It is a critical time in our lives at Texas A&M. Classes have descended over the peaceful world of College Station and its people (students). The homework, exams, and projects are taking over. The semester has begun and there is no stopping now...
Well, I tried, I can't write as much as George Lucas and I lack imagination to do a full Star Wars-like scrolling dialogue.
Anyhow, it has been a month since we all came back from Europe. It truly seems it hasn't been that long to me. At the same time, since we are busy with classes, exams, and homework, time seems to go by slowly for us as students… well at least for me. The interesting thing about experiencing other cultures is that the more one experiences, the less “reverse culture shock” one gets! Upon returning to the US, I expected to be critical and compare my experiences in Europe with my life in the US. The truth is that I did not. I understand that the world has different cultures and that we have to learn to live in unison with each other.
Understanding a culture means just that; understanding, accepting, and not trying to constantly compare what one is used to with what others do. Sure, in Germany they wait until you ask for the check, and here they don’t but otherwise we are similar in many other ways. Before leaving on this trip I expressed some anxieties about this trip. To be honest, all of them turned out to be nothing more than anxieties. There really was a very small language barrier, and I overcame that tiny percentage with my three week super basic German “course” (ok, I bought a book with lots of pictures and vocabulary). There were no pickpockets, not even in Prague or Amsterdam and we always felt secure, especially since we traveled together. Distance was not a problem, I had communication with my family every once in a while, and I just plain enjoyed the entire trip!
My views of Germany and Europe in general changed quite a bit thanks to this trip. The orientation helped, but being there made all preconceptions go away. Truly, Germany is much more that the Nazi era instigator. It was very important for me to experience Germany to allow me to dissipate all notions of this. Though the Nazi era and the Holocaust and the T4 program all happened, Germany has changed a lot since 1945. Germany today is art, architecture, history everywhere you go, nice people, beer, technology, and medical advances and medical technology. I am very happy I could experience all this. In addition, traveling thorough Europe was an amazing experience. The opportunities to travel to Prague and Amsterdam, to get to experience history, beauty and, yes why not, liberalism, were eye-opening. This trip helped me grow in my cultural experiences and helped me form a better world view. What can I say? If I had any expectations about this trip, now that I am back I realize that being there blew them all out of the water. It was in one short, sweet word, AMAZING.
The experiences I lived during these three weeks have reshaped my world view; they have opened my eyes to a new fascinating culture. Though I did not get into medical school this time around I found that there are many opportunities. They say that for every one door that closes, two more open. Well, I applied for the Study and Internship Program (SIP) in Germany. I loved being in Europe, I loved learning a little bit about German culture, I loved the language and I hope I can go back and immerse myself in it! I realized that there is really no point in learning a language unless you get to experience it (that’s why I will go to Japan and Italy someday and live these cultures as well!). Yes, I changed, this trip changed me. It opened my eyes. I loved observing the surgery, I realize that Germany has a lot to offer in the medical field, and I want to go back and learn more. This will impact my career because the more I learn and experience, the better my chances are of getting into a good medical school next time I apply. I think the trip to Germany and learning about the history of medicine were meant to happen and happened just at the right time in my life. It was awesome and I am deeply thankful for the opportunity to have gone on this trip.
Now I am back in the United States, working hard, learning more. I have experienced a new culture and I did not suffer a reverse cultural shock. I am back, I am here… but who knows, maybe this summer I will be back in Germany studying!!!
Bis dann!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment