Bleu Demons in France: Jessica January
8/18/2014 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Bonjour!
Yesterday I had one of the best experiences of my life. We left Paris and drove to Normandy to visit the cemetery. On the way, our bus driver stopped at a museum where we watched a movie on D-Day and got the chance to look around at other items from WWII. Next, we visited another site where we saw the giant holes in the ground from previous bombs. Also, we walked through actual concrete casements that the Germans used during WWII. Elri even stood in one of the gunman pits that Germans used to fire from. While standing in there, she held a picture of a previous soldier in the same pit. This was a great picture moment!
Our team then made our way to the Normandy cemetery where we walked through another museum with several photos and captions to read, along with movies on the lives of men during the war. The museum definitely captured the sacrifice and bravery of young men that fought for their land and freedom. This in result helped us understand some of the hardships they faced. From the museum, walking aside the beaches of Normandy, we finally reached the cemetery. Rows of white glistening graves filled the green area against the background of blue water. The view for us greatly contrasted the view many men would have seen during WWII. It is hard for me to understand the extent of struggle the soldiers experienced and the courage it took to fight during the war. However, I believe experiencing the beaches of Normandy and the museums provided a deeper insight for me and my teammates as well. Even though we did not walk on the beaches of Normandy, our tour guide gave Lauren sand from the beach to fill the jars she had. It will be a great souvenir to take home!
After a quick dinner back at the hotel, our team, coaches, and fans headed to a gym in the area to play one last game in France. Despite the adversity we faced as a team, we improved on team cohesiveness and gained more experience. Although it was a busy day, we were all appreciative to be able to have all of these experiences in France.
I was so excited that my mom was able to come to France. She met us on Friday and came to Normandy with us. After our game yesterday, she still couldn't believe that she had just watched her daughter play basketball in France. When making my decision on what college to go to, one of the hardest factors was leaving my family. Therefore, I am so grateful that DePaul offers these experiences to be shared with family.
Au Revoir,
Jessica January -- # 14
Women's Basketball Checks in from France
Aug. 12 -- Brooke Schulte
Aug. 13 -- Centrese McGee
Aug. 14 -- Megan Rogowski
Aug. 15 -- Brittany Hrynko
Aug. 17 -- Chanise Jenkins
France Trip Game Schedule/Recaps
Game 1: Aug. 13 -- DePaul 88, French All-Stars 59
Game 2: Aug. 14 -- DePaul 78, French All-Stars 56
Game 3: Aug. 16 -- French All-Stars 71, DePaul 68
Game 4: Aug. 21 (Nice, France)
Follow the Blue Demons in France
Twitter: @DePaulWBBHoops
Instagram: DePaulWBBHoops
