Trains (and one car) brought eight of our group back from service locations to Jena on Friday. On Saturday morning, the three who had been working at Siloah also returned. (They stayed a bit longer to help Siloah put itself back together after the 1,100-tent retreat that ended there on Friday.) In the afternoon we got together to begin processing some of our experiences with each other. After a bit of singing, we began talking about challenges and triumphs, surprises and moments for which we were thankful. Each student shared about his or her project. Several wrote in-depth histories of their service institutions. Other topics included the German tax system, trends in popular and religious music, secondary education, a look at the future of an economically-depressed village, meaning of worship, and the heritage of the Trabant, the East German automobile. The projects provided a springboard for more general discussion about what we have learned about German culture and our places in relation to German and American cultures.

After several hours of talking, and getting our SST badges of honor, we hiked up to the Wilhelmshöhe. That elevation provides a splendid overlook of the Jenzig (one of Jena’s best-known hills) and the town itself. About a month ago, Goshen College paid for the renovation of two park benches at this overlook, adding small plaques thanking host families and local coworkers who have assisted GC since the first Jena SST unit in 1985. Although there were just 11 students in this unit—the last scheduled to come to Jena—a total of more than 350 GC students have come here in 18 units. We are glad that Jena now has a spot where GC’s gratitude for this collaboration is visible.

After visiting Jena’s lofty heights, we descended again to where the Saale River flows for a bit of ice cream. (Parents and friends can consult the next blog entry to guess which treat was ordered by which student.) Sunday we are spending with families and revisiting favorite spots in Jena. On Monday we meet again as a group—looking ahead to our return home and for a final group meal. Monday evening we climb on a bus that we hope will lull us into a few hours of rest before our flight home from Frankfurt on Tuesday morning. We will miss those we have learned to know here, but are also already anticipating reunions with family and friends back home.