A New Home

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

I thank God very much to have been with me and to have used people to help me adjust and feel at home here in Columbus. There was a big difference in the way I felt before coming and how I felt when I got here, and I remember telling people that I was feeling at home on my second day.

This passage from Isaiah is what came to my mind as I looked back in about seven weeks that I have been in Columbus. This is not in the sense that I was unsure and terrified when I came, well, I was a bit nervous as I usually feel when I am about to move to a new place, let alone that this time is my first time to experience life outside of school.

My nervousness went away when I saw my host family, the Krajnak’s, at the airport holding a sign with my name on it. I was heading to the luggage pick up area, and in my mind I pictured me getting my bags and sitting somewhere waiting for those who would pick me up. In the first place, I thought that I would have to take Uber since it was what happened when I first arrived in Philadelphia for my masters, but it wasn’t the case because there were people who were there to welcome me and extend hospitality in many more other ways.

This experience, among others, gave me a glimpse and appreciation of what IFI does and the welcoming that international students experience. In a few words, I am very grateful and excited to be part of that welcoming experience for international students at OSU.

Also, I am looking forward to what the Lord has in store for me and fellow ISEEDers this coming year…