November 14, 2002

My voyage this week included several changes from the travel we Centre students have grown accustomed to. First, I traveled with six other persons, who all needed to stay both happy and accounted for. This venture was also longer than normal, as Armistice Day added another day to the already-extended weekend. Lastly—and most significantly—we exited the traditional Western world and crossed the Iron Curtain into the old Communist Eastern Bloc. While the Wall is long gone and perestroika now refers to a change on the

McDonald’s extra value menu, the effects of Soviet rule in Central and Eastern Europe persist.

Before catching an overnight train to Vienna, Austria, the travelers partook in the weekly ritual of pizza and movie that precedes each Thursday departure. This week we hosted VIP guest Dr. Rick Bradshaw, director of the Centre-in-Strasbourg program. One of the hidden benefits in the abroad programs is the close contact students enjoy with their professor, but I will wait to toot Bradshaw’s horn until final grades come out.