The End

Well I thought that my last post really sucked so I am going to redeem myself by reposting. This summer was amazing, I don't think that there are words to describe it. I have to admit that I was scared about the program since I was the only one that wasn't bio-oriented, but I think that I stood my own. The best trip was the one to the heart clinic where we got to watch the surgeries. I hope that more chemistry majors are invited to join this program, it could liven things up. My favorite place that I went to was Paris. Standing infront of the Lourve was the most amazing feeling. I definately intend on going back, and seeing more of Germany and maybe France.

Shake N' Bake Baby!

I was sitting in my girlfriend's living room during a party when someone said they heard this tribe in New Guinea made the young men in the tribe perform fellatio on the elders in the tribe in order to welcome their passage from boyhood to manhood. They also said the tribe believes swallowing the bodily fluids that result from this action protects the young men from the wide world of heterosexual diseases. One person immediately responded, "man the rest of the people in this world are sooo stupid!".

As ridiculous as this tribe's beliefs may seem, they are still part of their way of life and it should at least be attempted to understand why they perform these rituals before condemning them and the rest of the world as redundant. Actually, the person who made this comment makes a lot of derogatory comments about people from other parts of the world. Sad thing is, she's never even left the state of Texas. It seems like many people find it easier to demean other cultures rather than understand them, especially when they themselves are ignorant and cannot fathom a world existing outside their realm. I mean, how do you call the the countries of Mozart, pyramids, Budweiser, nut flavored gelato, and Toyota stupid??? Beats me.

Although I never have been naive enough to make a comment of that magnitude, this trip has given me so much more perspective on the world than I had before. I learned lots of information about different countries and the people living in those countries. I learned how to act and to survive when I'm no longer in a comfortable evironment (also known as Shake N' Bake). I sat down and talked world issues with well-informed, middle-aged people and actually enjoyed it. I learned to listen before I give an answer and to really attempt to understand where people are coming from before judging their words and their actions.

More important than the things I learned while in Europe, I developed a passion for travel and learning about new places and cultures. Even though I'm currently stuck in College Station taking classes and walking through cold puddles of water in poorly paved parking lots, I'm already planning for a trip to someplace new whether it be across the world or here in the U.S. Who knows? Maybe I'll end up in New Guinea trying to figure out why they do what they do. Regardless, I'll be eternally grateful for the friends I've made and the times I've had.

From Timid Traveler to Galavanting Globetrotter

I think the best way to sum this whole experience up is to start at the beginning of my German experience. In high school, I needed to take a foreign language, so instead of doing the "normal" thing I took German. We had an exchange program set up and my teacher REALLY wanted me to go but NO WAY!!! This girl was NOT leaving America. No way no how no nothing. I hardly liked leaving Texas! I was happier to learn about Europe from afar. Fast forward to October 2005. I stumbled into overseas day, just passing through the MSC, not knowing what I was getting myself into. While I was walking around, trying to keep from looking at the tables, I saw Dr. Musser, who I had as a prof for Great Disease. This class was awesome and I really really liked Dr. Musser. (I liked him so much he wrote a med school rec for me!). When he told me about this small little program that would take pre-med and pre-vet students to Europe I said NO WAY I don't want to go I never really liked to travel but it was so nice to see you Dr. Musser ok I will take a brochure. That's where the trouble started.....

I called my dad later that day, telling him everything that went on, and then I mentioned "oh yeah I ran into Dr. Musser today. Oh yeah I said hi, yeah it was for this study abroad program thingie.... they go see German vet schools and hospitals and learn about all that stuff, but oh gosh NO I could never go and do that. Only crazy people WANT to get in a plane and fly across an ocean. Did you know you can't land a plane on water?" Instead of humoring my concerns my dad said "OH MY GOSH SARAH!!!! You should TOTALLY do that!! It sounds SOOOOO COOL!!!!" Holy moly that's where it ALL really got started. I kind of realized hey, it would be cool to go to Europe, a once in a lifetime chance to travel while I'm young and don't have anything else to worry about. I applied, got accepted, managed to figure out the money situation, and everything was set. But then of course my boyfriend had to tell me "Wow Sarah, I've always wanted to go to Europe, we should go early and travel together." I was screaming in my head "We've been dating FOUR years and you JUST now tell me this!" I spent forever trying to figure out planes, travel plans, TRAINS (WHOA trains.... a whole nother world), and foreign hotels, all on a college students budget. I was totally overwhelmed. Plus we started our initial trip meetings, and gosh I was sure no one in the group was going to like me and everyone already knew someone and I wasn't going to have hardly any fun at all. Boy was I wrong.

Traveling with my boyfriend was A-mazing. We went to London, Paris, Berlin, Bamberg, and Amsterdam. There are so many stories from that trip, I wish I had longer to tell all about them. (Yeah that's him watching the World Cup game from Fan Fest in Berlin. Oh yeah and that's def the Branderburg gate behind the TV screen. Crazy huh?) Anyway, traveling with him was amazing. I definetly learned a lot about being confident and not being afraid to ask a total stranger how to find something. I also wasn't afraid of looking stupid, I mean hey, I'm just a dumb American and I'll never see you again because I am in Europe!

Even through traveling around was a blast, I still wasn't ready for the shock of the program. My boyfriend left from the Amsterdam airport and all of a sudden I realized.... I'M IN EUROPE!!!!!!!!! ALONE!!!!!!!! NO CELL PHONE!!!!!!!! WHOSE IDEAS WAS THIS??????????????? I freaked out a bit. Not as much as on the plane ride to Europe (it takes a LONG time to get across that ocean, and planes are not as big as they look. My dad calls them cattle cars with wings for a good reason). I had to go back to my hostel alone, get all my stuff together alone, walk back to the train station with all my crap alone, and then take the train into Germany alone. I was a bit sad. Once I got into Duesseldorf I really clicked on my German (I used in a some in Bamberg because its a small town and not everyone knew English) because now I was living in Germany. LIVING!!!! Even if it only was for 5 weeks it was still living.

I made it to the AIB safely, paid my cad driver, and there I was. I was SO nervous! What was I thinking when I signed that paper! My host mom spoke very good English even though she didn't think so and after picking me up and taking me on my first trip on the Autobahn she showed me around the house and into my room. It was a very nerve racking time because I've always tried to be very courteous and I hate to make others feel uncomfortable but I am usually very warm and friendly but I had heard so much about the standoffish Germans I was afraid to come out of my shell for fear of offending her. But boy did I throw out those notions fast! My host my was so incredibly nice and always wanted to make sure I was comfortable and happy. We really started to talk more at the 4th of July celebration we had at the AIB, which I think was the first sign of everyone wanting us to feel comfortable. I love the U.S. and the 4th of July is a very important holiday and I really feel like they recognized that even though it was American, it was important to us, even if we were in Germany.

Well, this is starting to get long so I'll try to sum everything else up pretty quick. The details of everything we did are around here somewhere in the blog. We went on some crazy trips, did some really fun things, learned about Germany frat boys, saw the most incredible sights, and I met four of the most A-mazing women ever. We are the female straight version of the Fab 5. I didn't think I would become close with one person, I became close with FOUR! Kristen, Melissa, Kit and Stuart are girls I probably never would have imagined I would love so much. Even being the mom of the group I always had a blast and I can't imagine having a better time than I did. We wandered through the red light district of Amsterdam together (We had to cover Stuart's eyes a couple times.), we partied like real German's at the vet frat house together, we took care of each other on the Munich bike ride, drooled over the Eigelstein's waiters together, sang the War Hymn at the biergarten like true Aggies, and we made friends with almost everyone on any train we got on. Oh yeah, and we shopped! I really feel this whole trip brought out the absolute best in me. I would say I changed, but I feel like its just that who I am was able to come out more, and now I'm not afraid to show who I really am. I got to be curious and caring and nerdy and a medicine freak (seeing open heart surgery... MOST overly emotional medical moment of my life, I saw a man's hear beating... in his CHEST!!!!), and I got to have a lot of fun with the best girls ever. Don't get me wrong I really love everyone that went on the trip. Seeing Greg at my med school interview made me feel so comfortable and at home, going to Chrissy's ring dunking and then Derek's was super exciting, having Becca and Erin in my molecular genetics class always makes for an interesting time (ROW 6 Baby!!!), and running into Mas at random places always makes me smile (or maybe its his funny laugh, I dunno). In fact I call everyone that went on the trip my German friend, which is pretty confusing to all of my friends that didn't go on the trip. I definetly idenify with friends at home not understanding. All of a sudden to them I had a new group of friends that I was crazy about and wanted to see that they didn't know. And I've been through a whole life experience that they've never had. And I KNOW I drive them crazy when I say "OH gosh!! When we did blah blah blah in whatever cool country we were in at the time." I have very few regrets over all. I wish I hadn't gotten sick (yeah don't get sick in a foreign country, they don't have a CVS with all the medicines you know and love), I wish I had taken more pictures, and I wish I had bought more souveniers. Oh yeah, and I wish they hadn't told everyone not to wear t-shirts. I brought all these plain polos because the study abroad people said OH NO Don't look like an American. I hate to break it to them, but you can't help it!!! The second you get there you have American written in day glo orange on your forehead. (okay I had ONE time where some one honest to goodness thought I was German. I was pretty excited about that.) But that's it. The trip was worth the money, the time, the tears... everything. I can't imagine my life without having done this trip. When I left I said oh wow this is so cool, a once in a life time opportunity. But now I know it wasn't once in a lifetime because now that I've been... I WILL go again. I can't wait to travel, I get excited about looking at new places to go, I even enjoy being a little bit spontaneous! Dr. Wasser and Dr. Musser were incredible the whole trip, as was Miriam. They all wanted us to go out, have fun, and learn about ourselves and Germany. There could have been no better group to go on this trip with. I am so blessed to have been given all of this. Now that I'm at the end, I want to cry again. It would be so much easier to just be able to plop my brain out onto the computer so that everyone could feel the happiness and memories I have because of this group and program. So as the girl who didn't want to leave Texas, much less the U.S., let me tell you, JUST GO!!!! You'll never have as much fun and learn as much as you will on a study abroad program. If I can do it, you can too. You'll love it, or my name's not Sarah Morris :)

And here's a few pics to show just how cool it all was.





The first is the Dom in Cologne.







Then its me at the Marksburg castle. I met some nuns there on the walk up. REAL nuns! They needed someone with German skills to help them out. So I tried. Dr. Wasser said I get double points since I'm not Catholic.







And that's Stuart in Munich being silly. When is that girl not silly?









And that's at Dachau. It was really hard to put into words the emotions I felt there.










And finally, that's a bunch of the girls at the Biergarten in Munich, posing with the Ompapa band. They were so cute in their Lederhosen!

unsure

Germany was amazing, but now those times seem to far gone. I hate to admit it, but I haven't had a lot of time to think about this summer. The Lab Service Supervisor quit midweek and I have to temporarily fill his place until they can find someone else. I am also TAing four other classes so it is really hectic. I am sorry that I missed the fun, I am kind of stuck up here for a while. I hope everyone is doing fine and someday the fab five will have a reunion.

Looking back

So I have no problem going overseas for the summer, I was excited and could not get on the plane fast enough. When I was over there I can honestly say that the only time I felt scared/worried was when I went to the doctor who spoke no english. But I was not expecting what happened when I came home. I hated it, I did not want to be back in the states, I did not want to talk to anyone or talk about my trip and everything seemed to be going wrong. Everyone kept asking to see photos and tell stories and I just didn't want to talk about it. During the last dinner I said that I did not think I had changed, maybe saw myself more but not changed. When I came home I realized I had. I guess I have become softer and not as closed... ahh I kinda miss the harsh Prissy! haha! I had a wonderful time and I have just now been able to talk about what happened and things that I did. I guess I was afriad if I talked about it I would ruin it. But I'm all better now! Well kind of, my foot is STILL BROKEN!!! AHHH this makes 4 months of a broken foot! grrr... I would do this again in a heartbeat and worth every penny! Thanks to everyone who made the trip so amazing and wonderful and something I will never forget!

So-Long, Farewell...

This will be my final post to the Dusseldorf Digest, and therefore, I will try to summarize all my experiences and the impact this trip has made on my life. First of all, my host parents—they are truly two of the most wonderful, caring individuals I have ever met. I am so thankful to have met them, lived with them, and become great friends with them over the five weeks I was in Germany. They did so much and cared so much for Katie and I that I began to feel like part of their family. I plan on keeping in touch with my host parents hopefully for the rest of my life because I don’t want to lose them as friends. Hopefully I can return to Germany sometime in the future and go to visit them; it would be great to see them again!! My advice to any newcomers to this study abroad program…and any for that matter… is to get to know your host parents well by talking with them, doing things with them, and learning from them. You’ll meet some awesome people that way!!
Secondly, I loved getting to know and making friends with all the other students and professors on this trip. It was fun getting to know Dr. Wasser, Dr. Musser, and Miriam better and talking with them and hanging out with them at Biergartens. It is always good to have a professor that knows you better than just by your grades in a class. This was new to me, because usually I don’t go and talk to my professors much, but now I just spent five weeks with two of them. It is good, though, because now I have two professors that I know well enough to feel comfortable going to talk to for advice, to ask for a letter of recommendation, or just to chat. That is something really nice to have. As for the other students, I had a great time getting to know all of them since I didn’t know anyone really well. I usually get nervous about meeting new people, but since we all didn’t know each other, everyone was forced to do the same thing. I also loved rooming with Katie because we had a lot of fun together and we became really good friends. Even though Katie was in all my classes, I didn’t talk to her much, so it was really cool that we became friends over this trip. I also found it really interesting that everyone in the group got along fairly well when we were all from different majors and involved in different things. It is really awesome that I have something in common so many different people that I probably would never had known otherwise. I see the other students around campus everywhere and it is so neat to know that I share this common experience--an experience that most people would not understand or be able to relate to. So far I’ve seen Becca at the football game sitting behind me, Mas working as an EMS at the game and walking to class, Erin on the field at a game with the swim team, Prissy standing out of the rain at a football game, Leslie going to class, and of course Katie, Robin, Doug, and Kyle who are in my classes. It is fun seeing everyone again because it reminds me of all the fun times we had in Germany.
Lastly, this study abroad program has taught me a lot about myself and my capabilities. Through riding trains and busses into class and riding trains all throughout Europe, I have learned that I can successfully navigate through big cities on foot and by bus and figure out how to get to where I need to go by using public transportation even if it is in a different language. I also feel I am more comfortable talking to people and asking questions since I had to do that in Germany where it is harder to communicate. I used to hate calling businesses to ask questions or talking to them in person or even sometimes calling people I knew, but now I don’t mind at all and I do it without even thinking about it. I also definitely do not like interviews, but when I went to Career Fair and started talking with some of the representative of companies, I became really comfortable and not so nervous. This trip has also made me more independent because I had to do everything for myself while I was in Germany and I did not have my parents to run to for help. I also became more confident in talking to people in a foreign language, although I wish I had practiced this skill more while I was over there. It was hard to force myself to speak German when everyone there seemed to speak English. Overall, from this experience, I have learned more about myself, become more confident in myself and my abilities, become more assertive, and become more mature. This program was a fun, learning experience for me that has affected my life in a positive way. I had so much fun and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Back to the Real World

Towards the ende of the trip, I was more than ready to return to my good old US of A. My two month trip spanned nine different countries, making my total of countries seen in my life ten, and the wear and tear had caught up to me. The rest was short-lived after my arrival back home because three days later, I was forced to move up to College Station for soccer two-a-days. Now having reached the first round of exams for the fall semester, I find myself looking back to all that I learned this summer and truly appreciating the opportunity presented to me. During the first week of soccer practices, we had three students show up from out of the country: one from Russia, one from Serbia, and one from Copenhagen. Before this year, I would never have known anything about their culture, or even met anyone from their countries. This changed this summer in Europe when I actually stayed a weekend in Copenhagen, met a group of girls from Russia, and took a tour of Dachau from a professor who specializes in eastern European history, while speaking Serbian and Russian. I was able to relate to these people’s lives and more importantly, knew what it was like to enter a new country where I did not know anything of their social practices. I went out of my way to make them feel comfortable in their new environment. In this example, I think the greatest lesson can be viewed. The ability to relate to others is key to not only individual success but for global success. I feel that my experiences in various countries throughout Europe have provided me with the tools to deal with people from all walks of life and all continents, for it is not the understanding of their beliefs that is the key, just the accepting that there is a difference.

The German Experience

I had to force myself to find time to write this because this semester has already been hectic. Everytime I think about Germany, which is a lot, I can't help but smile. There are so many good memories that I will never forget and that we can't stop reliving. Being back in the states, its almost like Germany never happened-its so surreal. Like its becoming a glimpse in my memory. Since I didn't know anyone on the trip beforehand, seeing everyone how they truly are is weird too but its cool because when I see them its like we have this strong underlying bond (even if I didn't get to know everyone equally well). I don't think there is a day I go without telling someone about Germany, thinking about Germany, or sharing stories about Germany with Kristen. That's the best part. I think going to Europe I wanted to confirm how independent and responsible I am when I really just clicked with someone else who had it all together (Sarah-our German mom). BUT, being all by myself after the program ended for 4 days definately tested me. I think the funniest thing is when my Mom, who didn't hear from me for awhile b/c my phone died, says "Well, you call me...a couple of times a day!" I guess being over there you see its pretty safe and a lot of young people travel around-especially by themselves. I would do it again in a heartbeat (after making some money). I'm really nervous about getting into Vet School this year and I've been thinking if I don't get in I really want to do an internship at the experimental farm with the "cheeps". I have never really been interested in doing research, but learning more about the embryo transfers and doing my paper on the technique and application really spurred some possibilities in my future. All in all the Germany trip has open my eyes to a world far beyond what I could have ever imagined...and I LOVE IT!

Confessions of a homeschooler

Wow, Derek's post was so insightful it's hard to compete. Showoff.
Anywho, I really hate school. I always have and I always will. Whenever I'm feeling so bogged down and exhausted that I think I'm going to fall and hit the floor any minute, my mind always seems to wander back to Germany and the amazing people I got to meet and hang out with for one perfect month. It's nice to know that no matter how bad it gets either today, tomorrow or for the rest of my life, there was one month that I felt happier, freer and more excited to be alive than I have ever felt before.
I think a lot of the feeling sprang from a lack of responsibility, and I know I felt wonderfully welcome by Miriam, Lars, Margot, Freddy, Karsten, Michael, Ferdinand, Denny, Bruno, that New Jersey Guy, X-treme Drummer (she made a great screwdriver), the girls that showed us where to buy cheap shoes and beer in Duesseldorf and of course our strange little bus driver on the sound of music tour. After I showed my mom all my pictures she asked me if I stuck my arm around every hunk I saw. The scenery was so beautiful that it seemed to bring you closer to God, knowing that he created such unspeakable beauty.
I think one of the most surprising aspects of the trip was how well I got along and really came to love some of the people on our trip. I was almost certain when I left home that I wouldn't really find anybody to connect to because there are very few people that I hold in high enough esteem to actually like, much less call my friends. So many great friendships and good feelings came with those people I met and it was such a surprise.
Dr. Wasser wanted to know if I ever plan to go back to Germany and I'm not really sure what answer to give. On the one hand, I only got a tiny taste of so many beautiful and unimaginable places, people and things and the thought of not ever going back just doesn't make any sense. On the other hand, I have to wonder if any future experiences there could ever come close to being as good as the experience I had this summer. It's almost impossible to imagine myself there again in the future without my girls and my bros. Without living with my host mom and listening to Dr. Wasser belt out songs at the top of his lungs while nearby strangers gave him weird looks. It's hard to imagine not having Kit there asking where I am every 5 minutes and I don't know if I could go back without having my drunken kareoke buddies to dance on stages with. I think I can only wait and see what happens. If an opportunity comes along I would be the stupidist idiot in the world not to take it, because this past summer was solid proof that unique opportunities can be the most incredible and liberating investments you'll ever make.
I have homework and responsibilities piling up now, it's hard to believe that it was all just a month ago. Reflecting on everything I saw and did there is almost like having a recurring dream in extreme detail. Thank God for cameras or I might never believe I was actually there.

Back in the States

I am starting to really miss Germany. My host parents sent Kathy and I each a care package with some chocolate and memorabilia from Dusseldorf. I miss them quite a bit! I did not realize how much the trip had impacted my life until I came back and realized what I had learned. My perspective on life seems to have completely changed. In the past I have been caught up with my studies, and at times, I will pass on an event in order to focus on school. I am not at all saying I am going to stop studying this year, but I realized how important relationships with people are. I think the most amazing aspect about Germany, or really Europe in general, was the people I met and came into contact with, and I no longer want to pass up an opportunity to get to know someone better. It is amazing how you can talk with someone for hours and not even come to know their name, but it is those conversations that my mind constantly reverts back to. I learned quite a deal from those people. I learned to give everyone the benefit of the doubt and to trust everyone first. I know you must also be cautious, but when Kathy and I were stranded in Frankfurt, we may not have had the luck that we had had we not decided to trust the Pakistani man who approached us. I have also decided to become more involved with international students. Last night, I actually went Indian dancing, which was completely out of my comfort zone but so much fun nonetheless. I met a man yesterday from Iran, and it was his first day at Texas A&M yesterday, and I could somewhat relate to what he must have been going through. We talked for awhile and decided to hang out again, and I am really looking forward to that time. I have branched out of my engineering bubble and academic tunnel vision it seems, and I have begun to see my surroundings. I am quite enjoying life at the moment, and despite my hectic schedule, I am at peace with life. I do not stress as much as I have in the past, and my studies are not suffering from it. I am also going to take a class in German with the LLI, and I recently got accepted into the AFIL program through the study abroad office. I do not know what the future will bring, but I have a deep desire to travel overseas again, and hopefully, that will happen sooner than later. Tshuss und bis spater!

Its over :(.

I can't believe I've been back for over a month! My adventures abroad have definitely impacted my life more than I imagined they would. The whole trip was much more intense than I expected, and I loved every minute of it. I feel like I was exposed to so many things and grown a lot as a person. Most of all I have changed my mindset and have become much more open minded. We experienced so many different cultures, and I feel like I can now take the best attributes of each and leave behind the negatives. I learned from Germany how to relax, slow down, and appreciate life. It was a great experience, and I will encourage everyone I know to participate next summer.

Definitely the most amazing part of the experience are the friendships that developed. I've made some of the best friends in college while I was in Germany. I hope a reunion comes soon.

Peace out,

Rebecca

P.S. I miss Miriam, Lars, and the AIB!

Left, lived, returned...

So the semester has already started and I'm still trying to figure out where my summer went. The study abroad trip was by far one of the highlights of my college years thus far and I feel like I could go on forever about what a great experience it was. Going in to the trip I felt fairly prepared as to what to expect mainly because of my previous experience of traveling to Europe. Being in Germany, however, was quite different from my two week "see all of the main tourist attractions, take a picture, and on to the next city" trip two years ago. I also had the opportunity to be much more independent and make many of my own travel plans. Living with a host family presented a completely new aspect of being in a new culture. I went in to the host family situation thinking that we would be at "home" and have "family time" much more than we actually did. I guess I didn't realize how much time we would be spending outside of Dusseldorf.

One of the main aspects of the German culture that I admire most is how they view life in general. They live in a much slower paced life and many of the materialistic things that are so important to Americans mean little to them. I also learned that they value their friendships in a different way than what we are used to in America. They don't just call anyone a friend, and only those who they have conversations with on a quite regular basis are honored with that title. As for us, if we have met a person once, they automatically become a 'friend'. Meal time is also an important part of a European's day. Eating a meal is a time to sit with those people you care about and actually partake in discussions, rather than scarf down your food and move on with the day. They enjoy what they are putting in to their mouth and make time to relax during this time. In general, they just seemed so much more laid back and seemed to take in their daily surroundings.

Besides learning about the culture, I also returned home with much knowledge about the history of medicine, World War II, German leaders and politics, current German medical applications, the way German corporations run, the ways medical care is available to German citizens, and much more. I feel that I was taking in new information every minute that I was on this trip. I also learned a lot just from talking with the other students on the trip, almost all of whom I didn't know previously. One thing that amazed me was the vast difference between how little I knew about the other students before the trip to how much I knew by the end. Being around people for that many consecutive days allows you to see others in all kinds of situations. By the end I felt that I knew some of the students better than friends from home that I have known for years.

Overall I will say once again how great of an experience I had studying in Germany. It truly does open your eyes to a whole new world and almost forces you to adapt and somewhat alter many of the ways of life you are so used to.

Last Blog

Wow, I can’t believe that it has already been over a month since we have been back. I have finally gotten out of the habit of saying Danke and Tschuss to everyone. It was really hard to be back in the U.S. at first. I came off of such a high being on a social hiatus for over a month and having to get back into the swing of things. I would try to tell everyone about all the funny stuff that happened while I was over there and no one understood (or they did, but they didn’t think it was funny which was depressing). Now that I am back in College Station I have gotten to see most people again and reminisce about our German extravaganza. It is almost a support group. Hello, my name is Erin and I studied abroad. I have been telling all my other friends that they have to go to Germany. The country is totally different that anything I could have expected (in a good way). Just knowing that I now have journeyed the German country side puts a smile on my face. There aren’t many people that can say that they went to Germany with 22 of their good friends and experienced all the adventures that we did. I would love to go back. I told our host mom that next time we’re in Düsseldorf I will come and visit her (and hopefully know more German). I plan on learning more of the language for the future. It was so eye opening to go to a place where everyone is bi-lingual. It made me conscious of our culture that expects everyone to speak English. Other than that, I still love salami and gouda cheese, and I can not tell you how many times I have gone to get Mexican food for dinner. I wish everyone luck on this new academic year, and hope to continue to hang out with the study abroad group.

Tschuss Sucker,
Erin Briskie

Kellie's return entry

Life as a busy American student has returned in full swing. Buying outrageously priced books, waking up at the crack of dawn for 8AM’s, having a rushed breakfast, studying until the word study makes you nauseous, and all the time remembering the tranquil life I lived in Europe for 5 weeks.

I catch myself in-between hectic moments in my life looking back on pictures and reminiscing about having my breakfast made for me every morning by my awesome host mom or times when I laughed uncontrollably on the long bus rides to cities in Germany. Although the trip wasn’t ages ago, it already feels almost surreal. The pages in my life keep turning, and a climax in one of the chapters was definitely studying abroad in Germany.

Studying abroad during your academic career is an astronomical benefit to your academic career and your perception of culture. I would highly recommend living, traveling, and studying in another country. All the memories you make, the friends you encounter, the lessons you learn far outweigh any cost.

I assure everyone that I will be talking about my study abroad experience for years to come. I will have to emphasize the train ride to Amsterdam and back, the fraternity house, the crazy night in Heildberg, the long bus rides, the hotel room with the over-population of girls, the adventures on the city buses, and of course all the amazing friends I got to know really well over a 5 week period.

leave it up to me

So, leave it up to me to have the different experience. I don't think that I ever had culture shock going to Germany. I certainly didn't have it coming back either, because I managed to make a visit to the ER and get into a splint from my knuckles to my shoulder within a few days of returning. Thus, I spent plenty of time with my mom and the TV. My brother and I also probably played more Mario Kart in those two weeks than we had ever played in our lives: that is, as soon as I could move my fingers enough for that. But, that's beside the point. I just always somehow get something different. For example, crazy French cat woman.

I've definitely learned a lot in the past few months - about myself and many others. When people ask me what I liked best about the program, I always say it's the fact that I went somewhere for a month with 23 people I didn't know. I've also learned how to be happy while dealing with certain circumstances. I'm just so surprised at how much I've learned about myself. I'm not going to go into detail because it's not going to mean anything to anybody else.

Well, great... all that time and nothing tangible to show for. Then again, intangible things are probably my favorite any way. So, as I've always said, if I was a camper, I'd be a happy one. (I'm very glad I went!)

Life has moved pretty fast since coming back from Germany. That is to say, life has resettled back into the old school/work/study routine, with little time to reflect on those 6 weeks. I find myself reliving moments and memories, seeing locations and glimpses of the most obscure and insignificant details of the trip. I have yet to find a way to fully explain what it was like, living in another country, experiencing such amazing things that many people will never have a chance to do. Looking at the pictures I took, it seems like they don't even begin to do justice to what occured, can't hold a candle to the movies in my head that play at random. It's so surreal to see pictures of places and to think, "I've been there", or to have a feeling of familiarity with places that formerly existed only on maps and tv. The excursions to all of the companies, hospitals, and other businesses definitely gave a wide perspective of the opportunities in the medical field, yet personally led me in no new directions. I suppose it has helped to clarify what I don't want to do, so it's progress one way or another. I'm thinking about taking a year off to work, get some experience, and discover what career would really make me happy, away from the mind-draining regimen of school, work, studying and reading. This trip has taught me that it pays to take a chance and actively seek out new experiences. Hopefully I'll return to Germany someday, speaking a little more of the language, or travel to somewhere new. Now, if I could only find an internship at a Bavarian brewery, I'd be set. I can't believe I almost missed out on this trip because I couldn't conceive of coming up with the money. To anyone who reads this, study abroad, on this trip or another. Now is the time, young and unbound by the responsibilities of the real world, most likely starting or freshly on the road to debt. There will never be a time of greater opportunity and freedom to expand your horizons, experience other cultures, and create unforgettable memories. This trip was well worth the money, the work, and the effort, and since I can't quite convey how amazing it was, I can only tell you to go and see for yourself, you won't regret it.

Its like it never happened!!

Wow, its already been a month since we came back from Europe. I still cant believe that I was in Europe this summer. I always wanted to go there and I finally did. I can say now, that it was an amazing trip and experience for me, and Im sure it was for all of us.

Since I have been home, I have been telling my family, friends about the trip and Germany and the other place we went to, everyone thinks its cool to experience this type of study abroad, but they just don't feel me, maybe my stories are just not interesting enough to make them become really into it. I have experienced and learned so much this summer, also was surely one of the best summers I have ever experienced. Being home is nice, but there is something wrong... There's something missing, I feel there's something missing inside of me. I knew what that was.... It was Europe.

I have traveled quite a bit before in my life time, North America, central America, south pacific, and of course Asia. In doing this, I met many people and made count less friends, also I developed an understanding against people that did not share the same culture, traditions, and beliefs. I think this had made me a well round person. But now, I made it to Europe. Im sure that this trip to Europe will make me even more well-rounded by means of foreign experience and understanding. I know this experience is going to add on to my personality for sure, I can already tell.

This study abroad has given me a better understanding of the history of Europe, Medicine, and people. Its given me a different view point that I have never seen. I know view points from Asia, North America, but I really didn't know about Europe. Now I know. This view point that I have been talking about is priceless, education wise, you cant get this kind of education by sitting in a class room. The stuff we learned over there was by experiencing everything was worth I want to say months, years worth of studying in some way, but some people may say that is over expressing it, I think not. Even you don't realize it, we have learned something that is unexplainable by words.

I made so many good friends from this trip, we now have a unexplainable bond with each other, we all spent 5-6 weeks together learning, experiencing a different country, culture, and people. This make us more than friends, the bond between us is tight, I hope we can keep this bond and see each other often and talk about all the different cool things we did. I also hope we can share our experience with our two great Prof`s that lead this program.
I will pass the word along to people about this trip, and encourage them to look in to it and go.

I had a BLAST!! Thanks to every one that made this trip possible, here ins the states and in Germany.

I hate America!

Ok not really, but that has been my saying for the past 2 weeks. I'm convinced that all of the stupid little problems that have been coming my way somehow have to do with me being in america because nothing bad happened in europe. I guess I should attribute it to the fact that I had no responsibility in Europe, and now I have a million things to do, but I like blaming my troubles on America. All I really want to do is hop on a train and go somewhere. I miss the German transportation system (A&M's TS needs to go over there to see how its done). It's definitely different being back home, and I've realized that I can live without a lot of things, such as my cell phone, air conditioning, a credit card, and even Dr. Pepper. I also feel like I've changed a bit as a person. I have more of an understanding and interest in other parts of the world, and I've actually been paying attention to global issues instead of just living in an American "bubble". I miss so much about Europe and I'm already trying to figure out a way to get back over there. I even walked to school the other day because I missed walking around in the heat. The scenery wasn't quite as good as Europe, but it took me back to the good times of walking miles and miles every day. I actually had a dream the other day that everything I loved about Europe was right here in College Station, which I think may have been the best dream ever! All in all, the 5 weeks I spent in Europe was the best experience of my life and I miss everyone so much. I really can't wait to go back there and I hope I see everyone soon! Tchoss!

Last Entry..and it's still almost as awkward as the video journal.

So, I made it home from Europe, but evidently barely. My plane home left from London Heathrow about 2 hours before all the crazy terrorist arrests on the same airline started happening. Mom had a field day with that one, especially since I sent her an e-mail right before I left saying that I was going to postpone the flight for a day as a joke. But, I made it home ok and MILES was waiting for me right outside the door at the airport.
Anyway, its been a few weeks, and I’ve had time to think about the trip quite a bit. As we all know, a month in Europe is a life changing experience, but I find it hard to explain exactly what those changes are. One thing that I have noticed is that I really don’t care as much about fitting in with some norm for the sole purpose of blending in and fitting the mold. I’ll attribute this to the realization that I spent a month in various places where I most certainly stuck out like a sore thumb, and I’ve gotten used to being myself regardless.
When I got home I did not exactly have a relaxing return with a few days to recover like I expected, and very much needed. Less than 24 hours after I got back to Austin, I left for Dallas to meet up with my roommates where I managed to probably act more irresponsibly than I ever did in Europe while at the lake and down town Ft. Worth for two days. After the fun few days, things went down hill quickly. I messed up my back and had to go to the emergency room at 3 in the morning right before two-a-days for soccer started. Bottom line on that one is that it hurt and morphine is quite possibly the coolest drug ever. Also, I realized that I was graduating in exactly one year and I had/have no clue what I want to do with myself after that. So it’s been a stressful few weeks realizing that I didn’t exactly see any clear image of who I am while I was in Europe to help me decide what work I was interested in, other than not going straight to med school. The current plan is to work for a year or so after I graduate and then probably go to grad school, and I wouldn’t mind doing one to the two in Europe (particularly London).
I’m starting to ramble so I’ll wrap this up. The trip was great and I learned a vast array of interesting medical and veterinary related facts through the program that has honestly helped to renew an interest in my major and understand the value of the often monotonous engineering courses. I could not have asked for better instructors, and I think that both of their interest in the excursions, course material as well as their encouragement of our submerging ourselves in the culture and taking advantage of the opportunity we had while abroad really helped to make the experience as memorable as it was. There are a lot of memories that I have from the trip that have helped me grow as an individual, most of which I keep to myself because none of my close friends can relate, but the entire experience has been amazing. Anyway, I wish you all the best and hope you have a good semester.


P.S. come out to our soccer games this fall.
P.S.S. I bet Kyle called Thomas when he got back home.

Back in school again...and missing Germany

I have so many memories from Europe that none of my friends here can understand. I show them pictures, and they say "that looks like fun." But they just don't get it. I can honestly say that I was shocked by certain European habits when I got over there in June, but just the same I was shocked when I came back to the U.S. I was ready to come home because I missed my family and friends, but I miss Europe already.

The 6 weeks I was in Europe gave me a different perspective on life. Somehow I am more patient now, and strangely enough I haven't gotten stressed out since I've been back. Of course, I haven't had any tests yet this semester. ;) But somehow I feel more calm and open to other people's viewpoints. I have already talked up the trip to so many of my friends who want to do a study abroad program. I hope that some of them look into it and actually get to go! Because this was definately an amazing summer.

I haven't seen any of you guys very often, probably because I'm an Exercise Physiology major and we don't have any of the same classes! But I hope we continue to meet up every now and then like we did last week at La Bodega. Because who else is going to understand my stories of getting kicked off trains or going on a class tour of Dusseldorf with Dr. Wasser?

A Month at Home

So it has been an interesting month since returning from our study abroad. I got back and had to launch straight into family reunion mode - being nice, no jet lag, etc. I got to see my brand new cousin, Josh - so cute! I had all of a week at home in Corpus before having to come up to College Station for training. That week was a blur.

It's interesting being back and thinking of everything that we adapted to while in Germany. I still can't believe I typed a six page paper on a German keyboard and operating system (my host family's was not in English like the AIB's computers were). When I got back, I found myself still trying to type with the Z on top and the Y on bottom, so my friends probably got some interesting emails that week.

As much as everyone wanted to know how my study abroad went, it was hard to explain everything to them. Pictures can only tell so much, and after my bout of storytelling I would always think of something else cool that I missed sharing.

The food and snacks that I brought back were a big hit. We had a diet Coke/Cola light taste testing session, and the chocolate was devoured immediately. The apfelshorle was not as much of a hit with most of the family - they thought it was a bit tart, which it is compared with American apple juice. My dad finally decided that it was much better with a bit of sweet and lo added in.

Being back in College Station, and with a parking pass all the way across campus, I definitely miss the train/tram transportation. It was much more convenient to get around on the train, even if it was late, or I had other shenanigans as I did. At least I wouldn't have to deal with the traffic problems that construction on Texas has caused.

As I said in a brief post a few weeks ago, I am glad that I had no problems getting home other than a tight connection in Chicago. After the mess in London with the terrorist attacks a week after I left Heathrow, I am so thankful that everything went alright.

If only all classes here on Main Campus were as easy as we had it in Germany. Already I have tons of homework, and we've only been in classes for a week. And already I am getting tired of going to the same classrooms for classes instead of visiting the various museums and hospitals as we did on our study abroad.

Can't wait till our reunioun, which hopefully will happen. I have seen a few of you in classes or just on campus, but its not the same. Have a good one! ~ Robin

Unpacked and Settled In

Ok, so I'll have been back in the states for a month on Monday. It was a little weird to come back, even though I've lived in the U.S. my whole life...and I find myself missing everyone on the trip, nutella, traveling, public transportation, and many other things. I actually had the chance to go and visit the Tielos (the German relatives that I visited in Dresden while I was on the trip) in Alabama right before school started. I had to use German again! My grandmother (who is German) even started speaking to me in German (which she's never done before) because I was using the few words I picked up on my trip. It was funny, because I was able to anticipate some American things that they found weird,and so I think that I was able to make them feel more comfortable. I was also able to teach them a few American things (like how to eat fried chicken and how to break open a biscuit) since they taught me some German things (like how to eat a soft-boiled egg from an egg cup). Their visit was a nice way to ease back into American life, because I wasn't required to act completely American again. I think I definetly bored my family and friends with my pictures and stories. It was funny, because even though I took over a hundred pictures, they couldn't possibly tell the story of my study abroad trip. I have run into quite a few of my classmates in my classes this semester, and its weird, because we all know each other so well. We shared such a unique experience, and I feel like I know some people on the trip better than I knew some friends back home. My roommate and another close friend are both interested in studying abroad, and I'm really encouraging them to do so, because it was such a wonderful experience. I think that I really gained confidence and the ability to laugh at my stupid mistakes when I was over there. I think I'm also more open to meeting international students here, and I wish A&M treated international students better. The Germans were so welcoming to us, and I think A&M could learn from them. This truly was a wonderful experience, so thank you to Dr. Musser, Dr. Wasser, Miriam and the other AIB staff, and my classmates. Auf Weidersehen!

Putting it all in perspective...

I've been thinking for about 8 minutes what my opening sentence to the final blog should be. In those 8 minutes I had a film strip playing in my head of everything I experienced while in Europe...but no opening sentence. So I'll just jump right into it. Today, as Leslie and I were walking to class, we saw Erin. When we were leaving, we ran into Mas and Greg. It's kind of weird when you run into the people you spent 5 weeks traveling, learning, and living with. We share a bond that is somewhat indescribable, just like the trip to Germany in general. When I got home I just kept talking about the trip. It was hard to control myself because I had so much built up that I wanted to explode. When I felt like I had spoken too much, I would just try to relive it in my head. It was a weird feeling. I heard somebody the other day complaining about walking from the MSC to the REC. I just shook my head and thought how much they would have died in Europe. I miss the walking. I miss the bread. And I miss the ability to travel to a different country a few hours away with the convenience of trains. While abroad I learned to relax a little bit more. With a group that large you need to face the fact that somebody WILL be late no matter what. Also, I loved how different our group was. We became a family so far away from our home. It was nice. I hope to return to Europe someday to visit the places I didn't have time to go. I don't think I would want to live there though. Bathroom and water expences would add up. I went to the doctor the other day and was telling him about seeing the open heart surgery. He asked me how it was different from the American way, and I said I had no idea. I had never seen it here. I am so so lucky that I got to see something that cool. Oh, and before I go, I saw a guy walking out of Wehner today with man capris. I'm hoping he was European. I can't wait for the reunion!

Last but not Least Kit

I guess I am the last one. Ok, I personally liked Munich and Berlin about the same. And I really miss the prude, wild child, princess, and mom. Life is good, I really miss German breakfasts, I tried to recreate them but it didn't turn out right. I was glad to see my family and give them the gifts I got. This trip was bittersweet, I had tons of fun but at the end I kind of didn't want to go home anymore. It was a great trip.

The blog to blog all blogging blogs

I have been SO happy to see so many of my fellow study abroaders lately! I can tell we all really bonded on the trip no matter how much time we actually spent together. All of you are the greatest! SO yeah, being back in American is UHmazing! I am really glad to be back. In a way I wish I missed the bread and cheese for breakfast every morning, but I was really happy to get back to things I am used to. I really didn't get any of that reverse culture shock because my family and boyfriend were amazing and supportive and wanted to know about everything I did. This was definetly something I will never ever forget, and if anything it showed me that going to Europe is not a once in a lifetime chance, because after going once I know I WILL go again. I learned so much about myself and others, and I am an all around happier more confident person thanks to this trip. I mean, how many people can say they navigated a country (or countries) where they don't speak the language, and live to tell about it. ....Well, other than all of us. I really will never forget any of you guys. And hopefully I will see everyone soon at some kind of reunion hang out get together. I love ya'll bunches!

Finally, the last blog.

I know its a little late to be blogging for the last time. I have been hopping around and with no Internet access, now I finally can blog. Well, looking back on our trip to Europe, just simply it was great!! I had the best time!! Meeting new people and making new friends, getting to know the profs, and most of all, getting to know the difference in many aspects in Germany and else where. I know for sure, this experience has changed me a lot, giving me a whole new perspective against the war. Also I think by going to Germany, it has help me advance in the way I can communicate with others.
Of all, simply I just LOVE YOU GUYS!!! It was great!! I hope in the near future we can all see each other!!.
Finally, to every one, THANKS!!!.

Flying

Its a bit early for my two weeks after blog. But I wanted to get this out.

I am so glad that I made it back safely. With all that has happened in Britain with the terrorist scare, all I could think was that I was there one week before hand. I am thankful that nothing terrible happened as I was trying to make it back to the US. Although, I did have a really tight connection in Chicago, but I made it.

I hope everyone made (makes) it back okay with no huge hassles, though I admit it would be a hassle to not have any carry-ons.

So it was BROKEN!

So I went to the doctor today in Houston for my foot and they took more x-rays. The doctor is close friends with my mom so she was asking about my trip and about my foot and when it started hurting and how much I walked around on it and that kind of stuff. Well I told her all the doctor said in Germany was that it was not broke. I told her I was so sure it was broke and was really taken back when he told me it was not. She just laughed and put the x-ray up and you could see a complete break in my middle toe (the toe wasnt broke but further up the foot the third bone). I just laughed and said I knew it was broke. She was really suprised they could not see the break since it was completely broken and was really suprised that I could even walk, much less go canoning and do as much as I did. So now I am in a boot, no surgery as of now because it is growing back together straight (lucky me). I go back in three weeks to see if they have to go in a pin it. So maybe I am ready to diagnoes orthopedics.

Allllll by myseeeeeeeelf!

So after everyone left me by Friday morning I was left alone in Berlin. I really had no idea where I wanted to go but I knew I wanted to go out in Berlin one last time so I took all my stuff to the train station and bought roundtrip tickets to Brugge for Saturday morning. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I had to buy another suitcase for all my souvenirs that was even bigger than the one I brought. I bought a cheap one and the first time the suitcase went down a step the wheel broke and I was left lugging two suitcases across cobble stone, up steps, and onto trains when one would barely roll. That day I went back to the Checkpoint Charlie museum then I shopped in every H&M I could find. I went back to the train station where I got ready to go out in the WC. I've become a champ at that sort of thing. I went back to the club Kristen and I went to before (Far Out) and there wasn't as big of a crowd. I pretty much went there to find this cute German guy I met before but he wasn't there, and instead I met an even cuter Italian! For Kristen...that Turkey guy was there too and tried talking to me like I didn't remember who he was! Anyway I had to leave early and I decided to take a taxi back to the train station since the guys outside were making me fear for my life. Don't worry, Mom, I know you are reading this. Once I got back to the train station I passed out on the bench where I was awoken by the COLD morning weather of Berlin. I decided to put more clothes on but I was still wearing my dress from before so I had on my panjama pants under it, a tshirt, sweatshirt and my jean jacket over it. If I didn't look like a homeless person then I don't know. Anyway I made it to Brugge with ZERO euros on me and I tried dragging all my luggage across the cobble stone to the town center but i got about 100feet before I decided to beg a taxi to take me to an ATM then my hotel. He took me to about 5 different ATMs that wouldn't take my card or anybody elses card and I had already racked up a 10 euro fare. After telling me he couldn't accept a credit card, he said he could if it was 25euros and over. So for about a ride that should have been 7euros it cost me 25! I just cried when I got to my hotel because I was tired of carrying around my luggage, had no money, and everyone had gone home. I got over it and had the receptionist charge ONE EURO to my room just so I could get a bus into the city. Anywaaaaaaaaay, I rented a bike went around to the cathedrals and ate an Italian dinner on the Square. Then on Monday I went on a bus tour that took me to a Castle, a Chateau, a Chocolate factory, Damme, and belgian waffle and beer tasting. I met an older Austrailian couple who offered me a place to stay if I ever went to Austrailia to see the turtles lay their eggs. THey also told me about a program that students can do working with those turtles and gave me the doctor's information. I'll have to look into it....Belgian beer though, is apparently supposed to be better than German beer. Believe it or not, by then I was all beered out and all I wanted was vodka so I couldn't tell a difference. I went out that night to see what the Brugge clubs had to offer....okay, so the shops are only open from 10-6pm so I'm wondering what exactly the people of Brugge do the other 16 hours of the day they aren't working, because they don't have any sort of nightlife! Tuesday morning I woke up early to catch a train back to Duesseldorf. After having to change 3 different times I definately got off a station too late and missed my connecting train to Cologne. I finally made it back to Duesseldorf where the Hauptbanhoff welcomed me with its usual aroma. I did one last turn at the Aldstadt before I headed home to Dallas. I've never been more excited to go home!

I LOVE you guys!!!!

Ok so any more sappy posts about the fab 5 are gonna make me cry! I really had an amazing time with everyone on the trip, esp my girlz ;) Germany was a really amazing trip, and I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with stress, conflict, only knowing about three words of the local language, other people, and all that sort of stuff. I know I have found friends for life in this group, and I really thank everyone who sent me encouraging emails about my medical school interviews. I am waiting anxiously for our trip reunion so we can all swap more stories and pictures. Thanks for the memories guys, I'll see ya'll in College Station. (excpet Kit who thinks she's too cool and has to graduate)

ich ben ein berliner!

sooo, I haven`t blogged in forever due to all the craziness surrounding my european vacation. The program has been over now for awhile and I find myself STILL at the haupt banhoff....its kind of like the movie groundhog day...i just keep reliving the same thing over and over. Anyway, we finished up in Berlin which I LOVED. Not as much as Munich though because I felt like I knew more about Munich and the people even though we weren't there as long. After taking a bus tour, going to the Holocaust Memorial, and visiting an awesome medical museum the fab five were left to roam Berlin alone. Oh, goodness. We went to the Berlin Zoo...AMAZING!!! The animals were right there- in your face. Kristen, Sarah, and I fell in love with an Orangatan that made kissy faces! After the zoo we hit up the karaeoke bar that the bus tour guide recommended. Mental note...never take karaeoke recommendations from an older bus tour guide. We ended up at the Echo Bar where Kristen, Stuart, and I sang Proud Mary and I Will Survive. I must say I am amazed and moved by the vocal abilities and the harmonizing that go on between Kristen and Stuart. Then they put the Queen on....enough said. After we pushed our way through the "crowd" Kristen and I went to another club Far Out where I've never seen so many horrible dancers congreggate in one club. I got a kick out of it and I got to shake this booty. FINALLY Kristen and I accomplished what we've been trying to do all trip in Berlin (*wink*) The next day we went to the Jewish museum under the HOlocaust memorial and to checkpoint charlie. Then it was time for our farewell dinner. I must say it took me by surprise. Everyone looked AMAZING and I couldn't believe I was already saying goodbye when I felt like we were just becoming a family...Kristen, Sarah, Stuart, and I went to club Matrix where we danced onstage under the disco ball and Stuart got questioned where we were from. When she told the girl America, the girl replied with "We knew it." Do we stick out like sore thumbs or what?!? We headed home around 2:30 then was time for the tears. Im still not sure if Kristen was crying or laughing hysterically. I found it extremely hard to look at any of the girls ESPECIALLY the bawlers as I didn't want the dam to break. I teared up though b/c its been more than weird not seeing the fab 5 everyday. Im more glad that I KNOW I'll always keep in touch with them if they like it or not, and I can't wait to continue our party in College Station.....Im a donut, too!!

The Brits

This past week has been bittersweet. I absolutely loved Berlin, and I wish I had had more time there, but now, I am in London, and I do not think I have much room to complain. Saying goodbye to the Erps was a bit sad. I really hated to say goodbye to them, but hopefully, I will be back in Dusseldorf one day and I will definitely plan on visiting them! They must be the absolute sweetest people ever. They really did treat us like daughters, and I know they thought of us as such while we were there.

Now, I am in London with my family, so the European saga has another week or so for me, but then, it's back to the States, and I am not sure I am quite ready for that. It has been an interesting transition though. I am know officially a tourist as opposed to a pseudo residence in Germany. It is a tad different. Well, that's all for now. We found a huge supermarket down the way, and I am a tad bit excited about it!

The Brits

This past week has been bittersweet. I absolutely loved Berlin, and I wish I had had more time there, but now, I am in London, and I do not think I have much room to complain. Saying goodbye to the Erps was a bit sad. I really hated to say goodbye to them, but hopefully, I will be back in Dusseldorf one day and I will definitely plan on visiting them! They must be the absolute sweetest people ever. They really did treat us like daughters, and I know they thought of us as such while we were there.

Now, I am in London with my family, so the European saga has another week or so for me, but then, it's back to the States, and I am not sure I am quite ready for that. It has been an interesting transition though. I am know officially a tourist as opposed to a pseudo residence in Germany. It is a tad different. Well, that's all for now. We found a huge supermarket down the way, and I am a tad bit excited about it!

Wie Geyhts, Bitches!

I've put off bolgging for a while, being scared that once I started I would end up feeling very sad that all of this is over. It feels good to be back in Texas, but not good to be back in the U.S. Does that make any sense? One thing that I really did identify with Germans over is their sense of regional rather than national pride. I've never really felt proud to be an American like so many others, but I thank God everyday that I am a Texan and I never could live anywhere else.
Before I give my closing remarks, I wanted to inform you all that my second and third days in Berlin were just as fantastic as the first. After the zoo, the fabulous five went out for kareoke at the echo bar and Kristen, Mel and myself sang "rollin' down a river" and "I will survive" while Sarah and Kit sang along and taped. I felt like a regular at the Echo bar and we finally got to hear our Queen. Thusday was spent touring the Scloss Charlottenburg, buying 8 pounds of gummie bears, ascending in a hot air balloon and purchasing an eastern Berlin army hat. Kit wouldn't stand near me for fear of being shot as I wore my treasure around the city. Feminizing Kit for the farewell dinner was classic as well. After the dinner, Sarah, Mel, Kristen and I spent the night dancing on the stage of a Berlin discoteque before hooking a taxi back to the hotel and seeing eachother off. Seeing Sarah, Kristen and Mel in tears really got to me, so come over and hang out with me in College Station, ho-bags! We'll say the rosary, listen to kidz bop and party it up home-school style.
Germany has been the most kick-ass vacation and awesome experience I could ever have hoped to live through. I miss my girls; Sarah, Mel, Kristen and Kit so much and I'll miss seeing ya'll everyday. Dereck, Greg and Mas were good men and it felt so great to have some brotherly companions while studying abroad. Dr. Musser, you are cool as hell and I can't wait to take your class on awesome diseases. Margot and Freddie, my host parents were better than I could ever have hoped for. I can only hope that everyone came home feeling as blessed as I did for having met so many kind, warm and funny people and for having experienced such a great culture. I felt very immersed. I'm very happy now and I don't want anything more.

Back to the real life.

I had a great time in Germany and else where. I would say this summer was very well spent!!!. Anyway, I wanted to write about the plane ride back here to the states. From Berlin, my flight rout was Berlin to Milan Italy to Atlanta to Dallas. The plane from Italy to Atlanta was the worse flight I have ever experienced. Italians..... I was sitting in the back of the plane and in the airplane, I would say half were Italians,,, the whole way back the to the United states, the whole 10 hours... they stood up in the plane right behind me talking to their friends which where sitting right behind be. Let me rephrase that, not talking but laughing and yelling, the whole 10 hours.... the worse thing is that, the flight attendants didn't ever say anything, I finally said something to them.. the said they were sorry, but it didn't help.... the Americans sitting next to me where also very up-set about the issue..... I cant believe what I was seeing.. how can some people be so immature. You could tell that most of the people were getting up-set and unhappy about the issue... I have never been to Italy, and I haven't really experienced the Italian way of life ether. But for me, this plane ride gave me a really bad impression about Italians. Impression which is, that they care about them selves, and like to talk out!!! I know this doesn't apply to all Italians. It could have been a small group on the plane doing this, but half of the plane was talking on the way to America, and to me it is hard to think that all of them were friends.

I just wanted to talk about this a little.

Home!

I'm back in San Antonio and have been since 5pm on Friday night. I left Berlin on Thursday after an interesting lecture on Intellingent Design and a wonderful bike tour. I spent six hours in a hotel in Duesseldorf between my flights from Berlin and to Amsterdam. I met up with Leslie, Shannon, and Kellie in Amsterdam, where I said goodbye to Kellie. I said goodbye to Shannon in Houston, and to Leslie in San Antonio, where my mother picked me up. We randomly ran into a family friend at baggage claim, then made our way home to drop off the German chocolate. I convinced my parents to take me out to Mexican (not a hard battle!), and it was sooooo good! (my sister is recovering from surgery) My mom and sister left yesterday for the East Coast, so I basically spent a day and a half talking nonstop about my trip. My dad got back Friday from London, so he's a bit jet lagged too. We did go see Pirates 2, but I liked the first one better. Now I'm getting ready for school and my trip to see the grandparents in FL and AL on Saturday.

As for my trip, it was amazing. I learned so much about German (and European) culture and about my abilities to cope with a language barrier and a new culture. My host family was fantastic, and I think I learned so much from them about the culture. They were very open and we were able to discuss Germany's history and culture and make comparisons to U.S. culture. I want to thank them for their kindness. My professors, Dr. Wasser, Dr. Musser, and Miriam were wonderful. They helped open my mind to new ideas with formal and informal lectures and discussions. I met so many great people on this trip, not least of all my fellow students. It's incredible how 22 people can get to know one another so well. I guess because we were all in the same situation, we bonded way more than I've ever gotten to know classmates in other classes at school. I made many new friends, whom I hope to see back in College Station. Saying goodbye to Germany was difficult, as I enjoyed traveling and seeing so many new things. However, I was anxious to get back to Texas to see my family and to prepare for the next big thing, moving back to school.

I went back to the clinic where I worked at the beginning of the summer with my dog for his annual exam on Saturday, and I realized how much I've changed in just a few weeks. I am grateful to my parents for enabling me to come on this trip, and I am glad I made the decision to come, even though I was nervous back in June. I would have missed so much had I decided to just work all summer. So many thanks (viele danke, I think) to those who helped me come on the trip, and who helped me on the trip. It was truly a unique experience.

I love Dr. Pepper!

I'm back home and the first thing I asked for was of course, a Dr. Pepper. It was better than I imagined...oh so was mexican food. I really appreciate texas mexican food after having the german version. I'll never make that mistake again, it was scary.

On a completely different subject, I was so devastated that I had to leave Europe. I knew I liked it there, but I didn't realize that I liked it that much. I was excited to come home and see my family and friends, but at the same time I really wished that they would just come visit me. I'm pretty sure I want to live there, maybe not forever, but for a year or two at least. I'm so glad that I had this experience and its definitely something that I will never forget. I had so much fun meeting everyone and I hope we will hang out in College Station soon!

Yes, I'm in airconditioning

Well, one of my eyes was glued shut this morning when I woke up. I noticed the pain while on the plane ride from Amsterdam to Houtson, and it went down hill from there. There's a small possibility it could be due to the sleep I did not have for nearly 48 hours...just a guess. I will begin with the farewell dinner. Everyone looked quite nice (we are used to seeing eachother either sweaty from walking or unshowered after an overnight train), and the dinner/wine was lovely. Really, this was probably the best wine I've ever tasted, and at that point the thought of drinking was making me sick. Quick sidenote...I love having a computer to type on where all the letters and symbols are in the correct spots. After dinner, we went to a bar (the story of our trip) and people drank even if they said they would not due to an early morning flight...(see Leslie Whelan's most recent blog). I returned to the hotel to take a shower and pack before the taxi came to pick us up at 3:45. We eventually made it to the airport and prepared ourselves for a long day of flying. My body has gotten so used to carrying luggage it's amazing. I was really happy to get home, but I was so tired because I had forgotten to sleep on the plane. I apparently missed the whole point of not sleeping the night before. I think I might head out to the pool now, and then go to about 75 different public places to get some free water.

All by my lonesome

It´s so strange to read everyone else´s blogs and realize that they´re already at home, back to normal life. As of yesterday at 4 in the morning, I´m the only one left in Berlin. Today consisted of a visit to the Pergamon Museum and a final well rounded German meal, complete with all of the German food groups - a tall pilsner beer, smoked pork with gravy, potato puree, sauerkraut, warm apfelstrudel with ice cream and whipped cream, and an espresso...a gastronomical masterpiece. It was interesting to walk back by all of the sites and buildings we had seen before and get my bearings. Berlin is an amazing city, kind of like a conglomeration of the good aspects of the other German cities we´ve visited so far...huge, with tons of stuff to do, art and museums, nightlife, history and culture, lots of space and parks, and not too expensive. Granted, I´m just about ready to get back home and slow down for a while. I´m ready to see friends and family, to stay in one place for longer than a week, and to get back into the groove, although after this trip, I´m definitely going to have to put some bumps in that groove to keep things interesting. I have a feeling life is going to be a little bit different after this trip. I definitely want to take language courses to learn more of the language and figure out a way to get back to Europe and Germany, or just to see more of the world in general. It´s such a great experience to visit another culture, learn about it and interact with it, and take some of it with you. Anyways, I´m going to go drop my things back at the hostel, and tonight´s probably going to be an early night, since I´m supposed to be at the airport 3 hours early to check in and my flight leaves at 7:30 in the morning. This is the end, but the memories will not soon be forgotten. Vielen dank to Dr. Wasser, Dr. Musser, Miriam, Lars, Celine, Trevor, everyone else at the AIB, and everyone on this trip for such a great experience. For the last time from Germany, Tschüss.

Unsichtbar

Wednesday night at Unsichtbar (invisible)was an incredible experience, for lack of a better description. I had come across the website of this place before, a restaurant staffed by blind and visually impaired people where you ate in total darkness, in order to get a taste of how they experience life. They say when you lose one sense, your body compensates by heightening the others, taste included, which made the meal that much more enjoyable. We were led around several winding turns in a hallway until we were in total darkness, along with several other tables of people. It was so cool, not knowing what you were eating, and having to use smell, taste, and touch (yes, after a while most of us abandoned the utensils and just used our fingers) to identify. The atmosphere itself was very comfortable and intimate, with everybody having to touch to pass food or bread or drinks around. Because of the darkness, your world was made up of the people in your immediate vicinity who you could hear, and even the people at the other end of the table seemed to disappear. Our waitress, Sandy, was visually impaired, and would use touch to locate each person at the table, sliding her arm across your back, and then over your shoulder to put the food in front of you. It was funny to notice that I still would look towards whoever was speaking, and still opened my eyes, even though open or shut made no difference. Also, when I got up to go to the bathroom, Sandy led me back out to the light, and the whole time I was ready to get back to the darkness. This was definitely one of the most unforgettable evenings of the trip.

Unsicht bar

Berlin was amazing! I love it. While we were in Berline a group of us went to the Unsicht-Bar. It is this amazing place that is completely dark and the whole wait staff is either blind or visually impaired. It was an amazing experience to say the least. You don't realize how dependent you are on gestures and facial expressions until you can't rely on them. As an extra little challenge I got the suprise menu, so I had to guess what I was eating. It was great, I tried all sorts of food I never thought I would like and it was completely unbiased. I recommend eveyone eat there at least once in their life. It was amazing.

Kit, Stuart, and I made it back to Dallas.

Well, I didn't exactly get to a computer while in Berlin, so I'm home now. It's kind of a weird feeling. Of course everyone asks how it was - and it was amazing, but I don't know how to explain it all. In any case, how am I supposed to even begin to describe my host family situation without making everyone think that I had the most horrible time ever? I hate when I'm at a loss for words...

I'm alive & home...luckily

So I am sitting at my computer at my house right now and it is the weirdest feeling not being on a computer at the AIB or at an internet cafe. It is hard to realize that right now back in Germany it is 1:30 in the morning and has been over 24 hours since our fairwell dinner. Our dinner was great and I really enjoyed it...probably too much. After the restaurant we all went to another bar and it is honestly all blurred from about then until the plane ride on the way home. I didn't sleep because I had to catch my taxi at 3:45 yesterday morning and I knew that if I did sleep I would end up being even more tired. Not sleeping was the initial plan, but not drinking was also a main factor. The second part of the plan I am afraid to say I didn't hold up. As I am a little embarassed, I definitely had a few too many drinks and I am lucky that I had some great people to help me on my trip back home. Shannon, Mas, and Kellie were on the same taxi as me and I owe all of them some thanks! All I know is that Shannon packed my bags & that I almost didn't make it on the plane from Berlin to Amsterdam. I apparently looked rather sickly and the man at the ticket counter wasn't going to let me on the plane. He ended up making a deal with us that consisted of me sitting for twenty minutes in the waiting area and trying my best to look alive and well. We then had go back up to the counter and he would reconsider me getting on the plane. I managed to pass his test & I and my luggage made it home in one piece. The only good that came out of drinking too much was that I pretty much slept any time I sat down. I slept in the Berlin airport, on the plane to Amsterdam, at the Amsterdam airport, and then on the long ride back to the states. I feel much better now, but I'm still not even fully recuperated. I apologize if I embarassed myself or anyone else and last night was slightly out of character for me...but I definitely have no room to make excuses. I guess I at least have an interesting story to do one last blog about!

The Last Hoorah

Well, I don't exactly know how to spell hoorah, but I think you get the point. Anyways, we went to Berlin this past week for our last week in Germany. We took a bus tour when we first arrived, but we were all so sleepy that most of us conked out! The next day I went to Checkpoint Charlie and toured the museum there. It was so cool learning about how people escaped and in so many different ways!! We also timed it just right because it started pouring while we were in the museum, but it stopped as soon as we got out. We also did some shopping that day and went to H&M...the best store ever!!! The next day we went on a bike tour that was a lot of fun, and we took some fun group pictures on a Karl Marx statue and on a huge E=MC2!! The tour guide was really funny and did a good job explaining everything, but I think he should be more careful about the jokes he makes--he could easily offend someone. We did more shopping after the tour and I bought some Birkenstocks because I've never owned a pair, so I thought I might as well buy some while they are cheaper!

The coolest thing by far on this whole trip was the Dünkel restaurant! (I'm sure many people have posted about this already, but here's another one). The restaurant is run by blind people--they are the waiters--and you eat your dinner in complete darknes in order to feel how it is to be blind!!! It is such a weird feeling not being able to see anything! We were led inside in a line and Sandy (our waitress) took us each individually and showed us our chair and place setting. For a while after we all sat down we were just trying to get a visual of who was sitting where. When I talked to the others, I kept my eyes open even though technically it would be the same if I had them closed, but I felt I couldn't concentrate as much if my eyes were closed. Eating the surprise food we ordered was an adventure! I used my fork and knife pretty much all the time, but it was weird because you never knew what you were stabbing if anything at all! It was really hard to tell if you had finished everything on the plate unless you feel around with your hands, which is what I did sometimes! It was such a wonderful experience, and it really made me appreciate all the problems blind people have to face. Most people take their sight for granted, but after that dinner I don't think I do anymore!

The last night we were in Berlin we had a banquet at this really nice restaurant and everyone dressed up so we all looked so nice!! It was a lot of fun and the food was good! I'm also glad I got to see and talk with Gerd and Christa one last time before we left. It was such an enjoyable evening--a great way to end the program! But that wasn't the end of the night. We went out to this cool bar Miriam took us to and I bought a drink just to celebrate the ending of our program. It is so sad to think that we won't see most of these people as much as we have these past five weeks, but I think we all bonded really well, and I'm looking forward to hanging out with everyone at College Station! Party at Dr. Wasser's house!!! right?? It was such a weird feeling because when I went to sleep that night after the banquet and I got up in the morning, over half the group was already gone...just like that!! I'm going to miss being with everyone in Germany, but I am anxious to get home and see my family, boyfriend and dog!! I'll never forget the awesome people I've met on this trip or the wonderful experiences we all shared together!!! Tschüss everyone!!! See you soon!!

Berlin at Night

So, I'm not planning to talk about my days in Berlin, as they are similar to my days in other cities. I do want to talk about the nights however. The first night I stayed in and brushed my teeth for 7 minutes. Really - I got distracted. The second night a group of us went to Unsicht Bar - a bar run by blind people that is served in complete darkness. It was as if we'd fallen into an abyss or something. When I was little, I used to blindfold myself and pretend that I was blind, but this was the full experience. At first I tried not to use my fingers, only tentatively touching my plate to identify the location of the food and then using my fork. By the dessert, I would practicly put my whole hand into my plate trying to identify what I had, and only occasionally use silverware. It is an entirely different lifestyle. Because everyone was being so loud, it was hard to use my other senses to extend my world. It seems as if my entire table consisted of Karen, Erin, and Kathy, who I was sitting by, although I could occasionally catch the conversation of the rest of our group at the other end of the table. It was an extremely isolating experience. Though our meals were extremely expensive, it was a four course meal, and besides that the experience was mind blowing. I would recommend it to anyone, especially friends of mine who are going into special education. Tomorrow we all depart, and I have to say I'm not particularly sad - I will get to see those important to me again later. And I get to see my family!!!! Yay. Tschuss Deutschland.

The Quest for Karaoke

Ahhh...the ever elusive karaoke. Europeans just don't know how it works at all. We asked our Berlin tour guide for a good karaoke bar and he gave us the name of this bar where 2 men played instruments and you just got up there to sing whatever song they knew. No words, just the music. These men were also really insistent that we sing the songs they wanted to sing, not ones we wanted, so we ended up singing Proud Mary which we didn't really know the words to, and I will Survive, which sounds hilarious played by a keyboard and guitar. We eventually convinced the bartender to play a Queen DVD, so in the end, we were happy.

black out

I am sure that everyone has heard this story about going to the blind resturaunt by now but I just want to say a few more things about it. First of all, going to a blind place to eat gives a whole new meaning to the word finger food. I have never had to use my hands so many times to pick up a piece of meat and lettuce before. Also, I didnt realize that it would be a problem if you drop your fork. You seriously have to sit there and wait for someone to help you get a new one because you dont know where the fork fell. Also, someone's watch glow went off and I totally freaked out and jumped onto karen. Seeing some weird green light in the middle of total darkness really spooked me out. It was an amazing place to go and I have a whole new respect for the visually impared. Anyway, tonight is our last night. I can't believe it is already over. Tschüss Suckers!

Remember Germany

How I will remember this trip:
I will remember the first day as being hot. When Dr. Wasser was giving a tour and we all stood in the shade shielding ourselves from the blasted sun. I will cherish our team winning the scavenger hunt and receiving a scarf with Germany written on it. The wonderful AIB that had a built in sauna (sp?) room where you could sweat out all your body weight in one lecture. I will remember the computer room that had confusing apple computers (sarah was the apple expert). The many museums like the east-west Germany after WW2 museum with the great tour guide. Dr. Musser dancing. Dr. Wasser being a frog at the tram stop. (we have a reinactment on video). The BEER. The amazing weekends where your travel time together bonded everyone!! The good times will forever be remembered.

The last night out and leaving already :(

We had a great time last night in Berlin and my body is definitely not very happy with me today. It was well worth it though. A group of us all went and ate dinner (Italian again), not to mention after we had already downed a few bottles of wine at the hotel. We then decided to just bar hop and the night went on for quite a while. At one stop the drinks were only 4.90 for a half liter so we took advantage of the offer. Shannon's Mohito was smaller than everyone elses and she wasn't too thrilled about it so she made her point clear (in a nice way) to our waiter. He kindly took her drink and to make up for the smaller glass added some extra liquor to it. Well, when the drink came back the mohito was no longer the usual clear color but was now brown. I took one drink of it and didn't ask for any more. Needless to say Doug and I ended up taking the owner of the drink back to the hotel a little early. It was a really fun night and a good one to end on. I am excited about our fairwell dinner tonight and I am going to try and not sleep tonight because I will be catching a taxi around 4:30 and I want to make sure that I am extra tired on the plane ride back home.

I am really sad that the trip has already ended and I don't think that this fact has actually set in yet. It went by so fast, but yet I feel that I have learned so much about so many things over the past five weeks. I have not only gained knowledge from the classes and various excursions and lectures, but I have also learned a lot about myself and about living in a completely foreign culture. It wasn't difficult to adapt and remain open, but being in completely new places and in completely new situations is something that I enjoy. I also feel that this experience has kind of forced me to grow up in a way of being able to having to have had to learn to live and cope with the German culture. I am going to miss my host mom and host brother and it will probably take me a little while to jump back into the life that I left. Although I am sad to be leaving, I am looking forward to going back home and having a week of relaxing...even though I have so much to do before moving back up to College Station.

Go Berlin Bears

We have reached the end. It is weird, sad, and slightly relieving due to the tiredness factor. One thing I must admit is that I'm really really glad Dr. Wasser and Musser decided to make our papers due before we went home. It was a slightly stressful few hours, but I sure am glad to be done. Tuesday morning our host mom took us to the Hauptbanhof before she headed off to the unemployment office. It was quite a nice gesture especially since it was raining. We said our goodbyes, and I was slightly worried we were going to have to do the kissing thing like we did when we met her the first day, because I forgot if Germans do 2 or 3 kisses. While hugging I remembered it was the Swiss that do 3, and by that time she was moving on to Leslie so I couldn't put my knowledge to use. I know, it was very sad. Anyway, we lugged all of our stuff into the train station, and watched as the pile continued to grow with the arrival of our group members. I really thought it was going to be a huge disaster, and it nearly was. We basically ended up throwing everyone's huge suitcases on the train, and let the guys handle the rest. That's when we finally figured out why Dr. Wasser let them come on the trip. When we reached the coolest and biggest hauptbanhof EVER in Berlin (I compared it to The Mall of America), we grabbed something to eat and set off for a bus tour. That night we went out to eat and drink with Dr. Musser, so ofcourse we had a good time, and walked around to find the club that we now think closed in 1989. Oh well, we had a good laugh about it. Yesterday we went to the Medical History Museum which I loved. It probably contained some of the coolest items I've ever seen. I personally liked the fetuses and the feet. After lunch at a high quality German restaurant (Subway), a group of us went to the Holocaust Museum. I really enjoyed reading the parts of letters some of the victims had sent to their family members. It made it quite real. Last night we had some fun. After being good citizens, and helping eachother decrease the weight of our luggage by finished off some wine, we headed out to the street of Berlin. We found a good deal on .5 L cocktails, so when I only got .4 L I had to bring it up to the waitor. He took my drink to put more "rum" in it, and that's when things started getting bad. My mojito returned to me a shade of brown, and I drank every disgusting sip of it. Bad idea. And it still feels like it was a bad idea right now. We tried to go shopping today, but could not find any good places. We even took a train to the main shopping area. This is where we will not compare Berlin to New York. I still think Munich is my favorite city in Germany. It's much easier to get around, has good shopping, and is prettier...but it certainly does not have the remains of the Berlin Wall. Tonight is our farewell dinner, and then some of us fly out tomorrow around 6 am. That should be fun.

Oh the streets of Berlin...

So I'm not completely sure how I feel about the city of Berlin. I honestly don't like the city as much as I had thought or hoped I would. As far as the history goes the city is amaying. A group of us went to the Holocaust Museum on Wednesday and it really interesting. I still just can't completely understand how all of that inhumanity went on for so long, or even how people can think and do those kinds of things. I almost makes me sick to my stomach just to think about it. Shannon and I made an attempt to find some shops after the museum but didn't have much luck. When we found out where we would need to go we just didn't feel like getting on the tram and going so instead we just headed back towards the hotel. Unfortunately the weather wasn't that great yesterday and we were quite wet by the time we reached our room.

Our first night here in Berlin we decided to go eat and then see where the night would take us. Dr. Musser went with us and I think there were about eight of us total. We ate Italian food which was very good and then went on a mission to find Cafe Moscow...which we finally found and was disappointingly closed. I will definitely have to take the blame for that one because I was pushing for going there and everyone else just kind of agreed. We did find a couple of other bars and had a few drinks and then headed back to the hotel. There was hardly anyone out and not much was going on which surprised me. It is a possibility that we were in the wrong area though. Well that about sums up the first couple of days and that first night.