Dec 27th- Dec30

Blog

Upon arrival in Germany it became apparent after meeting everyone that this was going to be a fun trip.  We got to spend plenty of time in the airport waiting on “das boys” to arrive getting to know each other.  Even after such a long flight and everyone being tired the group began to start clicking, which has allowed for a very fun trip to this point.

Bonn was a fun city, small enough that we were able to figure how to get around the town shortly after arriving, but it still had plenty to do and see that kept us busy.  The surgeries that we sat in on were very interesting.  Connor and I sat in on a orthopedic hip replacement as well as a removal of a metasisized lymph node in a man who had been diagnosed with liver cancer.  The orthopedic surgeons reminded me more of handy men working in a garage on a home improvement project than surgeons working on a person.  Most of their tools reminded me of the ones in my own garage except theirs were sterile.  We also spent a great deal of time attempting to compare and contrast the difference in German medical schools and the American medical schools with the surgeons and nurses in the OR, however I think that a lot was lost in translation.  The day spent at the museums was an interesting day to say the least.  The only down side may have a bit of information overload after taking in so much through out the day.  As a bit of a history junky, Dr. Wasser guided tour through the museum on German history has been the high point in my opinion academically thus far on this trip.

The nightlife in Bonn was not what we as Aggies are use to but we still managed to have plenty of fun.  It was surprising how much later all of the bars and discos were open in Bonn, many of which were opened until 4 or 5 in the morning and most of the German college kids did not go out until close to 1 am. However my favorite night in Bonn was easily the night that all of us stayed in the hotel and hung out as one big group playing games and getting to know each better.  The night was topped of with an early morning trip to McDonalds that will not soon be forgotten by any of us.