I am traveling for work on behalf of the University of Chicago and I currently find myself in Switzerland.
First things first: I had a steak frites for lunch that will make you believe in entrecôte. My hotel recommended two restaurants. Each serves only one dish: steak frites. My self determination in the matter was whether I wanted butter or wine sauce. I went with the wine sauce at a restaurant called Wine & Beef. You are given a menu when you sit down but it is for wine selection only. Beyond that, the salad, followed by the infamous beef dish is brought to you in due time. No ordering needed. One of the many things French cuisine has work out: do one thing and do it well. And do it in a turn of the century architectural beaut with glorious wrought iron tables and chairs.
Second: Since starting this job with UChicago, I spend a significant portion of my time hearing stories from our alums. Being a university that admits a high caliber of students combined with the sheer volume of folks I talk to from around the world (literally), I've been fortunate to hear some intriguing stories and perspectives. Two of them included here:
Cows can walk only up stairs. Why do humans insist on going up and down continuously?
I met with an alum who was in Chicago from his home in Madagascar. Beyond his place of current residence, I knew little about him. Over breakfast in Hyde Park, he nonchalantly told me his story which included living in California and New York working in mathematics and the stock exchange industry. At some point he decided to give it all up, travel the world for a year and then settle ultimately in his favorite place as it would surely be discovered during his travels. This place was Madagascar. His entire life story was extremely interesting and what has stuck with me most is his perspective on the flow of life. I asked how he dealt with being an expat. Had he intended to stay abroad forever? If so, did he ship his things abroad? If not, is he storing things state side? He responded that, for him, all of those things are anchors to the past and life is a forward moving experience. What matters is what's next and with whom you do it. The artifacts keep us from experiencing the next. This forward looking outlook was inspiring as I, myself, struggle with how to be mobile while carrying along with me 300 books and furniture built of memories.
Philosophical big bang
Sitting on the banks of lake Zurich watching the sun set on the Swiss Alps (terrible view...), a nearby (non-UChicago alumni) group drew me in to conversation. With the input of a drink or two, the conversation quickly turned to perspectives on human interconnectedness. One particularly inspiring idea is that we must recall that we are all, in fact, one in the same. Physically, it all started with the big bang. One piece of matter exploding and thus launching the cycle of evolution that brings us to where are are today. But fundamentally our physicality existed as the same molecule (prior to big bang) and are, then, fundamentally the same as everything around us. And our physical selves, these overdeveloped particles from the big bang, are houses for our transcendental spiritual selves. This perspective is enticing given the aforementioned grappling with how to deal with "things" in my life as I simultaneously am compelled to be nomadic. Also appetizing is the language it gives us for being compassionate to fellow humans. No matter cultural, linguistic, or even physical differences, there is a connection.
