America letter # 3. Non-studies.
November 4, 2007
Dear friends,
Some have again commented that I spend much time in the library, so instead of doing as I had thought, writing about all the exciting studies, I will try to convince you that I do a lot of other activities than studying. At the same time as this is an unserious try to make you think that I am another than I am, I have discovered that I need these breaks, and it is an appeal both to myself and to you to plan and do such “non-studies”.
This weekend I have had some good non-study activities. The spiritual director at Wartburg (every seminary should have a spiritual director!) organizes a retreat the first Saturday of the month. The topic yesterday was gratitude, and we had much time for walking in the forest, or doing whatever would fit our spiritual practice. It was a great afternoon where I could gather energy and be myself, in the company of God, and rediscover how I enjoy walking in the forest. I forget to miss it in my everyday life here, and it might be good as I could have missed a lot; anyway, it is nice to have the chance to get out sometimes.
Yesterday night I planned to read, but after a chapter Toromare came home, and the rest of the evening became chat in the living room. “Now I have preached a lot,” she often says when she has told about her day and drawn some lines to her life home in Madagascar or come with some other reflections. I like her “preaching”.
Today I have been to an organ concert in three churches, St. Paul’s, St. Matthew’s, and St. Mary’s, for All Saints’ Day. With Bach music and talking about Leipzig I came to think about the weekly concerts in Thomaskirche in Leipzig. I could have missed it if I had thought about if often. Sometimes it is good with a selective memory not making me remember everything all the time, but enjoying when there is something to enjoy.
I did not manage to write a letter a week ago. I was not in the library at all. My host family was going to the ordination of a former Wartburg student and asked if I wanted to go with them. I wanted to. I did not know her, but she had worked in the congregation where I go, so she was almost known to me, through all the others.
All the international students here have a host family, though we live on campus. My host family likes to take me to non-study-activities, like a boat trip on the river or American football (which was much more fun than I had thought, and while my host family and the others around us only were interested in the band and the dancers’ performance in the break, I also tried to learn something about the game) in addition to seeing it as their responsibility to ask if I have done my homework. ;-)
I have now decided to plan non-study activities every weekend, something to look forward to if I find that the number of pages to read or papers to write is higher than what I find comfortable. Next weekend is the “rural plunge”, study for some, but I will not get credits for it, so I will just have fun on a farm. Saturday in two weeks I am invited to a neighbor student couple for dessert and games and conversation. In three weeks is Thanksgiving, which is being planned and will involve non-study. In four weeks is the first weekend in December and Saturday retreat again.
As you can see, I do non-study activities all the time. Will I ever become something serious? ;-)
All the best,
Hanne.
Dear friends,
Some have again commented that I spend much time in the library, so instead of doing as I had thought, writing about all the exciting studies, I will try to convince you that I do a lot of other activities than studying. At the same time as this is an unserious try to make you think that I am another than I am, I have discovered that I need these breaks, and it is an appeal both to myself and to you to plan and do such “non-studies”.
This weekend I have had some good non-study activities. The spiritual director at Wartburg (every seminary should have a spiritual director!) organizes a retreat the first Saturday of the month. The topic yesterday was gratitude, and we had much time for walking in the forest, or doing whatever would fit our spiritual practice. It was a great afternoon where I could gather energy and be myself, in the company of God, and rediscover how I enjoy walking in the forest. I forget to miss it in my everyday life here, and it might be good as I could have missed a lot; anyway, it is nice to have the chance to get out sometimes.
Yesterday night I planned to read, but after a chapter Toromare came home, and the rest of the evening became chat in the living room. “Now I have preached a lot,” she often says when she has told about her day and drawn some lines to her life home in Madagascar or come with some other reflections. I like her “preaching”.
Today I have been to an organ concert in three churches, St. Paul’s, St. Matthew’s, and St. Mary’s, for All Saints’ Day. With Bach music and talking about Leipzig I came to think about the weekly concerts in Thomaskirche in Leipzig. I could have missed it if I had thought about if often. Sometimes it is good with a selective memory not making me remember everything all the time, but enjoying when there is something to enjoy.
I did not manage to write a letter a week ago. I was not in the library at all. My host family was going to the ordination of a former Wartburg student and asked if I wanted to go with them. I wanted to. I did not know her, but she had worked in the congregation where I go, so she was almost known to me, through all the others.
All the international students here have a host family, though we live on campus. My host family likes to take me to non-study-activities, like a boat trip on the river or American football (which was much more fun than I had thought, and while my host family and the others around us only were interested in the band and the dancers’ performance in the break, I also tried to learn something about the game) in addition to seeing it as their responsibility to ask if I have done my homework. ;-)
I have now decided to plan non-study activities every weekend, something to look forward to if I find that the number of pages to read or papers to write is higher than what I find comfortable. Next weekend is the “rural plunge”, study for some, but I will not get credits for it, so I will just have fun on a farm. Saturday in two weeks I am invited to a neighbor student couple for dessert and games and conversation. In three weeks is Thanksgiving, which is being planned and will involve non-study. In four weeks is the first weekend in December and Saturday retreat again.
As you can see, I do non-study activities all the time. Will I ever become something serious? ;-)
All the best,
Hanne.
posted by Hanne at 7:23 PM
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