Week 1 - Accomplished

It feels like it was yesterday that I was sitting at home on my computer passing by the time. Now, I'm in Germany trying to avoid being cooped up in my room. The first day we arrived at the airport was rough, I made the mistake of not sleeping on any flight on the way over. Therefore, I practically had a full day still ahead of me. I was tired enough that I didn't even have dinner with my host family, which probably made them think I hated them. However, we made up for lost time the next day at breakfast and all was well again.  I'm very happy with my host family, it's a family of six, but it feels like a family of ten. Every day I've met a new person at the house eating with me, it's very disconcerting to wake up and have breakfast with a complete stranger.  However, I've noticed that most Germans are very nice and easy to get along with and therefore don't stay strangers for very long. The good thing now is that I think I've met everyone who's going to be eating with me randomly, it turns out that they were my host brothers' girlfriends. 

I'm glad to report that I have not gotten lost yet. My host mom was so keen on preventing me from getting lost that on the first day out she printed me off step-by-step instructions on how to get from home to the AIB and back. It was funny, on that same day I got back she was so proud of me that I didn't get lost like the other students she had hosted before. I'm even proud of myself a little bit because I felt like I know it like the back of my hand already...even if I was checking the bus route at every stop to make sure I was going the correct way. After this one week though I know exactly where everything is buses, night buses, train station, tram station, and subway. Even better is the fact that I also know exactly which number and direction to go. Next on my list is to have the times everything arrives and departs at memorized. 

We have really only had two classes in which we learned about the four major health care models. Therefore, it can be argued that we haven't gotten into the real meat of the history of medicine in Europe yet. Except, I think it was only the introduction into the course and this next week will be when we dive into the history part. Also, this week we start our German lessons. As of now, I've only learned things that my host brothers, Mira, and Olivia have taught me. It's kind of pathetic that I can't even order properly at a restaurant, or even count past ten for that matter. It makes you feel worse than a kindergartener, like a little baby that can't talk to people.

This weekend was very fun, we went to Koln Saturday and Remagen Sunday. In Koln, we got there early to wander around for a few hours before the fireworks show. We took a peak inside the massive Cathedral, walked down the bridge with the hundreds of love locks, walked through a few shops, and just enjoyed each others company on a grass field with other locals. The fireworks show was a completely different animal; thousands of Germans showed up to view the show and all the crazy people seem to start popping up. Despite all that it was still an insightful experience and a lasting memory into one of the German traditions. I asked Olivia why they had the show, but she said there wasn't a real reason. They just shoot them off because they can I guess. Sunday was a little more up and down, literally, we went for a forty-two kilometer bike ride from Bonn to Remagen. For the most part it was fairly flat, but those occasional slopes were a pain in my backside. Speaking of which is probably bruise from the rock hard seat the bikes were sporting. All in all it was a fun ride and a beautiful day to take it. Everything I've done so far has been great and exciting. I'm happy I applied and was accept to come on this program.

On a sadder note, my host parents have all officially left for work now. My host dad left two days ago to film a documentary of a group of volunteer doctors going to Africa to treat impoverished children, while I'm not entirely sure were my host mom went. It's a little sad and exciting though, because now it's just the "kids" at the house and we get to be like typical college students and young people. Tonight was our first dinner without them and we sat outside talking and laughing with each other for a nice two hours or so. All the girls from the week were there and another study abroad student, from a different program was also, it was a very pleasant dinner, unlike the fast food dinners we get in college station.