Deeper Meanings – Summer 19

This summer’s journey began by exploring Germany with the classes of Christianity and Culture and Music in Leipzig with the Music and Bible Department. I then trekked to Oxford with the Language and Literature Department, taking the class Modernism in America and Abroad. Both study abroad trips to Leipzig and Oxford encouraged me to critically think about art and where it belongs in the world. The image of the old church neighboring a modern mural, taken in Paris, encapsulates my study abroad journey. I experienced a world of history and tradition, juxtaposed with modern statements and the pursuit of art. Leipzig left me with a deep appreciation of the composers who dedicated their lives to the creation of music and the heritage of the gothic architecture of Germany. Oxford inspired me to read modernist works and to create more art with deeper meaning. 

Over this past summer, I loved spending time in art museums, constantly exploring new places. The exploring on these trips is constant, within one twenty-four hour period I went from Amsterdam to London to Oxford back to London then to Paris. That weekend in Amsterdam I spent eight hours of one day in wonderful art museums and then traveled to Paris to spend a magnificent amount of time on the banks of the Seine at the Lourve and Musée d’Orsay. The trip as a whole never went exactly as I planned or imagined. For instance, I did not at all expect to be stopped by the French Metro police and fined thirty-five euros, neither did I anticipate being roasted alive in Paris on the hottest day ever on record. Visiting museums and experiencing Paris firsthand were my favorite days of class. When learning includes a trip to Paris to all of the museums I have dreamed of going to for years the classwork no longer seems like a huge burden. 

I enjoyed the classes more than I anticipated, especially diving into stylistic themes of modernism with Dr. Womble. As we learned about themes of modernism, finding the real works of art we discussed in class engaged me in deep learning. Identifying modernist works and critically considering the message conveyed by the works for this class, changed my perspective of modernism and pushed me to see how modernism influenced art and literature in my life now.

Something I learned about myself through studying abroad is that I constantly push myself to go experience more despite how I feel physically and sometimes emotionally. I love to travel and I regret none of the trips I have taken. Honestly, after this summer, I would like to pursue a career as a professional wanderer. Study abroad trips are supposed to open up new perspectives and push you outside of your comfort zones, but as I have grown up traveling I feel the most at home when I am all over the world. At the age of four, my family and I moved to Thailand. I grew up overseas as my parents work as teachers in northern Thailand. So continual exploration and backpacking around make me feel more at home than anywhere else. Leipzig and Oxford were perfect little homes for me this summer.

Leipzig offered a glimpse into a culture written by musicians. Living there for a month presented me with a whole new appreciation for the influence of music in my life and a new appreciation for Opera. Oxford provided a perfect landing place for the many trips we took and allowed me to get a feel for how British culture functions. The value of education and art is refreshing in Oxford as the effort to make things beautiful is evident in the structure of the city. I wish I could spend a semester in Oxford, but honestly, I feel the same way about Leipzig, so naturally, I am going to South America to feed my travel bug. I am now in Montevideo, Uruguay with ACU Study Abroad as a Gilman Scholar. The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship made this semester of learning Spanish as my third language possible with ACU Study Abroad.