Goals for Germany!

I was 16 years old the first time I went to Germany. Immediately, I felt like I was in my element, I felt like this was a place where I wanted to stay. So, needless to say, I knew I would find a way back. So, I traveled abroad again when I was 18. This time I had a better understanding of the language and I could embrace, in better detail, the difference in culture between America and Germany. Whether it was riding bikes, going to beer gardens or visiting historical sites, I was mesmerized for a second time. Ever since then, I have been yearrning to return.

Boom! So, what happens? I get accepted and placed at the Katholische Universtat in Eichstätt, Germany! I was, and am, elated beyond description. Finally, a chance not only to return to Germany, but a chance to study, learn, and grow in my passions, goals and dreams.

The goals I have for myself are best manifested, but not limited to, two different categories: social/spiritual goals and academic goals. Academically, I am interested in two things. I want to become as proficient as I can in the German language while earning a German language minor. I also want to deepen my knowledge and understanding of early church history/Catholicism in Europe. The Protestant Reformation was not only a turning point in religious persons history, but the non-religious as well. So, to be near the very origins of the movement, and studying at a Catholic University seems to be the perfect placement for me. Having a better sense and knowledge for the German language and early church history will benefit my overall preparation for seminary. Whether it is understanding more deeply the nuance of a word in German to assist in an ontological argument, or explaining the importance of becoming a free-thinking citizen, I want to learn it all.

While I expect the social, spiritual, and academic to all overlap, they all will happen on their own time. What I am hoping for socially is to secure strong relationships and bonds with native Germans. My German won't get any better if I only hang out with Americans. I hope to truly speak, engage, and sympathize with people of a different culture. This ties in with my spiritual hopes and aspirations too. When you open up, sympathize, and are even not afraid to engage in difficult conversation with people different from yourself, you broaden the lens of your prospective. So, while these things will undoubtably prepare me for seminary, I hope this is the next step towards living my most fulfilling life.