Sarah DeHoog
Major: Undecided
Grew up in: Raised in Tunis, Tunisia and Marseille, France
Nationality: American
Parents: Pastor and Pastor's wife
High School: Pierre Mendès France in Tunis, Tunisia; Lycée Thiers in Marseille, France
The first question that I have to answer when I meet people is often: “Where are you from?” As I do not look much different than many others at Calvin, this might seem to be a simple question to the passing observer, but the answer always surprises people: I don't really know where I am from. I grew up in both Tunisia (North Africa) and France , I am actually Canadian-American in nationality, and TCK (Third Culture Kid) in culture.
I spent most of my life in Tunisia , attending an Arabic and then a French school there. I loved living surrounded by different cultures, languages, and nationalities. My dad was the Pastor of one of the two French speaking protestant churches in Tunisia , and our home was open to a constant stream of visitors. When I was sixteen, we moved to Marseilles . France was different and challenging; I attended a secular French high school where there were few Christians, was immersed in a new culture and had to make new friends.
When it came time to start looking for a college, I decided that I wanted to attend a Christian school. Key factors in choosing Calvin were the possibility for an academic challenge, the wide variety of majors (which I am thankful for as I do not know what I will be studying), the emphasis placed on the international community here, and the proximity to my mom's family.
I had never lived in North America for an extended period of time before coming to Calvin and I thought that the adjustment to life in the US would be difficult, but fast. Instead, I have found that it is a constant adjustment and that I am still getting used to American culture and the way of life. Because of this continual adjustment, it has been important for me that I have felt included by Calvin's strong international community: this close network of friends has provided a good support system for me as I adjust to North American life. This community includes over 300 international students and nearly 100 TCKs.
I arrived at Calvin convinced that I wanted to study Elementary Education because I wanted to be able to help developing countries improve their education systems. This summer I was able to work with kids in a variety of situations, and I found out that though I love kids, I do not like to teach large groups, and thus do not really want to study to be a teacher. I now have to choose a major once again, and am glad for the academic diversity of majors available as well as the broad academic exposure I received through the core curriculum. I have learned in the last year that the major you study is not as important as learning to think and write, and also that life is a walk of faith where you must trust God to light up the next step.
I've kept quite busy here at Calvin: academics first of all, then hanging out with friends, working here at the Admissions office, and being part of the leadership of Mu Kappa, an MK (Missionary Kid) and TCK student organization. There are many opportunities to get involved spiritually with Bible Studies and other groups. As a sophomore, this is my second year living in the dorms, and what I like the most about it is the possibility to chat and hang out with 39 other girls at any time of the day (or night). I live on the Mosaic floor, a special community designed for people who emphasize culture and learning from each other. I love that through this floor, I interact with people who are TCKs like me, as well as Americans, American minorities, and International students.
Calvin also has a number of programs to participate in. Last summer I couldn't go home, so instead I went to Colorado to work at a YMCA there with the Leadership Challenge Institute. We worked full-time, but we also had Calvin professors come and give lectures on leadership topics every week. I really enjoyed being challenged in how I think about leadership, as well as get to work in a craft shop all summer! This year I am also participating in the McGregor Scholars Program, an honor's program for select sophomores, and have appreciated the intellectual challenge it has presented.
As for some odd facts about me, my favorite hobbies are reading, painting, and other various crafts; I love having deep conversations with my friends and parents; I have two younger brothers; and finally, I would love to hear from you at intladm@calvin.edu –just make sure to put my name in the subject line!