On Hate, Fear and Forgiveness

As I child, I never had a dream profession. I can’t remember saying, “When I grow up I want to be a ______.” I walked around without a thought or real concern about where I ended up. Today, I feel the same way but I know that I have found my passion in the Creative Non-Fiction realm of writing. It has become such an important release for me in the wake of a somewhat traumatic childhood. My writing and traveling go hand in hand. They have taught me what it means to let go and learn to forgive.

Halina Birenbaum, the Holocaust survivor that I traveled with throughout Poland taught me my first lesson in forgiveness. I carry her lessons with me every day. She lost everyone she loved during WWII but lives today to tell future generations to love and forgive, because those are the only things that will heal this world. I walked with her through the camps where she lost her loved ones and through the streets and ghettos that painted her youth. She helped me realize that amidst all the hate and dysfunction, there is hope, love, and a chance for the human race to find forgiveness and compassion.

There is so much intolerance on this planet, and it is sad to read, hear, and see such blatant hatred everywhere. We have become so caught up in being selfish and stuck in our ways that we forget what it means to be human. Every member of this diverse race is part of humanity and rightfully deserves equal rights. It is unfortunate that we live in a world that oppresses diversity based on fear.

We fear what we don’t understand and project those fears into the hearts of anyone with an open ear and developing mind. Often times, children never have the opportunity to escape the racist and homophobic attitude developed early on. It is a pretty sad fact that child molesters, rapists, murders, and other violent offenders have more rights then someone who loves a member of the same sex. If we base all of our arguments on the “moral” code, I think it is time we re-evaluate how we look at all things. My one hope in this lifetime is that I get to see a world coming together out or love rather then moving apart in hate.

I spent the past weekend in Amsterdam. I made a point to visit the Anne Frank House. This was an important piece to add to my Holocaust education. It is also a part of research that I am conduction for an Independent Study next semester. I will be looking at the translation of memory and how it channels emotion in the form of writing, pictures, film, and spoken record in comparison to what exists in the physical form. That is a very brief overview, but is not the point of this blog.

My experiences in Poland were all very different, all very important, but some more emotional than others. The Anne Frank House felt very artificial. Most everything has been removed from the house and what remains, is inaccessible. The walls have been covered up with a peeling laminate and/or painted over while the floors have been replaced. The only room intact is at the top of a set of stairs. A glass barrier blocks it off and a mirror is situated at the top reflecting the image of the room. I was really bothered by the café that serves breakfast and lunch at the end of the tour. It is in a separate building then the house, but really struck a never.

Now I’ll get back to the original thread. The reason I went into brief detail on the house was to get here. When we left the house, Chrissy and I sat down for lunch. Having already been to the house, she asked me what my reaction was. In essence, this is what I said:

It is great that it was made available to the public but it is unfortunate that an exhibit needs to be in existence for people to see, or rather, be reminded that such atrocities and persecutions plague our past. With historical sights and museums existing on the Holocaust, people are reminded about WWII, Nazi Germany, Hitler, and the millions of unjustified

lost lives. It is important to see these things so we never forget the capabilities of humanity and what one person can do to another.

What is lost and not seen in museums dedicated to a specific subject are the persecutions that exist in our current world and everyday life. In the United States, and globally, we continue to deny homosexuals equal rights based on morality and religious doctrine in politics. Structured religion and the politics that exist within the church walls are the driving force behind the degradation and persecution of so many.

The interpretation of the Bible has moved from restricting women and blacks to stripping homosexuals of equality. Look at Proposition 8 in California. Funded mainly by the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints with propaganda based on the morality of “traditional” society. I do not hate religion, in fact, I find it interesting and intriguing. Religion, at is fundamental base teaches some beautiful and valuable lessons. The heart of religion, before the politics, teaches people to love, respect, find compassion and understanding in this world while providing something to connect with. This is what I think is so great about religion. But when the church and politics of hate and fear get involved, I tend to take a different stance.

Prop 8, and other such propositions, have no business in politics. But they do, and will continue on existing. They are a removal of rights and put labels on other members of humanity while providing something to hate. What these propositions forget about is the person that exists under the label and hatred. I am grateful that I got to see this piece of history, but am aware that some walked away unable to make this connection. It is unfair to assume that everyone left this, or any other experience with ignorance. At the same time, I am confident in saying many do.

Thank you for reading and hanging in for this long post. Until next time…

JP Popovich

On Living

Since arriving in Belgium, I have been doing a lot of writing and reflecting. Reflecting on life, love, humanity, and existence. When I decided to study abroad, it wasn’t only about the physical adventure. It was more about the emotional and internal growth that I could accomplish for myself. The question that I always got was, “what do you expect to get from this experience?” My answer, which was hard to articulate before I actually got here, is this: I expect to find, reinvent, and explore this world and myself. I expect to reconnect with the world that has privileged me in so many ways and learn to live within it, instead of against it.

This planet is precious and taken advantage of every single day and by every person whom inhabits it. I have come to understand that life is not about the material objects and the monetary possessions one may have, but rather, life is about living. To me, living means knowing and loving self above anything else and transmitting this into every act interaction. Living, is about learning how to accomplish this. I believe that compassion for everything comes along with this growth. So many of us live day to day thinking about what is next and always in constant planning of what we need and want. We never take the time to sit down and relax.

There is a stigma that everyone needs a “plan” to succeed. There is such a drive to follow the carbon copied plan of so many: College, Grad School, Career, Marriage, Kids, Retirement, and Death. What if I don’t what that plan? Is there anything wrong with that? I don’t think so. At the same time, there is nothing wrong with those who do decide to follow that path. If it was right for them, then great, but I know that it is not my life. I am perfectly content with living life the way that I want to and following my instincts into the future.

The best decision I ever made was dropping out of college after my first year. I knew I wasn’t ready to be in college, and since I was paying for it, I didn’t want to waste my own money. Taking that year off allowed me to look at myself through a different lens. I focused on working and making connections with great people while living in Boise. I am so grateful to this year because I have made friends that will be in my life forever, something that I would never take back. When I decided to go back to school in 2007, I knew I was ready. And since then, I have loved what that I am doing and the education I am pursuing.

I have been reflecting on my existence as a member of humanity. The statement, “life is short,” is far from accurate. Life is the longest thing that we’ll ever do and also the most important one. There are 6.7 billion people inhabiting the earth and very few are coming together and working for a brighter future and better tomorrow. Life is long, but it is temporary and it could end in an instant. I believe that the instant life ends, one should be working towards and/or within a life being loved and lived.

If I were to die tomorrow, I would be content because I know that I am doing the best I can do to truly live. I am living within the world and learning from what it has to offer. There is only so much education that can be obtained inside a classroom. Textbooks, pictures, and lectures on what exists can never compare to the real thing. I understand that I am only a small entity that lives within the framework of the world. It is a conscious being that is much larger then my knowledge and understanding.

We don’t need to put a definition to everything; we need to accept that our existence on the planet is on the terms of the energies and forces that are bigger than words and humanity. We are all visitors on this planet and someday we’ll move on. The earth exists for itself and will continue to go on once I leave it.

What matters in this life is the impact one makes to better and enrich the existence of all. Selfishness at the root of material and monetary gains will not bring progression, but rather, destruction. Learning what it means to be compassionate and finding self through the many obstacles of life can heal and spark growth. Finding this will be the hardest thing and biggest lesson for every member of humanity. But once found, the possibilities for global compassion, understanding, love, acceptance, and community are endless.

JP Popovich

First Blog of Europe

Tomorrow will be a week since I landed in Brussels, Belgium. It is crazy that I am actually here. After a year of planning and anticipating, I am here, and it feels really good. It was nice to land to a familiar face. One of my best friends, Chrissy Pepino picked me up in Brussels. Her and her host family has been so welcoming and gracious in allowing me to spend the last, and next week with them. I think that my emotions and fears would have been a lot higher had I landed to all new scenery.

With that said, leaving the states was hard. I had such an amazing holiday season in Boise, ID with my wonderful family and friends. I miss them a lot but know that every minute apart strengthens the bonds that already exist. The distance and time spent apart only makes the next visit even more exciting. Jenn, Mike, Mara, and Beth – I will see you in VEGAS! That’ll be a blast.

I miss my sister Francine; I had a lot of fun hanging out with her for almost three weeks. I hope my Flagstaff friends have a great time this semester and love all the wonderful snow that is being dumped on them this week. Snow is one thing that I do not miss.

I really enjoyed my time in D.C. even though it was cold and snowy. It was great to see James Atwater and Amy Liedy; two lifelong friends that will be in my life forever. Amy was so patient to put up with me for almost a week. I miss you a ton Amy, and I can’t wait to catch up in August on my return!

My original flight to Belgium was set for Tuesday, January 12, 2010. But because of bad weather in the U.K., my flight was canceled the Friday before. I was able to reschedule for a flight the following day from BWI Airport at 9pm. The flight was 7 hours, and thanks to Ambien, I slept the whole way. I arrived in London Heathrow at 12:15pm on Thursday, January 14, 2010. After a three-hour layover and an hour delay, I boarded the two-hour flight to Brussels.

Currently, I am staying with Chrissy on an estate that is situated next to a castle where the Prince of Zimbabwe lives. The grounds are home to a bird sanctuary and there is stream that runs through the estate. I can only imagine what spring and summer looks like on these beautiful and lush grounds.

The week I have spent in Brussels has been about relaxation and just going with the flow of things. For all of you who know me, this is something that I rarely afford myself. So far, In Belgium, I’ve traveled to Leuven (home of Stella Artois), Brussels, and Tervuren. In Tervuren, I went to Belgium’s Royal Museum for Central Africa. This museum had a lot of interesting exhibits. I really enjoyed the one dedicated to the artifacts of the Congo and the exhibit regarding all the animals, species, and plant life of the Congo.

The second exhibit, dedicated to the colonization of Africa, I found fascinating and

disturbing at the same time. The start of the exhibit provides a disclaimer that the story of colonization is told from two perspectives – both the Belgium and Congolese points of view.

The Belgium point of view is that colonization was a good thing and that bringing religion into an already sustaining society brought education, literacy, and a larger population. Through the sixty-year history of colonization in the Congo, it is known that this religious education did bring the benefit of literacy, but at the same time left a country impoverished and without the tools to survive after being removed from Belgian rule in the 1960’s. It was an interesting experience to read this sort of propaganda while inside of the museum. Nevertheless, I enjoyed my visit and the beautiful park that surrounds.

As far as my plans from here, I have officially booked my first solo trip. Next Tuesday, January 26, 2010, I am heading to Barcelona, Spain!!! I will be there through Saturday, January 30, 2010. I am planning on spending Wednesday taking walking tours during the day and doing a pub-crawl at night. On Thursday, I am going to take a train down to Montseratt, Spain. Montseratt is a mountain top monastery! I can access the monastery by cable car up the side of the mountain or through a train that runs through the town. I think I will go up on the train and take the cable car down. Friday, I plan to take a train down the eastern coast of Spain. I’ll stop along the way to get pictures and take in the beauty that is the Mediterranean Sea.

On Saturday the 30th, I arrive in Brussels at 2:45pm and Chrissy and I will be off to Ghent, Belgium for a party. Sunday, the 30^th, I will take a bus up to Amsterdam and meet up with Brittany, a girl from NAU, who is also studying in Groningen. Monday, February 1^st, I will head up to Groningen and move in to place. I am most excited to move in. It is going to be so nice to have a place to set all my stuff down after almost two months of couch surfing. As much as I have loved bouncing around, I am going to be grateful of my own space.

Now that I have filled all my friends and family in with my plans, I am going to sign off of this entry. I love and miss you all and can’t wait to reconnect upon my return.