If you spend enough time on airplanes, like I do, you might find your interest piqued by air travel articles. Several months ago, I read an article in USA Today reporting on a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study concluded that the 11 people nearest to a person on an airplane with a respiratory virus have an 80 percent or more chance of catching it (beyond that area, the chance of contagion plummets to just 3 percent). Now that’s comforting! Look two seats to the left, two seats to the right, and the row in front and behind you. That’s who you need to know (or at least whose health status you need to know).

For decades at Luther’s off-campus programs in Nottingham and Malta, it’s clear who our students and onsite faculty directors need to know. The college has been blessed to have Dave and Kate Juggins in Nottingham and Maria Mercieca in Malta as our nearest—and dearest—contacts. It is, perhaps, the program directors we send each year who benefit most from knowing them; their dedication to Luther and our programs is infectious. Here, our current Nottingham and Malta directors introduce us to these caretakers.

—Jon Lund, executive director, Center for Global Learning and International Admissions

Nottingham’s best friends: The Juggins family

People might assume that directing Luther’s Nottingham Program isn’t a dramatic change from life in the States. Brits, after all, speak English. Let’s make that British English. Throw in a semidetached house in a city of 850,000, grocery shopping for juniors whose flat is around the corner, and trying to convince a British bank to issue a Luther debit card in your name. Because the yearlong job is a concoction of cultural differences and puzzling situations, program directors need interpreters.

Since 1987, Kate and David Juggins have been Luther’s loyal next-door neighbors. The pair, who grew up in the neighborhood, are treasure troves of historical knowledge about the program and daily life tips. 

Where to buy a reliable vacuum cleaner (John Lewis). How stressed to get about Brexit chaos and potential fresh produce shortages (relax). Correct pronunciation of house-trip destinations. Not to mention “where to get a decent haircut,” laughs David, who had a 30-year career as a welfare fraud investigator for the UK government and knows the code to silence rogue fire alarms in the student flat.

The Nottingham Program started in 1972 and is in its 47th year, and Kate and David have lived next door for 32 of them. Soon after new directors arrive in June, the Juggins duo knocks on the front door and, according to David, say, “We’re your neighbors. If you want help, we’re here.” 

“We are a library of decisions and outcomes for the directors,” says Kate, a self-employed psychotherapist. “We know the flow and pattern of the year. At some point, there will be a crisis of some kind, whether small, like a student pushing the boundaries, to having major issues, like a death in the family.” She adds, “The sooner new directors are confident with the cultural differences, the sooner their students will be more engaged with life in the UK.”

The Juggins’ lives contain a pattern of getting to know and letting go, then restarting the cultural-exchange cycle. Kate says, “From the middle of May, I’m in a phase of having to let go of somebody that I’ve come to care about very much.” They have traveled to the Midwest six times, including to receive a Spirit of Luther Award in 2008, “to see old friends, often deep relationships,” says David.

So why has this British family generously interacted with decades of Luther families and students?

“We do it because we care,” says Kate.

—Rachel Faldet, assistant professor of English and 2019 Nottingham Program codirector

Maria Mercieca: A consummate host

In the fall of 1992, a young Maltese woman, Maria Mercieca, rented an apartment to Luther College faculty member John Moeller, who, along with his wife Lindy, was leading Luther’s Malta and the Mediterranean Program. The Moellers found Maria’s flat through a referral from a local Maltese contact, and that reference proved to be the beginning of a beautiful friendship between Maria and the Luther community. Although Maria had no prior relationship with Luther College, she quickly transitioned from landlord to caretaker, host, and friend, thanks to her abiding belief in the importance of service and caring for others.

Today, Luther rents three apartments from Maria each spring for Malta Program leaders and students. The tiny island of Malta is less than half the size of Winneshiek County but has a growing population of 450,000. Maria helps the Luther group navigate life in this densely populated country, which is packed with fascinating historical sites and breathtaking scenery. Articulate, charming, and upbeat, Maria is quick to offer a thoughtful compliment, a solution to a problem, or advice about life in Malta.

Maria feels a deep connection to Luther faculty and students, and she has come to feel like she is part of the program. “It feels like I know the group before they arrive,” says Maria. “When I hear them talk about Decorah, it reminds me of Malta. The values and supportive community are what I love about Malta, and I think you have that in Decorah as well,” she says.

Maria’s gregarious charm and caregiving skills are also reflected in her professional life and volunteer activities. She spent most of her career working in banking, both in client services and in customer care departments. Recently retired, Maria volunteers for her church in several capacities.

It’s been more than 25 years since the Moeller family led the Malta Program, and the island has seen many changes over that time. Gone are the lampuki vendors who used to walk through neighborhood streets selling freshly caught fish. In 2011, the brightly colored traditional Maltese buses were replaced by a fleet of air-conditioned, handicapped-accessible vehicles. Construction projects proliferate, and more and more cars compete for precious parking spots. Amid this swirl of developments, Maria’s warmth and hospitality have served as a grounding presence for Luther faculty and students. Luther visitors know that Maria will offer a generous welcome to this enchanting country, and she will do it with a twinkle in her eye. Thank you for your many years of support, Maria!

—Jennifer Self, off-campus programs advisor and 2018–19 Malta codirector