Melany Torres is a first generation Cuban-American student at FIU, majoring in English literature. She enjoys reading and writing in her free time along with trying new food. Traveling has always been a priority for her and she is elated at the chance at growing her understanding of new subjects in a place as exciting as Paris.
Spring Encounter as Text by Melany Torres, January 27th 2023
Photo by Melany Torres CC/4.0
As a kid, the only country that my family spoke about was the one they emigrated from. Because of that, the only traveling we did was a highly anticipated trip to the keys if my dad was working on a house there. I didn’t think it was financially possible for us to go anywhere. For a while it wasn’t, but even when we were comfortable: my parents just wanted to feel like true Americans. To them this meant buying expensive things they thought Americans needed such as a pool or a giant barbecue. I’m learning in one of my global courses now that this constant urge to further assimilate is a burden every exile carries with them their whole life. I sometimes wish I could convince them to open up to different experiences because they truly deserve it.
However, my interest in traveling kept growing as I saw more and more places on the internet and I realized I could not be in a bubble all my life. Work, school, eat, sleep,repeat. So I decided when I went to college that If I could find an opportunity to travel and live somewhere different for some time on my own, I would. I joined the Honors college with the intentions of traveling abroad through them. The day I went to the informational session, I went home and I told my partner that I was going without a doubt. I chose France because it’s rich in art and history, and I hope that this inspires me to write more. Along with allowing me to meet new people so that I can continue to learn more about the human experience. The projects intertwine our experiences with those of people who lived entirely different lives than us, I couldn’t imagine a better way to learn history.
The last time I went to Paris about a year ago in the winter, I cried while looking at the Eiffel Tower (like a loser) for a couple of reasons. 1) I wished my parents could be there seeing it with me. 2) It was New Year’s Day and what a better time to be cheesy 3) I kept thinking about the atrocious Eiffel Tower poster I had hung up in my room for about 3 years. It was bedazzled and my friends took pictures in front of it because it was the most terrible drawing I’ve ever seen of the Eiffel Tower. Will try to attach that photo if I find it. Anyways, I couldn’t understand it then but now I realize that was one of those moments that alters you, because I felt like I needed to go somewhere else again soon. I love traveling and I wasn’t sure where to start exactly but this is where I’m at right now. I’m excited to see myself surpass a lot of limitations that have daunted me before such as my anxiety and having to financially plan myself out. Luckily, there is a scholarship for this very reason and I now find myself even more assured that I made the right decision in choosing to go.
Enlightenment as Text by Melany Torres, February 12 2023
Eugene Delacroix’s “Liberty Leading the People” (French: La Libert guidant le peuple) commemorating the July Revolution of 1830 in France.
Religion has always been one of the most significant and sensitive topics and will most likely dictate our society until the end of our days. However, the Enlightenment challenged and replaced mental ideas human kind had carried for thousands of years. The Enlightenment included iconic figures such as John Locke, Montesquieu and Voltaire. These philosophers contributed through their writings and teachings, a modern way of thought that led to some of our biggest social breakthroughs in history. For example, John Locke creating the phrase ‘pursuit of happiness’ which came to be “ “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness . . . .” This is something the United States Constitution is built upon and most people consider it a guidance of morality. The idea of universal human rights was a breakthrough to them bigger than the first computer and this is because the value of human life was decided by class, race, and everything but what it is seen for today. Not to mention the first glance at women’s rights which were battled for long after but an introduction to the idea of universal human rights definitely challenged a highly popular way of thought in this historical era.
Voltaire wrote as a critic of the church and slavery. In his novel Candide, he provides a satirical story in which plot points are not lacked. It essentially felt as If I was reading twelfth night on a numerous amount of drugs. The world the novel takes place in is in shambles everywhere except for the hidden city unruled by materialism and abusive control. Additionally, a big belief in most religions represented is that everything happens for a reason and you must continue to believe in your high power. He characterizes this with his lead roles Pangloss and Candide. With Candide being the most unlucky person on earth, the reader starts to believe he should call it quits and realize there is no best interest for his suffering. (At least I was thinking it) Alas he doesn’t give up and instead learns a valuable lesson at the end about earning things and the value of hard work. ( Who would have thought?)
As we discussed in class, religion was a pawn to the monarchy and it plays as a tool to many more unjust systems to come. I recently learned about something relative in my 19th Century African American literature course. Christianity was weaponized by slave owners and slaves. Certain passages were used by slave owners in the North to justify it and deter abolitionists in the North. Meanwhile other passages were taught and translated into song on plantations to educate each other on human rights and plan to escape. Here is an example of one of the many things Voltaire criticized religion for. I believe faith in a religion can coexist with reason in a balanced person. However, groups tend to radicalize and make it difficult for this to happen. So to shuffle back to the Enlightenment, we see the first pull away from traditional thought and gave birth to concepts of liberalism, and neoclassicism. Along with philosophy, it is also closely tied with the Scientific Revolution.
Historic Miami as Text by Melany Torres, March 19th 2023
Photo by Melany Torres CC/4.0
”Bubble”
Miami tends to feel like a bubble at times, everyone knows you and you know everyone. This could be displeasing at times. However, this lecture horrified me in a certain way that I’m sure many of my peers can agree with. How have I never learned about the many people before me in this ‘bubble’? Every step in this walking lecture uncovered a new group of people that left their mark in our city. It puzzles me why our educational system leaves such rich details of our history out of our education, but that’s a topic for another time. Another thing it made me reflect upon was my place in this story.
As I have mentioned before, I am a Cuban- American. Seeing the Freedom tower and the Tower of Snow statue beside it was my favorite part of the lecture. The child with the home on his back left an impression on me I still have yet to shake and I found myself discussing it with my family In the days that followed. The bravery and faith that was blindly placed by those parents in sending their children to the United States in hopes of a better life for them is something beautiful and terrifying to think about. This is the same bravery that drives many families that I know of that swim across oceans and cross through dangerous territories in hopes of finding a new life beyond the oppressive government they are fleeing. Cubans were running Miami in the eighties, described as job stealers by many. I recently read about their fight for office positions and rampant racism in the book Miami by Joan Didion. Cubans can be credited for making way for the Latin community we love today but we must also acknowledge our role in racism in such a culturally diverse city. Even today, many Cubans refuse to even go to primarily black districts due to stereotyping and bias. My place in this is the many talks I’ve had with my family in unlearning some of the ignorant lines of thought that have been passed down for generations.
Ignorance can be battled by attending some of the sights we saw in this walking lecture, the more we know the more understanding we can be one of another. It was incredibly interesting learning about Julia Tuttle, that developed the surrounding areas of the Miami River. One of the few women to found a city, and she contributed so much energy and land into it’s production. It’s unfortunately common to overlook women’s contributions to history so having her be a cornerstone in our lesson was refreshing. Her presence puts silly old Henry Flagler to shame. It’s laughable how we hear so much about his contributions to Florida with his railroads but tend to not hear about his bringing down of segregation. Again, Miami Dade’s educational system is very selective in their subject material.
The lesson concluded and the Miami bubble was no longer present. There are too many groups such as the Tequesta, the Bahamians and Julia Tuttle which contributed to making Miami be what we see it as today. It would be ridiculous to view it as a contained space.
Vizcaya as Text by Melany Torres, March 5th 2023
Photo by Melany Torres CC/4.0
“The ego and the home to match”
As you grow up here in Miami, you are well aware of Vizcaya and what it represents to your Hispanic immigrant family. Young girls such as myself knew that it would be the future location of our Quinceañera photo shoots. I am thankful that my family ended up canceling it, as I was able to have a different first impression when we attended as a class. It is interesting that our families see it as a luxurious beautiful place, as it satisfies the wishes of it’s late owner. Vizcaya embodies the very ego of James Deering, a historical figure that left his mark in our hometown.
Many things stood out to me in our visit to Vizcaya such as the parallels in ego and madness between James Deering and our very questionable Louis XIV. As we know the beauty and elegance of Vizcaya was crafted by black laborers during racial segregation. 1912, and there were underpaid workers in terrible working conditions. Incredible as it is 278 years after Louis XIV similarly had hundreds of workers at a time creating his palace Versailles under terrible pay and work conditions as well.
Additionally, there are many things unfitting that are in Deering’s home just for the illusion of grandeur such as the Rococo music room with instruments left entirely unused. Another is the beautiful dining room that also remained unused. The image was everything in this home, as he even had photos of his children in his office that were in fact not his as he didn’t have any. It reminds me of the numerous paintings Louis XIV had of himself that were described as an ancient form of photoshop for these egotistical royalties. The god statues littering the premises almost parallel the redone paintings of Louis XIV as ancient gods and heros.
Today, we visit places such as Vizcaya and Versailles, pleased by these glimpses into history that were left behind by these powerful people. But just how much of history is represented in these places, just the top 1%. Only the fortunate by bloodline could possibly indulge in these palaces. Hundreds of workers that contributed to these projects are excluded from the archives of history. Instead we recognize the arrogant and somewhat brilliant men that had the power and audacity to create the unimaginable beauty it is today. I found myself in awe whilst viewing the moat behind Vizcaya, how many hands and hours did it take to dig it up and make it what it is today?
It is important to look at history with an open mind, place credit where it is due and respect where it was earned. Vizcaya is the most beautiful place I have ever seen in Miami no doubt and I completely understand why my parents always described it as such. Although I would of have probably advised therapy to both Louis XIV and James Deering, I would also share gratitude for leaving something so beautiful behind to match their ego.
Revolution as Text by Melany Torres, April 9th 2023
Image by Ina Hall from Pixabay
“Off With Their Heads”
I find myself entirely reevaluating many of the opinions I had before I began this semester. My stance on violence has been one of those that have changed. Learning about the French Revolution allowed me to acknowledge the privilege in not endorsing violence. It is easy to say that violence shouldn’t occur in any circumstances when you live a comfortable life as a result of it. As we discussed in class, the people of France were living a life of suffering and poverty in order to elevate the monarchy. Numerous children and families were dying of malnutrition and disease, mere miles from the King and his luxurious dinner parties and festivities.
In the Lost King of France, we learn about the physical, sexual, and psychological abuse against the dauphin in his jail cell. To what extent, is justice being served? Some things can fall under the disguise of justice, when there is anger and resentment involved. The revolution took place to take power away from those who used it corruptly and unequally, yet the way that they handles the situation with the dauphin was a hypocritical misuse of power.
In an ideal world, changes can be made without loss of life, however some fights can only result in violence. The monarchy had to be eliminated completely, leaving no heirs behind. This was the only way the revolt could completely overthrow the treacherous conditions they were living under. So circling back to the son, was torturing him the right way to go about things? My opinion however surprising it was for me to realize, is that I don’t think keeping him in a cell was profoundly evil. They were aware that if they killed him he would be a martyr. Is it difficult to imagine a child being psychology broken down into submission? Yes, but peasants were tortured on the whim if there was an discrepancy about their beliefs and loyalty to the King.I believe it can be confusing and emotionally conflicting to read history through the perspective of the oppressors as we did in this case because it begins to cultivate feelings of empathy for these people. However, it is important to remember how they viewed anyone out of their class as subhuman.
I am entirely grateful and privileged to never make choices about a human life or many as leaders and revolutionaries have in the past. It has become clear to me that it is an extremely heavy burden to carry, with many sacrifices involved. There is a reason so many people in power have made grave mistakes and hurt numerous groups of people, and that is because it is not an easy power to manage. All human beings are incredibly imperfect and this does not leave out those that represent and decisions for us. A lesson we can take from this is to appreciate our voice and the lack of violence or difficulty we face in making change in our society today.
World War II as Text by Melany Torres, April 9th 2023
Image by Dimitris Vetsikas from Pixabay
War takes life from all of those involved. It is unforgiving and it is lonely. It was difficult for me to watch war documentaries or read books about war growing up. It used to scare me how a person can kill another for the sake of something political. However, the more you open your mind to the facts involved in these disagreements, the more you realize it is life or death. The United States, however late they were in their involvement in World War II, were a crucial hand in winning the fight against Nazi Germany. We live in a world today where we are not held in prison camps for our race, religious beliefs, or sexuality because of those who fought for that right. Learning about the Easy Company, and the horrors they had to witness and live through to help create the world we live in today, left it’s mark on me.
I’ve read numerous books about the Holocaust and Nazi Germany in my University experience and had never read much about the war aspect. Usually, those who were in the camps were not heavily informed about what was occurring on the outside and instead focused on their own experiences of their survival. However in reading Maus, I was able to see more of the war effects on the communities before he entered the camps. Additionally, I loved this book because it displays the generational trauma that events such as a genocide can cause. Maus is affected by the Holocaust indirectly as it left his parents with PTSD that caused conflict between him and his parents. He even goes as far as saying that he sometimes wishes he had gone through it with him, so that he could connect with his father more. That is something incredibly sad to think, but it emphasizes just how badly the psychological torment of the Holocaust affected everyone involved.
Although I’m privileged enough to never be able to understand just how much is mentally and physically sacrificed for other people’s lives, I have begun to respect those who have a lot more. This applies to all parties involved even the mothers and wives of soldiers in the war. The very fact that some mothers would lose all of their children to a fight, is something indescribable to imagine. Additionally, many would go into these battles knowing they wouldn’t make it back out alive and still gave it their all just to serve their country. In Saving Private Ryan, Ryan decides to stay behind and help his company regardless of the loss his family had endured, because many men had died for the same fight and he felt undeserving of the luxury to leave. The film reminds us of the deeply admirable sacrifices that were made in order to make the world a better place. I am looking forward to meeting the Holocaust survivor and go to Normandy on our trip, as I believe I will be entirely more connected and affected by the stories we will witness.
Departure as Text by Melany Torres, April 24th 2023
Photo by Melany Torres CC/4.0
I have spent most of this semester anticipating the trip, and along the way have learned much more information that I can imagine. I joined this course in hope of studying abroad because of the experiences I wish to have for my writing in the future. Along with wanting to learn more about art and history, as those are important stories of the past. I feel like many of my opinions have grown and changed since starting this course, and I appreciate the opportunity to continue doing this when we go to France.
I believe that although I was nervous when we began this course, I’ve mentally prepared and gotten an idea of how it will feel and be like traveling this summer. I no longer feel nervous but more so excited, especially for the section where I’ll be traveling completely on my own. I have always wanted to live somewhere else and challenge myself, this will be that moment. I hope to make my parents proud with me being the first in our family do something like this and that they enjoy hearing all my stories when I come back. I wish I could take them in my pocket with me but WhatsApp calls will have to suffice. I will also miss my cat. A lot.
I’ve gotten to know France and it’s history a lot more than when I first joined this class. Although I still need to duolingo prepare myself a bit before arriving, I’m less unsettled by the cultural and language difference. As I have said, going to France the first time was an incredible experience but this time around will be completely different. I believe that I’ll be more comfortable and immersed in the places we go to and with the people we meet. When I think of France now, I imagine a place that has selected to be exactly what it is. They revolutionized and created the new world as we know it and it’ll be beautiful to see the art and historical places that relate to that.
The place I look forward to visiting the most now at the end of our spring semester is Versailles, as I am excited to see Louis XIV’s madness and genius in person. Watching the show and reading the books about the royalty in France made me anticipate seeing what the sacrifices and mistreatment of people led to. How beautiful is it in person really? I am excited to find out, as I’ve heard the pictures don’t do it justice.
I expect for myself to be challenged and also mature a bit more as it’ll be the longest I’ve ever been away from my family and everyone I know. This has been the change and shift I have always wanted and am extremely grateful I chose this moment to do it. We will be the last class to study abroad in France with Bailey, whom was part of the reason I chose this program. He is quick on his feet and his passion for what we study and learn is enough to get anyone interested. I hope this is a wonderful last voyage for him as well, I know I will never forget it.
Miami in Miami 