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Unforgettable Europe: Memories for a
Lifetime
by
Kate Brule
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When I first heard
that Professor Carla Lovett offered a summer course on the history of
the European  Union,
the idea of a three-week long backpacking trip to
some of Europe’s greatest cities (London, Paris, Berlin, Prague,
Warsaw, Vienna, Venice, and Rome) seemed
terrific all by itself. So I signed up expecting to gain a
college credit and some unforgettable memories. Now having
returned, I can say that I did
walk away with countless memories, and the class is listed on my college transcript;
but I also gained new perspectives that will change me forever.
First of all, whoever said that traveling in itself is a vacation was
seriously mistaken. At times I felt as though I could be on ENC’s own
version of the Amazing Race as ten of my fellow students and I battled
the heat, weathered the rain, raced the clock, and struggled with
language barriers, currency exchange rates, and the fatigue of constant
mobility that comes with three weeks of backpacking across
Europe. The trip required a high level of physical endurance and
intellectual commitment to take advantage of the numerous historical
sites and sightseeing opportunities we enjoyed but as a result I
learned that the most rewarding experiences in life happen only as a
result of hard work and personal motivation.
Secondly, I gained new revelations on the importance of historical
memory. For instance, the Berlin Wall tells the story of a nation
divided by political ideology and validates the historical truth that united we stand, divided we fall.
The ruins of Rome stand almost as majestic as when they were first
constructed but in the process only serve
to illustrate that greatness
does not guarantee permanence. Paris’ Notre Dame and Rome’s
Sistine Chapel remind us of the magnificent heights to which humanity
will strive to worship God and glorify Him while at Poland’s
Auschwitz-Birkenau we remember the
millions lost in the depths of a
collective human depravity. History, therefore, is not simply an
assortment of names and dates stored in the backs
of our minds to gather mental cobwebs. Rather, as Cicero wrote,
“history is the witness that testifies to the passing of time; it
illuminates reality, vitalizes memory, provides guidance in daily
life…” and, we might add, helps guide our path into the future.
Finally,  I learned that with global integration comes cultural
sacrifice. In Europe, Starbucks and McDonalds line cobble-stoned
streets, while iPod billboards and posters of American movies cover
historical monuments. Top-selling
music usually consists of
contemporary hits from the American Top 40 rather than folk songs or
other offerings from national musical icons. In the States we
expect foreigners to speak English; hypocritically, I expected the same
in Europe and yet it turned out to be true. Many European nations
are quickly assimilating into the modern global culture where English
is the lingua franca and the
need for local languages increasingly passé.
Unfortunately, the desire for a prosperous national future often
overwhelms any concerns that engaging in global “get-rich-quick”
schemes could end in cultural bankruptcy.
I now have settled back into my comfortable life in the States and my
trip is becoming something of the past. However, it is not the
kind of adventure that I will take out of a cerebral storage bin to
relive at some point in the future when
bored. Instead, the
experience will remain an integral part of my everyday world –
providing motivation, meaning, and memories for a lifetime.
_
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The
James R. Cameron Center for History, Law, & Governrnent |
Eastern
Nazarene College | 23 East Elm Avenue | Quincy, Massachusetts
02170
| Phone: 1-617-745-3000 | email: r a n d a l l . s t e p h
e n s @ e n c . e d u
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