Emily Telesco, Features Editor
@etelescocourant
Junior Evie Morales gazes down onto the bustling streets of Barcelona from the top of colorful Park Güell. Surrounded by lush nature and whimsical sculptures, she is embraced by more than 100 years of captivating art history. As she walks past bright mosaic benches and towering columns, Evie is overcome with a feeling of wonder. Suddenly, the meaning and history of the park where she stands eclipses its physical appeal, and she finds herself deeply immersed in one of many unique aspects of Spanish culture.
For many students, traveling abroad is a significant part of their summer plans. But for each person, their travels take on different meanings – whether it’s visiting family, embracing culture or fulfilling a historical passion. Not only is there exceptional beauty in these places, but there is also an importance in being able to experience distinctive cultural aspects and traditions.
Junior twins Maddy and Serena Peterson visit the coast of Italy to see their family each summer. “Visiting Italy is so meaningful to me because I only get to do it once a year, which makes each day so memorable,” Serena said.
Maddy and Serena also find added meaning in being able to see their family in person. “I’m able to call them during the year, but when it’s time to visit them, it’s special. We go out to dinners, we visit the beach, we walk around town. It’s always so much fun,” Maddy said.
Additionally, being surrounded by their Italian family allows the sisters to fully immerse themselves in their culture. “Embracing my Italian roots is important to me because it allows me to recognize and understand who I really am and where I come from,” Serena said.
Similarly, senior Radea Raleva travels to Bulgaria each summer to see her family. “Our way of life is so different from theirs, and it’s so interesting to be able to hear about their experiences and get to experience their way of life,” she said.
Radea finds it’s not only important to embrace your culture and roots, but also share it with others. “There are so many important values and fun traditions that come from different cultures that people can learn and benefit from. Embracing it is the first step to teaching others,” she said.
Every time she visits Bulgaria, Radea always awaits delicious home cooked meals and other fresh local foods. “Not only is my grandmother’s cooking incredible, but the produce there is incredibly fresh and rich,” she said. “I look forward to my daily banitsa (a traditional cheese-filled pastry) from one of the bakeries on my walk home from the beach every summer morning.”
Radea also looks forward to experiencing Bulgaria’s beautiful landscape. “I live right next to the shore in Varna, Bulgaria, so I get to basically live on the beach all summer,” she said. Bulgaria’s geography is incredibly diverse, allowing people to see the country from all perspectives. “In an hour or two drive from the beach you can find some of the tallest mountains in the Balkans,” she said. “In just a six hour drive you can cross the country and experience more of the European city life.”
Of course, not everyone travels to Europe to see family, and some may visit to seek other exciting opportunities. With a plethora of beautiful countries offering rich cultural experiences, educational opportunities, and much more, Europe is a popular summer destination for many reasons.
Senior Tara Menon’s trip to Spain and Germany had been a long time coming. “My cousin and I had been planning this trip for a while, and we were so excited to finally go this year. I was eager to visit Spain after taking Spanish for almost eight years now, and my cousin had always wanted to visit Germany,” she said.
While visiting these places, Tara had many opportunities to learn about the local culture and traditions. “In Spain, we visited Barcelona and Granada, and I was excited to visit some of the places that I learned about in Spanish class,” she said. “The culture in both Barcelona and Granada was very distinct, but I noticed that there was a great appreciation for music in both areas.”
While in Granada – where the culture has connections to Muslim moors – Tara learned a lot about the city’s ample history. “We visited the Alhambra, which is a palace that is a representation of the Muslim moor architecture. The whole area was beautiful and the view was breathtaking.”
After spending time in Spain, Tara headed to Berlin, the capital of Germany. “Berlin is extremely rich in history and it felt like every inch of the city had some sort of historical significance,” she said.
In Berlin, Tara learned a lot about street art and its connection to the culture there. “We did something called an ‘alternative’ tour which allowed us to see different parts of Berlin that are not the typical touristy areas. Our tour was primarily focused on street art,” she said. “Many people resorted to graffiti and various other types of street art in order to cope with the ongoing political turmoil that was taking place in the twentieth century.”
Tara feels immensely grateful to have been able to visit these cities. “Overall, I’m really happy that I had the opportunity to immerse myself in such fascinating cultures,” Tara said.
Junior Evie Morales visited Rome and Barcelona this past summer. “My family decided to visit these places because, while they are fairly large tourist destinations, the history and culture are still worthwhile to see,” she said.
Like the others, Evie immersed herself in the profound history and art of these cities. “We visited countless museums and historical landmarks, like Antoni Gaudi’s architectural works such as Sagrada Familia in Barcelona,” she said. “In Rome we visited the Coliseum, catacombs and the Vatican, and learned a lot about their strong religious affiliations.”
Junior Anna Vertin’s family trip to Budapest, Vienna and Prague had interesting beginnings. “My brother and I were dead set on going to Italy, but my parents weren’t easily convinced due to the crowds and booking difficulties,” Anna said. “But my dad had been watching a show that was set in Budapest, and that is what planted the seeds for the trip and the rest of our destinations.”
In Budapest – the capital of Hungary – Anna learned a lot about the city’s interesting communist history. “We had two different tour guides, both of whom grew up during the Soviet era and were teenagers in the 1990’s,” she said. “I thought that the divide between how people felt about this shift was extremely eye-opening, because as an American who has only been taught the dangers of communism, I initially believed that nearly everyone would share those same views.”
During her travels, Anna also found that there were many cultural aspects from each city that overlapped – specifically, in the food. “There were many versions of wienerschnitzel, goulash and chicken paprika found in all of the cities, yet all of them had their own unique flare that correlated with the city.” she said.
Interestingly, in St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, Anna found that there are 343 steps leading to its clock tower. When these numbers are manipulated, they create numbers that are significant in Viennese history as well as biblically. “For example, three plus three plus four equals 10, like the 10 Commandments,” she said.
Anna’s exciting experience abroad also allowed her to learn to appreciate the finer elements of these cities. “When visiting a big city in a foreign country, it’s easy to get caught up in the bigger sights and activities, but taking a step back to talk to a local and examine the smaller details is extremely important,” she said.
Overall, summer travels to Europe can offer more than just picturesque landscapes and trendy aesthetics. They are journeys that can connect people to their roots, fulfill lifelong passions and create special memories. Whether it’s spending time with family members in their ancestral town, standing in awe of historical landmarks or simply taking the time to learn about and embrace the local culture and customs, these trips carry meaning that transcends the journey itself.
