by Dylan Nguyen | Summer 2023 |
As an engineering student at Abilene Christian University, I never would have thought that I would be granted the opportunity to study abroad with the engineering program. The option to visit Germany at all sounded out of reach to me in my current stage in life. Out of all the possible locations on this earth, I was given the chance to study in a place where engineering is said to be the best in the world. Extremely curious to discover what made German engineers so special, I chose to invest my resources into this opportunity and immerse myself in a new culture with a willingness to learn. Little did I know that this experience would immensely change my life for the better, and not only from an engineering perspective.
In Leipzig, we were given the chance to tour many different engineering organizations. They all expanded our knowledge on topics of sustainability, which was one of the classes we were taking while studying abroad. We took tours to Porsche, BMW, and many other smaller companies that were trying to save the environment in their own ways. For the most part, Germany is a country that is really focused on reducing their carbon footprint so that they can become zero emission in the near future. In fact, they are so concerned about keeping the world sustainable that they banned all nuclear energy because of its dangers to the environment. Many small research laboratories that we visited were focused on trying to develop new sources of clean energy so that there would be fewer carbon emissions into the atmosphere. Not only did we learn about keeping our natural resources sustainable, but we also saw methods that ensure the sustainability of human workers. For example, Porsche and BMW help their employees work in a more ergonomic way so that there is an overall less strain on their bodies. It was quite obvious that the Germans earned the coveted title of best engineers due to their immense drive to succeed in every aspect of improving the world, especially when it comes to sustainability.
On the other hand, traveling outside of Leipzig to visit nearby cities or countries was a whole different experience. Traveling to Berlin was really interesting because of how little I knew about Germany’s history. It really made me realize how much really goes on in the world outside of what I am assigned to read in textbooks. Weimar was a humbling experience because of the concentration camp that we visited. It really broke my heart to see how people could be so evil just because of different looks or beliefs. My free travel to Austria and Croatia showed me how beautiful the world can be and the wonderful experiences you can encounter if you are brave enough to adventure. Immersing yourself into a whole new culture where communication is limited really teaches you to adapt. I am grateful to study abroad because this trip showed me the wonders of creation. Combined with what I learned from an engineering standpoint, I now see the importance of why we need to keep this world sustainable so that future generations can continue to enjoy what God has created for us. Although many in the past have done awful things to try and glorify themselves, God remains victorious. We must always try to remember that He will be faithful, even in our darkest moments. That is why we must listen to The Great Commission and help others who are in need. We must preserve God’s world and the people He created.
