Stiletto Heels, Fascism, and 1 Euro Beers

Ryan and I have moved south out of wine country to spend a night in Coimbra, the home of Portugal’s oldest university. The small medieval center is a steep maze of narrow cobblestone streets and stairways interrupted by miniature squares and ancient churches. The chaos cues you into the complete lack of city planning…that is until you reach the top of the hill and find yourself at a buzzing university. This impressive 700-year old university is a collection of palace-like buildings from the 1100s and imposing fascist monstrosities built by Portugal’s last dictator, Antonio Salazar.

This town reminds me why I loved going to university, why I love university towns, why I love university students, and why I wish I could still be one. Tradition requires Coimbra’s university students to wear black graduation-style gowns to class. As you walk through campus with these scholars, you feel like you’ve gone back in time. But just a quick look at the stiletto heels and tight red jeans sticking out of the bottom of the shapeless robes brings you back to 2009. Despite the seemingly conservative university, the surrounding streets remind you of the political and freethinking zeal of students. Graffiti denouncing the world’s evils (Nazis, fascism, intolerance, oppression of women, imperialism) decorate the buildings. Boisterous conversation and music blare from 2nd story windows – reminiscent of the nights I stayed up arguing politics and literature. Women carrying art canvases scurry down the street without make-up, shoes or bras while their guitar-toting male companions steal side glances at their cleavage. And of course, ancient watering holes filled with smokers drinking 1 euro beers…

I love the energy and non-conformity of universities. I love (and envy) how their days are filled with forming opinions, creating art, and making friends. And I love how, given the freedom to do so, students will test our societies’ boundaries and play with independent thought. And I love how you can ironically find the same “originality” and “non-conformity” in university towns around the world.

As Ryan and I sip our 1 euro beers, I promise to myself that this energy of inquiry, self-expression and non-conformity will penetrate the deepest pours of Elemental Importers. I may no longer be in university, but I can bring its spirit to the work I am doing now.