Our Viaa colleague, Joanne Lassche, is on an international exchange at the School of Nursing, Azusa Pacific University (APU), California as part of her PhD studies at VID University (Norway). Her PhD research focuses on how nursing students develop competencies in spiritual care. She is in the US until the end of March and reflects on her experiences, both personally and professionally.

“At APU, I’m enhancing my international skills, analyzing student interviews on a self-assessment tool, and immersing myself in an English academic environment. APU’s strong focus on spiritual care in education makes this experience even more valuable for my research. Excited to learn, connect, and grow!”

Week 1: Settling In

“My journey to the U.S. began with a long flight to LAX, where I was warmly welcomed by Dr. Lynne Woods. A taxi driver drove me to my new home, a shared townhouse with three friendly Norwegian housemates, where I was warmly welcomed by Dr. David Dorman. Adjusting to the 9-hour time difference was challenging, but I quickly started exploring my surroundings. I’ve already visited Mount Baldy and witnessed the aftermath of recent wildfires, which was an eye-opening experience.

At APU, I started my work at the School of Nursing, where I have my own office. My mentor, Dr. Aja Lesh, has been incredibly helpful, introducing me to different departments and healthcare settings. The work environment is welcoming and well equipped. Very interesting to see how people continue working well into old age (70, 80).

It’s been a bit tricky to keep in contact with my husband, kids and other family back home due to the time difference with the Netherlands, but my housemates are great company.”

One thing that stands out is how open and friendly Americans are: people strike up conversations everywhere! That comes across as particularly warm, to be honest, and as a Dutch person, I could learn a thing or two from that.”

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Week 2: Finding a Routine

“By the second week, jet lag had finally worn off, and I began settling into a daily rhythm. Mornings start early, followed by a mix of work, around lunch time contact with my family at home,  writing on my research project,  having dinner with my housemates and working a couple of hours again in the evenings. I even found myself a bike in the garage! It’s an old one, and my first ride was quite the adventure: I got a flat tire, but a kind homeless man helped me fix it, and told me to pay it forward. After a proper repair at a bike shop, I was back on the road, though cycling here is very different from back home in the Netherlands. Cars dominate the road and bike lanes are rare, so I have to be careful.

One of the more interesting experiences this week was attending a church service. While I enjoyed the sense of community, I couldn’t help but notice a strong political undertone, which made me a little uncomfortable.

It was a reminder of how different cultural and religious perspectives can be here compared to back home.

The APU campus is massive, and I’m slowly getting used to the different work culture. My daily colleagues of the administration office of the School of Nursing are very friendly and help me with the little everyday challenges in living here. My research is progressing well, though analyzing interviews is intense. Fortunately, my colleagues are eager to help, and the work environment is very supportive.”

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Week 3: Embracing Challenges

“This week, I started feeling more at home. The weather has been mostly warm and sunny, but I did experience a rare rainy day. Locals were bundled up in coats and scarves, calling it “freezing,” while I found it quite refreshing (it was 10-15 degrees Celsius)! My housemates and I took a trip to the Hollywood sign, which was an interesting cultural experience, I almost wandered into a restricted area by accident. A household mishap with our garbage disposal (thanks to an avocado pit) taught us how different American kitchens can be.

One unexpected challenge has been the air pollution, which has affected my lungs. I’ve started checking air quality reports daily before heading outside. Despite this, I’m making progress with my research, though coding interviews is proving to be more time-consuming than expected.

The academic support at APU is excellent, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow here.

It’s been a fascinating few weeks full of new experiences, challenges, and cultural surprises. I’m looking forward to what the next chapter of this adventure will bring!”