ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME

Marianna Shurina

Today, PeeDee and I went on two adventures of a lifetime.

After much contemplation and worrying, we both decided that the experience of going paragliding would be worth the fear.

We started the morning meeting the paragliding coordinator at the train station where PeeDee and I waited for him and enjoyed the sights of Luzern. We then had a half an hour car drive to take a lift to the top of the mountain to paraglide.

Marianna Shurina paraglides over Lake Luzern. (Contributed photos)

As I am not good with heights, PeeDee had to help calm me down. Thankfully, we remembered the technique our speech communication class taught us about preparing to give a presentation. I had to exhale longer than I inhaled to relax my heart rate which, according to my Fitbit, proved to work wonderfully.

After an amazing flight that I would do again in a heartbeat, PeeDee and I reconnected at the bottom. PeeDee told me he flew over Lake Luzern, and I told him I got to steer.

PeeDee and Marianna Shurina go on an adventure in Switzerland.

We then drove back where our tour guide was nice enough to drop us off at Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge). As our classmate Delaney informed us, the bridge was built in 1333, burned down in 1993 and was rebuilt in 1994. Fortunately, 30 of the paintings from the original bridge were salvaged and now are mounted on the new bridge.

Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge)

Accidents like the fire are why we, especially as business people, need to have backup files for everything we do. You never know what life will throw at you, and it is better to be over-prepared than under-prepared.

We then walked over to take a small motorboat on Lake Luzern to go for a swim. Lake Luzern is where the water flows down from the mountains, including Mount Titlis where a few of our classmates visited when we went to Engelberg.

Our paragliding coordinator warned us that the lake would be cold from the mountains, but PeeDee and I did not realize how cold. However, we do not regret swimming in it because, after a long day, it felt refreshing.

PeeDee and I then finally headed back to the hotel after a long day of adventures. We were exhausted, but it was well worth it. I definitely think I speak for PeeDee and the rest of my classmates when I say, I would not trade this experience for anything—I have made so many friends and grown close to existing ones.

Shurina poses for photos in Switzerland.

-by Marianna Shurina, junior from Celebration, Fla., majoring in accounting
June 10, 2018

Kallyn Cunningham

Wow, what a day! I cannot even begin to explain how lucky I feel to have been a part of the Swiss culture today. 

Most of the trip so far has been filled with many amazing tours and numerous meetings, but today was the last day on our itinerary where we were left completely schedule-free. This may sound great, but it is in fact very nerve-wracking.

The question is: what do you do in a foreign land where, as the saying goes, “the sky is the limit?” Well, the sky is exactly where I headed. 

Kallyn Cunningham paraglides in Switzerland. (Contributed photos)

Spending a week in Europe has taught me that people here are very trusting of one another, so a group of us decided to take a chance and entrust a couple of strangers with our safety. I was able to get in contact with a man from a local listing in the pursuit of an adventure. At 9 a.m. sharp, three cars pulled up at the local train station, gathered the 10 of us and away we went.

We were going paragliding. We took a cable car up the mountain, but unfortunately the weather did not look too promising as the rain began to roll in. We were hopeful and decided to wait around and see if the storm would pass. This time allowed us to enjoy the beautiful views, learn about our flyer’s life stories, and also get a once-in-a-lifetime experience to pet the local Swiss cows. And I must say, even the cows here are friendly!

Cunningham makes friends with a Swiss cow.

We ended up traveling to another location to see if the weather would be any better. Here, I was hooked into the gear, strapped into my helmet and clipped onto my flyer’s cables. He said the wind was still a little bad, but all we needed was the right window. 

On his mark, I ran as fast as I could. I ran right off the side of a mountain and flew away. He handed me the cables and let me steer practically the entire time. Toward the end of the glide, he took over and got a little crazy with the twists and turns. My flyer, Gabor, was a World Cup champion in aerobatics two years ago. I cannot believe I had the honor to fly with him. 

Once we were back in town the rain had started again, but I was not going to let that get me down. I ended up eating some “Doener Kebab,” a local delicacy, for lunch, then wandering the city until the storm passed. 

After the sun came out, I was able to join some locals on the edge of Lake Luzern to enjoy feeding the swans. I could not leave without getting some of the famous fondue, so The Fondue House was my destination for dinner. To end this perfect day, I located an ice cream shop that is completely adored by the locals. They presented me with the most beautiful ice cream cone in the form of a flower.

Cunningham enjoys a local treat.

Today has been a day of sunshine and rain, flawlessly paired with excitement and relaxation. I was not sure what to expect from this experience, as this is my first trip outside of the United States, but it has become one I know I will never forget.

-by Kallyn Cunningham, senior from Wendell majoring in business management
June 11, 2018