New Nomads and Migration Literature ****************************************************************************************** * New Nomads and Migration Literature ****************************************************************************************** On Wednesday 30 April, the Faculty of Arts at Charles University in Prague hosted a lectur Christian Trepte, from the University of Leipzig, entitled 'In Search of a New Freedom: Ne Migration Literature.' In his lecture, Dr. Trepte discussed a series of books relating to exile and emigration, and the links between travel and culture. Dr. Trepte opened by introducing the books he wanted to discuss, included works by Eva Hof Marsden, Czeslaw Milosz, Radek Sikorski, and Anne Applebaum. All of these books related to Eastern Europe in the twentieth century, all of which represent experiences of travel or d Trepte followed by discussing different types travel: the differences between exile and em example; various forms of nomadism; notions of expelled or displaced persons; religious pi about the effects all these types of travel can have on the cultural identity of an indivi of identity was introduced, not as something inherent, but as something fluid and changeab which can be affected positively or negatively by various forms of travel. Travel can be p it can be enriching; it encourages the traveler to absorb new cultures and experiences, bu be negative, because it can leave travelers stranded between cultures, belonging to neithe culture nor the one they have moved into. Dr. Trepte discussed these negative effects with reference to the literature, much of whic themes of East-West migration and the difficulties in adapting to new cultures. He touched themes, discussing how Western arrogance and ignorance can turn the East into a terra inco and notably foreign land ultimately characterised only by its most prominent features. Thi lead to peculiar misconceptions (Shakespeare's mention of a Bohemian Sea in his play The W example) or to negative stereotypes (such as Goethe's assertion that Czech, rather than be is merely a throat disease - a thought which I'm sure every Erasmus student here can relat level!). Those who travel from East to West often find themselves "lost in translation", s cultures, forever needed to explain their origins to those surrounding them. This ignoranc was only exacerbated by the division of Europe following the Second World War, and carries day. Dr. Trepte's talk was somewhat nebulous and meandering, but I nevertheless found it intere times, relevant to my own life and experiences. As an Erasmus student, I found it easy to topic of how travel can change a person, and I remember my own changing reactions to livin country: how I too, went from feeling out of place and isolated in Prague to immersing mys culture, enjoying it, and considering myself at home here in the Czech Republic. I've also share of mistaken stereotypes about Eastern Europe from people I know back in the UK: I st have to remind relatives that I'm living in the Czech Republic, not Czechoslovakia, and th isn't still marked by the inadequacies of Communism. It was interesting, as someone who ha West to East, to hear about the common perspectives and experiences of people who have gon West. Of course, our own individual experiences are all unique, but it is interesting and hear the similarities common in everyone's own tales: we all have our own beginnings and o but the common emotions we experience along the way reminds us we're all human; we're none as we can sometimes think. Natalie James is an undergraduate history student at University College London, currently literature, politics, and current affairs. She joined the online magazine I-Forum to becom likeminded Erasmus students.