Tolga Goren ’08 studied abroad at Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich in Switzerland for 2006-07 academic year. This one-year program is affiliated with RPI. On why he chose to participate in this particular study abroad program, Goren said, “I just got curious, and one thing led to another.”
A double major in materials engineering and applied mathematics, Goren continued to take hefty course loads while abroad. His studies included polymer physics, material physics, ceramics, and advanced composites. He even found time to do his own independent research project. A few of the courses were taught by rotating professionals from industry and included quite a few field trips. Goren said that he received elective credit for most of the courses he took while abroad, “which was useful but not incredibly helpful for getting through my requirements.”
Despite this, Goren said that his “personal and professional education more than doubled at ETH.” Given that overseas educational systems differ significantly from the American system, Goren reflected on his adjustment to the Swiss educational environment. “It took all of my self-discipline to keep putting in the work necessary,” he said. “As in most European schools, there was little homework and no real class work; the final exam was essentially the grade, and it was often an oral exam. I think the experience really gave me an insight into what I imagine life for a graduate student or a professional is like.”
The language spoken in Switzerland is Swiss German, though Goren’s classes were all taught in German. Goren took a three-week refresher course prior to the beginning of the first semester, mainly to adjust to the differences between German and Swiss German. Goren recommends this program to anyone who has the German language skills necessary. “Swiss people really do not speak English!” he commented.
Goren lived in an exchange student dormitory, and befriended other international students. He joined a student social group called the Erasmus Student Network, which organized events for the holidays and trips to cultural attractions in Switzerland. “Once I got more familiar with the area, I found it very easy to make new friends on my own, both Swiss and European,” Goren said. “I think the atmosphere among young people is much friendlier in Zürich than it is in any city in the U.S. In terms of comfort level, it’s as if the whole city was like one big campus, and you could talk to just about everyone you saw if you just made the effort.”
Goren was also surprised to find Swiss culture to be similar to American culture. “They are very protective of their independence, and they often discuss how isolated Switzerland is from the rest of the world, much like we are here. Their ways of celebrating holidays and their friendly, close-knit communities reminded me of the American lifestyle as pictured by Norman Rockwell, and seeing these things made me really appreciate the positive aspects of our own cultural history,” he said.
Since Goren found that the Swiss are very passionate about the outdoors, he spent his free time doing everything possible to enjoy the outdoors as well. He went hiking, skiing, swimming, and boating, and also enjoyed outdoor barbeques and train tours. “There is not a town in Switzerland that doesn’t have something to see in it,” Goren commented. He made sure he had a camera on him at all times. “From cultural festivals to local events to local cuisine to simply beautiful scenery, every destination is an adventure,” he said.
Goren felt that he experienced the greatest personal growth from witnessing the way the Swiss behave: “The way they act in their communities, the way they decorate their houses, and the way they celebrate their festivals—they really try to make everything as beautiful and friendly as possible, to an extent previously inconceivable to me. They gave me a personal standard to strive for: to try to go beyond the functional necessity of a home, the minimum requirements of a job, or the commercial appeal of a holiday, and to really try to make it something worth sharing and remembering. The Swiss really take pride in the way they live and the way they act, and I think I’ve been enriched by it.”
Goren believes that every interested student should try to take advantage of the experience of studying and living abroad. He also stressed the importance of working out a plan that will allow one to graduate on time, which includes arranging for transfer credits prior to leaving RPI.
In closing, if you do visit Switzerland, Goren urges you to “leave behind all preconceptions about the taste of chocolate.” Since the process of making milk chocolate was invented by the Swiss, this is good advice indeed.
If you are interested in learning more about this specific program, please contact Tolga Goren at gorent@rpi.edu. Since the administration for the program has changed twice in two years, and there are no other alumni on campus, he is perhaps the most knowledgeable person on campus regarding this specific program.
