European Evaluations

A few weeks ago I traveled to Rome, Florence, and Paris with 23 high school seniors, 3 other teachers, and a tour guide named Romeo (pronounced "Romayo"... not of the Juliet set). Now, Europe with 23 students is a very different Europe without 23 students but there were some reminders during the trip of my previous European excursions and the things I always love about that continent.

Things I love about Europe (in no particular order):
1. Those great "Exit" signs! In the United States they count on you being literate to survive great danger. In Europe they take no chances. Who could misinterpret this sign? I love their commitment to clear communication... especially in highly dangerous situations.

2. Automobile license plates. License plates actually mean something in Europe. It is so nice to find out where a person actually lives and the thin and long shape idea should have been snagged by us a long time ago.

3. Food. While I shook my head in utter disapproval when my students ate at McDonalds, I took full advantage of my European adventure staples... bread, cheese, chocolate and wine (the alcoholic beverages had to take a break on this trip... something about being professional when you work or something like that). I think if I were trapped on an island for a long time or forced to be on Survivor I'd eat only these items and I feel perfectly satisfied.

4. Cloth towels in the bathroom! This idea is so outstanding that I'm tempted to donate these things to local West Asheville restaurants just for the fun of it. A really long connected-like cloth is wound around a roll and when you dry your hands you just pull down the next clean section. When the clean cloth runs out, you simply wash it and put it back. Save the trees! It is also saving our anxieties when we push those scary buttons in the States that make that horrifying noise and supposedly dry the water off your hands.

5. Speaking of bathrooms, how about that nifty button way up high to flush the toilet? No need to kick a lever with you left foot on the way out of the stall. Buttons make so much more sense than levers in almost every other plumbing and electrical situation.

6. Big fluffy beds... they love those poofy duvet comforters and I do too.

7. Public transportation (especially in Switzerland). It's on time. It's affordable. It's way clean.

8. Mostly no air conditioning. Americans are really silly about air conditioning. I never feel cold inside buildings in Europe unless I'm in a cathedral and then I don't really notice because I'm in a cathedral.

9. Little grocery stores. I love shopping when I don't have football fields of space to cover, when the food is fresh, and when I don't see lawn equipment near the food I'm wanting to eat.

Things I prefer about my homeland:
1. Water. Good water and lots of it. I always feel so privileged to have free and tasty water available to me in America. This was worth a revolutionary war, really. Who wants to live in a place where water tastes more like anti-water?

2. Ice. I have to admit that I like ice. Ice makes all things more refreshing.

3. Public restrooms. We also fought the British to have the right to FREE public restrooms, apparently.

4. Space. I know, this is a Ruth thing but I really need my space and I'm grateful that we expanded westward. Manifest Destiny may have had some sad consequences but I'm really loving how much room we have here to spread out.

5. Europe doesn't have Asheville or the Appalachian mountains. This is why I'm not moving.

That's all I can think of for now. Travel is great but I do love home. It's so fascinating to me how attached we can become to geographical locations and I count myself lucky to have home in the very spot that is my favorite!