The Labyrinth

Through my journey to Poland, I was exposed to more than I could have ever imagined. Hearing stories from those who survived the devastating Shoah, speaking with so many intellectual professors, and exploring art exhibits and museums that vividly explain the agony people endured during this time. One place we visited that truly stuck out to me was The Labyrinths, which is the most vividly illustrated work I have ever seen.   ...

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Our Obligations as Witnesses

Walking along the fences that they walked along, feeling that similar feeling of being contained, nothing can compare to it. Visiting the grounds of Auschwitz was an experience that I will hold with me for as long as I live. Nothing can prepare you for how thick the air feels or how it feels almost wrong with each step you take.             My decision to travel to Poland with this class...

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Love Conquers Hatred: A reflection on what I've learned

“Forgiveness demonstrates the presence in the world of the love  which is more powerful than sin.”  - Pope John Paul II This is just one of the quotes I wrote down from the Pope John Paul II museum, but I think it’s so powerful. We’ve now been back for a little over a month, and with the stress of the end of the semester between finals and papers due, our trip to Oswiecim seems so far away. However, I still think about what...

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Hope in the Horror

Auschwitz II-Birkenau was enormous. Looking out from the guard’s watch tower at the main entrance, before even entering the camp, was an incredible experience. Just seeing the size of the camp was overwhelming. I was unable to stop myself from trying to imagine what it was like not even a century ago, when there were still all of the barracks and still people everywhere and still trains running through the middle of the grounds, delivering more...

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