Guest Blogs
Knowitall.ch often invites local experts in their field to contribute to their own blogs on our site. This means not only you will benefit from the useful recommendations that we make on our News pages, but you can also profit from some of the great advice and tips that these experts have to make on their favorite subjects. Whilst each of these bloggers has been recommended to us at some point during the evolution of Know-it-all passport and knowitall.ch, obviously we are not able to test out all the suggestions they make on their blogs, nor do we necessarily agree with all their opinions. So if you do find one of their tips useful (or not!), do let us know!
To make these blogs more accessible to you, we have now decided to group them altogether in one section, entitled Guest Blogs, accessible from our main menu bar. We will also post the most recent blogs on the home page of our site in the right hand column.
We are still building up this area of the site, and are looking for bloggers in a number of sections, including Your Home, Travel, and Leisure, so if you feel you have a useful contribution to make in either of these areas, and have the time to submit blog entries approximately every month, then please get in touch!
Photo long shadows ©Lisa Cirieco
By Elizabeth Ballin, Professional Certified Coach/International Coaching Federation
In today’s fast-paced world, wellbeing can feel like just another task on an already packed to-do list. But true wellbeing isn’t about perfection—it’s about cultivating a balance. When we take a holistic view, we recognize that mental, physical, personal, and professional health are deeply interconnected. Nurturing one uplifts the others.
Yet many people feel they don’t have time to care for their mental and physical health, leaving them too tired to live fully. As a coach, this understanding is at the heart of my work. I support clients in creating balance across life’s domains—building resilience, deepening self-awareness, and growing in meaningful ways. Wellbeing isn’t separate from success—it makes sustainable success possible.
Each area I explore below contributes to overall wellbeing. These elements help us experience more joy during the good times and serve as steady anchors when life feels overwhelming or uncertain. By tending to them, it becomes easier to stay grounded, connected, and resilient.
Mental Health: Finding Balance in the Everyday
Mental health is more than managing stress or avoiding burnout—it’s about creating inner equilibrium. This includes getting adequate rest, finding joy in small moments, and knowing when to seek support—whether through therapy, friends, or family.
Becoming aware of your mental state is key
What soothes you?
What energizes you?
What can you let go of?
Who or what can help?
Simple practices like journaling, meditation, or curling up with a favorite book can renew your mental energy. And don’t underestimate the healing power of laughter, meaningful conversation, or a spontaneous dance break. Kindness, humor, gratitude, and forgiveness and having fun aren’t just nice ideas—they’re essential emotional anchors. And of course, good sleep is vital for mental recovery.
By Sabine Hutcheson, Director of Marketing & Head of Secondary Admissions at Geneva English School
What is Outdoor Education?
The term Outdoor Education encompasses a broad range of activities, topics and skills. From learning about nature, to planning and taking part in an expedition in the mountains, it is an opportunity to get young people away from their phones and laptops and out into the great outdoors.
How does it fit into a school's curriculum?
For decades in the UK, teachers have been trained to deliver the Duke of Edinburgh Award in Secondary schools. The programme consists of a series of challenges that lead to three levels of certification for young people between the ages of 14 and 18: Bronze, Silver and Gold. Challenges range from setting up camp to planning and leading expeditions, increasing in duration and difficulty.
Local schools such as Geneva English School offer a broader range of opportunities leading to the Duke of Edinburgh Award to ensure students of all ages, starting with Early Years and Primary, experience life outdoors and develop essential life skills, including problem-solving, working as a team, resilience and managing stressful situations. Physical activity outdoors helps the mind focus on the here and now, which ultimately contributes to greater focus and discipline both in and out of school.
Photos from GAOS shows: Twenty, High School Musical, and Aladdin
by Jo Beveridge, GAOS
Chairing the largest English-speaking musical theatre group in the Romandie, I am sometimes asked why do people get involved in musical theatre groups?
The most obvious reasons of course, is love of music or dance or acting and the sheer fun it!
On stage
But, for some, it is the first step on careers in the performing arts. This could be on the creative or performing side or the technical and production side. Where better to get pre-professional experience than in a good amateur theatre group? We have had young people start in our youth shows go on to study the technical side of theatre and work in production. For example, Owen Donkin spent many a Summer on stage with us then went onto to study Theatre Practice, Technical and Production Management at Central School of Speech and Drama then worked at Covent Garden Opera House, The Vaults and The National Theatre.
Others have stayed on the performing side and appeared on stage or made dance or music their profession. Sha Dessi appeared in many of our shows, starting with panto, then went to theatre school and went on to star in the West End as Eponine in Les Misérables in 2022. Gareth Donkin was 9 years old when he first took part in a GAOS Youth show and went on to appear in many shows and then gaining a degree in music production from the Leeds Conservatoire. His debut album was released last year.
Off stage
Other have become events managers (a skill very closely linked to stage management), opened dance schools, become drama teachers, or become choreographers.
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