner is. Providing also smaller flowerpots and hives for those who live in more urbanized environments. These bees require little attention since they are self-reliant and keep to themselves.
Creating a space for these mason bees to thrive near campus would be a great opportunity for potential Webster students to be aware of what is happening to bees everywhere. It acts as a springboard into other sustainable projects that combines urban living with nature. It’s also a realization that humans and nature don’t live in separate spheres, rather we humans need to reintegrate with the environment that we’re destroying. Part of this reintegration process is ensuring that bees also share a place in that future home.