Sometimes You Need To Return To Your Roots...

A few weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to return to my alma mater, Bryn Mawr College, for a really fascinating and fantastic lecture! First, I should back up a bit.

Out of the blue, at the beginning of this month, I received a wonderful email from my old academic advisor from college. She and I are were quite close when I was at Bryn Mawr and often socialized. I took a class with her every spring and our academic interests overlap; we both specialized in Modern European history. Not a lot of people, my fellow history majors included, liked Professor S, but I love her. She is so so so nice and really interesting! My four years at Bryn Mawr, I took her 19th Century European history class, 20th Century European history class, History of European Fashion, and Media Revolutions class. I loved them all...but enough about that.

I was in chemistry recitation when I was pleasantly surprised to see the email from her. She wanted to check in and see how I was doing, but moreover, she wanted to alert me to a a very cool lecture that was going on. My research interest in espionage and codebreaking during WWII. This lecture was about archaeologists, many of whom were Bryn Mawr graduates, who worked for the OSS in Greece during WWII. How cool is that? I was so touched that she remembered that I like that sort of history and made the effort to contact me! God I love Bryn Mawr.

At first, I was hesitant to attend, since I would have to schlep from New York City down to Philadelphia/Bryn Mawr, but after a few days of contemplation (and chatting with my parents), I decided to attend the lecture. NYU is so insane and not exactly nurturing, so to return to a place I consider home and love with all of my heart...it's exactly what the doctor ordered!

After meeting with my personal trainer, I got myself ready and made my way down to Bryn Mawr. After a 2.5 hour journey from New York City, I arrived at my beloved college and was ready to explore. I arrived early, so I could catch up with some old professors. What fun! I got to chat with old history professors, as well as other professors that I had. I also got to roam around campus and take in the beauty that is Bryn Mawr in the spring.

I couldn't stop grinning when I got here!

Bryn Mawr is stunning during the spring

Thomas Great Hall

Our resident goddess, Athena, covered with offerings

The always beautiful, Thomas Great Hall

The lecture

After about an hour of wandering, I made my way to the lecture. Wow, I am so so so glad that I made the trip from New York City. I always knew that Bryn Mawr was cool, but I didn't realize just how cool our alumni are. I mean, WWII spies?! That's incredibly awesome. 

Professor Susan Heuck Allen's monograph, Classical Spies: American Archaeologists with the OSS in World War II Greece, recounts the exploits of American archaeologists working in Greece, who worked on behalf of the American government. Essentially, Indiana Jones is somewhat accurate...(if you recall, in the fourth film, it is revealed that Dr. Jones worked for the OSS during WWII). Dr. Allen herself came to campus to tell us about her book and give us a brief summary of what she discovered over her 10 years of research for this book. 

You may be asking, of all people, why archaeologists? Well, according to Dr. Allen, they are the perfect candidates. They are intimately familiar with the local culture/customs, they are friendly with the locals, AND they have the perfect cover for being there...who is going to question an excavation? Cool, right?

Anyway, I don't want to say too much and give the story away...also I haven't read the book yet...but all I can say is, I am so delighted to hear that alumnis of my college involved themselves in espionage. Seriously cool stuff. I also learned a lot of about the spy game during WWII. Always a plus. I know the codebreaking part and a bit about the Double Cross system...but this topic, totally new to me!

Attending the lectures was amazing for me. It was nice to return to something familiar, something I know. Pre-med can get really crazy and unpleasant and studying subjects that do not come naturally to me...it wears on you. Even though I have decided on a career in medicine, history will always be a love of mine. Perhaps my true love? Or my other love? Either way, history will always be a part of me and it will always fascinate me. Being able to step away from chemistry and biology, and learn about something I truly love AND am familiar with...it's the best feeling.