Author: Justin Koehn

Attending mass at the Kölner Dom was one of the most interesting things I’ve experienced on our outings. The cathedral itself is just magnificent. It is so large that it is nearly impossible to take it all in. Despite its enormous size, the builders still took care to cover every surface with ornate carvings. Stepping inside and attending the service gives you a glimpse of what an ordinary church goer would have experienced 500 years ago. The high vaulted ceilings do a wonderful job of making you feel small, and looking beyond the alter, the light streaming in from the stained-glass windows seems like heaven could just be on the other side. During the service, the smoke from the incense and the organ music enhance this mystical feeling. The service was entirely in German and I could only pick out a few words and phrases, but this is also like what might have been experienced back in the day, as the service would have been all in Latin. Despite this, I was still able to discern the main theme of the sermon, which was to offer what we have to God even if it doesn’t seem like much, just like the boy with the bread and fish that Jesus used to feed the five thousand. Overall, I think that it was a very unique experience that I’m glad I got to do.

During our visit to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp it became apparent to me just how much Germany is making an effort to overcome its past. Germany has done a great job memorializing and paying tribute to the victims of the Sachsenhausen camp. There was such a wealth information there it was hard absorb it all.  It was very sobering to see how a “civilized’ country could commit such atrocities. I think the German government did a very good job of preserving the site, even though many of the buildings were lost during Soviet control. I am glad to see that Germany is not trying to gloss over what happened under the Nazis, but instead is doing everything its power to make sure things like this do not happen again.

I decided to go on this trip to experience a different culture and for a little bit of adventure. I’m also looking forward to being surrounded by history and cool architecture. In addition to learning about statics and dynamics, I hope to learn more about German culture, and how to adapt to a foreign environment. I think the biggest thing I can contribute to the group is that I am usually willing to help anyone with anything. My prayer request would be that we would all stay safe while having a great adventure, and that we would all stay on top of our classes.