ADVENTURES AT FRANKLIN

Sometimes as Franklin students we get so caught up exploring Europe (and beyond!) on our weekends, that we forget to appreciate the beautiful city we live in. Lugano is actually a tourist destination for many Europeans and a true gem of Switzerland. So whether you are a student looking to get more acquainted with your new home, a visiting friend, or a parent dropping your child off, here are some of my favorite things to do in Lugano!  SAN SAL : The steep switchback hike is not for the faint of heart, but the view from the top is absolutely incredible! You can see all of Lugano's surrounding lakes, the mountains, and even Italy! If you are short on time (or don't want to hike) you can also pay to take a funicular up to the top.  SWIM : If you are here during the warm months, don't neglect to take a dip in Lake Lugano. The best place to swim is at Lido al Lugano, for 6 francs you get access to a beach, swimming pools, high dive and more.  LAGHETTO : ...

Sometimes life in college can get busy. So busy that you barely have time to blog! ( ahem that's me.)  So, I apologize for the sporadic posting last semester. But, I was working on a super cool video project debuting this Fall (more info on that later). Not to mention that I was having the time of my life at Franklin!  If you're a prospective student reading this blog for the first time, welcome! If you're a new incoming student for the Fall 2014 semester and wondering what life at Franklin is like, I hope that this post can be a help.  So without further adieu, here is a recap of what I did last semester!  It started out strong, after a refreshing winter break back home, I was ready for a new semester of classes, learning and exploring! I already told you a bit about winter at Franklin and my February travel to budapest , so let's start with the academic side of things.  Classes I took:  Italian  International Polit...

We all have been back from Academic Travel for about two and a half weeks now, so reality has finally sunk in! As much as I wish I was still in Africa on a Safari, I also can't complain too much. Lugano is beautiful, I am enjoying my classes, the springtime sun is shining and we have so many fun April activities on campus! Before I tell you all about those though, let me recap my travel a bit. We flew into South Africa and basically spent over a week driving and camping our way from Southern to Northern Botswana! We stopped to see the rare white African lion, a rhino conservatory, lots of safari parks, the salt pans, a bird sanctuary and more! We even spent three nights in the wildest of wild places.. the African bush. Literally we camped in the savannah hundreds of kilometers away from any sign of civilization. It was AWESOME. I had the best of best times! And after 10 days of camping we made it to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe (one of the 7 natural wonders of the world!) and...

As Franklin students we are so lucky to be studying "in the heart of Europe" just like the brochures say. Yes, it may sound cliche, but it is totally true! Switzerland is very centrally located and the fact that we are a 45min shuttle ride away from three different Milan airports opens up a world of travel possibilities.  Two weekends ago Franklin students had the Friday off of school for February Break, and thanks to our global setting, many students used the long weekend to take an adventure! It is so fun to scan through my Instagram/Facebook feeds and see snapshots of such diverse places. Some students went to classic European cities like Berlin, London, Paris, and Barcelona. Others ventured to more unusual destinations like: Romania, Serbia, Morocco, and Hungary. While others took advantage of the beautiful country we live in and explored Zurich, Grindelwald, and even Lugano!  I know that many of my friends back home like to tease me that I "don't actually ...

Hello everyone! This week has been a little cold and rainy, but I snapped the above photo from my dorm when the sky was blue and I love seeing the remnants of the last snow on San Salvatore.  Blog post #2 of this semester isn't going to be super exciting, but it is super important! Financial aid packages start going out this week. Plus, this Saturday (Feb 15th) is the deadline to submit certain financial aid applications. So keep reading on if you still have some questions about the financial aid process, and hopefully I can answer them!  Q: What kind of aid is offered at Franklin?  A: Franklin offers both need based aid and merit based aid to prospective students.  Q: How do I apply for need based financial aid?  A: For U.S. based students, fill out Franklin's Institutional Aid application ( click here ) by February 15h AND be sure to complete your FAFSA application ( click here )  For non U.S. students, you only need to fill out Franklin's Ins...

Hello everyone! Welcome back! I had a lovely winter break and hope that you all did as well. Us students arrived back on campus last week, and now that I am finally unpacked and settled in a little, I finally had the time to write this post. I have some super exciting things coming up this semester on the blog! I can't wait to share them with you!  a) I am going to do a little FAQ on financial aid at Franklin  b) I am collaborating with several other Franklin students on a videography project entitled "Faces of Franklin" that showcases a diverse array of Franklin students and Franklin experiences c) I am stoked for my next academic travel to... (drum roll please) .... BOTSWANA! You heard that right, I will be spending two weeks in sub-saharan Africa come this March. We will mainly be in Botswana, but also Zimbabwe and South Africa, studying environmental conservation while camping in the wilderness. I am so grateful for this opportunity and I will definitely wr...

The winter holiday season in Europe can be so magical and Franklin students are lucky to be immersed in it for a few weeks before the semester ends. Lugano may not be a big city, but its tree is the largest one I have seen yet!!  It dominates the city's main piazza, towering above the nearby buildings! Curious about how it arrived in this, not too large, town square? Well by helicopter of course! Scroll to 1:00min and check the video out HERE as captured by a local news crew!  We take holiday tree installation very seriously here in Switzerland :)  Lugano also has the most delicious food stands spread across the city during the winter holidays. For eighteen years of my life I was missing out on the warm and yummy goodness that is a roasted chestnut. Sure, during the holidays I would sing THIS carol with the phrase "chestnuts roasting on an open fire", yet I never realized that people still ate chestnuts.. I don't know what my deal was, but I thought that ...