Well, now you can more firmly implant that memory with a sleep as a private company has taken over one of the mansions badly in need of repair and is turning it into a hotel (click here for more details). Opinions go back and forth on whether or not government  and taxpayers should continue to pour millions into historic sites like this, or whether they should be turned over to private enterprise so that they can remain cost effective, if less historically representative.

Whaddya think Gregg Finley? Is there room for private enterprise in the preservation of UNESCO Heritage sites like this and other architectural gems?

The glimpses and sparks of meaningful space, important conversations and moments of peace in and amongst such historically or architecturally beautiful areas are what I have been remembering the most.  I took my time walking through the Louvre while we were in Paris and sat in the courtyard of one area of the massive building to try and gather all of the information and art that was thrown at me while wandering the museum.  It was moments like these on the trip which allowed me to become more present and involved in the experiences I was having and to motivate me to be responsive even when I was feeling exhausted from the travel, study and community.

I had a short break when I arrived back home, and now I have been working on a fruit and vegetable farm that has given me loads of time to think about what Europe 2010 has meant to me.  I am still trying to process all of the incredible experiences, but I am so thankful that I was able to take the trip and share it with the SSU community.

Europe has taught me a lot of things this time around. Unfortunately, it did not teach me to be an excellent speller. Thats one thing about the Europe trip that I realized since being home. The trip teaches each of us a lot of things, but not everyday practical things. Things that we won’t realize until later in our lives.

In a way I am so glad that the trip can do this in my life, but on the other hand I just wish I was a speller.

I keep telling myself this over and over and yet I can hardly believe it. As of right now so many aspects of the trip seem like shadows of the real thing. The only lingering reality of the trip is the work that follows it. Despite the fact that the trip has begun to dissolve into nothing but memories there is still so many times I see its effects in my day to day life. As I make my way through my life on a daily basis I am reminded of things I have learned on the trip. Whether it’s in passing a church and I realize I know what makes the distinction between Gothic or Romanesque architecture. I certainly didn’t know this before. Or if it’s realizing that a painting in a familiar building I’ve seen hundreds of times is in the Baroque style. Or when I’m picking a beer or wine out at the store and I see dozens of selections I’ve had from their place of origin. All of these are things that have all too easily escaped my grasp until now and certainly escape the grasp of many other people around me. Since the trip I have been taught to more actively engage the world around me and attempt to understand the intricacies and details of even the simplest things. The experiences I had in Europe will always be a part of my life in that they shade and color how I understand different parts of the world around me and that I will never be able to forget.

There’s so much to tell that it’s too much.  So many ideas, insights, questions and memories I’ve swept through over a period of 2 months that to even recount them all is…  it feels impossible.

I fell in love so many times in 60 days it’s a wonder my heart is not breaking from being apart from it all.  And even though I am thankful right now to have space and time to myself, daily I miss my tent-mate, my bus-buddy, my cooking-team and every other person I traveled with on this trip.

So what did I learn?  I’ve learned that I can fall in love with a sculpture as I stand before it and become mesmerized by its beauty, emotion and true humanness.  I’ve discovered a love and appreciation for some art not only for the art itself, but also from finding out about the artists: who they were, their stories, why they painted what they did.  I’ve learned that having knowledge of the history behind buildings and cathedrals: why they are so important to be maintained (in some cases rebuilt) over hundreds and hundreds of years, can deepen my level of appreciation and understanding of their significance. Whether it be people, places or structures their stories are important.  I have also learned that friendships can grow between the least expected of people when given a chance.

Everyone and everything has a story.  Knowing the stories can transform our ideas, perceptions, and judgments giving us a possibly deepened appreciation for the person or thing, or simply broaden our understanding and cultivate a change in our thinking.

It’s been ride!  Thanks TEAM Europe 2010!!

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/08/09/brazil.amazon.hiker/index.html?eref=rss_travel&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+rss/cnn_travel+(RSS:+Travel)

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

I’ll give you a textual clip and let you head to the article to read the rest.

God and Global
Having a connection with God and international travel emerged as second-level priorities. Nearly three-quarters of teenagers felt they would have a close, personal relationship with God (72%) in the next decade or so. About seven out of 10 youths (71%) said they will definitely or probably have traveled to other countries by their mid-twenties.

Sounds to me like SSU is the kind of place that youth are looking for today.