Being here in Lleida with people studying at the UdL from all over europe ("erasmus" a la european union- they pay them to study abroad...) has been really wonderful. I have such great conversations with people that I would have never in my life imagined talking to.
The other day, for example, Angie and Valentino and I talked for two hours about Italy's perception of America. Before 9/11 they were proud to have ties with America but after 9/11 they saw our weakness more profoundly. Interesting. Also, the Italians felt war on their land and feared for their lives because America used bases in Italy during the war in Kosovo (which, if you look at a map, makes sense) but they would hear airplanes overhead all the time and feared for their lives that they were going to be attacked for helping the US by allowing us use of their bases. Interestingly, I've never felt that fear of impending doom or war over my head.
Conversations like that are one of the many reasons I am here for the year.
1 comment:
I love this picture.
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