Since the previous week was focused on just learning the ropes of being a beneficial member of the group, this week has allowed to take more notice of my surroundings, where I found two things that took my interest. The first concept that surprised me was just how well people can communicate with one another without a similar language. Being an individual who has never had a fun time learning and retaining other languages, I was delighted to discover that I could nod, point, and smile my way through surviving a day filled with interactions with people who were as clueless in my language as I was in theirs. From a historical perspective, this makes me think that ancient peoples could have more easily than I thought progressed through interactions with others who spoke a different language, and that difficulties only became more prevalent when societies (and thus language) became more advanced. The second idea I noticed is something that has been brought to my attention in previous classes, but not actually yet seen within the physical world. What I am referring to is the contrast of “Old Stuff” that the United States has compared with the Old World. Granted, we of course have our National Parks and Monuments, but there is something completely different about passing Ancient Roman ruins on the walk to the beach. This instills a sense of awe within myself that is not only refreshing, but also something that I know I will miss immediately after my departure.
