[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ min_height=”992.9px” custom_margin=”-43px||-75px|||” custom_padding=”6px||4px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.17.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.6″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Someone asked me recently why I chose to study abroad and why Germany, specifically. After thinking about it, I realized I did not have a good answer for them. I do not know why I chose to study abroad or why I chose Germany other than I had the opportunity and I jumped at the challenge. I knew it would stretch and grow me out of my comfort zone, and I was excited to experience new things.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n After the first few weeks, the feeling of being on vacation began to wear off as we started settling into our daily routines of going to class, exploring the city, and doing homework. It became a rhythm of traveling on the weekend, working hard on homework, repeat. Honestly, it was challenging adjusting to the always-going schedule, but it taught me a lot about time management.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Study Abroad includes a lot of \u201cStudy,\u201d but we spend so much of the time traveling and exploring new places as well. This fall was unique because COVID was a factor in our travel experiences. I am extremely grateful that we got this opportunity to travel, and our restriction to stay in Germany for much of the time proved to be a blessing. We got to know our home country, its culture, its people, and its history, better because we did a lot more traveling within it. Besides discovering our home city of Leipzig, we visited and explored Berlin, Weimar, Wittenberg, Quedlinburg\/Harz Mountains region, Konstanz, Freiburg, and Hamburg.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Traveling to different regions around the country allowed me to experience more of Germany\u2019s diversity as well. I was privileged to sample several of Germany\u2019s many dialects and historically-influenced cultural backgrounds. As I have spent the most time in the region of former East Germany, I have been able to witness some cultural characteristics specific to the former communist region. One of the most surprising of them was the quietness of public places. Because of their history of Secret Police and not being able to trust their own neighbors, people still tend to be reserved in public places. Another cultural difference has been the lack of a culturally Christian community surrounding us. A friend we made at church explained, \u201cHere, we are just so happy to find another believer!\u201d That has stuck with me and broadened my perspective of Christianity beyond the \u201cBible Belt.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As I look back on the last semester, I have learned and grown in many ways. I have learned about and experienced cultures very different from my own. I have learned humility and joy in the discomfort of being lost in language and cultural norms. I have learned to take risks in travel experiences, in talking to strangers when we may not speak a common language, and in trusting God\u2019s protection and provision. I have grown to have a broader perspective of the world, of people, and of God\u2019s work through time and across the world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.6″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||20px|||” custom_padding=”||6px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Featured Photo: Dr. Cliff Barbarick taught an honors colloquium covering the life and teachings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. As part of the class, we visited the Bonhoeffer Haus in Berlin. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/blogs.acu.edu\/honorscollege\/files\/2022\/11\/Kristen-McKinney-Fall-21-Leipzig-2-Kristen-McKinney-scaled.jpg” title_text=”Kristen McKinney Fall 21 Leipzig 2 – Kristen McKinney” _builder_version=”4.17.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.6″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”|||0px||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n One of my favorite memories from the trip is when we walked across the German border to Switzerland and had a picnic next to Lake Konstanz.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,1_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.17.6″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”396.4px” custom_margin=”|auto|-23px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”||17px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/blogs.acu.edu\/honorscollege\/files\/2022\/11\/Kristen-McKinney-Fall-21-Leipzig-4-Kristen-McKinney-scaled.jpg” title_text=”Kristen McKinney Fall 21 Leipzig 4 – Kristen McKinney” _builder_version=”4.17.6″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” custom_margin=”|26px|1px|||” custom_padding=”|0px|0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.6″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”3px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Fall in Leipzig was unexpectedly gorgeous. For a couple of weeks, we watched as the leaves changed color and covered the ground in a fiery blanket.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.17.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/blogs.acu.edu\/honorscollege\/files\/2022\/11\/Kristen-McKinney-Fall-21-Leipzig-1-Kristen-McKinney-rotated.jpg” title_text=”Kristen McKinney Fall 21 Leipzig 1 – Kristen McKinney” _builder_version=”4.17.6″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||2px|-21px||” custom_padding=”|||20px||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n One unique thing about studying abroad is the relationships you have the opportunity to build with professors. One afternoon Dr. Sarah Easter treated the girls to Kaffee und Kuchen<\/em> and chatted about life.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.17.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/blogs.acu.edu\/honorscollege\/files\/2022\/11\/Kristen-McKinney-Fall-21-Leipzig-3-Kristen-McKinney-scaled.jpg” title_text=”Kristen McKinney Fall 21 Leipzig 3 – Kristen McKinney” _builder_version=”4.17.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.6″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-23px|||||” custom_padding=”0px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The Leipzig Marktplatz often was filled with vendors selling delicious food. One day, Amy DeYoung, Kathryn Crawford, and I went on a walk to explore the harvest festival, and of course, we had to eat some German pretzels!<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Someone asked me recently why I chose to study abroad and why Germany, specifically. After thinking about it, I realized I did not have a good answer for them. I do not know why I chose to study abroad or why I chose Germany other than I had the opportunity and I jumped at the challenge. I knew it would stretch and grow me out of my comfort zone, and I was excited to experience new things.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18033,"featured_media":5887,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"1080","footnotes":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[22860,497,8232],"class_list":["post-5885","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-acu-honors","tag-germany","tag-leipzig"],"yoast_head":"\n