Westfield State students pose in front of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. (Photo submitted)
WESTFIELD – Six Westfield State University students traveled with students from five other colleges to Istanbul, Turkey and London, England earlier this summer as part of the short-term study abroad course “Making History: Memory, Monuments, Museums, and Multiculturalism” led by Dr. Mara Dodge, professor of history.
Dodge created the course with Professor Valerie Haskins, an archeologist from SUNY Adirondack, with the goal of exposing students to the cultural diversity of two very different European countries.
“We wanted to expand students’ cultural horizons by introducing them to a multicultural ‘Europe’ broadly defined,” Dodge said. “Both London and Istanbul are beautiful, vibrant cities; both are incredibly rich in history and rich in cultural diversity.”
Student Victoria Landry ’15 of Milford said she was drawn to the course because of the travel to Istanbul, a city not often included in these types of courses.
“I have always seen the short-term courses and have been waiting for the perfect one to go on,” Landry said. “After taking some classes on foreign policy, I have become more interested in Middle Eastern politics and Islam, so I knew that combining London and Istanbul would be a great course to take.”
In London, the group traveled to notable historic sites including the Tower of London, Parliament, WWII Cabinet War Rooms, and Stonehenge. Dodge expected that students would steer clear of museums during their leisure time, but was pleasantly surprised.
“I was thrilled that so many students went back to visit museums, especially the British Museum, on their ‘free day’ in London,” Dodge said.
Visiting Turkey, the group toured Istanbul including stops at the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome, Galata Tower, Museum of Islamic Art, and Rumeli Fortress.
Students were happy to discover how hospitable the locals were in Istanbul.
“I was very surprised at how many people spoke English in Istanbul and how easy it was to get around,” said Westfield State history major Chelsea Rivera of Chicopee. “Mostly everyone we met was friendly and willing to help us out.”
In an unplanned walk through the campus and green of Istanbul University, Landry said she was reminded of her own school despite being thousands of miles away.
“It seemed as if their classes or finals had just finished and there were so many students sitting outside and playing volleyball or soccer – it reminded me of the campus green at home at Westfield,” Landry said.
Professor Dodge said that most students enjoyed exploring the cultural aspects of Islam.
“Overall in Turkey students often said that it was a unique cultural experience to visit so many mosques and learn about Islam firsthand,” Dodge said. “The mosques were also extraordinarily beautiful – decorated with exquisite tiles, stained glass, and artwork.”
While students enjoyed learning about the different cultures while abroad, the course inspired some students to continue exploring them.
“I was inspired by the peacefulness of Islam and the interesting mix of Asian and European culture in the center of Istanbul,” Landry said. “This course inspired me to learn more and I will hopefully be taking an Intro to Islamic Studies course this fall.”
