Blog 1: Bonn

These first few of days have been amazing!! During our first day in Bonn, we explored the local marketplace. It was actually kind of scary because we had just arrived and none of us spoke German. However, we quickly got over this fact and began checking out several of the shops. Eventually, we came upon a taco bar/Mexican restaurant. I think because we were nervous, we decided to eat here because it seemed safe. Well, let’s just say Dr. Wasser was right; Mexican food in Germany really isn’t that good. I ordered soft tacos, which really did not turn out to be great. These tacos just had cheese and tomatos (no meat whatsoever). Oh well. Afterwards, we met up with Nils and Dr. Wasser, who showed us around town a bit before we retired for the evening.

During the second day in Bonn, we visited the German History Museum. Our tour guide led us through the recent history of Germany, specifically during the World War II era. This tour really gave us a better understanding of how Hitler and the Nazi Party were really able to convince Germany that what they were doing was right for the country. More importantly, we learned about how much German citizens suffered after the war. Because Germany had lost the war, the Allied forces occupied certain territories, forcing many German natives to leave as refugees. Not only that, but the winning countries had stripped many of the machinery, such as tanks, cars, etc. as the “spoils of war”, which left the Germans without machines to rebuild their cities and properly obtain food. So Holocaust victims were not the only ones who suffered as a result of the tyranny of the Nazi Party. During the evening, we went ice skating, although I sat out because of my bad knee. Afterwards, we went to a restaurant Nils had recommended, called Va Piano. It was delicious, yet still cheap. At this restaurant, you stood in line near the kitchen, ordered whatever dish you pleased, and watched the chef cook it in front of you. It was quite interesting.

The next day, we visited the medical hospital in Bonn and were given the AMAZING opportunity to sit in on several surgeries. Me and Mike sat in on ENT surgeries and watched the surgeon remove several tumors for different patients. The most interesting procedure happened to be when the surgeon removed a tumor located in the cheek of a patient. He made a 6 inch incision below the ear and had to cut through the skin and muscle until he reached the mandible. Throughout the procedure, he was incredibly nice and outgoing, informing us of every step he made. He also showed us MRI images of the patient’s head and asked us to find the tumor. I was impressed I found it within seconds because I have never really studied MRI images before. Overall, my experience at the hospital was one of the most rewarding things I will be doing on this trip.