By Dr. Seana Sundermeyer
The sound of packing tape stretching over packed boxes. The aroma of cleaning spray washing over newly emptied spaces. The feeling of butterflies in my tummy anticipating new changes to come. These vivid images and memories represent a big part of my life growing up and are now signature points of my current life. They represent seasons of change…the season of moving.
I have never been a stranger to acclimating to new places, new people, and new schools. As a military kid, there was always a season of adjusting to our newly assigned places. I usually had to go through some kind of process of overcoming my shyness at each new school—I was always the quiet kid who really did not want any of the spotlight. Navigating full hallways, worrying over how to open my new locker, discerning possible new friends, and correcting the pronunciation of my name usually filled that first chapter of “new kid” acclimation.
“Is See-Ann-Ah here?” the teacher asked. Inside, I cringed.
“It’s actually Shawna,” I would say with a smile, although inside I longed for someone to pronounce it correctly on the first try! The teacher would look at me apologetically, but I assured them it was ok. It was a part of the acclimating process.
Making new friends in each location was always a process as well. In every new place, everyone seemed to do things in different ways. It was like I had to take some time to step back and observe the new customs of the region. Why are they all wearing straight-legged jeans? Oh, I guess that is what they prefer here! What in the world is knoephla soup? Oh…that is what it is!! [It’s pretty good, by the way!!] Learning the lingo took some time and practice…but in my chameleon-like approach, I settled into
communicating more effectively—becoming less of a tourist or foreigner and more of “one of the locals.” And in the life of the military, it is in that moment when one just gets used to all the new ways, settling into this very rhythm, that new orders arrive and one must muster up the strength to start the process all over again. Here we go!
God has used those seasons of acclimation for my adult life as a military spouse. Those ever-changing seasons definitely prepared me for the ebb and flow of moving, acclimating, and doing it all over again every couple of years. However, there is a depth of understanding now present in each chapter of transition. God has equipped me with a recognition of others—finding the beauty in so many different people in various parts of the world. In each place, we have seen His presence—within the kindness of our neighbors, the friendships of our local church, and the experiences of seeing different facets of His creation. In the process of acclimating, He has created a space of seeing people, remembering people, and spending time with people.
It is also in those moments that God reminds me of how He knows me! “O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.” [Psalm 139:1-3]. How wonderful to be known by Him, seen by Him, and chosen by Him! There is great comfort in this truth!
As a teacher at NorthStar, this deep understanding of others is also affirmed in the conversations I have with students and families. What a beautiful tapestry of families we have represented within our community! In each conversation I have with students and families, inevitably, the question of, “So, where are you from?” bubbles out. For some, this is an easy answer, while others respond with answers indicative of being a TCK [Third Culture Kid]. Their parents may be from one place, they may have been born in a different country, and the family now resides in a completely different country and culture. This reality can make it hard to pinpoint, “So, where do you call home?” I understand this to some extent, thinking back to my patchwork quilt of places I have called home. I know that each place I have lived has contributed different influences that make me who I am today. I love how God has given me these connection times with families to share in stories and in commonality as fellow sojourners in life. We may not know exactly which place to call home…but we do know that we love serving others and being with God’s people…and that certainly feels like home to me!
My prayer within each of these connection times is that students would know that no matter where they live or come from, they are reassured during their times at NorthStar that this is a place they can come to and be warmly welcomed—that they are known, remembered, and valued. Rather than striving to blend in like that chameleon in this school space, they are encouraged to be the vibrant, young people they were created to be—full of stories, experiences, and passions that God Himself has given them. What
freedom there is in that!