Georgetown University: Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs: Junior Year Abroad Network 2007-08

Thirty-one Hoyas in thirteen countries on five continents...the 2007-08 Berkley Center Junior Year Abroad Network connects us with Georgetown students now immersed in a variety of different cultures. On this site they share reflections on religion, politics, and society in their host countries with one another and the Georgetown community.  

Network participants write letters from abroad and participate in a seminar upon their return to campus in their senior year. Below are excerpts from their first letters for the spring semester--some written on the same day with the same sentiments, yet thousands of miles and cultures apart.  
 
The Juniors abroad for the Spring semester 2008 have submitted their first letters with their first thoughts and reactions on the cultures that they have been immersed in.  The previous letters from the Fall semester 2007 can be found following those of the Spring. 
 
Notes from Abroad Spring 2008:

June 10: Elizabeth Miller in Lyon writes, “Two years ago this week, 23-year-old Ilan Halimi, a Parisian Jew, was tortured and killed, ostensibly for his religious beliefs.” Read More

June 10: Elizabeth Miller in Lyon writes, “According to Sarkozy, religion is instrumental in the transmission of values and in understanding the distinction between right and wrong.” Read More

June 5: Patrick Eucalitto in Menton writes, "You see, Hélène does not go to mass on Easter Sunday. Instead, she flips on her television to the mass that is broadcast from St. Peter's Basilica in Rome." Read More

May 30: Kirrin Hough in Tübingen writes, “It has indeed been my experience thus far that many Germans espouse a genuine interest in learning about all cultures and religions, not only Muslims.” Read More

May 15: Karima Tawfik in Menton writes: "And as I sat uncomfortably in my chair, I reflected on what had just happened: a set of contradicting beliefs had just collided onto the floor of this opulent hotel conference room." Read More

May 1: Jorge Vega in Rio de Janiero writes, “The first time that Natalia (not her real name) drank the hallucinogenic Daime tea she saw herself die.” Read More

May 1: Megan Shudde in Cairo writes, “To a large extent Egyptian society is drawn along sectarian lines.  Even at first glance one’s religious identity is usually obvious.” Read More 

May 1: Andrew Viteritti in Paris writes, “…if a foreigner (particularly an American) tries to question (even in the most civil of manners) France’s approach to diversity while speaking to a French man or woman, more often than not he will receive a very long-winded and dogmatic explanation of Republicanism and laïcité (that is, France’s deeply entrenched take on separation between church and state).” Read More 

April 28: Jennifer Lydic in Paris writes, “It is impossible to deny that worries exist in Paris concerning the protection of the Jewish faith, even in this historically religious community.” Read More

April 28: Kirrin Hough in Tübingen writes, “A closer look reveals that Tübingen has a unique identity of its own, one that has been especially shaped by the force of religion.” Read More

April 18: Gregory Gangelhoff in Paris writes, " The government’s policy regarding the construction and maintenance of churches illuminates an important truth regarding the intersection of religion and politics in France: the government functions as the caretaker of a history that includes religion, while trying fastidiously to keep religion out of politics whenever possible." Read More

April 17: Patrick Eucalitto in Menton writes, "If I felt like religion somehow excluded me from my community, it was because I too ignored the necessity to separate religious doctrine from individual belief." Read More

April 15: Crystal Oswald-Herold in Berlin writes, “I had not heard of church tax and I kept asking myself: ‘why should the state care to know what my religion is?’” Read More

April 15: Camille Kolstad in Cairo writes, "Islam is not a passive religion; its active engagement in society does not exclude politics. Activists arise because non-Islamic political values continue to linger in Cairo’s polluted air.” Read More

April 15: Sarah Cooper in Paris writes, “In early April, the tombs of several Muslim soldiers who had died defending during World War I were defaced in the region of Pas-de-Calais in the north of .” Read More 

April 15: Natasha Reese in Madrid writes, “I've always learned about the reconquista of , but it was not until I was here that I got to see how profound an effect it had on the Spanish culture and on the lives of those it displaced.” Read More

April 15: Elizabeth Zehe in Nanjing writes, “Religion’s absence in , especially religion as a force that mobilizes people and inspires change both within individuals and society, is just another consequence of the Chinese government’s deep distrust of civil society.” Read More 

April 14: Traviss Cassidy in Salamanca writes, “When one considers the profound sense of displacement felt by Andalusians, it’s not surprising that their flag, marked with a green-white-green stripe pattern, was taken from the “losers” of the Reconquista: the Muslims.” Read More 

April 14: Tim McLaughlin in Salamanca writes, “While many things have changed during the thirty-three years since the death of Franco, the removal of religion from the public sphere is perhaps one of the most easily recognizable.” Read More

April 14: Sarah Maxey in Cape Town writes, “There is an accepted and respected diversity of religious belief and practice visible on the streets of Cape Town, from a steady alternation between Catholic and Protestant churches, to Muslim-owned businesses whose hours reflect breaks for prayer, to museums dedicated to the role of the Jewish community in the apartheid struggle, to the weekly Rastafarian television show broadcast on one of the three nationally-owned channels.” Read More

April 14: Seth McCurry in London writes, “Although I lauded the diversity of London in my first letter, my overall conclusion after the trip was that London is simply an amazing metropolis that does not adequately represent as a whole.” Read More

April 14: Chelsea Paige in Moscow writes, “The population of is overwhelmingly Orthodox; over 90% of Russians identify themselves as Russian Orthodox and countless icons depicting saints or the Virgin Mary with baby Jesus adorn the dashboards of taxis and the kitchen counters of Russian homes.” Read More

April 14: Maren Trochman  in Salamanca writes, “I realize how many questions I have left unanswered and how little hope I actually have of arriving at any sort of coherent conclusion about religion, or perhaps more enigmatically faith, in Spanish life.” Read More

April 14: Jessica Rimington in Monterrey writes, “How can it be that I can derive more spirituality from a museum exhibit of times passed then a living, breathing community welcoming me to their faith?” Read More

April 14: Ariel Azoff in Cairo writes, "The answer to every question is “God willing” which – aside from being a convenient way to be noncommittal – is really how Egyptians seem to view things, as being in the hands of God.” Read More

April 12: Juline Zhang in London writes, “The extent to which a leader’s personal faith affects his or her public role varies, depending on the strength of personal devotion, especially in light of the influence of factors such as upbringing and educational experience in shaping one’s perspective.” Read More

April 9: Kyle Hughes in Beijing writes, “Like Chinese Muslims, Christians often face limitations to the practice of their faith based on their ethnic identity.” Read More

April 7: Peter Haas  in Salamanca writes, “From my observations during mass however, as well as my continued interactions with Spaniards, if I had to comment on the future of the Catholic Church in Spain, I would say that it appears as though the Church will decrease considerably in years to come.” Read More

April 3: Piya Radia in Dakar writes, “Despite the blurring line between Animism and either Islam and Catholicism, religious affiliation between the two groups is quite rigid. You are born either Muslim or Catholic and you die either Muslim or Catholic.” Read More 
 
March 31: Kamilla Khabibrakhmanova in Cairo writes, “Every religious group that has a reason to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem is thus guaranteed a little safe haven were they are surrounded by those of equal spiritual values.” Read More

March 31: Cassandra Reidy in writes, “I giggled at the idea of monks collecting money in in the name of the federal government, just envisioning the impending lawsuit concerning the separation of church and state.” Read More

March 26: Ariel Azoff in Cairo writes, "I have never in my life been in a place where religion is a part of life to the extent that it is here.  Islam is woven into the fabric of this country; it is everywhere I turn.” Read More

March 11: Karima Tawfik in Menton writes, “Today France faces a difficult dilemma on how to integrate this diverging Muslim community into a society that heavily promotes assimilation and secularism and contains some citizens that view Islam as subversive.” Read More

March 7: Jorge Vega in Rio de Janiero writes, “‘Everybody says they are Catholic, but nobody really is’ a local friend told me, ‘Futebol (soccer) is more of a religion than Catholicism.’” Read More

February 28: Natasha Reese in Madrid writes, “One of the first facts I learned about was that only 14% of the young people in Spain described themselves as religious, a percentage that many of the young people I’ve asked seem to think is far too high.” Read More   

February 26: Tim McLaughlin in Salamanca writes, “…church is perhaps the place where I feel most out of place, most like a foreigner in Spain.  Surrounded by only the oldest segment of the Spanish population in church, it is clear that religion no longer serves as a unifying force in Spanish society.” Read More

February 26: Traviss Cassidy in Madrid writes, “Last week while walking down the hallway at my university, I noticed a poster arguing for the right to free and easily accessible abortions…a young woman lay chest upwards and completely naked, her vagina mostly (though not completely) covered by a Christian cross inside of a circle with a line slashed through it.  Scribbled across her stomach was the warning, “Keep your rosaries away from my ovaries.” Read More 

February 25: Sarah Cooper in Paris writes, “While France’s traditional inhabitants have increasingly favored a laïcité that verges on secularism in the classic sense of the term, certain amongst its new inhabitants have expressed their desire to see the state release its restrictions on religious expression in the public sphere.” Read More

February 25: Jennifer Lydic in Paris writes, “What Paris, and what all of for that matter, possesses that New York City does not is centuries of history that have undeniably often been entwined with religion.” Read More

February 25: Camille Kolstad in Cairo writes, "Rarely do I see Western fashion worn on the streets, yet I can't escape it at AUC. The students' outfits are conservative in that they do not reveal much skin, yet their fitted styles still attract attention.” Read More

February 25: Laura Tulchin in Paris writes, “Two weeks ago, French president Sarkozy unveiled a proposal that, instead of refocusing his first-term away from his tabloid-worthy marriage to the singer Carla Bruni, set off new waves of protest and controversy.” Read More

February 25: Chelsea Paige in St. Petersburg writes, “In the case of Putin’s policy towards Judaism, religion serves as a vehicle through which to explicate the extent to which Putin, though utilizing several Soviet-esque policies, ultimately seems to shape his policies with regard to power maximization rather than to adhering to a specific ideology.” Read More

February 25: Megan Shudde in Cairo writes, “Before I came here, I knew that most Egyptian women cover their hair, but I was unprepared to see so many women wearing the full face veil or niqab.” Read More

February 25: Sarah Maxey in Cape Town writes, “The partition of religious practices along lines of race and class remains a reality in South African society, where religious and racial communities are largely synonymous.”  Read More

February 25: Piya Radia in Dakar writes, “Although religion here is palpable, it is not intrusive. It fits into the hum of life as naturally as the sun and the sand." Read More

February 25: Maren Trochman in Salamanca writes, “By telling me they were Catholic, my host family was telling me that they were Spaniards and all that entails: the political struggles, the social strife, and the historical molding.” Read More 

February 25: Cathleen O’Neal in Dublin writes, “In Irish the usual greeting is Dia duit, which translates literally to “God be with you.” Coupled with its customary response of Dia ‘s Muire duit, which translates to “God and Mary be with you,” the language itself encodes religious reverence.” Read More

February 25: Elizabeth Zehe in Nanjing writes, “Many Chinese have expressed to me their belief that the spiritual rituals of the past are no longer relevant to a modern society:  religious traditions can no longer fulfill people’s daily needs, and consequently such doctrines have been replaced by democracy and science.” Read More  
 

February 25: Crystal Oswald Herold in Berlin writes," Can integration incorporate many religions, styles of dress, and languages? The German government, in its National Integration Plan, which was adopted last summer, listed the following as key factors for integration: equal participation in social life, accepting responsibility, command of the German language, education, and acceptance in the German labor market." Read More

February 24: Seth McCurry in London writes, “Despite the fact that “assimilation” must occur to a degree, I believe that London is a haven for people of all religions who wish to continue practicing their faith.” Read More 

February 24: Andrew Viteritti in Paris writes, “Paradoxically, elected officials and the mainstream French public largely ignore matters of individual identity, which they consider taboo – divisive bits of information whose outward expression compromise the greater good.” Read More

February 23: Jessica Rimington in Monterrey writes, “I saw a painting last night at Nayarit's state fair.  The painting was divided into two parts.  The left-hand side depicted items generally associated with indigenous. The right hand side depicted items associated with .  In the middle was the church.  "The supposed point of unity," Read More

February 21: Peter Haas in Salamanca writes, “A primarily "Catholic" country, in Spain , being Catholic is important, but being religious is not.” Read More

February 14: Kyle Hughes in Beijing writes, “Since the beginning of the War on Terror, Beijing has enacted increasingly harsh measures to stamp out Uyghur “terrorists” in Xinjiang, and Islam has become a key battlefield” Read More
 
Notes from Abroad Fall 2007:  
 
December 27: Kelly Mulvaney in Cairo writes, "After the semester in Cairo, I would find it hard to believe that Muslims around the world could agree on much more than the five pillars- profession of the faith, prayer, charity, fasting, and pilgrimage." Read More  
 
December 16: Ann Koppuzha in Cairo writes, “Why is it that the Egyptian state espoused Islamic values and the Turkish state became secular? Is it possible for secularism to work in and develop like it has Turkey?" Read More  
 
December 15: Amber Oliva in Cairo writes, “...I enter my apartment to find my roommates at the kitchen table doing homework. One of them inquires, “Hey are you coming to dinner tonight?” I respond, “Yes, insha’Allah (If God wills it).” My use of ‘insha’Allah,’ is a habit even most foreigners, religious or not, have developed while in Egypt, since the Egyptians use this expression whenever talking about anything in the future, from dinner plans to grad school..." Read More   
 
December 3: Kari Chong in Hong Kong writes, “The only time I have seen a hijab (yes, one hijab) on campus was when there was a lecture by a prominent Muslim speaker. So far, in a campus with a staff of 5,200, and undergraduate population of 10,000, and approximately 2,000 research postgraduate students, I have met a total of four Muslims, three who are postgraduates, and none of them are Hong Kong natives.” Read More   
 
November 30: Lindsay Anne Van Houten in Fiesole writes, “According to Christianity, it is expected that those who have been blessed with good fortune assist those who have not been so lucky. In fact, it has been traditionally understood that beggars are a gift from God, for they allow you to do as God instructed and contribute to the lives of those less fortunate. The gypsy population in current day Florence has made this connection between Christian ideals and charity.” Read More   
 
November 24: Katia Shtefan in Santiago writes, "In this sense, it seems that popular religion, at least as it is expressed through the belief in mandas and animitas, is very strong in Chile." Read More  
 
November 18: Carolyn Barnett in Cairo writes, “I tend to think that the debates about hijab are somewhat overblown: it is, after all, just clothing. But it is true that the strong opinions that veiling and styles of dress arouse in public debate point to the way that ideas about women and their bodies are sites of struggle and for the exercise of power—among Muslims and non-Muslims alike." Read More   
 
November 16: Robby Meara in Cairo writes, "During one of my first Egyptian Arabic tutoring sessions with my Coptic Christian tutor, I noticed a small tattoo of a cross on the inside of her right wrist. When I asked her about it, she explained to me that it was tradition in the Coptic community for all Christians to have a tattoo of a cross on some part of their right arm. This practice to me seems evidence of the importance of religious classification in Egyptian society. Egypt by law requires all of her citizens to classify themselves as Muslim, Christian, or Jewish. Read More   
 
November 1: Jared McClelland in Hong Kong writes, “…Just as in Roman times, the lawful oppression of Christianity has failed to extinguish its following. Official numbers tell us that people practicing state-sanctioned Catholicism number around 4 million and legal Protestants number about 10 million, but surveys…suggest that the number of practicing Christians in China is somewhere between 40 and 50 million.” Read More 
 
October 31: Cassandra Riedy in Edinburgh writes, “I landed and found myself amidst very cosmopolitan Scots, pushing the limits of culture further than Washingtonians back home. Abbeys older than my state of Virginia have been converted into pubs and coffee shops…Unlike Washington D.C., there are no words about political parties or prime ministerial issues over a pint. The dichotomy of this culturally rich land and its inhabitant’s nonchalant attitude thoroughly surprised me.” Read More  
 
October 31: Jillian Slutzker in Cairo writes, “Some students drink alcohol here, though Islam forbids it. Others did not fast during Ramadan but kept up appearances and had their American roommates bring back food for them to eat behind closed doors. My roommate, on the other hand, prays five times a day and reads her Koran each night.” Read More  
 
October 30: Greg Gangelhoff in Paris writes, “There is a lively debate underway concerning whether people are too interested in the private lives of politicians. [Some] wonder if the French have pushed their “democratic curiosity” too far into the private lives of politicians…” Read More  
 
October 29: Veery Maxwell in London writes, "It appears that the only thriving churches are those who cater to the “new” London population. These churches are the ones reaching out and offering identity and community to those seeking refuge in a strange new place..." Read More  
 
October 25: Kamilla Kihabibrakhmanova in Cairo writes, “The hijab has become so widespread that it has ceased to become a true symbol of religious piety. I tried covering myself up on a few occasions to see if I could minimize the attention I got on the streets, but instead encountered more harassment…” Read More  
 
October 24: Max Rerucha in Montreal writes, “People constantly tell me how much influence religion had on the daily lives of Canadians in the past. Today the churches and impressive cathedrals remain but lack the constant societal influence of the past. Part of this can be attributed to the growth of government…” Read More  
 
October 23: Kelly Mulvaney in Cairo writes, “As an American who had never previously been in a Muslim-majority country, practically everything…was brand new. Yes, I have Muslim friends at Georgetown , and even participated in a few of the MSA Iftaar events last year. But a few small doses here and there barely offer even a glimpse at what it’s like being fully surrounded by a culture. And at the end of it all, I must say it was beautiful. My goal here will be to tell you why...” Read More  
 
October 22: Alexander Kostura in Buenos Aires writes, “Tilcara, like every other town we visited in Jujuy , also had a traditional, missionary-style Catholic Church at the town’s center which quietly hummed with activity any time of the day and joined the market as the best place to socialize with locals.” Read More  
 
October 22: Jessica Retting in Buenos Aires writes, “Coming to Argentina, a Catholic country, I half-expected to find religion shoved in my face. My expectations were clearly mistaken; religion is really only there for those who actively seek it. Even at the Catholic university, the theology class resembles more of a sociology class, where life and culture are at the forefront of discussion, and talk of God takes a backseat.” Read More  
 
October 16: Madeline Sopko in MexicoCity writes, “The roots of ’s national identity lie in the country’s colonial past, a large portion of which involved the Roman Catholic Church. However, since the end of the 20th century, has seen a surge in the number of Protestant churches, especially in the (largely-rural) south. This “Third Wave” of expansion of the Protestant world reflects societal transformations in as it is simultaneously serving as the catalyst for other changes." Read More  
 
October 13th: Nich Wertsch in Santiago writes, "Though Georgetown has a strong Jesuit and Catholic identity, I am not sure I was prepared for my introduction to the religious environment at La Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, especially since I do not consider myself Catholic...." Read More