December 01, 2004
VOLUME 100, No. 13

Campus News

WSC grad finds 'goodness' in humanity

By Jonna Huseman
Design Editor

“The treasure chest is now in here,” Dean Jacobs, a 1986 Wayne State graduate said, pointing to his heart.
The treasures that this Fremont native refers to are the memories, friendships and experiences he gained from a journey that took him through 28 countries--including Israel, Syria, Jordan and India--in more than 22 months.
“I went looking for the goodness in humanity and that’s what I found,” Jacobs said.
Jacobs returned to campus to share his story and his self-published book, “Wondrous Journey,” with students.
To embark on his journey, Jacobs quit his well-paying job with Pfizer pharmaceutical company and sold his San Diego home, using the profits to finance his trip. Living on $10-$15 per day, Jacobs often slept in hostels (public barracks) but says his financial situation gave him interesting insight on the world.
Although Jacobs started his trip in the Cook Islands, Fiji, New Zealand and Australia, he eventually ventured into third-world countries where poverty is high and income is low.
“It did cross my mind that I was rich. Sometimes I felt like Bill Gates, because to them [people of the world,] I probably was. I was spending more on this trip than some of them would earn in their life.”
While Jacobs told stories of friendship and adventure, a common thread was to be found throughout his travels.
“I had to learn humility,” Jacobs said. “I would have experiences where people would insist on feeding me, taking care of me or giving me gifts of value when they had so little. Humility really got burned into my soul and I talk about it often.”
Although Jacobs says he does not have a favorite country, the places he liked the most were those where the culture of the country is embraced by its people. One such example comes from the Hindus of India, where it is believed that daily bathing in the Ganges River will cleanse the soul.
“In the early morning light as the sun rises, Hindus line the bank of the Mother Ganges, performing the ritual bathing,” Jacobs wrote. “It is a sight like no other, with the red glow of the morning sun shining on thousands of bathers.”
Jacobs ended his two-year journey in Paris, but says the journey of his life is not yet complete. He is presently traveling around Nebraska for book signings and interviews, and is making preparations for marriage.
Since his return of the 28-country journey, Jacobs has traveled to South America, visiting eleven countries as well as the Amazon River. For future travels, Jacobs says he would like to visit remaining countries in South America, ride the Trans-Siberian railroad across Russia, Mongolia and China, and visit New Guinea, Tibet and Burma.
“Traveling is important to me because…we have a responsibility to know and understand whose lives we are impacting,” Jacobs said. “There is also the great benefit of relationships you create. The real gems for me are the discoveries you make about yourself.”
Jacobs will be featured on the LCC-TV program “Picturing Life in Lincoln,” which is aired Wednesdays at 9 a.m., Thursdays at 10:30 p.m. and Sundays at 8 p.m. An interview by Channel 7 News in Omaha will air Dec. 1 at 11:30 a.m. Book signings will take place Dec. 3 in West Point and Lincoln; Dec. 4, 11 and 17-18 in Fremont; and Dec. 10 in Omaha. More details can be found in the news briefs section of the Wayne Stater or at www.travel4life.org.

Faculty member reflects on European trip

By Katrina Nissen
Staff Writer

Beautiful scenery, ornate cathedrals, fine dining and ancient ruins--all appear in many people’s dream vacations.
On her recent trip to Europe, Dorothy Weber, director of the WSC Learning Center, got to experience all of this and more, while enjoying the company of two of her sons and her daughter-in-law.
Weber and her oldest son, Corey, from Omaha, departed for their eight-day getaway on Oct. 21 and met up with her youngest son, Reid, and his wife, Katie Deardoff Weber, in Vienna, Austria.
Reid, a 2003 WSC graduate, is teaching history and English in a bilingual Christian high school in Tisovec, Slovakia. Katie works at the same school, teaching English, social studies and religion. This is their second year in Slovakia and Dorothy’s first trip to see them.
While in Vienna, the Webers toured museums of art and military history. Then they took a bus to Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, where they climbed through castle ruins and toured preserved castles. During their time in the city they also enjoyed the cuisine and shopping.
Before leaving Europe, Dorothy and her family also visited Rome. Here, they sampled numerous types of Italian cuisine and visited such famous sites as the Forum and the Basilica.
After touring Rome, the Webers returned to Vienna by train, zipping along the south side of the Alps. This trip was especially beautiful.
“The numerous castles nestled among the mountains and flanked with the many deciduous trees and their fall colors highlighted the trip,” Dorothy said.
She also noted that she was surprised at the amount of walking she had to do while in Europe.
“We climbed 350 steps to the top of the Basilica,” she said. She did add, however, that one of the highlights of her trip was being escorted up those steps on the arms of her sons.
Of all the people and places that she saw, Dorothy said that, besides her family, her favorite was the Forum, because of “the levels of history and humanity” there.
Dorothy and Corey returned to the U.S. on Oct. 29; Reid and Katie will finish the school year in Slovakia and return to the states in July. They plan to start graduate school in fall 2005.
“He (Reid) feels very fortunate to have studied history at WSC, as well as to have had the opportunity to study for a semester abroad in the Czech Republic and Greece,” Dorothy said.