Natz
It’s amazing how recollecting one story brings up another one. This story is about my college trip to Europe. It was a six-week trip organized by my college that I could have written a paper for credit upon returning (I didn’t but I could have). Anyway, we left a few days after I turned 21. My birthday is in winter and we had a snow storm, so the day we left was the first drivable day after I turned 21. It took a full 2 days to travel from central Illinois to Natz, Italy.
Our first stop at a hostel in the Swiss Alps. We arrived on New Years Eve. Most of us were Juniors or Seniors in college and even if we’d been younger, the drinking age, at that time, was determined by whether you were brave enough to ask for a drink at the bar (and maybe have your parents find out). As you might imagine, we experienced greatly the local brew. Then we went to a dance (of older high school kids). That is when I learned that, culturally, antiperspirants and shaving of armpits was not locally adhered to. I also learned that walking back to the hostel after a night of dancing and beer sampling was harder on the mountain roads.
But that wasn’t the lesson. The next day, New Year’s Day, the sponsor, Dr. Fuhrig (I kid you not), had made arrangements to take us on a bus tour of the Alps. He knew that driving up and down and twisting on the mountain roads would be less than pleasant for many of us. I believe he wanted to emphasize that the trip was intended to be a learning experience and not a party trip. He was successful.
The next day, we walked down the mountain to a monastery to continue our cultural exposure. The challenge was that we had to walk back up the mountain to the hostel. Seems like it took us about 3 hours to walk back up the mountain (today, I would call a cab). It was a beautiful monastery that, for most of us, was our first of many experiences over the trip of the importance of religion in society in Europe.
“Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.” - Proverbs 20:1 ESV
“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” - Ephesians 5:15-21
“And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” - Matthew 5:2-12
Dr. Fuhrig was a wise educator who knew that taking a bunch of college kids on a trip to Europe would invite a partying mood. He used that knowledge to schedule the bus tour to teach us that there were more important things that we could learn from the trip beyond the ability to say “ein Bier bitte” or in English…”one beer please.”
