It’s been fun to be back on the Grand Forks campus for the Summer Institute of Linguistics. Hosted by the University of North Dakota, the almost-200-person community gathers each summer to learn, teach, and fellowship. The diverse group of faculty and students have a wide range of future goals and past experiences. It’s a very rich environment.
I was thinking about how my life has changed since I was here last summer. There are many attitudes, expressions, and personality traits that I see have made minor shifts in the past year, but those are harder to pinpoint.
Here’s one major change: my view! I’m on the same campus and same dorm, but I have my own room this year and my view has changed quite a bit.
Some other things that have changed:
2011……………………………………………………2012
First year taking linguistics classes…………………Working on staff as a teacher’s assistant
Totally new environment……………………………Everything is very familiar
Virtually no cross-cultural experience…………………….A few short months of experience
A wonderful roommate……………………………..A room to myself
Inhibited by severe foot pain………………………..Totally pain-free
There is, as always, ONE THING that simply doesn’t change: my time with Him is only more rich than ever. (So, I suppose it changes in the way any good, growing relationship changes – it becomes deeper.) I am so grateful.
I have enjoyed some very fun connections already. The instructor for the course invited all the TAs to their rented home in Grand Forks for breakfast. A friend and I decided to walk the 2.5 miles to the house.
I’m glad to be here!