Entry 17 - 12/12/11

Dear Readers,

I have to apologize again for not writing sooner. I have only now had the chance to sit down and write. I just got into Singapore a day and a half ago and it has been great hanging out with the family. This is another great opportunity as I will not only get to rest up and hang out with the fam, but I will get to explore Singapore and some of the neighboring countries.

However, before I continue on with Christmas break...

As our last stop, the U.K. was a fun way to get used to English speakers again. From Ireland, where pubbing is the big thing, to Scotland, where kilts and haggis abound (which is actually pretty good, just don't read what it actually is). Then we finished with Wales for a little heritage and London for all of the major sites and attractions. The trip was too quick to really do it justice, so I hope to one day go back. But both David and I had a great time seeing what we could.

Looking back, the past semester has been a wonderful blessing as an opportunity that God has given me to see more of the world and to have a better understanding of different cultures and their interactions. It is amazing to see all of the unique qualities each country still holds despite all of the global influences (especially American influences). I don't know what role it will play down the road, but I know I didn't go to Germany just to study. It will be great if ever have the chance to go back, but for now I am thankful for having had the chance to go. Thank you again for all those who have been reading my blog. I know it wasn't very consistent, but now I know a little more about how much of a commitment blogging can be. Thank you also for your prayers. God has definitely been watching out for me and the others at Ambex. Hope to see all of you soon.

In Christ,

Hayden

Entry 16 - 11/29/11

Dear Readers,

Well, here we are at the end of the school semester. It has come quickly and I am amazed at all of the experiences and that I will be going home before long. We ended the last week of the semester wrapping up classes/finals and checking off the last components of our cultural bucket lists. Though David and I won't be following everyone else home right away, it has been tough to begin our goodbyes with all the friends we have made this semester. This semester has been a great opportunity to learn about European culture as I have also learned that there is more out there in God's world beside Americans. I would recommend studying abroad to anybody. There is nothing quite like it. However, keep praying for me as I finish up my travels through the UK until I fly home (sort of home --> Singapore). We will start in Dublin, move to Edinburgh, continue to Cardiff, and then finish in London. It will be a busy finish, but a fun one. Pray that I will not lose focus and that my reliance would be on Him.

Thanks,

Hayden

P.S. I will probably add one or two more posts while in the UK before I'm done. Thank you for those who have been reading.

Entry 15 - 11/21/11

Dear Readers,

Here we are back in Regensburg. Sorry for having not written in over two weeks. The last two weeks have been hectic in a strangely good way (other than keeping up on my blog). We most recently just finished visiting Austria and Northern Italy. As part of our Art History class we spent a lot of time touring famous museums and churches to get a better understanding of how Western Art developed in Europe over the last couple Milleniums. However, before we were in Austria and Italy we began our two week adventure with a train to Memmingen, Bavaria...

After finishing the Bonhoeffer class, David and I took a train from Regensburg to fly out of the Ryan Air airport with our destination as Girona, Spain. We spent one night in Girona after walking around the city on an ancient wall that allows you to see the entirety of the surrounding cities and forests. Though it was raining we enjoyed seeing a smaller town of Spain before heading into the bustling night life of Barcelona. On Sunday the 13th we headed to Barcelona where we spent one night (we wish we had at least two, but it was great to at least go for a day) in a really cheap hostel that was amazingly located 20 yards from the beach. We were able to walk from our hostel to tour the city and see the awesome sites such as  all the shops at Las Ramblas and the unique structure of the church Sagrada Familia. On Monday we flew from Barcelona to Madrid and landed just in time to get some dinner and get settled down at our hostel before checking out a little bit of the city. Tuesday we went on a walking tour led by a hostel tour guide of the city to see the major sites and learn a little bit of Spanish history. Spain was a very intriguing culture with their North African and European influences. We also learned that their Spanish is not quite Mexican Spanish (and they will let you know it). On Wednesday we departed Madrid and flew into Marrakesh, Morocco. Once we landed we jumped right into the culture as we had to haggle for a cab and then drove through the city on unmarked roads that were somewhat reminiscent of watching an episode of the Amazing Race. We met up with some other classmates at their hostel before David and I split up as I joined a group that was headed to Fez and David decided to spend more time in Marrakesh. Morocco brought on  plenty of fun, but it also became a good learning experience; It was my first time interacting in an entirely Muslim culture. Instead of touring Cathedrals were looking up mosques and the different prayer times of the day as well as not seeing very many women without their head coverings. We were also able to spend plenty of time in the famed markets of Marrakesh and I am still not sure whether looking through and buying gifts is more fun than haggling for an extremely low price. After spending our last few hours trying some local food and grabbing a last few items, David and I headed from Morocco back to Memmingen via Rome. Once back in Germany, we took a train from Memmingen to Salzburg to meet up for the start of the Art Tour...

Once in Salzburg, our class began our tour with some delicious Austrian famed cuisine: The Schnitzel. Actually we started our tour with a walk around Salzburg to visit some of the many sites from the Sound of Music. It was kind of odd to see so many familiar scenes from a movie we all had seen at some point growing up. After Salzburg we headed to Venice for two nights where we went through the Doges Palace and St. Marks Cathedral as we began to learn about the various artistic influences of northern Italy. We then had time to walk around the famed city's canals and look at the various shops with masks and Venetian glass before getting some delicious Italian food. On Wednesday we headed to the world renowned city of Florence, known for its wide range of famous Italian art pieces. For several hours we checked out hundreds of pieces of Art that were absolutely astounding. I now have a somewhat better appreciation for why people go to see art in person; seeing paintings and sculptures (with the help of a professor) in person adds a whole extra dimension to the piece. I was especially impressed with Michelangelo's David, which is an amazing sculpture with such amazing detail put in stone depicting the young Bible hero. After some more delicious Italian pizzas and pastas, we left for the coastal cities of Cinque Terra. Though we were no longer focused on art, we were able to see some natural beauty as we traveled between the famous coastal cities that creep over the edges of mountains along the Liguria Sea. We spent Saturday hiking and walking through the towns before a number of us splurged on a seafood dinner made of local cuisine. Sunday (yesterday) we drove back to Regensburg despite some setbacks, and arrived around 1am this morning. Today we begin our last week of Art History and David and I will be leaving in about 9 days for the U.K. Pray for us as we finish up the semester that we will finish strong. We have been blessed with an awesome semester. Thanks for your prayers.

From Regensburg,

Hayden

Entry 14 - 11/3/11

Dear Readers,

Another week has gone by and so much seems to happen each and every day. This past weekend I took a train up to Berlin to visit Felix, a friend who was a foreign exchange student at Horizon for a year. Friday night (Oct. 30) I spent the night in the hostel while Felix was at work and met him the next day. He showed me a little more around Berlin that I hadn't seen the first time I had been up there. I was also introduced to my first German curry wurst followed by a Donner Kebab.We then spent the afternoon/evening hanging out, playing video games, and getting our Halloween costumes ready. We went out that night into Berlin as zombies, (some pretty legit costumes I might say), and went to different parties with all sorts of Halloween goodies, decorations, and the whole nine yards. It was a great time to catch up with Felix, I only wish I had longer. Sunday I headed back to Regensburg on the train to get ready for class the next day.

This past week has been quite a learning experience, going over German history during WW2 with and emphasis on the life of Bonhoeffer and others of the Confessing Church. Bonhoeffer is a great theologian and left quite a legacy of a life lived in difficult situations. I would highly recommend reading a little bio on his life as well as his book The Cost of Discipleship. This week, despite classes, has also been quite eventful in itself. It is fun to go work on homework in the old city and check out various cafes. Yesterday we visited Nuremberg and the rally grounds. The museum was very informational on the history behind the rise of Hitler and the Nazi Party and their reign through the end of the war. I had no idea that Hitler had plans for so many monstrous buildings near and around the rally grounds, and had only completed the famous stadium and part of the "Colosseum-like" building where they had the rally commonly seen on WW2 films/documentaries. It was also interesting to learn that all Germans have to visit the site and learn about the Third Reich heritage at a certain point in their education as a measure of preventing similar events from repeating. The Germans are far from proud of their country during the Nazi era and work hard to hammer into their children how terrible of a time it was. It was not all serious though. We were able to go into the center of town and check out the old city and shops where the Christkindlesmarkt  is held each year. We will return later this semester to go shopping there when it opens.

It just amazes me that it is already November. It has been a very fun semester, but has also challenged me in many ways. I know I can't see it yet, but God has me here for something more than just a fun cultural experience. Please continue to pray, and thank you again for your prayers.

In Christ,

Hayden

Entry 13 - 10/29/11

Dear Readers,

Continuing from my last post...

A group of 6 of us left our classmates in Heidelberg and left for Frankfurt on October 15. We toured Frankfurt, which is known for being a business city, and had the most fun haggling at their famous Saturday market. Later that night we took a bus to the airport and spent the night there since we had to be there at 4 am anyway. On Sunday we flew into Rome just in time to drop off our luggage at our hostel and attend a mass at St. Peter's at the Vatican. It was quite an experience as we sat outside the church and watched the service from the jumbo screens outside, since the place was packed. We even had the privilege of receiving an address from the Pope who came out of his window and spoke to the crowd outside. He spoke in English as well as in about 6 other languages. We then left the Vatican and worked our way through several of the sites in Rome's old city and saw sites such as the Pantheon and the Piazza Navona. We finished our first night there with some Italian pizza which was pretty good. The next day we continued our fast-paced tour by heading back to the Vatican to tour the Vatican museums and the Sistine Chapel, a great site I wish we had more time for. We then continued on to visit a few more plazas, churches, and gelato stops before ending our tour at the Via Sacra leading up to Constantine's Arch and the climax, the Roman Colosseum; the unanimous favorite site of us all and a quite magnificent piece of architecture. Given its legacy, it was quite a great experience to see it in person. That night we went out and celebrated our last night in Rome by eating out at a pasta place recommended to us by one of the locals. We all ordered different things and tried one an other's; I started with a potato based pasta with a meat sauce, but got to try spaghetti with clams, and really thick pasta I forgot the name of that had olive oil and a mix of spices. The next day we packed up and left for our flight to Volos, Greece. We arrived and rushed to figure out our itinerary since we could not understand the transportation beforehand. We stayed one night in Volos, and then took the next day to get to Athens (except one guy who was determined to get to Thermopylae and see where the 300 Spartans fought) as we were unsure of how the strikes would affect transportation. We were able to get through Athens and we spent the next two days (Oct. 19 and 20) in Corinth where we toured and saw some of the sites Paul visited as well as relaxing for the first time on our trip. My favorite food in Greece was definitely the gyros, of which I had 5. Our group as a whole consumed 29 gyros. On Friday we headed to the coast of Athens and stayed at a hostel where we left our stuff to tour Athens. The sites were absolutely astounding with the Parthenon and the Aereopagus, and we even had a lamb dinner just outside the Parthenon. It was a little bit of bummer to see Athens during its protest as garbage had not been collected for many days and the city was still going through quite a bit of turmoil. It was still quite a wonderful experience and opportunity. We then took the next day to hang out at the beach and grab a few things at the grocery store before heading to the airport where we spent the night because we had another early flight. It was quite a shocker to fly into Munich and head into 25 degree weather after being in Athens with 75 degree weather at the beach.

We have spent the last week studying the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Confessing Church, which has been a real eye opener as I haven't yet really taken a class on Christian Ethics. It can be really challenging material, especially his Cost of Discipleship, but it has been very enjoyable as I learn to understand the true Christian life and develop my theology. God has really been at work over here in teaching me more about Himself. If you would pray that I would be open to God's teaching as it can be tough at times, I would greatly appreciate it. As well as those things I have mentioned previously: a focus on Christ, discipline to keep from being lazy, and a genuine love for others.Thank you again for all those who are reading and praying, I see its power each and every day.

This weekend (Oct. 29-31) I will be in Berlin staying with a friend from high school (Felix Kubler for those of you who know him).

The semester is flying

Thanks again,

Hayden

Entry 12 - 10/24/11

Dear Readers,

I am sorry for not posting the last two weeks, but we just got back in Regensburg and I can now write on a reliable connection and not just from my Kindle. Since we so much has happened since I last wrote, I am going break it up into two sections: The Germany Reformation Tour and Travel Week to Rome/Greece. I will begin with the former in this post and discuss the latter in another post.

 The Germany Reformation Tour

We began our academic travel week on October 8 by driving to Dresden, and spending Saturday and Sunday there. In Dresden we toured art museums with art from famous artists such as Rembrandt and porcelain pieces that the area is known for. It was also our visit stay in Northern Germany where Lutheranism is more common and practiced than the Catholicism of the south. We were even able to see a concert and attend a church service in the famous Frauenkirche.
On Monday we went to Berlin and did a whirlwind tour of the city. We went through the massive history museum first before going to the Brandenburg gate and the holocaust memorial. Though we weren't there long, I was impressed by the massive city and hope to go back one day to see more of it.
On Tuesday and Wednesday we spent the nights in Wittenburg after stopping at the monastery in Erfurt. The youth hostel we stayed at was touching the church where Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses (supposedly). It was amazing to be able to walk through the town where Martin Luther lived while studying about him.
On Thursday we stayed in Eisenach and toured Wartburg castle where Luther hid after the Diet of Worms, and toured the Bach museum at the home where Bach lived. It was interesting to see how much Bach's work was influenced by Luther. I also ate, in my opinion, the best bratwurst I have ever had.
Friday was another quick day as we toured the Gutenberg museum in Mainz before heading to Heidlburg where we finished the class with our final.
The week was certainly fast and exciting with so many stops even though it was a class. I don't know that this will ever seem like school since it has just been to fun to be school. I have learned so much in the last two weeks with this class that I am still digesting it all as we head into the next class. I know it's cliche to say that "time flies when your having fun," but it has been all to true.
Please pray that I will not get lazy during this semester. I can already feel myself wanting to relax more and more.
I also promise to update my blog more often.
God has blessed me so much here and thanks again for all your prayers

Hayden

Entry 11 - 10/11/11

Dear Readers,

            Once again, we have been back on the road and I have only now gotten on to the internet. Sometimes it’s nice to not have to check Facebook or email (hopefully I’m not missing anything important). Right now we are at youth hostel in Wittenberg, and I can’t help but be amazed that I am sleeping less than a hundred yards from the door that Luther nailed his 95 theses to (our hostel actually touches the church). On Friday we finished up our last classes and began packing before heading out Saturday morning. On Saturday we toured an awesome Library on our way to Dresden. I have misplaced the name of the Library, but its home to thousands of several century old books and is decorated with several art pieces and wooden life size sculptures. We then spent the rest of Saturday and Sunday in Dresden touring the city and a few museums. The most impressive (to me) aspect of Dresden is its Frauenkirche, or Lutheran Church. We were even fortunate enough to attend a concert at the church, which was unreal. On Monday we did a rush tour of Berlin and went through the history museum, saw the Brandenburg Gate, the Holocaust memorial, among other famous sites which we only stopped at briefly (we even had time to see the MJ hotel where he famously dangled the baby). Last night we spent in Wittenburg and today we are back in class before we go out and tour the city. I woke up this morning and realized that we are already half way through the semester. Time has flown, but it has been an awesome experience. Please pray for me as I continue through the semester, to not let tiredness and travel have me become grumpy. Sometimes it’s easy to get grumpy when you’re with the same people all day every day. Everyone here has been awesome, but a combination of long class times combined with lots of moving from hotel to hotel can cause us to become a little edgy. Please pray that I can be more and more selfless and encourage others (haven’t been doing a great job). Thank you so much for those of you who have been reading and or praying. If you have any specific questions or want to know more please feel free to email me at uberbizy@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you.

God bless,

Hayden

Entry 10 - 10/7/11

Dear Readers,


Today will be our last day in Regensburg until we get back from our second travel week on October 23rd. The past week has been an great opportunity to rest up and prepare for the next two weeks. Though we have been doing a lot of reading, especially on the early reformers such as Luther, Zwingli, and Calvin, we haven't had to do a whole lot of running around town or travel. Many of us have enjoyed going into town to read and get some coffee or gelato as well as get to know our professor who is the chair of Theology at Colorado Christian University (he was also an Olympic/Professional volleyball player in the mid to late 90's). His class has been an awesome opportunity for us to not only learn Reformation Theology, but to have class debates over the major issues during the Reformation (i.e. The Eucharist, Infant Baptistm, etc.) Personally, this has been a growing experience as I have learned so much about modern Christian heritage and have had to evaluate some of my own beliefs and come to understand why I believe what I believe. This next week we will continue learning about the Reformation as we tour around Germany to various important sites such as Wittenburg, Erfurt, Eisenach, Berlin, and Heidlberg (and maybe a few others). Then a group of six of us will be leaving for our travel week from Heidlberg. We will spend the second week in Rome (3days) Greece (5days) touring on our own. Pray for us as we continue in our class that our learning would not just stay in the classroom, but also affect how we live outside of it. I continue to be amazed at all the opportunities God has provided for me here in Europe. I feel spoiled. Thanks for your continuing prayer.

From the upstairs classroom,

Hayden

Entry 9 - 10/3/11

Dear Readers,

I realize it has been a while since my last update, but here it is nonetheless. This past week has been one of the wildest weeks I have ever been a part of. Two other guys and I started our week (Friday the 23) driving a rental car 6 hours from Regensburg to Epernay, France, where we decided to sleep at a truck stop to save a little money. Then on Saturday we stopped near Chateau-Thierry to see the Belleau Wood memorial and the Chateau-Thierry memorial from WW1. With the help of one of the tourist agent, we were able to book a hotel in Chelles, France, right outside of Paris, so that we could go in and out of the city at an affordable rate. Then it got a little crazy; we decided to see all of Paris in a day (Sunday). We somehow saw and went in the Arc D'Triomph, The Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, The Notre Dame, Three Basilicas I forgot the names of, the modern art museum, Nicolas Flamel's house, and a bunch of the city. We went from 6 AM until 9PM...totally worth it. The next morning (Monday) we visited the vast Palace of Versailles and walked through the immense gardens, before making our way our toward the coast. That afternoon we arrived at Mont St. Michel, which was probably one of two favorite places on the trip. The fortress city in the water was just so cool to go through and we were even trapped on it when the tide came in (just for a few minutes). On Tuesday, we toured the Normandy beaches of Omaha and Utah and were completely blown away by the memorials at each. These were my other favorite visits. While on the coast we did a combination of camping and sleeping in the car. However, we ended the day with a little fun, running through some of the remaining bunkers and on the beaches before making some headway toward Belgium. On Wednesday we rested up at a McDonalds with some Wi-Fi to do a little homework before picking up our fourth member of the team in Charleroi, Belgium. That evening we went into Brussels and did a quick tour before sampling tons of chocolate and eating a luxurious Belgian waffle. We then raced to Amsterdam that night and got there around midnight and the city was just as lively as Brussels when we left it. Definitely a little sketchy in some parts, but the place had amazing canals, everybody rode a bike (I mean everybody), and I was able to get a delicious smoked herring and see a windmill. We spent the night in the car along one of the canals and woke up just in time to tour the city before heading for Cologne. On Thursday, our time in Cologne was very short, but we saw the great Cathedral, which was our aim. We then camped near Luxembourg that evening. The next morning (Friday) we had a relaxed time walking through the old city section of Luxembourg, which is a very impressive, beautiful, and clean city. Later that day, we went out toward Remich, a premier vineyard/wine area of Luxembourg and toured around and took pictures. That evening we made our way toward Strasbourg. On Saturday, we took our time walking around Strasbourg and doing some homework in preparation for the next school week. We got a nice campsite that night (a.k.a we paid for this one) to take showers before heading back. On Sunday, before heading back toward Regensburg, we made one of our most fun stops at Rothenberg, a medieval walled city with awesome shops and buildings throughout. I believe I can account for us all when I say we are glad to be back. Not to take anything away from the trip, but we are all flat out exhausted. God was definitely with us throughout our trip. Many times we were helped out by awesome people along the way, and were provided for throughout in ways we didn't even see at the time. Pray for us as we are now back and into the flow of things that we would not lose sight of what's important.

God Bless,

Hayden

Entry 8 - 9/28/11

Dear Readers,

My apologies for the lack of posts. We have been traveling through France and we are now in Belgium and have limited internet access. I will be posting more this weekend when I return to the youth hostel, or if I find a better connection. Thanks for your prayers.

Hayden

Entry 7 - 9/23/11

Dear Readers,

I have now been in Germany for 3 weeks and time has flown by fast. I can't believe it has been that long since I first checked into my hostel in Munich and fumbled around town trying to figure things out (my German still isn't very good, I am really thankful for universal hand signs). This semester has been so much fun so far and it still doesn't feel like I am really at school (don't know that I ever will). The past week has involved mostly finishing up papers and presentations in our Christian Worldview/Apologetics, which has been a very helpful class because of how practical it is. I have learned so much more about articulating a worldview and understanding worldviews behind other beliefs and how to interact with all sorts of religions and ideas. This might be one of the most important classes I have ever taken as it comes to better understanding how to share my faith in a way that is both loving and logical. Just the other day we were on our way back from Oktoberfest and we sat in a cabin on the train with a Chemist from Munich who was headed to Regensburg. We began a conversation with him and one of the guys in our group sustained the conversation by asking questions about life in Germany. The man was very open to sharing and we were even able to discuss a little about his view on the current state of religion. He himself claimed to be Catholic, but he also explained how most people have written off the Catholic Church because of its current state. Many of the young people don't go to church, and definitely don't talk about it. The conversation was eye opening to hear about the state of German religion and the difficulty of reaching a people who have created a dichotomy in everyday life where religion is separate from science and observable things, and they can't be brought up or compared amongst each other. We have all enjoyed Dr. Baker here teaching us, and we are sad to see him leave tomorrow. He has taught us so much. Pray that I would be bold, but kind in my travels as I encounter all sorts of people. Today we start our first independent travel week, which are basically our weeks off to travel but also to get some reading done for the next class. I'll be renting a car with two other guys and we will be doing a little tour of central Europe (Paris, Normandy, Brussels, Amsterdam, Luxembourg, and Strasbourg). We will be staying the night in each city and will be spending three nights in Paris. It will be a rather quick trip, but our goal is to see as much as we can during the week. A gas saver car and camping are making this trip possible and extremely convenient. We will be picking up another one of the guys in our group at Brussels where he will be touring around after flying. We are getting pretty excited to see all sorts of awesome places and meet interesting people. Please pray for us, that we would not get comfortable, but that we would be passionate about our faith. Pray also, for unity as it is so important for us have each others back if we are going to be true representations of the church. Thank you so much for your prayers and I hope that this blog is a blessing to you all.

From Regensburg

Hayden

Entry 6 - 9/18/11

Dear Readers,

  Tonight we just got back from the town of Weimar in Thuringia, which is known as the "Athens of the North." We left on Friday and stayed for the weekend while we toured throughout the city. On the way to Weimar, we stopped in Flossenburg and looked at the concentration camp there. A sobering time at a silent memorial, Flossenburg was definitely an eye opener for many of us as we transitioned from school and all the fun things we had been doing in Regensburg. In Weimar we toured several homes, museums, etc. of the people that put the city on the map; including Nietzsche, Goethe, Schiller, Liszt, Herder, to name a few. Today was one of the most interesting, but saddening days. We went through the concentration camp Buchenwald, which was one of the largest, and brutal camps. It is hard to see a town known for the arts, as Weimar once was, descend to level at which Buchenwald found itself. Buchenwald was also the place where Paul Schneider was held. I recommend looking him up, as he is one of the most inspiring men I have ever read about. The way in which God used him is as a witness to all those who were suffering is absolutely astounding. Tonight we will finish up homework and prepare for a week of school before our travel week the following week. Thank you all for your prayers.

Good Night,

Hayden

Entry 5 - 9/14/11

Dear Readers,


I am now well into my second week here in Germany, and it is starting to feel more like school each and every day. Actually, class has been interesting and we have fun with being in a small group. Right now we are going through Christian Worldview and Apologetics with Dr. Baker from Corban. It has been an awesome opportunity to to dialog about different various worldviews as well as understanding Christianity and why we believe what we believe. Last night we went down by the river to a nearby soccer field and attempted to play some soccer with the some local guys we have been getting to know. I once again realized why cleats make a big difference when playing grass, but we had fun getting to meet more Germans. Not much has happened outside of class and some trips around Regensburg the last few days, but after the next couple days of classes we will be doing a tour based on our class of some various parts of Germany including Buchenwald and Weimar. Thanks you so much for your prayers, they have been evident in our time here. Please continue to pray for us as we establish relationships with the people here. Pray that we would not only keep our focus on God, but that He would work through us with His love as we keep meeting new people.

From the middle of class,


Hayden

Entry 4 - 9/10/11

Dear Readers,

The past few days have been quite an adventure. Wednesday was more of a catch up day, where were able to get some work done and get ready for classes before some more touring of Regensburg (accompanied by gelato). Thursday was our last day to cram all of our German geography information into our heads for a test on Friday (once again followed by touring and gelato). After the test on Friday, we went to a nearby village and climbed up through some castle ruins before taking canoes down the river back toward Regensburg. The castle ruins were awesome and had a great view of the surrounding area, and the river was very calm and an awesome way to end the day. Today, my roommate David and I went with "Coach" (Mr. Orr) and Prof. Baker down to an area called Garmisch near the Austrian border and hiked around a lake and a little bit in the Alps. The views were breathtaking and the weather was just about perfect. The rest of our group had an awesome time touring the castle Neuschwanstein and they all said it was also a great trip. I am hoping we will go by there when we head to the Swiss Alps later in the semester. I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to be learning about and touring around Germany. It is a beautiful country. Pray for us as we try to better our German and as we are out and about that we would represent Christ. Tomorrow it looks like we will be going to a place called "Wahalla" which is supposed to be like a German "hall of fame." But first I should probably finish my homework.

From the classroom (I am the last one in here),

Hayden

Entry 3 - 9/6/11

Dear Readers,

I believe I am now used to the time zone, but much of the credit must go to the unlimited free coffee drinks at breakfast. The weather has been absolutely beautiful with mild sunny days and a hint of cloud cover. Ironically, the terrain closely resembles the Northwest and has a very similar temperature range. We did have some rain yesterday, which created an interesting situation where several of us debated between pulling out the rain/winter clothing or to just try and make it around Regensburg without it.

Yesterday and Sunday were acclamation days with tours and shopping as we prepare for the regular schedule next week. Today we are going to tour the city some more with a more historical perspective. I was amazed at the ancient history of Regensburg and the surrounding areas, many of which are about a thousand years old. However, people/me can't help but also be excited about getting some Gelato later this afternoon.

The Germans are quite an impressive culture and people. Everything they do is done with amazing precision and attention to detail. They don't let much slide. The Bavarians (Regensburg is in Bavaria for those of you who don't know) however, are very friendly and several of them know English enough to get us to bathrooms or the youth hostel. I can't say that I don't do a little guestimating when we wander around. My roommates and I have also developed a cross-cultural sign language which has worked quite well so far. The food is delicious and is going to require some running. I think this is one of the only places where I have been excited about getting up early to run. They have great trails as they are very runner and bike friendly, not to mention the beautiful sites around town and the island we are staying on in one of the pathways of the Danube.

One of my favorite activities has been to visit with and meet Germans and other travelers coming through the hostel. I am thankful they only laugh as I butcher their language. They are usually quite friendly even though one might have to cut across a few awkward barriers since they don't just smile and wave and strangers like Americans do when they see a stranger. However, I know the more I learn and practice the language, the more I will be able to communicate with them and the more comfortable they will feel in speaking with me. Everyone here seems to know that I am an American even before I say a word. Yesterday when I was checking out the cashier just immediately spoke in English. Something gives it away. I hope that I will not only be able to ask them questions about their culture, but that this would also be a ministry opportunity. Hopefully, our group can help to show that there is more to Americans than the common perceptions of Hollywood and the Media they might expect. Pray that we would be careful yet bold as we start in with building relationships with the locals.

From Regensburg,

Hayden

Entry 2 - 9/3/11

Dear Readers,

It has been a quite interesting couple of days over here in Europe. Yesterday I had a layover in Amsterdam for about 7 hours and it was actually pretty fun seeing all the different people groups passing through. I landed in Munich yesterday afternoon and jumped on a train to get into town to get to my hostel. Even though I was exhausted by the time I got to my room (I somehow missed a night during my time change) I couldn't help but join in the introductions with my other roomies which represented a bunch of countries including Taiwan, Eastern United States, Germany, and I didn't catch where the other two were from as they rolled in at about 2AM. Today I have found some free WiFi and have had fun exploring around the train station as I await the arrival of the other students and Jerry Orr (the guy in charge). Then we will do some more touring before heading to Regensburg. Looks like I am going to need some major work on my German. Right now I am completely reliant on charades and English speaking Germans. So far it has worked...
Be praying for me that I stay in prayer and notice the times when God is speaking and/or prodding me to do something. It's easy to get caught up in all the excitement of foreign travel, though it has been really awesome.

From the Wombats youth hostel lobby,

Hayden

Entry 1 - 9/2/11

Dear Readers,


I have decided to begin a blog as an easy way to keep both a log of my trip/semester and as a way to let those of you back at home know what I have been doing and what I have run into. I don't expect many people to read this as I don't want it to become some kind of a showy travel guide, but I do hope that it is a convenient way for me to update friends and family and entertain those of you who are bored of scanning Facebook posts late at night (you know who you are). Yes, I realize that this semester abroad appears to be, and mostly is, a selfish venture and will be a ton of fun. However, I hope that it will not remain a time only for my benefit, (though it will be a great opportunity to learn more about Europe during my studies), but that it would be one in which God could use me as a witness of Himself, and a source of encouragement and blessing to the other believers with me. Ultimately, I pray that during this trip I will strengthen my relationship with Him as I learn to let His Spirit live through me (Gal. 2:20). My hope is that this blog will be a blessing to all those who read it.

From across the ocean,

Hayden