Being back in freezing temperature in Switzerland, I can’t help but reflect back on the beautiful island of Corsica where the weather was warm and sunny. My favorite part of the trip was being able to swim in the Mediterranean Sea for the first time in my life. Having been raised on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, this is not an experience any of my friends can say they have had. I will never forget the color of the water or the refreshing feel of it. I have grown up with the beach my whole life and can honestly say that the Corsican beaches are magnificent! Being at the beach and basking in the sun was definitely the highlight of my trip. While majority of the people on this trip choose to complain about it, I am extremely thankful for having the experience to visit an island that not many people can say they have visited. I don’t think the WHOLE focus of the trip was dedicated to “scheduled’” education, which I happen to be extremely thankful for. What do you guys want… a couple more museums squeezed into each day? I highly doubt that. Part of the whole “educational field trip” is experiencing a new culture and environment on your own, which Pepperdine allocated plenty of time to do so.
The last night out, a group of us ate at a restaurant called Asia Restaurant. We were the only people in the restaurant being served by two Asian men. The owner was extremely friendly and helpful to point out what was good on the menu and what to order for dessert. For dessert, he put together a diverse dish of fried fruit and poured rum on top so that when he put a match to it a huge flame began to heat the special dish. We all watched in awe and excitement. We made conversation about his t-shirt, which happened to be an Elvis shirt. He told us his story of when he visited the states and met Elvis himself. He even had a picture of him and Elvis behind the counter! To top it off, he came out with a round of shots with his ‘special homemade’ liquor (on the house). When he poured the liquor in each of our shots he told us to look in each of our shot glasses. Surprisingly, we each found a nude man or woman in the shot glass that could only be seen when liquid was in the shot glass. Crazy right?! We all burst into laughter and immature “oh my god!” Made a cheer to our awesome trip in Corsica and drank the surprisingly smooth and tasty shot. He then gave us another round and we cheered to him. That right there was just one example of the Corsican hospitality and friendliness that I experienced while there. The people I met in Corsica were much more welcoming than the people I have encountered in Switzerland.
As for the whole Napolean education, the next time he is randomly put in a conversation I now can respond, “I bet you didn’t know he’s also disliked by the French?!” This is something I would have never known unless having gone to Corsica! I know that I can travel to well known and popular cities for the rest of my life quite easily. But, if it weren’t for Pepperdine University’s educational field trip to Corsica, I know I would have never experienced Corsican culture. Traveling to a place that is not commonly known and experiencing that culture is the most enriching experience someone could possible ask for.
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