"When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful." - Malala Yousafzai Kind-hearted people, fresh Zywiec beer on tap, endless mounds of pierogis and sauerkraut .. it didn't take long to fall in love with Poland. For our fall break, a group of fifteen students from my program traveled to Kraków, Warsaw, and lastly to Toruń. Our first stop, Kraków. We arrived Thursday evening and settled into our hostel, which was located in the city center of Kraków's Old Town. This beautiful and fascinating city in Poland was not destroyed in WWII, so all of the architecture and treasured buildings and churches are original, unlike Warsaw which we saw later that week. However old and beautiful the city is, the population is young and lively. There are tons of bars, restaurants and markets which we were able to explore and enjoy. This is the view from our hostel, looking out over the main square which dates back to the 13th century, and is the largest medieval town square in Europe. Though this trip was every bit pleasant and enjoyable, we did experience some very emotional and powerful situations, too. On Friday morning, we traveled to Auschwitz-Birkenau Death Camp. Auschwitz-Birkenau is the site of the gravest mass murder in the history of humanity. It remains a memorial and museum that serves as tribute to the victims of the atrocities that took place here. On the morning we were due to arrive, I felt some nervousness about what I would witness... As we entered the camp we saw the infamous sign of Auschwitz, the same one that the prisoners were greeted with upon their entrance to the camp. For most the last time as well, as they wouldn’t be leaving the camp alive. The poor prisoners did not know their planned fate. The sign “Arbeit Macht Frei”, which means “Work makes Freedom” is utterly chilling and eerie to see first hand. The tour was intensely emotional as we walked through barracks that have on display photographs of the victims and their names, Zyclone B cans and pellets which were used in the gas chambers, and personal belongings such as suitcases, clothes and shoes, amongst tons of other belongings. As we walked around the outside of the buildings, we could see the many watchtowers and electric fences and made our way to the gas chambers. Very unsettling. This was such an unbelievable scene. I am truly at a loss for words to describe this experience. As we headed back for Kraków the bus remained very silent, as I began to realize the entire morning pretty much was. It was a solemn day and ironically, very peaceful. I feel so humbled and honored to have seen these memorial sites, to see for myself the horrors of what happened to these innocent men, women and children. As Holocaust survivor, Elie Wiesel warned years ago, "to forget the Holocaust is to kill twice." God bless each and every human being affected by this barbarity. "I don't think of all the misery, but of the beauty that still remains." - Anne Frank On a much lighter note.. There was a large market just around the corner from the main square where we spent most of our evening. There were tons of stands offering very authentic Polish cuisine; kielbasa sausage, sauerkraut, mushrooms, pierogis, etc. The local Polish beer was also fantastic; we kept that beer man on his toes for several hours! Many vendors and craftsmen were also selling various items such as handcrafted sculptures, paintings, jewelry, and gorgeous chocolates too. We had such a fun time browsing and tasting just about everything we could. I must say the pierogis were my favorite. These doughy delights are definitely an essential part of any Poland visit! YUM Saturday morning we took the train to Poland's capital and largest city, Warsaw. The city was completely destroyed in World War II by the Nazis, though the city managed to lift itself back up, reconstruction is actually still happening to this day. We stayed in a smaller neighborhood outside the city center, which was all rebuilt and absolutely adorable. I loved the colorful buildings and the way they coordinated with the colors of fall! Sunday morning I made my rounds one last time in Warsaw. I couldn't get enough of the perfect fall weather. I was loving the mums and the changing colors of the leaves; something I miss about Chicago! A nice morning coffee shared with friends in the coziest little restaurant... just what I needed to warm up from the chilly autumn weather and a great boost for another day of travel. Last stop, Toruń ! In Toruń we attended a conference at Nicolaus Copernicus University where we met Polish students as well as a group from the Loyola of Chicago Rome Center. The conference was titled "Speaking with the Devil." We heard from several individuals, but the main guest was Carl Wilkens, the only American to stay during the Rwandan Genocide. He is the author of I'm Not Leaving, which tells the story of his time in Rwanda and his courageous acts during this awful massacre. We also had the privilege of hearing from a survivor of the genocide, Yvette Rugasaguhunga. Such incredible human beings. I admire Carl Wilkens and applaud him for his bravery and determination as everyone was fleeing the country of Rwanda, yet he remained because he said he knew "it was the right thing to do." Below is a photo with Carl and his lovely wife, Theresa. Talk about a true power couple! "There are so many things that we can do in our lives and we miss so much of it because we're afraid." - Carl Wilkens Finally, back to Italia! I am so grateful for this Poland trip, definitely one that I will remember for a lifetime.
Happy Wednesday, everybody! Shine On. -KRIS10
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"Be in love with your life. Every minute of it." - Jack Kerouac Happy October, friends! I cannot believe how fast these weeks are flying by! Schoolwork is picking up a bit, but I am continuing to take advantage of every weekend to travel to a new country or explore a new city... I have all my trips booked from now until the end of my time abroad, I guess that's the "crazy planner" in me! Anyhow, this weekend was a hoot. Friday night, Arianne, David and I checked out Angel Olsen's concert here in Bologna. She played at the Covo Club, an alternative music venue and bar that opened in the 80's and has hosted several notable bands since. The small stage makes for an intimate show which is so much fun, I know this is going to be a frequent spot for me. I'm anticipating catching The Orwells here next month! Early Saturday morning we took the train to Florence to see the city and visit Ellen who is studying there this semester. Seeing a friend from home all the way in Italy was quite the treat! As soon as we arrived, we dropped our things off at Ell's apartment and began exploring. Weekend mornings are always so busy in Italian cities with all the street markets; fruit, jewelry, clothes, art... you can really find anything and usually for a bargain which is a plus. We grabbed a quick lunch and a drink while we were out at a small panini shop. And of course, I had to try the local beer... We took a free walking tour and learned about the history of several of the beautiful old buildings, churches, and famous monuments. The Duomo, below, was my favorite; the colors, detail and size is spectacular! The weather could not be more perfect- 75 degrees and not a cloud in the sky- definitely doesn't feel like fall yet here in Italy! After walking all throughout the city, we decided to pamper ourselves at Florence Fish Kiss for a "fish pedicure". For those who have never heard of this goofy treatment, you basically put your feet into fish tanks while dozens of tiny Garra rufa fish nibble away, leaving your feet feeling refreshed and healthy. We could not stop laughing and squirming the entire time, it tickled so much! For sunset, we climbed to the top of this piazza that looks out over the entire city. With our bottle of wine, we sat in the grass and watched as the Firenze sky went dark and the city lights lit up. It was an absolutely stunning view. So lucky to have spent the weekend with these lovely ladies! Thank you, Ellen for hosting us. Ya'll are the best! Have a great week!
Shine On -KRIS10 "Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air" Golden sun, turquoise sea, rocky cliffs, multicolored buildings, local wine, swimming, hiking, kayaking, fishing, and natural, untouched Italy. Pure bliss. The only true way to describe my weekend on the Italian Riviera: perfectly blissful. My only frustration of the weekend was the fact I couldn't capture all the beauty with my camera, though I think the above picture does this place a bit of justice, just a bit. Cinque Terre, "The Five Lands", is a string of fishing villages along the west coast of Italy and I can whole-heartedly say this has been the most outstanding destination I've been to in my two decades of life. Just when I think I cannot be "wowed" any more... Saturday morning began with a 6:45am wakeup call by the booming, but lovely, church bells right outside our hostel window. After catching the absolutely stunning rise of Mr. Sun over the mountains, we set off on our day-long hike exploring the five villages of Cinque Terre: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. Much of the trails up and around the mountains and through the cities looked like this... ... the uphill trek was quite challenging on the very steep, uneven stone steps; my body is really feeling it today. But, the views were insane at the tops of the mountains, through the trails lined with lush olive groves, exotic flowers and looking out over the gorgeous blue-ombred Mediterranean Sea. Heavenly. Manarola was the most incredible and memorable stop of the day. We went down the mountain and straight to the sea where we found loads of happy travelers enjoying the coast, jumping off huge cliffs, fishing in the little boats, swimming around in the salty sea and just bathing in the beauty of the day. Immediately had to join in this picture-perfect scene; we jumped right in! Being that I am not much of an "adrenaline junky", I was extremely hesitant to join in the cliff jumping, but something came over me ... (one of those 'when the hell will this opportunity come again' moments) ... and there I was climbing to the top of this cliff in the middle of the sea. By this point, all of the 'jumpers' had a bit of an audience as more and more spectators began to congregate around the area. Since I was so nervous to jump, I sat at the top for a while. After some motivational speeches from strangers at the top of the cliff and a 3-2-1- countdown from a new friend, I finally ran and jumped off. As I hit the water, the mass of strangers cheered for me, congratulated me and even took pictures. Forever I will have that imagine engraved in my memory of looking up at the crowd of smiling people, sharing in my excitement of facing a fear. If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try... There I go! Continuing on the journey of the enchanting Cinque Terre, we befriended a group of vacationers (shoutout to Joan from Des Plaines, Illinois) that invited us to their hotel terrace to watch the tramonto. What a view... After the sunset, we had yet another lovely Italian dinner at a nearby restaurant. Seasoned, and super fresh, muscles and gnocchi with pesto was my pick. Molto delizioso! It was an absolute pleasure, Cinque Terre. Thankful for another safe, delightful, and blessed weekend in Europe. And for the incredible people I was able to travel with, you are all so great! Enjoy your Sunday, friends. Go Bears.
Shine On -KRIS10 "Not all those who wander are lost" - J. R. R. Tolkien Getting lost in a foreign city, unable to use GPS to find our way, still struggling to communicate with the local Italians, all while being totally surrounded by narrow winding streets and several bodies of water probably sounds completely discouraging and frustrating... but as soon as I realized I'm in Venice, Italy- one of the most interesting, romantic, and simply breathtaking places on the planet, I began to consider this unfamiliar experience quite the blessing. I mean really, how can someone complain about wandering aimlessly around the islands of Venice? Because Venice is on a lagoon, the water plays a crucial role in transportation. Taking water taxis everywhere was so interesting to me; these basically ran like the "L" lines in Chicago, except all on water. So amazing! (once you get the hang of it) Anyway, we arrived on Friday afternoon and eventually made our way to our hostel. Which, on a side note, was a really pleasant stay (see here if any of you are planning a visit and are looking for a nice hostel). After getting situated we took a water taxi across to San Marco and I had the best dinner since I landed on European soil at Ristorante La Nuova Grotta. We shared several bottles of wine before, during, and after dinner (go figure) and ate like queens. I had the restaurant's specialty gnocchi which is baked in cheese and sea food - squid, shrimp and scallops- it was honestly TO DIE FOR. A little bit of me wanted to cry as soon as I ate the last bite, but things turned right back around as soon as our waiter brought us our complimentary tiramisu. YUM. Saturday morning we paraded all around the famous Piazza San Marco, or St. Mark's Square, did some window shopping, treated ourselves to gelato, and just basked in the beauty of Venezia. I loved watching the gondolas rowing through the canals; some of them were even singing to the riders- so "old-school Italy" to me. We also were able to walk through San Marco's Basilica which was so incredible. The stained glass, marble floors, and gold mosaics were stunning; I felt so tiny walking through this enormous "Church of Gold", seriously such a site to see. Sad to leave this gorgeous place and definitely hope to make it back someday! My Sunday in Bologna was wonderful, though. Woke up this morning and went to breakfast with some gals at a darling cafe nearby; I had freshly squeezed orange juice and pancakes dipped in chocolate which was such a find, as they are not common in Italy! After mass (said in all Italian) at The Basilica of Santo Stefano, we headed to the open markets and surprise- had more gelato! Preparing now for week two of class; hope your weekend was as blissful as mine- Ciao!
Shine On -KRIS10 "Take the time to see the world and taste the fullness of life" Buon Giorno!! Hmmm... where to begin? First of all, I made it to Europe and can already tell this is going to be the craziest, most amazing and rewarding few months of my life. Cliché? Maybe. But seriously people, this is so incredible. I arrived in the “Foodie Capital of Italy” on September 4th and immediately fell in love with this city. After walking around the graffiti-filled streets of Bologna, we went to dinner at a local restaurant, had loads of pizza (though still missing my Lou Malnati’s Chicago style deep-dish) and tons of vino, vino, vino! Dinner ended with large shots of lemoncello, well, because "La vita è troppo breve per mangiare e bere male”. Life's too short to eat and drink badly. After two short days in Bologna, the Spring Hill Italy Center uprooted to Ancona, Italy and boarded our eleven hour ferry to Split, Croatia. From here, we backpacked across Croatia and into Bosnia, staying in Mostar, Sarajevo, Dubrovnik, and Split; exploring these cities was unreal. Next stop, Sarajevo, Bosnia! We stayed in the coziest little hotel in Old Town, ate at Penelope Cruz' favorite restaurant "To be or to be", visited the cutest tea shop, and explored the tons of little shops around the city. The cobble stone streets are lined with hookah bars, tapistry kiosks, and mosaic hanging lamp shops. Very interesting city, so sad to leave! We ended our trip in Croatia, which honestly has been my favorite destination thus far. Dubrovnik and Split, both coastal cities on the Adriatic Sea, were simply breathtaking. A group of us took a boat ride to the island of Hvar and basked in the sun all day long; jumping into the salty turquoise water, staring up at the palm trees, perfect blue sky and Croatian mountains, I actually asked myself, "is this real life?" After all that adventure, here I am now, sitting back at my desk in Camplus Alma Mater getting prepared for classes tomorrow morning; our first day of school! Backpacking has been so wonderful but I can't say I didn't miss the convenience of a laundry room, hot shower and my own bed. Goodnight peeps, until my next escapade, ciao!
Shine On - KRIS10 |
Europe 2014 |