A Mission of Hope, a Journey of Remembrance

I take tonight's blog post title from Allison Miceli's blog, which you can find here. Allison and I have been placed in Core Learning Group A for the duration of this journey: we'll be traveling together while in Europe, and become a family, of sorts, to have a shoulder to lean on when the emotions are too much. CLG A met tonight for the first time via an online conference/seminar, and we're already forming friendships and getting to know each other: I think having a great group of people to travel with is the icing on the cake for this wonderful experience I've been offered.

This evening's webinar not only allowed 30 of the 60 participants of the March to become familiar with each other, but also provided insight into the history of the Holocaust: something I had never considered in depth before. Although it sounds a bit funny to say we looked at the history of history, that is indeed what we were doing: the roots of anti-semitism and their very fixed, religious roots, and the beliefs and thought process of Adolf Hitler leading up to and during the Holocaust, which resulted in the murder of what contemporary historians are saying is between 6 and 8 million Jewish peoples. (In the coming days, look for a "Did You Know?" post with  few well (and little) known facts about the Holocaust)

I'm starting to emotionally prepare myself now, as I'm already having a mix of feelings: excitement that I have been chosen to take part in this, that I will be going to Europe, that I have been given the opportunity to do something wonderful and share this experience...juxtaposed against the fear of the unknown, in a way, as I'm unsure how I will react to the stories, and the visuals of being at Auschwitz and traveling with survivors.

I've been doing my best to find testimonials, post-trip speeches, quotes, video clips and photographs online from past trips, and have discovered an old co-worker attended the March several years ago, which gives me comfort in knowing there is someone to pose personal questions to and rely on for tips and help. I think my best find, to date, is this link: a link to mp3s of songs performed (and possibly written at?) a March from several years ago. I spent a bit of time last night lying in bed listening to these and found myself with tears in my eyes as I could hear the emotion in the participant's voices, because it amazes me, still, that there are hundreds of students each year that find comfort in knowledge of this catastrophe and that want to help, that apply for the MRH, that there is still good in the world.

I also hope that through found quotes and lessons of human compassion, love, and understanding, such as the one posted below, you can all grow as humans, as I'm sure I will during, and following, this trip.

And on that note, I wish you all a good night and I look forward to sharing future thoughts and updates with you as the trip gets closer.


"The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good" - Dr Samuel Johnson