Traveling abroad is an experience everyone should have, because opportunities to travel allow experiences to view history in the flesh.
During winter break, I traveled around Europe, more specifically the United Kingdom and Poland. Traveling was such an amazing experience, and the biggest thing I noticed was how old everything looked. Many buildings were 200 to 1,000 years old. Their Gothic architecture was amazing to look at.
I’m not the only traveler who has been inspired by the living history of going to other countries and seeing truly old places.
“At some points during the trip I was definitely interested about the history of the buildings, but I was also mystified by the beauty of everything and could never get enough pictures,” said OH senior Veda Haake.
Like students, teachers at OH also are impacted by travel and the history that comes to life when traveling abroad. “I like seeing what other cultures do,” said OH History teacher Mark Johnson.
“Like over in Europe, you can tell what’s from Germany and Italy, and the differences in those aesthetics are what I like. Not when everything’s the same like here in America,” he added.
I agree. The United Kingdom’s architecture was nothing compared to how America tears all the old buildings down to modernize and populate the area. It is unique to look in one area and see different buildings and others in another area, making every building unique.
OH Social Studies teacher Aaron Henricks agrees with me and Johnson. “I also like architecture [of foreign countries], so the history of buildings does usually get my interest,” he said. “This was especially true in a city like Rome, where you could turn the corner and be staring at Roman ruins even in modern city blocks.”
Traveling and seeing different cultures and their buildings is vital. It is a memory I will ever forget. It is important to keep history alive, as well being so beautiful to see the older buildings, even if their history is dark.
I'm Enzo Elia and I really enjoy video games and talking about many topics. this is my first year on staff, I'm a senior. You can contact me by emailing 42Fifty@sd308.org and putting my name in the subject line. We welcome comments on our articles and feedback on our publication!
Wow! What a quality piece!