Eva-Liisa Naxweka

At Work

I had the privilege to work at Zurich University of Applied sciences (ZHAW) with the Food Biotechnology research team in the Food and Beverage Innovation Institute. I was warmly welcomed and introduced to a number of people; my mentor, colleagues and other members of the institute. In the beginning, I had a lot to comprehend, from getting accustomed to new technologies, adjusting to a German keyboard, and learning to communicate with non-English speaking colleagues. Work was always busy, I started off with minor tasks, such as media preparations, assisting in different projects e.g., Cocoa beans etc. However, my main project was the isolation and identification of microorganisms in the sourdoughs (Whole Wheat & Whole Grain). This was done using the application of Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). My project consisted of many different tasks and has allowed me to master as well the following techniques: media preparation, streaking, serial dilutions, and preparation of cryotubes for long-term storage.

 My mentor was very understanding and patient. Her guidance and feedback to my performance was everything, ‘your streaking got better’ she would say. That always made my day!  Honestly, my workplace was filled with kind, cheerful people. They would never start a new week without asking how my weekend was. I learned a lot about the Swiss culture through our casual conversations. One of my favourite things were the treats we had in the office.

My time at ZHAW also enabled me to improve on my interpersonal skills. I had an incredible experience and being able to put my theoretical knowledge into practice gave me a sense of accomplishment.

Host family

I stayed with Corinne and Dieter Gantenbein during September and October, then moved to Koni and Claudia Meyer in November. Both families welcomed me warmly. The families were quite different, Claudia and Koni were vegetarians while Corinne and Dieter were not. Every day, I learned something new from each of them. I enjoyed the Environmental discussions I had with Koni, him being the Environmental scientist, and off course, I, the Environmental Health Sciences student.  The families made sure I got to taste all the special Swiss and Italian dishes and saw all the beautiful historic places.  Corinne never skipped her sourdough feedings, that meant that after every two weeks we ate sourdough pizza. Dieter was the dancer, oh man, does he love salsa. Experiencing vegetarian meals was very interesting because I mostly ate meat all my life. However, with Claudia and Koni, being the great cooks that they are, I would not miss a single meal.  Claudia always says, ‘I am proud of Eva, because she’s so easy going, she eats everything’. She had a variety of dishes, cooking something different every day, and honestly, I am going to miss everything!

Highlights and challenges in Switzerland

To make the most out of the short period, I dedicated my weekends to exploring Switzerland and other neighbouring countries, such as Italy and Germany. I travelled to places like Lucerne, Bern, Schaffhausen, Milan, I even got to experience my first snow in Zermatt, and explored the Matterhorn glacier paradise, that was extraordinary. I had a lot of fun meeting new people, trying Swiss, Italian and Afghanistan food. I also discovered something about the Swiss animals, for a second, I thought they were human, they fascinate me.

Some of my Challenges included, struggling to make time for my schoolwork in the beginning, as I was always busy, and often felt tired after work. The language barrier also proved to be rather challenging. However, I take that as a benefit because I learned some common German words during my stay.
Learning to navigate the local transportation system, understanding currency and language, and embracing local customs contributed to a smoother transition.

MY FUTURE PLANS

I plan to complete my Honours degree this year and pursue my master’s degree in environmental health sciences, as well as getting a good job. I wish to share the knowledge I gained during my time in ZHAW. I have not always been a fan of travelling, but I have seen the beauty in it, from experiencing different people, learning new things & languages, and with that said, I look forward to exploring my country more.

PERSONAL MESSAGE

B360, I am extremely grateful for this fruitful opportunity.  Your dedication to fostering innovative educational solutions and creating meaningful opportunities for African students is truly commendable. This opportunity had such a positive impact on my life. Thank you for your unwavering support and dedication. I wish you a beautiful future filled with success.
Future interns, embrace every moment, communicate openly. Oh, and remember to smile!