(Rizal – MTWThF 9:00-10:40), Hungoy, Berryl Ann Marie B.

, BSA-2, Assignment Number 6

A Travel Through Time

Not until 1914 when airline passenger services began, the idea of travelling abroad seemed to be a difficult

and expensive thing. Commercial flights were not yet introduced and people had to rely only on the available modes

of transportation like streamers, boats, trains, and foot. Despite the limited access, individuals before were still able to

go abroad and such was the case of Dr. Jose Rizal. Rizal was known as a traveler during his time. He ventured into

different countries in Europe to expand his knowledge and study their culture, languages, customs and laws that would

help his country achieve freedom and independence from the Spanish tyranny.

During Rizal’s first trip abroad to Spain, he noticed indifferences on how Spanish authorities treated tourists.

Upon his arrival at Barcelona, he felt uneasy. After living in Barcelona for quite a time, Rizal knew it was a city of

liberalism and freedom. Quite the contrary, Spain was equally ambitious so the Spanish empire had ruled countries in

Central and South America and part of Europe. In the Spanish-American War of 1898, Spain lost those three territories,

thus putting an end to its 400-year-old empire.

Moreover, Spain was once a predominantly agrarian and commercial nation and due to the bad administration

of the great wealth they extracted from their colonies, the country went poor. However, Spain was transformed during

the twentieth century into a modern, industrial member of the global economic community. With land reform and

mechanization, the agrarian sector has shrunk and the commercial, industrial, and service sectors of the economy

have grown in size, significance, and global interconnection. Now, Spain is a home for snowcapped mountains, vast

monuments, rich art and literature, and sophisticated cities which paved its way to be a favorite travel destination.

Spain is now a developed country and hailed as one of the richest nations in Europe.

Later in 1883, Rizal went to France and spent a vacation to the different tourist destinations in Paris. Food

prices, entertainment leisure, hotel accommodations and transportation were too expensive for Rizal’s purse that he

concluded Paris as the costliest capital in Europe. Although Paris may be the most visited city in the world, it is also
one of the most expensive until now. When it comes to art, nothing has changed as the country continues to showcase

its remarkable talent in building structures with stunning architectural designs.

On the other hand, Rizal decided to live in Germany with a desire to publish his book ‘Noli me Tangere.’

During his time, Rizal had developed a great admiration for German women as he noticed they were educated and

friendly. Until now, education still plays a pivotal role in the country. Although the control of education rests with the

states, there is a national commission that strives for uniformity of curriculum, requirements, and standards. Meanwhile,

traditional arts, entertainment, and customs of regional and rural Germany have weakened as the incursions of modern

patterns of life and global forms of entertainment influenced the world (Britannica, 2020).

References

Barnachia, M. (2016, April 28). Rizal in Paris. SlideShare. https://www.slideshare.net/MartinJonBarnachia/rizal-in-

paris

Boyd, C. (2016, June 8). France then, now and in the future. Raconteur. https://www.raconteur.net/business-

innovation/france-then-now-and-in-the-future

Germany. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Germany/

Lambert, T. (2019). A Brief History of Pain. Local Histories. http://www.localhistories.org/spain.html

Life and Travels of Jose Rizal (2014). Weebly. https://travels-of-rizal.weebly.com/

Spain (n.d.). Every Culture. https://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Spain.html