After months of waiting, the day is finally here. When I was first visiting Calvin, I knew two things. First, I wanted to go to a school that would help me grow in my faith. Second, I wanted to go to a school with a strong engineering program. Now, Calvin met these criteria, but there were other schools that met these criteria. However, one thing that stood out to me at Calvin was the possibility to expand my knowledge of engineering in the context of another culture. Thus, after I made my decision to come to Calvin, I knew that I wanted to do the Summer Program in Germany.
Although my desire to learn engineering while in a different culture could have led me to many places, there are other reasons why I decided to come on this trip. First, I would love to see the culture of my heritage. Although my family came to the United States before they were “united” or even states, I have always been interested in my connection to Germany. Also, I love history and am excited to be able to look at the good times and dark times of German history while in a German context.
My hope for this class is to not only survive, but to thrive. Right now, I feel overwhelmed with four hours of class and the hours of homework that follow. However, I know I can conquer this class and enjoy what I learn with the help of my wonderful teachers and my peers. I also hope to learn more about the culture of Germany and listen to the stories of some of her inhabitants. I cannot wait to see what God has in store for our group!
God has endowed special talents to every one of the members of our group, including me. I hope that I will be a servant to the group in whatever form is needed. Unfortunately, I may not be the best of help when it comes to the homework!
Finally, my prayer for this trip comes from Joshua 1:9, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” I pray that we will not be anxious whether in class or travel, and I pray for divine appointments while on this trip. God is a universal God, and he has great things in mind for Germany.