McCarroll tours Europe as part of educational program

Since graduating from Rector High School in 2007, 20-year-old Abbe' McCarroll has made good on her desire to see the world.

A sophomore at Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tenn., McCarroll is remembered by many in the community for her outstanding performances in the classroom and on the basketball court. In August, she began a new endeavor, taking part in the university's International Studies program.

"I had made up my mind before that I wanted to go to Europe with our study abroad program at Freed-Hardeman," McCarroll said. "When the opportunity came up, I jumped at the chance."

She spent three months studying and touring Europe. In all, 37 students from the Henderson campus took residence in Verviers, Belgium. The students stayed in a dormitory located above a church operated by the university. While in Verviers, McCarroll continued her education, taking classes in World War II History, Modern World Literature, French and the study of the Apostle Paul.

To help the students make adjustments to traveling in a new environment, the group took day trips together.

"It was definitely a different experience," McCarroll said. "We went out in the city and saw a parade. It was so congested. You didn't even have a foot to yourself before you were in someone else's space. It scared us all to death."

From there, the adventures grew, as the group began to expand its trips, both in time and distance.

"We went to Germany, which took about seven hours. We were near the Germany-Austria border."

McCarroll's group was able to tour Hitler's Eagle's Nest retreat in the German Alps.

"It was so ironic to be up there. You're surrounded by so much beauty, but at the same time you're aware of how evil Hitler was."

The group also visited the Neuschwanstein Castle, which served Walt Disney as the inspiration for the castle portrayed in "Sleeping Beauty." Another German stop was the Dachau Concentration Camp. Dachau was the first concentration camp opened in Germany. It is located on the grounds of an abandoned munitions factory. Dachau was used as a prototype for the other concentration camps.

During the same trip, the group also visited Austria. While there, McCarroll and her classmates visited Salzburg, the location where "The Sound of Music" was filmed. The group saw a marionette production of the famous musical, as well.

Next, the group stayed a week in Paris. McCarroll was able to go to the top of the Arc de Triomphe in the center of the Place Charles de Gaulle. The monument was built to honor those who fought for France, primarily during the Napoleonic Wars.

"Atop the Arc de Triomphe, you could see Paris for as far as the eyes would stretch," McCarroll said. "It was breathtaking."

The group was able to climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower for an aerial view of Paris at night.

McCarroll saw the world's most famous painting, the Mona Lisa, during a visit to the Louvre.

The group also went to the National History Museum, the beaches of Normandy and a World War II cemetery.

"There's just so much beauty and history. One moment, we were looking at some of the most famous pieces of art the world has ever known, then the next we're visiting one of the most famous battlefields. It was a little overwhelming."

On the lighter side, the group went to the Galleria Lafeyette to see a fashion show up close. Of course, they also took the opportunity to dine on crepes and escargot during their stay in Paris.

From there, the group spent a week in Athens, Greece, where they toured the Pantheon and Acropolis.

The group also visited the ruins of Old Corinth, written about in the Corinthians books of the Bible. They also saw the tomb of Agamemnon.

However, Greece was a bit of a tough place to visit for the group due to the language barrier.

"People would get upset because they couldn't understand you. That took some adjustment. You had to make sure you stayed with the group, because there were only a few of us who knew any Greek."

The group then returned to Belgium to resume schoolwork and prepare for smaller group travel trips. During this time, McCarroll and four other students put together their own trip, which included transportation and stays in Ireland, London, Scotland and Switzerland.

The group began the next leg of the journey by flying into Dublin. Staying in a hostel, the students visited the Blarney National Park, where they were able to kiss the famous Blarney Stone. They also journeyed to sights in the cities of Cork and Cobn while in Ireland.

The five students next headed to London. They witnessed numerous attractions and historic places including Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, the London Tower Bridge and King Cross Station.

While touring the British Museum, they saw the manuscripts of Shakespeare and the Magna Carta, as well as pieces of the Bible. At the Natural History Museum, they saw the Rosetta Stone, Cleopatra's mummy and the skeletal remains of a blue whale.

In Scotland, the group toured the city's gothic architecture, visiting the Elephant House where J.K. Rowling wrote "Harry Potter."

During their stay in Switzerland, the group enjoyed the scenic beauty of the area and used the opportunity to relax from their travels.

"We took in the nature and just enjoyed the beauty of everything there," McCarroll said. "By that point, we were pretty tired."

The group returned to Belgium for more studies before starting the final of their European travels -- to Italy.

In Naples, the group saw the ruins of Pompeii. They then would travel to Rome by train.

"Rome was very exciting. The city is very congested," McCarroll said. "We headed into the center to look for the Colosseum. When we saw it, it was just incredible. It's so impressive because even though it's nearly 2,000 years old, there's still so much of it standing today. We were able to see where they housed the gladiators and the animals that fought in the arena."

The group also toured the Vatican, seeing St. Peter's Cathedral and the Sistine Chapel. They saw the famous ceiling painted by Michelangelo, as well as the tombs of the previous Popes.

The group also toured Florence, where they saw Michelangelo's David, and Pisa, where they visited the renowned Leaning Tower.

By the time the group returned to Belgium to finish their studies, they had seen numerous key historical sites and made memories which will last a lifetime.

"There was just so much to see," McCarroll said. "For me, I didn't realize how broad, vast and interesting the world was until this trip. It was simply amazing."

McCarroll says she feels as if she has grown through her adventure.

"I only knew five of the 37 students before we left. It really brought us all together. You have to depend on each other for so much."

McCarroll, who is studying to become a physical therapist, says she is very interested in traveling again when the opportunity presents itself. Though she has seen many of the world's most beautiful sights, McCarroll is happy to be home in Rector with her parents, Johnny and Susie, and brother, Blake.

"It's always good to come back home. I know I'm loved here and can feel safe around people who care about me."