I’ve always been told that it’s important not to live in the past. But I’ve also been told that it’s important to learn and remember history in order to make sure we don’t repeat the same mistakes. This apparent contradiction between having to live in the present and yet immerse yourself in the past creates an interesting tension.

I find that when you’re entrenched in history and its harsh lessons – it naturally colors your perspective of the world around you – things you expect, your understanding of others’ perspectives, and ultimately, your own actions. For example, learning about the American Civil War shapes your understanding of the United States and creates a tendency to divide it between North and South (even today), especially for those living on the East Coast. And yet, at the same time, to act in a manner that is completely unaware of the past because you’re focused on the present almost seems naïve. Because even if you’re convinced on living in the now and being unaffected by the actions of the past – that’s not the reality that those around you are living in. They are affected by history similar to the way that you are subject to it as well, whether you choose to acknowledge it or not.

So what do I do?

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With another week gone, I’m starting to get comfortable in Europe and can see more of the benefits this program has to offer.
The site visits from this week really put into perspective how much more I will learn here than I would have in a traditional classroom. MEP Corbett was a very insightful speaker and the topics he touched on provided a unique internal perspective of British politics and the UK’s relation with the EU. The fact that the parliament is conducted in each of the 24 languages of the European Union is really something to appreciate. The parliament represents the people of Europe and it is beautiful that the Union preserves the diversity of Europe. I also enjoyed the lecture on climate change, particularly since it is something I studied from the perspective of the UN last semester. The EU’s decision and ability to ratify the Kyoto Protocol without US support was something I was aware of, but did not fully appreciate until I learned of the details of the agreement. It legitimized the power of the EU as a global power in non-military matters. It also highlights a large cultural and political difference between the US and Europe. Global warming is accepted for the science it is in Europe while a significant portion of our country dismisses it as a myth and ignores hard science. In my opinion, this is due in part to the power corporations hold in American politics and the belief of many voters that government should not be allowed to regulate the market.

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One important thing that I noticed almost immediately from when I arrived in Brussels, was the power of language. I suppose it was something that I never quite thought about and took for granted because I am often able to get by with my little knowledge of Hindi when I travel to India, and other than that, I haven’t really been abroad. However, with my four years of high school + one semester worth of French, while I can get by and understand the basics of the language when people speak to me here in Belgium, there are a few things that I have begun to realize about language itself.

I think for many of us, it can be very easy to forget that not everyone in the world has learned the same language as we have. Especially for those of us who were brought up learning only English, because it is so prevalent around the world (especially with businesses), it can become easy to get used to relying on people, for whom English is not their first language, to pick up the slack and work harder to learn it. However, what I’m starting to realize is just how big of a barrier language can be, even if everyone at the table technically knows English.

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