Tuesday, December 05, 2006
About those travel plans
I’ve decided that a trip to London and Paris in 2008 is in order. Eckerd has a term abroad requirement as part of its international business program, and I had been looking at doing a week in the Bahamas to fill that spot in my course list, but the visual arts program’s academic advisor mentioned that I could knock out an art history, my global perspectives, AND a term abroad with the classes tied to this Euro trip. The choice became obvious, and two weeks in London and Paris are now the thing.
In some ways, this trip will be a reconnaissance mission. The feeling that I need to get away from here for a while has become a pressing one and I have been rolling around the idea of living in Europe for a couple of years, post-graduation. My understanding is that Europeans are every bit as commercialized as modern Americans, and that the moral social fabric is stretched even thinner there, but none of that is really a problem, since I wouldn’t be going for the people. It’s the history that draws me. I want to see the castles of England, the Louvre in Paris, and Rome’s ancient architecture. I would love to see the work of Michelangelo, Da Vinci, and Bernini up close and in person. Seeing a Formula One race at Monza or Monte Carlo has long been on my list of things to do.
Basically, I want to see all the places I have read about my entire life. The US has become this spiritually vacant, morally crippled, socially divided, generally unpleasant place to be. Maybe getting away for a while will help me rediscover the good in living here. At this point, I’m no longer sure. It may be that I move away and stay abroad, only coming home to visit friends and family. There is so much world to see, and so little time for seeing it, I’m afraid I might have already spent too much time in one place.
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What a great idea!!! I keep trying to convince your brother to go to Europe for his next assignment but so far he has not gone for it. I just think it would be so awesome to live there for a few years especially when the Army helping us out.
Everyone I know who has been to Europe loves it, you should have so much fun.
I think it's interesting to just get a change of perspective. No saying what perspective is right or wrong. My husband James has had a few collegues down from Denmark and the Netherlands. They all work for the same company, but in different countries. They thought the U.S. was awsome because everyone was super friendly and the roads are so wide. They road in an SUV for the first time and shared how cars like Ford Exploers are in the 100 thousands in thier country. Amazing cause I would love to get away from large cars and huge roads. I guess sometimes we just want something different.
laura - my parents met in germany, when my dad was stationed there and my mom was visiting her sister, whose husband was also stationed there. they really loved it. there was just so much do to and see, so much culture to soak up. castles and palaces and mountains and festivals and museums and spontaneous jump-on-a-bus weekend trips to neighboring countries... i think they'd highly recommend it as something worth experiencing while you're young.
SIL - I hope you're right! With the way my luck has been going, I'm already dreading the plane ride. ;)
jill - It is all about perspective. I have completely lost sight of the good in a vast majority of my fellow Americans...maybe getting away would help bring that into focus.
slade - what if we're only young at heart?
That trip would be an amazing experience for you. I would love to get a chance to see in person all the things I studied and learned about for years in college. Once I get over this plane phobia I'm going to India!
My friend Dave just traveled to Europe twice (Ireland and then Germany). The photos he has are amazing! I gave him a "library mission" on his trips so I'll have to do the same for you. If you can handle it of course. ;)
lol Well, I've got plenty of time to plan, so why not?
psh. you're not old. my parents were both in their thirties before i was born and this (their time in europe) happened right around then.
...though it never hurts also to be young at heart.