As we travel briefly in several European cities, I look forward to observing the differences in cultures and the different ways of life in each country. It will be amazing to see important sites of philisophical thought as well as amazing historical locations.

I am most looking forward to travelling in Greece, as it is a country I have never been to, but have heard much about. Our day in Corinth will surely be a highlight!

It's still hard to think that in a month I'll be in Europe. I'm exicted for this trip. If one doesn't count Canada or Mexico than I've never visited another country. I've never been anywhere in Europe. I think what I'm most looking foward to is getting the chance to visit Athens. I'm also glad I'm going to be traveling around to several different countries. After this trip I'll be able to return to europe and have a better understanding of what to expect and what I want out of the trip. At this point I'm just exicted to be going somewhere. I don't really know what to expect of what I want out of this. I just know that I'm ready to see as much as I can.

I'm excited to be off to europe in less than a month! I'm not quite sure what to expect, but I'm sure it'll be a trip to remember! I have yet to get a flu shot, even though it's optional, I think it's a good idea. I expect that it'll be cold in europe. My friend said it snowed two years ago, when they were in Berlin! It will be obvious that we're not from europe, so it'll definitely be a new experience to be in a new place!

Hi! I'm going to Europe on my J-term trip, and I'm really excited about going to Greece the most! We are going to Germany, England, and Greece... I have so many questions about traveling to another country and I'm so happy I'm going to be able to answer most of them in less than a month:) I want to know what the culture is like, weather, people, clothes, speech, living conditions, architecture, EVERYTHING! Hopefully I will come home with more knowledge on what the world is like outside of the U.S, and I'm also looking forward to exploring and being on my own. I think it will be an adventure the whole time I'm over there, especially because my best friend Beth is in my group and so we are giong to be all over the place!

I'm really excited to experience Greece! I'm curious about their culture, their food, their music, the way the dress, etc. I'm also very curious about the weather in all the countries we're visiting (I don't know how I'm going to pack!). I also wonder how much we're going to stick out, you know, whether or not people will be able to tell that we're Americans right away. I can't wait!

I am studying abroad this J-Term in Germany, Greece and England. Having never been to Europe before, I am very excited to go on the trip and cannot wait to see what adventures and challenges lie ahead. My good friend Margaret will also be going on the trip as well, which will be great because then we can be traveling buddies together. I can't wait to experience all the different aspects of European culture. I'm hoping that this trip will allow me to grow as a person and that the overall outcome will be beneficial to me in the future. This is a great opportunity for me, that I hope to take full advantage of.

I am Greg Johnson, the faculty leader of this J-term trip to Europe. I have been teaching at PLU since 1999. This January promises to be an exciting adventure for all of us.

An important element in engaging cultures that differ from ours is to engage them with dialogue and humility. The first thing we notice when traveling to other contexts is that we cannot know fully what is thought, believed, and assumed regarding questions of value. And this is a good thing. Most likely there are fundamental differences that are worthy of consideration, and these differences reveal the very things that ultimately make us all who we are.

Hi! I am currently finishing up my incredible travels in Asia. I just finished studying in China for a semester with a wonderful group of PLU students. Now most of my fellow friends and classmates have all returned to the states or have extended thier stay for further traveling. I will be returning home on Christmas Eve, I get super excited thinking about how soon it will be until I get to see my family and friends that I have not seen for the past four months. At the same time I am torn that with feelings of wanting to have more time at home before J-term begins, but can't wait to start a new adventure traveling through coutries I have never explored.

I've never really experienced different cultures outside of the US. I feel grateful to have lived in a diverse area where I've been able to explore many different cultural backgrounds, but most of them have been Asian cultures. I am excited to finally gain a first hand insight into Europian culture. I've taken a semester of German to prepare for Berlin, and have talked with several friends who have spent semesters in both Germany and London, to get an idea of how the cultures will vary from what I'm used to. I have no idea what to expect in modern day Greece. Aside from a love of traditional Greek food and Aristotle, I really don't know much about the culture.

So I will be leaving for the airport in about a quarter of an hour and I am really excited. I am beginning to get nervous as well. Although I have been in Europe before I have never been to any of these countries. The flight is going to be long and I hope to sleep some.

I also found out today that I will be interviewing with some of the faculty of the Sanger Institute at Cambridge (Molecular Biology) where I applied for Grad school.

More to come from Europe!!!