Student Reflections

Europe

ACM - CENTRAL EUROPEAN STUDIES - OLOMOUC, CZECH REPUBLIC
 

 

 

The US government, as well as The College of Wooster, has told abroad students to stay away from large demonstrations. I have purposely done the opposite, and have been excitedly received by protesting groups. I have participated in two major demonstrations. The biggest one was in Berlin on Febuary 15th-the international day of protest. I clearly stated that I was an American against war, and received huge amounts of praise for this and not a single hostility ... not even a look. There were many signs providing thoughts on the war, Bush, and the American government. However, there were an overwelming amount of signs that clearly stated the demonstraters were against American policy and NOT the American people. The claims of Anti-Americanism, especially in Germany, are totally unwarrented and wrongly emphasized by American media and the US government.

As for the people I meet on the streets, the professors and government officals, I have never encountered any negative response. There are also NO reports of any Anti-American actions by the media or by these countries' governments. People simply want to talk about it, even to those who support the war.

I feel safer over here than I have ever felt in the Untied States. In the US I honestly feel like a sitting duck. Everytime the administration says or does something, I feel like I should be using the "duck and cover" method or what is now referred to as the "duck tape and plastic" method. Now that the US government has launched an attack on Iraq against strong political and societal opposition, I feel even more vulnerable in the US. I honestly have no desire to come back. I, along with the majority of the people in these countries, am baffled by the ability of the rest of the world to see the consequenses of US policy and the complete blindness of the US government and general population. Self-examination is not a strong American culture trait.

The people in Europe and other places not directly affected by the US unilateral policies have the privelage to distinguish between the US government and the US people. However, especially in the Middle East and Southern Asia, some people do not have this privelage because they are affected daily by US policies. It is these people that through their anger, fear, and pride turn on American people as well as the US government. The more the US continues its "war path," the more people will be affected in a devisating manner both in the target countries and the US. Why can the common people of these European countries see this, and our own govenment, media and society cannot? (Erin King, '04)

ACM - KRASNODAR, RUSSIA
 

ABERDEEN, SCOTLAND
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BUTLER - UNIVERSITY OF ST. ANDREWS - EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND
 

We've been admonished to avoid anti-war demonstrations, to steer clear of street corner debates on U.S. foreign policy, and to bury away all clothing that might mark us as Americans. We've been advised to hide a secret stash of money in the event of emergency evacuation and to make sure the nearest US Consulate office is aware of our location at all times.

I myself have spent the last two months studying at St. Andrews University in Scotland. While I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in the small, coastal college town, I have done so guardedly-shedding my baseball hats in favor of tartan stocking caps, donning bland, logo-free clothing, and occassionaly addressing people with Scottish colloquialisms.

Mostly, I've had little reason to feel in danger, though there have been some tense moments.

I've overheard hostile, vehemently anti-American conversations in pubs, on buses, in neighboring dorm rooms, and from shoppers in grocery store checkout lines. I've trailed behind clamorous protestors who have stomped on American flags, burned small effigies of our political leaders and shouted anti-American slurs. In such instances I have found it most advantageous to stay quiet and simply melt away into the background. But the Scots are a dour and pragmatic people and many students and townspeople have actively engaged me in candid discourse about the US, its people, and its political policies.

While I miss the psychological comfort of America, I must admit that I quite enjoy being in a country where I can voice my dissatisfaction, bewilderment, and utter frustration with US policy without the fear of being labeled 'unpatriotic' or 'subversive' for doing so. I love America: its history, its grandiosity, its panoply of people and cultures; but regrettably, with regards to the global community we tend to be quite parochial, with a frighteningly low capacity for self-examination, self-criticism, and humility.

As I watch the daily news feeds from the BBC and absorb the horrific war imagery streaming in from the Iraqi front, I shudder to think about the lasting effects our current war-mongering adminstration will have on us and on subsequent generations of Americans. I'm not thrilled about returning to a country whose leadership is utterly oblivious-or indifferent to-the global hatred its own hawkish policies have helped foment. (Daniel George '04)

BUTLER - GLASGOW, SCOTLAND
 

BUTLER - UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME
 

BUTLER - UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LONDON - LONDON, ENGLAND

 

All of this makes me wonder, of course, what sorts of things are happening in Wooster. It's not about harping on about being better or worse informed. Such an information disparity is unfortunate but acceptable. My current university is a truly multicultural place, in the middle of a city of six-and-a-half million, one of the world's biggest, the school alone is comprised of 17,000 students. So to claim that Wooster's response is somehow underwhelming is utterly banal. I regret, though, that claims like "I don't think war is going to change anything,"-which actually made it to print in a Voice article from January-are coming from the place I'll return when (hopefully) all of this is over and things will most certainly have changed. Certainly that's no more the feeling of the entire college community than the belief that anti-war means anti-American.

Have I experienced anti-American sentiment? Yes. Let me be frank, perhaps add another blanket statement to the pile: (lots of) people in England hate George Bush. They are, for the most part, anti-that-particular-American. They are anti-freedom fries, they are anti world-police. But if this is what it means to be anti-American, so am I. This doesn't mean that I hate Americans as a whole any more than the Muslim student sitting at the computer next to me; just that I disagree with what's being done. I don't consent to this, neither does he. But the way he puts it is simple and striking: "I don't have to worry that people expect that these things are being done in my name. This isn't your war but it is your stigma."

Am I frightened about what will happen as a result of the unilateral American attack. Absolutely. But not to me, personally. I'm frightened about what will happen to the already dismal world repuation of our country. I'm afraid of the real reasons for this war, those that will never surface through the thick gloss of 'weapons of mass destruction' and 'human rights abuse' rhetoric. I am afraid of another poorly-funded puppet government in Iraq, just as I was afraid of one in Afghanistan, one in Serbia. I am afraid of the repercussions of breaking alliances with much of Europe, with further disrupting the Middle East, of prolonging the conflict between Palestine and Israel while positive things seem to be happening there, of ignoring North Korea. I'm worried for Tony Blair and the fate of his political involvement. I am afraid that I'll forget that this is happening so far away-that I'll live my life as if it's not. (Cory Becker '04)

IES - BARCELONA, SPAIN

 

The mood has definitely changed since February. A girl was telling me she was with this Greek guy and they were going to a bar and they were asked by the bartender if they were American, as if a 'yes' would've prevented her from being able to stay there. That type of thing has happened here a lot more now. Another girl was asked by four or five people if she was American as she walked home the other day. Things are tense; I won't lie. As I write this there is smoke billowing near my dorm, and I think there is a fire on one of the streets here that was set by the protesters. I'm not horribly worried, but I do feel pressure to be more careful and vigilant when I'm on the streets. (David Massey '04)

 

IES - DUBLIN, IRELAND
 

 

 

 

IES - LONDON, ENGLAND
 

 

 

 

 

 

There is one thing that has made me very angry and, to be honest a little apprehensive. When the local newspapers covered the various anti-war rallies they showed pictures of people carrying banners that had a swastica, an 'equals' sign and then the american flag. I really resent any assumption that America is like Nazi Germany. George Bush is not Hitler and even though I have many qualms with his diplomacy I would never put him on the same scale as a man who massacered his own people. Things like that make me upset, and scare me because Nazi Germany under Hitler is arguably the most hated empire in history. If that is the image people are associating us with then yes, I do feel a bit scared. Despite all this, my experience abroad has been utterly amazing. I have done things and seen things I never thought I would and when I come back to Wooster next fall, I think I will come back a different person than when I left. (Claire Long '05)

IES - PARIS, FRANCE
 

IES - VIENNA, AUSTRIA
 

 

 

LEXIA INTERNATIONAL - PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
 

PRESHCO - CORDOBA, SPAIN
 

 

 

 

 

 

SIT - SPAIN: INTENSIVE LANGUAGE and CULTURE

SIT - CENTRAL EUROPE - BERLIN, GERMANY
 

SIT - IRELAND
 

SIT - TOULOUSE, FRANCE
 

 

SKIDMORE - SHAKESPEARE PROGRAM - LONDON, ENGLAND
 

 

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY - LONDON, ENGLAND

 

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY - STRASBOURG, FRANCE
 

 

 

I'm getting frustrated with all the anti-American sentiment. The Poirots [my host family] invited some friends over to the house for dinner about three weeks ago. I was amazed at how hostile both the Poirots and their guests were towards Bush and the upcoming war.

They threw insult upon insult, almost as if they had forgotten that an American was seated with them at the table. And then at the very end, when they noticed that I hadn't said a word the whole time, the neighbor's wife had the gall to ask me, "So, are you for or against the war?" I just wanted to scream. What a frustrating situation.

Last night at the dinner table, Gerard [my host father] went off on a long spiel about the evil American imperialism and the idiot-saint that Americans have for a president. His tone was harsh, and Dominique [my host mother] followed suit by adding her own nonsensical, but nevertheless emotionally charged two cents on the issue. I calmly but firmly pointed out that the resolution 1441 was signed unanimously back in November, even by France, and that it was agreed that Saddam would face "serious consequences" should he refuse to cooperate in disarmament.

Frankly, it wasn't the inspectors' job to catch Saddam in a lie; it was his job to be straightforward and honest with the inspectors. Apparently Saddam hadn't been particularly honest. Just about everybody, even the French, agree that he is not a man to be trusted. France has said no to this war over and over again and insists that war is not the only solution. But it seems stunningly silent when asked to offer solutions for dealing with the problem. I believe that more time and more inspectors wouldn't have made a bit of difference. American troops have been asked to put their lives on the line, and I am not ashamed of them. Come what may, they have my utmost support. (Andrew Le Blanc, '05)

WOOSTER IN GREECE

The mood has definitely changed since February. A girl was telling me she was with this Greek guy and they were going to a bar and they were asked by the bartender if they were American, as if a 'yes' would've prevented her from being able to stay there. That type of thing has happened here a lot more now. Another girl was asked by four or five people if she was American as she walked home the other day. Things are tense; I won't lie. As I write this there is smoke billowing near my dorm, and I think there is a fire on one of the streets here that was set by the protesters. I'm not horribly worried, but I do feel pressure to be more careful and vigilant when I'm on the streets. (David Massey '04)