On Working, Traveling, and Trust (or 'Why I am going back to Germany')
A number of you already know about this, but I’d like to let the rest of you know about what’s going to be happening in my life for, well…the rest of the year.
Note: I wrote all this on a facebook note last week - if you've read that, there's no point in reading further :)
I was busy doing a lab a week ago Tuesday when I got a call from my co-op coordinator to let me know that I had a job offer for an 8-month position in Germany starting in May.
First, some background.
I am in my second year of university, studying Mechanical Engineering at UBC. In addition to my schooling (or rather, as part of it), I am enrolled in the UBC co-op program, which breaks up my regular 4-year Bachelor program with 4- or 8-month long work terms with engineering companies. My first work term starts this May and will continue till Christmas. I had been applying to tons of jobs posted to the co-op website (the economy is slowing down, after all), including one for a research position at LaserZentrum Hannover, a research institute in Germany that focuses on the development of lasers and designing useful applications for them. This was the only international job I applied for; most of the other jobs were in the Lower Mainland, Northern BC, or Alberta.
I knew it was a fabulous opportunity - LaserZentrum is a well-respected institute in the field of laser research. Being able to work at a place like this, especially on my junior work term, is something that shouldn't really be passed up - not to mention that international experience at a place like this looks real good on a resume. It doesn't pay much, but I had some money saved up already. Being a Swiss citizen means I don't even need a visa to work there. And at this time in my life I have no long-term commitments that would stop me from going. With a global recession happening, I was told this might be my only chance to go (most of the other international companies have already stopped hiring).
But truth is, I didn't really want the job. I almost didn't apply. I almost didn't rank it (a way for the co-op office to decide what students should go where). In fact, I only really applied because I’m the kind of guy who likes to keep all his bases covered and knew I would probably regret it if I didn't. And hey, the position was a popular one - I knew my chances were very slim anyway (there were lots of people from UBC applying, not to mention other universities across Canada). Some other job, some job close to home, some job that paid well and that would be relatively easy…would certainly come up. So when I got the call from my coordinator that I was LaserZentrum's first pick for the position, I didn't know how to react. It looked like God had other plans than mine.
And still I debated. Being a guy I hate to admit it, but I was a bit scared. I didn't feel ready to pull out my roots here and plunk myself down in a totally new community, start relationships from scratch, work in a different language, or live by myself in a foreign country. I was comfortable here in Vancouver. I really wanted to be able to go up to Barnabas (a summer camp I worked at for the last two years) to visit on weekends, and I didn't want to miss a whole semester of UCM (a Christian group/community I’m involved with at UBC). I didn't want to have these wonderful communities (places I had really invested in and people I highly valued) absent from my life for 8 months. Interestingly enough, I had always told people that friends or commitments back home should never be a reason to not go traveling. And now my own words were coming back to bite me.
I've gone to Germany before, but it was a little different back then. I had just graduated, and was in a position of moving between communities anyway. I knew I was going to be living with a Christian family and be plugged into a good church. And I wanted to get away.
This time I knew would be a lot more challenging. I knew it might be a very hard eight months. I may not like the work I was doing. I may find no real connection with a church or other community there. I was aware that I didn't have a choice once I went - like it or not, I had a contract for 8 months.
I knew I would have to trust God more.
Ah, there it was. TRUST. Surrender. Not relying on myself or being supported by people around me, but rather letting God fill that role. Perhaps God wants to teach me something.
And so, I am going to Germany.
I still have reservations. One moment I'm stoked for the opportunity, the next moment I'm staring into the unknown with a certain level of dread. Looks like God is teaching me something about trust already. I have His peace about the whole thing, and really, that should be enough. It had better be, cause that's what I'm banking on.
I’m sorry I don’t have a whole lot more info I can give – I expect to find out a lot more about what I’m doing when LZH contacts me directly (hopefully next week). I will keep you updated, and naturally, will try to see as many of you as I can before I leave.
I continue to covet your prayers. God bless.
Thomas
Note: I wrote all this on a facebook note last week - if you've read that, there's no point in reading further :)
I was busy doing a lab a week ago Tuesday when I got a call from my co-op coordinator to let me know that I had a job offer for an 8-month position in Germany starting in May.
First, some background.
I am in my second year of university, studying Mechanical Engineering at UBC. In addition to my schooling (or rather, as part of it), I am enrolled in the UBC co-op program, which breaks up my regular 4-year Bachelor program with 4- or 8-month long work terms with engineering companies. My first work term starts this May and will continue till Christmas. I had been applying to tons of jobs posted to the co-op website (the economy is slowing down, after all), including one for a research position at LaserZentrum Hannover, a research institute in Germany that focuses on the development of lasers and designing useful applications for them. This was the only international job I applied for; most of the other jobs were in the Lower Mainland, Northern BC, or Alberta.
I knew it was a fabulous opportunity - LaserZentrum is a well-respected institute in the field of laser research. Being able to work at a place like this, especially on my junior work term, is something that shouldn't really be passed up - not to mention that international experience at a place like this looks real good on a resume. It doesn't pay much, but I had some money saved up already. Being a Swiss citizen means I don't even need a visa to work there. And at this time in my life I have no long-term commitments that would stop me from going. With a global recession happening, I was told this might be my only chance to go (most of the other international companies have already stopped hiring).
But truth is, I didn't really want the job. I almost didn't apply. I almost didn't rank it (a way for the co-op office to decide what students should go where). In fact, I only really applied because I’m the kind of guy who likes to keep all his bases covered and knew I would probably regret it if I didn't. And hey, the position was a popular one - I knew my chances were very slim anyway (there were lots of people from UBC applying, not to mention other universities across Canada). Some other job, some job close to home, some job that paid well and that would be relatively easy…would certainly come up. So when I got the call from my coordinator that I was LaserZentrum's first pick for the position, I didn't know how to react. It looked like God had other plans than mine.
And still I debated. Being a guy I hate to admit it, but I was a bit scared. I didn't feel ready to pull out my roots here and plunk myself down in a totally new community, start relationships from scratch, work in a different language, or live by myself in a foreign country. I was comfortable here in Vancouver. I really wanted to be able to go up to Barnabas (a summer camp I worked at for the last two years) to visit on weekends, and I didn't want to miss a whole semester of UCM (a Christian group/community I’m involved with at UBC). I didn't want to have these wonderful communities (places I had really invested in and people I highly valued) absent from my life for 8 months. Interestingly enough, I had always told people that friends or commitments back home should never be a reason to not go traveling. And now my own words were coming back to bite me.
I've gone to Germany before, but it was a little different back then. I had just graduated, and was in a position of moving between communities anyway. I knew I was going to be living with a Christian family and be plugged into a good church. And I wanted to get away.
This time I knew would be a lot more challenging. I knew it might be a very hard eight months. I may not like the work I was doing. I may find no real connection with a church or other community there. I was aware that I didn't have a choice once I went - like it or not, I had a contract for 8 months.
I knew I would have to trust God more.
Ah, there it was. TRUST. Surrender. Not relying on myself or being supported by people around me, but rather letting God fill that role. Perhaps God wants to teach me something.
And so, I am going to Germany.
I still have reservations. One moment I'm stoked for the opportunity, the next moment I'm staring into the unknown with a certain level of dread. Looks like God is teaching me something about trust already. I have His peace about the whole thing, and really, that should be enough. It had better be, cause that's what I'm banking on.
I’m sorry I don’t have a whole lot more info I can give – I expect to find out a lot more about what I’m doing when LZH contacts me directly (hopefully next week). I will keep you updated, and naturally, will try to see as many of you as I can before I leave.
I continue to covet your prayers. God bless.
Thomas
posted by thomassanz at
10:26 PM
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