To all Franciscan Study Abroad students of Spring '08, welcome to your semester in Gaming! You've worked, you've saved, and maybe you've been stressed out, but God has led us here for a reason: to fill this time in life with beauty and growth. This semester will offer a feast of experiences- prayer, adventure, study, and travel. As the writer Ray Bradbury said, "Stuff your eyes with wonder…live as if you'd drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It's more fantastic than any dream made or paid for." This adventure is very real, and very ready for you to embrace.
The Kartause may seem large and echoey now, but it seemed even huger when the six of us RAs arrived more than a week ago. Most of us had never been to this area of Europe - or Europe at all- and it was impossible to see enough or to breathe enough clean, cold air in the days that followed. You think that you've been thrown in with a strange and different group? Most of us didn't really know each other, but the common experiences we had that week and our love and desire for Christ helped us grow closer. I challenge you to use this semester to get to know people you might have dismissed as a matter of course back on campus. Don't trust the first impression of a fellow student any more than you would want someone to judge you as a stereotypical American during your travels.
Gaming itself was presented to us as a beautiful mix of the ancient and the new. The artistry and architecture of the Kartause has endured through its many renovations and remains breathtaking; we're living inside a work of art with an old strength and loveliness. At the same time, we experienced the hospitality and vibrancy of professor's families, Gaming residents , and everyone associated with the Study Abroad program. Our professors opened their homes to us, giving us great conversation, company, and advice, and showing us the amazing mix of culture they've built in their families. It was impossible to walk through the village without an elderly man with a pipe or a woman with a dog greeting us with a smile; there is a mood of cheerfulness and courtesy here that I hope to learn from.
A little of the magic may have rubbed off now that classes have begun, but I hope that it's become even more exciting. We're being taught passionately about God, the cosmos, our mysterious selves, and the languages we use. What could be more interesting to discuss in this beautiful setting? Good luck, and I look forward to seeing you around the Kartause!
Blog post composed by RA Lilianna Meldrum
No comments:
Post a Comment