Arrival in Kampen

Theologische Universiteit Kampen

We're here!  The Netherlands will be our home for the next nine months as I embark on the final season of my doctoral studies.  My family is living in the old Hanseatic city of Kampen, along the banks of the river IJssel.  The cobblestone lanes, intricate brick row houses, and the lovely chiming bell tower all harken back to a slower, quieter life - a perfect environment to settle in for dissertation research and writing.  The Project for Neo-Calvinism at the Theologische Universiteit Kampen invited me as a Guest Researcher and is hosting our stay.  In addition, I am a PhD student at the Vrije Univeriteit in Amsterdam, and will make regular treks to the city for research and meetings.  This trip would not be possible without the generous hospitality of many people both at the TU Kampen and the VU Amsterdam.  It is an honor and privilege to be in the company of such wonderful people in such inspiring places.  It is also exciting to be sharing this experience with another Fuller family.  Clay Cooke is also a Fuller PhD student, and we are both guests here in Kampen and students at the VU.  It's wonderful to hear our kids playing and laughing together in this new place.

As we continue to establish ourselves here (set up residency, navigate the grocery store, figure out cell phones, etc.), the work already begins.  I'm finding my way around the TUK library and scheduling appointments with key faculty mentors.  I'll spend a couple of days at the VU in Amsterdam this week as well, attending the doctoral promotion of a friend and then an accompanying one-day conference on Kuyper.  We're also registering for the language school here in Kampen, and Jackie and I - and maybe Maddie as well - will start Dutch language class next week.

All this change is certainly a bit daunting and overwhelming at times - but we never lose sight of the incredible opportunity that this is.  New people and new places only make life richer.