International exchange programmes are life-changing. Andrina Sommer, a Swiss 15 year-old girl went to Johannesburg on an exchange for a year with YFU Suisse, a well-respected youth exchange organiser… “When are you coming back home?” Was the first question my host family asked me when I called them a few weeks back. Crazy how I […]
Genoa: so much more than a harbour…
When you casually mention “Genoa” in conversation, the most likely phrases you will hear are: “a big harbour” “the aquarium” or “my cruise started there”. The harbour is indeed interesting, and the aquarium is the largest in Europe. But what about the city itself? Most people never visit it, they usually go straight from the […]
Beautiful beginnings: ten beauty vows to consider for 2015
The start of a new year always feels a bit like a new beginning. A new chapter. A blank page full of possibilities. An opportunity to start over and to become a better person, not only on the inside but also on the outside. Here are ten beauty vows to help you in your quest […]
Christmas in Switzerland
Christmas begins early in Switzerland. Not just the commercial onslaught noticed in shops but the quieter celebration of Advent on the 4th Sunday before Christmas Eve, which this year fell on 30 November. Swiss children traditionally receive Advent calendars with 24 small flaps to open one each day until the 24th to reveal a Christmas […]
’Tis the (sweet) season: Christmas markets light up Lake Geneva region
While Christmas may be considered an over-commercialized affair, the Swiss hold true to their roots. Traditional Swiss Christmas typically lasts from the beginning of Advent (30 November 2014) to the end of Epiphany (6 January 2015). While each Swiss home may give the tradition a slight twist, some customs have remained intact: the excitement of […]
A drone for Christmas! Beware stiff laws
“Drones are just brilliant!” enthuses 17 year-old David, a student in Vevey. “I’ve asked my parents to give me one for Christmas”. He may be disappointed. With more and more mini-drones being flown throughout the country, the government recently initiated a ban to prevent them from being flown over populated public areas. Events such as […]
Half your beauty products are being rendered worthless
The problem with jars and why the beauty industry insists on using them Take a look in your bathroom cabinet. How many of your beauty products come in a jar? And how many in a pump bottle or tube? I am guessing that at least half of your creams are packaged in a jar. And […]
Christmas gifts for one and all
Santa Claus is coming to town, but what should you put on your wish list? And, more importantly, what should you get for her, for him and of course for the little ones, who are impatient to see what they will find in their oversized stockings fixed precariously above the fireplace? More often than not, […]
Sewa Beats: Do you speak djembe?
An exceptional show based on the idea that sharing music and rhythm generates an extraordinary shared experience. As you come into the theatre, you will find a djembe drum on your seat. Guided by Doug Manuel, the Master of Ceremonies, you play and accompany the twelve musicians and singers on stage. You become a percussionist […]
Win the war against winter by super-boosting your diet
With temperatures dropping and winter around the corner, warm boots, fluffy sweaters and big woolly scarfs are slowly re-emerging from the back recesses of our closets. But we need more than warm clothes to protect us from the harsh claws of winter. By making sure that our bodies are getting the right vitamins and minerals, […]
