willkommen auf bodenseehof

i've spent the last 26 hours just trying to figure out how to put this blog into words. i arrived yesterday [very late] by train to the school and started my experience with a commencement dinner. afterward was a meeting with an overwhelming amount of information, followed by some free time [during which, while most students got online to check facebook and e-mail friends and family, i chose to do laundry, ironing, and unpacking. normal, right?] before an early lights-out in hopes of getting all students to bed at a reasonable hour to get over jet-lag. saturday morning was breakfast followed by another two even MORE overwhelming meetings. when i say overwhelming, i mean... legitimately so much information i am left speechless. i, marissa, am left speechless. let me give you an example of this term's coursework that we were told about just today:
**we will be expected to, and tested on, printing by hand every book of the Bible in order and spelled correctly, along with the memorization of almost 40 verses [recited to and checked off by school staff]. we are required to read the entire Old Testament before Christmas break [which will be about 6 chapters a day] on which we will be writing several papers. on top of that, there are 4 books outside the Bible that we must obtain and read, writing a paper on each one of those as well. daily lectures will coincide with all reading, and there will be a number of papers, projects, and exams on all material given to us over the next 3 months.

i knew it'd be challenging... but... dang.

i guess the part that's so overwhelming is the lack of time to do it all. on top of all the school work [both in and out of lecture], we all have work duties each day, small group [k-group] time several times a week, church twice every sunday, required meal times, and a TON of available and tempting activities both on and off campus each day. this upcoming saturday we're hiking the Swiss Alps, a few days later we can run a German 8-k race if we want, and a few days after THAT, they're taking us to the Neuschwanstein Castle [the castle Walt Disney used as his model]. downtown Friedrichshafen is VERY close by bus, the soccer fields and volleyball courts outside are always calling for attention, and the school's lakeside location makes it VERY difficult to not want to spend hours down by the water just... admiring life.

i share a room with three other girls, one from South Carolina, one from Canada, and the last from Germany. luckily, they're great. all students are in very tight quarters this term [well, every term - it's a small school]. this is each student's alloted space per room: one bed, one under the bed drawer, two shelves, and one QUARTER of a closet. community showers, dining hall, lecture hall, game room, e-mail room, laundry room and lounge make for absolutely zero alone time. i mean, except for literally standing in the shower or sitting on the toilet. otherwise, any concept of a personal bubble was popped the second we walked through the door yesterday afternoon. good thing i've done this for a year and a half already at tri delta ;)

i've shared conversation with people from all over the world - aside from my roommates, i've talked with students from Japan, Norway, Australia, Ethiopia, India, and all over my own country. mmmm... talk about a legit melting pot :]

keeping up with life back home might be a challenge, and with all that i'm about to embark on in my faith and personal growth, my heart's been growing more and more fond of cutting myself off. at least from facebook. its a constant distraction and worry - 'when can i check it next? oh, dont forget to write to her and tell her....; remember to respond to his post and mention.....' i want to wrap my mind, body, and soul around this experience and i'm afraid i cant if i'm just as connected to the world and life back home as i've always been. i will keep it on the foreground of my mind and heart for a while and decide fairly soon just how much i can handle.

in the meantime - i will absolutely keep posting here, and enjoying life here with my new family and in this new country i can now call home :D i heart kendra hamman. a whole lot.