Welcome!

I am a junior at Loyola, majoring in English and International Studies.  I was so excited to have the opportunity to travel to Rome/Malta and learn about human rights and refugee issues.  My long-term career interests are in this direction, so when I heard about this J-term section I jumped on it immediately.  I knew next to nothing about Malta when I heard about the course, and still know very little, so I trust that I will learn a great deal over the course of this trip!

From the little that I have read, the refugee situation is becoming an increasingly pressing concern for European nations, and in particular southern Europe.  Malta is an island located in the middle of the Mediterranean sea, south of Sicily.  Refugees from northern African nations, middle eastern countries, etc., attempt to enter Europe by way of ships to Malta and other small northern Mediterranean islands, creating social and economic pressures on local governments.  Here is a recent article reporting on treatment of refugees at the detainment facilities where refugees are held: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25423032.

Time to board my flight, so more to come soon!

It’s the night before I depart for Rome and I could not be more excited! In order to prepare, I went out for Italian food with my family while my younger brother, the family scholar, lectured us on the history of Rome and early Christianity. A little bit off the topic of what we’re going to study but it got me back into the educational mindset after two weeks off of school.

I think the best part of this course is the unique combination of cultural experiences and social education. We’re going to be visiting famous landmarks in Rome, as well as the less well known tourist attractions in Malta. At the same time, we are going to be learning about justice and human rights in the context of migrants/refugees that have flooded both Malta and Italy and the political, economic and social implications. This is an intense topic to cover in just two short weeks, but I am really looking forward to the immersion that this course offers. The next two weeks will be packed and exhausting and I can’t wait to get started!

“Firgun” : (Hebrew) The act of sharing in or even contributing to someone else’s pleasure or fortune, with a purely generous heart and without jealousy; or of sharing credit fairly.

This last weekend I traveled all the way to Londra (London), where I fell in love with everything and everyone around me. I know earlier I said something about Parigi (Paris) being the city of love, but Londra is the real city of love. Not just the kind of love that comes between two people who are enamored with each other, but a love and respect for everything out there that is good and beautiful.

Now, this may sound like an exaggeration, but it is. It’s an exaggeration (which I often make if you haven’t noticed) that is important to shed light on how life-changing traveling can be. I am making a promise now that some day I will live and London and that’s because it ignited a spark in me (again, which had first started in Poland) to do something to change the world.

Yes, I did all of the typical touristy things while I was there and yes, I did miss my flight coming back home because I just had to have that last Chipotle burrito before returning to the land of pasta, but more than that I started planning my future for good.

When any of you travel you need to keep those places you find that you love close to your heart and never let them go. Let them be a sign to you that your future is bright and full of amazing opportunities. With the optimism that this trip filled me with I feel I can do anything in the world, mainly because that’s the way a lot of people in Londra think like!

Here are some cool pictures from my trip:

Here is one important trip advice I have: if you have friends studying/living/staying in any part of Europe that you are traveling to – stay with them! I stayed with my friend Rachel Newton, who I met three years ago during a trip to New Zealand and I had the best time. We not only were tourists for a day but real Londoners for the rest of the weekend as well.

Cheers!
Megan