Granddaughter's international lessons

The following are blogs from my granddaughter __ Reagan Payne __ (daughter of Rich and Holly Payne). Reagan is a junior at the University of Missouri and spending six months in Maastricht, Netherlands on a study course.

I think it's worth sharing. Her mother backpacked Europe about 25 years ago and we shared her letters in the Bulletin Journal.

Happy Presidents Day from a Proud American Abroad

During his boyhood, Ronald Reagan answered to the nickname "Dutch." Legend has it that as a newborn child, Reagan's father took a look at him and said,"He looks like a fat little Dutchman. But who knows, he might grow up to be president some day."

So here I am in the Netherlands, named Reagan and living among the Dutch. These uncanny parallels make me feel close to home, and proud of my country.

Since arriving in Maastricht, I have asked and responded to an unprecedented number of culture sharing questions. Everything from eating celery with peanut butter to the mention of universal health care sparks cultural discussions. My floor eats dinner together nearly every night.

Sitting around the table are students from America, Brazil, Israel, China, Austria, Singapore, Spain, Canada, Australia and Switzerland. Last weekend, I took a multi-stop train tour of the Netherlands with new friends from Bulgaria, Italy, Finland and Norway. My classes are full of students representing over 32 countries.

I've learned much from my international peers, and I hope that I've taught them something, also. Culture sharing sparks a special sense of patriotism. When I get to talk about America, I light up. Everyone does when asked about their country. Leaving my country for an extended period of time has created a new sense of patriotism and pride about belonging to the United States of America. At home, I often view my great country through a filter of partisan politics and political turmoil. Around the dinner table with friends who have never visited my country, I see the stars and stripes in its truest form -- with the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. There is a huge focus on how much wrong is in our country, but abroad I like to talk about all the right that we have going on. Our Founding Fathers created a strong foundation for our nation, and I cannot be happier to call America my home.

One of my unofficial goals while abroad is to act as a good example of America. A disheartening stereotype of my country, that is depressingly accurate, is how ignorant Americans are toward other countries and cultures. I've been doing individual reading and research about my friends' home nations' politics, history and culture. This is helping me to ask more thoughtful questions, and hopefully showing them that Americans are fascinated by and appreciate foreign nations.

Studying abroad is an opportunity to break stereotypes -- both stereotypes about you and your home nation, as well as indirect stereotypes you believe about other countries. Education and awareness are key to ending international conflict, and building a strong and united world. The conversations I'm having here are a microcosm of the conversations that global leaders need to be having. Cross-cultural awareness and appreciation for all people is the key to establishing international peace and cooperation.

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iTravel Better Without My iPhone

Wallet, check!

Room key, check!

Burt's Bees Chapstick [obsessed], check!

iPhone ... iPhone ... iPhone???

Last week, my iPhone was stolen at The Alla. For those not familiar with Maastricht, The Alla is the club that opens after all the bars close for the night. It is always packed and plays hysterically outdated American pop music. I've heard of many stolen iPhone episodes at The Alla, but still stupidly kept my phone in my back pocket -- it really was too easy to steal.

AT&T informed me that my phone ended up in Belgium, and the thief used a generous amount of my international data.

I was so mad. I had emailed, called, Facebooked, texted my phone, and I know the thief received all my pleas to return my phone. They deleted some of my emails, liked my own profile photo and never once responded to my desperate cries for my iPhone back.

When I think of my iPhone's journey across country borders with strangers, I imagine a group of mean thieves laughing at all my embarrassing iPhone photos, reading my text messages to my mom, refreshing the front page of my NYT app. That phone has my everything stored on it, and now it is floating around somewhere in Belgium.

For the past year, my iPhone has been glued to my left hand. It is adorned with a Chi Omega case, a Christmas gift from my mother. Losing that phone feels like I lost an important piece of myself.

Without my iPhone, how am I supposed to avoid eye contact with strangers? Or not look lonely when waiting in line for coffee by myself?

What if I take a wrong turn, and don't have a blue dot to guide me back to my familiar route? These questions kept me up at night -- the first night I've spent without a phone in years.

How silly.

My iPhone had become nothing short of an addiction, and I cannot be happier to finally be rid of the technology that takes up so much of my time and attention. Two days after losing the phone, I was mopping the kitchen with friends when a Spanish boy walked into the room and asked: "Does anyone want my old phone? I'm moving out and don't need it."

So here I am. With my new free Nokia phone with a cracked screen -- it even has a sudoku game on it!

Life often works out.

There are some truly incredible technology resources that bring value to travel, but it is a trade-off. I spent an entire train ride to Amsterdam searching for fun things to see and do, and I found some great information. But I didn't take time to look out the window and enjoy the passing countryside. The hostel owner in Amsterdam was eager and ready to answer all my questions that I already had answers to from searching online.

With my new phone, I don't sit places and read the news; I sit and look at people. I mean, right in the eyes. There are so many human connections waiting to happen. iPhones might connect us to the entire world on the Internet, but it deprives us from connecting with the immediate world around us.

I don't miss my iPhone or the convenience it brings. Maybe getting lost and simply existing in a new city is better than diligently following my blue dot from one destination to another. Asking locals for their recommendations instead of consulting the Trip Advisor app includes a smile and not just a refresh icon. I really don't need to take a photo of my cappuccino and post it on Instagram ... I just need to enjoy it.

Gary Rust is chairman of the board of Rust Communications, which owns the Southeast Missourian, as well as a member of the editorial board. Reagan Payne is a former intern at the Southeast Missourian.