Touching the Dying Lion

Have you ever written an extensive research paper about a specific place, monument, or memorial? We have all gotten used to putting hours on end into a word document, drinking loads of coffee, and walking out of our bedroom for the first time in a week with a completed masterpiece. Ever ask yourself why put so much effort into something you will probably never see in person? But you do know if you ever had the chance to see such in person, the experience would be magical. I got to experience just that. In the Spring of 2015, I wrote a historical paper on the significance and meaning of the sculpture and memorial of the Dying Lion of Lucerne located in Luzern, Switzerland.

The Dying Lion of Lucerne

Welcome to Glacier Garden

After writing fifteen pages of well-crafted ingenuity, I knew just about everything about this lion. When it was built, why, the small and hidden aspects deep within the work itself and what it stood for. This lion as I argued represented the emergence of Swiss democracy as an opposition to the French Monarchy. Birthed in 1821, only 6 short years after Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo, the Congress of Vienna had enacted the rebirth of European monarchies. The Swiss wanted no part of this and although a war memorial to the Swiss Guards killed in the French Revolution at the Tuileries Palace, it evolved into something significantly more. With its paw trapping the French fleur de lys, the dying lion is crushing the old monarchy as the Swiss shield of democracy stands untouched behind him. The Lion itself symbolizes revolution and is a revolutionary himself. I presented the paper I produced at the Phi Alpha Theta Conference in Hawaii and won runner up for best Undergraduate paper. So you can see how attached I am to this topic. Shortly after I arrived in Germany, I was offered a chance to travel to Switzerland and see the majestic lion in his cove myself. I would not pass this up. I will take you on my journey as I entered the gardens of the Löwendenkmal. 

The Gang ready to take on Luzern

The sun was shining. It was warm and the city streets of Luzern were busy. Farmers’ Markets control the bridge and everyone was smiling and happy. It almost seemed like a dream. I approached the gates to the garden where the lion slept. The trees shaded the alcove and the atmosphere was calm. Tourists from all over the globe were there to witness the majestic lion just as I had intended. So many people, but so little noise. A small hill stood between me and the lion himself. I climbed to the top and there he was. Within his cove, a spear through his abdomen, sad, but courageous, dying, but strong. A tear fell from my face into the crystal pond beneath him as I exclaimed: “Finally, finally I got to meet you.” Having the opportunity to see something you researched for over 3 months in person is just a spectacular feeling. You feel the history. You breathe the history. Hell, you become part of the history. What an opportunity!

The funniest part about this experience you ask? I strolled into the gift shop to buy my own personal lion monument after my visit and presented my paper to the cashier. She gave me 50% off!!! :D

I concluded my paper with some fine words that I would like to share with you. Below is Mr. Mark Twain’s interpretation of the Dying Lion of Lucerne. His comments sum up exactly how I felt as I entered the garden.

“The Lion lies in his lair in the perpendicular face of a low cliff—for he is carved from the living rock of the cliff. His size is colossal, his attitude is noble. His head is bowed, the broken spear is sticking in his shoulder… a clear stream trickles from above and empties into a pond at the base, and in the smooth surface of the pond the lion is mirrored, among the water-lilies…The place is a sheltered, reposeful woodland nook, remote from noise and stir and confusion—and all this is fitting, for lions do die in such places, and not on granite pedestals in public squares fenced with fancy iron railings. The Lion of Lucerne would be impressive anywhere, but nowhere so impressive as where he is.” ~ Mark Twain, A Tramp Abroad 

All the Emotions of Leaving Europe

I'm back in the United States and the culture shock and adjustment of being back is in full effect. The second half of my semester was crazy busy, full of travel, visits from home, and intense language practice. I can definitely say that this entire experience was MORE than worth it. I met more people than I could have ever imagined, made some really long-lasting friendships, forced myself out of my comfort zone by backpacking alone for 3 weeks and with a friend from home for another 3, and really enjoyed my time. This was one of the greatest moves I have made in life.


I left Paris on May 16th, both happy and utterly heartbroken as I embarked on the next adventure - 6 solid weeks of backpacking throughout Europe. I had a plan of the first 17 days going to Lyon, Strasbourg, Fussen, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Munich, Dresden and Berlin. My long-time friend Heather from California was meeting me in Berlin to do 24 days throughout Eastern Europe; Prague, Budapest, Zagreb, Mostar, Dubrovnik, Split, Plitvic, Ljubljana, Bled, and Zurich. Although I was nervous to be on my own for the first part of the trip, I immediately made new friends in Lyon, as I was staying with a friend from Paris' family that offered their home to me. It was amazing to be able to integrate into Lyon's lifestyle with locals for a few days. Lyon remains one of my favorite cities - hence why  I visited twice in my time abroad. Backpacking by myself forced me to be comfortable on my own instead of relying on anybody. I made so many connections in the hostels - some I traveled with for a couple days, while some I just spent an afternoon with. Each of these new faces brought a different perspective to my travels and greatly impacted me. I loved being able to broaden my views and take in a wide range of ideas from all over the world. In my time alone, I hiked one of the Alps, drove on the Autoban, visited Mozart's home, went to the original castle that Disney modeled theirs after, ate apfelstrudel and spatzle, spent time in the oldest concentration camp from WWII, watched surfers go at it in the park river in Munich, and climbed more stairs that I can count.


When I arrived in Berlin I couldn't wait for my friend Heather to come. I was a little exhausted, my phone had been having issues, and I was ready for some comfort of home. She ended up missing her connecting flight in Turkey and was delayed 15 hours, but finally arrived (newly-sprained ankle and all). While the mobility was a bit of an issue and we ran into problems here and there, our trip was absolutely fantastic. Eastern Europe is less traversed than the western portion, making it less crowded and cheaper. Heather and I explored the cities on our own, venturing off the beaten path, and discovered a whole new world that we loved. My top favorite place was by far Mostar, Bosnia. The people we came across were incredibly friendly, the food was good, and the scenery was breathtaking. There is a vast contrast between Western and Eastern Mostar due to the Bosnian War of the early 1990s and wreckage is still present with bombed-out buildings and bullet casings found throughout the city. Very few people seemed to be visiting here, so the peaceful aura of the city was very different to what I had experienced in places like Paris and Berlin. This trip together included getting tattoos in Prague (sorry Mom!), relaxing at the thermal baths of Budapest, jumping into a freezing lake/waterfall in Bosnia, meeting a friend I had met on a previous stop in Bern, Switzerland, seeing famous graffiti walls, and bonding with one of my best friends.


Everyone should backpack - and do it alone at least for some time. It sounds crazy and people told me I was out of my mind, and I'll admit that I was scared. But was it worth it? COMPLETELY. I can't stress enough how much I grew in this whole experience - both from studying abroad and from traveling afterwards. This world is huge and there is so much to see, but there is also so many people to cross your path that will open your eyes in a way you didn't know could happen.


I'm already planning my return to these incredible places.

Fussen, Germany. Neuschwanstein Castle.

Fussen, Germany

The most picturesque little city, Strasbourg, France.

One of the best things about backpacking is meeting new people that become lifelong friends.

Munich, Germany

Dresden, Germany

Filbling, Austria, outside of Salzburg. Hiking in The Alps!

In the Astronomical Clock Tower in Prague, Czech Republic

My right hand companion on the second half of this trip - Heather

The Berlin Wall, Berlin, Germany

Waterfalls outside of Mostar, Bosnia

The Shoes - Holocaust Memorial in Budapest, Hungary

View from our hostel in Bled, Slovenia just before dusk

View from our hostel in Dubrovnik, Croatia

Bern, Switzerland. I was lucky enough to have a friend I met previously in Nice from here to show us around.

Hanging on the edge in Bled, Slovenia

Our last day - Zurich, Switzerland

The famous Plitvic Lakes Park in Croatia

I'm like so totally cultured now

I finished up my semester abroad in Madrid, Spain, and have been home in Hawaii for a couple weeks now. I’ve been trying to write this blog post for a while, but I’m finding it really hard to sum up my incredible 6 months abroad!! I know it's cliche, but the best way I can put it is: an incredible growing experience. It was both challenging but rewarding, lonely but liberating, stressful yet the most exciting 6 months of my life. 

My last couple weeks consisted of studying for finals, traveling to some awesome new cities, and perfecting my Spanish. Overall, I really really enjoyed my classes at Universidad Pontificia Comillas. It was a thought provoking experience to learn through not only the courses, but the plentiful different international minds within the classrooms. I felt intellectually challenged in my classes, in the best way possible. Finals were intense and it took some time to adjust to the Spanish system of education (ie: more papers, more exams, less day-to-day busy work compared to HPU), but eventually I settled in and fell in love with my classes. I will forever remember the Universidad Pontificia Comillas as a wonderful university filled with dignified professors and fellow students!

Since I last posted, I also got to travel to Prague, Munich, London, Dublin, Cadiz, Cordoba, Lugano, Budapest, Plitvice Lakes, Athens, Santorini, and the Amalfi Coast in Italy. All were nothing short of spectacular, but I especially liked Dublin for its streets so full of life, Cadiz for its warm Andalusian atmosphere, and Santorini for its undeniably gorgeous views. Since being home in Hawaii, I have really missed the opportunity of traveling to a new city and culture every single weekend. My favorite parts of studying abroad were definitely the opportunities to learn about the history of each country from locals themselves. I learned about the Balkan Wars from taxi drivers in Croatia, about the British referendum to leave the EU from Brits in Greece, and about communist history in Prague from waiters and waitresses. As an international relations major, this was probably the most valuable experience of my whole time abroad. Here are some pics from the latest travels around the European continent. I even made a short video that I will add here as well! https://youtu.be/fp-M-uAxQhw

You know that U curve they talk about before you leave for studying abroad? Yeah, its real. I definitely went through it. I was in so infatuated with Spain and Europe when I first arrived. By the middle, I was starting to feel a little homesick for my friends and family (and warm weather!) back home in Hawaii. But by the end, it was almost impossible to leave the country I had called casa and the people I had called familia for so long. I miss the soothing sound of cars gliding over the cobble stone streets, the wealth of languages that I overhead in busy plazas, and the FOOD, oh, the food! I cannot commend the HPU study abroad department enough for their endless help and support in facilitating the study abroad experience, and I am forever thankful for all of the memories I made while abroad. It was the most exciting time of my life...it was a beautiful learning and growing experience that I would highly recommend to all HPU students!

Italy

Okay, lets start with the fun stuff... I arrived to Milan about a month ago with one suitcase, a backpack, and absolutely no clue what I was getting myself into! I was under the impression that housing was easy to find in Milan, so I decided to wait until I got to the city to start looking. SPOILER: It wasn't easy!


The next two and a half weeks consisted of bouncing around different hostels and friends houses I had met at the university, and utilizing weekend travel trips as temporary housing. I referred to my luggage as my portable house, where I made over ten trips with all of my belonging through metros, trains, busses, and trams. This challenging experience of looking for housing was frustrating at times, but has now come full circle to the present day. DRUM ROLL PLEASE...


 I now have an Italian grandma! "Nonna", which means grandma in Italian, is an 81 year old Italian lady who had an open room I found on AirBnB. Living with Nonna for over a week now has been a wonderful experience! First off, she speaks absolutely no English. This has forced me to talk in Italian everyday. Secondly, Like every grandma, you are required to eat until NONNA SAYS YOUR FULL. She has made pastas, soups, cookies, you name it! I am obviously a fan of all this and have eaten some of the best Italian meals I have ever had.


Enough about housing, here are some of the places I have been lucky enough to travel to since I have been in Italy:


Rome was number one on my list of places to visit. A destination I had dreamed of going to since I can remember has turned out to be one of my most favorite places I have ever been! I walked on foot around the city from dawn to dusk for 4 days, visiting the many churches and historical sites, scenic lookout points, and everything else the city offers. Being Catholic, this was a chance for me to pay a visit to the Vatican. I was able to see Pope Francis give his weekly Angelus address in St. Peter's Square. One thing I know for sure, this will not be the last time I visit Rome before I leave!

Overlooking Rome from St. Peter's Basilica

The next weekend I took a trip to the famous city of Venice with friends from the university. We also went camping overnight and the following day toured Padua, a city near Venice that is filled with much history!

Venice

 My intensive Italian language class started last week and regular classes will begin next week at the University. I have had many chances to explore my home city of Milan. My favorite place to visit is the Duomo Cathedral.

Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

Duomo cathedral, Milano

Last weekend I made a day trip to Lake Como, a beautiful lake in the mountains of Italy, right by Switzerland. The day was filled with hiking, great food, and boat rides to the different villages around the lake. Being a short hour train ride from Milan, it is any easy get away from the big city!

Lake Como

I Fought the Law, but the Law Won

I apologize for the late post; my internship is kicking up.

The public transportation system in Geneva, like many other cities in Europe, is quite good and transportation companies offer monthly passes. In Geneva the transportation companies are TPG, CFF, SMGN, and five other companies who operate the buses and trains (and possibly a little boat that shuttles people across Lake Geneva). These companies formed a united fare policy and offer bus passes for a fair price.

If you are a "junior" or anyone younger than 25, you can purchase your monthly bus pass for 45 CHF (Swiss Francs(Roughly $50). If you are familiar with the transportation systems in Europe the thought of forgetting your pass and risking not purchasing a ticket looms in the back of your mind as the bus or train "police" may get on your train or bus and give you a ticket.

Ironically, my fellow interns and I were on our way to the main train station (Cornavin) to pick up a monthly pass for one of the new arrival interns. Guess what? She "YOLOed" it. Half way into the bus ride down the route the bus "police" hopped on and stopped people who tried to make a mad dash for the door to escape the impending 80 CHF (roughly $90) fine for riding the bus without purchasing a ticket. She tried to reason with the bus "police" saying that she was "new here", "didn't know where to purchase the ticket" "didn't speech French", and was "confused". I can only assume that the bus "police" heard it all. Mercilessly, they summoned one of their colleagues who spoke the most English. Confusion and panic ensued, but there was no way out of the fine for her.

The lesson of this story is: To always buy a ticket and if you have a transportation pass; to always bring it with you even if you have to run back to your house. You can try to fight the law, but in this case the law won.    

The Impressions That I Get

(An important note before reading: I had the directions printed out, but had lost the map that had accompanied it. I am technically not doing a study abroad program, but an internship that doesn't require French language skills.)

After travelling a day and a half from Honolulu, to Los Angeles, and London I finally reached my final destination in Geneva. With no knowledge of the French language, the predominant language in Geneva; however due to presence of the United Nations in the city most people possess some knowledge of speaking other languages, this weary traveler had to get to the main train station to get to his hostel. Thankfully a nice worker directed me in the direction of where the train line was.

With luggage in tow and a extremely overstuffed carry-on and personal item I made it to the station, but everything was in French. Luckily there were two very helpful TPG (the transportation company) workers who not only helped me purchase my ticket, but also personally used their own coins to make change to break my larger bill, as the machine only took coins. Arriving at the main station I had a vague sense of which direction I needed to go to reach my hostel for the night. Except a few things stood in my way: the cold, heavy luggage, the zombie like trance of sleep deprivation, and the dark. To tired to care, I sought a cab (Geneva is an expensive city to live in and cab fares are quite high; public transportation is the best option) to take me to my hostel. Instead the cabby said that the location was "quite close" and that I could get there in the direction I thought I had to go in. "Go straight down this street for 500 meters and then take a right and keep going straight", he said. The only problem was that in my sleep deprived state, cold, tired, and lugging luggage, I took that right turn a little bit too early and accidentally stumbled into the "red light" district.

There are police cars on each street, perhaps I could ask them for directions. Except the police weren't there and I continued to blindly walk straight down a pretty sketchy street. I realized that I was in the wrong part of the city when I saw the women of the night, so I decided to get the hell out of there as soon as I could. Taking a left turn I found myself at a cafe where an older lady was having a drink. I asked her for direction and I got them, but they were in French. She did the best she could using international sign language and I thanked her and was on my blind journey yet again. I assumed my destination was two streets over and then another left turn from what the lady had said and described. An even sketchier alley awaited me with a couple of tough looking gentlemen and a smell of "medicinal" herbs.

I backtracked and made it to the next street over. Giving up hope and looking for a cab I heard a French conversation quickly being switched into an English one; I was saved. Three girls from the US, who work at the UN office in Geneva, happened to be coming up the same street and upon hearing my story and where I was from they not only helped me out, but led into the right direction to where I needed to go. Despite my first view of the city being the "red light" district in its functioning hour of operations, the people of Geneva are nice and very friendly people who will be more than willing to help lost weary travelers.