Why Austria?

“Why Austria” is a question I’ve been asked by many a friend and family member. No, I am not going to the “land down under”, but the small alpine country wedged between Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. The town I will be living in is called Schladming, and is about an hour south of Salzburg. 

I first heard of Torchbearers International 5 years ago when I was a Junior in high school. It sounded like a once in a lifetime experience – to spend a year studying the Bible, involved in ministry & a Christian community, all while experiencing living abroad! At the time, I had started my first year of college, so I decided to commit to finish my degree and pocket the idea until graduation. 

Near the end of my senior year of college, I landed an internship that led to a full time job, right before the pandemic hit. I was in a great spot in life starting my career, and was quite comfortable with my life plan to get married and keep my 9-5 job. Plus, international travel was quite unrealistic. Aside from the pandemic, everything in my life was going perfectly as I had planned. 

However, sometimes our little plans aren’t always part of God’s grand plan. Instead of surrendering my life to God, I had been holding tightly to my own plan. In May 2021, I suddenly found myself single, unemployed, and without a plan. Throughout the course of the past year, God has taught me the importance of holding everything in my life with an open hand. When we cling too tightly to earthly things, we start to loose sight of God’s purpose for our lives. 

Something else happened in May 2021. Europe started to open back up to international travel. Isn’t God’s timing perfect? I began to pray and reconsider attending a Torchbearers School. As I was looking though the schools, the program Austria immediately stood out to me. I love the mountains, skiing, hiking, and have always wanted to visit the alps. 

After more prayer and consideration, I applied for Tauernhof’s Fall & Spring terms. Over the Winter, I will involved in ministry on their staff. I will share more details behind what exactly these programs entail in the coming weeks. 

Photo above: Planai in Schladming, Austria. A sneak-peak of my first day exploring the mountain with fellow students.