A few thoughts past the halfway point 🖼️

A friend recently asked me about any reflections I might have, now that I am more than halfway through my exchange, a bit more than 7 months since the start. Good point! I think the last more focused thoughts was at the two-month mark, and needless to say there has been much that has happened since then. Would also be good to write something down and capture it at this time frame, as the clock doesn’t stop ticking 🕖

Not entirely sure how I will organize my thoughts, so I thought following a similar structure to the two months abroad post would be good to start.

What have you been up to?

Skiing in Jungfrau Ski Region. You can see the peaks of Eiger, Mönich, Jungfrau and Silberhorn from left to right in the picture. Snow25 (you’ll have to google it) is great if you are looking to ski occasionally!

As is typical of an academic exchange, mostly been in school 😛 but among other things, I have:

• explored many new places 🇱🇮🇦🇹🇸🇰🇭🇺🇫🇷🇵🇹🇪🇸🇲🇦🇩🇰🇸🇪🇩🇪
• successfully finished the first term of school (see “3A” post)
• visited a gathering of Chinese churches in Switzerland :0
• said goodbye to some friends from last term
• been finding community at church
• skied in the Alps ⛷️

Similar to the two-months-in post, I have been able to continue:

• reading
• sleeping 🛌
• writing
• calling friends and family back home

There has also been more:

• planning
• spontaneity (both planning and spontaneity huh)
• thinking, contemplating and reflecting
• eating at Chinese restaurants 🥢
• spending time with others, both at school and at church

There has been less:

• homesickness
• loneliness
• feeling out-of-place
• hurriedness (in general)
• snow (it really doesn’t get too cold or snowy here)

There is/are still:

• excitement for what else is to come
• finishing this second term (only 5 weeks in)
• some days of restlessness or waiting

So as you can see, many different things going on! I’ve been able to do most of my travels during longer breaks of school (between classes and exams, and between terms), which has given more time to some locations. One of them was Morocco, and I hope to have a post upcoming about that amazing trip!

How have you been doing?

Classic question. Hard to describe it incrementally as the months have passed, but the overall progression is that it has been well. I think time has been an important factor in dealing with some of the thoughts I had earlier on in the exchange, as that allows you to continue to meet and connect with people, have more time to build community with others at church, become accustomed to some differences in the environment, etc. Especially now, with all the time that has passed and what I have experienced, it has been going well! That isn’t to say that there aren’t times where things don’t go well, but on an overall picture, good (and thankful for that.)

What have you been learning?

I think we are all always learning, sometimes explicitly, but also sometimes not. Don’t know if there is a name for that, but I will call it “subconscious learnings”, things that you pick up/learn/internalize/etc. from your environment or people around you, without you actively doing so (at least not being fully aware of so.) And so I have listed some of the things I have been learning about, most of which are more recent since they are fresher in mind:

• these “subconscious learnings” (what they are, not sure, but I am pretty sure they exist)
• about making choices, discernment, God’s will, and the future (John wrote an article that has similar thoughts to this for the UWCCF blog, check it out here!)
• on the passage of time, the use of time, living in time as temporal beings, and living day-by-day (a related read to these questions would be the book “How To Inhabit Time” by James K.A. Smith, which I need to re-read at a slower pace and in physical book format)
• Sabbath and technology, extending to general usage of technology and interactions with it (some books I read related to this would be “12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You” by Tony Reinke, “The Tech-Wise Family” and “The Life We’re Looking For” by Andy Crouch, also just some own observations on my habits and more reflection on Sabbath)
• church and community, the local church, unity of believers, more varied approaches or view on certain topics within the church (from my experiences at the local church here, but also with visiting different churches in other countries I have visited)
• the possibility of ending up abroad, whether for work, further studies, or even settling down (again, a possibility—one thing of coming here was to float this possibility and see if it could be an option, and so far, after the time that has passed, I think I am open to such a possibility. In other words, it is plausible.)

I guess quite a few of these are related to books I have read, which is interesting! But again, a small selection that come to mind as of this post. I’m sure you have many learnings as well, big or small, explicit or implicit!

What are you looking forward to?

Don’t know if Tim Horton’s counts as “good food”, but it is reminiscent of home. Imagine my surprise and delight to find one in the centre of Madrid!

I still have a fair bit of time left until the official end of my exchange, which will be in around four months from now. But some things I am looking forward to:

• friends who are coming over to visit!
• spending more time with the local church community both during “church times” and outside of it
• good food (sorry Switzerland) (though there have had some pretty good food at certain travel destinations. For Switzerland, some places are alright to eat. But still missing something in general)
• and eventually seeing my family in person again!

It is unknown to me, but known to God as to how He might continue to use these last few months that I am here. Reminded of this from Micah 6:8:

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Concluding thoughts

Seems to be more point form in this post than longer sentences. Maybe that makes it easier to read! 😆 I think though that there have been many changes, some that I remember, and some that are ongoing but more of the behind-the-scenes. Overall though, has been positive, many learnings, and slow but steady Spirit work going on as time goes on.

Sunset at Vidy Beach (Plage Vidy), by Lac Léman

Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and forevermore! From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised! (Psalm 113:2-3)

See you around!