The Last Night at Home

A little over a week ago, I returned from a mission trip to the Navajo Reservation in Arizona and New Mexico. Our church broke up into teams to go work in various places throughout the community. My team volunteered with the one veterinary clinic that serves most if not the entire reservation. It was a very unique experience to learn how their one veterinarian handles the care of all of the animals on the reservation; it is definitely not a job for profit. These three weeks will be an outstanding comparison of the lifestyles of three very different places. One week in the Navajo nation, to a week of travel preparations back home in College station, and then 5 weeks in Germany. I do not really know what to expect in Germany although I predict that it may be more similar to home than the Navajo Nation was. I am very excited and relieved to have a family to help me through the first adjustments to life in Germany. 

Traveling to Germany is such a new concept and experience that I really do not have many set expectations. It is, perhaps, a bit disconcerting but exiting at the same time to not have a solid idea of what I might find there. I do know that I want to come home at the end of the summer with a beginning step to learning the language since it has always been a goal of mine. I am sure that the long quiet hours on the plane to Germany will give me plenty of time to come up with a few more expectations and goals. The ride over will certainly be a nice break from the rush of packing. 

Throughout the summer, I began the necessary preparations for travel, including packing and several trips to the bank and phone companies. The time has now been whittled away to these last moments at home before the excitement and anticipation of tomorrow’s departure. Gute Nacht!