First Impressions

Standing outside our airbnb, a big white house in Lausanne, Switzerland, we tried the front door and found it unlocked. We stepped inside an empty, shadowy foyer. Further in were soaring ceilings and nearly everything was painted a cool white. But it wasn’t sterile. Original wooden beams showed the age of the house and placed around the rooms were exotic accents, like a carved statue of an alligator or a Hindu god. 

There was also an assortment of people lounging in the oversized and impeccably decorated kitchen and living areas. They were apparently visitors like us, though it seemed like they had been there a while and knew how to make themselves at home in this odd commune of a guesthouse. 

There was a chill, modern-hippy vibe going on. It was quiet and no one looked up. They didn’t seem to notice that we were there, or didn’t care either way. I turned toward the person closest to me and asked awkwardly if he knew the way to the loft where we were supposed to be staying for the night. He nonchalantly pointed out the stairway and turned back to whatever he had been doing.

This first impression was a little like the rest of Lausanne. Edgy and a bit unnerving, but not necessarily in a bad way. The city felt almost aloof, like the cool older kid at school. I liked the way the people seemed to give each other plenty of space and weren’t trying too hard. And the layout of Lausanne doesn’t make it easy for newcomers either. It stands at several levels with mazes of steps between them creating a multi-layer effect that can leave a confused visitor high above or far below the street they were aiming for.