My First Blog

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Hi, my name is Paul Wagner, and I am about to embark on a long trip to the European continent. My home base will be in Berlin, and I will be staying with a lovely host family. I think I will really be able to learn a lot from living with these German people in everyday life. Attila and Elvira are the names of the people willing to take me in for a couple of months. But I am also planning on doing some traveling outside of Germany as well to countries like France, Italy, and Switzerland. It will be interesting to see the difference between Germany and these other countries, which are right next door. While I am there, I will also be taking classes at the university. Most of my coursework will be German language instruction. So I am hoping that between that and speaking in German with my host family and being immersed in the language, I will become relatively proficient by the end. I am also taking two other courses that are taught in English. This will be a very different experience from American college, and I think that I will learn many things outside of the classroom, as I explore and go to museums and see sites with thousands of years of history. I have some goals that I hope to achieve through this program. I want to be able to have full and meaningful conversations in German with a German speaking person and I think this will be achievable through hard work in the classroom and dedication outside of it. My other goal is to regularly speak to strangers. This takes more initiative and courage on my part to deliberately go out and speak to strangers in German. I want to achieve these goals but even if I don’t, I know I will learn something from this time that I spend there. And I think that it will be more formative than my other travels because I will be living and spending time with the people there. I really hope that I do go out and actually speak with the people though. I don’t think there are many ways in which my experience will be failure. And I am currently receiving great encouragement from three guys sitting next to me at the airport who shared their study abroad experiences in Europe a couple years ago. They also think that just being there and being able to travel is such a great opportunity. I am really excited to go and a little sad to not be at home and with many familiar faces, but luckily for me two other students from MLC are coming with me who I know quite well so I will not be all alone. They will also help me achieve my goals while I am through encouragement and mutual struggle. And I am most excited to be able to see so many new places with them and share great memories that will last a lifetime.

Livingstone was a great explorer. I, too, will be exploring. – Paul Wagner

Prep Time is Over: Adventure Awaits!

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Honestly, I can’t believe that my semester abroad is finally here! I feel like I’ve been telling people for two years how I’m going to go on this huge adventure, but it’s been so long that it was starting to feel like I would never actually go. In preparation for my time abroad, and in relation to my majors, I took three summer classes this year. I’ve never had a more stressful summer! However, I’m really proud of myself for working through this so that I can go on this adventure. I feel like this experience will be something that I will never regret and may never have the opportunity to do something like this again.

Now, I am three shifts of my summer job and one night of packing away from going on a journey that will truly change me. I don’t know how to pack my life into a suitcase and a backpack, but I’m sure I’ll figure it out. I look forward to everything that I’m going to learn, including German (hopefully), and I’m excited to get to know new people that God will place in my life.

At this point, it doesn’t feel real, but I’m not nervous anymore. Looking back at my original goals and expectations list, I see a lot of fears. Fears that I will miss my family, fears that my friend group may change drastically while I’m gone, and many other fears. I recognize that those were my fears, but I don’t share them anymore. My family is one call away, and they’re coming to visit me in October! My friends will be there for me and I’m so excited to see them when I get to school in January.

I also see that I wanted to spend a lot of this time working on myself, and I do. I want to focus on becoming a more positive person in situations that I can’t control. And I think I will. Already, texting with my host family has made me feel so much better. I can’t wait to meet them and make connections halfway across the world. This is my time to make decisions for myself, to see God‘s creation, and find out that I am capable of growth!

I wrote on that goals and expectation sheet that I am my own worst enemy. This is true, but only if I wish to stay that way. I also think that I can be my own support and find strength in that. I have confidence that I will do well and that confidence is what will make me succeed.

So, in this post, I’m going to make new goals for myself. I want to try my host Family‘s vegetarian food and enjoy it. I want to get coffee on a busy street in Berlin and just listen to all the voices. I want to see the history of Germany and what really happened that made it into what it is today. I want to make it to Paris and London and Italy. I want to see God‘s beauty every day and thank him for this amazing opportunity. I want to make friends with people my age that I feel encouraged to keep ties with once I leave.

I now recognize the magnitude of the opportunity that lies before me and can’t wait to face every situation head on.

Here’s one last pic of all my wonderful cousins and I until I see them again when I return!