But I mean, we elected a black president, so we're all good

My hours at Davis library (I know, be jealous) have been spent reading countless accounts and critical discussions of the genocide for our paper due in a few weeks for one of my Rwandan classes. And I keep finding parallels between the ethnic identity and race in Rwanda and here at home; which is think stems a lot from the desire to see yourself in other people’s lives and to find that connection even if its just a glimmer. But while we’ve studied how ethnic tensions, inequalities, and a constant mantra of racial superiority between Hutu and Tutsi has been going on for years and how sad it is that its still evident today in Rwanda—it happens here at home on a daily basis if anyone wanted to acknowledge it. Sure, I’m not saying that the US is on the brink of a genocide against minorities, but how would race relations be different here if the economy truly was destroyed, if the wars we’re involved in suddenly created mass US troop casualties (probably of which no one would care about if another famous pop singer dies…) and unemployment rose to catastrophic highs?

Given a few situational alterations, I don’t think we are much different than Rwandans. How easy little comments slide by in everyday conversation—a neighbor’s upset objection to their daughter’s pot luck black roommate for college, the idea that “race relations” in churches is a waste of resources which could be better spent on a rocket ship-like bell tower, and the issue of self segregation in schools, colleges, faculty lounges (Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?).

I was watching American History X a few days ago and one of Edward Norton’s early speeches in the movie as a white supremacist was incredibly unsettling (starts at time 5:30). Not because it was horrifying, disgusting, or incredibly violent, but because I had heard that same speech so many times before. Take away the shaved head, the tattoos, built physique, a few F words, and put Edward in a suit and he’d be a pretty average talk show guest on CNN or Fox News discussing how minorities are taking away jobs, illegal immigrants are burdening the system, and how the white man has to pay for these things.

This isn’t happening just far away, in a remote village in Africa.

Europe travels!

After an abrupt goodbye to the rest of our group, the next few days with Ben, David, Sarah, and Thomas in Amsterdam were a crazy blur of canal wandering, red light district observing, Mannekin Pis, and a sobering and incredibly moving afternoons spent at the Anne Frank house and the Dutch resistance museum on the Nazi occupation. Yet again, the G-Tour finds its way to continue.

After leaving David in Amsterdam, our next stop was Prague, the amazing city of central Bohemia!

I really loved the tour we took of the city and seeing all the places I learned about in my history classes I fell in love with in high school-Davenport would be so pleased! There's nothing quite like listening to stories of the defenstrations of Praha and the Czech rebellion during the Nazi occupation in the actual settings they occured. All my fellow history dorks understand me!

Besides a brief history refresher, the best parts of Prague included listening to Vivaldi in a Prague cathedral, getting caught in a rain storm, meals of meats, potato pancakes and amazing freshly brewed beer cheaper than water. And even though I know I can lay in the grass and read anywhere in the world, it's just that much better when you're on the Vltava river with a freaking castle in the background.

Our days in Paris were packed-we were welcomed into the city with a midnight meal at McDonals where we were luckily able to order via computer touch screen and avoided awkward French-English language exchange.

The first full day began at Notre Dame. It was a beautiful yet strange experience. As hundreds of tourists filed through the cathedral, snapping photos, posing at crucifixes and buying memorative candles and charms, an actual mass was occuring! Ben brought up the story in the Bible where Jesus throws the seller's tables in the Temple and it seemed to fit this situation exactly. I think that Rwanda has made me incredibly sensitive to preserving the sacred, whatever religious or situationl setting. The impact of Rwanda continues to manifest itself in random situations.

From Notre Dame, we had lunch consisting of veggie sandwiches from a street vender and the previous day's wine, drank from an empty water bottle. Not the complete image of classy but we do what we can.

Before our marathon in the Louvre, we rested our tired legs in the fountains at the pyramid entrance to the museum and floated our feet in the water. I have to admit this place made me think of the DaVinci Code the whole time!

The Louvre was spectacular. Highlights included Hammarabi's Code, and various works I won't even attempt to spell that I studied back when I actually had time to take history and art classes.

I loved watching the complete shit show surrounding the famous 'great' works of art-you had to fight your way through crowds to see Venus de Milo-and she doesn't even have any arms left! Simply tell people its great and they LOVE it! Same goes for that grubby little painting they call the Mona Lisa. Why is she smiling? She's laughing at all the unwarrented attention!

The day was topped off with take out Chinese on the lawn of the Eiffel Tower, where we stayed late into the night. The following day was spent with the lovely Lauren after a crazy ordeal trying to meet up at the train station-trying to connect without cell phones is incredibly difficult-I don't know how they did it before!

Currently, I'm listening to Bruce Springsteen on a train from Paris to Amsterdam (I felt it was necessary to pay homage to The Boss on the fourth). First class was actually the cheapest ticket (who would have thought?!) Feeling a bit like Gatsby, pretending to pass by as upper class citizens, I'm watching the European landscape pass by in a lounge chair, being served amazing food and French wine and free WiFi. This is definitly the way to travel!

Since tomorrow is the final day of my travels (!) this would be an approprite time for reflection and witty story sharing, but I think those will be best told another time.

Happy Fourth! Eat an American burger and watch some fireworks for me!