During our first free weekend, I received permission to visit Lyon, France. While there, I visited a museum about the French resistance to the Nazis during WWII and the deportation of French Jews to the German concentration camps. There was a wealth of knowledge about French involvement in the deportation of the Jews as well as the role the Vichy government played in that deportation. There was also information about the roles that certain groups played in both the deportation and in the resistance against Nazi Germany.
I found the exposition quite revealing as to the shame that the French have with regard to this deportation. While they have created the museum, it was very difficult to find. It is tucked away in an inauspicious corner of Lyon. After we found the museum, we were fortunate enough to gain free entry. One can assume that if the museum is willing to give free entry to a couple of American students, the demand for tickets at the museum is probably fairly low. We also only saw a handful of visitors to the museum, and mostly had the place to ourselves. I felt like this museum was instituted because the French felt like it was a necessary part of their history to document, but not necessarily because they’re proud of their involvement with the Nazi Regime.
Also, the information about the resistance dominated the museum. There was information about the underground publications and networks that existed in Lyon at the time. There was information about the roles that women played in the resistance and the grisly end some of these women faced at the hands of the Nazis. There was information about the tunnels located in the heart of Lyon that were used during the resistance to evade German patrols.
I learned much that I previously didn’t know about the resistance from this museum. It made the resistance and the deportation more real. Instead of being in a distant location reading about the war that changed the world, I was actually in a city that played a very active role in the resistance against Nazi Germany. I also went and saw some of the tunnels that were used in the resistance in the heart of Lyon. My experience took history out of the pages and presented it to me in real life. It was great.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Travel Part One of Six - European War and Conflict
One of the subjects we have studied extensively throughout this semester is how the EU is a unifying organization. Or rather, that Europe has seen conflict amongst itself for thousands of years. The EU organization is a vehicle for the promotion of peace across a continent soiled by bloodshed. After I visited Lisbon and went into the hills of Sintra to visit the Palacio de Pena as well as the Moorish Castle, my curiosity about the history of the area was peaked. After doing some research, here’s what I found.
Portugal was at one point part of the Christian kingdom of Castile and Leon. Afonso Henriques, a son of the house of Burgundy and heir to the county of Portugal (which comprises the Douro region surrounding the modern city of Porto), was concerned about the stability of his inheritance. His mother, Teresa, had married a count in Galicia, and the residents of Portugal—especially Afonso—were concerned that Portugal would simply become part of that county. Afonso gathered an army at a very young age and fought against his mother and her supporters, defeating her and forcing her to abandon the throne. With the support of the local nobility, Afonso was proclaimed king (Villegas-Aristizábal, p. 163).
Having solidified Portugal’s independence from Leon, Afonso looked southward. Through a series of military campaigns against the moors, Afonso eventually arrived at the Tagus River, first conquering the riverside city of Santarém. Shortly thereafter, Lisbon, the modern capital of Portugal, was conquered with the help of Anglo-Norman crusaders who were passing through Portugal on their way to the Holy Land. An international force of English, Norman, German, Flemish, and Portuguese crusaders took the city of Lisbon and forced a Moorish evacuation in 1147 (Villegas-Aristizábal, p. 182).
The ruins of the Castelo de São Jorge in downtown Lisbon as well as the Moorish castle in Sintra are monuments to the violence that has been perpetuated in Europe for hundreds of years. The nation of Portugal, born out of conflict and noble greed, owes its very existence to the other nations of Europe and their willingness to participate in an essentially religious conflict that plagued Europe and the Middle East for hundreds of years.
America, by comparison, is a very young country. It’s only 235 years old, whereas Portugal has existed independently as a nation for nearly 900 years. I find it difficult to understand the wealth of history that has passed in such a foreign land, but also find it encouraging that after so many years of consistent bloodshed through the ages, Europe is finally facing its past and discouraging political instability through unification. I am impressed.
Works Cited
Villegas-Aristizábal, L. (2007, June). Norman and Anglo-Norman Participation in the Iberian Reconquista c.1018 - c.1248. Retrieved October 28, 2010, from University of Nottingham: http://etheses.nottingham.ac.uk/283/2/Norman_and_AngloNorman.pdf
Portugal was at one point part of the Christian kingdom of Castile and Leon. Afonso Henriques, a son of the house of Burgundy and heir to the county of Portugal (which comprises the Douro region surrounding the modern city of Porto), was concerned about the stability of his inheritance. His mother, Teresa, had married a count in Galicia, and the residents of Portugal—especially Afonso—were concerned that Portugal would simply become part of that county. Afonso gathered an army at a very young age and fought against his mother and her supporters, defeating her and forcing her to abandon the throne. With the support of the local nobility, Afonso was proclaimed king (Villegas-Aristizábal, p. 163).
Having solidified Portugal’s independence from Leon, Afonso looked southward. Through a series of military campaigns against the moors, Afonso eventually arrived at the Tagus River, first conquering the riverside city of Santarém. Shortly thereafter, Lisbon, the modern capital of Portugal, was conquered with the help of Anglo-Norman crusaders who were passing through Portugal on their way to the Holy Land. An international force of English, Norman, German, Flemish, and Portuguese crusaders took the city of Lisbon and forced a Moorish evacuation in 1147 (Villegas-Aristizábal, p. 182).
The ruins of the Castelo de São Jorge in downtown Lisbon as well as the Moorish castle in Sintra are monuments to the violence that has been perpetuated in Europe for hundreds of years. The nation of Portugal, born out of conflict and noble greed, owes its very existence to the other nations of Europe and their willingness to participate in an essentially religious conflict that plagued Europe and the Middle East for hundreds of years.
America, by comparison, is a very young country. It’s only 235 years old, whereas Portugal has existed independently as a nation for nearly 900 years. I find it difficult to understand the wealth of history that has passed in such a foreign land, but also find it encouraging that after so many years of consistent bloodshed through the ages, Europe is finally facing its past and discouraging political instability through unification. I am impressed.
Works Cited
Villegas-Aristizábal, L. (2007, June). Norman and Anglo-Norman Participation in the Iberian Reconquista c.1018 - c.1248. Retrieved October 28, 2010, from University of Nottingham: http://etheses.nottingham.ac.uk/283/2/Norman_and_AngloNorman.pdf
Religion from a European Perspective
The European importance of religion is much, much different than that of American culture. Considering that the Utah gives different value to religion than does most of America, one can easily see that Utah and Europe are on different ends of the cultural religious spectrum. To summarize these differences, Europe sees religion as a part of its past, and Utah sees religion as a way of life. I understand that this is a broad generalization and a large stereotype, but I believe it to be an accurate assessment on the whole.
I spoke with a Portuguese woman on the train between Lisbon and Porto during our free weekend in Europe. I asked her what role religion played in her life, and she responded by saying that she was catholic, but not practicing. Or rather, she viewed her religion as part of her identity, but not as something that affected her lifestyle. Over the course of our discussion, she shared her belief in God, but also spoke a lot about the zodiac and about astrology, none of which I believe in.
Many Europeans with whom I have spoken feel the same way (not about the zodiac, but about the role of religion in their lives). I can understand why. Churches and religious buildings are regarded as national monuments, and tourists frequent them even during religious services. More than one time I went to a cathedral and could not visit the entirety of the church because of the mass that was being held. I struggle to understand why the Catholic Church allows such behavior in its churches during a religious service. Such a behavior would be absolutely prohibited in any LDS church in Utah.
I am curious about these differences that I have observed, and will probably ask Stacey more questions as time progresses about European Catholicism and Catholicism in general in order to better understand.
I spoke with a Portuguese woman on the train between Lisbon and Porto during our free weekend in Europe. I asked her what role religion played in her life, and she responded by saying that she was catholic, but not practicing. Or rather, she viewed her religion as part of her identity, but not as something that affected her lifestyle. Over the course of our discussion, she shared her belief in God, but also spoke a lot about the zodiac and about astrology, none of which I believe in.
Many Europeans with whom I have spoken feel the same way (not about the zodiac, but about the role of religion in their lives). I can understand why. Churches and religious buildings are regarded as national monuments, and tourists frequent them even during religious services. More than one time I went to a cathedral and could not visit the entirety of the church because of the mass that was being held. I struggle to understand why the Catholic Church allows such behavior in its churches during a religious service. Such a behavior would be absolutely prohibited in any LDS church in Utah.
I am curious about these differences that I have observed, and will probably ask Stacey more questions as time progresses about European Catholicism and Catholicism in general in order to better understand.
The Importance of Language
Prior to traveling, Mrs. Allred had taken the time to teach us all some basic French in the hopes that we would not be completely disoriented upon our arrival. While the purpose of the lessons was clear, the effectiveness of those lessons is up for debate, and in some cases, the lessons were completely useless.
I am a trilingual individual. I speak English, Spanish, and Portuguese well. I noticed many similarities in the structure and the vocabulary of French and these other three languages. Within a short amount of time, I felt like I could read and understand a large portion of anything I saw. However, when it came to speaking, the whole world was turned upside down. In order to speak, one needs a large vocabulary. My French was limited to little more than “le vecé” (bathroom) and “etudiant” (student). The phrase “Je suis etudiant” almost became a joke within our group because some of us could say little more than that. Case in point – one of the team names when we went curling was “etudiant.” When I went to Lyon with Lindsie, this became very apparent. It took us an hour to decipher the metro there and find the tourist desk. I had to use what little French I could, unable to understand anyone around me and with no help. It was very stressful and very difficult. Still, Lindsie and I managed. It was a great learning experience, and that day probably strengthened my confidence and my French vocabulary more than any other day.
When I went to Italy, however, all bets were off. I was hoping that because of my Spanish I would be able to understand a lot of the Italian that I would hear and that I would be able to communicate effectively with the Italians. Wrong. We got lost in Bergamo, Italy for about an hour. In an attempt to save ourselves, we stopped at a pizzeria and tried to talk to the employees there, asking them for directions to our hostel. They were very confused, and couldn’t understand a lick of any Spanish or Portuguese I threw at them. Only one lady spoke a bit of English, and it was through her that we were able to get the help we needed to find our hostel. I didn’t like feeling completely and totally unable to communicate, and I hope that the next time I visit Italy, I have someone beside me that can speak Italian.
In short, without the ability to communicate, and without language skills, mobility and the ability to ask for help are greatly diminished. I’m motivated to learn more languages now.
I am a trilingual individual. I speak English, Spanish, and Portuguese well. I noticed many similarities in the structure and the vocabulary of French and these other three languages. Within a short amount of time, I felt like I could read and understand a large portion of anything I saw. However, when it came to speaking, the whole world was turned upside down. In order to speak, one needs a large vocabulary. My French was limited to little more than “le vecé” (bathroom) and “etudiant” (student). The phrase “Je suis etudiant” almost became a joke within our group because some of us could say little more than that. Case in point – one of the team names when we went curling was “etudiant.” When I went to Lyon with Lindsie, this became very apparent. It took us an hour to decipher the metro there and find the tourist desk. I had to use what little French I could, unable to understand anyone around me and with no help. It was very stressful and very difficult. Still, Lindsie and I managed. It was a great learning experience, and that day probably strengthened my confidence and my French vocabulary more than any other day.
When I went to Italy, however, all bets were off. I was hoping that because of my Spanish I would be able to understand a lot of the Italian that I would hear and that I would be able to communicate effectively with the Italians. Wrong. We got lost in Bergamo, Italy for about an hour. In an attempt to save ourselves, we stopped at a pizzeria and tried to talk to the employees there, asking them for directions to our hostel. They were very confused, and couldn’t understand a lick of any Spanish or Portuguese I threw at them. Only one lady spoke a bit of English, and it was through her that we were able to get the help we needed to find our hostel. I didn’t like feeling completely and totally unable to communicate, and I hope that the next time I visit Italy, I have someone beside me that can speak Italian.
In short, without the ability to communicate, and without language skills, mobility and the ability to ask for help are greatly diminished. I’m motivated to learn more languages now.
Public v Private Transportation in Europe
In my observation, it is clear that Europeans value the ability to move between cities and areas of major population with ease. So much so, in fact, that they believe the government should provide a way for transportation between areas of major population. Hence the national railways and the much more affordable air travel costs. Cities in Europe were not built for the car and high-speed road travel. The roads are smaller, the traffic is much more congested, the buildings are taller and population lives much closer to work centers. This way of living is much different than the Western American way of life.
In Western America, the attitude is that in order to travel long distances, or even be basically mobile in an area of major population, one must own a car. Cities are planned around this idea. Roads are wider, gas is cheaper, buildings are more spread out, and distances between homes and work is much greater. High rises and apartments are much less common, and are usually occupied by the financially disadvantaged and the single. In Europe, entire families with five or six people live in small apartments. Apartments can be purchased there. Never in America have I heard of anyone buying an apartment.
The metro is the solution for how Europeans in large urban areas can maintain their mobility without making the huge investment in an automobile. The Paris metro is the largest and most comprehensive (not to mention complicated) metro system I have ever seen. There are 14 lines that span the width and breadth of the city. Trains come and go on each metro line every five to ten minutes. With this amazing tool available to the public at 1 Euro per ride, why would anyone want to take the trouble to buy a car, find a place to park it (which is a real issue), purchase car insurance, and worry about fuel and maintenance costs? It’s more economic to use the metro in urban areas and to use the national railways when traveling to the countryside. A car is a symbol in Europe. It means economic strength, power, and wealth. That much is very clear to me.
In Western America, the attitude is that in order to travel long distances, or even be basically mobile in an area of major population, one must own a car. Cities are planned around this idea. Roads are wider, gas is cheaper, buildings are more spread out, and distances between homes and work is much greater. High rises and apartments are much less common, and are usually occupied by the financially disadvantaged and the single. In Europe, entire families with five or six people live in small apartments. Apartments can be purchased there. Never in America have I heard of anyone buying an apartment.
The metro is the solution for how Europeans in large urban areas can maintain their mobility without making the huge investment in an automobile. The Paris metro is the largest and most comprehensive (not to mention complicated) metro system I have ever seen. There are 14 lines that span the width and breadth of the city. Trains come and go on each metro line every five to ten minutes. With this amazing tool available to the public at 1 Euro per ride, why would anyone want to take the trouble to buy a car, find a place to park it (which is a real issue), purchase car insurance, and worry about fuel and maintenance costs? It’s more economic to use the metro in urban areas and to use the national railways when traveling to the countryside. A car is a symbol in Europe. It means economic strength, power, and wealth. That much is very clear to me.
Europe and the Environment
In my observation, it has become very clear that the environment is very important to the Swiss and to the rest of Europe. Why? Because as population continues to grow and as cities expand, less and less space for plants to flourish. I don’t even know if deer exist in the wild of Europe anymore. I saw domesticated deer an on a ranch near the highway between Broc and Leysin. I thought that the location for the pasture was particularly ironic because if a deer were to come that close to the highway in the United States, motorists would be slowing way down and would be ready to hit the brakes for fear that the deer would jump in front of the car.
Everywhere you went there were environmental messages in Europe. Electronics companies advertised that their TVs were eco-friendly. Product packaging in France especially highlighted recyclability. Bins for glass and plastic were everywhere alongside normal trash dumpsters. When we went to visit InBev, crates upon crates upon crates of used glass bottles and kegs were exposed, waiting to be used and reused again in the packaging and shipping of Stella Artois and other InBev brand beers. Recycling, the environment, and operating as a green company are priorities for consumers and for producers in Europe. That much is very clear. It has stopped being a public initiative in Europe, and it has become a part of daily life.
Everywhere you went there were environmental messages in Europe. Electronics companies advertised that their TVs were eco-friendly. Product packaging in France especially highlighted recyclability. Bins for glass and plastic were everywhere alongside normal trash dumpsters. When we went to visit InBev, crates upon crates upon crates of used glass bottles and kegs were exposed, waiting to be used and reused again in the packaging and shipping of Stella Artois and other InBev brand beers. Recycling, the environment, and operating as a green company are priorities for consumers and for producers in Europe. That much is very clear. It has stopped being a public initiative in Europe, and it has become a part of daily life.
The International Committee of the Red Cross
The International Committee of the Red Cross is an organization devoted to helping the sick and the disadvantaged. Its mission is not a political one – the ICRC is purely devoted to helping the injured and the sick across the globe, both in times of conflict and in the wake of natural disaster.
I learned that the ICRC is mostly concerned with advancing International Humanitarian Law (IHL). IHL was conceived at the Geneva Convention and is supposed to protect wounded soldiers and uninvolved civilians from the horrors of war. Those who are party to the convention have enacted civilian law and military law to advance IHL. The ICRC’s main goal is to do everything possible to make sure that the governments follow the laws they themselves have implemented and to help the victims of conflict.
A question I had going into the ICRC was regarding IHL. I wanted to gauge the respect that the ICRC and IHL command from the governments involved in the Geneva Convention. I realized that the only way the ICRC and IHL have been able to maintain any credibility and respect at all has been through consistent effort to behave in accordance with the rules set within the ICRC itself. If ICRC was ever perceived as a political organization that made judgments about a given conflict and if it ever used the humanitarian tools it commands to aid and assist one party in a conflict over another, it would instantly lose all credibility it has as a neutral organization and one only interested in the well-being of victims. The ICRC has done a terrific job building the reputation it has established for more than 100 years, and I find it fascinating that the governments of the world have come to respect the ICRC as they do.
Overall, I would say the presentation at ICRC was mildly interesting at best, but I did learn considerably about IHL and I am grateful for the opportunity I had to visit.
I learned that the ICRC is mostly concerned with advancing International Humanitarian Law (IHL). IHL was conceived at the Geneva Convention and is supposed to protect wounded soldiers and uninvolved civilians from the horrors of war. Those who are party to the convention have enacted civilian law and military law to advance IHL. The ICRC’s main goal is to do everything possible to make sure that the governments follow the laws they themselves have implemented and to help the victims of conflict.
A question I had going into the ICRC was regarding IHL. I wanted to gauge the respect that the ICRC and IHL command from the governments involved in the Geneva Convention. I realized that the only way the ICRC and IHL have been able to maintain any credibility and respect at all has been through consistent effort to behave in accordance with the rules set within the ICRC itself. If ICRC was ever perceived as a political organization that made judgments about a given conflict and if it ever used the humanitarian tools it commands to aid and assist one party in a conflict over another, it would instantly lose all credibility it has as a neutral organization and one only interested in the well-being of victims. The ICRC has done a terrific job building the reputation it has established for more than 100 years, and I find it fascinating that the governments of the world have come to respect the ICRC as they do.
Overall, I would say the presentation at ICRC was mildly interesting at best, but I did learn considerably about IHL and I am grateful for the opportunity I had to visit.
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