ADDISON HELLIER

Two weeks in Rome revealed an amazing amount about how modern urban life can exist on and within an ancient foundation. Seeing everyday comings and goings of millions of people in the twenty-first century and imagining how it must have looked much the same two millennia earlier was an undeniably impactful experience. Witnessing how history lives on in the form of centuries-old churches that still exist in their pristine and impressive detail contrasts with the equally creative and unending layer of graffiti on every surface.

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One week in Paris could have lasted for the rest of my life, for all I cared. The unfathomably massive City of Light manages to perfectly blend a strong national culture and history while effortlessly adopting modern life. The iconic Louvre and Eiffel Tower are flanked by equally memorable metro stops, patisseries, and crepe stands. I retain an immense amount of respect for the Parisians and their organized, hustle-and-bustle lives in one of the most amazing urban networks on Earth.

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One week in London demonstrated the quintessence of globalized culture and architecture. Gone are the cold nineteenth century brick rowhouses. In their place stands an impressive assemblage of highrises and feats of physical and cultural engineering. Getting out of the city to York for a day just made the contrast that much clearer. London sits at the forefront of modern urban transportation, culture, and architecture. Having the privilege to witness it is not to be taken for granted.