I am pretty nervous, but excited to participate in ISA Veritas’s Sevilla trip. To help me prepare for this trip and calm my nerves, I’ve done a lot of research on the area. I’ve studied the history, culture, and religion of the city to better understand what I’ll experience when I arrive.
I’ve also been spending time in prayer and reading scripture to help calm my nerves. It’s nice to know and remind myself that the God of the universe is a good father and has already taken care of everything, and I can rest in the arms of the Prince of Peace.
Another important form of preparation is reviewing all the resources given to you. UA provides an abundance of resources to peruse, and I was also supplied with information from ISA and from the Veritas program in particular. Another thing to check along with your pre-departure information is if you have any homework due before you arrive. For Veritas, I had to write a 3- page paper about the city.
Overall, I’ve found the most encouraging thing is to trust in the Lord and continue researching to help minimize the surprises along the way. Also, don’t let unexpected events overwhelm you. One of my returning flights got canceled the day before I was supposed to leave, but through persistence and a calm but urgent demeanor, I got everything sorted out.