I decided to spend two spontaneous days in Geneva–my very first home in Switzerland, where I spent the first ten of my 34 years here.
The last time I visited was in 2021, and I hadn’t realised how much I had missed the city and my Geneva friends.
☀️ My husband and I went on a little trip down memory lane.
We visited my old apartment building on Rue Gutenberg.
Passed by the City Hall where I became a proud Swiss citizen and Genevan 25 years ago, and a few more spots where friends and I used to hang out during my high-school and university years.
Of course, we also went to the lake and saw the Jet d’Eau.
And I was thrilled to immortalise our mouette trip across the lake with a Japanese tourist dressed as an elephant 🐘😂.
Despite the last-minute notice, I also managed to meet two long-time, very dear friends whom I’ve known for nearly 30 years. They were my very first university friends in this amazing city.
☘️ And then there were the new encounters.
Like Michel, a 70-something Genevan who had visited Egypt in 1978 and still remembered it with great fondness. We got to speak about the beauty of my home country and hometown, as well as his wife’s beautiful handmade earrings, which she was selling at the one-and-only Plainpalais flea market.
My dad and I used to visit that market every single Saturday, so it was lovely to be back.
And of course, I had to buy a pair of earrings from Michel—’cause I clearly don’t have enough. 🙈
I also had the best mocha maison ☕️ at Corde Coffee in Coutance, thanks to two very entertaining and wonderfully friendly baristas. Not to mention one of the most divine octopus dishes at Medusa, a Greek restaurant near the Nations.
🇨🇭I love Geneva’s versatility.
Its amazingly international crowd, with people from every corner of the world; the ethnic foods; the chaos; and the unmistakable Romandie vibe.
I didn’t expect to feel so nostalgic being back—but I did.
🪴 It made me think of how we can feel when we leave a job, a team or a professional chapter that has been part of us for a long time.
Even when we are ready for what comes next, we may still miss the people, the routines, the version of ourselves and sense of belonging we are leaving behind.
In fact, I had a session on that exact topic with a client the day before I left for Geneva. Funny, isn’t it? The reason I left Geneva back then was to begin a new professional chapter in Basel.
Missing something doesn’t have to mean we made the wrong choice. It can simply mean that it mattered…
For me, it was all the memories I attach to this city: my younger years as a student, and the many firsts I experienced here—including my very first job and apartment.
🌻 If you’ve never been to Geneva, do visit. It’s a great city.
And if you do, make sure you stop by Corde and Medusa. You won’t regret it.
As I write this, my heart is full as I look forward to my next visit.
With love,
Dina 🫶🏽
Resources:
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Medusa restaurant in Geneva.
- Corde coffee shop in Geneva.
- We also enjoyed a lovely lunch at Indian Bites—equally highly recommended.
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