Wednesday, December 14, 2005
This is the end...
So the semester has now come to an end and it has been four months since I was in Germany. It is now time for reflection. I was remembering all the hard work I had done at the beginning of the summer to earn money to go to Europe and how worth it it had all been. I was working sometimes nineteen hour days doing grunge work, like polishing silver or mulching lawns, to earn money for my trip to Europe, but in the end all my hard work was worth it for all of the experiences and lessons learned while abroad. I left for Europe not knowing what to expect, but expecting the time of my life. My trip started off in London with a couple of friends of mine. I remember a feeling of excitement when we heard the announcement that London got the 2012 Olympics. The city was just one big party, but who would have known that the next day tragedy would strike and terrorists would bomb London. I remember having to evacuate a tube station and seeing the panic on everyone’s faces. I remember seeing a mother grabbing her child out of daycare crying not knowing if the rest of her family was safe. I remember finding out Ingrid had been on the train right behind one of the ones that was bombed and being stranded at work not knowing how she was going to get home. I remember the feeling of relief when all of us finally met up at a pub later that night to see all of us were safe. Instead of shutting the town down, like in the United States, Londoners were out at the pubs happy enjoying their friend’s company, happy they were alive and watching the news on tv. The next day I felt very brave along with a few other Londoners riding the tube in complete silence just remembering the tragic events from the day before. Once arriving in Germany, my host family was so wonderful. They were very interested in practicing their English and learning many things about America. My host mom cannot wait to come and visit. I enjoyed having to use the public transportation or walking because it gave you the chance to meet so many unique people. I remember meeting this one Aussie on the back porch of our hostile while in Vienna who had been back packing for three months. He said that in Australia if you have not done a “walk about” it is really hard to find jobs. Just random interesting people like this that teach you something new. I think that we as Americans miss out on a lot of that because we have less daily interaction with people. This is one of the things I really loved about Europe. I also like the fact that everyday something went wrong, whether it be I had to figure out how to order lunch in German or I missed my train and had to find my way through the city on foot. These little mishaps made me think on my toes and do things for myself which was actually very exciting. I also think as Americans our days are very routine and less is left to chance. I liked the excitement of thinking on my toes to get through the day kept me more stimulated and this is the second thing I really miss about Europe. This trip was a lot of firsts for me, first time abroad, first time to drink Alt Beer or a Mohito, first time to eat Turkish or Lebanese food, first time attempted to speak German. I also learned many things from this trip just being more independent to plan our own excursions or exchanging money or getting around strange cities on my own. I think I came back a more well rounded, learned person with many new friends. I was so happy to meet twelve new people who were basically just like me with the same goals and drive as I had. We were lucky that our group enjoyed each other so much. I even go to lunch with or speak with at least half of the group on a daily basis now. All in all, this trip was a trip of a life time and I took back many experiences that I will cherish for a lifetime.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Bundeskanzlerin Merkel
Today was the day! Angela Merkel was elected by the Bundestag today and took up the position of Chancellor, the first woman and the first Ossie (former East German) to assume this role. The election, you will recall, was on September 18 and ended up with the German people giving neither of the main parties a clear majority. Further complicating the picture was the inability of either the SPD or the CDU to form a viable coalition government with their traditional partners (die Grüne for the SPD and the FDP for the CDU). So, after weeks of discussion and political horse-trading, a Grand Coalition was created, a Schwarz-Röt Koalition. Gerhard Schröder heads into retirement (or returns to his law practice) and Frau Dr. Merkel takes the helm.
The compromises involved in forging the Grand Coalition included ceding eight cabinet posts to the SPD including the critical ones of Labor, Foreign Ministry, and Finance along with the “traditional” SPD areas of focus, Health, Environment, and Development. Former SPD party chief, Fritz Müntefering assumes the Vice-Chancellorship as well as heading the Labor department. Müntefering, by the way, shocked his party a couple of weeks ago by bailing from the leadership in the midst of the wrangling over the shape of the Coalition government with the CDU. The new SPD party chief, Matthias Platzek, is, like Merkel, from the former East Germany and is a newcomer to national level governance in Germany. Der Speigel ran a cover article a week or so ago under the banner “Aufbruch Ost”, “The East Awakes” with a reproduction of an old Communist era propaganda poster with a young Soviet man and woman marching forward under the Red Flag, their faces replaced with those of Merkel and Platzek.
Unlike her predecessor, Schröder, Merkel took the oath of office with the traditional “Eidesformel” (oath formulation) including the line “…so wahr mir Gott helfe.”, “..so help me God.”
Now Germany (and the rest of us) are looking ahead to see if the new government can reduce the almost 12% unemployment nation-wide, get Germany’s overall economy back on track and maintain (at some level) the social safety net that Germans’ are accustomed to. One change already planned is a rise in the value added tax (Mehrwehrtsteuer) from 16% to 19%, so expect everything you wish to buy to cost more. The Coalition has also been arguing over an additional income tax on the very wealthy. Will Merkel lead Germany closer to the American position on Iraq and the war on terror? Stay tuned!
Cabinet ministers and their party affiliations:
Merkel Chancellor CDU
Münterfering Vice-Chancellor and Labor SPD
De Mazière Chancellery CDU
Steinmeier Foreign SPD
Schäuble Interior CDU
Zypries Justice SPD
Steinbrück Finance SPD
Glos Economy CDU
Jung Defense CDU
Von de Levin Family CDU
Schmidt Health SPD
Gabriel Environment SPD
Schavan Education CDU
Wieczorek-Zeul Development SPD
Tiefensee Transportation SPD
Seehofer Consumer/Agriculture CDU
The compromises involved in forging the Grand Coalition included ceding eight cabinet posts to the SPD including the critical ones of Labor, Foreign Ministry, and Finance along with the “traditional” SPD areas of focus, Health, Environment, and Development. Former SPD party chief, Fritz Müntefering assumes the Vice-Chancellorship as well as heading the Labor department. Müntefering, by the way, shocked his party a couple of weeks ago by bailing from the leadership in the midst of the wrangling over the shape of the Coalition government with the CDU. The new SPD party chief, Matthias Platzek, is, like Merkel, from the former East Germany and is a newcomer to national level governance in Germany. Der Speigel ran a cover article a week or so ago under the banner “Aufbruch Ost”, “The East Awakes” with a reproduction of an old Communist era propaganda poster with a young Soviet man and woman marching forward under the Red Flag, their faces replaced with those of Merkel and Platzek.
Unlike her predecessor, Schröder, Merkel took the oath of office with the traditional “Eidesformel” (oath formulation) including the line “…so wahr mir Gott helfe.”, “..so help me God.”
Now Germany (and the rest of us) are looking ahead to see if the new government can reduce the almost 12% unemployment nation-wide, get Germany’s overall economy back on track and maintain (at some level) the social safety net that Germans’ are accustomed to. One change already planned is a rise in the value added tax (Mehrwehrtsteuer) from 16% to 19%, so expect everything you wish to buy to cost more. The Coalition has also been arguing over an additional income tax on the very wealthy. Will Merkel lead Germany closer to the American position on Iraq and the war on terror? Stay tuned!
Cabinet ministers and their party affiliations:
Merkel Chancellor CDU
Münterfering Vice-Chancellor and Labor SPD
De Mazière Chancellery CDU
Steinmeier Foreign SPD
Schäuble Interior CDU
Zypries Justice SPD
Steinbrück Finance SPD
Glos Economy CDU
Jung Defense CDU
Von de Levin Family CDU
Schmidt Health SPD
Gabriel Environment SPD
Schavan Education CDU
Wieczorek-Zeul Development SPD
Tiefensee Transportation SPD
Seehofer Consumer/Agriculture CDU
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
So many thoughts to muddle through
I apologize for my entry being late. I was actually afraid to write this final blog entry. Germany was a very personal experience for me which I have found no one really understands. The one person who has a clue is my mother. People, such as my boyfriend, who have never been out of the country have no idea what I am trying to say. Although he tries to understand and listens to my stories he does not understand where I am coming from. Even the people on the trip saw everything differently than I did. I believe the person who understood me the best on the trip was Rebecca because she was also raised outside of the United States. It was great spending the last weekend with her alone in Berlin and being able to see just how much we had in common and how different our thinking was from the rest of the group who were all raised Americans. I am excited that everyone learned so much and grew. I am so glad I went on the trip and I constantly tell people in my BIMS classes that they should go on next years trip. I have already had some people sound interested.
I guess you are wondering what I am talking about when I say my experience was different. I was raised in South Africa as most people know, and I have travelled to Europe with my family multiple times, including Germany. It was actually great seeing things like the Dom in Koeln again and comparing it to what I remember from my previous trip. It turns out my memory is pretty bad. Anyway, that meant that while many people on the trip were just excited to leave the U.S. and feel more independent, I just did not feel that. Although it was my first international trip without my family, and that was a little nerve wrecking at first, knowing the language and having travelled internationally before really made the transition pretty easy for me. I am so impressed at the fact that everyone else handled the trip so well considering they did not speak the language and had not been travelling internationally since they were four.
Since the transition was not so extreme for me, I believe I was open to other lessons. The event that affected me the most was the House of History museum. It is a museum about the history of Germany after WWII. It included the division of Germany and elections and such things. This does not sound very interesting and considering the information was in German, the group was obviously not greatly affected by it. I, however, had to hold back the tears. I realized after a lot of thought that the museum is designed very similarly to the Apartheid museum in South Africa which I visited as part of a mission team to South Africa the previous summer. There were black and white movies, and other structural designs that were the same. Since it covered the same time period from 1940's to 1990's the two museums were eerily similar. While walking through the House of History museum I realized that the evil that people do to each other is not limited by location. I remembered the torture chamber at the Marksburg Castle and realized that pain is also not limited by time. Our history is full of hatred, man against man, war, pain, evil. I just wanted to die and leave this horrible world behind. It reminded me of Paul in the Bible where he says he wishes he would die and be with the Lord, but he accepts his responsibility to remain on earth and spread the good news. I suddenly realized the evil of man. It was completely overwhelming. I just hated being human. It took a really long time to come to terms with these feelings and to finally talk about them. Talking infront of Dr. Wasser's class was actually the first time I had come close to talking out loud about my experience. I almost cried right there and then. Thankfully I was able to talk to my mother that night about it. She was also in South Africa at the Apartheid museum and she understands the idea of people not knowing how you feel. My mother, sister and I were the only non-Americans on the mission trip to South Africa the summer before, and so working in a township, in a place I was not allowed to go as a white girl during Apartheid, was a totally different experience for us. The other team members just came and got to know those people and did not truly understand the political complexities of a segregated nation just ten years before. Seeing how my mother feels about South Africa and its history and noting my own feelings, even though I was only 9 years old when Apartheid officially ended, I understand the feelings of the German people, although only slightly. There is still a stigma with being a white person from South Africa and my sister and I have often been accused of being racist. What did I ever do? I have friends of many different nationalities and I have a hard time when Americans call me racist when Americans require race on every government form.
Realizing the amount of evil in human history and just how selfish, mean and hurtful we really are has finally made me realize the greatness of the gift from God of unconditional love. His gift of Jesus is so much bigger than the evil we can commit and it is something I just cannot understand anymore. Realizing the size of our evil magnifies the size of His grace. If we were lovable creatures, then it makes His gift merely something we deserve. However, realizing just how horrible we are completely changed my understanding of God's grace and love for me and everyone around me.
At Dachau there were three chaples that people could visit after seeing the concentration camp. I am glad they had those there. Dr. Wasser told us about how at the doctors trials in Nuermberg the doctors argued that it was not written anywhere that they could not do what they did. There were not official rules making what they did illegal. I thought about that long and hard and walking around Dachau I kept thinking about the verses about do unto others as you would have them do unto you (yes, this is actually a verse in the Bible) and love your neighbor as yourself. I believe that that is how we can know right from wrong. If the Nazi's were willing to change places with their prisoners then they were treating them with love. I believe that is how we all know that what they did was wrong. There may not have been written rules but there is definately a distinction between treating people correctly and incorrectly and I believe the test of switching places is the way to see if you have crossed that line.
Did I realize some terrible things on this trip? Yes, but do I regret it, absolutely not. The trip was wonderful, I saw many beautiful things, had amazing trips, have wonderful memories. I am so glad it worked out. I know this entry was about the bad, but it just exemplifies the good in this world. I know people do not really understand the experiences I had in Germany, but I am glad I had them, and I hope everyone else can some day realize the things I have realized. It is a very powerful thing that changes how I see the world around me. Thank you Dr. Wasser for doing this trip.
I guess you are wondering what I am talking about when I say my experience was different. I was raised in South Africa as most people know, and I have travelled to Europe with my family multiple times, including Germany. It was actually great seeing things like the Dom in Koeln again and comparing it to what I remember from my previous trip. It turns out my memory is pretty bad. Anyway, that meant that while many people on the trip were just excited to leave the U.S. and feel more independent, I just did not feel that. Although it was my first international trip without my family, and that was a little nerve wrecking at first, knowing the language and having travelled internationally before really made the transition pretty easy for me. I am so impressed at the fact that everyone else handled the trip so well considering they did not speak the language and had not been travelling internationally since they were four.
Since the transition was not so extreme for me, I believe I was open to other lessons. The event that affected me the most was the House of History museum. It is a museum about the history of Germany after WWII. It included the division of Germany and elections and such things. This does not sound very interesting and considering the information was in German, the group was obviously not greatly affected by it. I, however, had to hold back the tears. I realized after a lot of thought that the museum is designed very similarly to the Apartheid museum in South Africa which I visited as part of a mission team to South Africa the previous summer. There were black and white movies, and other structural designs that were the same. Since it covered the same time period from 1940's to 1990's the two museums were eerily similar. While walking through the House of History museum I realized that the evil that people do to each other is not limited by location. I remembered the torture chamber at the Marksburg Castle and realized that pain is also not limited by time. Our history is full of hatred, man against man, war, pain, evil. I just wanted to die and leave this horrible world behind. It reminded me of Paul in the Bible where he says he wishes he would die and be with the Lord, but he accepts his responsibility to remain on earth and spread the good news. I suddenly realized the evil of man. It was completely overwhelming. I just hated being human. It took a really long time to come to terms with these feelings and to finally talk about them. Talking infront of Dr. Wasser's class was actually the first time I had come close to talking out loud about my experience. I almost cried right there and then. Thankfully I was able to talk to my mother that night about it. She was also in South Africa at the Apartheid museum and she understands the idea of people not knowing how you feel. My mother, sister and I were the only non-Americans on the mission trip to South Africa the summer before, and so working in a township, in a place I was not allowed to go as a white girl during Apartheid, was a totally different experience for us. The other team members just came and got to know those people and did not truly understand the political complexities of a segregated nation just ten years before. Seeing how my mother feels about South Africa and its history and noting my own feelings, even though I was only 9 years old when Apartheid officially ended, I understand the feelings of the German people, although only slightly. There is still a stigma with being a white person from South Africa and my sister and I have often been accused of being racist. What did I ever do? I have friends of many different nationalities and I have a hard time when Americans call me racist when Americans require race on every government form.
Realizing the amount of evil in human history and just how selfish, mean and hurtful we really are has finally made me realize the greatness of the gift from God of unconditional love. His gift of Jesus is so much bigger than the evil we can commit and it is something I just cannot understand anymore. Realizing the size of our evil magnifies the size of His grace. If we were lovable creatures, then it makes His gift merely something we deserve. However, realizing just how horrible we are completely changed my understanding of God's grace and love for me and everyone around me.
At Dachau there were three chaples that people could visit after seeing the concentration camp. I am glad they had those there. Dr. Wasser told us about how at the doctors trials in Nuermberg the doctors argued that it was not written anywhere that they could not do what they did. There were not official rules making what they did illegal. I thought about that long and hard and walking around Dachau I kept thinking about the verses about do unto others as you would have them do unto you (yes, this is actually a verse in the Bible) and love your neighbor as yourself. I believe that that is how we can know right from wrong. If the Nazi's were willing to change places with their prisoners then they were treating them with love. I believe that is how we all know that what they did was wrong. There may not have been written rules but there is definately a distinction between treating people correctly and incorrectly and I believe the test of switching places is the way to see if you have crossed that line.
Did I realize some terrible things on this trip? Yes, but do I regret it, absolutely not. The trip was wonderful, I saw many beautiful things, had amazing trips, have wonderful memories. I am so glad it worked out. I know this entry was about the bad, but it just exemplifies the good in this world. I know people do not really understand the experiences I had in Germany, but I am glad I had them, and I hope everyone else can some day realize the things I have realized. It is a very powerful thing that changes how I see the world around me. Thank you Dr. Wasser for doing this trip.
Monday, October 31, 2005
Time to gather my thoughts
Well after FINALLY being done with the "serious" tests for a while, even though I have a physics exam tomorrow I can at last sit down and share my thoughts on how the study abroad impacted my life.
Initially I was more than ready to go, but I was extremely nervous because I had never really traveled on my own before, not to mention by airplane. That was the first barrier for me to overcome, though my flight went over fine and I had no problems with it. I've been riding theme park rides since I was about 4 so nothing can really phase me in that aspect anymore. Luckily I had Heather there so I at least had one other person to talk to and feel more at ease with. I really didnt have any idea what to do in the airport so she helped out a lot. Once we finally reached Germany I was greeted by my host sister, who was as nice as can be to me and treated me like one of the family. I had a variety of expectations for this trip and it definitely surpassed each and every one of them in more ways than one. It definitely opened my eyes as to just how "in the dark" the majority of Americans are to world events, and especially about language. I met multiple people who could speak 3 or more languages and I was stuck there saying "Well I know a few phrases in Czech." It really made me want to go out and start learning more, and I've even gotten my grandmother to try to teach me more Czechoslovakian, though it is not necessarily the easiest language to catch onto. There are two things that had the biggest impact on me. The first is whenever we were going around on all of our various tours and trips, I got to actually see and stand right where so many important events of the past had occurred; ranging from standing on the spot where Hitler gave his speeches at the Zeppelin field, to the Berlin Wall, and the world famous Louvre museum. Whenever you read about things in history books you just kind of let it go in one ear and out the other and think, "Oh it's just some dumb facts about some place that doesn't really affect me," but when you actually are at the precise places where these things happen and hear from people who lived through them it really leaves an impression in your mind which will stay with me for the rest of my life. The second thing is that I learned throughout the trip that I can let boundaries down and allow myself to be fully submersed into a culture totally unknown to me and get along fine, as well as to not feel that I ALWAYS have to be the ultimate responsible adult watching after everyone else. (Thanks Shannon and Erik) I never really let myself have too much fun before, because I felt like I had an underlying responsibility for everyone else in my group so I couldn't just let loose and totally relax, but now I know otherwise.
In all my time in Duesseldorf is an experience I never thought I would get to enjoy and will NEVER be forgotten. This trip has strengthened my determination to follow my dream of going to vet school as well as made me a stronger person overall and it will influence how I go about things for the rest of my life
Initially I was more than ready to go, but I was extremely nervous because I had never really traveled on my own before, not to mention by airplane. That was the first barrier for me to overcome, though my flight went over fine and I had no problems with it. I've been riding theme park rides since I was about 4 so nothing can really phase me in that aspect anymore. Luckily I had Heather there so I at least had one other person to talk to and feel more at ease with. I really didnt have any idea what to do in the airport so she helped out a lot. Once we finally reached Germany I was greeted by my host sister, who was as nice as can be to me and treated me like one of the family. I had a variety of expectations for this trip and it definitely surpassed each and every one of them in more ways than one. It definitely opened my eyes as to just how "in the dark" the majority of Americans are to world events, and especially about language. I met multiple people who could speak 3 or more languages and I was stuck there saying "Well I know a few phrases in Czech." It really made me want to go out and start learning more, and I've even gotten my grandmother to try to teach me more Czechoslovakian, though it is not necessarily the easiest language to catch onto. There are two things that had the biggest impact on me. The first is whenever we were going around on all of our various tours and trips, I got to actually see and stand right where so many important events of the past had occurred; ranging from standing on the spot where Hitler gave his speeches at the Zeppelin field, to the Berlin Wall, and the world famous Louvre museum. Whenever you read about things in history books you just kind of let it go in one ear and out the other and think, "Oh it's just some dumb facts about some place that doesn't really affect me," but when you actually are at the precise places where these things happen and hear from people who lived through them it really leaves an impression in your mind which will stay with me for the rest of my life. The second thing is that I learned throughout the trip that I can let boundaries down and allow myself to be fully submersed into a culture totally unknown to me and get along fine, as well as to not feel that I ALWAYS have to be the ultimate responsible adult watching after everyone else. (Thanks Shannon and Erik) I never really let myself have too much fun before, because I felt like I had an underlying responsibility for everyone else in my group so I couldn't just let loose and totally relax, but now I know otherwise.
In all my time in Duesseldorf is an experience I never thought I would get to enjoy and will NEVER be forgotten. This trip has strengthened my determination to follow my dream of going to vet school as well as made me a stronger person overall and it will influence how I go about things for the rest of my life
Q & A
Houston Intercontinental Airport can be one of the scariest places on earth. Knowing that there is no turning back on what can be considered a journey of a lifetime, induces an uneasiness in my stomach. The funny feeling in my stomach is hard to explain. I believe it is a combination of fear, nervousness, and extreme excitement. As I wait for my departure time, my head is filled with thoughts comparing my old home to what I think my new home will be like. Will it be about the same? Will I ever feel comfortable? What is the food going taste like? Then I start thinking that these thoughts are totally natural. I am sure, no; I am positive that these are the exact same feelings of everyone else going on this trip. Then I feel a wave of warm relief and my confidence level rises almost instantly.
My study abroad experience in Düsseldorf, Germany was amazing. I had so many expectations of what it was going to be like. It met and exceeded all of them. The closeness and friendships that formed with both my fellow students and with my host family is something that I have never experienced before. It was nice going from the feeling of being alone to being surrounded by all new friends almost instantly. This trip definitely changed they way I approach meeting new people. It seems that I am more open to new people and new experiences. I am also more concerned on events that are happening globally. I can see now the relationship between me, as an American, and the rest of the world. Whatever events happen across the world could possibly affect my lifestyle in some way and I should be aware of these changes. This is a view on world events that I never had before this trip.
Along with meeting new and different people, my visual experience was just as great. The history and culture that is in Europe is somewhat hard to describe in words. There is just so much that can be taken in from 1,000 year old castles and churches, the Rhine River valley, palaces, WW II ruins, and an endless amount of other things. Most of these objects I read about in history books, and now I have actually been there. I like to say that I “touched history”.
On this trip, I was bombarded with an incredible amount of information. Information from both our guided tours and our class was a lot to take in. I was skeptical on how much my brain could hold, but then surprised that I can still recall almost all of the details. From what I learned about the history of medicine opened my eyes on how far we have come, as a society, in treatments concerning the patient. We have come along way since the time of no anesthesia and human experimentation. It seems that the patient’s well being has taken top priority as opposed to the patient being sacrificed for the advancement of medical science.
My study abroad trip to Düsseldorf will be something that is imprinted in my mind forever. I find myself recalling experiences from this trip and applying them in present situations. Saying this, my trip to Europe was not just a memorable experience, but an encounter that I can utilize for the rest of my life.
My study abroad experience in Düsseldorf, Germany was amazing. I had so many expectations of what it was going to be like. It met and exceeded all of them. The closeness and friendships that formed with both my fellow students and with my host family is something that I have never experienced before. It was nice going from the feeling of being alone to being surrounded by all new friends almost instantly. This trip definitely changed they way I approach meeting new people. It seems that I am more open to new people and new experiences. I am also more concerned on events that are happening globally. I can see now the relationship between me, as an American, and the rest of the world. Whatever events happen across the world could possibly affect my lifestyle in some way and I should be aware of these changes. This is a view on world events that I never had before this trip.
Along with meeting new and different people, my visual experience was just as great. The history and culture that is in Europe is somewhat hard to describe in words. There is just so much that can be taken in from 1,000 year old castles and churches, the Rhine River valley, palaces, WW II ruins, and an endless amount of other things. Most of these objects I read about in history books, and now I have actually been there. I like to say that I “touched history”.
On this trip, I was bombarded with an incredible amount of information. Information from both our guided tours and our class was a lot to take in. I was skeptical on how much my brain could hold, but then surprised that I can still recall almost all of the details. From what I learned about the history of medicine opened my eyes on how far we have come, as a society, in treatments concerning the patient. We have come along way since the time of no anesthesia and human experimentation. It seems that the patient’s well being has taken top priority as opposed to the patient being sacrificed for the advancement of medical science.
My study abroad trip to Düsseldorf will be something that is imprinted in my mind forever. I find myself recalling experiences from this trip and applying them in present situations. Saying this, my trip to Europe was not just a memorable experience, but an encounter that I can utilize for the rest of my life.
Sunday, October 30, 2005
Answers? Questions.
I’ve waited until the last possible moment to write this paper because I’ve been wrestling with the topic and I fear that it is filled with more questions than answers. How did Germany change me? I’ve studied abroad before. I’ve lived with a host family. I’ve had to learn the basics of an entirely new language and social interaction system to get around a country. Public transportation? No biggie. Public health care system? Well, I have never studied the US health care system in great detail and I grew up in a self-proclaimed ‘socialist republic’ and so nothing in the German system surprised me except maybe for the fact of how little Germans exploit it. Veterinary care? Besides the novel idea of having a cow hospital or doing C-sections on 90% of a herd (who knew cows were worth that much?), it all seems very analogous to what I have seen in other developed countries. History? The way Germans are still very much affected by the past shocked me. Did it change me? Do I consider history more important? Not really. I cringe when people use the term ‘nazi’ lightly (as in ‘She’s a spending nazi’) because now I know how immense a negative impact they had on an entire country (subsequent generations included.) I don’t get into arguments over it, though. How could somebody who hasn’t been there to experience it themselves ever understand? However, I cannot say that I have come away without learning anything about myself or have not changed in any way. How to say in concrete words what is only a vague, shadowy feeling?
Maybe the best thing to do is consider the two events that shocked me about myself: the cardiac ICU in Bonn and the cow surgery in Hanover. In the former, as all of you know, I fainted. In the latter, as probably most of you don’t know, I started to feel faint and luckily we left as a group (with me out the door first if you didn’t notice) before I lost it. I have participated in sheep surgeries before! Blood, while not my favorite dinner subject (that would be other aspects of veterinary medicine, much to the dismay of my more sensitive roommates), has always been something that I get queasy over, but not to the point of completely losing control. Was I becoming overly sensitized? Could I handle vet school or would I pass out at the sight of blood? The thought that for the last four years I had been pursuing the wrong degree raced through my head and chilled me to my marrow.
When I got back to the USA, I found myself graduated and without a job. Before going to Germany I had already ruled out immediately entering veterinary school on the basis of money. I want to go abroad to get my DVM (or equivalent) and everywhere I looked it wasathan too expensive. That left me with finding a job to begin paying back my student loans. The first place that I applied to was a veterinary hospital in New Waverly where I hoped to get on-the-job experience and be paid for it. However, there was a lingering nervousness that I might not be up to the task of taking care of sick animals. When I was offered a position in a research company in the Woodlands, I jumped on the opportunity. Would I have if I had not had those experiences in Germany? Probably. I love working in a lab and this company is renowned for treating its employees especially well. Will I go on to get my DVM? That is still up in the air. I do believe that my resolve to become a veterinarian was shaken by my experiences in Germany. I am considering other career options, such as a masters and then Ph.D. in a research field, more carefully. The one thing that I am sure about is that I am very glad that I went to Germany and I would pay for it all over again if I had the chance to go back and re-do that summer.
Maybe the best thing to do is consider the two events that shocked me about myself: the cardiac ICU in Bonn and the cow surgery in Hanover. In the former, as all of you know, I fainted. In the latter, as probably most of you don’t know, I started to feel faint and luckily we left as a group (with me out the door first if you didn’t notice) before I lost it. I have participated in sheep surgeries before! Blood, while not my favorite dinner subject (that would be other aspects of veterinary medicine, much to the dismay of my more sensitive roommates), has always been something that I get queasy over, but not to the point of completely losing control. Was I becoming overly sensitized? Could I handle vet school or would I pass out at the sight of blood? The thought that for the last four years I had been pursuing the wrong degree raced through my head and chilled me to my marrow.
When I got back to the USA, I found myself graduated and without a job. Before going to Germany I had already ruled out immediately entering veterinary school on the basis of money. I want to go abroad to get my DVM (or equivalent) and everywhere I looked it wasathan too expensive. That left me with finding a job to begin paying back my student loans. The first place that I applied to was a veterinary hospital in New Waverly where I hoped to get on-the-job experience and be paid for it. However, there was a lingering nervousness that I might not be up to the task of taking care of sick animals. When I was offered a position in a research company in the Woodlands, I jumped on the opportunity. Would I have if I had not had those experiences in Germany? Probably. I love working in a lab and this company is renowned for treating its employees especially well. Will I go on to get my DVM? That is still up in the air. I do believe that my resolve to become a veterinarian was shaken by my experiences in Germany. I am considering other career options, such as a masters and then Ph.D. in a research field, more carefully. The one thing that I am sure about is that I am very glad that I went to Germany and I would pay for it all over again if I had the chance to go back and re-do that summer.
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Things I Have Learned
“You will come home a different person.” This is what I remember Dr. Wasser telling me at our first informational session last spring. Sitting in that classroom I thought, “This is going to be a great experience, but I am who I am and there is NO changing that. How could a month long trip change me? I do not need change.” Wow, was I wrong!! This trip not only taught me about myself, but it helped me to gain knowledge about a different culture, language, and another health care system.
I think the biggest change resulting from my study abroad experience would be the confidence I gained in myself. I have a very close relationship with my family, hence I depend on them for many things. Sometimes, I think that I am pretty “needy.” I will end up calling them for the smallest things, even if it is something I can do on my own. It seems that I just need their approval. I had never been forced to realize that I was “grown up” enough to make my own decisions. This trip definitely changed that. I realize that I am a fully capable adult. I have traveled to the opposite side of the world without my parents. I am now an independent individual!
Before the trip, I was a ball of stress. I panicked about most anything and everything. After getting lost several times in a foreign country where I did not speak the language, I have realized that panicking does not alter the situation; in fact, it makes it worse. You must first analyze the situation and make a plan to get out of it. This is what I am trying to apply to my daily life. No, I do not get lost in College Station, but I do stress about things that I should not. When I start to worry about something, I remind myself about the day that Adriane and I could not find our way home. We just kept walking and eventually found our house. When I think about this, I am reminded to keep striving for my goals.
Another thing that I gained was a desire to watch the world news. I have always liked to watch the local news, or watch when something “big” was going on, but I never had the desire to stay current with news from other countries. The first night at my host family’s house, I was asked what I knew about Germany. I felt so embarrassed and ashamed that the only things that I knew were bad--for example, The Holocaust. Since being home from Germany, I have made it a point to watch more world news and read the paper. I was especially interested during the elections from Germany. I feel like I can have an intelligent conversation about the world and its affairs with anyone now.
After starting school this semester, I was a little bit disappointed. I absolutely loved Dr. Wasser’s teaching style. It was so relaxed, but I honestly feel like I learned just as much, if not more, than in a regular classroom setting. I feel that we did not just learn the information to spit out on a test, but we went out into the world and used it and saw how it was applied. The changing of settings kept things interesting. We went from buses to trains to museums to restaurants.
Then, there were Frau Pilartz’s lectures which I absolutely loved! I learned so many interesting things about the German culture that I never would have learned in a class here in the U.S., or just by visiting Germany. Through her lectures, and living with a host family, I learned to respect people that have differing opinions. I am usually a “It’s my way or the highway” type of person. The trip taught me that I did not constantly have to be “in charge” or know every detail about what was going to happen. I learned to be flexible and to adapt to unusual or unplanned situations. That was a major milestone for me to realize! I must have respect for other people and their opposing ideas, if I am going to be successful in today’s society.
There are many other things that I have learned from this trip, but it would take too much time to write them all down. Some, I probably still have not realized. I know that this was a once in a lifetime experience and I treasure it!!!!
I think the biggest change resulting from my study abroad experience would be the confidence I gained in myself. I have a very close relationship with my family, hence I depend on them for many things. Sometimes, I think that I am pretty “needy.” I will end up calling them for the smallest things, even if it is something I can do on my own. It seems that I just need their approval. I had never been forced to realize that I was “grown up” enough to make my own decisions. This trip definitely changed that. I realize that I am a fully capable adult. I have traveled to the opposite side of the world without my parents. I am now an independent individual!
Before the trip, I was a ball of stress. I panicked about most anything and everything. After getting lost several times in a foreign country where I did not speak the language, I have realized that panicking does not alter the situation; in fact, it makes it worse. You must first analyze the situation and make a plan to get out of it. This is what I am trying to apply to my daily life. No, I do not get lost in College Station, but I do stress about things that I should not. When I start to worry about something, I remind myself about the day that Adriane and I could not find our way home. We just kept walking and eventually found our house. When I think about this, I am reminded to keep striving for my goals.
Another thing that I gained was a desire to watch the world news. I have always liked to watch the local news, or watch when something “big” was going on, but I never had the desire to stay current with news from other countries. The first night at my host family’s house, I was asked what I knew about Germany. I felt so embarrassed and ashamed that the only things that I knew were bad--for example, The Holocaust. Since being home from Germany, I have made it a point to watch more world news and read the paper. I was especially interested during the elections from Germany. I feel like I can have an intelligent conversation about the world and its affairs with anyone now.
After starting school this semester, I was a little bit disappointed. I absolutely loved Dr. Wasser’s teaching style. It was so relaxed, but I honestly feel like I learned just as much, if not more, than in a regular classroom setting. I feel that we did not just learn the information to spit out on a test, but we went out into the world and used it and saw how it was applied. The changing of settings kept things interesting. We went from buses to trains to museums to restaurants.
Then, there were Frau Pilartz’s lectures which I absolutely loved! I learned so many interesting things about the German culture that I never would have learned in a class here in the U.S., or just by visiting Germany. Through her lectures, and living with a host family, I learned to respect people that have differing opinions. I am usually a “It’s my way or the highway” type of person. The trip taught me that I did not constantly have to be “in charge” or know every detail about what was going to happen. I learned to be flexible and to adapt to unusual or unplanned situations. That was a major milestone for me to realize! I must have respect for other people and their opposing ideas, if I am going to be successful in today’s society.
There are many other things that I have learned from this trip, but it would take too much time to write them all down. Some, I probably still have not realized. I know that this was a once in a lifetime experience and I treasure it!!!!
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
In the Weeks After Germany
Going to Germany this past summer changed me in so many ways, many of which I realized right as I got home, many I am finding now, and some of which I am sure will pop up in the future. Interacting with a culture so unlike ours can only make you realize one thing: maybe our way is not always the best way.
One of the big things that changed about me was my realization of how important it is to be able to interact with others. Before my trip, I had minimal Spanish skills but thought that was enough. After talking to people who spoke three or four different languages fluently (especially my 11-year old German brother who was currently learning his third and fourth languages), I felt very unprepared to face the world and realized just how important language is. I think not many people in the United States speak anything but English because we are not forced to; whereas, people in Europe have daily interactions with people whose native language is different than their own. Since being back in the United States, I have pushed myself to being more considerate and understanding to people whose beliefs are different from my own. I have started on the path to receiving my Spanish certificate, which prepares one to speak Spanish in a medical setting. I hope to continue practicing and one day consider myself a fluent speaker and start on my next language.
Traveling around Europe made me realize how culturally-sheltered I am at home. Seeing the Dom and other cathedrals, palaces galore, and gorgeous gardens decorating the city showed me how fortunate Europeans are. They walk past these sites everyday. They can see the gardens from their houses. These are everyday occurrences. I have always had a great interest in traveling but seeing so much made me realize just how much I enjoy traveling. I hope to travel more abroad with my family and am encouraging my friends to study abroad. I think that traveling helps you to change in ways that books and lectures cannot teach you.
I have found that I am much more interested in world news after traveling all over Europe. It is easier to want to learn about what is going on over there once you actually have been there and know where everything is. I love it when the news talks about Austria or Germany or France and I think, “Oh yes, I’ve been to the exact place they are speaking of.” Going to Europe also helps you to understand the politics of the country and realize why they make the decisions and laws that they do. German government is an odd circle; they support all their people medically, with jobs, and with education yet everyone, even policy makers, is scared to make the government too powerful because of their history. Compared to the United States, I can see how the government paying for your education can be a really good thing for individuals, therefore causing an enrichment of the country as a whole. It enables there to be a better skilled population, which is never a bad thing. On the other hand, America’s way of making people pay for their own college forces college students to work hard and strive for excellence because they know they are paying for it, whereas, they might be lazier if their money was not affected by how long they stayed in school.
Overall, my trip to Germany made me realize how much freedom and pride I am allowed to have in America. It’s an encouragement here to hear people say, “I’m proud to be an American,” while in Germany that would be very looked down upon. It is nice to live in a country that has had problems but not to the point of having eternal guilt. My German summer changed me because I am much more passionate about how our country reacts to current events.
I see myself changed in my daily life – not in ways that I can say, “Yes, that’s different,” but more as wondering if I would have reacted the same in past situations if they happened to me now. I enjoyed every ounce of my German experience and cannot emphasize how lucky I feel for being able to go abroad. My time there changed me and in ways I needed to be changed.
One of the big things that changed about me was my realization of how important it is to be able to interact with others. Before my trip, I had minimal Spanish skills but thought that was enough. After talking to people who spoke three or four different languages fluently (especially my 11-year old German brother who was currently learning his third and fourth languages), I felt very unprepared to face the world and realized just how important language is. I think not many people in the United States speak anything but English because we are not forced to; whereas, people in Europe have daily interactions with people whose native language is different than their own. Since being back in the United States, I have pushed myself to being more considerate and understanding to people whose beliefs are different from my own. I have started on the path to receiving my Spanish certificate, which prepares one to speak Spanish in a medical setting. I hope to continue practicing and one day consider myself a fluent speaker and start on my next language.
Traveling around Europe made me realize how culturally-sheltered I am at home. Seeing the Dom and other cathedrals, palaces galore, and gorgeous gardens decorating the city showed me how fortunate Europeans are. They walk past these sites everyday. They can see the gardens from their houses. These are everyday occurrences. I have always had a great interest in traveling but seeing so much made me realize just how much I enjoy traveling. I hope to travel more abroad with my family and am encouraging my friends to study abroad. I think that traveling helps you to change in ways that books and lectures cannot teach you.
I have found that I am much more interested in world news after traveling all over Europe. It is easier to want to learn about what is going on over there once you actually have been there and know where everything is. I love it when the news talks about Austria or Germany or France and I think, “Oh yes, I’ve been to the exact place they are speaking of.” Going to Europe also helps you to understand the politics of the country and realize why they make the decisions and laws that they do. German government is an odd circle; they support all their people medically, with jobs, and with education yet everyone, even policy makers, is scared to make the government too powerful because of their history. Compared to the United States, I can see how the government paying for your education can be a really good thing for individuals, therefore causing an enrichment of the country as a whole. It enables there to be a better skilled population, which is never a bad thing. On the other hand, America’s way of making people pay for their own college forces college students to work hard and strive for excellence because they know they are paying for it, whereas, they might be lazier if their money was not affected by how long they stayed in school.
Overall, my trip to Germany made me realize how much freedom and pride I am allowed to have in America. It’s an encouragement here to hear people say, “I’m proud to be an American,” while in Germany that would be very looked down upon. It is nice to live in a country that has had problems but not to the point of having eternal guilt. My German summer changed me because I am much more passionate about how our country reacts to current events.
I see myself changed in my daily life – not in ways that I can say, “Yes, that’s different,” but more as wondering if I would have reacted the same in past situations if they happened to me now. I enjoyed every ounce of my German experience and cannot emphasize how lucky I feel for being able to go abroad. My time there changed me and in ways I needed to be changed.
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
my final thoughts
As I sit here writing this I’m trying to compare three aspects of myself- the person I was at school here in College Station last year, the person I was this summer in Germany, and the person I am at this moment. Its funny to see that who I am right now is a combination of who I was 6 months ago and who I became while traveling abroad.
My time in Duesseldorf definitely changed me. While abroad I learned to be much more flexible about plans and schedules, and I definitely became more confident in my ability to function on my own and get things done. I gained patience when dealing with people from different cultures, as well as my own culture. And I found that stressful situations usually do work out in the end if you just take a step back, take a deep breath, and then do your best to make it better. At least that’s what would usually work when we were stressed out about train tickets, or hotel accommodations, or getting on the right metro at the right time and getting off at the right stop. The types of stressful situations are little different back home, but I’ve realized that the same philosophy should work.
This summer I feel as though I achieved a type of go with the flow attitude that allowed me to take a situation as it would come. I think that it was easier to have to kind of attitude over in Germany than here in College Station because everything was a new experience and we didn’t really have an extremely structured expectation of what was supposed to be happening. That is partly why our course was so unique-it allowed us to absorb what knowledge was being passed our way, and then turn around and apply it on different field trips. Our class was never the same from day to day. Not even the location was the same with Dr. Wasser using every opportunity to teach- from the AIB classroom, to a bus, to a train, or even over a meal. Back here in College Station I’m in the same type of classes that I’ve had in the past years-in big lecture halls every day, trying to learn information for an upcoming test instead of learning information to apply it to what I want to do with my life. Now it’s like a routine that follows similar routines of the past, which makes it easier to revert to my old attitudes. Whenever I find myself getting stressed out, or irritated with someone I work on meshing the old personality with the new traits I learned this summer. When I remember and apply the flexibility, confidence and patience that I got from studying in Germany this summer it helps me calm down more than anything.
Its not just these personality traits-I think that everything I learned and experienced while living in Duesseldorf this summer is somehow incorporated into who I am now. Even though I am sure that I will never want to practice human medicine, the things we learned and experienced helped me to appreciate my doctors more and the things that they deal with. Gaining a historical perspective of medicine is important in understanding how we practice medicine here in America. All medicine stems from the basis in Europe and its interesting to compare the variations. Now, after my application has been turned in and I’m waiting to hear about an interview, I tend to think about how the German system of education. If I lived over there I could be into my 2nd year of vet school already and I wouldn’t have to worry about how I’m going to pay for it. The other day my lab partner told me about this vet school in Canada that has a program where you can get certified to practice in Canada, the US, and Western Europe. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me-I definitely would consider moving back to Germany and working over there. I appreciate every aspect of my time in Duesseldorf this summer. I’m extremely jealous of my friend who just turned in her application to study abroad and go with the program next summer. Because its not just about all the valuable information we learned in class, its about the life lessons we picked up while being there.
My time in Duesseldorf definitely changed me. While abroad I learned to be much more flexible about plans and schedules, and I definitely became more confident in my ability to function on my own and get things done. I gained patience when dealing with people from different cultures, as well as my own culture. And I found that stressful situations usually do work out in the end if you just take a step back, take a deep breath, and then do your best to make it better. At least that’s what would usually work when we were stressed out about train tickets, or hotel accommodations, or getting on the right metro at the right time and getting off at the right stop. The types of stressful situations are little different back home, but I’ve realized that the same philosophy should work.
This summer I feel as though I achieved a type of go with the flow attitude that allowed me to take a situation as it would come. I think that it was easier to have to kind of attitude over in Germany than here in College Station because everything was a new experience and we didn’t really have an extremely structured expectation of what was supposed to be happening. That is partly why our course was so unique-it allowed us to absorb what knowledge was being passed our way, and then turn around and apply it on different field trips. Our class was never the same from day to day. Not even the location was the same with Dr. Wasser using every opportunity to teach- from the AIB classroom, to a bus, to a train, or even over a meal. Back here in College Station I’m in the same type of classes that I’ve had in the past years-in big lecture halls every day, trying to learn information for an upcoming test instead of learning information to apply it to what I want to do with my life. Now it’s like a routine that follows similar routines of the past, which makes it easier to revert to my old attitudes. Whenever I find myself getting stressed out, or irritated with someone I work on meshing the old personality with the new traits I learned this summer. When I remember and apply the flexibility, confidence and patience that I got from studying in Germany this summer it helps me calm down more than anything.
Its not just these personality traits-I think that everything I learned and experienced while living in Duesseldorf this summer is somehow incorporated into who I am now. Even though I am sure that I will never want to practice human medicine, the things we learned and experienced helped me to appreciate my doctors more and the things that they deal with. Gaining a historical perspective of medicine is important in understanding how we practice medicine here in America. All medicine stems from the basis in Europe and its interesting to compare the variations. Now, after my application has been turned in and I’m waiting to hear about an interview, I tend to think about how the German system of education. If I lived over there I could be into my 2nd year of vet school already and I wouldn’t have to worry about how I’m going to pay for it. The other day my lab partner told me about this vet school in Canada that has a program where you can get certified to practice in Canada, the US, and Western Europe. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me-I definitely would consider moving back to Germany and working over there. I appreciate every aspect of my time in Duesseldorf this summer. I’m extremely jealous of my friend who just turned in her application to study abroad and go with the program next summer. Because its not just about all the valuable information we learned in class, its about the life lessons we picked up while being there.
Saturday, October 15, 2005
Endlich, eine Regierung!
Well, the Germans finally have a government, three weeks after the election that saw the CDU/CSU win a narrow victory over the Gerhard Schröder’s rot/grün coalition. After protracted meetings and several false starts, CDU/CSU and SPD bigwigs settled on a “Grand Coalition” and the remainder of the parties on the German political landscape are retreating into active opposition.
Schröder held on to almost the end, stating that it was the will of the German electorate that he remain as Chancellor, but support for this position weakened after the election and disappeared completely after the delayed vote in Dresden on October 2 (see my earlier post “Death of a Neo-Nazi”). Dresden voted CDU/CSU and added one more seat to Merkel’s majority in the Bundestag. The Schröder era is over and Angela Merkel becomes the 8th Chancellor of post-war Germany and its first ever female head of state (Kanzlerin).
The Grand Coalition deal resulted in the SPD holding control of eight important ministries (and hence cabinet positions) and the post of vice-chancellor, while Merkel takes over in the Chancellor’s office. The breakdown of power is as follows (not all of the positions have been confirmed at this time):
Kanzlerin Merkel CDU/CSU
Vizkanzler Müntefering SPD
Kanzleramtschaft (Chancellery) ? CDU/CSU
Auswärtiges (foreign ministry) Steinmeier SPD
Inneres (homeland affairs) ? CDU/CSU
Justiz Zypries SPD
Finanzen Steinbrück SPD
Wirtschaft (economy) Stoiber CDU/CSU
Verteidigung (defense) ? CDU/CSU
Familie ? CDU/CSU
Gesundheit (health) Schmidt SPD
Umwelt (environment) Gabriel SPD
Bildung (education) ? CDU/CSU
Entwicklung (development) Wieczorek-Zeul SPD
Arbeit (labor) Müntefering SPD
Verkehr (transportation) Tiefensee SPD
Verbraucher (consumer affairs) ? CDU/CSU
Kultur ? CDU/CSU
Bundestagspräsident Lammert CDU/CSU
Now we will see if the partners in this Elefantenhochzeit (literally “elephants’ wedding”, the term implies unsuitability of the partners and problems with getting along) can govern. There is precedent. In the late 1960s the Brandt government formed a grand coalition with the CDU and Brandt’s policy of Ostpolitik (reconciliation and return of normal relations with east Germany) continued. However, Angela Merkel is no Willy Brandt, oder?
Schröder held on to almost the end, stating that it was the will of the German electorate that he remain as Chancellor, but support for this position weakened after the election and disappeared completely after the delayed vote in Dresden on October 2 (see my earlier post “Death of a Neo-Nazi”). Dresden voted CDU/CSU and added one more seat to Merkel’s majority in the Bundestag. The Schröder era is over and Angela Merkel becomes the 8th Chancellor of post-war Germany and its first ever female head of state (Kanzlerin).
The Grand Coalition deal resulted in the SPD holding control of eight important ministries (and hence cabinet positions) and the post of vice-chancellor, while Merkel takes over in the Chancellor’s office. The breakdown of power is as follows (not all of the positions have been confirmed at this time):
Kanzlerin Merkel CDU/CSU
Vizkanzler Müntefering SPD
Kanzleramtschaft (Chancellery) ? CDU/CSU
Auswärtiges (foreign ministry) Steinmeier SPD
Inneres (homeland affairs) ? CDU/CSU
Justiz Zypries SPD
Finanzen Steinbrück SPD
Wirtschaft (economy) Stoiber CDU/CSU
Verteidigung (defense) ? CDU/CSU
Familie ? CDU/CSU
Gesundheit (health) Schmidt SPD
Umwelt (environment) Gabriel SPD
Bildung (education) ? CDU/CSU
Entwicklung (development) Wieczorek-Zeul SPD
Arbeit (labor) Müntefering SPD
Verkehr (transportation) Tiefensee SPD
Verbraucher (consumer affairs) ? CDU/CSU
Kultur ? CDU/CSU
Bundestagspräsident Lammert CDU/CSU
Now we will see if the partners in this Elefantenhochzeit (literally “elephants’ wedding”, the term implies unsuitability of the partners and problems with getting along) can govern. There is precedent. In the late 1960s the Brandt government formed a grand coalition with the CDU and Brandt’s policy of Ostpolitik (reconciliation and return of normal relations with east Germany) continued. However, Angela Merkel is no Willy Brandt, oder?
Sunday, September 25, 2005
In Conclusion
I sincerely believe that no other single event in my life has changed me as much and in as many ways, some unexpected, as this study abroad program. Probably the most noticeable difference is that I am more confident in myself and my abilities. I keep telling people the story of how, a few days before I left for Germany, I went to visit my new roommate who lives across town and, on the 20 minute drive, managed to get lost both going over and coming back home. So on the way driving back in the dark, I’m talking on the phone to my best friend, who is looking up street names on Mapquest to figure out where on earth I was and how to get me home, and I tell her, “I’m going to die. I can’t even find my way around Houston, and I live here for goodness’ sake! And the street signs are in English! I’m going to go to Europe, get lost, and die, and they’re never going to find my body because I’ll be out in the middle of nowhere!” However, that obviously didn’t happen. And after traveling around Europe on my own, finding someplace new here in America doesn’t seem like a big deal anymore. In fact, doing most things on my own doesn’t seem like a big deal anymore. I’ve become more comfortable than ever about taking care of myself.
Another thing this trip taught me was the meaning of true education. I tend to be an overachiever and to stress about school and work and classes - but there was nothing to stress about work-wise with this program; we were given ample time and freedom with our schoolwork, and that gave me the opportunity to really and truly learn. I so often get focused on what the professor is going to test on and memorizing information, and sometimes I miss the big picture for all the details my brain is busy absorbing to regurgitate for the exam. While in Europe, I was able to actually enjoy learning, to let everything sink in and settle itself in my brain, and I know that it was far more effective that way. I honestly could never draw the photosynthesis cycle from memory again, even if my life depended on it, as I (briefly) learned to in biochemistry, and because that was what I was tested over, all my brainpower was devoted to cramming that into my head instead of understanding how the process worked and the significance of it. The things we learned on this trip, by contrast, all fit together to form a broad perspective of medical history, and I was able to step back and view that whole picture because I wasn’t being driven to focus on and memorize select pieces. The result is that I am mentally healthier from this class instead of less so, and I also have retained more useful information. And that information influences me far more than being able to draw the structure of pyruvate ever will.
Partly from the teaching and partly just from living in different culture and studying it, I have definitely gained a broader perspective pertaining to medicine and also to the world in general. I can see how the point of view of someone from another nation and culture could be different from my own and how that would affect their choices and beliefs, including about medical practices. Looking into biomedical research as my field, I have always been acutely aware of the disputes about ethics in particular. I know that, from this experience, I will have a better understanding of why others may view something as inappropriate or offensive that does not seem a big deal to someone like me, and vice versa. My growth in confidence, in recognizing the true purpose of learning, and in understanding people different from myself is already affecting my daily life, and I know that it has equipped me for both the present and the future in ways I cannot yet anticipate.
Another thing this trip taught me was the meaning of true education. I tend to be an overachiever and to stress about school and work and classes - but there was nothing to stress about work-wise with this program; we were given ample time and freedom with our schoolwork, and that gave me the opportunity to really and truly learn. I so often get focused on what the professor is going to test on and memorizing information, and sometimes I miss the big picture for all the details my brain is busy absorbing to regurgitate for the exam. While in Europe, I was able to actually enjoy learning, to let everything sink in and settle itself in my brain, and I know that it was far more effective that way. I honestly could never draw the photosynthesis cycle from memory again, even if my life depended on it, as I (briefly) learned to in biochemistry, and because that was what I was tested over, all my brainpower was devoted to cramming that into my head instead of understanding how the process worked and the significance of it. The things we learned on this trip, by contrast, all fit together to form a broad perspective of medical history, and I was able to step back and view that whole picture because I wasn’t being driven to focus on and memorize select pieces. The result is that I am mentally healthier from this class instead of less so, and I also have retained more useful information. And that information influences me far more than being able to draw the structure of pyruvate ever will.
Partly from the teaching and partly just from living in different culture and studying it, I have definitely gained a broader perspective pertaining to medicine and also to the world in general. I can see how the point of view of someone from another nation and culture could be different from my own and how that would affect their choices and beliefs, including about medical practices. Looking into biomedical research as my field, I have always been acutely aware of the disputes about ethics in particular. I know that, from this experience, I will have a better understanding of why others may view something as inappropriate or offensive that does not seem a big deal to someone like me, and vice versa. My growth in confidence, in recognizing the true purpose of learning, and in understanding people different from myself is already affecting my daily life, and I know that it has equipped me for both the present and the future in ways I cannot yet anticipate.
Saturday, September 24, 2005
Plus ça change, plus la même chose!
A comparison of the national election results between the very first national election in West Germany (summer of 1949) and this September’s election is instructive. In that first election, the CDU (Konrad Adenauer’s party) along with the Bavarian CSU gained 139 seats in the Bundestag, the FDP (headed by Theodor Heuss, who would become the first Bundespräsident, and Thomas Dehler) 52 seats, the SPD (lead by Kurt Schumacher) 131 seats and the KPD (Communist Party) 15 seats. In percent of Bundestag seats this would be CDU/CSU 41.2%, SPD 38.9%, FDP 15.4% and the KPD 4.5%.
And last Sunday, here is how the parties did: CDU/CSU 225 seats; SPD 222; FDP 61; die Linke.PDS 54; die Grüne/Bündnis 90 (a party for which there is no 1947 equivalent) garnered 51 seats. In percent of total Bundestag seats (for comparative purposes I am not including die Grüne’s 51 in the total) that puts the CDU/CSU at 40.0%; SPD at 39.5%; FDP at 10.9% and die Linke.PDS at 9.6%.
Plus ça change, plus la même chose!
And last Sunday, here is how the parties did: CDU/CSU 225 seats; SPD 222; FDP 61; die Linke.PDS 54; die Grüne/Bündnis 90 (a party for which there is no 1947 equivalent) garnered 51 seats. In percent of total Bundestag seats (for comparative purposes I am not including die Grüne’s 51 in the total) that puts the CDU/CSU at 40.0%; SPD at 39.5%; FDP at 10.9% and die Linke.PDS at 9.6%.
Plus ça change, plus la même chose!
Quick update on the Bundestagswahl
Yesterday's meeting between the CDU/CSU and die Gruene ended (predictably) with no progress towards a possible Schwampel coalition involving the Union, die Gruene, and the FDP. There just doesn't seem to be enough common ground in the stated policy goals between the conservative and business-friendly parties and the ecologically oriented Greens.
Meanwhile, dieLinke.PDS party members elected new leaders and have chosen Gregor Gysi and Oscar Lafontaine to serve as co-party chiefs. In a news conference yesterday, Gysi stated that the only way his party would even consider a coalition with the SPD (or anyone else for that matter) would be if their coalition partner repudiated both the Harz IV and Agenda 2010 reform plans, something Schroeder and the SPD are unlikely to do.
Next Wednesday sees a meeting between Merkel and Schroeder to explore the prospects for a schwarz-rot or "grand" coalition between the CDU/CSU and the SPD. But--both Merkel and Schroeder still insist that they and they alone have the mandate to be Chancellor. That meeting is not going to be pretty!
Meanwhile, dieLinke.PDS party members elected new leaders and have chosen Gregor Gysi and Oscar Lafontaine to serve as co-party chiefs. In a news conference yesterday, Gysi stated that the only way his party would even consider a coalition with the SPD (or anyone else for that matter) would be if their coalition partner repudiated both the Harz IV and Agenda 2010 reform plans, something Schroeder and the SPD are unlikely to do.
Next Wednesday sees a meeting between Merkel and Schroeder to explore the prospects for a schwarz-rot or "grand" coalition between the CDU/CSU and the SPD. But--both Merkel and Schroeder still insist that they and they alone have the mandate to be Chancellor. That meeting is not going to be pretty!
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Wohin Deutschland?
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