It is entirely surreal to be here at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport in Terminal D getting to know my new friends who will accompany me to Germany! Ever since I was in seventh grade, I have learned and studied and gained a true appreciation for the German language and culture. My teachers Frau Peterson and Frau Boshier are both Germans who grew up in Germany (and were both one of a set of twins, actually) and are two of the greatest blessings in my life. By their example, I was inspired to pursue a greater world view and consider myself a world citizen. I have missed many opportunities to study abroad in Germany as a young person, and I know that this is the best timing for me to visit, as I am just about to graduate! I am so excited to put my knowledge of the German language to practice, to meet new German friends, and to finally visit the country that my mentors call home.
This study abroad program in particular sparked my interest because of its relevance in terms of today's healthcare climate. As a future healthcare practitioner, it is more important than ever to understand not only the world we live in, but also the logistics of how citizens receive healthcare and how it is funded. In addition to submersion in the German and Austrian culture, I hope to learn how Germany's healthcare system operates and how it compares to America's, in order to better understand the environment that I will work in in the future. I hope to interact with physicians in a professional environment and maybe gain some medical knowledge, too!
Finally, I am excited to learn about German history, in particular its history in terms of medicine. I hope to learn about German and Austrian pioneers in medicine and the series of important events that shaped the medical world and our ways of thinking about medicine today. I hope to get at least some glimpses of Nazi history in Germany in addition to the rise out of Nazism and fall of the wall. Finally, I hope to learn about current events in Germany, in particular how it relates to the rest of the world.
They are calling us soon to board the plane, my first international flight ever! I am thankful for this opportunity to finally visit and learn about people who live and work in a different country, as I have been looking forward to for a long time. Deutschland, ready or not, here I come!
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