Corina
Feb. 27, 2007

If it's fresh pastries and tiny cups of espresso you desire, France is the country for you.  We've been here a month and I still feel like I'm in a storybook as I make my way down cobbled streets, passing bakery after bakery.  But this trip has been about more than just food.  For instance, a representative from the European Union spoke with our class today.  After learning the past, present and future of the E.U., we went to tour the building in Strasbourg. The architecture is impressive in its own right, but the symbolism behind it is even more impressive.  In an effort to communicate the openness of the E.U. to the outside community, the architect designed the building to house the Parliament  in a gigantic space with windows all around.  The message is clear: What happens inside the building can be known by the community.  

Perhaps one of the most interesting parts of the tour was speaking with the public relations representative for the E.U.  We discussed with him the current addition of Romania to the Union, which was especially pertinent for me, since that is my country of birth.  According to the P.R. representative, some countries that join the E.U. hope to be saved by the organization.  The E.U. often aids poor countries such as Romania, with its financial strains, but complete transformation to economic stability can be brought about only by Romania itself.  

When we’re speaking with French people about the E.U., many will agree that it has been a positive change for Europe. It has certainly made travel and currency more convenient, and the E.U. has many future plans for making travel abroad easier.  One such endeavor involves phone calls into and out of Europe; calling to the States from France is difficult and outrageously expensive.