Loes Vanneste is originally from KASK School of Arts, Belgium. She took her exchange semester with us in autumn 2020 and took part in our applied animation module.
We interviewed her after her semester was over to find out:
Why did she choose us?
What surprised her?
And what gave her “new zest for life”?

• Dear Loes, how would you summarize your time at HSLU using only 3 words?

Frechness*, innovativeness, chocolate 

• Why did you choose HSLU for your exchange semester? 

I wanted to learn new (digital) techniques. I heard HSLU had a lot of equipment to offer and that gives the students a lot of freedom to learn new techniques and get good at it. The school looked rather professional because of that. I’m really glad I went because this was all true! There were big studios, a lot of digital (new) stuff, a big stop-motion workshop and above all this: a lot of space. 

• How did you prepare for coming here?

I did not prepare much to go there. I just trusted on my instincts. The only thing I did was getting the paperwork done and packing the stuff I needed. Of course I first looked up the city, the surroundings and where the school was settled and looked for an accommodation. But I thought I would be fine and I would discover everything that Switzerland had to offer when I would be there. 

• What surprised you once you got here?

 I did not expect that the people would be so friendly and take me with them on hiking adventures and cosy dinners and giving me animation advice. I was overwhelmingly surprised by how sweet and giving the Swiss people can be! And of course the chocolate! Belgium is also well know for its chocolate, so I was a little bit skeptical at first, but when I tasted Swiss chocolate a new world entered my body. It’s so much creamier than Belgian chocolate. But I still can’t say which is the best. Belgian chocolate is also very good. 

• Your best memory from this semester?

I made 4 good friends at the beginning of the semester with whom I went out and had dinners a lot. With these people I have a lot of crazy memories, like going swimming in the lake a 8 in the morning after a night out, going on crazy hikes, singing karaoke together and celebrating my birthday on the Sonnenberg (a mountain close to the city). But the most appreciated memory I have is when, after a 7 hour walk, I finally reached the top of mount Pilatus. The euphoric feeling I had when I saw the beautiful tops of the snowy alps will always be incarnated in my thoughts. It gave me a new ‘fresh’ feeling. A new stroke of fresh air traveling trough my bones and gave me some new zest for life. Maybe a bit cliché, but clichés are there for a reason. 

• What are your next steps when you are back home?

Starting my final bachelor project, a new film. With the things I learned here I really can do new things with animation. My knowledge is enriched and gave me new inspiration. Next year I normally start with the master in animation and I’m secretly thinking of transferring to the new animation master program at HSLU. Maybe, who knows, I will end up between the mountains again. 


*The term “frech” in German means “cheeky” or “precocious”