I am often asked why history is my favorite subject, and I believe that I have a very unique answer. It all started when I was 8 or 9 years old. Like nearly all other kids of my generation, I loved video games and they consumed much of my time, to my parents dismay. At this point of my life, I was neutral on history, and viewed it the same as any other subject, but that all changed after I played a certain videogame. That game was Call of Duty 2, which was about World War 2 and was from the perspective of an American, a British, and a Russian soldier. Despite me being nearly a decade too young to play it according to the age rating, I loved the game so much, and contrary to many concerned parents’ beliefs, it did not ruin my mental development. Instead, I was fascinated by the game’s setting, and it ignited in me a passion to learn more about that war, other wars, and history in general. Now, nearly a decade since I played Call of Duty 2, I am interning at Allaire Village. I get the same feeling of being immersed in history here as I did playing that game, and it makes me eager to learn more about the history of the village and history in general. Reading about history in a textbook is one thing, but being immersed in a historical setting like Allaire is on a whole other level. I hope that, like me, young kids will also find a new love for history by visiting Allaire.
Written by Intern Thomas McVey