January 2002 — A holiday trip to Italy gave Trinity University history professor Char Miller a chance to be a part of history himself. While spending time with his family in Rome, Professor Miller witnessed the overnight conversion of Italy's national money, the lira, into the new European currency standard, the euro.

“On the first of January, we checked out of our hotel. When I went to pay with my Visa, the hotel staff zapped my credit card and the amount came up in euros.  The hotel staff became excited and the hotel manager waved my bill to other employees to let them see the change,” said Professor Miller.

Professor Miller said he later noticed that excitement at other businesses, but said it was tinged with some frustration as shop owners took in lira and handed change in euros. One of the problems encountered was the new task of having to deal with small change. “Just days before, when I bought something, I paid a whole amount.  For example I spent 2,000 lira for a package of birdseed, about a dollar in American money.  A day later that package cost 1.03 euros,” said Professor Miller. “No one carried the equivalent of three cents in euro change.”

Despite the frustrations, most of the people he ran into did not gripe and complain. “They understood that the currency is attached to a much bigger issue. The euros symbolized they were part of a united European community. You can get around petty frustrations if you think you are achieving a larger end in the process.”

Especially if that goal is to create a stronger Europe in relation to the United States.

To speak to Professor Miller about his personal account of the conversion to the euro, contact Russell Guerrero at (210) 999-8406 or e-mail Rguerrer@Trinity.edu.