February 03, 2008

Student Posts: Eberly, Zlatnik, & Krug

A note by Angela Eberly, AmbEx student from Corban College

I am a creature of habit, and although I have been out of the United States a couple of times prior to this program, I still find myself inhibited by a different culture that I can’t fit into a equation or system that I am used to. Nevertheless, I found the transition from one country to the other to be slightly less intimidating than I expected. One thing in particular helped the transition immensely: Grafenwoehr. Basically mini-America, Grafenwoehr is the military base at Vilseck; there is this totally amazing woman on the base named Aretta who helps run a youth ministry called Club Beyond. With her bubbly personality and people skills, she managed to hook a few of us on the idea of involving ourselves in this little adventure as an outreach/ministry to the high school students on base.

Beyond the military base, Germany has taught us to be a little bit more environmentally conscious with their many methods of disposal, and I have learned (possibly more than everyone else) that anyone can find something to eat that they enjoy, even if they are used to American food.

A note by Bonnie Zlatnik, AmbEx student from Corban College

Life at AmbEx is full of little adventures. People always see the cultural differences between the United States and European countries to be less drastic. While this is true, there are many minor differences that shape daily experiences. Why do Germans only sleep with a ‘comforter’ and no sheets? I now believe it is the way to go. Fold one blanket in half and the bed’s already made. I know it’s a strange question, but why are there two buttons on some toilets? And then there’s the food. If there is nothing else wonderful about Germany, it’s the food. But there sure are mistakes. Liver wurst: Maybe it’s just me, but between the texture, aroma, and taste… well at least I can say I tried it. However, German pasta, potatoes, sausages, breads and pastries completely make up for the liver wurst.

For all potential students to AmbEx, I highly recommend you brush up on your biking skills before coming here; Germany is a biker friendly country and biking is a very convenient way to get around Amberg.

A note by Timothy Krug, AmbEx student from Moody Bible Institute

Having completed the first week of classes, I must say that I am very glad to be in Germany! The classroom setup we have here seems to work quite well, indeed. The small number of students has fostered an environment very conducive to class discussions, of which we have had many. The interactive nature of our current classes has made them fascinating.

I also had the opportunity to spend a couple of hours with the German pastor's wife and their two youngest children. Their family put forth much effort to prepare our apartment in time for our arrival, which left them waiting until the last few weeks to begin remodeling their own living space. To express our gratitude, we were given the chance to help them remove old wallpaper from their walls. Brian and I helped them with this task for several hours. No one in this family is conversant in English, and Brian and I are a ways away from being conversant in German, so communication was an adventure that was among my favorite evenings here thus far.

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