Introduction

Hi. This is Kjersten, one of the two non-Wartburg students on this Icelandic expedition. I’m currently a second year MDiv student at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. The common response I got from most of my classmates when they found out I was going to Iceland for J-Term was, “how are you doing that?” The ELCA seminaries let you cross-enroll at any of the seven schools for J-Term. I am excited to be taking advantage of this opportunity to travel and spend some time with students from another seminary as well as learn more about another culture. The second most common response was, “isn’t January the wrong time to visit Iceland?” My response to that was, well, it will be quite dark. But I’ve done a winter in Chicago already, and compared to the sub-zero temperatures I faced last J-Term, the projected temperature in the 20s in Iceland for next week sound positively balmy. And I don’t think I saw the sun in Chicago last winter, so now it won’t even be tempting me.

A little bit about myself. I am originally from California, but since graduating high school have kind of lived all over. I come to Chicago most recently from Washington, DC, where I worked at a shelter for homeless and low-income women. I loved the work I did, and that work really shaped how I see my future in ministry. I am really interested in how the church and society meet, especially in an urban context. My focus question for this trip is to learn what role religion in general and the Lutheran church in particular play in the life of the people of Iceland. I am a very active person. I like to run, ride my bicycle, take long walks, and swim in Lake Michigan (during the one month after school starts when it’s still warm enough to do that). I also love to cook and am interested in seasonal and local foods. And in the winter my favorite activity is to curl up in a comfy chair with a cup of coffee and a good book.

Peace,
Kjersten