The nights did not arrive until nearly 10 p.m. in the beautiful city of Prague. Kathy Dugas described the scene as incredible. As the darkness surrounded everyone, the firework display illuminated the sky over the Jazz cruise, and the castle standing in the background reminded everyone of the lengthy history of Europe. She said she had seen the firework display at Disneyworld over Cinderella’s castle, but it was nothing like having a real castle in the background.Dugas, a history department instructor, went with students and friends to Europe this past summer for the Nicholls Europe trip. The group went to five different countries: Austria, France, Germany, Czech Republic and Switzerland.

The group was in Germany for the first few days during the German Beer Fest. The students were immersed in German culture. They drank German beer and danced in the streets listening to classic American songs played by a live band.

“The trip was good for breaking down barriers, even if it was just in songs,” Dugas stated.

Paris was filled with electric and metro trains, according to Dugas. Mothers and children were traveling with groceries on the railways.

“I have never even been on a cab. It really gave you a worldly point of view,” Dugas said.

Hannah Duet, freshman from Houma, attended the trip with friends on their senior trip.

The Nicholls Europe program has been encouraging students and friends to experience other cultures and places for 33 years. The trip gives students the opportunity to take courses of credit or to just experience the adventure. The program also encourages students to bring friends and family members along.

“I thought it was funny that I came all the way to Europe to hear ‘Sweet Home Alabama,'” Duet said. The band also played “Celebration” and “Surfing in USA.”

Duet said her favorite place was Prague.

“Prague was supposed to be the most pick-pocketed place, but I felt really safe there,” she said.

The St. Charles Bridge in Prague was lined with statues and filled with vendors selling a variety of things, according to Duet. Along this bridge, painters were also selling their artwork, reminding Duet of New Orleans’ Jackson Square artists.

“That city reminded me the most of home,” she said.

The students were able to experience Europe during the World Cup. The World Cup soccer games are as much a part of European culture as football is to American culture. Each city has their own way of enjoying the games. A city-square was set up with a huge screen to allow all viewers to watch the game outside. While the people were waiting for the game to start, they would grab a seat around the screen or kick a soccer ball around in anticipation of the game’s beginning, according to Chelsea Allemand, freshman from Lockport.

“I have never seen anything like that before,” Allemand said.

She also said that she loved the Adelboden Mountains in Switzerland and described the snow-capped mountains and waterfalls as amazing.

“Playing in the snow in shorts and a tank top when it wasn’t cold was great,” she said.

During the trip, the group visited the place of Mozart’s birth, the huge amphitheater that Hitler built for his rallies and the Justice Palace used for the Nuremberg trials. The group also visited the world-famous Louvre museum, which houses the “Mona Lisa” and “Venus de Milo.”

The credit courses this past summer were History 102 and Humanities 260; however, each summer the courses for credit do change. Students that choose to take the trip for college credit are required to take a test with James Barnidge, the program director, when they return.

The trip also included a guided tour, during which information about each destination was given.

According to Dugas, the guided tours ended by noon, and everyone was able to separate and explore Europe individually. Some people knew where they were going, and the others followed the groups that appeared to know their way.

“History and art come alive when you are there where the events occurred,” Barnidge said.

The trip cost $3,595, which covers round-trip air transportation via scheduled international air carrier, hotel accommodations, half the meals, all transportation and transfers, air-conditioned motor coaches, a number of sight-seeing tours and, of course, an experience to last a life time. Next summer, Nicholls Europe will be traveling to Rome, Florence, Pisa and Switzerland.