Paris: The City of Lights

Bonjour et joyeux jours feries!

I am finally back in the States after 5 months in Europe. My 2 weeks with my mom in Geneva and Spain were great fun and a perfect way to wrap up my European adventure and to relax from the stress of finals. This post will focus on two things: Paris and my initial thoughts upon returning to the US. I still have so many cities to show and explore so stick with me over the next few weeks as I attempt to catch up.

At one point in my trip, it appeared that I wouldn't have enough time to visit Paris. Which is a shame in itself but, even worse when you consider that out of all the cities in Europe, Paris is by far the most well known and most visited/referenced. Moreover, it seems that every French class ever taken stresses learning about the arts and culture of Paris--from the Arc de Triomphe to the Louvre to the Latin Quarter. So, while I might have had to pass on a few other destinations, being merely 3 hours from Paris was too tempting for me to pass up.

Paris is truly the heartbeat of Europe. It is alive, flowing, and active. The city is a mecca for arts and culture, for people of all races (my hotel was in the Arab Quarter), and wonderfully fascinating. Yet, despite these things, Paris is a truly livable city. It has the best system of public transportation that I have seen in Europe, is fairly affordable (well, anything is more affordable than Geneva), and has a downtown area that is used and lived-in by Parisians. These Parisians truly enjoy their city, their food, their culture, and, yes, their language.

People always have the misconceived notion that the French are snooty and are disrespectful to people who don't speak their language, especially Americans. I have heard the horror stories--and yes, I am sure that these incidents exist--but my experience was very positive. While I would agree that it is helpful to speak a little and understand the language, I ran in to no one who expected my French to be perfect of belittled my nationality. In fact, many of the young Parisians that I met were just as curious about my worldviews as and American as I was about there's.

Yes, I agree that French is a difficult language to learn and sometimes confusing. I also realize that it is very intimidating to speak to francophones as they are language purists--they are quick to correct and demand proper pronunciation. But, I never saw any of the "stuck up" French stereotype. In fact, during the time that I lived in Geneva (which, aside from a few minor differences, is relatively French in most aspects), this attitude was not very prevalent. Maybe it had a lot to do with the fact that I speak (or attempt t0) French. I honestly believe that this notion of the snooty French is overplayed and over-simplified. I would encourage anyone who is going to visit a French-speaking area to at least learn the basics. Even if you struggle and if they have to switch to English (which almost everyone can speak), they will appreciate the effort. I also encourage people to discover the prevalence of this stereotype for themselves... as different people will have different experiences.

But, back to Paris. I think that Paris was the only city in Europe that made my eyes tear up and gave me goose bumps. Standing at the Place de la Concorde and looking down the Champs-Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe, turning to see the Louvre, Notre Dame, La Madeleine, and seeing the Eiffel Tower left me speechless. This city is iconic in every way. I cannot stress the things that the city has witnessed--German Occupation, the reign of Napoleon, the Worlds Fair which lead to the building of the Eiffel Tower, and the French Revolution. To think of the all the famous French and their impact on the world: Charles de Gaulle, Napoleon, Rousseau, Voltaire, Joan of arc, any of the Louis(ies) and on and on.

But, what a cool city! I cannot express how much I enjoyed seeing Paris. Even though I went by myself (which allowed me to see everything that I wanted to see), Paris was enchanting. It would have been nice to return with my girlfriend/fiance/wife but I enjoyed my time. I think that it would have made my picnic in front of the Eiffel Tower a little less strange-looking (for the record, one night I sat on the lawn in front of the Eiffel Tower with some cheese, bread, and wine... by myself). However, I did enjoy my time. The city is so full of life and is a great example of what makes Europe so, well, European. There are winding streets with bakeries (with baguettes, pastries, etc.), picturesque apartments, world famous monuments, Parisian fashion, exquisite restaurants stocked with the best ingredients, and a grandiose feeling of splendor, wealth, and affluence. Yet, in the distinct French manner, the city seems so livable and amenable to the Parisians. I think that of all the cities on the continent, it is the must-see, quintessential European city.


Saint Chapelle... wall-to-wall stain glass windows. The Sorbonne--one of the most famous and respected universities in the world.

Notre Dame and one of its iconic rose windows (sorry for the bad picture quality).

Two separate Hotel de Ville (City Hall). The one on the left is in Versailles and the one on the right is in Paris.

Versailles... a short 45 minute train ride from central Paris. The building on the right says "A toutes les glories de la France" (to all the glories of France).

The main entrance to Versailles...still busy in off-season. The Hall of Mirrors through a reflecting point of view.

The Louvre Museum at night. My favorite work of art in the Louvre, Hammurabi's Code. It is very impressive and give an interesting insight into the creation of ancient laws--"an eye for an eye."

La Tour Eiffel, during the day and at night. It is blue to celebrate France's EU Presidency.

The French Military Academy...one of the most respected in the world. The picture on the right demonstrates the livability of Paris. This picture was taken about 400 meters from the Eiffel Tower. The Parisians truly do 'live' in there city.

Hotel des Invalides--the former (and partially current) home for disabled veterans. It now houses the French Military Museum and Napoleon's Tomb (on right).

At Place de la Concorde, looking down the Champs-Elysees towards the Arc de Triomphe. The Arc up close.

La Madeleine... a church and namesake of my project in French class my junior year of high school. Sacre Coeur--church at the top of Montmartre (Mount of the Martyrs) near the infamous Moulin Rouge.

Sorry, no food this time. The food in Geneva is so similar that I decided not to take any pictures. But, I promise that the food section will return.

Ok, so, on to the my initial reactions upon return to the United States. The first thing that I noticed was that everyone spoke English. This may not seem like much of a shock but it is strange for me because in Europe, it was often hard to judge what language to approach someone with. I would like to think that I got a little better, the longer that I was in Geneva but it was still difficult to tell. This phenomenon was very interesting and a part of life in Europe that I came to like. In the States, it is rare that I approach anyone in a foreign language. Its strange to be able to read every sign and to see menus that are only in English.

My second impression is that there is a lot of space. Everything feels so spread out. Its hard to believe but if my hour and 45 minute drive home from the airport had happened in Europe, I could have easily been in one, if not two, foreign country. Moreover, buildings in towns and suburbs are much more spread out, the streets and cars are larger. It is strange to see a house with a large yard and to see fields that are so large. Also, I feel that roads are less congested (which is nice). I don't think you could ever convince me to drive in Europe, especially in Spain or Italy... a driver there must be aggressive to get anywhere.

In regards to jet lag, I don't think that I have really experienced it too much. It is always said that it is harder to adjust when you travel West. Because I forced myself to stay up for over 24 hours to adjust, I think I helped to prevent any problems. My mom, however, is having all sorts of difficulty adjusting to the time change. I think, overall, that it is just strange for me to be back in the States. Hopefully the holiday season will help me adjust more quickly.

Happy holidays to all. Enjoy family, friends, the time off from work/school, and remember to take time to relax over the season. I wish you all safe travels and encourage you to look forward to my next post.... which will be soon. Oh, and I look forward to seeing what new Miami Football Coach, Mike Haywood, will do to help the ailing RedHawk Football Team.

Love & Honor,

Matt

Sorry!

Hey guys,

I know it has been awhile... and I apologize. I have had a recent string of tests and papers that culminate in my last final tomorrow at 2:45. Then, I am off to Spain for a week and a half with my mom (who just got in today). I promise that there is much more to come, plus, I want to try to analyze some of my experience (boring, I know... but I feel that such reflection is valuable in such circumstances). So, please, hang in there as I have a bunch more to show you all and things to say. Hope all is well and that everyone has an enjoyable start to their winter break.

Good luck with finals (for those still at MU!) and please remember to enjoy your time with friends and family... I know that I will enjoy exploring Spain con mi madre.

Love & Honor,

Matt

Roma--An ancient city with an old friend

Buongiorno,

Two weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to visit Rome with Amy Bednar, one of my good friends and another Miami student. Even though I only spent two days (it is about an 11 hour train ride from Geneva), I think that Rome was one of my favorite cities in Europe. The unique blend of ancient history and modernity, great food and friendly people, I think that Rome is one of the most livable cities that I have visited in Europe. In fact, I was so enchanted that I took more pictures here than I have taken anywhere else--600+ in 2 days!

What makes Rome so livable is hard to distinguish. Maybe it was the fact that Italian is so close to Spanish, a language that I miss here in Geneva. Or, maybe, it was the friendliness of the people which I had the opportunity to meet. Anyone who knows me will understand my utter fascination by ancient Roman culture. For me, visit a place like Rome was like actually living in a special on the Discovery Channel. Ok, so, now that I have revealed myself as a history nerd, I think that Rome has so many interesting facets and quirks that the city offers a completely different experience to each visitor.

Moreover, it was great to see Amy and to be able to share this experience with her. It is rare that friends can say that they have traveled to 2 countries (yes, I am counting the Vatican) together. I also enjoyed catching up with Amy...it was nice to have a few reminders of home. In actuality, I didn't realize that I was homesick until seeing Amy. Such a reunion always brings up past memories, talk of common friends, and life at Miami--things that I have not done in a long time. Yet, such an experience reaffirmed that I need to make the most of my opportunity abroad and that Miami will still be there when I return.

Learning about Rome in history class, I knew that there were so many monuments and places inside the city that I wanted to see. Fortunately for us, we were able to see all these extraordinary places. However, we almost missed St. Peter's Basilica. We arrived in Rome on Friday (Halloween) and went to the Colosseum early in the morning. After the tour (to skip the line) we also took a tour of Palentine Hill, the hill overlooking the forum and the location of many former palaces and temples. Our tour guide, probably one of the best that I have had in Europe, told us that the Basilica would be closed the following day (because it was All Saints Day), a thought that had never occurred to us. She went on to explain that here tour company was one of the only 3 allowed into the basilica the next day, so we bought tickets. Well, we then set off on a dead sprint to the Vatican Museum because we were afraid that we would miss the museum/Sistine Chapel. Luckily, everything worked out well and we had plenty of time to see both locations, in their entirety.

Apart from the whirling tour of the city, I really enjoyed the art of the city. It is nice to put the information that I learned in art history course at Miami to good use. I was amazed at just how many of the pieces of artwork that I had learned about in the class were in Rome. In addition, as a gourmand/gourmet, the food in Rome was incredible! I believe that I had gelato 4 times in 2 days. Besides that, I was able to have some of the best pizza, panini, and pasta on the planet.

I think the part of Italian culture that I found the most refreshing was their joie de vivre (joy for living). The Italians seem to know how to appreciate the fine aspects of life, not be bogged down with the seriousness of careers (or politics, as most Italians joke). It is nothing for them to spend two hours in a cafe or spending a whole evening eating food with friends and family while watching the local Roma football match. I think there is a lot of beauty in this way of living and is also a trait the Italians share with the Spanish. In today's high-paced, profit-driven world, it is very refreshing to see a culture that values taking things one day at a time and living for the simple pleasures in life.

Food first. Pasta alla carbonara and lasagna. Traditional Italian cannoli on the right.

Bruschetta with mushroom topping and Chicken saltimbocca alla Romana.

Salami panino and gelato... the first of four. My favorite flavors were frutti di bosco and lemon basil.

Santa Maria in Cosmedin church near the Circus Maximus. The Colosseo at night.

Monument to Victor Emmanuel, the first leader of a united Italy. The Castle of Saint Angelo... of Angles and Demons fame.

Next stop, orator of the Senate. Look mom, I am in two places (Italy and Vatican City) at the same time!

The beautiful interior of St. Peter's Basilica.

The ancient Pantheon (oculus included). Piazza Navona, a beautiful, open-air square in the city center.

The Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain at night.

One of the numerous famous pieces of artwork in the Vatican Museum... can anyone name it? Saint Peter's square at night.

The ancient Roman Forum...very impressive. The Colosseo, a must see in Rome.

Hope all is well back home. My Eurail pass expired this past weekend, but I have updates coming on Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris, and Zurich... so, look out for those. Also, now is a good time for me to buckle down as I have a few papers and finals due in the next couple weeks.

Ciao!

Love and Honor,

Matteo

Praha, the Most Beautiful City in the World

Hello everyone,

Again, the point has been driven home that I muse be leery of first impressions, especially when in a strange and new place. Prague was one of these circumstances.... My first impression was the not-so friendly, inviting, or happy Praha train station. To be honest, it was a giant wreck of metal and concrete, falling apart and run down. I took this as the first of many hints that I was in a post-Soviet country and I assumed that I would experience much of the same throughout my stay in Prague. Little did I know just how wrong I could be. The city is by far the most beautiful city that I have seen in Europe, with Paris as a close second. Having escaped the destruction of both World Wars, Prague has maintained its charm--small, winding streets, impressive medieval castles, and hauntingly beautiful cathedrals.

The Czech Republic is an interesting country. A member of EU and the Schengen Agreement, it is having trouble adapting its currency to the Euro, shifting its economy to be competitive with other EU nations, and is still trying to find its identity as a nation (as it became a state in 1993 after splitting from Slovakia). It is also a place of immense historical (King Wenceslas anyone?) and strategic importance. It if it able to successfully transition from a post-Soviet economy to a successful EU member, it will be able to serve as a model for the rest of Eastern Europe. It is also the home of Pilsner beer, named after the town of Pilsen and Budwar, the namesake of Budweiser beer. The land is truly enchanting, as were all of the Czechs that we had the opportunity to meet.

Prague, itself is a conglomeration of winding streets, large plazas, and daunting towers. It is situated along a the banks of Vltava and offers scenic views of an impressive castle from the Charles Bridge. The main square of town is just as impressive, with the towering Gothic Tyn Church and the town's astronomical clock at the base of the city hall. Around every corner is a new area to explore... the world's largest metronome, one of the largest (intact) Jewish quarters in Europe, and more towers than any tower should have. Despite the overwhelming amount of tourists (especially around key attractions), the city has a very youthful feel to it. It reminded me of a small college town, much like Oxford--lots of cheap food, bars, and students/youth all around.

The building on the left is one of the 5/6 intact synagogues left in the Jewish quarter of Prague. The food on the right is Bohemian goulash (different from Hungarian goulash) with bread dumplings and a salad with local cheese, which reminded me a lot of feta/goat cheese.

A view from one of the bridges along the Vltava River. In the picture on the right are (from l to right) me, Michelle, another MU student, Molly from the University of Idaho, and Daniel from the University of Illinois. (Michelle Fakler, please notice the goatee...)

The tower on the left is one of the guard towers of the castle. One the right is one of the gate towers to the Charles Bridge.

St. Vitus Cathedral, inside Prague Castle.

Praha's town hall along the main square and the astrological clock at the base of the tower. At the hours, the clock performed and showed statues of saints... lets just say that there was a lot of 'hoopla' for nothing.

On the right, this house on the main square is decorated with stories of Prague's history. The picture on the right shows the view of Prague Castle from the Charles Bridge.

Prague at night. The Prague Castle from the Charles Bridge. On the left is the hauntingly spooky Tyn Church--this image is something that I thought I would see in Transylvania. I don't do vampires... or scary churches.

I am headed to Brussels tomorrow (Wednesday) and then to Amsterdam on Friday night. We have meetings with NATO and the EU in Brussels so it should be a great time to learn about these major international/intergovernmental organizations.

Internship Update: I am currently helping to author an paper about the health effect of migration on those "left behind" in the process. This publication will eventually reach the WHO and I am excited that my hard work will pay off as a serious study that can make a difference in the international community. I have also really enjoyed working in such a positive working environment. I have learned so much about public health, the role of international organizations in policy making, and have seen how passionate people can be about the American Presidential Election. Overall, I cannot say enough about how positive this experience has been for me.

Hope all is well.

Love & Honor,

Matt