Elon 2 the Web @elon2web-blog - Tumblr Blog

Thank you. Elon, North Carolina. // Jan. 26, 2016.

Dear Mom and Dad, Thank you for the opportunity to travel abroad. Thanks for encouraging me to step outside my comfort zone and go abroad without knowing anyone in my class. Thanks for funding this project and for sacrificing what you do for me. Thanks for the support even when my blogs weren't well written or I was sick in bed during Nuremberg. I feel grateful to have parents like you and can only wish to be as knowledgable, altruistic, and sage as you both. It's experiences like these that lead me in that direction. Dear Dr. Makemson and Dr. Hatcher, Thank you for the experience. Thank you for the knowledge, the time and effort you put into making this happen, the sacrificed time you take away from your family to teach the next generation about history and communications. When you said we were the last generation to be able to talk to WWII veterans, it resonated with me. We are that generation and it's a privilege to be able to see this history first hand. I relished this opportunity and can't thank you enough for the passion behind your teachings. Thanks for not yelling when I forgot my passport; thanks for checking on me when I was sick; thanks for the granola bars; and thanks for never leaving me at a subway stop. Your paternal instincts never failed any of us. Students are truly lucky to come across teachers likes you two and I'm glad I got the pleasure to do so. Dear fellow 2016 Gutenbergers, Thank you for the laughs. Thank you for the memories and always supporting me even when I was hungry-angry. Thanks for brainstorming about blog titles and even reading mine and Reilly's when we constantly bugged you all about how lit it was. You guys each shared this experience with me and I'm thankful for the opportunity to meet all of you. Dear future Gutenbergers, Here are ten pieces of advice for your next adventure. 10: Bring comfortable and warm boots. You'll be in them everyday. Wear wool socks and wash them before you leave so they are wooly and not prickly. 9: Wear layers. Some of my friends only wore heaving jackets and then they were too hot in London. Bring a fleece jacket then a down/winter jacket on top. It's all about the layers. I thought we would be trekking in the snow but that's not the case; you're in museums a lot so you'll want to be able to peel off some layers. 8: Go to the local places. Eat local food. Explore your surroundings. I know it's so tiring on this trip because you're constantly going but take a nap and go outside. The markets and restaurants are some of my favorite places from our trip. 7: When you arrive in Europe, do not take a nap, do not go to sleep. You will sleep better if you get on Europe time right away by staying up until the locals go to sleep. 6: Bring a water bottle and keep buying them every couple days. Illness spreads quickly and if you exchange water bottles instead of using a non disposable one, you're going to be prone to catching it. 5: Set your own alarm clock & make a list of things you need to CHECK if you have with you. Passport, cellphone, laptop, charger was my list. Every time we left to go to a be city I checked each one. 4: If you can, try to get the minimum international plan. I had 100 MG, 100 text messages and 100 international minutes. My friend got separated from the group and I called him and it was really helpful to reunite. If you are lost, it's nice to be able to use your maps app. 3: Try to learn the subway routes, don't rely on the teachers. Once they say the exit, it should be your responsibility to get off then and you show be aware of your surroundings/subway stops. 2: Try to make friends with everyone. Eat with different groups. Everyone has a different story and it's amazing to hear them. You'll learn a lot more about the people you're with and they can definitely teach you something about yourself. 1: This is a once in a lifetime chance. Don't waste it. Stay healthy, stay intrigued, and stay curious. Some people will never have the opportunity to do this and you are so fortunate and lucky to do so; make the most of it. Make good choices, my friends. Liz

Fleet Street. London, England. // January 22, 2016.

As our large group began our walk down Fleet Street, I was not sure what to expect. In the fall I remember discussing how there was not much to commemorate the once bustling, journalism focused stretch of pavement. Because of this, I was not expecting to find anything blog-worthy as we walked. However, I was pleasantly surprised while looking at the plaques in the sidewalk.

As we were turning down an alley, Dr. Makemson pointed out one particular plaque and told us to see if we recognized a famous author. I was somewhat surprised to find a plaque dedicated to Charles Dickens. There was not much to see around the plaque, and I probably would have passed it up if it had not been pointed out. It was true that there was not much left of Fleet Street, but the plaques placed down the street honored famous journalists and authors who frequented that street back in the day.

The reason Charles Dickens’ plaque was so striking to me was because it was a name that is so well known today. I was not expecting to see a person I recognized on the plaques. During my freshman year of high school, I had to read Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. I remember doing research on him too. I thought his plaque was especially interesting because he used to be involved in journalism before becoming an author. Fleet Street is famous for having been the hub for British newspapers. Perhaps Charles Dickens found inspiration while walking around Fleet Street, or even wrote some pieces in one of the many pubs that lined the road. It is quite daunting to think about how a person that I had learned so much about while growing up had walked the same streets years and years ago. Back in ninth grade I never would have dreamed that I would one day be in London walking where Charles Dickens had walked. While viewing the plaque, I remember thinking in the moment that it was so cool to be in the same place a renowned author used to frequent.

One of my favorite things about this trip was that I have been able to make connections that I never would have thought I would make in the fall. It is amazing to me that history is truly everywhere. This trip has also allowed me to do my own research aside from what we are learning, and connect with things that are small extensions of broad topics we only brushed the surface on in the fall.

ILY London

Reilly

The One Show. BBC. London, England. // January 22, 2016.

On our tour of the BBC, my tour group was presented with the opportunity to attend The One Show as audience members. The One Show is a live television program that premieres on the weekdays. It features two hosts and many guest stars. During our tour we got to see the set without any cameras or lights. When we came back for the live show it looked much different. Watching the episode online, the studio looks much larger than it does in real life. Seeing the set for a show that broadcasts to millions of people was such an awesome experience.

Along with the set of The One Show, we also toured different areas of the BBC. We saw the news floor where all the research for different stories occurs. I found it interesting how all of the different sections of the floor were grouped. One half was for news solely in the UK, and the other half was for world news. Furthermore, there were different desks for television, radio, and Internet. A tour of an auditorium where radio shows are held came next. One of the most fascinating things for me on the tour was learning about the bomb that hit the BBC during the Second World War. At the time, Bruce Belfrage was reading the news over the radio. When the bomb hit he continued reading despite all the chaos. For me, this really proved how important the BBC is. They had to continue delivering the news because so many people all over the world depended on them. After seeing the auditorium, my tour group had the chance to create our own broadcast, and then we got to create our own radio drama. This was a really neat opportunity to see first-hand how the BBC creates their content. A lot more goes into the different shows and programs than one may think.

While we were standing on the set of The One Show, I thought about how surreal it was to have learned about different programs by the BBC in the fall to actually experiencing them first-hand. Also, we only discussed a handful of shows in the fall, but I did not realize just how many there are until I was at the BBC. There are tons of programs that I did not even know existed. I always knew the BBC was important and influential, but I never knew just the impact it has. Since we don’t get their programs in the U.S., I could not comprehend the reach they have until being there.

One of the coolest things for me about this experience was physically being in a real, live television studio. Television is the area in which I hope to work in some day, so seeing how it was done up close was amazing. I really enjoyed all of the aspects, which was reassuring for my chosen career path. It also gave me a better idea of specific jobs everyone in the studio has. Getting a feel for what my job may look like in the future was not something I was expecting going into this trip. My experience as an audience member came as a pleasant surprise and I am so thankful my tour guide at the BBC offered us such a cool opportunity.

That’s a wrap!

Reilly

Sights from the Royal Observatory. London, England. // January 24, 2016.

A boat ride on the River Thames en route to Greenwich. London, England. // January 24, 2016.

King’s Cross Station. Platform 9 and 3/4. London, England. // Jan. 23, 2016.

River Thames with the London Eye and Big Ben. London, England. // Jan. 23, 2016.

The Shabolovka Tower. London, United Kingdom. // Jan. 21, 2016.

The Shabolovka Tower was a radio tower created in March of 1922 which began broadcasting radio signals across the Soviet Union. In 1919, Vladimir Shukhov was given an order to construct a tower in Moscow because radio was thought to be an important factor in the Russian Revolution. It was planned to be 350 meters higher, (taller than the Eiffel Tower (1889) in Paris) but a shortage on steel scaled it back to 150 meters. The tower’s design took a “distinctive lattice hyperboloid form” using steel for a lightweight but strong structure. BBC called it the Eiffel of the East. The tower was the first permanent structure to be built after the Russian Revolution. The design of it was considered innovative and intriguing. Today, many other structures in London and across the world have been designed similarly. For example, the roof of the Great Court at the British Museum has the familiar steel lattice pattern. Right before visiting the Science Museum where the Shabolovka Tower was, we were at the British Museum. This is one of the reasons the tower stuck out to us so much. The roof at King’s Cross Station follows a comparable pattern as well.

The Russian radio was a necessity for communicating with the people. Vladimir Lenin believed the broadcasts from the tower could modernize the country and bring about social and economic restoration. Because of this, the tower became a symbol of progress for the country. It is featured on many Soviet propaganda posters. Just like we learned about Nazi propaganda, the Soviets wanted to put out the message that the country was innovative and progressive. Both types of propaganda depicted visuals that made themselves look better and more powerful. What we viewed and learned while in Germany about Nazi propaganda was easy to relate with the tower and Soviet propaganda.

The tower’s first radio broadcast was transmitted in 1922. Soon it became a symbol of a new society. The tower was a new and innovative piece of architecture, and the radio broadcasts it transmitted were ideologically and politically charged. Not only was the tower a symbol of a change in the country’s outlook, but it was also a symbol of a new era of communications. An iconic mixture of new ideas in architecture and communications, the Shabolovka Tower had a large impact on the Soviet Union.

We came across the Shabolovka Tower shortly after seeing the Olympic Tower in Munich. Both towers broadcasted important information in history. The Munich Olympics of 1972 have been noted as the Munich Massacre where 11 Israeli Olympic athletes were held hostage by Black September, a Palestinian terrorist group. They demanded that Palestinian prisoners in Israel be released, then demanded a jet for them to escape. This was the first act of terrorism to be broadcasted live; the amazing part is that a sportscaster, Jim McKay, broadcasted for 14 hours straight. He reported what was happening to the rest of the world. It was extraordinary for him to hold his ground and help the world during this volatile time at the Summer Olympics. He even won two Emmy Awards (one for sportscasting and one for newscasting) for his work. However, this live footage led to a failed rescue attempt because the members of Black September were watching the television as well.

After exploring Olympiapark, our class had the opportunity to go up in the broadcasting tower in Munich. It was an incredible feeling to be up that high and look across the city. It is even more incredible knowing that these towers help communicate to cities beyond what we can see out the window. To us, it is amazing how revolutionary live broadcasting was for the world. It connected the whole globe to what was happening and broke communication barriers that held people apart from other cities. With live broadcasting, we, as a world, surmounted a hindrance and are now able to connect on such a deeper level.

Cheerio!

Reilly and Liz

Primrose Hill. London, United Kingdom. Jan. 20 2016.

Nuremberg, Germany // Jan. 17, 2016.

The Nazi parade grounds is a vast area covering a great deal of Nuremberg land in which the Nazis held their parade rallies. As we first entered the area, I did not think much of what I saw. The hall where Hitler once stood to deliver his speeches was the first sign of the party ever being there. Our tour guide went into great detail about the architecture of the Nazi buildings, which I found very interesting.

The main strategy of the Nazis was to depersonalize individuals in the community. The architecture was designed to enlarge Hitler as a huge personality above all others. The buildings and structures were large and grand to make others feel smaller. Hitler was always centered and above the crowds. In the documentation center I had the opportunity to learn more about the Nazi architect, Albert Speer. He used power and domination to make the Nazis and Hitler appear bigger and better. He commented how there was no budget, which is why many of his plans were never finished. Our tour guide told us how the more plans for buildings Speer created, the happier it made Hitler. All of the buildings and structures had a fortress like atmosphere which gave the public the image that they were a unified front. It also made it appear as if they were ready to take on anything. All of the buildings on the grounds were designed to point the eye in the direction to the center. This was where Hitler would be positioned. With these techniques and strategies, everyone was rendered subject to his authority.

While touring the grounds and the documentation center, I thought back to when we discussed Nazi propaganda in the fall. I also thought about how we discussed how detailed the Nazi’s plans were. Everything that they did was designed to put the Nazi party above everything and everyone. A clip I watched in the documentation center proved to me that these tactics definitely had an impact on the public. The clip consisted of a woman talking about her childhood growing up in Nuremberg during the time period that Hitler was in power. She recounted how her and her friends would go to the parades and have a competition for who could see Hitler the most times.

Before seeing these things in person and learning about the tactics used in class, I never fully comprehended how anyone growing up in Germany at this time could allow these things to happen. It is easy to view the situation from an outside perspective, but whenever you are physically where these events occurred, everything becomes clearer. It truly is amazing how thought out all of Hitler and the Nazi’s plans were. They thought of everything, and carried out their plans very carefully. It is still hard to fully understand the events and propaganda that influenced people during the time, but I feel I have more understanding now than I ever did.

Tschüss!!

-Reilly

View from Olympia Park broadcasting center. Munich, Germany // Jan. 19, 2016

Dachau // Jan. 18, 2016.

Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial.

Dachau was a very interesting and moving experience for me. As we were led through the grounds of the concentration camp, I found the sheer amount of land that the Nazis had taken over to be daunting. I was amazed at how they were able to construct such a camp and sell it to the public as something that was harmless. Most people living just a couple feet from the camp in the town of Dachau had no clue what was really going on behind the walls and guarded areas. One of the reasons this was the case was because of all the propaganda the Nazis were putting out at the time. When we were walking around to different checkpoints around the grounds, our tour guide pointed out various pictures that were being displayed. I found it fascinating how most of the pictures were taken by Nazis and used as propaganda. Our tour guide, Jason, described how the Nazis wanted to make everything look normal to the outside world. They would line up the prisoners who were in the best shape and take pictures of them as they were working. This made the camp look like a normal prison during its time. The Nazis biggest fear was other countries. They were not as concerned with the German people suspecting something was up, as they were other countries who could do real damage to what they were trying to achieve. What these outsiders did not see were the horrible conditions and cramped spaces these prisoners were living in. The barracks only got more crowded as time went on, and everyone in the camp worked long hours as “punishment.” The biggest secret of all, though, were the gas chambers. Although Dachau only had one, the Nazis were extra careful to not let word of the gas chambers leak to the public. All anyone from the outside had to go off of were a couple of pictures that the Nazis would take and spread.

As I observed these photos taken by the Nazi guards, I thought back to our fall course whenever we discussed Nazi propaganda. One particular article we read throughout the course detailed propaganda films and raised a question whether or not these films should still be shown. I could relate this to what we saw at Dachau regarding the pictures. Jason even made a comment as we were walking around about how they should make it more distinct whether the pictures were taken by the Nazis during the time or not. With this distinction, visitors would be able to learn more about Nazi propaganda during the time and gain more from the experience. I further related this with the article we read, because it made a point as to how the propaganda can be a talking point. Opening a discussion about how the propaganda influenced people during the time would be more beneficial then covering it up.

In middle school and high school we always talked about the Holocaust, but never really discussed Nazi propaganda to the extent that we discussed in class. I was never taught how propaganda could easily be seen as what was really going on behind closed doors. Some people still do not know there was a hierarchy among the prisoners. Different barracks in the camp were treated differently. Mostly the race of prisoners in different barracks influenced how the guards treated them. People may also not know that there was a roll call everyday where each prisoner was accounted for. This roll call could go all day or through the night in all different kinds of weather if just one person was missing. The propaganda was designed to keep outsiders from knowing these things. I found it interesting the contrast between what the Nazis were trying to portray and what was actually going on.

- Reilly

Old Town Nuremberg. Nuremberg, Germany. // Jan. 17, 2016.

Radio Free Europe. Prague, Czech Republic. // Jan. 14, 2016.

Radio Free Europe is a U.S. government run broadcasting station that “promotes democratic values and institutions by reporting the news in countries where a free press is banned by the government or not fully established. [Their] journalists provide what many people cannot get locally: uncensored news, responsible discussion, and open debate” (http://www.rferl.org/info/mission/169.html). They broadcast to Russia, Albania, Azerbaijan, Bosnia, Crimea, and several other countries (23 total) in 28 different languages.

After going through HEAVY security to get into Radio free Europe’s institution, we all realized how important their mission is and how far they have to go to protect it.

We got to talk to the Director of Radio Farda, which is Radio Liberty’s broadcasting station for Iran. Armand Mostofi is his name and he has been with RFE for a while and now oversees all production means for Radio Farda including news writing, producing, reporting, and moderating. Fun fact, “Farda” in Persian means “tomorrow”, which perfectly ties in their goals of a more promising and more liberal country.

Radio Farda's website attracted a monthly average of 31.5 million page-views during the first six months of 2015. Because of its skyrocketing popularity, iran government released an official ban on Radio Farda and even slowed their internet speeds to deter their citizens from using it. It’s countries like Iran that chastise and prohibit free press that make Radio Free Europe necessary; it is countries that don’t have transparency between citizens and their government, and governments that abuse the rights of their citizens that make Radio Liberty necessary.

With all the recent turmoil, it’s hard to not think bad of all of Iran, all of Saudi Arabia, or all of Iraq. It’s these volatile countries that have megalomaniac groups in them that terrorize the rest of the world. It’s not the whole country; there are citizens in that country that are just as threatened (even more so) as us by ISIS and Jihadist extremist groups. Radio Free Europe, specifically Radio Farda in this case, allows for citizens to hear what is going on in their country, foresee problems and prepare their families, escape from attacks, and generally understand what they are going through. I emphatically believe that we need to help them just as much as we need to save ourselves.

Radio Farda staff have had family members been interrogated, coerced, and threatened by secret police in several instances trying to shake the news coverage in Iran. Farda journalists forge ahead nonetheless because they know they need to do this for these Iranian citizens. Often Iranian citizens will help the staff get information on local news endangering their own lives to help liberate the press. However, Radio Free Europe has no means of helping them seek refuge from their government if they were to get caught. This just goes to show how important their cause is.

Something so basic here in the U.S., our first amendment right in our U.S. constitution, is so foreign to other countries and it’s unfathomable to me. It was very interesting to see how revolutionary free press can be and to speak to someone who is a warrior on this front was amazing for me - truly inspirational.

~ Count your blessings tonight ~

Liz

#radio free europe #prague