Department of History

In May and June 2018, a group of MUN students took part in the study-abroad program “Food, Drink, and Cultural Exchange around the Baltic.” They spent three weeks attending classes on campus studying the history of food and drink in northern Europe from the Viking age to the twentieth century before embarking on a 21-day trip to Germany and Sweden. The students took part in a variety of learning opportunities during the field trip, including meeting with specialists and visiting museums and historic sites, as well as experiencing first-hand how history and the connections between cultures have shaped traditions regarding society, culture, and culinary traditions in the areas of Europe around the Baltic Sea. Highlights of the trip included visiting several Hanseatic towns in northern Germany, eating marzipan in Lübeck, experiencing the urbanism of Stockholm, and tasting beverages in a brewery in the historic city of Visby on Gotland. The participants spent a night in a medieval merchants’ house, ate herring sandwiches in a historic harbour, traveled by ship across the Baltic Sea, learned about the intriguing history of coffee in Sweden, and tasted medieval food in a Swedish port-town of the Viking period.

Dr. Stephan Curtis and Dr. Sébastien Rossignol from the Department of History conceived the program and organized the field trip.

Some of the participants provided the following comments:

“Travelling is always something worthwhile in my opinion, especially as a student of the arts and social sciences. The opportunity to visit the sites and buildings you've spent months or years learning about brings a new, material dimension to your knowledge that is impossible to grasp in a classroom. It's one thing to learn about what a Romanesque church looks like and another to actually be in one. The other thing about this trip is that it's designed for students, so not only did we go to amazing places but we also met academics from a variety of institutions doing research on things we cared about. The opportunity to meet and listen to people who are experts in their fields in the places that they study really helps broaden your perspective on the possibilities for your own future research or career. I never would have thought, for example, that someone could build a career in medieval fashion, and yet one of my favourite things from the trip was a lecture in Sweden about how depictions of medieval clothes can be analyzed to better understand the evolution of gender divisions and roles in another Europe. Definitely an eye-opening experience for anyone unsure about the possibilities their degrees can hold.” -Maryssa Barras, Archaeology student

“Taking a trip to Germany and Sweden as a path of learning about food, culture and drink around the Baltic was magnificent. Travelling to these places furthered my understanding of connecting history to modern life and how people interact with history every day. This program was enjoyable and I would love to do something similar in the future.” -Michael Bursey, History and French student

“Last summer I participated in the ‘Food, Drink, and Cultural Exchange around the Baltic’ intersession program. Not only was the course material exciting, but visiting the places associated with the history we were learning added a level of understanding and engagement that could not have otherwise been achieved. Dr. Curtis and Dr. Rossignol were amazing guides, and their knowledge of the areas we visited and the histories associated with these places ensured we made the most of our experience in northern Europe!” -Olivia Genge, Psychology and History student

“This program was a really great experience. The profs are both very good and know what they are talking about and doing and this shows in the courses. The areas that it went to were places that I had never been to and had never really thought about wanting to go to them but it is a beautiful part of the world full of history and stories and you get to see and experience some of this as part of this program. The food was very good and because of the nature of the program there was lots of it! Overall it was a very good program and I hope it’s offered again in the future for other people to experience.” -Robert Hermanto, Anthropology student

“The educational trip to Germany and Sweden over the summer was truly an amazing learning experience. Going to places such as Bremen, Lübeck, Visby, and Stockholm was truly incredible. Going to the various museums, churches, and other historical sites, gave us an in-depth insight into how trade was facilitated in the medieval and early modern periods. Also, we learned on our trip things about the Crusades in the Baltic regions we explored. This trip was also a truly amazing cultural experience because we were able to sample local foods and drinks in various restaurants, and it allowed us to engage in other societal activities, such as fika in Sweden, and the various beverages and foods, such as some of the many breads in Germany, and so on. This was truly an educational trip of a lifetime for me.” -Liam T. Hynes, History student