Author: Yaw Boakye
Importance of religion
In a country with so many elaborate churches, why do you think religion has lost its importance and does not appeal to people like it used to? Do you think this could happen to the USA in the future? Why or why not?
Globalization whether positively or negatively has brought about the increase in knowledge and appreciation of many if not all culture, religions and beliefs. Globalization has allowed for travel, immigration and assimilation into other cultures. As time has gone on it has bred a more religiously diverse community.
Additionally, I think as time has gone on, humans have become more and more prone do engage in worldly endeavors. As a result people become more and more distant from the church.
I believe it will happen as time goes on but its up to us to strengthen our religious roots and make sure we do not lose sight of what most important, setting on a pathway to heaven.
Elevator speech
Summer trip to Berlin was an unforgettable experience. The trip fused our engineering learning with the appreciation of the German culture and history. We toured through a number of German cities. Experiencing different Catholic Churches was educational as much as inspiring. I was most impressed by the architectural value they held. The timeless designs of the interior and exterior were a joy to behold. One aspect of the trip I really enjoyed was the experience of local cuisines especially at the group dinners. With regards to the academics, engineering 202 was quite an experience. The course was split into Statics & Dynamics, focused on the fundamental principles of mechanics. The course is a composite of the kinematics and dynamics of particles and rigid bodies as well as Work, impulse, momentum and energy in 2-D and 3-D.
My favourite part of the trip was the last couple of weeks where we had the opportunity to travel and explore anywhere around Europe. I took the opportunity to visit Brussels , Amsterdam and revisited Koln. Koln was definitely the best city within Germany.
All in all, the trip had everything I thought it would and more and was quite a enthralling experience throughout for me.
Initial reflections on germany
One week in and everything is positive. The culture, the atmosphere is exactly as I imagined it to be, after an entire semester in German class. As many of the summer program alumni suggested, Oriental snack has quickly become a habitual trip for dinner , lunch and sometimes even breakfast. I did not expect such a disparity between east Berlin and west, they couldn’t be more different. If there is one thing I’d love to take back with me to Calvin, it’s the Döner shop; very easy meals to prep, yet greatly satisfying.
Holocaust museum
Before the trip, I was not the most enthused about the prospect of visiting the holocaust museum or the concentration camp. I anticipated an emotionally draining experience but then ended up appreciating the educational value it possessed. Like many others, I had reservations about the “constant reminders” of such dark times. I later reached the conclusion that it is a significant account of history to constantly remind generations to come and educate them on better ways to live their lives or not to, for that matter.