Week One

A whole week has almost gone by, I don't even know where to start. Everyday is filled with new and exiting adventures. The city of Bonn was amazing, everybody walks so fast, I was completly thrown off guard, I was terrified of being mowed down! Ok, so maybe I'm exagerating a bit. Durnig the tour of the citz it was so so cold, but luckly i bought a big enough jacket. Yay! The underground subway system was intimidating at first but I soon realized that it was extremelz convinient and easy to use. We saw beautiful cathedrals in Bonn and Koln, I couldn't help but feel small but at the same time amazed at the architecture and attetntion to detail. We went to 3 different museums each uniqe and facanating. We saw how the science of anasthesia evolved over the years. How the pas has influenced the current Germany, and we had a scavenger hunt for artifacts in the Museum of Roman and German History for artifacts that may have been used for medicial puposes in ancient time. I personaly had lots of fun doing this, I almost felt like a child, but in a good way!!!
My favorite experience this far has been being able to shadow doctors at the teaching hospital in Bonn. I got to see a leak in the dura matter of a patient sealed with the use a laproscope, cadaver dura matter and fibrin. The doctor was also extremly kind, he took the time to explain everything he was doing. This was definitely one of the many highlights of my week.

Bonn and Cologne

This trip has been fascinating so far. First off was the plane ride. I had to drive to Houston from Dallas, where I had been for Christmas. My dad and I left Dallas early thinking that there would be some traffic and that the trip would take us longer than expected, it didn’t. We arrived in Houston at noon and thus had to proceed to kill some time before checking in at the airport. The plane ride was very interesting. I had never been on a trans-Atlantic flight or on a non U.S. airline. I was surprised to find out that the beer was free, the seats as small as I’d seen on a plane, and the food was actually good. I was unable to sleep on the plane, but I caught an hour on the bus which prepared me for the day at hand.

On the trip to Bonn, before I fell asleep, I was surprised to find wide open areas of wilderness and plains. I had expected a lot of buildings spread out all over the land and not as much free space. I really like how there is so much room and the rolling hills covered in snow hiding the small towns behind them still exist even in a highly developed country.

I was surprised to find Bonn smaller than I had expected, although I really like that about it. I was not overwhelmed by the city, and it was rather easy to get directionally acquainted. I was surprised by the number of shops that are open to the outside even though it is in the thirties.

The food so far has been amazing. Almost everywhere we have eaten has been delicious. From bratwurst the first night to the pizza in Cologne, it has all been great. I have been very surprised by the cost of some of the food, at how cheap it has actually been. I was expecting to have my wallet raped around dinner time at the very least, but that has yet to happen.

Observing the surgeries on Wednesday was really cool. I got to see a gall bladder removal, which became even more interesting when they had to open up the patient further to see if there were any other problems in her abdominal cavity. I was very surprised by how rough the surgeons were. The first cut was precise, but after that it was just cut with the electrical knife. Also when they were pulling her skin back to look into her abdomen it was as if they were playing tug-of-war with her epithelium. The smell from cauterized skin was also something that I hadn’t expected. I did however get used to it as the surgery went on.

The Cologne Cathedral was amazing. I had never seen a more ornate and highly decorated structure. I was amazing that something like it could have been built without cranes or modern day construction equipment.

Experiences from the 'Civilized' side of the Rhine

I've now been in Germany for 4 days and I must say that aside from the fact that I don't usually know what people are saying or what any writing says, this country is amazing. The people are very friendly and most know enough English to help us get what we need. I must say that the food here is incredible and I've really enjoyed being introduced to famous German dishes such as schnitzel and sauerkraut. The portions are huge and the flavor is so rich that I'm not sure how the U.S. survives on a culture of fast food. I will say that I prefer the McDonald's back home, but the Pizza Huts here are way better (except when I try to order pepperoni and mushrooms, but get peppers instead). Finally, I must address the beer. As someone who's not a huge beer drinker, I wasn't sure what to expect. After 4 days of trying some of the native beers, I must say that I have no idea how I will ever go back to American beer. The quality and taste here is just amazing.

Now, on to the actual program: it has been great. Our first evening in Bonn after we arrived from the airport was spent exploring the town and discovering the German way of life. On a side note, the plane ride wasn't that bad as the food and service were great. The only issue was the temperature and the fact that I couldn't sleep no matter what I tried to do. Maybe I should upgrade to business class for the return trip. For dinner our first evening, we went to a traditional Rheinish restaurant with Dr. Wasser and Nils (the program coordinator). It was a great way to finish of the first day and really start to bond as a class. On that topic, everybody gets along very well and I'm excited to spend another 2 weks with this group of Aggies. The first night I only got 6 hours of sleep and was up at 430 and couldn't force myself to go back to sleep so I waited for breakfast, which was very good once again. The second day we took a tour of the city, guided by the head of AIB Dr. Rainer, and got to see many of the points of interest in the city, including the University and large church in the center of town. That afternoon we went to the House of German History museum which chronicled the history of West Germany after the Second World War. It was very interesting to see the development of West Germany but even more interesting when it was compared to the relative lack of development in East Germany. After the museum we returned to AIB and Dr. Wasser lectured on euthanasia in Nazi Germany, a topic that I found very interesting especially considering those being targeted were not Jews but "unfit" Germans themselves. After the lecture we went ice skating and then to dinner, thus completing our 2nd day. The 3rd day involved a trip to the University of Bonn's medical facilities. We put on scrubs and got to watch various surgeries. My group observed ENT based surgeries and we got to see a brain leak patched up through the nose and a tumor search/ partial removal from under a woman's jawbone. The doctors were very friendly and explained to us in detail what they were doing. That afternoon we traveled back to the university to visit the anesthesiology museum. Although just one floor in size, the museum was full of hundreds of items related to the development of anesthesia from 1846-the present as well as certain drugs and patient monitoring systems. The tour was given by the curator of the museum who himself was a real pioneer in the field. Listening to him speak about his museum was such a treat because the passion he had for his work was undeniable. After the museum trip, we returned to AIB where Nils treated us to a German tradition of hot malt wine and we watched a couple classic German sketches.

Yesterday, we traveled to Cologne. When exciting the train station I was amazed to see that the Cathedral, or the Dom as they call it, was right there. I can honestly say that I have seen very few things if anything more amazing than that church. It was simply awe inspiring to see the sheer size of it. We met up with our guide, a native citizen of Cologne, and he took us around and showed us the city hall, some medieval ruins of a Jewish ghetto, a medieval banquet hall, and a restored part of the city modeled after 18th century Cologne. After this walking tour, we were finally able to enter the church. Inside was incredible as your eyes were drawn up hundreds of feet. The stained glass was beautiful and we were able to see the reliquary that contained the bones of the Three Wise Men. I only wish that I could have attended a service in this Gothic masterpiece although with no heating it was pretty cold. After lunch, we went to a museum that chronicled the Roman history of the city and were able to see many pieces from that time period including a almost completely intact mosaic from a wealthy Roman's villa around which the musuem was built. It was interesting to see how well the German's planned the city of Cologne. After the museum, I purchased a few souvenirs including the original "eau de cologne". Once back in Bonn, I passed out in the dorm, exhausted from the long day.

Today we will travel to Berlin to celebrate New Year's at the Brandenburg gate with tens of thousands of people. I am very excited for the chance to experience that as well as our upcoming weekend trip to Prague. If I survive the cold (which hasn't been too terrible so far), I will be back with more next week.

Week One: It's Been a Bonn-anza

We've only been in Germany for three full days so far, but it’s already been amazing. We’ve done and seen so much, that it feels like we’ve been here a lot longer. Exploring Bonn on Monday was a lot of fun. The city looked so pristine and rustic in the snow, and the architecture and layout of some of the older buildings was so interesting. Dinner at the Rheinish restaurant was cool too, because I survived my ordering off a German menu, and we also got to know each other a little better.

My favorite part of the tour of Bonn on the second day was learning about the architecture of the cathedral, and the differences between the parts built in the Roman style and parts that were Gothic. Once you knew what to look for, it was really neat to see how the windows and other subtler pieces were different, but they still all looked good as a whole. I loved the history museum that we visited on Tuesday. I don’t really like museums that are just about history, but the layout and displays on this one were really neat, and I liked the inside of the building and how open it was. I also liked the museum because everything was in German, so I didn’t feel like I had to read everything. We went to Pizza Hut for dinner that night which was really different from an American one (and not only because they served .5L beer.)

Wednesday was my favorite day so far. The surgery that Katie and I watched was on a woman who had a problem with her artificial knee replacement, so the surgeons had to remove her old joint and replace it with a spacer that contained antibiotics. Watching the surgeons work was so amazing. They were so quick and sure of what they were doing, and even though I’m sure that their skill comes from doing the procedure so many times, but I was still impressed. It seems like such a common sense idea, but I was also really impressed by the curved needles that they use to stitch the patient back up. I sometimes just wonder who would think of something that is so simple but also so ingenious. It also surprised me that the surgeons used a hammer and chisel to remove the bone cement. I had only ever seen cardiac surgery before, which required really small movements, so the big, drastic movements of chipping away at the bone shocked me.

My favorite part of the trip to Cologne today was the cathedral. The architecture was so breathtaking, especially when we first stepped out of the train station and the sun was coming from behind the building. The glass windows and the mosaics of the floor on the inside of the cathedral were also impressive. The tour of Cologne was also fun and I really liked out guide. We also got gelato in Cologne which was probably the best gelato I’ve ever had.

I’m really excited about heading to Berlin and Prague in the next couple of days, and especially the party on the New Year’s party!

Days 2, 3, & 4

Location - Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Deutschland

Back in after a long, but throughly enjoyable three days in Bonn and Koln (Cologne). We have taken two city tours, witnessed surgeries at a local hospital, seen several museums, and eaten good German food. Bonn and Koln are two wonderful cities very near each other and with long-standing histories dating from as far back as the Roman Empire, but they have two different feels. Koln feels much more like a modern urban region with the massive Gothic architecture wonders and Roman ruins sprikled throughout; where as Bonn has much more of an older, easy going feel. That is probably a result of Koln being almost completely leveled in World War II while Bonn when relatively unharmed. Either way, both have fantastic brautwurst.

I have felt much like a Japanese tourist during this trip, taking pictures of everything, rapidly, multiple times. It has resulted in me starting at the front of the group and ending up far from the end, but I have gotten better. In Koln today, I think I took upwards of 200 pictures throughout the city, the Dom, and the Romanich-Germanich museum and was only the tail of the group four times.

One thing that we could not take pictues of was the surgeries. This is the big reason why I came on this trip, so I paid even closer attention to this than the minute details of the frescos in the Munster. Sure, this was a human hospital connected with the University of Bonn, and it was EMT (roughly the German version of Ear, Nose, Throat, specializing in tumors and cancer), I was still able to learn quite a bit. For instance, I have noticed that veterinarians in Texas used a special kind of loop to sew patients back up after a surgery. I was curious if this was a U.S. thing, an Aggie thing, or just a doctor thing. Turns out, it is simply a doctor thing. I also saw new technology that I did not know existed - a device called a "bipolar ___." Using electric pulses, it is able to carterize the tiny veins that are cut during a surgery. Facinating. This hospital watch was also the first time I had worn full scrubs. At the vet clinic where I worked, the most I ever did was change to a scrub shirt. Having now worn the full suit, I think I'll stick with just the shirt.

A Seed Has Been Planted

It’s pretty surprising how different I anticipated feeling about the cold. I thought by now I would have frozen to death, but instead I found it to be quite the opposite… I’ve been hot most of the trip! Don’t get me wrong its nice and cold outside, but with the right close (which I cant believe I came prepared with) the weather is perfectly manageable. It’s coming in doors where it gets toasty and I start to burn up. But seeing how this so far is my biggest problem I’m off to a good start.

The German history museum was pretty cool, I feel even though I’m not a German that I can relate to the guilt and sorrow that they feel as a people to the events of WWII. Yes there were people who were very responsible for the war and the events that took place, but for me I think ever person on earth, even those like me born after the war and on there the other side of the world from where it all happened can still feel a sort of account ability for the horrid acts that we has humans committed against each other.

The museum guide was really good, not only because of here knowledge of German history, but also because of her honesty. She spoke about how here grandfather was in the SS, something that must have been very hard to accept. I have seen many war documentaries with interviews of veterans of the German army and I have always told myself that because there was a draft, they were simply serving their country. But the fact that the SS were all volunteers and that they were the hand that carried out all the horrible acts of violence during the war it is hard to give those men the forgiveness they need. I can’t imagine how it feels to have that history in your own family. I’m not sure how I would react to that.

Going to Cologne today as was almost like successfully piecing together a dream you had the night before. The whole time there I had the overwhelming sense of déjà vu. Of course I have been to Cologne before during a catholic pilgrimage where I had gotten to see the Dom, so the feeling of déjà vu is for obvious reasons. But the first time I visited was awhile ago and I didn’t do a good job of documenting my experience in either writing or pictures so the memories faded and I forgot just how beautiful the city and its cathedral really is.

"It's been a Bonn time in Germany!"

Since being in Germany, I have loved being here! Even though it’s been very cold, I have loved all of the snow everywhere, the shops, the houses, but especially all of the food and beer. On our first night in Bonn, we all ate at a traditional Rheinish restaurant. There I had my first German meal of Bratwurst, sauerkraut, potatoes, and the house beer. I have also enjoyed all of the chocolate, gluvine, marzipan, and gelato!

My favorite thing I have done so far was witnessing my first surgery ever! Kate and I sat in on a knee replacement surgery. A women’s initial knee replacement had become infected and needed to be removed. A spacer was then put in and in 4-6 weeks a new knee joint will be put in again. There was a researcher in the room, who spoke English and was able to answer any questions we had regarding the surgery. He also gave us some bone cement, and the longer we held it, the hotter it became. This was interesting to feel the exergonic reaction taking place as cross links were formed. I was also very surprised to see how forceful the surgeons were with chipping and chiseling away the knee replacement and bone with hammers.

Our day trip to Cologne was also very interesting. When we first stepped out of the train station and saw the cathedral, I was awestruck at the size and magnificence of the church. Inside the cathedral was also breathtaking, especially the stained glass window of the stories paralleling the old and new testament. Cologne also had great tourist shops, and I was able to get some good presents for family and friends back home. But I since my sister Mollie told me she didn’t miss me at all, I’m giving her present to Hannah.

I am now very excited to leave for Berlin in the morning for our New Year’s celebration, then Prague for our free weekend!

Week One

Day 0: After a long flight into Frankfurt, we were greeted by the sight of built up snow on the ground. This wouldst the tone weather wise for the rest of the trip, snow everywhere and unusually cold for the tropical living Luis. Once settled in Bonn, the excursion for the food introduced us to the subway system. I had experienced a subway system before briefly while in Chicago, but the initial experience in the Bonn system left me astounded at the efficiency in such a system in a city like Bonn. After wandering around the market we came across a "Mexican" restaurant and decided to step in and have our first taste of food in Germany. After the food excursion we explored the market some more and then had a guided market tour by Nihls and Dr Wasser. At night we had our first experience of German food. The portion of food was huge! Perhaps even bigger than some American portions...It was a great way to end the night. I ended up falling asleep earlier than I normally would, anxiously awaiting the next day.

Day 1: The city tour through Bonn amazed me with how much history was connected to Bonn. The visit to an archeological excavation of Roman Bonn and view of the Bonn chapel gave me an new appreciation for Bonn as a cultural city. Perhaps I've grown used to the American towns and cities where there isn't always a big past to the city. To continue the day of history, we visited the German History Museum. I was slightly disappointed that the tour would not cover the early part of German History, but Dr Wasser said that we would get that portion on later tours. However, the museum gave me a new insight into a part of history I knew nothing about. Learning about the struggles of the German people post- WWII, and during the Cold War, gave me some understanding as why some things are the way they are in Germany, and why Germans behave the way they do. That night we ate at Pizza Hut. Yes, I said Pizza Hut. While it may have been an American chain, the food at this Pizza Hut was great! Again the portion serving was huge. I'm starting to wonder if it’s like this in all restaurants here.

Day 2: Surgery day! Today I had the opportunity to watch a double bypass and double valve replacement surgery. When we first walked in we were greeted by the sight of surgeons chopping away at the leg to find a good vein. Unfortunately for the patient, she has developed some varicose veins in her legs, so finding a good vein took the whole time we were in the surgery. The valve replacement was by far one of the coolest parts of surgery I have watched. I didn't realize it took so much work to sew on the ring coupling for the valve. Cardiovascular surgery looked like it was a lot of fine precision work and would seem nerve racking, however the surgeons in the room were as relaxed as possible, even cracking the occasional jokes. After lunch, we took a visit to the anesthesiology museum was amusing because a lot of the older generation equipment I have used in my past research lab. I managed to send some pictures of the stuff to my old lab, and they just had a good time laughing about how they still use equipment like that. I guess for research the older equipment still works fine to get good results. We arrived back at the AIB and Nihls shared with us some Christmas and New Year’s “traditions” that they have in Germany. Sure it may have been past Christmas, but after a long day it was relaxing and interesting to see how “traditions” vary slightly from each western country during the holidays. Dinner tonight was at a German restaurant. Today would be the first time I would have German sauerkraut and bratwurst. I can’t say that I was disappointed, as the food was excellent. What a great way to end the day.

Day 3: This may have been my favorite part of this week. The Cologne is one thing I will remember for years to come. We started off the day by taking a short train ride to Cologne. As soon as we stepped outside of the train station, we were greeted with the towering behemoth that is the Cologne Cathedral. I was amazed at the sheer size and beauty of the cathedral. I wanted to take pictures of it, but the sheer size of the cathedral made it difficult to fit on a camera screen. However, as the day would progress I would take many pictures of the wonderful sight. As with I suppose will be the custom when we visit a new city, we took a city tour. On the city tour we learned about the progression of that Cologne made from a Roman Colony, to medieval city, to the bustling cultural city. It seemed everywhere we walked in Cologne there was some story from history to be told. The last stop of our city tour was a visit to the inside of the cathedral. The inside of the cathedral was just as astounding as the outside was. Everything was very ornate, and had some story to contribute to the cathedral’s history. Unfortunately for us, a service was about to begin, so our visit inside the cathedral was cut short. However disappointed I was by leaving early, was offset by how great a lunch was. A group of eight of us found a nice little brauhaus(Peter’s Brauhaus) where the food was incredible. I had bratwurst again, but this one was even better the day before. Easily the second best meal of the week, only outshined by dinner the first night. After our little lunch break, we were off to another tour, this time a Roman History museum tour. This tour I was quite excited about as I am an incredibly avid fan of Roman and ancient history. Being able to see objects used two millennia ago, and know they have withstood the test of time amazed me. I managed to take pictures of almost every object/exhibit in the museum, so I could have proof to myself that I actually saw all that I did that day. This tour was definitely one of the highlights of the trip. After the museum tour, we were free to explore the city. The first site we hit was a gelato/coffee shop near the museum. I don’t know how to explain it, but every piece of food I had in Germany had tasted amazing, and the one Euro gelato was no exception. Great little treat after a long day of touring and exploring. While others from our group went back to Bonn, Daniel and I stayed in Cologne visiting a guitar shop. We barely managed to catch a train back to Bonn. Feeling exhausted and hungry, when we arrived in Bonn, the first order of business was dinner. After dinner, we headed back to the AIB dorms and packed up for the weekend, not knowing the fun that would await us.

Howdy from Bonn

The flight to Germany passed faster than I expected even though I slept for maybe twenty
minutes. After putting our stuff in the dorm we traveled on our own
into the main part of Bonn. It was a bit intimidating because I
couldn't read any of the signs and I couldn't visualize the city. Once
in downtown I was surprised by the similarity to an American ski
town. The cobble stone roads were covered in slush and there were
America shops and restaurants everywhere. I think I wasn't very
tired at all because everything was new and exciting.

The next day I was a little more tired. I really enjoyed the museum of
German history after WW2. For the first time in my life I realized how
much German history had changed in the last 60 and that people who are
still alive today remember all of the changes. It made all of the
events seem more real.

On the third day in Bonn I felt like I knew the subway system inside
and out. I could easily get where I was going and it made me really
appreciate public transportation. So far my favorite experience has
been viewing the surgical operations. I really enjoyed talking with the
surgeons between operations. Watching the operations was thrilling; I
could easily see my self as a surgeon someday. I also really enjoyed
the anesthesiology museum. I've learned that it is much better to
learn from people than from signs in a museum. The owner of the
museum was extremely knowledgeable and passionate about anesthesia. I
could feel his excitement for the subject and it made me what to know
more.

Today we went Koln, the three layered city. It was neat to think that
we were walking on top of two other layers of civilization. The
cathedral was also beautiful but at first I thought it was ugly because
the only other cathedrals I have seen were Roman, not gothic. After
I got past my judgments I was extremely impressed by its sheer size and
elaborate detail. Today I was very comfortable making my way
around the cities and my small list of german phrases are growing in
length and strength.

I'm looking forward to being in Berlin tomorrow and celebrating the
new year. I hope it isn't too cold and that I don't get too many
firecrackers thrown near me; I'm not a huge fan of them. I'm looking
forward to spending the weekend in Berlin with Vazanny. It should be
an adventure being in a new Goering city on our own. I'm excited!


Sarah Wagner

"A Whole New World": Bonn and Cologne

Left: The Cologne Cathedral (Cologne). The University (Bonn).

Now that I'm getting over the jet lag and not waking up at odd hours, the days are becoming more distinct. The first two days or so were terribly long, having arrived in Frankfurt in the morning. Bonn has been a nice place to begin our program, being rather small yet a friendly German town to get us over some of the culture shock. The people are willing to switch to English, so nothing has been too much of a disaster yet, although one night we acquired some pizzas with unexpected toppings. I wish I felt less silly for speaking in German, but it always seems that their English is much better and an easier road.

There was a joke made about Texans and Germans, in which Texans thought 100 years was a long time, and Germans thought 100 miles was a long way, and for the most part I think it's true. College Station is a bit less than 100 miles from my house, and despite not having public transit to get me there, I think it's really close...and I think that things from the 1800s are old. I suppose that hasn't changed much, although in Cologne today the cathedral seemed brand new given that it took more than half a millenium to build.

In museums that focus on the country's history, it is interesting to see how the Nazi era has affected German life and culture. One of the things I noticed is that it gave formerly unimportant places an infamous reputation, like Dachau, and it's tainted parts of the language forever - some phrases will now be taboo for a long time now that there are certain associated implications. Even what I conceive as "Anti-Semitic" wasn't totally right because I'd always heard it used in association with the Nazis. "Looking forward to" feels like the wrong phrase to use when I'm trying to describe how I feel about going to tour a concentration camp, but I know it will have a certain impact that I will never forget. Already, there are little things that have deepened my sympathy and grief for the Holocaust and all those who were lost. One was the smell of the cautery in the surgery that Gus, Evan, and I watched. It happened to follow a lecture about Nazi medicine, in which it was mentioned that the smell of burning flesh is quite distinctive. I'm not sure (and don't want to know) how similar the two are, but it has increased the pain that goes with thinking that humans could treat each other so unjustly, on such little basis.

On a lighter note, a new year is quickly approaching! Tomorrow we travel to Berlin; hopefully it won't be too freezing for us to stand outside. I'm really looking forward to it. Some things are truly cross-cultural, and one is joy, so here's to wishing we all ring in 2011 "warmly".

"A whole new world (Don't you dare close your eyes)

A hundred thousand things to see (Hold your breath; it gets better)..."

- "A whole new world", Aladdin

Tragedy and Hope - A Glimpse of the Human Condition (Blog 3)

Tuesday, December 28^th, 2010

Our second day we toured a Bonn History museum and had a lecture by Dr. Wasser. The Museum was amazing. It was pretty emotional for me which is rare and so I was grateful. I felt the tour guide captured beautifully the sweeping rollercoaster Germany has been through in the past 100 years; so much joy and so much pain. I will attempt to capture what I wrote down right after, forgive how everything is described in how it made me feel. I was touched.

‘It blew my mind the capacity for hatred and brokenness within the human condition. I find it so difficult to wrap my mind around and feel the reality of what took place during WWII. To be invited to see and feel with Germany was a rare and wonderful experience. I was appreciative of our tour guide to tie in current events that touch on this same capacity for inhumanity (such as child soldiers in Africa). I was grateful for this opportunity to get a glimpse of the pains and joys of Germany.

Things were brought home for me starting when I saw the children of the holocaust. My heart stayed captivated all the way through to the first soccer game won by West Germany post WWII. The devastation I felt when I heard of the children and mothers that had to survive, or die, post war was indescribable. Most of the men had died in the war or were injured. Looking at some of the products these industrious women made from the remaining war uniforms inspired me with hope and joy. The rise to beauty from ashes brought tears to my eyes. It reminded me of the restoration Christ has brought to my own life through personal tragedies of a lesser degree. Sorry if I keep describing things from how they made me feel, it has been the most emotionally engaging tour I’ve experienced. I went from mourning to elation as I saw the national pride and sincere humble shouts of victory as the West German men rejoiced over their first soccer win.

Another point that captured my heart and astounded my mind was the miraculous economic growth of West Germany. The multitude of products, and their quality, was phenomenal. I was so encouraged by the favor that had befallen the people of West Germany in such a short amount of time. I did find it interesting that the soviet east Germany seemed snared in their economic growth, and tons of people wanted to escape but were trapped like a prison (with emphasis on Berlin). But West Germany, seemed to symbolize freedom where people were able to grow and climb. It reminded me of what America has stood for in the past and the blessings that we now enjoy because of freedom.

In conclusion to this experience my own faith was reinforced. I felt how desperate our world is for a savior. We as a people have the capacity for so much joy, so much pain, so much good and so much evil. I also felt how helpless we are to change ourselves or the political climate we find ourselves in. We may be able, as a whole, to make choices to in hopes pull us in a positive direction but we have yet to eradicate such evils and can never ensure such tragedy won’t happen again. It is also key to note how these were people like you and me. Everyone was responsible, not just Hitler, and if it happened to them, it could have been us. I believe what happened in WWII gives a good snapshot of the universal human condition. It seems only God healing our propensity to sin and restoring our brokenness will ultimately save humanity.’

Germany, First Impressions

In the two days that I have been in Germany I have more to discuss than I thought I would after the entire trip, but I guess I will try to keep it short and sweet and under thirty pages. The culture here in Germany is incredible. To study the history of the German people is truly an incredible experiment in psychology due to the fact that not only has Germany had some of the most guilt inducing events in history, but their history is fraught with division and reconstruction. The way in which they can talk about incorporating Eastern Germany after the Berlin Wall fell is both amazing for the fact that the Western Germans did not create much of a feud with the Eastern Germans (seeing as the incorporation was within our lifetime!) as well as the fact that Eastern Germany, having accepted little blame for the war, did not implode upon finding the "truth" about the war. It would be interesting in time to compare how Germany reacted to reintegration to how the Koreas ever react if they ever do become one single nation. All in all it is a true credit to the German people the way the handled the entire period post WWII and essentially took what can only be viewed as the worst possible situation for a sovereign nation and quickly turned into another world power that arguably deserves a seat at every major world discussion.

On a more practical note, I experienced a true traveler's moment today when me, Vasana, and Paul took the wrong train in the wrong direction at around 23:00 tonight. Not only did we learn valuable lessons in how to read train maps and schedules, but we also learned just how far the subway system truly runs. After experiencing Bonn's subway system over the past few days I am quite impressed by how well it runs and how efficiently the citizens of Bonn are able to use it. It would be interesting to see if College Station was able to adopt a public transportation system that was as effective as the one here in Bonn. Till next time...

Chris

First from the Fatherland!

So far, the trip has been pretty awesome. The plane trip seemed like 4 years, but the sunrise we saw while coming down into Frankfurt was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. Once we met Nils, our program coordinator, at the airport, we took a bus to Bonn. Hardly any of us were able to sleep on the flight (I think I got a total of 20 minutes), so needless to say, we were all pretty wiped when we got to Bonn. We were also hungry. And so began our first advenure into the city of Bonn.

I'm sure it was mentioned at some point during our orientation meetings, but it slipped my memory that Germany has many subways and that many people use the subways to get around town in the same way that Americans use cars to get around town. I've ridden subways before, but the experience still felt new to me, seeing as it was in a different country, the announcements were in German, and our only instructions were "Go to the fifth stop and there will be food."

It was sweet though. The subways are so integrated with the city, and the stations are even hangouts for the skater kids. Once we got off at the fifth station, we wandered for a bit before coming to a Mexican restaurant, which was, ironically, where I had my first authentic German beer. I asked the waiter what dark beers they had and he immediately pointed to the 'Weizen,' so I ordered it. It was the darkest beer I had ever seen, served in a 0,5 liter glass with a huge head on top. It was the most delicious beer I have ever tasted, and also probably the smoothest. I was sold. German beer truly does live up to its hype.

Later that night, we had dinner at one of the biergartens in Germany where I tried Jagerschnitzel for the first time, and had 3 more beers that were similar to the weizen, as well as a delicious baked apple dessert.

Today we had a guided historic tour of Bonn, where we saw the Rhine, the huge church in the middle of the city (which was very impressive), ruins of a Roman dwelling, and learned more about the history of Bonn. After lunch, we did a guided tour at a museum for the history of Germany. Even though this tour covered a lot of WWII history, which I was familiar with, I found it fascinating to hear the story from the German perspective, how Germany was in ruins after the war, and how the country began to rebuild itself. After the tour, Dr. Wasser lectured to us about eugenics and euthanasia during the Nazi period, which I found to be a dark but still interesting topic. After that was ice skating, which was also interesting because it was outdoor, and the music being played was almost all American (YMCA, Soul Sista, Ke$ha, etc.).

This blog wouldn't be worth too much if I didn't mention the things that have surprised me here so far. First of all, the roads are way skinnier than American roads. the bus ride to Bonn was a little scary because I felt like our bus was too wide for the lanes. Second, if a traffic light turns green and there are still people crossing the street, German drivers do NOT wait for them to finish crossing! They step on the pedal and honk, which as it turns out, is very effective. Third, I didn't realize that fashion was such a big thing in Germany. Clothing and accessory stores are everywhere, and even the guys are decked out in trendy-looking hats and scarves. Another surprising thing is the amount of people that smoke. It seems that everyone we pass on the streets is holding a cigarette. I also didn't expect the old and new architecture styles to be so seamlessly integrated throughout the city.

Well, that was report number one. More to come later, but I need to get some sleep. If our luck holds, we'll get to see an operation tomorrow.

Day one, wow I can't believe I slept that whole flight... (Blog 2)

Monday, December 27^th, 2010

We arrived in Frankfurt on 27^th of December. It was quite cold outside but it was a different cold than when I left Houston. Temperature wise it was way colder, but it must have been much dryer because it wasn’t the miserable cold I left back home.

We left the airport by bus with our tour guide and assistant to the director of our program Nills. Nills was a cool guy that has a wonderful grasp on the English language and is knowledgeable on a variety of topics. After arriving in Bonn we got out room keys and roommate assignments. The hotel was nice and with good accommodations. It was different than home but just as developed with more of a modern feel in a lot of ways. My only other experiences overseas have been to Nigeria and Kenya. I had been in Frankfurt airport and Heathrow London before but never seen enough to appreciate Europe. After touring the town a bit, we enjoyed our first taste of German food and beer. The beer was as good as everyone hyped it up to be. Shortly after a few beers we turned in for the night. Thankfully I slept the whole night.

Days 0 & 1

Location: Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Deutschland

I put fingers to keypad today to begin my first blog from Germany. Yesterday, we began the flight from Houston to Frankfurt via Lufthansa. In spite of all of the hellish things that I had heard about modern air travel, I thought it was not too bad. The security line was short (pure luck), the food was edible, and the staff friendly. I tried to sleep, but it eluded me most of the time. As we went straight into night, I did not get a good view of the U.S. beyond Houston and its suburbs, though there was a spectacular spralling night view of Atlanta. Later that night as we were flying over either Greenland or the lower end of the Artic, I looked out to an awe-inspiring night view of ice shelves, clouds, and the night sky. But by far, the most amazing view from the plane was at "dawn" when the clouds looked, almost literally, like a sea with an island in the background. This broke down at the bottom of my view at one point to reveal a winterscape of several Belgium and German villages nestled amongst hills.

Having landed in Frankfurt, we retrieved our bags (also not bad. Everyone got theirs). I was soon able to put my minimal German to good use trying to find directions. I also heard a few German words uttered from Germans that should not be said in civilized company. As I knew what was being said and the anger was not directed at us, I couldn't help but smile. Soon, we found Nils, our AIB program coordinator, and boarded the bus that would take us to Bonn. I spent most of the trip conversing and viewing the crisp, white villages with beautiful architecture.

Finally, about 1 pm local time, we had arrived at our destination. Nils showed us our rooms in this... I'll be honest, I don't quite know what I'm staying in. The papers that we were handed call this a student dorm, so I'll take their word for that. This room is easily twice the size of any dorm I have been in in the United States. Though, looking at what they call a "mattress," I am more inclined to believe them.

Once we were oriented, a large group decided to go ahead, tour downtown Bonn, and pick up lunch. I decided to join. Though I intended the first food that I had in Germany consist of some variation of "Ein Jagershnitzel, bitte!", it turned out to be a pretzel from a local bakery just outside the Hauptbahnhof (main train station and central hub of the Underground that we took). I then wandered for a bit with Sahra and Vesanny. I want to upload our pictures with the statue of Ludwig van Beethoven (I tried to mimic Schroeder in mine), but I'm having issues with the computer.) Then, we went into the gorgeous Bonn Minster, a Catholic Papal Basilica that looks like what I expected from an old world church. Then we walked through a toy store and a book store. Especially in the latter, I kept pointing out certain German words or phrases that I knew and translating them. The girls obliged by throwing me ones that they found. It helped us all learn some German.

Soon, we met back at the Hauptbahnhof with the rest of the group, Nils, and Dr. Wasser. We were then given a quick night tour of Bonn (as prep for the big one that we will have tomorrow), and rounded out the evening at the Rheinish Biergarten, the first and oldest Biergarten in Bonn where I ordered mein Jagershnitzel.

Getting Ready to Take off

Howdy y'all! As of this post we are approximately six hours away from taking off which seems like a short amount of time until you realize that this trip has been for most of us has been in the process of planning for at least three or four months so six hours seems like no time at all! The past few days has been an absolute whirlwind of activity preparing for this trip. Between packing and Christmas shopping I feel like I may have been more busy now than I was during exam time (ok not true). It may come to a surprise to some people, but believe i or not living in Texas and Louisiana for all of my life I own next to no winter outfits so shopping for winter clothes by itself was a new experience for me.

I cannot wait to arrive in Germany and witness the amazing culture that we been learning about. For me in particular it will be an extremely interesting opportunity to understand a little more about European culture as a whole. I had the chance freshman year to go on a study abroad to Italy for three weeks which allowed to view a window into the Italian culture. In addition, here at home I have a significant relationship with a family that moved here from England so it will be interesting to juxtapose and compare the three different cultures. Knowing how easy it is to group all of the European countries together as one, I am looking forward to getting a better insight into the German culture.

I also cannot wait to view the landscape of Germany! To just be able to see snow on an everyday basis with mountains near you seems like a fairy tale dream for us in College Station. Though the thought of ten degree weather does scare me, the wonder of seeing such a beautiful and different countries excites me. Well, I had better get back to packing, only five and a half hours left before takeoff!

Gig 'em!

T-minus Seven Hours To Lift Off

Guten Morgen, Aggies! I hope everyone is ready to hop on the plane today and leave for GERMANY! I’ve packed and repacked my bag about eight (acht?) times, so I hope I’ve finally gotten everything that I need. I left yesterday from home to fly to Texas, so now I’m at a Houston hotel, and I have nothing to do but wait and get more and more excited for the trip! I’ve been going through the schedule and looking up the different sites and museums that we are going to visit online, and everything looks so interesting. I’m especially looking forward to the tour of the Otto Bock facilities in Duderstadt because I have been considering the Biomechanics track of Biomedical engineering so that I could design and build prosthetics.

I’ve also been trying to learn some of the German from my orientation notes and from the AIB packet, but I’m not having too much luck with that. I found a German Dictionary website that will pronounce the words for you, and I found out that I’ve been saying basically everything wrong. But hopefully being in Germany and hearing others speak it will be a lot more helpful, and I won’t be totally confused the entire trip! I am a little nervous about getting in a situation where I absolutely have to try and communicate with someone who doesn’t speak English in an emergency of something. I studied abroad last winter in Costa Rica, and there were a few times where I’m not sure what I would have done if I didn’t speak or read Spanish. Also, to a lesser extent, I’m worried about not being able to read simple things like German menus or store names, but I think we’ll be able to survive those situations with a little practice.

One thing that I’m really looking forward to is the cold weather. I know that this sounds crazy, but winter is my favorite season (and I’m not talking about the wimpy winters that we get in Texas) and I really hope that there is snow (“schnee!”) while we’re there. I haven’t been sledding or ice skating in years, so I’m hoping that we’ll get a chance to do both of those things. From looking at the pictures from past trips, I also think that everything will look so gorgeous covered in snow, and I’ll probably take a billion pictures myself.

Now that it's getting closer to departure time, I had better go make sure that I have everything packed and ready to go. Can't wait to see y'all in a couple of hours.

Ahhh! Am I really leaving for Germany today... (Blog 1)

Sunday, December 26^th, 2010

To blog about the pre-departure is difficult because things have been so busy and hectic with finals and Christmas. My girlfriend is going to India on Christmas day and the rush to see family and her off kept my anxious excitement about the trip to a subtle buzz. I did feel like the pre-departure meetings kept things moving along well for me before the trip. I had such a busy semester that without them I probably wouldn’t have done too well trying to figure all the stuff out by myself. So coming into the trip I felt logistically well prepared but due to frenzy emotionally and physically I was just rolling with the punches.

Things that I am excited about for the trip include: the exceptionally snowy winter Europe is having, getting to see the beauty and history of Germany, as well as Prague and Vienna. Plus, there are some deaf churches in Prague that I just learned about and my Church organization has a few churches in Germany that I want to check out on my free weekend. Also, to see what all the hype about Germany beer is about is a perk. I am really stoked about my buddy Daniel going too, I didn’t know he was going when I signed up and think it’s pretty sweet coincidental circumstances. Whoop providence =]

Predeparture Post

Merry Christmas everyone.

I'm finally sitting down to do my blog post about 12 hours before I leave for the airport. I've been on many trips to Canada before as I have family there, but never anywhere outside the continent. I really enjoy colder weather, so this trip will be a nice break from the Texas winters. I haven't really packed yet, but I think all my clothes are finally clean, so I guess that's a start. I'm hoping the backpack is big enough and the clothes are warm enough. I'm very excited to finally see more of the world and to experience new cultures.

I feel like this trip will perfectly combine what many of us students are looking for in a study abroad experience. The tours of hospitals, museums, and listening to all the guest lecturers are going to be great, as we are all interested in medicine in some way. Cardiac surgery is one of the most amazing things there is to witness in medicine. I'm very excited to be seeing one, as I've never seen any kind of surgery before. It will be exciting to see the differences between the way things are done in European medicine and in the United States. In addition, learning the history of medicine will help give more perspective on some of the things we do in class and are likely to do in the future. In particular, seeing how prosthetics have evolved and where they are going in the future will be particularly interesting, as we have discussed some of them in our engineering classes.

In addition to medical facilities, all of the local cultural attractions, such as the cathedrals, castles, and the opera house will be a new and exciting experience; and I know we're all looking forward to the part on New Year's Eve in Berlin. Having some German and Czech ancestry, and having already tasted some of the foods from Eastern Europe, I can also say that I'm looking forward to the different foods and the different atmosphere of the restaurants. I've always found that some of the smallest and obscure restaurants make the best food.

It's great to have an opportunity to go on a trip that will offer lots of different and exciting experiences. I'm looking forward to everything, from the plane and train rides to the tours and the free time. Just 12 more hours...

Gute Riese!

Merry late Christmas!

I still have to get everything into my suitcase but for the most part I have everything I need ready to go. My dad and I had to make a Christmas trip to his office to get a good backpack for the trip. It's hard to believe that between a trip to Vegas and this trip to Germany that I will only be home for 3 days of this break. While it is a little sad that I won't be seeing my family, I'm very excited about the opportunity that this study abroad trip has given to me. It has been a lifelong dream of mine to travel overseas to Europe and really be immersed in all the history that is present there. Well after 20 years of waiting, I only have a few more hours!

I must admit that my parents are much more worried about things than I am, but I would be lying if I didn't say that I am a little overwhelmed by the 3 weeks that lie ahead. As I was explaining the itinerary to my mom today I was just amazed at how much I am going to see in the program and that's not even including the side trips to Copenhagen and Prague. As someone who has always appreciated architecture, especially that of Europe, the pre-departure highlights for me have to be the churches we will be seeing especially the Cologne Cathedral. I'm also extremely excited about going to Prague as I have heard from many people that it is a beautiful city and their favorite in all of Europe.

In terms of all the trips to the hospitals, museums, and research facilities that we will visit, I am looking forward to learning more about the medical industry that I will soon be working in. From what I understand through Dr. Wasser's lectures, Germany is on the cusp of medical research so I know that what we will be learning will be applicable to both my future courses and my career.

In closing, I am not too worried about the culture shock of being in 4 new countries over a period of 3 weeks. I only know a few German words and phrases but I'm looking forward to picking up some as I go. The German cuisine should be great and I can't wait to interact with the many people we will meet. All in all I can say that these next 3 weeks may be the most exciting of my life to this point. I'm ready.

Great Expectations

Merry Christmas!!!!

With my bags finally packed and everything (hopefully) ready for the big trip, it’s starting to really sink in that I actually am leaving for Germany in the morning. I remember first hearing about this study abroad program on our first day of physiology in Dr. Wasser’s class and instantly wanting to go. I feel so blessed to have this opportunity and am incredibly excited to experience one of my best Christmas presents ever!

I do feel a little anxious about leaving the country though. I hope I packed correctly and haven’t forgotten anything major; but most importantly I guess I have my passport, so everything else I can buy in Germany! I am also worried about surviving in freezing weather and snow, coming from West Texas where I have rarely needed a jacket these past few weeks. I’ve been lucky enough to travel to Europe previously so I’m hoping I have enough experience to get by in a foreign country, but it is still an exciting new experience to be able to travel with this much freedom, especially when I can’t speak any German.

Over the next three weeks, I am very excited to experience a new culture, visit different sights and museums, taste German food and beer, and travel with new friends. I can’t wait to spend New Year’s Eve in Berlin on “the party mile” and for all of our free time off to explore in Bonn, Berlin, Hannover, and Vienna. I’m also very eager for our free weekends to visit Prague and Munich. Of course I am also excited to learn about the origin of medicine and the similarities and differences of medicinal practices between Germany and the States. One thing I am especially looking forward to experience is watching the cardiac surgery. I have never seen a surgery of any kind, let alone a heart surgery and am ready to learn more about these procedures.

Since I know that my family will be following this blog, I also have to say that I am so sad to be leaving them over the break and I promise to be safe and sensible. But please don’t cry Hannah and Mollie, I can email y’all occasionally while I’m abroad and will bring back plenty of gifts and chocolate for everyone.

With everything being said, I can’t wait to see everyone at the airport to begin our trip!
Thanks and Gig’em!

Night Before Departure. . .Destination Germany

This past semester went by in a blur. I thought that it would never end and that winter break would never come and that this trip was a long ways off. But here I am posting a blog the night before departure. I'm feeling nervous and exited all at the same time. I'm hoping that I didn't over pack or under pack. I'm hoping that I didn't forget to do something important. I'm hoping this study abroad experience will be everything that I'm expecting and so much more.

Now what else is on my mind . . . I'm looking forward to the New Year in Bonn. I love fireworks, but at the same time is the first New Year I am not going to welcome with my family, at the moment it feels kind of bitter sweet. I bought a coat and an anxious to try it out and see just how warm it is. I can't wait to visit the Sigmund Freud house. I'm very excited to visit the zoo and the veterinary hospital. I have this constant fear of getting lost but after this program hopefully I'll be more confident in my navigation skills. I bought a book at Barnes and Nobles tittled German for Dummies and am currently debating whether to pack it or not. I also feel like I'm going on a rant here . . . it must be the nerves typing.

Well, I know I'm being sent off with lots of support from all of my friends and family. All they as is that I be careful, have fun, and take lots and lots of pictures, which reminds me to pack my camera! Alright then, Germany here I come!!

Its Coming...

I’m sitting here in my living room after having enjoyed a nice Christmas Eve dinner thinking of what’s to come. As I worry about things I could have over looked, the weather begins to become a bit more of what I’m to expect in Germany. The air has cooled from an annoying 80 degrees to around 50, and the dark gray clouds have rolled in. Just as the anxiety of getting my final grades in had gone away the worse feeling of forgetting some important aspect for my flight starts to hit me. But its merely all in my head.

With all the nerves shaken off now I can look forward to what I’m to experience. The excitement is slowly taking over. I start to think about what the trip has in store for me. Celebrating the New Year in Bonn, seeing the Otto Bock facilities, are perhaps the things I look forward to the most. The weather, I’m sure much more intense than anything I’ve experienced being a native Texan, will probably be the most challenging part of this whole thing. But even with that to get used to I know my time abroad is going to be full of some awesome moments.

I am lucky enough to have been over seas before. It was the in the summer of 2005 that I was able to go to Rome and several parts of Germany for a catholic pilgrimage. One of the best parts of that trip was seeing the Cologne Cathedral, something I’m excited to see again. Although Rome was my favorite part of my time over seas, the hills and valleys of the Rhineland were a very close second. I remember being blown away by the steep slopes covered in vineyards. Of course the people were just as pleasant. It was great being around a different culture while still surrounded by those of my same faith. This time around I will have a great deal of freedom, which I must admit is somewhat intimidating, having to plan out the sites I want to visit and where I should eat. But that’s kinda what I feel this trip is for (besides learning the history of medicine) learning how to explore a foreign land on my own. I know this trip won’t be the same as my last, but I trust that the experience will be just as wonderful.