Page 99 - Phoenix1999-2000

FEATURES Thursday, February 10,2000 - Page 7 60 Seconds Students reflect on semester abroad On August 30, 1999 I flew to for hours, talking and taking pic- Frederic Chopin's birthplace. Budapest, Hungary with J4 WMC tures. We talked about what we had The Warsaw Ghetto wall. Marie Whats your ideal Valentine s students. Budapest campus, and the done in Budapest already, muse- Curie's childhood home. at the I taught There WMC ums' we'd wandered through, clubs students earned credits toward their we'd been to, and movies we'd Auschwitz-Birkenau. Though often as a country not worth dismissed Day? WMC degree. We experienced liv- gone to see. Then we talked of what visiting, Poland contains some of ing in the city, as well as traveling Paris, Italy, and Amsterdam throughout Europe. It proved to be we were going to do still, trips to the most fascinating sites in East- over Equipped with accu- ern Europe. an extraordinary adventure for ev- Thanksgiving, and the group trip to rate information and a well-planned ery one of us. For the same price Egypt with Pam. Later in the night, itinerary, one can easily enjoy the as a semester at WMC, plus the cost we talkedabout the things that we country's many historical and cul- of a plane ticket and travel money, missed: washers and dryers, grilled tural attractions, spending an aver- these students had the opportunity cheese, our own beds and rooms, "For my boyfriend to send to spend three and a half months in age of just $15 each day-hotel, me flowers and take me out Europe. It was wonderful, fantas- cars, pets. Even though we missed so meals, and sight-seeing expenses matter it didn't these things, to a romantic dinner. ..(hint, tic, and at times, in memory, almost much that we weren't at home for included. Novotny -Nicote hint}." dreamlike. Looking back, it's hard a holiday. We had our own little Paris was lonely. Iwanted to be Malissa Morin for us to believe we were even piece of home. with a girl I loved in the city that Political Science '0 I there. -Helen Whitehurst belongs to lovers. When I thought 'Below is an anthology of para- Prague looks like a painting. about Paris back in the states, I graphs from essays some of the stu- -Doug Novielli thought about lovers atop the Eiffel dents wrote for their travel writing This is the land of Gaudf. Roll- Tower .... class. ing waves of mosaics, high laugh- My eyes snapped a picture of I had the premonition that be- ter and Espafioi. Well, not exactly the look on her face: her elbow ing on the Danube River, absorb- Espanol. They speak Catalan here ... leaning on the back of her chair. ing alien surroundings and viewing My eyes were drawn to one of Her thumb is pressed against her the postcard-perfect sites with my many row houses along the avenue. temple. Her fingers are cradling a Its facade: smooth, gently curving cigarette. Her legs are crossed. Her swells as one corner melts into an- "A nice long bubble bath, mouth is slightly opened ... candles, followed by dinner and music." Veronica Estevez Social Work '00 A view of/he majestic Danube River and Chain Bridge from (he top of Gelfert Hill in Budapest rope; the Europe I had dreamed of other seamlessly. Blue-green trans- -Kris Sevillena exploring since learning what was lucent tiles, a flawless imitation of Iam neither at the beginning nor "Going out to a nice and on the other side of the Atlantic, as the sea. A small weather-beaten at the end. Istand here, suspended fancy restaurant and catch- I spent the summers of my child- plaque read: "Case Batll6--Antoni in the last few weeks of my jour- ing a movie. " hood immersed in sal! water and Gaudf." ney, wondering what it will be like Dan Harman daydreams. -Joy Thomas, after He could capture the Mediter- to step foot on soil that was once Exercise Science '''00 the Danube cruise. September. ranean sea and transform its undu- familiar to me and see it all for the I am staying at the Beta Hotel lations into walls .... The Mediterra- first time. Although Imiss home, I Garden with a group of thirteen nean lapped at the pebbly beach. know adventures like this one do American students .... This home, Gaudf's inspiration. Stripping off not present themselves frequently. forme, is spelled B-R-E-A-K-F-A- our shoes, we ran to the water. Cold Time carries us along in its sweep- S-T. Ieat a HUGE breakfast each waves licked toes and ankles as we ing current, daring us to grab on to day, it is my favorite meal. Ispoon pierced the air with cries of shock something and attempt momen- the pears, in light syrup, on the yo- and delight. -Amanda Lesher. af- tarily to anchor ourselves to the gurt. Each morning I drink two ter returning from Barcelona. present. Iam saddened to know that cups of creamy-smooth and hot Simplicity for a backpacker the end is in sight, and growing ever cafe au Iait. There is Swiss cheese, translates into less worrying, over nearer. But Iknow, finally, that this smoked cheese, cream cheese, what you are going to wear, how "Flowers delivered and a is only the beginning. Brie, and Camembert. Ihave eaten you are going to look, and how you "We shall not cease from explo- nice romantic dinner." apricots, pears, grapes, plums, and are going to have to transport all of ration, And the end of all our ex- juna Kacala cantaloupe. Unusual breakfast ad- your belongings. Less worry trans- Undecided '03 ditions are sliced green paprika and lates into an unclouded mind. Your ploring Will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the wedges of red tomato. There is unclouded mind will be able to ap- first time." dark, sliced, thick-crusted Hungar- preciate what you see and experi- - T.S. Eliot, "Little Gidding" ian bread to coat with pale honey. ence more than your anxious, wor- -Joy Thomas, December by Trang Dam The hard, round, French rolls, get ried one would ....Backpacking is an draped with butler, jelly and slices international practice, and you will Complied by Dr. Pamela Regis S.E.R.V.E / Circle K Auction of cheese. -Laurina