5 Days 'Til Take Off!

It's hard to believe that after planning for this trip for almost a year now, it is finally about to become a reality. It all seems very surreal, and whenever I tell someone that I'll be studying in New Zealand (5 weeks), Australia (10 days), and China (6 weeks) for the semester, I often feel as if I'm talking about someone other than myself. Surely it is not I who is about to embark on this grand adventure. Yet the bulging set of luggage lying open on my bedroom floor, waiting for me to add the finishing touches to my packing (hopefully not exceeding the 50 lb. weight limit!), tells another story.

In answer to the question often posed to me as to why I chose to study abroad for this semester, or what made me choose the Pacific Rim program, here's a bit of an explanation.

First of all, the timing worked out perfectly. In fact, this semester is the only one for which it would have been possible for me to study abroad due to the nature of the classes I will be taking as I venture further into my Psychology and Sociology major in my last two years of college.

Secondly, it's something that I never would have pictured myself doing, and for me, that's all the more reason to go. I want to be challenged and pushed out of the comfort of the "Bethel Bubble," to be faced with the opportunity to experience living in 3 cultures so unlike my own and to see for myself what else is out there in the world that God created for me to explore and take ownership of (cultural mandate, anyone?). I want to grow more into the woman God created me to be, and I know from experience that often the times of most growth occur when I place myself somewhere outside the realm of my ordinary, day-to-day life. I also know that along with growth, "growing pains" will naturally occurr, and although they may not always be pleasant, James 1: 2-4 tells me to "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything," and consequently, "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." (James 1:12).

Finally, I'm anticipating that my perspective of God will be broadened far beyond the borders of anything I've experienced before in my relationship with Him, and I'm so thankful for that, because I never want to place Him in a box and slap a label on Him that comes from rote memory of all I've learned growing up in the church and in Christian schools. I'm so thankful for that knowledge, and I know it's important, but I'm excited to experience God in a way that I've yet to experience Him. I know He's going to absolutely blow me away, and whatever He has up His sleeve for me for these next 4 months, it's going to be incredible.

Now, I've been told that the internet should be easily accessible for most parts of the trip, so as often as I am able, I promise to keep you posted! Thanks for taking time to read. The support I've received from my friends and family is one of the main reasons that I feel confident enough to even travel to the Pacific Rim in the first place. Thank you so much for loving me enough to let me go.