Studying abroad was by far one of the most intriguing and exciting times of my life. I traveled the world, found myself in some odd situations to say the least and was fortunate enough to meet some amazing people. I will always look back at that time in my life as a time of great joy, lasting friendships and an intellectual journey. I noticed many people had assumptions already carved out in regards to the places I was going; some of them could not be further from the truth however, some were dead on. For example, some people felt that Europe was not the safest place to travel. Around noontime, authorities had found a car full with explosives and weapons that caused an attack thankfully, our group left France early that morning. In Ukraine, reports had come out of an attack on the U.S. Embassy. This “terrorist attack” that was once thought to be a grenade tossed over the Embassy’s wall, was then downgraded to extreme hooliganism when, in reality, it was just a firecracker thrown by some mischievous children. We were in good hands the entire trip but, it’s never a bad idea to have an eye out.
It was a significant time that our group travelled overseas. For example, three years after the Ukrainian government had been overthrown; we stood in the center where violent riots took place in 2014 in response to a corrupt government. We also toured a house that was built by a the former president who had sought himself, by taking money from the government, and put it into his own life, instead of looking out for his fellow Ukrainians. We saw the lavish house, worth billions, that he lived in and left many of us with a taste of disgust. Our group was lucky enough to speak to reporters who had lived through the riots and have been seeing the ongoing war in the East and the death and despair it has brought onto Ukrainian families. There was much to learn in Ukraine, it was full of lessons and knowledge that needed to be spread to the younger generations to come.
All through grade school, young American students have been taught about the horrors that humanity has faced through history but a new perspective is gained when you stand on the grounds that was once a living hell for many poor souls. On the northern edge of Kiev, we visited Babi Yar, a place where Nazis killed 33,000 Jews in a thirty-six hour period. Days later, we packed our bags once again
June 6, 1944, the invasion of Normandy, code named Operation Neptune was one of the biggest failures the U.S. military had ever experienced. The invasion changed the way our country trains the troops today. Now, we train in every type of weather scenario possible and integrate our military tactics for the best possible tactical outcome. Upon arrival to the beach, our mission had us split up into squads with little information, through communication and teamwork we had to reach the meeting point. Our job was to survey the land, gain information and then meet up with the rest of the group. On this mission, we saw the vast amount of land the Americans troops had to bravely cross in the midst of fire and unexpected bombs, Nazi strongpoints, watch towers and the Normandy American Cemetery. Which is the burial ground for the 9,387 brave men that died fighting for a cause greater than themselves. Our country will forever be in debt to those souls. On the bus ride back to the hotel, we were fortunate enough to watch Saving Private Ryan, inspired by the Niland brother, and that was something unique in itself.
During my time in Europe, it was a good mix of academic learning, site seeing and a lot of fun. In our spare time, we went on hikes to the mountaintops of Italy, witnessed the beautiful architecture of Rome and Florence and ate some of the best food this world has to offer. Museums are not something that especially intrigues my interest. However, when you are in Paris and The Louvre is right down the street, you go and see it. Architecture, especially from the Roman days, is something I am fascinated in, and seeing some of these paintings was astonishing to me. Honestly, Mona Lisa was a smaller painting than I had expected but it was amazing to see and something I can check off my bucket list. And yes, her eyes do follow you everywhere, I tried it myself.
The Former Governor of Oklahoma, Brad Henry once said, “A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination and instill a love of learning.” I am extremely grateful to the two professors that were unselfish and considerate to take a handful of students on this life changing experience. I believe through their unmatched passion and drive to share the lessons they have learned, all of us had been instilled and inspired to learn and grow more than we ever thought possible. I thank my professors because this trip would never have been possible without them.
