First Time Out of the Country

I have lived in the same house all my life, I don't travel much, and I have never been out of the country, not even to Mexico, so when this study abroad opportunity was presented I had to take advantage. So, as excited as some others may claim to be, I doubt that they have looked forward to this as much as me. Not only did I never think that I would be able to do this, but I was skeptical that a program out there even existed for biomedical engineers. Now that the day is almost here I am ready to strike out on my own, away from my family, and go places they have never been before, and learn about a culture that they know very little about.

Nothing is more exciting to me then experiencing the culture first hand. It is going to be so interesting seeing the differences in everyday life, and other small things like that: the food, the dress, the music. I can't wait to learn about all of it. I like a certain type of all of those things, so it will be fun to try new stuff, and see how different or similar it all is.

Of course the next thing that I anticipate most is the scenery and attractions. Germany is a much older country than the US so it has much older and more beautiful buildings and other architectural works. The museums, hospitals, zoos, castles; they will all be like nothing I have ever seen before.

As much fun as being in Germany is going to be, I have to admit I am quite excited for the weekend trips to other cities and countries. I will be going to Amsterdam, Prague, Paris, and a few other German cities that aren't included in the program. I have spent weeks planning hostels and activities for the weekends we're there, but also hope to stumble upon a few hidden spots that tourists don't usually venture to.

One last thing that I am excited about, the BEER! How could I not be when traveling to one of the world's most famous countries for their beer? We are definitely going to try as much as we can of all the different kinds. Hopefully we will all still like American beer when we return.

These last few days have been so stressful, especially with all the packing and planning, but I know that it will all be worth it when I arrive in Berlin on Saturday. Although, I am nervous about the culture and language barriers I am confident that we can manage, and that we will all come back more experienced and learned than before!