Missing Deutschland

A little over a month back in America, yet I am still reliving all the little and big moments I had while in Germany. It felt so surreal being in a totally different place and emerging myself in another culture. From the moment that I landed in that foreign land until the day I took off, I can genuinely say I enjoyed every aspect of the trip. There is a balance to everything and all the "negative" things from Germany was compensated with many other wonderful things. Not having still water to drink was different, but being able to taste various delicious drinks was awesome. In addition, it was great to have safe drinking water right out from the faucet. It was weird having to pay to use the restroom, but heck, the restrooms were literally cleaner than the ones from model homes. The food was amazing and I miss everything. I miss all the types of bread, the spreads, the cheeses, all the different cafes with great coffee and delicious pastries. I also miss the various excursions we went on. Every place had its highlights and I really learned a lot. While being in class this semester, I have caught myself several times referring to the things I learned from Germany. I think that is one of the best feeling - where you can recall learning something and referring to it. Another big part that I miss a lot are the people. The group of people I interacted with are wonderful and each one had interesting stories to talk about. I learned a lot just by being with them. This includes all my peers, Dr. Wasser, Suzanne, and even most of our tour guides. Although having to wake up super early to accomplish each day's agenda was a little too much on some days, it was delightful seeing everyone first thing in the morning and always being surrounded with so many people. I am so glad I got talked into going to Germany on this program. This is definitely one of the best experience I have had in college and this is what I will take away with me when I graduate. However, if there was one thing I had to criticize about the program, I would say that it would be nice if the "Morning Exercise" excursion was omitted from the program. It was fun to know what the horses did in the morning right before their shows, but it would have been better if everyone (including the professor and coordinator) to have more sleep time that day. Waking up a little later would have been great or having a more interactive alternative activity would have been pleasant, too. Nonetheless, I enjoyed everything because I have never experienced anything like this before. I have no complaints and I believe I would not have traveled to Europe any other way.

Back in the U.S.

Wow! It's crazy to think that (1) I was in Germany for 3 weeks, and (2) I've been back in America for 6 weeks. It seems like so long ago when I arrived in Germany, nervous and excited at the same time. The trip passed by so quickly, every minute we were doing something, on the move. Before I knew it, it was time to come back home. I never thought I would NOT want to come home. The last few days when we were in Vienna it really hit me that I'd be back home in the States, back at A&M, doing the usual routine. I was really sad to leave! I realized all the things I was going to miss. I thought I would miss them, and 6 weeks later I still do. I miss.....German breakfast, the bread!!!, the food in general, taking the train everywhere, spotless public restrooms, learning little phrases in German, coffee and pastry shops, and of course all of the cultural experiences! The list could go on and on but that's just what came first to mind. All of the museums (medical and non-medical), the opera, and the city tours were the greatest parts of the trip. Although at the end of the day I was always exhausted from the back-to-back excursions and walking all day, it was all SO worth it!

Of course I was looking forward to coming home so I could see my loved ones, sleep in my own bed again, not have to pay for public restrooms, cook my own food again, drive my car, and eat at my favorite restaurants again. However, I couldn't stop thinking and talking about Germany for about 2 weeks. Maybe more... I am sure I annoyed a few people haha Everything that reminded me of Germany made me miss it so much! On the first day of school I interpreted a sign with a teacher's name saying Dr. Winemiller as Vinemiller. Things like that...

All in all I can say that doing this study abroad program was the highlight of my college years. I am really glad I was able to squeeze this trip in before I graduate this May. I will never forget all of the great things I learned and experienced in Germany. Studying abroad was a great way to experience being overseas for the first time, and it only enhanced my will to travel and see the world! I would love to go back to Germany sometime, but there is so many other beautiful and exciting places to see first!

Back in the States

               So it's been about six weeks since I returned home to College Station, and now it's time to write a final blog on my thoughts about the trip. Honestly I thought I would get home and my time in Germany would just be another memory, but I was wrong. I had such a good time that I find myself talking about the trip to anyone who will listen, and I sit around some days and reflect on what I have seen. Still, it took some time to get used to being home.

                We took a test before leaving which showed the four stages of culture shock that take place when students go abroad. It had a typical anticipation, home sickness, adjustment pattern which finished with readjusting to the U.S. when we return to the United States. Frankly, I didn't experience the first three stages: I never really got nervous or home sick, and I felt adjusted pretty quickly in Germany.

                As a result, I was very surprised to feel the strong effects of the readjustment period once I returned. It was kind of like I was having Germany withdrawals, and I couldn't get used to everyday life back in the states. It may have been because school started so soon after the trip, but it felt very much like I was stuck in a rut instantly after I returned. I was surprised at how content I was with the Monday through Friday routine before the trip, because after the trip I found it extremely monotonous. Furthermore, I couldn't believe that I used to think that College Station had everything I could ever want in life. Honestly, before the trip, my knowledge of what was out there was so limited that I just couldn't comprehend that there was anything else out there for me. It was kind of a strange emotional time period that passed over the last month or so as I started to settle in again.

                To write this next paragraph of the blog I took a brief look at my pre-departure blog and tried to see what has changed. Something I noticed which wasn't intentional but definitely shows the way my thoughts have changed is through the use of the word "imagine." I noticed that now when I write about my experience in Germany, I intentionally use the word comprehend instead of imagine to describe my Germany experience.

 

                Before the trip I kept saying that I couldn't imagine how great it would be to be in Germany, but now I realize that imagining was exactly what I was doing. I was imagining the difference in culture, I was guessing at the difference in architecture, and I was using my own bias to create the world of Germany in my mind.

                After going to Germany, I realize that what I was doing was flawed and that the goal shouldn't be to simply "imagine" a society but go experience and understand that society. I mean, the Hollywood induced biases I had about Europe in general were so wrong that I am starting to wonder if I truly understand anything about all the cultures of the world I claim to know so much about.

                Really, this was the greatest experience of my life: turning something theoretical, my biases on cultures and travel into something practical. This has completely changed the way I think about things. I find that this has made me more open to new ideas and concepts that I used to have a predisposed bias toward, and I think this has made me more open around my peers. Now, I am much more likely to ask people questions about their thoughts and beliefs and share my own with them in return.

                I think this trip has been one of the more significant events of my college experience. I feel a lot more calm, because getting out of my little box in College Station helped me put grades and medical school and all that other jazz into perspective. Before I left, I felt like this trip would be just what I needed and it didn't disappoint. It was odd, because I didn't need to go for school credit or to bolster my medical school resume, but something inside told me that I need to broaden my horizons if I was to survive the next few years of school, and be a successful doctor. This "calling" to travel came seemingly out of nowhere because prior to this winter semester I had nothing but bad experiences traveling. But I knew that I should go and I feel that this trip fueled that intangible void that I had been feeling. It was truly a blast and I wish I had a chance to go again.

Back to Business as Usual

      It is really hard to imagine that only a month and a half ago I was standing in Europe. It seems like years ago that first I stepped off the plane into the Frankfort airport. Those weeks spent in Germany feel almost as though they are part of another life. It could be the vast cultural differences experienced, or maybe it’s just the mind’s way of distinguishing two places separated by over five thousand miles. In any case, my timeline is entirely in disarray. 

      The experience reinforced the notion that customs vary, but people are the same everywhere. The times when I was struggling with the language barrier, I could see myself back in America trying to overcome the challenges of conversing with a non-English speaker. It was an educational experience to take on the role of a foreigner, and many times it difficult. I can only imagine what it would be like not to have a group of Americans that I could retreat to when culture-shock became too much.

     Now that I'm back in the land of fast-food and free bathrooms, I can look at the trip from a vantage point. I can visualize my time in Germany as a unit, rather than an overwhelming blur. As I sit here in the library writing this final blog, surrounded by other Americans who speak my language and have my customs, I can say its great to be back. However the personal development that I have achieved by putting myself in the shoes of an outsider, along with all great times I had and great people I met, I can also say it was worth every cent.

Yep, We Are Definitely Back in America

February 24, 2013

Here goes my last blog from the small city of College Station, Texas. I have been back from Germany for almost a month and half now. Everything has continued on as if no remarkable trip happened. But I am now starting to realize I should not have expected things to change around me, but within me. The first night we were in Germany I was mind blown how there was a whole new world in Germany. Of course I have known there are millions of people on this earth, but I guess I never understood the massive part of the world that I was missing out on. I was walking down the pebbled roads of Bonn just people watching, and it finally hit me. At that moment, I realized how amazing of an experience this was going to be. My favorite thing to do was to listen to people speak German. Some of the stereotypes of Germans were true especially how blunt they are, but overall I sincerely enjoyed their company and learning about their way of life. I learned so much on this trip not only about the history of medicine, but also about myself. I feel like I have become more open minded about some things, but I have also been slapped in the face with other realizations. It is still hard for me to imagine that I was halfway across the world only a month and a half ago, but it sure is fun when I am reminded of it. Every now and then I continue to start my stories off with “in Germany…” and it makes me so happy that I am able to do that. I look forward to being an 80-year-old grandma one day and telling everyone about the time I went to Germany. I think I did my best to let Germany engulf me. This trip has made me appreciate where I come from, and to enjoy the places that life will take me. I could not have asked for a better group of people to spend the trip with, nor will I ever forget the crazy memories we made. 

Back Home Texas

How great it is to be back in the great state of Texas! Hard to believe that I have been back for over a month now.  I cannot express how happy I was when I got in my truck and drove directly to my destination without having to wait on any trains or look at any maps in another language to attempt to figure out where to go.  Not to mention I am no longer freezing every time I step out side. But what I am most thankful for being back in Texas has to be the easy access to water where ever I go!
However there are many aspects of Germany that I miss, the most obvious is the great beer.  I do miss having Dr. Wasser give walking a lecture through cities, being back to sitting in a classroom for 50 minutes is not nearly as exciting or interesting. Thinking back on the trip if I would have written this blog right after being back it probably would have been much different, I would have focused on the cold, or the lack of water fountains, and Tex-mex, but with the additional passing of time I have noticed how this trip has changed me.  For one I have all of my roommates saying "das boys" and "nein" almost as much as I do.  And I do find myself reflecting on the trip and laughing about some of the jokes that our group came up with as well as missing the time that we all got to spend together.  And every time I find myself in the library all I cannot help but think about how I would prefer to be in Germany drinking a cold Kolche with some schniztel.
 This trip was a life changing experience and if I had any regret it would simply be that the trip was only 3 weeks long and not longer. I learned more about German history and the history of medicine in those 3 weeks then I would have during a full 15 week semester in a class room.  I thought that I knew a good amount of European history before this trip but I learned more than I expected to and being able to see many of the things I had read about in textbooks in person was incredible.  It is really cool to think that I am one of a very small percent of A&M students to have been in Sigmund Freud's house or stood in a former concentration camp or been to a new years celebration in Berlin.  These types of events will remain as events that I will not soon forget.    
Although the course material covered on the trip was very interesting and as far as Texas A&M is concerned was the most important part, I believe it was the cultural experience that will be most impact full on my life going forward.  Seeing how another culture handles many of the same situations we face in different ways is very interesting and speaks toward the idea that there can be more than one solution to the same problem.  Although there were plenty of things that I found to be odd or I disagreed with politically with the way the Germans did things I did see first hand that every culture and country has its own characteristics and thus for many situations there is not a one size fits alls solution.  Being able to see the different health care policy of Germany and Austria made me thankful for what we have in the United States as a future physician but it also showed me many areas that we as a nation have room to improve on going forward.  
I am extremely glad that I went on this trip I came back with a better understanding of the world and had a ton of fun while I was on the trip.  I am already looking forward to my next trip to Europe and I know that on my second trip there I will be more prepared because of everything I learned from this trip.          

Hannover/Vienna

January 13, 2013

Next stop…Hannover! We arrived at our hotel in Hannover and got our room assignments. This is my favorite hotel so far because it has an elevator! We went to the zoo in Hannover and saw polar bears; I now see why they are obsessed with them. They are beautiful creatures. We also got to meet the veterinarian for the zoo and she told us her side of the story. Being a veterinarian sounds very hard. The next day we got to see the research done at Axolotl Research Center involving limb growth. I must say I was impressed. Hannover was fun, but we only stayed there a short time before we flew to Vienna. I was so excited because there was snow in the forecast.

Once we arrived there was actually snow on the ground! I was finally getting to experience the cold in an enjoyable way! LOVED IT! We settled in at the hotel and explored for a little bit. The next morning we toured the catacombs of the St. Stephens cathedral. It was yet again beautiful architecture. It was also really neat to see the tombs and dead bodies of the royal family as well as the bones of the plagued. The next day we had a very nice presentation at the Pfizer drug company. Later, we toured Sigmund Freud’s house. The stories they told us were quite remarkable. That night we went to a traditional opera there in Vienna. I actually really enjoyed it even though it was not in English. It reminded me of musicals back in the States, which I love! It was so much fun to actually dress up and go out with everyone. The next morning we were given another presentation and tour of a medical school. It was a pleasant surprise when it started snowing outside. My day got one hundred times better once I got to enjoy the snow for a little while (it’s the little things in life). Afterwards, we visited the Narrenturm, Federal Pathologic anatomical Museum that had so many preserved specimen it was almost frightening, but nevertheless fascinating.  The last museum we visited that day was the Josephinum, Collection of Anatomical and Obstetric Wax Models. There were so many wax models that were so life like that it started to make me wish that was the way we studied the human body in the USA. The last day, we went to a Natural History Museum and were yet again pleasantly surprised with snow! That night we had a departure dinner that was more than delicious. We went out for our last shindig and ended the night early because of early plane departures in the morning. I am honestly so tired and I know I am going to miss Germany, but lets be honest, I am ready to be back at home sweet home in the States. This trip has been the trip of a lifetime, but the only thing I can think about right now is how I am going to have to be back in College Station again on Monday. Farwell Germany, its been real. 

Berlin and the FREE Weekend

January 6, 2013

Second stop…BERLIN! This was a long awaited city that I was so excited to finally visit. We finally arrived and the city was so alive. Berlin reminded me a lot of New York City. After we arrived we got ready for our New Years Eve festivities. Wasser and Susanne took us to the huge “party street” that had so many people, kiosks, and live music all directing us towards the Brandenburg Gate. This night was definitely a night I will never forget. I was honestly so blessed to just be in a different country on New Years Eve much less Berlin, a place that people plan their years around to come and see this war zone of a celebration. Next morning we slept in and then headed out to see Berlin. A few of my favorite sites were what was left of the Berlin Wall, Hitler’s Bunker, the Brandenburg Gates, and typical enough the hotel that Michael Jackson dangled his baby from the balcony. The next day we went to Dresden by train and got to see another round of beautiful buildings and churches, and got loaded down with more history lessons. My favorite sites here were the cathedral and the breath taking river scene. The next day we visited the Charite Museum and skill-training center for doctors, which was very fascinating. We learned about the differences in Berlin’s medical school system vs. the State’s system. Afterwards we were able to do some hands on activities that showed us how some of their students were trained. Later that night we toured the Reichstag Building, their governmental building that houses their parliament. Our last day in Berlin we visited the Otto Bock Science Center. It was very hands on and interesting to see all the prosthetic devices they have come up with most recently. After the museum we were on our own to visit the city of our choice for the FREE weekend!

My group had a LONG train ride to Munich. We arrived around 1am. We were hoping for snow in Munich, but instead it was freezing and raining. We half way found our way to our hotel, and decided that it would be a good idea to walk the rest of the way when we found out the buses had stopped running. No. We were miserably mistaken. We ended up walking a good mile or two in the freezing rain. Not only that, but I came to find out that my luggage broke. Nevertheless, the Aggies were playing that night so the boys some how streamed the game when we finally found our hotel, but most of us fell asleep. Next morning we woke up bright and early and went on another adventure to find a lost wallet. We ended up at the police station. After a rough start to Munich we were determined to still make the best of it. We headed out to go to the nearest concentration camp, Dachau. This will probably be one of my favorite memories in Germany no matter how depressing it may be. I was honestly extremely nervous to see it, but more than glad that I did. The feeling I got earlier at the Elde Haus was a thousand times more magnified here. The weather was wet and gloomy, much like I imagined it would be back when it was active. Every step I took I imagined the thousands of prisoners that took that same step, but could not even bare to imagine the pain they bore. Seeing all of the proof and original/mock setups was hard to wrap my mind around especially walking through the crematorium. We spent several hours there and still were not able to see everything. We took a train ride back and decided to lighten the mood by going to the all-famous Brauhaus’s aka beer halls. Our first one was Augustiner Keller where we ate dinner. The rest of the night was so much fun which was basically filled with walking into any and every bar in sight. Next morning was check-out time and time to salvage what time we had left in Munich. This is by far my favorite weekend so far. We are now on the train ride to meet up with the rest of our group. Cannot wait to see what Hannover and Vienna have in store for us!

BONN! BONN! BONN!

December 30, 2012

Halo from Bonn, Germany! I cannot believe that we finally made it safely from America across the world on a nine-hour flight and landed safely here in Germany. Our first stop…Bonn! The first “school” day we got to go to a hospital, scrub in, and watch real surgeries with real patients where I could literally reach out my hand and touch a human heart if I wanted to (unfortunately frowned upon). Honestly, there is no way to describe the thoughts going through my head when I had no idea what to expect when all of a sudden, I heard the sound of cracking ribs and then they asked, “Want to see?” I had always been a little curious about wanting to be a surgeon, but this definitely reassured me I would not be able to handle that kind of pressure. Even though I know surgery is not in my future this is my favorite experience here in Bonn so far and would have loved to have seen more surgeries. That night we were on our own and we got to go to a 500 year old restaurant where it is said that Beethoven and his wife used to dance! It was so nice and more than delicious. We had an awesome waiter that was a little opinionated, but very helpful in showing us where the “cool” discos were. This night was so much fun and definitely felt like a typical German night out on the town! It was so interesting to find out that Germans listen to American music and that we definitely dance differently than them. The next day we got to visit one of the men that helped in the development of anesthesia. He was the cutest little old man who you could see was more than passionate about his work. It felt good to actually meet and shake hands with a revolutionary man. That afternoon we toured The House of German History Museum. It was very informative and gave us a better understanding of Bonn during the war. The next day we traveled to Cologne by train. Right when we walked out of the train station we were greeted with one of the most breath taking cathedrals. They put so much thought and detail in the architecture of not only churches, but also anything that they lay their building hands on. I can only hope that one day America will jump on the bandwagon. We were typical tourist taking millions of pictures while waiting for our tour guide. She showed us around this beautiful city showing us its origins. She also took us on a guided tour underground that explained how the Romans lived including some lasting ruins. It was so amazing to be in the same place where people were standing thousands of years ago. Later that afternoon, we toured the ELDE HAUS, the headquarters of the Gestapo during the war. It was so extremely intriguing, but it gave me the chills to be in the same place that Nazis had been, prisoners were kept, tortured, and killed. I could not wrap my head around not only the concept behind the Nazis, but the fact that I was standing and walking and touching the walls and floors of the evil and the innocent. That was definitely an eventful day and night. I cannot not talk about the food here in Germany. So far so good! I have not come across anything that is not edible. A lot of the restaurants have English menus or waiters that speak English; however, I have had to point at a menu item once or twice and hope for the best. My plan for one night is to just close my eyes and point at the menu and eat that item no matter what. Cannot wait! Although, I have been fighting jetlag so far here in Bonn I am doing my best to be a very good tourist by taking pictures and using every waking moment to fill my days and surround myself in memories that I know I will not forget when getting back to the States. Tomorrow we leave for Berlin!

Post-Deutschland Thoughts: Post-Return

The view outside my room at A&M. The evening is a pretty retrospective time of the day.

So I am writing this right now in my dorm room in Clements Hall on campus and it is late at night. I have an amazing view of Kyle Field from here and the scenery goes well with music by Of Monsters and Men. I am thinking about the time I have spent recently. Exams have been all over the place and my 13 credit hour schedule semester somehow involves at least one test every week since the beginning of February so far. The semester is nearly halfway over and it is crazy to think that it has been over a month since I have gotten back from Germany but the experience still feels recent. How was it that I was in Germany on January 13^th, 2013 and I arrived in the USA on January 13^th, 2013? It feels odd when it happens to you but it is not a hard question to answer. It was because of time zones, of course. But it was a strange feeling being able to be in one place so far displaced from home and then being back home in just a matter of hours. Stepping out of that airplane and there I was, back on American soil, across the Atlantic Ocean on a trip that would have taken months a couple hundred of years ago that I did in a matter of hours. The first thing I remember being back in the USA was going through customs and picking up my suitcase. It felt exciting to be back home but it felt odd coming back. It was not long till my mother dropped off our car at the airport and Austin and I were soon on our way back to College Station ready to start the Spring Semester. The fact that class started as soon as the trip ended did not really help the experience sink in as I returned. I remember being in Austria at the farewell dinner and then boom. I was sitting in Organic Chemistry virtually the next day, where Leo happened to be in that class as well. I would not say that it was like the trip never happened, which it did, but it almost felt as if it did not. Jet lag was actually not that large of a factor because I forced my body to adjust to my school schedule. I actually have a rather nice weekly schedule despite the exam schedule with Monday having 2 classes, Tuesday having 1 class, Wednesday having 3 classes, Thursday having 1 class, and Friday having 1 class. My research professor, who is from Estonia, is familiar with intercontinental travel and did not even make me show up for the first week. All this allowed me to recover rather quickly and enjoy my semester as much as possible.

Buildings fit better together to me here.

The readjustment process of coming back home was not much of an issue when it came to jetlag but there were other things that I miss so much about being in Germany. Germany is quite modern as a European country and there was not too much to adjust to. Most of the differences, I thought, were better in Europe than they were in the USA. I notice the differences as I walk around now and they are as blatant as they were when I was in Germany. If I were to start with one of the easy-to-spot ones, architecture and scenery is a big one. I walk around campus or think of the various places I have been to in Houston, Texas, or even around the USA, most of where I have been to is quite plain-like, flat, and not too particularly interesting. The buildings don’t fit that well and most of them do not look like they have any particular amount of history attached to them. There are pockets of scenery of course and nice, historic buildings but it is not as prevalent as it was in Germany. There scenery is lush with trees around the German autobahns and there’s beautiful architecture to be seen all around Germany. The majestic and rustic European architecture, not to mention its age, somehow clashes well with the modern cityscapes of Germany. But this is quite easy for me to say as the saying goes, “The grass is always greener on the other side.” I do not doubt the beauty that Germany contains but it is easy to want something you do not have or often experience. This goes back to what my brother once told me, he was once in Italy on a TAMU Honors trip and was talking to a girl whose parents owned a gelato stand. He told her how beautiful and scenic Italy was and the girl responded with slight disgust, claiming that Italy was a dump and that she wanted to leave as soon as she could. It is a lot about the human perspective and it varies from person to person and from culture to culture.

Restroom in the Freud House. Perhaps Sigmund Freud went to the restroom here?

There are a variety of other differences I could list but these are ones that I noticed pretty quickly and have stuck around in my head. Restrooms are not always free in Germany. That is the case because there are constantly people cleaning it and keeping it up to standard. I would honestly pay a little bit to use a clean restroom than to use a dirty restroom for free like is often the case in the USA. The restrooms are so much better over in Germany but, of course, it is at a cost. I just wish the public restrooms were just a bit standable over here.

A spinach ravioli. Food is great here but so expensive.

Also, everything costs more in Germany when converting from dollars to Euros. Every country generally has its own currency and one unit of currency has a different market value than another and it just so happens that when we Americans buy things in Europe, it is generally more expensive than what we are used to back here. Whenever you want a decent meal in Germany, you definitely pay more than you do stateside.

A wholesomely, meaty, not particularly healthy, but delicious wienerschnitzel.

Another thing is that green vegetables and fruits are not as easy to find in Germany restaurants as they are in the USA. I really like my fruits and vegetables, not just for their taste but they make me feel healthy and balance the guilt associated with unhealthy foods. But I really love German food too. Meat and potatoes are among my list of favorite foods but even though German food is generally not super-healthy with all of its meat and potatoes, I feel that German people, in general, are not particularly overweight and probably healthier than Americans as a whole.

City streets are full of people walking around. Smaller streets have no room for cars.

I can probably attribute this to the more widespread use of walking in Germany, especially compared to here where we all drive to get to different places since everything is so far apart. It is also the case in Germany, but in the cities, it seems the majority walk around to get where they need to go, with the help of the public transport systems, and they get some good exercise. It felt more refreshing when I was in Germany and did not have my car and could not drive anywhere. Walking was nice in combination with the subways and it felt really ideal to me. However, when I am back in College Station with my car, I feel free and am able to literally go anywhere I want, but the subway is definitely less stressful than having to drive your self to places.

We need one of these.

That brings me to my next point, which is that I wish the USA had its own public transport system, granted that that is easier said then done due to the sheer size of the country compared to that of Germany. Most major cities here do have a public transport system of sort but it is not the same as Germany’s. I have been to other countries such as Taiwan and South Korea and those countries’ respective public transport systems are very similar to those I experienced in Germany. They are just so fast and convenient and you can go all over the city in a short time-span.

The folks at the AIB served us up a traditional red wine drink. Legal for me to drink in Germany but not at home as of right now.

Obviously, one of the differences that we took advantage of was the fact that the drinking age was 16 in Germany as opposed to the drinking age of 21 here in the USA. It was nice to enjoy a few alcoholic beverages over there and I have to say, the beers are certainly better over in Germany than they are stateside, just don’t let them get warm like with any beers though. Anyway, I personally feel that the drinking age should be 18 when people become “adults” and the 21 is a bit too old but I feel 16 is definitely too young. But no matter, it all matters on how responsible you are whenever you do anything like drinking.

A university hospital in Bonn.

After our various tours and such, the differences between the German and American medical systems were pretty clear. Germany has a system of mandatory, governmental health insurance while here in the USA, no one has to have health insurance and it is all privately owned and rather pricey if not provided as part of an employer’s benefit package. At the same time, healthcare is virtually free over in Germany but over here, healthcare is rather costly and even with insurance, not everything is covered completely. This is great for Germans, but at the same time, a rather decent chunk of taxes are extracted from their income, which is taken to support this socialized medical system. Several argue that even though Germany has this sort of “free” medicine, we in the USA have better quality doctors and healthcare but despite that, it is interesting to see that Germany has better medical statistics than the USA does, even against our “premium” priced medical care. It is also important to note there is no “perfect” healthcare system because each system has its pros and cons but I do not want to go too much into that. If I were to pick one, I would definitely go for the socialized medical system because despite its cost in taxes, everyone, even the unemployed are granted access to healthcare, which I believe is a human right. There are several arguments going for and against this type of socialized healthcare and it will be interesting to see the direction our country takes on this issue in the coming years.

Das awesome group!

So overall, this trip had a really fun social aspect and I really miss everyone from the trip. It was awesome being able to hang out with some of you guys at Tyler’s house and a few others around campus but hopefully, we can all get together soon. It was amazing to be able to go on this learning experience with everyone and I won't ever forget the crazy and fun memories we all made over there. So since coming back from Germany, I have seen Tyler, Max, Leo, Kitty, Monica, Patrick, Sam, and Connor, but Cassie, Ariana, and Kaitlyn I have not yet seen. Hope to see you guys around!

In Austria with great people.

Germany, simply put, felt like a great place to be. It was definitely more of a cosmopolitan place than I had initially thought. And though I love the USA, Germany is another place I wouldn’t mind going back to and living. I have visited other countries in Asia, and every place is unique and special in its own way, but the recent tumultuous history and transformation of the country in a matter of years definitely makes the country a league of its own in Europe.  The trip was not enough time to fully immerse myself in German culture and society but it was enough time for me to pique my interest in the place even further. Since the plan is to go back to Germany for the Spring Semester 2014, I had better brush up on my non-existent Deutsch. Anyway, I can honestly say this was the best trip I have ever been on and I will never forget all of the amazing memories and experiences I shared with a great group of people in that special part of Europe called Deutschland!

See you again soon!

Final Thoughts

Germany, what an experience. Although there were some things that I did not care for over there, I find myself still constantly looking at the clock, adding seven hours, and thinking about what I would be doing if I was over there. Throughout the last few days of the trip the group was constantly talking about the first thing we were gonna do when we arrived back in the US. The first meal I had was good mexican food and the first thing I did was hug my family. In the beginning I was bummed about not going for a semester, but after the trip and feeling all the feelings I felt, a wintermester was perfect! A few things I miss would be there food, brew, lifestyle, the ease of traveling, all the adventures, and most of all spending time with our group! When I say I miss the food I mean all the german specialties as well as their food in general. Everything was so fresh there. Their beer was so delicious and smooth. I can't seem to find a beer in the states that comes close to that. When I say their lifestyle, I mean the fact that they started their day late, and ended it early. In america we are so obsessed with working, that we start early and end way too late. In Germany, it was so easy to get from point a to point b. I liked that a lot. While we were there it was definitely tiring going from place to place all day, but it was definitely never a routine. Now I am back into the daily routine here and it's quite boring. Lastly, I miss our group, we have yet been able to all get together, and I miss that. We all spent days together and now I have yet to see some of them since our return to the US and Aggieland. All in all it was a great experience!

Back in the Lone Star State

Wow, it's been an entire month upon returning; I have been thinking of all the different things I would say here, and after waiting to write it for a month that list has changed completely! When I got home the very first meal I had was seafood and steak, something I had been craving while over there, I also washed it down with a water (in a glass bigger than a shot glass). I was also so eager to drive my car again! So basically while I was thinking about this post while leaving Germany, I had a ton of stuff I thought I was going to complain about, but now that I am actually typing this and thinking about it I am realizing that I miss it more than ever. I have found myself day dreaming of returning to the same places, and wishing that I had more time to spend there. I have been really wanting a good bratwurst for lunch and a snitchel for dinner. I really miss that every city had it's own special brew of beer. I miss the access to hop on a train and go anywhere at just about any time of day. I wish that I had a longer time there! A few of my friends are over there for the semester program and I see their posts and pictures and it makes me with I was still there with them! My sleep schedule stayed on Germany sleep cycle for about a week, which was really nice. I would be going to bed early and waking up early without ever needing an alarm. One weekend with my friends changed that immediately and I was back to staying up late and hitting the snooze for as long as possible. So I guess if I am to sum this up in a few sentences I would say, I wish my time there was longer, meaning that I would love to have done the semester program. I miss the food and drinks a lot, and don't enjoy paying for gas. I also plan on returning to Europe as soon as possible, it was everything I thought it would have been and more!

How Time Flies

It's hard to believe it has been just over a month since having returned home from Germany/Austria. I still remember how happy I was after getting off the plane and seeing my parents at the front of the crowd of people (along with also feeling happy my luggage had made it all the way back to Texas with me). After having picked me up they took me out to dinner. I recall that I was torn between ordering a water (just to feel the acceptance from the waiter that I wanted plain, simple American water) or an ice tea (which was what I really wanted). Since my parents were already ordering waters, I felt satisfied in hearing them order it while I ordered a glass of ice tea and just a small, simple salad (I was definitely NOT in the mood for meat). Afterwards we headed home where I got to hug my two dogs and three cats and I fell asleep to 'The Sound of Music'.
The first week was the toughest. Luckily my Mondays only have one class in the afternoon, so the school aspect wasn't difficult to get accustomed to. My issues came from food and sleeping habits. After having come home from Germany I was kind of tired of eating meat and had thought about all the wonderful food I would eat once I returned to America. When I got home I realized many of the things I had always enjoyed were mostly made of, you guessed it, meat! Probably up until Friday I was very picky about what foods I was wanting to eat (which is usually not me), but definitely by week two I was back to eating burgers and chicken tenders like my typical old self.
Sleep was my other big issue. Monday I was still tired from the fourteen hour plane ride back so it didn't take much to convince me to conk out when I got home. But Tuesday through Thursday I found I HAD to go to sleep by 8pm and found myself waking up around 2 or 3am. Friday it was only by hanging out with friends that I could break the cycle. The following week, after having a few days of normal American sleeping habits, I found myself having reverted back to German sleeping time again. I followed up with same process to "cure" it and finally I snapped out of German time completely.
Upon coming back to America I still feel the significant cultural differences. While Germans tend to walk everywhere or take a rail, it took some getting used to having to drive everywhere again. While in Europe I would sometimes miss driving my car around, feeling that I was free to do what I wanted. When I came home, I finally understood a comment that I had once heard where people seemed less sociable because they drive cars. While in Europe a person could meet and talk to a random stranger, even if just briefly, by sitting next to them on a train In America where a majority of us drive our cars we have lost that connection with others.
Another cultural difference concerns probably the more obvious one, that of alcohol. In Europe, especially Germany, they saw ordering beer as a typical drink order and they tended to drink it responsively. Here, especially in a college town, it seems alcohol is viewed not really as a responsible social thing but more for the celebrating sense. I have found that I tend to drink a little more now that before the trip (before I might have a beer once every other month). Luckily being 21 I am allowed to rights of alcohol here (though finding better tasting beer that's still reasonably priced here is still a problem, for the cheap beers here just taste like nasty water).
Sometimes I have to remind myself I was even there; having a bratwurst from a street vender, listening to the German language from people passing by, or having just taking a good swig of beer from a large glass mug. Yet the memories are still there, from that first morning of getting to watch an open heart surgery to our last night's celebratory dinner. I can't deny that I miss the walking around, exploring the cities and learning about the medical history that happened there. After all these weeks, though, I know I love my country, even with all its differences and faults. I now know it is that love that drives me to travel so that I can realize what not only makes my country so great, but to see how other country's are just as uniquely amazing.