And I'd like to take a minute
Just sit right there
I'll tell you how I became .... well not the prince of Bel Air.
{1}
Before we met, Stephen and I both desired to see the world. Early in our dating relationship, we discussed "hypothetically" moving abroad together for school. We investigated many graduate programs internationally, looking for the perfect "dream" school. Quickly, we discovered the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), and were sucked in by it's magic. I was drawn to one research group in particular, the IRIS Lab, who specialized in medical nano-robotics. It was the perfect school for us, but then again - this was all a pipe dream. We weren't even married.
Stephen and I continued to work hard in school and research. Stephen was working for a professor on dialectric spectroscopy of proteins (aka what do proteins do in an electric field). I worked with a professor on Sodium MRI for breast cancer research.
Fast forward a year, Stephen and I are newlyweds. I am flipping through IEEE Spectrum (aka the electrical engineer's cool stuff magazine) when an article called "
Magnetic Mircobots to Fight Cancer" piqued my interest. Reading through this article, I learned that there were 6 groups in the world performing nano-robotic surgery. One of the leading groups was using MRI to guide the nanobots through the body. I then recognized that this group happened to be the IRIS Lab at ETH. What the what??!! I literally shouted for joy. Not only was I in exactly the right research field for where I wanted to go with my career, but my dream path was being created at the school that I wanted to attend with the professor and research group that I was most interested in.
At the end of that semester, a professor asked us to switch our senior project to the light dresses. The Ballroom Dance Company was going to Europe in the spring and needed engineers to join them. Unfortunately, I was registered for a class in the spring that was a requirement for graduation, and there was no wiggle room. I was incredibly bummed. A few days later, I was walking with another professor and he mentioned I could get credit during spring term for going on tour. WHAT?! You mean I can work on the light dresses over spring term (which I will have to do anyway) and go to Europe, AND get credit? Done. Decision made. I could move my schedule around and still have the required credits to graduate.
The following semester we worked insane hours on the light dresses preparing for tour. And we kept up classwork, callings, club responsibilities, research, and ambassador presentations. We'll just say it was a crazy busy semester.
We learned that we would be touring in Switzerland, and that we would have a morning to explore Zurich. Perfect, we can visit the University! We had been communicating with an American graduate student in the IRIS Lab, and planned to meet him while in Zurich.
The light dresses almost didn't make it, but through a series of miracles they worked flawlessly! Tour was a success, and we had a fun time. Zurich was perfect. ETH was perfect. We tried not get our hopes up too much.
{6}
That fall we submitted our applications for graduate school, crossed our fingers, and prayed.
{7}
In March, we received the news that we were accepted to ETH and I would be working in the IRIS Lab. As it turns out, ETH was the only university (aside from BYU) to accept both Stephen and I. Coincidence, I think not.
{8}
Our visa applications were supposed to take 8-10 weeks to get approved. We were approved in 4.
{9}
Zurich housing is a nightmare. A zillion applicants, crazy amounts of documentation, last minute showings, and a requirement to meet in person. It would be next to impossible to secure an apartment before arriving - even if we flew to Zurich beforehand. We had tried. Hundreds of emails sent and phone calls made. We accepted the fact that we would likely be living in a hostel for a month while securing our own housing. And then there is the whole CRAZY EXPENSIVE part.
Well... this week we signed a contract for an apartment.
We know the Lord is working in our lives.
It is so obvious to us.
We don't know what the future holds,
but we are excited for the adventure
and can't wait to be the Lord's hands in Switzerland.
