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European vacation no holiday |
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Written by Caroline Zentner
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Saturday, April 25 2009, 10:32 PM |
Any notions that 36 students who spent their Easter break in Europe were simply having fun will soon be dispelled after hearing them talk about their experiences at Juno Beach and the remembrance ceremony to commemorate its 65th anniversary.
“When we actually got to Beny-sur-Mer, everybody had tears,” said Antony Hall of Lethbridge Collegiate Institute.
“We came from being really curious students to just actually growing up and being mature when you get to the cemetery,” said Antony Hall in reference to the Beny-sur-Mer Cemetery, where more than 2,000 Canadians are buried, many after being killed in the June 6, 1944 D-Day invasion of Normandy.
“You get there and see the name; that’s when you’re like ‘Wow,’” said Kristen Koch. “After the little ceremony at Beny-sur-Mer I had this instant sense of pride in Canada.”
Koch and her fellow travellers had each researched a Canadian soldier before the trip and Koch’s research led her to surviving family members in Shaunavon, Sask.
They sent a rock from the farm that her soldier owned in Sask. for her to place at his grave. Along with the rock, Koch placed a dog tag on a chain at his grave.
“Every so often you came across a grave that was totally blank,” said Garrett Bishoff, adding those graves are marked with ‘A Canadian soldier of the Great War.’ “It’s so sad that they’ve almost been forgotten. Your family doesn’t know where to send flowers. War took away their face and their identity.”
“Just like everyone else, seeing my soldier’s grave was really powerful,” said Blair Wesko.
“It was very hard to know he would never see his father or brother or get married or have kids. It’s very said.”
“We learned from all the experiences and we’re stronger people,” Hall said.
“I think I speak for everyone that we all definitely feel prouder of Canada,” said Dillon St. Jean.
“Being at that grave affected me a lot,” said Mark Joosten.
But other parts of the trip were a little more lighthearted.
They ate waffles and chocolate in Belgium, took the metro in Paris to visit the Louvre and see the Mona Lisa, the Eiffel Tower and Versailles.
They saw the flying buttresses of the Notre Dame de Paris.
They spent five euros for a bottle of soda pop, had mayonnaise with their french fries and raved about McDonald’s cuisine.
The students had their eyes opened and jaws dropped in Monaco. Lamborghinis parked outside casinos awaited their owners. Designer clothes were de rigueur.
“They had a boat bigger than my house,” said Koch.
“Freshly-born babies were more stylish than me,” St. Jean said.
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