Chimango Chihana

AT work

From the onset, my internship was one of a kind. I say this as it happened during the global Covid-19. After having been successful and selected, there was a time I had both my fingers and toes crossed, fearing a postponement due to the pandemic!

I first met my mentor, Mr Thomas Isenschmid, via a WhatsApp video call introduction, whilst I was still in Namibia. I must say, within a short time, I was at ease as he showed great enthusiasm in knowing the intern he would be working with.

I was assigned to the Asset Management Department, where I worked directly with my mentor, Mr Thomas Isenschmid, in the Balanced Solutions Team, Client Portfolio Management. Although my mentor had prepared me, I was not prepared for the deserted corridors and empty workstations on my first day of work! This was due to the Covid-19.

My fellow team members welcomed me warmly and I realized that they had actually gone to the office for that purpose - to welcome me and get me settled! I will be forever grateful to my team members for this gesture as it put me at ease and helped me so much in settling.

Being a student majoring in Accounting, working in the banking environment was a bit hectic the first couple of days as the context of work was very foreign to me. I have knowledge of economics which I studied for two years at university, but we all can agree that applying theory to practice can prove not to be a walk over.

In no time I got the hang of things, and I was a happy participating team member!

My Swiss Host Family

I stayed in Wetzikon with the wonderful Kupper Family.

On my arrival Irene Kupper, my Swiss mum, welcomed me at the airport. Karl Kupper, my Swiss Dad, was in Tanzania when I arrived. I was aware of this as I had met and bonded with my Swiss parents electronically well before the physical meeting.

I feel the most blessed as I never had an idle moment. I feel very blessed with my family. My Swiss mum took me ALL around Switzerland. We visited museums, towns, cantons, landmarks you name it! My Swiss mum is the best tour guide because as we toured, she would share background knowledge of each and every town, place, monument, architecture et cetera that we visited. I learned a lot during these tours. I was very lucky to have a great team at work and a great tour guide in my Swiss mum.

My Swiss dad returned two weeks after my arrival. We then went on tours around the family farm, did some cycling trips around Wetzikon with agricultural and geographical lessons at intervals. With no time I was a fully-fledged integrated Swiss person. I would never have asked for another Swiss family.

My Swiss parents always made sure I ate and well catered. I tasted so many different dishes and enjoyed them too! I cannot pick a special time I had with my Swiss parents, because they were all precious and special moments, which I will forever cherish. I enjoyed our long chats after dinner about anything and everything. Very relaxing environment.

I truly enjoyed the trips, the cycling around town.

My host family made me part of them immediately and for that, I feel humbled and honored to have had a family 7000 kilometers away from home! To Anita, (Karl and Irene's daughter), my older Swiss sister, I remember the day after I arrived in Switzerland, you helped me set up my internet connection and made sure I was good to go! To Andy, (Karl and Irene's son) and Maira (Andys partner) you have been an amazing brother. You showed me the fun part of Switzerland and am forever grateful. I don't take it for granted that you have been taking the time to be here for me.

Highlights and Challenges in Switzerland

My highlights would definitely be the opportunities to travel all around Switzerland. The city of Geneva is the French-speaking part of Switzerland, the water springs and the United Nations Headquarters, going to the capital Bern, seeing bears for the very first time in my life. When I went to Lugano, the Italian part of Switzerland, it felt like I was in a totally different country. I went to Luzern to experience the traditional “Fasnacht” (carnival), Rhine Falls, the beautiful waterfall phenomenon. I cannot forget that I also went to Flims where I learned how to ski in two days! My thanks go to another host family the Schneiders, who made this trip possible.

The major challenge was the language barrier in some instances. Studying and working were quite tough for me to balance, it did challenge me though to plan ahead of time. The other I do not know if I can call them a challenge, but the punctuality of trains and buses!

My Future Plans

I am in my final year of my Bachelors in Accounting as of 2022, and my goal is to finish my studies and continue on to my Master in accounting, finally becoming a fully qualified chartered accountant. Five years ago, if your asked me what my future plans were, I would have just stopped at wanting to be an Accountant. However, after great experience, I thirst to inspire others through what I have learned or even for them to succeed to be chosen to experience it too. Working for one of the world's banks is no easy feat. Working at Credit Suisse has been a giant steppingstone toward building the career path that I want to venture in. Big thank you to B360. I will not allow what I have learned to go to waste. I have been exposed to a wholly different working environment and hierarchies that are not so common in my own society.

Personal Message

One can say I am privileged to have been born outside my motherland country, Malawi and born in Botswana which gave me a good foundation to be where I am currently at the Namibian University of Science And Technology. Everything happens for a reason, and I am blessed to be a blessing (Genesis 12:2); nevertheless, that privilege does not end with me. I am well equipped to go back to all three nations and build a better people.

Thomas Isenschmid, my mentor

The Kuppers, my host family

Ms. Sabina and the B360 family

Zikomo Kwambiri (Chichewa)

Kea leboga (Setswana)

Thank You!