Monthly Archives: June 2010

A Taste of Italy

June 25, 2010 – 9:11 am
By Cara T. | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

As I write this, the bus is silent as everyone listens to Vivali’s Four Seasons while we make our way towards romantic Venice. This represents so much of what I love about this trip. As we travel from country to country, city to city to city, we all crouch under the often scarce shade and listen to a lecture on the Sagrada Familia, hear about the life of van Gogh, randomly listen to the beautifully chilling voices of a quartet singing in a 6th century basilica as we prepare for a lecture on the mosaic behind them; the list goes on. I enjoy these occurrences and how they help enhance the way I experience a country or city, how they help me experience Europe as more than an average tourist.

One of the most striking experiences I have had so far was our trip to the Chianti region of Tuscany, Italy, for a vineyard tour and wine tasting. I had been told ahead of time that the vineyard was owned by the Capponi family, one of the most prominent names of Italy next to Medici, so I prepared myself for a commercialized and crowded gift shop, but I was happily wrong in my expectations. We arrived and were greeted by a friendly smiling woman who right away brought us to this rustic picturesque building where we began with a white wine and a toast against the backdrop of an amazing view of surrounding vineyards. We then got a tour of the 17th century wine cellar joined with a brilliant explanation of the vinting process. This whole morning provided such a close connection with the region and I felt as though I received a true taste of Italy.

Cara T.

From tourist to pilgrim(?)

June 23, 2010 – 8:43 am
By Dan Snyder | Posted in 2010 Comments Off

Tourism. Adventure. Journey. Pilgrimage.

Any one of these could describe the Europe trip so far. Depending on my attitude and the place that I’m at, one of those classifications could be accurate at any given time, other times it is all of the above. Seeing the pope today falls into the latter of the two.

First off, tourism. I’m not going to lie, the first thing that came to mind when I found out about the opportunity to hear the pope in the Vatican City was how awesome it would be to get a picture and then go back home saying how I’d seen Benny 16 himself.

Then the adventure began. I hunted down the details online, went to the Vatican the day before and got 20 tickets for those in our group that wanted to go. (Where my Swiss army knife was nearly thrown out by, ironically, the Swiss Guard – ask me about it if you want  to know more.)

The morning of, we woke up a bit earlier than normal and set out on our journey – tickets in hand … or pocket. Arriving in St. Peter’s Square, the crowd wasn’t as massive as I had anticipated, but even worse than a crowded square was the relentlessly blazing sun. This definitely raised the stakes – if I were just in it for a picture, I probably would have left after 2 minutes. But alas, I was there for over 2 hours and stayed for the whole address (8 languages later – does that make the pope octolingual?)

What drew me into staying was the feeling of being a part of something bigger than just me, my pictures, and this trip. In the moment all I could think about was w0ndering how many languages the pope DIDN’T know and how long one bottle of water could sustain multiple people in the brutal heat. After the fact though, it hit me how much seeing the pope meant to the people there and that to some of them, this was the culmination of a lengthy pilgrimage from distant lands.

Even if seeing Benedict XVI wasn’t any kind of grand epiphany for me, it showed me yet again how important it is to try to see the world through other people’s eyes. By doing this, maybe I can come to appreciate the rituals and traditions of others in order to help me discover more of who I am as I travel along on my own pilgrimage.

After all that, my pictures of the pope weren't even that great - but here's me in St. Peter's Square right after the main event! -Dan S.

Empty Spaces

June 23, 2010 – 5:52 am
By Alex Henderson | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)
I am really interested in enhancing living spaces! Like anyone I enjoy a great city street, park or country side. Bad use of land, either poor planning or environmental degradation means less vitality and less health. When it comes to the environment, how we use the land makes all the difference. A sense of tranquility and beauty comes from how we create and preserve art in our human landscapes. These are concerns not just for backroom politicians and civic-minded committees, but for everyone who is currently alive.
Europe has many differences to Canada in the way it uses its land. Almost obvious to everyone is that European land use is more compact because there is little excess land. What is surprising, however, is just how well they often use that little space. Land which is almost always left to the grass in Canada–such as the space between a highway overpass and onramp– is often intensely cultivated in Europe, or is made into a garden of some sort. The sound barriers along highways can often be works of art, instead of dull-grey blocks. I often see factory parking lots here paved with cobblestone and divided by rows of small trees, flowers and hedges. Of course this is not the rule, and some places are ugly and the land is used poorly, but it seems overall that Europe does better than Canada. Perhaps Canada has so much land that we slightly neglect our built-up human spaces?
What I think would be best would be a combination of the European attitude towards space with Canada’s abundant/beautiful landscape. That way we could live better in our improved lot while conserving a greater amount of natural landscape.
Alex

Through the Veil, Toward Creativity.

June 22, 2010 – 8:14 am
By David J. McCallum | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

There is  some sort of tangible invisible force that compels countless people to engage with the life and work of Vincent Willem Van Gogh (1853-1890). I have felt it in varying amounts on this trip.  The strongest though, was when we were in Arles in the Provence region of southeastern France. Van Gogh arrived there from Paris in February 1888 and immediately fell in love with the light and color of the beautiful French countryside. He would go out in the  intense sun, the blustering wind, and the torrential rain trying to capture the landscape. Weather did not deter him because art was his religion. He said once in a letter to his brother Theo, “When I have a terrible need of — shall I say the word — religion. Then I go out and paint the stars.”

In Arles van Gogh created some of his most iconic pieces of artwork. Over his turbulent twelve month stay there he generated over 150 paintings and drawings. None of these original works are on display in Arles, but regardless of this the spirit of van Gogh can still be felt amidst the different monuments that he visited and painted within, and outside of the city.

Van Gogh painted things of great beauty. Not only landscapes with proud cypress trees and delicate poppies, but also places, objects and people that mainstream culture both of his day and ours would deem as ugly or unworthy of artistic representation. Like his predecessor Jean Francois Millet (a Realist painter) van Gogh saw a deep-seated goodness in the working class people and wanted to communicate that through his art. In many ways van Gogh was just as broken and destitute as the men, women and children he painted and drew. As such, it is easy for some people to write him off as a mentally unstable man who cut off his ear and happened to create some good art that we connect with. But with every artist we must proceed past the initial veil that we encounter in order to understand the complete story.

I feel like I have passed through that veil with van Gogh and with the other artists I have encountered on this trip so far. In doing so I have learned that all human beings have the desire to be creative in some way, and in creating they grasp some sense of meaning for themselves and perhaps for a greater community they are a part of.

The following is a poem I wrote during our transit day to Arles. I think it captures something of the spirit of van Gogh.

As They Watched

There is blood drenching the fields.
Crimson, stretched over the long grass.
We walk through it,
And fall to our knees,
And weep from our hearts.

As the cypresses watch.

Just as they watched Vincent,
In the scorching heat of the day.

Furiously,
Masterfully,
Painting.

Inhaling,
Ingesting,
Light.

Absorbing,
Tasting,
Color.

There is blood on our hands.
Crimson stains from the long, long grass.

We wash and we wash,
 It will never come off.

We scrub and we scrub,
It will never come out.

Arles has marred us.
St. Remy has scarred us.
Auvers-Sur-Oise has murdered us.

But Art,
The Light,
And the Color,

Have redeemed us.

They have restored our spirits,
And yours as well,

VINCENT.

- David J. McCallum

Walking on Sunshine…for the most part

June 22, 2010 – 5:38 am
By Angela | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

Well, roughly a month into the trip and I’m still alive! yay! Alive is a good thing.  So much has happened that it’s a bit hard to know where to start…we’ve seen insanely decorated churchs and people who beg outside them, we’ve seen dogs in clothing stores and cities built on swamps.  There is an entirely different atmosphere here, and even that changes between the more northern and southern parts of Europe.

I desire a greater sense of connection with this place. I know the history and I kind of wish it was more a part of me, but it’s not. I’m not ‘homesick’ per se, but I am looking forward to being home.

One thing that a friend and I were talking about are the difference in names here from North America. What we in North America know as Vienna is really Wien and it is the same in other countries here as well….so why don’t we call them by their proper names? Why is it that we think that everything needs to have an English equivilent?

blogging for boredom

June 21, 2010 – 9:34 am
By Isaac | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

Whenever I want to have a good time in Europe I sit down and write a blog. There is nothing more exciting than what I am doing right now.

For reals though, this trip has been great. With this being my fourth trip and fourth time seeing the sites that we visit, i find myself wishing once again that i was experiencing these things for the first time. I am enjoying seeing all these pieces of art and huge churches again, and it is nice that I have memories of the cities that we visit and for the most part can remember my way around, but i can’t help but feel left out in a way.

When we first arrived at Carcasonne I watched Aaron jump up on the same wall that I had climbed when I was 12, and it made me sad. Not really, but I did wish that I could be experiencing this crazy walled city for the first time with him, instead of from the ground looking up at the joy on his face.

I find myself fighting to try and experience these old cities in a new way, but my expectations and memories of how I spent my time within their walls creates a difficult barrier to overcome. I have and will continue to have new experiences and to create new memories… but I have to write a blog about something.

Isaac F.

Contrasts (far away, so close)

June 21, 2010 – 8:39 am
By Joel S. | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

Because of the immense complexity of both culture and history in Europe, it is easy to miss many of the details we are confronted with here. Of course, there are also a lot of details for a person to take in and absorb, with powerful revelation. As for me, I’ve noticed the contrast between extravagance and subtlety. Some memorable observations include the line up to the magnificent Vatican museum in Rome where I saw cripples and beggars, some laying flat on their face, in the midst of apparent desperation. They appeared in sharp distinction to Rome, an affluent masterpiece; Rome a prosperous centre point of both historical and artistic significance (questions here remain unanswered).

In many of the cities we have traveled to we saw street vendors attempting to make ends meet, as well as unknown sketchers and painters who stood in the shadows of some of the most legendary and influential artists of all time. We saw the magnificence of St. Peter’s Basilica, a magnificence that, in all its glory and visual momentum, swept me completely off my feet.  Days later we saw the subtle and reserved nature of the peaceful churches in Assissi. Despite the differences, I was drawn to both with a similar notion of awe and wonder. We learned about Francis’s legacy in his dedication to Christ through the stern rejection of material culture (his legacy of materialistic rejection and an ultimate focus on God is influential to my own life perspective), and then we saw ‘Francis of Assisi’ collectibles displayed in the shops nearby, an unfortunate contradiction to his legacy. Everywhere we go, we see the tiny shops that stand in close quarters to monuments and sites of magnificence. We see people who live enthusiastically in the present, with appreciation for the powerful history that seems to bind everything together.

As I have witnessed, Europe is so enriched with its extravagance and its simplicity, its contradictions and its points of focus, its failures and immense achievements. I am affected by the tiny details as much as I am by the grand ones. It is impossible to proceed through Europe without being affected, and with excitement I enter further into its gates, deeper into its mystery.

Joel S.

Overrated

June 20, 2010 – 8:05 am
By Daniel Thiessen | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

One of my main goals for this trip was to really appreciate art. Anyone can look at a painting and see that it is a pretty picture, but I want to be moved by art. We’re now off to Venice and leaving the Italian Renaissance, the most recognizable transforming moment in art history, behind. We recently visited the Vatican Museum in Rome where I saw Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, a piece whose fame is topped, in my mind, only by his David, and by the Mona Lisa. To me this was an example of a pretty picture.  I walked into the chapel and, like everyone else, immediately looked up. I recognized the greatness of the work but felt little beyond that. A few superficial factors may have caused this, such as the dim lighting, the noise, and the amount of people, or that I came in at the front of the chapel instead of the back, but whatever it was, I was not really moved by this piece. Contrasting this was my visit, later that day, to Bernini’s The Ecstasy of Saint Theresa, a Baroque statue in a chapel dedicated to Bernini. I don’t know how to express in words what I felt looking at it, but I was moved by this statue. Now I just need to figure out what, in a piece of art, causes this reaction in order to have a greater appreciation for art over the rest of the trip.

Dan Thiessen

tribute to the Finster

June 20, 2010 – 6:00 am
By Kendall Kadatz | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

Just 3 days before Dr. Gregg Finley departs the Europe group, today he spoke 3 words that help me understand why he is a valued member of this community, on and off the road. “Here he comes!” he said, as I jogged toward the dinner line for the evening meal of schnitzel.

Those words point to Gregg’s consistent practice of drawing attention to those around him. I doubt that he was aware of the significance of those 3 words today because this practice is so deeply entrenched into his character. His life having been soaked in selflessness and serving others, comments like this are but tiny indicators of how he lives his life.

Both in Europe and back at SSU, most of Gregg’s time outside of class and dean responsibilities is spent listening to us, asking how we are doing, what’s going on in our lives, what the condition of our soul is. As a result, the quality of all of our lives improves. It’s been a great trip so far, partially because Gregg continues to care for those around him, noticing their contributions to our community in the midst of expressing his own. So in 3 days we’ll proudly, but with a touch of sadness say, “there he goes.”

Kendall

Worldview: Old vs New

June 19, 2010 – 9:23 am
By Ariel Smith | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

For some reason, after constant times of reflection, note taking, and journaling over these past two and a half weeks, I am having a difficult time trying to focus on a few specific moments during this time of travel.  It has been overwhelming to encounter such artistically and historically rich cities and countries in a very short amount of time, and I have recently realized how difficult it is to process it all at once.

However, one aspect of this journey that has connected with me in a strong way, a way that I did not expect,  was the peace and rest I found as I entered a few of the cathedrals we have visited.  The Basilica at Montserrat outside of Barcelona and the Santa Maria Della Vittoria in Rome were a few important moments for me.
I had a very spiritual time while visiting Montserrat, even though the Basilica was crowded with tourists, worshippers, and flashing cameras.  For the most part I was stuck at the very back, trying to peek at what I could of the service.  I finally got a little further up as the choir boys were singing, and I tried to imagine that I wasn’t amongst the crowds as I closed my eyes and listened to the haunting voices.

Later, after the service had ended, the crowd had left and just the organ was playing, I walked in and sat in a pew near the altar.  I tried to put aside my own worldview in order to understand the amazing piece of architecture in its purest form, fully created to express love for God.  I became frustrated with my own watered down faith, that often becomes bogged down with relativity and leaves out a force or purpose.  I believe our contemporary churches have struggled to be too strong because of their fear to offends or disrupts others

Sitting there allowed me to understand sixteenth century Catholicism in a new light, but more importantly, placed my North American Christian life in perspective with the beautiful story of architecture , art and faith from so many centuries ago.

Ariel Smith

Transitions, Changes, Modifications . . . Pass Me a Thesaurus!

June 19, 2010 – 4:42 am
By Shelley Kadatz | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

Transitions affect people.  Here on the road transition is constant.  In a matter of hours – sometimes even minutes, we move from one campground to another, from one country to another, one site to another, one museum to another, one cathedral to another.

As the travel coordinator, I considered that part of my job was to make these transitions as smooth as possible.  However, I have learned that it almost never works.  Why?  Because 38 people invoke reactions to transitions that are unpredictable.  In just  under 3 weeks, our traveling community has transitioned into 5 countries, 9 cities,  visited over 20 sites, have spent 23 nights sleeping on the ground, checked in and out of 10 campgrounds.  And within each of these adjustments come 38 responses and experiences that all my senses can attest to.  Just yesterday, we visited the Eagle’s Nest (Hitler’s diplomatic mountain retreat) and for whatever reason some wanted to linger longer, others wanted to run, and still others went unbothered.  It is not the only job of the coordinator to make sure that each transition is  undemanding or uncomplicated (although many people feel that it is) or even fabricate an amazing response, however it is my job to make sure that with each transition and with each person, time and space for process and progress occur within.

Shelley Kadatz

As we leave Southern Europe…

June 18, 2010 – 1:11 am
By Genevieve | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

I was riding the city bus today on my own, heading back to the campsite after seeing the Pope at the Vatican.  I was just sitting there a little bit unsure if I had got on the right bus, but pretty sure I had, when the thought occurred to me, “I’m on a bus in Rome!”  The city is fascinating and incredible with its ancient ruins that hold mysteries of a people and culture that have strongly influenced  the way societies are built and run to this very day.  However, I must admit that I will not have a pressing desire to come back – not to say it wasn’t great, it was.  It’s just very busy, chaotic and noisy… like any big city.

At this point I’m in love with Florence, there was something about that city that made my heart skip several beats.  Being surrounded by sculptures that are much more impacting in person than looking at a picture in a book.  I was surprised by my emotional reactions to some such as, Michelangelo’s David and the unfinished Pieta, as well as his finished La Pieta in St. Peter’s Basilica. With all three sculptures I had to pull myself away.

Orvieto I will go back to with enough time to sit and have an espresso at one or two of their many café’s and wander through more of the narrow, cobblestone streets that seem to only ascend at a steady incline and stop at markets run by cheerful local vendors.

There’s so much that we have done and so much more to see. I’m overwhelmed just trying to think of what to share.  It’s really hard to believe we’re only in our third week and just starting our fourth country.  With all the travelling I’ve done up until this point, there is one thing that I continue to notice; that although the scenery and culture changes from place to place, at the core of our humanity we as people are the same. This meaning no matter what the language barrier we can find people to laugh with, show love to or gain inspiration from – it’s a beautiful thing.

Genevieve

Wandering and Waiting

June 17, 2010 – 8:42 am
By Margaret Sider | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

A few days after we arrived in Barcelona, we went to a monastery/open museum on a hill – Mont Serrat. I remember a few people talking about seeing the Black Virgin Mary, a wooden statue that people were waiting for almost an hour to get to. Before we left the mountain, I was wandering around the back of the chapel and accidentally came across it, and the awe of the moment helped change the way I have been experiencing art for the rest of the trip. The statue itself wasn’t mind-blowing for me, but it was more of a holistic experience – being in such a holy place. Rather than thinking about how I could better use my time than waiting for so long in line, I realized that if people actually were waiting so long to see something, then there must be a lot to it that would be unfortunate to miss out on. A week or so ago, I waited for over an hour in Florence to get into the Uffizi on my own time, but as soon as I stood in front of Da Vinci’s Adoration of the Magi, it was completely worth it. Sometimes, waiting is more than ok.

Margaret

settling into the trip

June 16, 2010 – 7:50 pm
By Kendall Kadatz | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)
Before this trip I had not thought much about the city of Florence and what my experience would be like there. Spending the afternoon overlooking the beautiful city was really awesome. Sitting at the café looking out over the city skyline I was able to have good conversation with a couple from New Zealand, it was with this interaction that I was really able to start realizing the depth of this trip. The fact that a person can travel place to place, from one campsite to another, this experience of travel, being a nomad. I have come to realize that my sense of home is starting to change. I am realizing that home is not always a physical place, it is more the friends that I have around me, the places that I travel. I feel privileged to be traveling through all these different cities learning about cultures and meeting people. Being able to spend an evening on the Michelangelo steps with a group of people from all over the world was a real privilege. Overlooking the city and watching it slow down and switch into a more relaxed mode was really neat. I look forward to what the rest of this trip will bring for me and am anticipating spending time in the city of London meeting new people and continuing my journey.

Art, Art, Art

June 16, 2010 – 8:37 am
By Jonas Martin | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

So as we have been traveling through Europe thus far, we have seen hundreds and hundreds of amazing pieces of art.  Every museum that we go to is filled with some of the most brilliant, vibrant, and awe-inspiring pieces I have ever laid my eyes on. So much so, that I have begun to blow my way through every museum just looking out for the big names – the Michelangelo’s, the Raphael’s, the Leonardo’s, the Donatello’s – all the ninja turtles. I wonder why I do this, or why everyone who does not fancy themselves an art person does this. What makes these big pieces so much better and more worth seeing then all the lesser known paintings? Is it the artist behind the work or are the paintings themselves just that much better? My mind has been just so overwhelmed with art and brilliant images of the Renaissance, Baroque and the like that it has become hard to distinguish the good from the great.

Jonas

Coffee to Go

June 15, 2010 – 6:18 am
By Lindsay McKay | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

At the beginning of the trip, I set several goals for myself. One of those goals was to be open to learning from the lifestyle and culture of Europeans. Little did I know that one of the ways I was going to learn was through doing one of my favourite things: ordering coffee, to go. Whenever I have ordered coffee to go during the trip, the baristas have used…unconventional containers as take away cups: two large fountain cups doubled up, less than a third full of coffee and in another situation, doubled up plastic cups with tin foil covering the top to avoid spilling. In the moment, I wondered why they didn’t have “proper” take away cups, upon reflection, I have reached a conclusion on the matter. Generally speaking, European culture has a slowness to daily life, hoping to be able to savour each moment. In other words, Europeans have an eat-in approach to daily life, so to speak. North America has a “to go” culture. We strive for takeout autonomy, drive-thru “cooking”, and microwaved “meals” dominate.

It seems that Europeans are on to something. Let me place a challenge to my North American friends: slow down, “eat in.” Savour life, conversations and relationships. After all, it’s better for the environment.

Lindsay

Simply Poppies

June 14, 2010 – 11:57 am
By Tira Ingersoll | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

I stand inside an ancient cathedral with beautiful architecture and stunning frescos, or in a museum staring at a great and famous work of art known around the world; but I am unaffected. More often than not on this trip so far I have felt relatively apathetic about most of the art and architecture we have seen. There have been a few things that have stood out to me and which I have very much enjoyed or felt changed by, but 80 percent of what we have seen has not stunned me. However, I am realizing that this is okay; that everything does not have to have a great impact on me, that I can go through the trip slowly and subtly affected by things and still come out a better person. And rather than trying to fabricate a certain type of experience or trying to be affected by things that I feel like I should be affected by, allowing Europe and all that is offers touch me when and how it wants to.

I remember being in Carcassonne, a very old, very beautiful fortified city which I felt no connection to whatsoever. I remember our walk into the city and the large field of poppies we passed; hundreds of thousands of brilliantly red poppies. It was at this moment that I understood why great artists painted; I understood why they were inspired. I am writing this blog on the bus. Looking out the window every few words to keep from getting motion sickness. As I look out at the Italian countryside; the mountains, the fields of grapes, olive trees, the magnolia, the tall regal cypress` and the red poppies colouring the otherwise green landscape, I understand again where so many great painters got their inspiration. I understand why van Gogh painted so many cypresses and why Gaudi was so inspired by nature and used it to create such unique architecture. This small and simple realization is of greater value to me than standing in front of a great basilica or in front of  the Roman forum thinking: this used to be the centre of the world. I am looking forward to many more simple realizations or experiences which in turn bring so much joy.

Tira

Tan Bodies Part II

June 14, 2010 – 6:00 am
By Aaron Rasenberg | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

Another day, another magnificent cathedral, one more time I stumble over a ledge, neck bent back, eyes craning to see every detail of these masterful works of art. These “thin places”, as Gregg calls them, are getting to me. My eyes are moist, but I’m not crying, just a little emotional. I do not know why, I wouldn’t consider myself a spiritual person per se. I don’t know where these strong feelings come from, or what they are about, but maybe that’s not important. I still cannot understand how it is that these inanimate objects take hold of me, almost control me, by their subtle inflections of meaning. How is it that humans have the capacity to create such an image – using form, perspective, and proportion – to transform us. Art does not  just make me feel; it provides a window – no, a door – between what I know and what I feel, between what I understand and what I don’t. To say that art transforms us is an understatement – it destroys our pride, it tears down what we think we know, subverting what we believe to be truth. The essence of creativity is originality: something is there that was not there before.

Aaron

celeberity like star struck awe

June 13, 2010 – 8:12 am
By Cara Lehocki | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

In this short time since our departure we have seen Spain, France and Italy. Our travels have taken us to many museums, basilicas and to view beautiful architecture, but I find myself having trouble keeping track of which country Michelangelo’s “David” was in, or Dalai’s “Persistence of Memory”, because it is all happening so fast.  I know for sure I am still in Italy because I am never hungry, I find myself with at least a second serving of gelato by noon and you can find wine for 1 Euro at the grocery store. Bottom line, I never want to leave. Regardless of what country we find ourselves in there is always plenty of art (and food) to be inspired by. I’m constantly finding myself in a celebrity like star struck awe when I come across a well known piece of art that I have seen many times in a textbook, now staring me in the face. A few have given me chills and caused me to pause longer to take in what I thought I would never see in “real life”.  Among these pieces of art I found myself taking extra time with Donatello’s Mary  Magdalene statue. Even now, days later I cannot get this image out of my mind. She seemed worn out and used in every way possible, it broke my heart how sad she looked. It got me thinking about her story and her own sense of value. I would imagine that the culture and church during her time was less than inviting to someone of her profession. It made me wonder if she ever felt loved. It’s always the story behind the art that causes me to pause and think of the lives of the characters or the painter. Now that I have seen Donatello’s “Mary Magdalene” and was deeply impacted by her body language and expression, I will remember her story. I cannot wait to see more inspiring pieces of art, we have plenty of countries ahead of us and with those come new characters, artists and stories to learn about.

Cara Lehocki

Two and a half weeks in…

June 13, 2010 – 5:50 am
By Julia Roebbelen | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

…and Europe has been incredible so far! Spain, Southern France, and Italy have been just incredible. From the modern works of Gaudi to the 500 year old works of Michelangelo, the ancient Etruscans and everything in between, this trip is opening up my eyes to more than I could have ever imagined. Being able to contrast and compare art and cultural movements and the differences between modern day societies around the world is definitely challenging me to look at the world through a new lens.
I am finding it most difficult to find the balance between the sacred and the secular, and seeing where they conflict and where they are perfectly intertwined. This theme has been running through my time here since day one, and I hope to finally figure out the balance.
Another challenge is the social aspect – I was feeling a little insecure and on the sidelines for the first week and a half, and now I think that I am trying my hardest to put myself out there in order to get to know other people and feel comfortable.
Sometimes I feel like I am leaving God out of the picture, it’s so easy to just forget when you’re on such a busy trip with so many other people. But I have to continually remind myself that I am His, and this is really all about Him, and I am just a small part of a much bigger picture.
I am really excited to head up to the northern countries, like Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Germany. Those will all be new for me and a very different experience from the southern countries.

Julia

Taste and See

June 12, 2010 – 8:32 am
By Katie Ironside | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

Traveling well has proved to be harder than it seems.

Perhaps it doesn’t help that, in all the places we have visited so far, there have been a distressing number of ‘typical’ tourists who often value a quick snapshot over the experience of the moment itself. Two and a half weeks into this trip, I am already finding the need to exhort great energy in my attempt to experience Europe in a tangible and lasting way.

Learning to separate myself from the rushed touristic mentality has probably been the biggest challenge for me so far. How to appreciate a work of art, or the ancient ruins of the Roman Forum with intentional integrity. How to see ‘The David’ as beautiful, not simply because Michelangelo made it or because it is a world-renowned piece of art– but rather because I allow it to touch me personally.

Some of my favourite pieces and sights so far have been those that the general public does not generally hear about in textbooks or travel guides.

The humble voices of a Spanish boys’ choir.

A Florentine plaster of a woman in mourning.

A depiction of Mary Magdalene from the Vatican, with eyes sore and red from crying at the death of her Saviour.

Having a conversation with the woman begging outside of a French basilica.

These things, these moments that you don’t see in travel guides because they are not substantial enough to be mentioned. These are the things that move me. By seeking them out, I am doing what I can to be more than a tourist passing through, striving instead to ‘taste and see’ the beauty and depth of  what is around  me.

St. Francis and Art

June 12, 2010 – 7:59 am
By Brianna Kocka | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

Brianna

On Pilgrimage and Staying Put

June 10, 2010 – 3:05 pm
By Walter | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

Driving through the hills of Provence, I spent some time reading Wendell Berry. He has nothing explicitly to do with the curriculum of this educational journey, but every now and then I feel the need to touch base with him. He speaks passionately, knowledgeably, realistically and articulately about local sustainable community development; in other words he is one of our best guides to help us learn or recall the values required to save the world from our typically destructive ways. The last essay began like this:

By an interworking of chance and choice, I have happened to live nearly all my life in a place I don’t remember not knowing. Most of my forebears for the last two hundred years could have said the same thing. I was born to people who knew this place intimately, and I grew up knowing it intimately.

I, on the other hand, live 3000 km from where I was born, and I was born to a mother living halfway around the world from where she was born.

This struck me particularly after our recent trip to Montserrat – an 800 year old monastery on a mountain 50km inland from Barcelona. Monks have cared for this beautiful and delicate mountaintop prilgrimage site with a continuity that is very difficult for my mobile imagination to fathom. We stepped into a basilica just in time to listen to a boys choir whose forerunners have sung there since the 13th century. Previous pilgrims to this site include Ignatius Loyola, who thought he’d spend some time nearby and write a work known as Spiritual Exercises. The value of movement (pilgrimage) and of staying put are paradoxically combined in this place.

Pilgrimage and local continuity  – can we learn from one how to commit to the other? How do we benefit from movement without losing our roots? Will we end this journey more restless or more planted?

Walter

Europe is a whirlwind kaleidoscope

June 10, 2010 – 12:36 pm
By Katelyn Avery | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

I guess the predominant thought on my mind recently is that I’m currently a skipping stone across the enormous ocean that is Europe. I’ve realized that in every city we’ve visited, there is enough history, culture and just stuff to do that we could probably spend the entire trip in that one location. In Barcelona there’s the Sagrada Familia, the Barcelona cathedral and a whole Catalan culture to be explored and learned. In Carcassonne, there’s the fortified city (I wanted a horse and a suit of armour to fill out the experience). Florence: the Santa Maria del Fiore, the leather market and hey, it’s Italy! Rome…ha. It’s Rome.

Therefore, this entire trip so far has consisted of me agonizing over which places to visit. I’ve had to pick and choose in order to adequately (not properly) experience a location and get even a basic understanding of something I have never experienced before. This is not the Asia trip at all, which was like being dumped into the deep end of a really unusual pool (with a life jacket, but it was still challenging). This is Europe, and I’m just skimming along, making notes in my journal about where I want to go again, when I’m all grown up and not paying off student loans.

By the way…as cool as Rome is, I don’t know if I want to go back. There is waaay too much traffic, too many vendors and too many kitschy tour guides demanding my attention. Wait, I fib. I do want to go back…way back, like 2000 years. In that sense, I’m a little sorry we’re not going to Pompeii. I’d forgotten that Rome was a modern day city with real people still living in it. And there are a lot of people in Rome, although St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican (totally crowded), the Forum, Pantheon and the Coliseum were all awesome experiences.

Europe is a whirlwind kaleidoscope with me hanging onto the edge, taking a zillion pictures and marvelling that all these people can live in such close proximity and not drive each other all insane. Divine intervention, I think that’s what it is.

Oh, and no matter which way you slice it, the traffic circles were scary. We’re not even in France yet!

Katie A.

hanging out with saints

June 10, 2010 – 11:55 am
By Kendall Kadatz | Posted in uncategorized Comments (0)

I took 6 International Studies students to a soup kitchen in downtown Barcelona run by the sisters of Mother Teresa of Calcutta to help serve a lunch for people whose situation forces them to turn to places like soup kitchens for support. Mostly men from 25-45, most of them were immigrant workers from other countries trying for a better life in Barcelona. We served and cleaned up lunch for over 300 people, which was a privilege to help out with.

The best part of the day for me was being able to spend time with the sisters and other volunteers. I talked with a man named Francisco for a while, who comes regularly to serve at the soup kitchen. He spoke of how he felt a deep sense of satisfaction in coming here, knowing that he was contributing to something purposeful and meaningful beyond himself. He spoke of the sisters and how he was constantly amazed at their ability to give and receive nothing in return. He was almost emotional as he conveyed to me his deep sense of respect for these women.

The last thing we spoke of was how proud he was to see our group of young people coming to serve alongside him and the other volunteers. He related to me that far too often the only messages he received regarding youth spoke to him of how they were disrespectful and selfish. The sisters and other volunteers accentuated his observation with their expressions of “moi bien” and the smiles on their faces as the students participated with them in the serving and cleaning the soup, fruit and bread.

Kendall

Torches Passed, Flames Past

June 10, 2010 – 10:15 am
By Alicia Farnham | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

I’ve always had a fascination with history. Especially history that reminds us how connected we are to the somewhat removed and impersonalized people of one’s textbook. Trying to imagine what a famous hero of our past actually thought and felt and loved on a daily basis, looking past the simplistic textbook identity, gives me the chills! I mean, do you ever wonder how much Columbus loved apple pie? Did he despise potatoes? Who knows? Has anyone ever cared, besides his wife, cooking him meals, never knowing when he was going to return from his long journeys? And who made the first apple pie, anyway?!

What’s awesome about Europe for me is seeing this kind of history, real history, coming alive in the people who belong to it. In Orvieto, we watched a parade of medieval colours, divided as if by guild, or even by feudal landlords and serfs. It was so easy to see them as the distant impersonalized medieval characters from a legend or something until I saw the wink or the wide grin shot towards a friend and the head bowed wearily in the sun. Then I suddenly remembered that these were men in today’s world, today’s workforce, wearing jeans and sneakers on every normal day (as opposed to this day’s bright tights and squeaky leather boots). In fact, they might not even live the serf-type life described in my grade 10 history text!
Even still, I was forced to come full circle in these thoughts as I walked around the town and saw their moving veneration of Corpus Christi day and the flags recently marched through the streets hanging from townhouse windows; I’m left wondering with intense curiosity how much the history I was seeing and experiencing might mean to each of these Orvietians. Is it as consequential as their parades make it seem, as a personally defining history? Is it part of them as much as I want it to be? In Siena, we learned of the vying contrata, each with their own church, and alliances and feuds, all of it as old as the hills. So my full circle is this: these people may not be their ancestors in the flesh; they are very much a part of this world, this era, today’s events; but they are something more, a continuation, a passed-on torch, from the oh-so-distant and romanticized past.

But the coolest part of all this is that, though things have obviously changed, progressed, developed, the past doesn’t seem so distant here. It’s here now, just as it was here, and the future is here as well. That’s something that’s missing from Canadian identities, Canadian histories and presents; thus, I am absolutely loving this very tangible sense of ancestry so thickly rooted in these ancient places, of these ancestors whose history we (as in Canadians) also claim. The people are very rich here.

Alicia

rotondas!

June 6, 2010 – 3:17 pm
By Kendall Kadatz | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

Flight-wonderful, airplane food-airplane food, weather-perfect, sites-life changing. But alongside  all great things there are glitches, so here are some things that force us to remain flexible when things get turned around on us on our trip through Western Europe.

So the flight to Barcelona was great, but we ended up waiting for our bus driver for a couple of hours because his cell phone died (not his fault), and we forgot to tell him what terminal to pick us up from. 38 hungry, tired people waiting for a bus that might not come gave us an appreciation of just how important our bus will be to us for the next 2 months.

Next stop, grocery store to get food to feed those 38 people as we cook our own meals. We pull in to Carrefour, a chain store in Europe, only to find it closed for Pentecost Monday. A cab driver speaking only Catalan pointed us in the direction of possibly the only grocery store open in the area (lots of gesticulations, and repeated use of the word “rotonda,” which means traffic circle). We eventually find it and get our groceries, but get lost trying to find our way to the campground (encountering lots of rotondas).

Gracious to have finally arrived at the campground, we discover that we’re short one tent, one breaks in setup, and another is falling apart, so we share tents until we can buy some.

I won’t go on much longer, but over the next couple of days, Gregg got us kicked out of a Cathedral, the internet at the campground chose when to let us use it, and the grocery store wouldn’t take our credit card (oh yeah, and a rotonda outside a zoo refused to let us pick up our students there).

So, sometimes we get turned around.

Kendall

more than I thought

June 4, 2010 – 6:24 pm
By Matt C. | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

I am writing this blog quite a bit late, though I feel that I can still freshly recall the information we learned in our intensive, prior to our take off to Barcelona.  I can remember my initial anticipation to travel overseas, particularly excited to see such grand sites as Sagrada Familia, Dresden, and the Eiffel Tower.  Looking back on my anticipations, I now notice that they were almost completely architectural pieces with historical significance, but now that I am on the trip I noticed that I am beginning to appreciate the artistic nature of the sites I have visited.  The architecture of the sites still amazes me but I find the art within some of these sites as impressive if not more than the building which holds them.  For example, I visited the Ecstasy of Saint Teresa, which made me think of John Donne and his poetry, and how beautiful they both were yet slightly controversial yet the building that held this piece was nothing but a small and almost humble chapel in Rome.  I guess what I am trying to say is that I am finding a new appreciation for art as well as connecting many pieces I see to other significant historical works.  From this experience I have learned that instead of anticipating a certain piece or site I should enter each new place with an open mind, or as Peter Fitch and Soren Kierkegaard would say, “ a teleological suspension of disbelief.”

Europe can barf all over me if it wants to.

June 4, 2010 – 3:07 pm
By Cara Lehocki | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

Author Elizabeth Gilbert read my mind when she said…

“To travel is worth any cost or sacrifice. I am loyal and constant in my love for travel, as I have not always been loyal and constant in my other loves. I feel about travel the way a happy new mother feels about her impossible, colicky, restless newborn baby – I just don’t care what it puts me through. Because I adore it. Because it’s mine. Because it looks exactly like me. It can barf all over me if it wants to – I just don’t care”

ahem,
A few years back I found myself, as I often do, working a job that was less than ideal. Here I was sitting on the floor of “The Bay” in Burlington, Ontario organizing men’s Tommy Hilfiger underwear.  A new employee walked by me, so I took the opportunity to introduce myself and take a break from the underwear. I quickly learned that this boy went to a school where you could travel to South East Asia AND Europe. It all sounded too good to be true, the constant battle between my parents and I had finally been solved, it WAS possible to travel the world while still getting a degree!  Thanks to Ryan Robinson’s marketing skills that day at “The Bay”, I applied to SSU. Since that day I have been anticipating this upcoming trip to Europe. Last year’s Asia trip was wonderful in every way, but going to Europe is a dream come true. A dream that it seems I was not quite prepared for when I arrived here in New Brunswick a few days ago. Apparently, It is absolutely essential that you bring a “therma-rest” to sleep on, of course I show up with a little blue mat,  no flashlight and a sleeping bag made out of tissue paper. So I am a little behind on all the camping lingo and I am missing all the trendy camping accessories, but I suppose that is all part of the adventure. I don’t mind sleeping on the floor for the summer when I get to wake up to a view of the Swiss Alps, or see a play at the Globe, or visit the Louvre with a bunch of my friends. Not too bad if you ask me. I am ready to get this trip going and fully intend to embrace it in every way possible, the adventures, the mishaps, the rain, the good days and the bad days, whatever this trip has in store for us I am ready for it. Europe can barf all over me if it wants, I just don’t care.

-Cara “ready to go” Lehocki

And This is my Joy…

June 3, 2010 – 11:32 am
By Shelley Perry | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

We’re approaching two weeks on the road in Western Europe, but in many ways it feels like we’ve been doing this forever: setting up camp, cooking on gas stoves, fighting over electrical outlets to charge our iPods, and navigating strange cities by bus and foot.  Some of you may be wondering what exactly happens here on these SSU study abroad terms. Our days begin early and are full to the brim with experience. We rise together, eat together, sleep within feet of one another in our tents, and, of course, adventure together. So far we have dipped our feet into two countries: Spain and France.  Barcelona had us comparing Antoine Gaudi’s elaborate, albeit unfinished, Sagrada Familia in all its Art Nouveau charm, with the Barcelona Cathedral, towering over the city in all its strong gothic glory. Two places of worship, two very different experiences.

We have been moved, disgusted, and confused by the art of Dali and Picasso, and awestruck by the illustrious confidence and romance of the walled medieval city of Carcasonne.  Some swam in the cool, refreshing water of the River Gard while simultaneously examining the Roman aqueduct (Pont du Gard) built in the first century; others have sipped espresso and practiced their French or Spanish in tiny cafés set on cobblestones streets.  All of our experiences are collective, and yet they are all different; as individual and as far removed as the east from the west, yet shared within the context of an imperfectly beautiful travelling community.

And this is my joy. As a leader I get to hear thirty-two different views on each cultural, personal, and academic encounter; I get to wake up to the sound of laughter or singing in a nearby tent; I am there for the screams of horror as the girls find “squatty potties” in the French bathroom stalls in one moment, and in another have the privilege of sharing tears with a heartbroken, frustrated, homesick, or overwhelmed student. This isn’t even to mention the walks on the beach, conversations on the bus, games at the campground, prayers whispered together in tents, and the knowing looks and wordless exchanges that come with a shared secret, humorous anecdote, or an unexpected sacred moment.  I am experiencing Europe through thirty-two very different sets of eyes, and to be honest, I am becoming quite fond of it.