Bethel Focus                                                                                      A Magazine for Alumni & Friends of Bethel University

A Bethel student finds ministry and more through… A Semester at Sea

by Patty Thomson Many people consider traveling on a cruise ship to be the epitome of a relaxing vacation: great food, exotic ports, and lazy hours in the sun. For Kirsten Lindberg '03, however, ocean travel became another name for college. Lindberg, a Bethel music education major from Gurnee, Ill., spent fall semester 2001 studying world music, biomedical ethics, and nationalism while on board the S.S. Universe Explorer as part of the Semester at Sea program.

"The culture is incredible, the music is great, and the sky diving is awesome."

Administered by the University of Pittsburgh, the unique program allows undergraduate students from colleges and universities throughout the world to earn academic credit and gain cross-cultural experiences while traveling around the globe. Lindberg learned about Semester at Sea while researching study-abroad opportunities. After plowing through stacks of paperwork and enduring an armful of vaccinations, Lindberg was enrolled in the program.

On the trip, 650 students plus faculty, crew, and family members departed from Vancouver on August 31, 2001. Lindberg earned nine credits during her semester at sea, which included a mandatory core class that prepared students to visit various ports by studying geography and world cultures.

The day the world changed

Because of time zone differences, those on the ship learned of the September 11 terrorist attacks the next day. Classes were cancelled and passengers gathered to receive news of the event. While there was no TV on board, the ship had Internet and phone connection by satellite, which allowed faxes to be received.

At a community meeting held on September 12, Lindberg led the nearly 1,000 people on board in prayer. "I'm not much of a public prayer person…but I really felt God was leading me to get up there and pray," she said, calling the opportunity to pray publicly in a secular environment "a God thing." She also participated in a Christian fellowship group that had as many as 80 people gathering for Bible studies.

The world for a classroom

During the 100-day trip, the group visited ports in Japan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore, India, the Seychelles islands, South Africa, Brazil, and Cuba.

Their stop in South Africa was Lindberg's favorite part of the trip. "The culture is incredible, the music is great, and the sky diving is awesome," she noted. While there she visited the prison where Nelson Mandela, former South African president, was imprisoned for almost 30 years before the dismantling of apartheid.

When the boat docked in Cuba, Lindberg and other Semester at Sea students enjoyed spicy food and a salsa band at a special party hosted by the Communist party with Fidel Castro in attendance. She theorizes that the Cubans' warm reception was politically motivated and an attempt to use students to convince the U.S. to lift its trade embargo against Cuba.

But along with the pleasant times, Lindberg also learned serious lessons about life. For instance, viewing poverty and hunger firsthand forced her out of her "comfort zone," she said.

"It was hard being in some countries, especially Vietnam and India. They are so impoverished. I saw kids begging, and parents using their kids [to beg]. They would hold up a baby to show [us] how they needed money. We'd go back to sleep on a nice boat while those people had nothing."

At an Indian orphanage founded by Mother Teresa, Lindberg played with the children. "Poverty is a big issue, but kids are the same all over the world," she noted. "I now look at money a lot differently." In Vietnam, she was reminded that the wounds left by the war still fester.

Back on solid ground

On December 9, 2001, Lindberg returned to Miami, with 25 rolls of film and memories of 100 unforgettable days. In hindsight, she believes coming from the "Bethel bubble" equipped her well for the secular academic environment she found on board. While enrolled in the Semester at Sea program she had many occasions to share her faith with fellow travelers. Lindberg came back with a new appreciation for the Christian environment Bethel offers and the opportunity it provides for learning more about her faith.

Would she recommend the Semester at Sea program to others?

"In a heartbeat. You have to have an open mind because you are exposed to a lot of things that could shake you," Lindberg noted. "But any kid with a sense of adventure would love it. . . . It was awesome."

For more information about Semester at Sea and other off-campus study options, contact the Office of Off-Campus Programs at Bethel College at ois@bethel.edu or 651-638-6549.