Not surprisingly, I am the last one to do the blog.
I’ve been dreading to do this final blog. Why? Because it feels as I am closing the chapter to one of the best experiences in my life! I don’t know how the nine of us who barely knew each other coming into the trip became so close by the end. Nothing short of a miracle considering we were roaming around in countries where we knew what very little meant and how to effectively communicate.
The first few days I came back, I was expecting reverse culture shock to hit me like a train. Except I forgot we don’t really use trains. There was definitely a small adjustment period. No more walking out of my apartment for a quick meal. I had become so used to walking outside and just finding a sandwich shop or bakery within sight. No more magnificent looking architecture everywhere. Every building here looks the same as the next building which looks the same as the next building, and so on. And most importantly, NO MORE CROISSANTS! The bakeries here have them too, but let’s be honest: they can’t compare!
Though I loved my time in Germany, this is not to say I did not miss home. I definitely missed being able to just go to the gym after a long day and being able to let loose. I missed watching football on Sunday afternoons as I am so accustomed to doing. And most importantly, I missed being around those that I care about most.
Once I came back, I had seemingly become “impervious” to the cold after my three weeks in Europe. So once I came back, the “chilly” weather that my friends were complaining about was nothing to me and I was rocking t-shirts and shorts like there was no tomorrow. This was also probably because I was wearing long sleeve shirts and pants throughout the entire trip. Another obvious change for me was walking around on campus without smoke being constantly blown into my face. It seems as if every other person there smokes and makes me wonder how lung cancer is not a raging epidemic?
The overall program struck the perfect balance of structure and freedom. We had enough on our plates on a daily basis to keep us from wandering around like maniacs. Me personally, I am rather indecisive. So having something to do at all times was necessary for me. Since we were all relatively unfamiliar with the cities we were in, it was nice to get a city tour wherever we went to assimilate us to our surroundings. Yet, it was also nice to have enough time at nights and during weekends to go out, explore, and visit other places not on our agenda like Pergamon in Berlin and the city of Prague.
As an aspiring physician, I really appreciated the plethora of medically related experiences as well as the lectures. With the GOP nomination process in full swing and the 2012 Presidential election looming, it is interesting to see the candidates’ takes on healthcare with the added perspective I now have about socialed medicine from hearing firsthand opinions from several medical professionals in Europe. Furthermore, one of the most important aspects of the Germany program for me was that it re-confirmed my decision to pursue a career in medicine. I’ve never really had any doubts in my mind, but this experience reminded me just how much I love working with people and in the end, that’s what healthcare is all about, people.
But in addition, I am glad I got to witness more than just healthcare and its related branches. I know as a science major and a pre-med student, I definitely forget to pay attention to the world around me sometimes because I am so caught up in doing well in school and bettering my resume. But for atleast those three weeks, I was able to forget about those stresses and just marvel at what was surrounding me. Just getting outside of my comfort zone and getting a chance to do things that I would otherwise never had a chance to do. In addition, the ubiquitous history never ceased to amaze me. From the Freud House in Vienna to the Sachsenhausen camp in Oranienburg to the Berlin Wall. I wonder if the people who live by these historical sites are as in awe as I was or if they just get used to it after seeing it over and over again?
I had never been to Europe before. And I don’t know when I will have this opportunity again. All I can do now is cherish these memories and reminisce about what a great time I had with 8 new friends, 1 awesome professor, and 1 Nils. As school has kicked back into full swing now, I miss the whole Germany experience more than ever now! Spring break is coming up, so who knows? Maybe I can just hope on a train and get off at Alexanderplatz and, wait a minute…
Auf Weidersehen!
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