I know that the title of this blog is “European Perspective,” and because of that this piece might be a little confusing. But I figured it was important to clarify exactly what this blog title means and why it might be a little misleading.
The thing is, there is no singular “european perspective.” In one of my classes, Intercultural Communication, my teacher told us this fact plainly. He said, “Of course you know that it makes no sense to call something ‘european’, considering it is composed of so many different countries and so many different cultures.”
In that moment, I felt like I was learning something I already knew but that was buried way back in my brain. It was hidden beneath stereotypes and a glob of generalizations developed back in the United States. I had always heard people make sweeping statements about Europe as a whole. There’s a rumor that people don’t bathe as much in Europe. People say Europeans dress well and in a sophisticated fashion. European food is supposed to be decadent, as well as the education. I’ve always heard people talking about how scandalous European love affairs are (haven’t found mine yet, by the way). And for some reason I never questioned the way over a dozen countries and millions of people were being lumped together without any regard for their individuality.
I didn’t realize how naive I had been until my professor made a statement so obvious. I could no longer ignore that I had been prejudiced and judgemental up until that point. If my travels have taught me anything, it is that each country in Europe is different from the next. And they all deserve to be recognized individually for their unique languages, traditions and history.
The title “European Perspective” really means “perspectives of different countries within Europe.” When I traveled to Amsterdam in the Netherlands and found the Red Light District amongst a plethora of smoke shops, I knew it was something that would not be found in Belgium. Just as when I traveled to Belgium and discovered a wide array of opulent castles, I knew it was something the conservative Protestant history in Amsterdam would not approve of. And when I went to Germany, and was scolded for walking across the street on a red light but was told I could freely carry around beer in the afternoon, I knew those were unique cultural quirks.
Ultimately, I hope people understand that while the aim of my travel blog is to illuminate different countries within Europe, it cannot speak for the whole of this continent. Think about the United States, and the 50 states making up that whole. Although we develop certain generalizations about Americans (loud, patriotic, wealthy) those images don’t fit every single citizen of the country. People from Wisconsin probably hold different values than those in New York. And people in Florida might act differently than those in Maine. If there is so much individuality present within just one country, then of course the same can be said of a continent like Europe.
I hope you enjoy discovering the “European Perspective,” but keep in mind that it is not all-encompassing.