Dionna's favorite museum...so far...

With exterior of a castle that hasn’t been kept in the best condition, at first glance the Family of Man Museum seems like an attempt to attract tourists to the small quiet town of Clervaux. Entering the corridor that functions as a lobby as well as the museum store does not eliminate the doubts the viewer has about this museum. Then, once inside the exhibition it begins to make sense why over nine million people have viewed this exhibition and why thirty-eight countries have showcased this collection of art. The exhibition not only shows “the universality of the human experience” as the curator, Edward Steichen, had intended, but it takes the viewer into the lives of each and every person in the photographs. At least, that was the experience I had. If anyone travels to Europe, I feel like this exhibition is a must see. It really just shows life as it applies to every being on this earth. I can’t even truly explain in words the way this exhibition made me feel. Family of Man is my favorite museum in my trip so far.

>>Can you spot 2 of her travel mates and fellow McDermotts in the picture?

Christina in Canterbury, England!

I can't believe it's been over a month since I arrived in Canterbury, England. The time has passed so quickly and I am already dreading the
end of my stay here, even though it is another nearly six weeks away.
Living in Canterbury is amazing. I am staying in the top flat of what used to be an old wool mill right near the Westgate Towers of the City Centre. From my balcony I can see the famous Canterbury Cathedral and the medieval West Gate, reminding me every day that I'm not in Texas anymore. Traveling around Kent, I have gotten to walk through country fields (recreating Pride and Prejudice in my mind and fancying myself Elizabeth Bennett), visit the seaside at Whitstable, visit the beautiful grounds of Leeds Castle, and go to a barbecue at a country cottage while dozens of sheep looked on.

It's really neat to be immersed in so much history and tradition.
Visiting the Cathedral or a castle and hearing stories of what has taken place here over the centuries is a bit different from my surroundings in Richardson. Being here during the World Cup has also been fun because everyone is so passionate about it. Listening to a cab driver complain about the teams performance and a woman bartender at a pub yelling at a falling player to get up and stop whining were amusing peeks into the culture here. Now it's time for me to get back to work, but at least I will be able to enjoy the beautiful view of Canterbury from the University!

Greatings from Sevilla!

I have been in Europe now for about a month and a half, and it has been so much fun! Getting here was a challenge, since I chose to fly in and out of Dublin, even though my final destination was Spain. Ash cloud, you ask? Surprisingly, I didn't have any issue with the ash cloud, but instead with flights being cancelled over wind-shear in Houston. It took 2 extra days to get on a flight, but I finally made it to Dublin and began a two-and-a-half week whirlwind tour through Europe. Starting in Dublin, I then went to London, Prague, Karlsruhe (where a friend of mine lives), Munich, Berlin and Copenhagen. I spent a max of 3 days in each city, and, due to lost time because of the flight delay, a minimum of a day and a half. Still, each place I visited had some amazing things to enjoy! My favorites were the historic streets of Prague and then renting a bike and riding on the extensive bike-lane network of Copenhagen! A tip for anyone traveling to the more Northern parts of Europe during the summer--just because it's summer doesn't mean it won't be both cold and rainy! I learned the hard way that having a warm, water-proof jacket (or at the very least an umbrella) is vital to being able to enjoy the late-spring/early-summer months.

After the European tour, part I, I ended up in Sevilla. I've finished my first session of classes, during which I took a medical Spanish class and got to visit a local hospital. I'm doing a program with the Center for Cross-Cultural Studies which is only for American students, but we have contact with locals through "intercambios", people who take English classes at the center and want to get to know some American students. I absolutely love the city--it has the feel of an old city while still being metropolitan, as well as being home to the 2nd largest cathedral in all of Europe. Probably the best part about it is to get to be here during the World Cup! Nothing is quite like sitting in a pub with hundreds of locals when Spain wins a game. It's also very lucky that they are doing as well as they are-- they've made it to the quarter finals! Other than that, I've gone on several day or weekend trips around Spain, to Málaga, Córdoba, Doñana to ride horses on the beach, and then a long weekend trip to the Algarve coast of Portugal. I still have another month to go in Spain, then I'll be doing my European tour part II through France and Italy! I definitely recommend that anyone who studies abroad in Europe to plan some extra time into their schedule for travel. Each country, or even city, that I've visited has had a different feel that has been really cool to experience. So far, its been a great trip! I hope everyone back in Dallas and around the world is having as much fun as I am.

A Protestant in a Catholic's World

Spending 5 days in Italy was a phenomenal experience. I could write three paragraphs about the Coliseum or the Pantheon alone. It was the collective experience of the three major Italian cities I visited, Rome, Florence, and Venice that was most interesting. In all three places I had the experience of being a Protestant in a Catholic’s world.

I was raised a Southern Baptist, and still attend an SBC (Southern Baptist Convention) church. My church’s history dates back only a couple of hundred years, and the architecture is even newer. Having attended a Protestant Christian school I learned well my denomination’s criticisms of the Roman Catholic Church. I could recite ten errors in as many seconds that have been engrained in my way of thinking. I couldn’t gain a full appreciation for the Catholic Church, however, until I visited its birthplace.

From opulent cathedrals to statues of saints and mosaics of Christ and the Virgin Mary, Italy has Catholicism covered. The gold and grandeur drove home for me the power that the church wields, and its historical importance in Europe. Despite growing up in a very different Christian denomination, I have begun to appreciate the role Catholicism played historically in the Christian faith. For a thousand years Christian Emperors and Kings not only defended the faith, but guided art and music through the dark ages, until they emerged triumphant during the Renaissance.

The church patronized great artists whose works are on display in Florence, like Botticelli and Michelangelo. They commissioned cathedrals that stand as the best examples of a multitude architectural styles, like the Byzantine Style embodied in Saint Mark’s in Venice. The Vatican also contributed significantly to maintaining order and stability in Western Europe during the Middle Ages, while Constantinople in the East defended the Christian West from a myriad of invaders for hundreds of years. Without these and many more contributions, Europe and the rest of the world would look very different today.

While I still disagree with some practices of the Catholic Church, I have a renewed respect and gratitude for their tireless effort in defending the Christian Faith, and much of Western Culture as it exists today. I will never forget Italy’s magnificence, nor forget the impact that the Catholic Church has had in shaping that magnificence.

Anna Reports on Adventures in Argentina!

Our second weekend here in Buenos Aires, I traveled with Saskia and Andrew further south in Argentina to a little town called Calafate, which is famous for the nearby Lake Argentina and the many glaciers surrounding it. We flew out of Buenos Aires Friday night (after a delayed flight adventure at the airport) and arrived in Calafate three hours later. Saturday morning, we woke up early to take a bus down to the lake, where we got onto a ferry that took us to see all the different glaciers. We also got very close to some beautiful blue icebergs (see Whoosh picture #2)--if I remember correctly, the color is due to the fact that the icebergs are made of compacted snow and not just regular ice. I may need to check on that, though.

The boat ride was so much fun! It lasted until the afternoon, and pictures were constantly being taken. It even snowed for a bit, but thankfully, the skies cleared up, allowing us to see Perito Moreno, the most famous glacier in the park. It was a good thing there was heating inside of the ferry, though, because it was freezing outside! (Literally, the temperature was below 0 degrees Celsius during the weekend, since it's winter here in the Southern Hemisphere.) Thank goodness for layers of clothing.

Sunday morning, we got to meet some genuine gauchos (Argentinian cowboys) of Patagonia, the name of the region, on horseback! (See Whoosh picture #2.) We rode around on a nearby hill before heading back to their headquarters for some mate--a typical drink in Argentina--and fried bread. After lunch, we went ice skating on natural ice--part of the lake was frozen over and open for ice skating! Definitely something that can't be found in Dallas, Texas.
Overall, the trip to Calafate was a wonderful and one-of-a-kind experience. Glaciers, horses, and ice skating, all within the span of two days! Argentina certainly has a lot to offer.