Call Me Lazy, or Crazy

I have realized that college takes a lot of work.  But I have realized that no matter your intentions, finishing produces the same results: a diploma.
  I will warn you, this blog is going to sound like a lot of complaining. And maybe it is, but bear with me. I feel like I put forth a good amount of work to get through college, and I also pay an arm and a leg for a Christian Liberal Arts College.  I feel like I get hit with a double whammy: lots of work and a ton of college debt.
  In my travels, I have encountered semi-socailist nations that have free college for everyone.  Now, in these countries the workload is very heavy, and I believe it should be.  But why do I have to work so hard for something I am paying for? 
  On the other hand, my mom said, "You don't appreciate what you don't work for."  I completely agree.  I'll appreciate it more everyday I pay back loans, right? (This blog is beginning to feel like buyer's remorse for college.)
  The crux of this post is this: I should be the receiving services if I am the consumer, correct?  Now, I realize that quality education is indeed a service provided.  Homework, however, is not a service.  I feel like a only a fool would say, "Hey, let me pay you a boatload of money, and then I will destroy myself to meet the requirements that you impose upon me."  It's like paying a contractor to build your house, then doing all of the work yourself...
  So, on the I'm-just-joking side, I don't feel like I need to work to receive an education because I am paying for it.
  On the I'm-dead-serious side, colleges (especially private Christian colleges) should be working pretty dang hard to get and keep students.  I don't think that catering to their every want and need is the answer, but from a business perspective, that makes a lot of sense.

In the end, this is just my own stupidity written on the Internet.  But, something is wrong with our system, college is way too expensive.

It's Not Always the Big Deal

 Recently I have been confronted with a cultural trend that I haven't really realized or understood because I have grown up with it.  For now, I'm going to call it the "Quick-Fix-All Cultural Trend."
  I spoke a few weeks ago with some missionaries from France, and we discussed, in part, relational evangelism*.  Loving to give safe, smart-sounding responses, I piped into the conversation saying, "And that's the kind of evangelism that never goes out of style." I was quickly correct as my missionary friends told me, "But oh, it has."  They proceeded to inform/remind me of the Billy Graham crusades and other televangelists who focus on evangelizing the masses.  To say that this is wrong would be silly, but ineffective would be perhaps a better term.
  I was reminded of a small group time in Argentina where our leader took a poll to see how the different members had met the Lord.  Out of about 13 people, one was saved as the result of preaching evangelist.  Everyone else was lead to the Lord by friends or family members.  In case you weren't paying attention, that's relational evangelism.
This topic has been on my mind since beginning college and it sticks out to me that I have seen it exemplified on a couple other continents.

  Obviously, that's just one small part of this whole cultural decay.
I ran across another piece this afternoon while reading Money, Greed, and God by Jay W. Richards.  He was addressing the ineffectiveness of the welfare system in America.  One of the biggest problems with it is the "blanket doctrine."  I made that one up, I'm referring to a type of welfare that is managed by the federal government that needs a magic formula that solves everyone's problems.  It's the only plausible M.O. for a national organization of any type. False. Grass roots government and private charities are better equipped to handle the specific needs of specific areas, simply because they have to first-hand knowledge of the problems and solutions.  

  But, how do they relate?  Helping out poor people and sharing the Gospel are best done by the people closest to the situation.  In general, people who care, do the most effective work.  This is why, in my opinion, big government welfare programs and televangelists are not the answer.  And these are only two out of countless examples of our "Quick-Fix-All" schemes.   


*Will's quick definition: evangelism that focuses on building connections and friendships that after time (sometimes a long time) lead to sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.

  For my more dedicated readers, please excuse the fact that I haven't posted since May.  For everyone else, thanks for reading.

Winding down

  It's hard to believe that my time in France is coming to an end.  I'm watching the sand run right through the hourglass.  In all honesty, the memories have been many and the regrets few.  And the great thing is that I still have 2 weeks to enjoy.
  Recently, we've been spending our time with our church friends. We get together several times a week to eat, play volleyball, or just spend time together.  Last Thursday we had a church outing for the Grace Brethren churches in France.  There were about 5 churches represented and about 150 people (I actually just made that up, I have no idea how many people were there).  The young people went down the night before so that we would have time to set up and practice music.  It's always awesome to play with talented people.  Needless to say, it was an excellent time of fellowship and worship.  Elizabeth and I had the privilege of meeting the missionary couple that will be the "Missionaries in Residence" at Grace next year.  An older couple named the Hoberts who have been in France for over thirty years and are very dynamic people.  This event was held at the Château de St. Albain which belongs to the GB church, and it is also where our French Professor, Jacqueline Schram, grew up.  I also spent a large portion of the afternoon playing soccer with the young people.  So, it was a special experience for Elizabeth and I on many levels.
 
   And as if there wasn't enough excitement, Elizabeth's sister, Natalie came on Saturday to spend a week here in Dijon.  We both went to Paris to get her, and had a great time seeing a little of Paris before our train headed back.   Also this week, we have the bulk of our exams, so if we don't seem to be connected to the cyber world, don't be scared.
 

Go South, Young Man

As some of you may have heard (or seen on Facebook,) my girlfriend Elizabeth and I went to Spain for a sort of "long-weekend."  I had wanted to go see the Heldenbrands, not to mention wanting to see Spain.  The cheapest way we could find to get from Dijon to Málaga was the bus.

  Lots of people warned us that the bus ride would be long and cramped. So, we checked into flying...  But, the wallet is mightier than comfort, and the cheaper method of transportation prevailed.  (Not to mention that the bus was very hassle free.)

Liz and I above Málaga and the port. 

We spent the next three days hanging out with the family and seeing the sites of Málaga. We tasted some of the local products like olives, cheese, ham, and fish.  But, we especially enjoyed the atmosphere of an American family, something that we really missed.  It was fun discussing the NFL draft with Derrick (and find that he was much more up to date than I was.) Of course we talked about all sorts of things, but there was seldom a conversation in which my Dad was not brought up.  

The Heldendbrands and I by the sea. 

 
Unfortunately, it rained everyday that we were there.  Everyone we talked to expressed remorse for the weather, saying that it wasn't typical.  However, no one apologized because it had been the driest winter that Spain had had in seventy years.  We were still able to have a clear day (Monday) to visit the old city, see a fort from the time of the Moorish Occupation, and even dip our feet in the Mediterranean Sea.

 Before we knew it, Tuesday morning had arrived, and we headed back to France.  Elizabeth agrees with me that it was well worth the long trip. 

Fencing in France

 You can imagine my surprise when my friend Alex asked me if I wanted to go fencing with him.  I've always enjoyed stick fighting with my brothers and friends (not to mention the plastic lightsaber phase of my life.)  I've always wanted to learn about this interesting sport and Thursday night, I got my chance.
   We went to the club where Alex fences, and it reminded me of the aerobics room at the GRC, (a wood dance floor with a full wall mirror at one end.)  On the ground were painted the fencing lanes.  I never dreamed that the fencing stance would be so difficult.  As most things, it is awkward and unnatural at first.  I didn't know that you had to be "plugged in" to fence at a club.  But the swords are connected to a cable so that when the tip is pushed, a light lights up and each dueler knows who has one. Being attached would be more difficult if the matches were not in lanes.
  After Alex taught me the basics, I began to "spar." I put spar in quotes because I didn't really accomplish much expect for working up a sweat.  But, I looked around and didn't feel out of place because once the others had removed their masks, I could see that they were also perspiring.
  Next, I fenced against a girl from the club, and after a couple of minutes she said, "You know, it's ok for you to attack me."  I felt kind of silly... I wasn't holding off because she was a girl, I was playing defense because I wasn't sure of myself on the offensive.  The other lady I fenced against, once she realized that I really didn't know what I was doing, took it very easy on me, and still also beat me basically every time.
  Towards the end, I sparred again with Alex, and he continued to teach me and point out the errors of my form and manner of fencing. Instead of lunging straight forward, I would often get close and move the sword from side to side (bad habits picked up from dueling with broomsticks).  Also, I moved like a good basketball player, letting my feet lead my hands.  But, that is not helpful in sword-fighting. When you lunge forward, you have to let your foil "drag" your arm, torso, and lead foot forward, while you back foot stays planted.
  All-in-all, it was a great time.  I loved learning a new sport that has always fascinated me, not to mention the replaying of the Princess Bride fencing scenes in my mind.

"Then why are you smiling?"

"BecauseI know something you don't know. I am not left-handed."

Livin' on a Prayer

   Sing it with me now, "We're halfway there, WO-OAH! Livin' on a prayer!"

 
The reason I choose to use this song is the line "We're halfway there." It's true, it may be hard to believe, but my time here in France has been cut in half.
  It takes some time for one to get comfortable and get one's bearings in a foreign country. Obviously, this time frame is different for each person.  Routines don't make themselves, at least not in my experience. They must be created, after that they keep themselves going.
  My life here is in full swing.  As usual, I don't have trouble filling up an agenda.
I have been busy with church and school activities.
  Besides church on Sundays, we have college group on Monday nights.  The group is called GBU (it's an acronym for College Bible Group or Groupe Bilique Universitaire.)  It's really been great being a part of this circle of students, on a spiritual and companionable level, but also just in the interaction with French people.  In addition, we have small group every other Wednesday night.  We take time to share life and go through Francis Chan's Crazy Love with a group of about 7 students.  It has been a privilege getting to know this group of young people and being challenged with the Word of God.
 We have also had the opportunity to visit with some friends from church in their home.  We had a great time of sharing life and comparing cultures.  (When I say "we," I'm referring to myself, my girlfriend Elizabeth, and Amber).
  On Tuesday nights, as I have mentioned earlier, I play basketball at the school.  I love basketball and practicing French is just another plus.
  School seems to be picking up: I come home in the evenings, and I have assignments to do for the next day.  In all honesty, I don't like that.  Being in Argentina did not help to fortify my study habits, and then not having school for two months had a similar effect.  But, when I complain about my petty homework assignments, I simply think of next year and returning to Grace.  This is child's play compared to real college courses.  :(
  Looking at this list of activities, I am saddened because I know that in about 8.5 weeks, this will all come to an end.  It really makes me think about how I use my time.  But France is not my only time that is limited: my time here on this planet has a definite end that is fast approaching.

^{Psalm 90:12} So teach us to number our days,
That we may present to You a heart of wisdom.

We're so finite compared to God's infinitude.  It's not worth getting caught up in our own petty lives.  Why worry about the things that will pass away?

When integrity pays, it's in cash.

  The older I get, the more I realize that in the real world, it isn't convenient to do the right thing. I've coined the phrase, "Integrity doesn't pay." Well, I'm not quite sure that I made that up, but this post demonstrates the opposite anyway.
  Tuesday night, I took the bus home from basketball.  I take the bus after basketball because I don't feel like walking the 2 miles home.  Call me a sissy, but I'm tired after basketball, not to mention that I've already walked 5 miles that day (to school and back, then to basketball).
  For this story to make any sense, I will need to explain the bus system here in Dijon.  On the bus there are three doors.  One in the front, one in the middle, and one in the back.  When the bus stops (at a designated bus stop) you have to push the little green button in order for the door to open.  When you get on the bus, you don't necessarily have to buy a ticket from the driver at the front.  There are small orange boxes strategically placed around the bus that allow you to punch your prepaid ticket.  But, many people opt for the monthly pass that allows you to ride any bus in the city as many times as you so desire, no ticket-punching necessary.
   Some of my more astute readers will have realized that one could perhaps get on and ride the bus without paying.  Indeed, it is possible, and I have done it before.   (Once when I forgot to punch my ticket, and once when I forgot the ticket and didn't know how to buy one.  But, later that month I bought a monthly pass anyway.)
  I learned that if one is caught, one pays a fine.  While talking with some of my basketball-playing comrades, I learned the amounts of said fines. (They increase with each offense).   I let everyone know that I paid every time I took the bus.  They weren't super surprised, but I was greeted by responses like "Well, I'll pay when I'm rich, but now..."  One guy told me on the way home that he had already payed the fine twice.  I had thought to myself, "Self, these guys do it all the time and never get caught.  Plus, it's a Tuesday night.  Why would there be a check?" But, as always, I bought a ticket and found my seat.
  When the bus reached my stop, I tried to get off, but the doors wouldn't open, and there were men in black uniforms at each door.  When the doors finally opened, they asked for my ticket, which I showed them, then I headed home without a problem. They were the control officers.  I don't know what happened to the other guy, but it probably involved a hefty fine.

So, sometimes, integrity does pay.  

All the busses in Dijon look like this. 

Photo credits: Google images.

Where I come from...ish

Perhaps some of you are interested in the specifics of this town and my university. If not, then this post will be intensely boring:

  Dijon is a city of 151,000 people (downtown) and about 250,000 (with "Greater Dijon" included.)  For those of you in Indiana, that's about the size of Ft. Wayne.  Dijon is a rich city with a lot of old money.  It is the site of the capital of Duchy of Burgundy, and still the capital of the region of Bourgogne (Burgundy).  Due to the affluence of its inhabitants, Dijon is a very safe city.  This is strange for me, as I associate cities with crime and danger. 

   Some of the quicker readers will have thought earlier, "Hey Dijon, isn't that a kinda mustard?"  In fact, it is.  It is from here and is consumed in great quantities.  I really like it, it's spicier than regular mustard and just has more body.  (I don't know what that means, but it seemed like the right description.)
  Here in Dijon, I attend L'Université de Bourgogne (affectionately called l'UB).  I find this amusing because UB is also the acronym for my school in Argentina (Universidad de Belgrano).  There are about 27,400 students in all.  It's a pretty diverse campus with 126 nationalities represented.
  I, and the other grace students, form part of the CIEF (Centre International d'Études Français).  The Center of International French Studies takes up less than three small prefab buildings.  Over 1000 students study there between the spring, fall, and summer terms.
 If you wanna see what my school looks, type in "Rue Edgar Faure, Dijon, France" at google.com/maps.  Check out the street view feature.
  My home address is 14 Rue Vauban, Dijon, if you would like to see what the outside of my house looks like.

 
Sources
Wikipedia
http://ressources.campusfrance.org/guides_etab/etablissements/en/univ_dijon_en.pdf
Google Maps

Yes, I am alive.

 Hello blogland.
Just thought I'd let you all know that I am alive, in case some of you were wondering.  I realized that perhaps I needed to update a blog when Grandma had to write another email because I hadn't written back in several days.... (Oops)

Amber took this candid photo
Too cool not to share.
The cathedral in the background is Notre Dame. 

  So a quick peak at the life of Will:
  School is in full swing, and I had my first midterm yesterday.  I felt confident when I finished (that's never a good sign).  I'll probably get some results tomorrow.
  Elizabeth, Amber, and I went to Paris on Friday to see the GoEncounter team from Grace.  We spent most the day with them, but did some site-seeing on our own.  We took the cheap train so we had a fixed return time, and that lead to the three of us running from metro to metro in order to catch our train back to Dijon.  Praise the Lord, we made it, with about 2 minutes to spare.  It was pretty miraculous because we didn't have to wait more than about 60 seconds at our various other boarding sites.

Liz, Amber, Prof Schram, and I on the Eiffel Tower

  

Last night, I finally went to intramural basketball.  The Lord worked things out so that I had everything I needed. (Medical exam, sports ID card).  It had been about 6 weeks since I had played basketball.  It was soo refreshing, and extremely exhausting.  It was neat to meet some students from Africa that were on my team.  

  The system was a little different from Grace's Intramural Program.  Tuesday nights are co-ed basketball.  About 60 students showed up, then the coach had us split into 9 teams.  He then drew up a quick schedule which utilized all 3 courts and gave every team six 10 minute games.  I think I only sat out about 6 of those 60 minutes. Needless to say, I'm sore today.
 Well, that's all folks.  Hope your days are as blessed as mine.

It's been about a month...

  It's been about a month, for a lot of things.  February 2012 has been one of the most distinctive months of my life thus far, for the following reasons:
  -I've been in the country of France since February 1st.
  -I've officially had a girlfriend since January 29th.
  -I've literally not been a teenager since January 22nd.
Needless to say, each of these things has a boatload of implications.  I'm not entirely sure what they all are, and I am obviously not going to share them all with you.  Interestingly enough, I have had a constant in my life that does not change, and that is my Savior.  He's the same no matter where I am, who I'm with, or what I do.  These big changes in my life are significant, but the things the Lord has been teaching me don't vary.
  Before leaving Indiana, several times, the importance of sharing the Gospel seemed to come to my attention through many different ways (different speakers/preachers, books, and the Bible).  I realized that evangelism needs to be a lifestyle.  (Not that I didn't know that before, but I seem to forget it.)  When I arrived in France, evangelism was again an important theme.  I say "again," but perhaps I should say "still."  Relational evangelism is a crucial part of the Christian life in any culture.  Obviously, the specifics will look different in different parts of the world, but the concept remains the same.
  The Lord has been teaching me about many things about relational evangelism, especially since I began college.  Sadly, I can't say that I have mastered the art.  (I also don't believe that's an art that one can master.) But, I do believe that I have taken steps in the right direction.  Study abroad has put me in situations where it is necessary.  Living in the Grace College bubble is conducive to a different kind of spiritual growth not always found in the real world, that I have been confronted with while away.

Things I think while waiting for class

I got to school a little early this morning, these are the thoughts that I jotted down on the iPod.
Language learning: Useful Phrases vs Straight Grammar
There are obvious pluses to learning useful phrases in a foreign language. In fact, it's completely necessary. You can't just jump into another culture and not learn how to say "Excuse me" and "where's the bathroom?" 
  So my question is this: where's the line to tell when it's time to tell the learner that "¿Cómo estás?" is the 2nd person singular familiar conjugation of the verb "to be" in present tense? Put it all together and it literally means, "How are you?"
  I mean it's kinda cool to figure out that kind of stuff on your own. For example, I thought the other day about "Au revoir" in French. "Voir" means "to see" so "revoir," "to see again." It's fun to make those discoveries on one's own, but perhaps I should've learned that earlier. 
  As usual, I'm just realizing that balance is the answer, and I just haven't found it yet. As I think about language teaching/learning, this kind of stuff mulls around in my brain.

Toto, I'm pretty sure we're still not in Kansas.

   For all of you that were around for the first round of this year full of adventures, you may remember a post entitled "We're Not in Kansas Anymore, Toto..." It was just a few observations about differences between Argentina and Mexico.  Basically, it was my way of telling you all about the greeting-with-a-kiss in Argentina.
   This post is a little different. I almost entitled it "We're Not in Latin America Anymore, Toto,"  but one of the Grace students here is from Kansas, so I thought it was appropriate.
   Enough intro: Most of my life has been spent in Latin America.  I view that as an advantage in my life, and I think that it gives me a unique perspective.  However, I find that in my mind there are two regions of the world: The US and non-US.  One reason that I think I do this is that I like to spend time with MKs.  We share our experiences from around the world and realize that we have a ton in common.  We joke about bribing government officials and terrible roads and other things about the third world.
  One thing that I am realizing, is that I haven't had a lot of interaction with people from Europe.  Obviously, France is not the third world, but it is non-US. So, I wasn't worried about this trip very much because it's Round 2 of study abroad, the only difference is that I have to learn French.  Obviously, that is oversimplified.
  The cultural differences are sometimes hard for me to notice.  There are the obvious ones: clean streets, posted bus schedules, and little clocks at the bus stops to tell you when your bus will arrive.  But sometimes, you have to dig a little deeper, think a little harder.  For example in church today, the pastor began with a defense of God and why he didn't create evil.  I didn't think to much of it, it was a decent argument with solid illustrations.  But the cultural implications are much higher: In France, being able to debate and argue your point is very, very important.  The idea of just "talking" about something is somewhat unheard of.  Lots of discussions are more than just the interchanging of words.
   Another difference is the age of things here.  Dijon is an old town, I have been in catholic churches that were begun in the 11th or 12th century.  Honestly, it's mind-blowing.  It's strange for me to be in a place where the history from basically a thousand years ago is known and documented.  It makes me realize that that must be a factor in a culture's profile.  I haven't done the research, but I'm aching to learn about it.

"This is where character counts."

  In November of 2010, I had the privilege of being the host manager to Head Coach Winston Bennett and the Cougars of Mid-Continent University. Coach Bennett is probably the only coach that I have met that is classier than Coach Kessler. The previous season (09-10), Mid-Con had beaten Grace pretty badly, but last year, the tides had changed. Mid-Con had lost several starters and Grace was almost a different team with Bruce Grimm at point guard.

  The Cougars played well, but in the second half it became more and more evident that the Lancers had the upper hand. It came to a fairly critical point in the game, Mid-Con was behind by several scores, but the games wasn't out of reach yet. Then, the center missed a Lancer driving down the lane to score. It wasn't entirely his fault, but he was partially to blame, and I didn't judge him for the profanity that escaped his lips. What surprised me was Coach Bennet's actions. He proceeded to sub out the young man, sit him on the bench, and say in a stern voice, "This is where character counts." He didn't play again for the rest of the game.

   Needless to say, I was shocked. The coach had just taken out his team's best shot at making a comeback in that game, just for saying "damn." I'm not sure if they could have won even with this player, but in no way could they win without him. It was a gutsy, but admirable move by Coach Bennett.

Coach Winston Bennett 

  I thought that story was worth sharing, seeing as it came to mind. Yesterday, I had the opportunity of being humbled a couple of times, and Coach Bennett's words were ringing in my ears "This is where character counts." To say that I handled these situations with flawless integrity would be a lie, but that story was a good reminder of the importances of character.
  So the question probably stands, "What happened yesterday?" Nothing earth-shattering, I just didn't get the results I wanted on my placement test and didn't get a job I had applied for. Frustrating? yes. Disappointing? absolutely. End of the world? not in the slightest. God has reasons for the stuff that happens, not to mention that fact that He puts people in your life who care.  He is good and in control, but, apparently, I have short term memory loss.

Dijon, mon nouveau ville

As you may know, I currently live in the city of Dijon, France.  It is located less than 200 miles from Paris, but only an hour and half by train.  The ride is picturesque, the little towns reminded me of Disney's Beauty and the Beast.  (This is appropriate because that movie is set in France.)
  My first description of the city: A fierce collision of the new and the old. The buildings are ancient, especially where I live downtown.  However, new businesses are everywhere. By "new", I mean McDonald's and other internationally renowned companies.  Near the house, there are a ton of places to shop for clothes of all kinds, just because it looks like a medieval city, doesn't mean that it not downtown of a fairly important European city.  
  The streets are narrow and if you don't live in downtown, you aren't allowed to navigate your vehicle down the slender alleys.  Dijon is known for it's churches, Roman Catholic churches of course.  There are at least 18 cathedrals and chapels worth listing on Wikipedia.  I saw about 4 in my excursion today.
  My excursion today consisted of my going to the train station to a photo-booth to get pictures for my student ID.  Needless to say, I left the house, so I got lost.  Not that I didn't enjoy seeing the city, but one gets cold in 25º F weather, especially when one wonders around for more than a couple of hours.
  And to add insult to injury, I left the camera at the house.  It's right here by my computer.  For that I beg your apologies, I know some of you have requested documentation.  To make up for the lack of photographical images, I shall include the logo and coat of arms of Dijon.

Logo

Coat of Arms 

Saaafe!!

Well guys, I made it.  I got to Dijon, France, even better, I got to the house I'm going to be staying at.  There were some doubts along the way, and some things I would do differently the next time, but Praise the Lord, I am here.
  5 cities, 4 airports, 4 countries, 4  train stations, countless hours of waiting, way too much money spent, all in about 28 hours.  I think it's time for sleep.  

This is a quick laptop snapshot of the bedroom.
(I'll get the camera out when I'm not so tired.)

Just So You Know

Hello y'all, I realize that I haven't posted in a while.  So here's the scoop:
  Lord willing, I'm going to leave for France at the end of this month.  I will be living in the city of Dijon, in western-central part of the country. (Check out the map). I will be there for about four months, returning in early June. I have applied for a student visa and should have it approved within the next several days.  There will 2 other Grace students there with me, and, needless to say, I'm looking forward to it.  
  To be honest, I'm a little scared about going, the language barrier has a lot to do with it. Also, the spiritual climate is of a species that I have not really faced before.  So we'll just have to see.  In short, I appreciate your prayers.  
  Hopefully, my posts will get more creative.  I'll do my best to keep you posted on developments regarding this experience.