This is it...

Being in Germany during winter break was, hands down, one of the most memorable experiences of my life. It was a journey, to say the least, of twelve Texas A&M students, one professor, and an AIB coordinator. I can honestly say that before this trip, I had no confidence in myself as an Aggie. I never found myself fitting into any particular group and I held on closely to those very few people I found in College Station that were somewhat like me. After this trip, I can say that I have found something in common with every person on the trip. When we first began our orientation sessions with Dr. Wasser, I felt like the group was going to be unsociable but now I realize that we were all awkward with each other because we didn't know each other. It didn't take us very long to let the guards down and be ourselves with each other. I feel so much more independent than I ever have and I feel like I have so much more to do all over the world. I want to revisit Europe and find my own way using the EuroRail, I want to ride the public transportation all over the cities just because I can, and most of all, I wish that in some way I could relive those two weeks in Germany.

Every time I am asked about Germany, I always respond with "It was the coolest experience of my life". I don't know how else to put it! I always tell people about the Heart and Diabetes Center in Bad Oeynhausen and how we got to see open heart surgeries. And we really got the SEE it, not see from an observatory above the operating room, we were IN the operating room. When I talk about it, I can always see the human heart pumping before my eyes, how could I ever forget that image. It is the most amazing thing I have ever seen in my life, so far. Another one of my favorites was TiHO in Hannover, another amazing experience. I will never be so "intimate" with a cow as I was that day and it was amazing how hospitable everyone was. Including the fraternity, who opened up their house to us at the end of the day. They probably remember us for reasons that we shall no longer mention back in the US but  we will always remember the Polish girl.  I wish we could have spent more time in Hannover in the medical and veterinary school environment, but our days were numbered towards the end of the trip. 

The visit to Dachau was breathtaking, literally. In the United States, we have Holocaust memorials and movies depicting it, but I got to walk through one in Germany. It was horrifying to think about all the abominable things that happened to the people in those camps. It was so repulsive that the front gates to the concentration camp said "work will set you free", when in reality it was just to instill false hope. When Dr. Wasser said the prayer in front of the Jewish memorial, I almost lost it.  I watched some of my peers tear up, and I'm the one that never shows emotion...but I couldn't help it here. 

I could have dealt without the snowy weather in Berlin, but it made me appreciate the weather in Munich. Also, I am definitely okay without having to pay for refills and for water...and still I only found one place that served "lye-tung-wasser" (phonetically spelled from Carrie's pocket dictionary, which really could never fit into a pocket). Surprisingly, after using public restrooms here, I wish that we did have to pay, just so it would be clean. But I do remember paying over $3 USD ( 1,40 EU) to use the bathrooms in the Hannover Hbf. Not pleasant to fork over that money, but they were the cleanest restrooms I have ever been in! Oh, and I got the chance to see the automatic toilet cleaner, which was awesome. 

I feel so lucky to have met everyone on this trip. Thanks to all of you who made my experience in Germany unforgettable. And thanks to Dr. Wasser and Steffi, because without them, I would not be avoiding physiology reading to type up my final blog...but really, without them, none of this would have been possible. I hope that everyone gets the chance to study abroad, and I know that I want to go again!