Valparaiso University - Beacon / Record Yearbook (Valparaiso, IN)

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28 The atmosphere in the pub is cozy and bright. Someone from your table pops 10p in the jukebox and hits number 109. Lights blink, a record is selected from the stack and begins to spin on the turntable. liWherever I lay my hat - thatls my homef, sadly sings the smooth voice of British heart throb, Paul Young. Its one of those songs that will always bring memories of a certain place flooding back to your mind, like the song you religiously blared down the corridor freshman year. In this case, the place is Cambridge, England, and the memories are those of fall semesterls group of students, fondly known as 032. Of course the memories differ from student to student. There are the adven- tures of hitchhiking, of traveling anywhere from Oslo to Athens, of making friends and falling in love. There are the not-so-fun memories of trains that were missed, term paper all-nighters, and seasick ferry crossings. Imagine the feeling you get on a train as it winds through countryside youlve never seen before. The view of the Alps or the hills of southern France is more incredible than you couldive imagined. lt mesmerizes your thoughts as you forget the stiffness in your neck and the discomfort of the sleepless night before. Whether punting down the Cam River through the backs of Cambridgels magnificent colleges or stroll- ing along Paris, Champs Elysees, there is no way of telling what or who is around the corner. That element of adventure, or suspense, together with the bonds you form with other wanderers like yourself, constitute the heart of the ilCambridge experi- ence? Strongest of all are the bonds you establish within the group itself, as stereotypes are disproved, reputations cast aside, and bar- riers broken down. For four incredibly brief months, these people are your family. Like a real family, you all fight, cry, laugh, and learn together. Cambridge students are often accused of changing while they are overseas. How horrible it would be if they didnit! New haircuts, pierced ears, and mod clothes are only the outward dif- ferences. The real change is within e- a new at- titude or perspective, a confidence built through four months of daring yourself to be yourself as best as you can be. In a world where nothing is familiar, home be- comes the comfort of being confident about your place in that world. For C-32 wherever we decide to lay our hats, that feeling will always be home. REALLY GETTING a-a