Speaker: Joyce Johnston

Presented by the Lifelong Learning Institute, Manassas

This event is open to the public. For more information about the Lifelong Learning Institute, Manassas, visit lli-manassas.org

The enchanting cities of Eastern Europe once marked the farthest boundary of western civilization. Protected by the swift, cold Danube, they anchored the outer reaches of the Roman Empire. Later they were a bulwark protecting Europe against repeated incursions by the Ottoman Empire and Communist Russia. Prague, Bratislava, and Budapest mixed nomads from the steppes with exotic architecture, European-style universities, and their own unique expressions of Christianity. In this presentation, Joyce Johnston will explain how each has survived to flourish in the 21st century without forgetting the horrors and the glories of their turbulent histories.

A lifetime of travel as an Army brat has given Joyce Johnston a love of unexplored places and a taste for adventure. Now retired from public school teaching after 37 years, she has extended her love of diverse cultures to her multinational students at George Mason University and to frequent travel with her husband Craig. Previously, Joyce has shared material as wide-ranging as her experiences at the Alhambra and her discussion of Beowulf as a window into aging and the end of life. Now she is excited to update her first presentation for LLI from ten years ago. “Eastern Stars: The Enchanting Cities of Eastern Europe” will evoke for LLI members the unique flavor of the places that once defined the boundaries of the Roman Empire.