Narrator, “Switzerland”

The narrator of “Switzerland” is a woman who is recalling events from her youth. She grew up in the United States, but when she was 13 years old, her family lived in Switzerland for a year while her father did a medical fellowship there. The narrator attended a boarding school there and befriended two older students. She was impressed by the older students’ seeming confidence, especially in matters relating to sex. When the narrator returned to the United States, she felt more mature and adventurous. She now has a daughter and worries that the daughter will be sexually reckless.

Soraya and Marie, “Switzerland”

Soraya and Marie are the two older students that the narrator befriends in Switzerland. They appear to be in their late teens. Soraya is from Iran, and Marie is Thai-American. Soraya and Marie are both sexually active, and they have faced stigma from their families...