The academic year has resumed! Everybody’s back and studying hard (so we hope). Here’s a piece from Olha, one of the CAT students from Ukraine, reflecting on her time home for Christmas vacation and returning back to IBTS and Building G where the CATs reside.
11th of January, 06.00 in G building. I hear a loud noise. “We are the champions!” That’s the boys singing, or rather, screaming. They have just arrived. CATs are gathering after their Christmas vacation…
During my Christmas holidays in Ukraine, I have been asked a lot of questions about my study at IBTS, such as, “Are you going to be a pastor? No? So, why do you need to study theology?” Or, “Who was teaching you English? Phil and Nancy? Are they Ukrainians? Ah they aren’t – so how could you understand them if they don’t speak Ukrainian?” Or, “How is it possible to live in one building with 16 students from different countries and have friendly relationships?” After this last question I’ve realised that community life is the most important part in the CAT programme. It is hard, strange and inconvenient, but it is wonderful, unusual and fun!
So, did I miss my fellow CAT students? Did I miss noisy evenings in Building G, quiet mornings and dead silence in the afternoons after the lessons, when all of us are sleeping? Yes of course!
I missed those unusual mornings when the boys, while brushing their teeth, are trying to explain one another something very important as loudly as possible. I missed our midnight conversations on everlasting topics like love and creation of family!
Here we are, together again for having hard-working days and for having fun too. I hope we can appreciate every minute of the next four-and-a-half months of our unusual, but fun life in Building G!
– Olha