My European Adventure and the Fenz Scholarship
by Erin Gullekson
I’ve always dreamed about traveling the world, and as soon as I saw the website for the Cultural History tours I knew that I wanted to go on one. I did everything that I could to prepare early. I got my letters of recommendation together, wrote the essay, and put as much money into savings as possible. The first two tasks were the easy ones, but getting the money together was a much harder mission. After all, once you pay for the program fee, tuition and the plane ticket, you still have to worry about money for food and other expenses overseas.
When I was told that I had been awarded the Emanuel Fenz scholarship, things suddenly got a lot easier. Thanks to this scholarship paying for some of my program fee, I had the money to take part in activities that truly helped to shape my European adventure. I was able to try amazing food like the pizza in Italy, visit an off the beaten path town in Crete where I met the cutest little Greek lady, and bring home that perfect souvenir that will remind me of my trip forever. It is thanks to this scholarship that I was able to go on this trip and was able to afford the day to day expenses that occurred. It is because of this scholarship that I was able to have a summer I’ll never forget, and for that I am truly grateful.
While every experience I had on this trip was unique in its own way, there are some that stand out in my mindEmerging from the train station and seeing the brilliant colors of Venice for the first time, I was awe struck. As we continued to walk to our cute little hotel, I remember looking at the people and the water and thinking to myself “I am someplace special.”
When we reached Florence the group had the opportunity to climb the 400+ stairs up to the top of the dome of the Santa Maria Cathedral. There were times as I was climbing those steps stairs that I thought I was going to die it was so hard, but I was determined to do it. I’m glad that I did, because once I got to the top I was rewarded with a view of the city so beautiful that even a picture cannot truly capture it. I could see for miles as I stood there letting the breeze cool me down, and I felt like I had accomplished something by climbing those stairs and seeing the scene before me.
I could talk for hours about Italy. There were sunsets, museums, and people who made me think about life in a new way. There was learning that not everywhere in the world did you get free water and free refills at restaurants. There was walking the streets of Pompeii and realizing that those people who lived there were just normal people, but to us they were fascinating. There was watching my camera sink to the bottom of the ocean, and the next morning being surprised by my group with a brand new one that they had chipped in on because they were such sweet people. My summer family. All of these things made Italy amazing, and it only got better once we hit Greece.
After taking a night boat, which was a fun experience for us to all kick back and relax together not to mention get some great shots of the sunset, we began our travels throughout Greece. Each city was beautiful in its own way. There was Olympia, which was peaceful and quiet, and Delphi, which I was really excited for because it was the home of the Oracle. In Delphi I gave a presentation on the Oracle and was pleasantly surprised when people who weren’t even part of my group started asking me questions. I think the most unique thing that I did in Greece was when five of us rented a car and traveled to the countryside of Crete. We traveled the windy roads passing by tiny one horse towns every hour or so. On our first stop we got out and ran into this little Greek lady who gave us raisins and cookies.She invited us into her house and showed us the curtains that she had made. We couldn’t understand everything she said nor could she understand us, but that was part of what made it fun. I felt like I had experienced the real Greece in that moment, not just the touristy Greece.
Of course seeing the Parthenon was another major highlight of Greece, as were the classes. I learned so much about art and history on this trip, more than I would have ever learned by sitting in a classroom. I think that studying abroad is an experience that makes the knowledge you are taking in even more tangible, and the knowledge is not simply related to school work. On a trip like this, you have the opportunity to learn more about yourself and push yourself to do things that you never thought you could.At the conclusion of my European adventure I felt like I knew more about art, history and myself.
I made friends I will never forget.They truly did become my summer family as we studied, traveled and experienced Europe and life together. Whether it was helping each other carry bags, eating crazy food together, going out and dancing, or sitting on the balcony drinking wine, we were there for each other.I would recommend this trip to anyone who looks at it.The trip was only for one summer, but the memories, knowledge, and friendships that came from it will last a life time.
Erin Gullekson
2009 Mediterranean Cultural History Tour Participant and Emanuel Fenz Scholarship Recipient
