Score!

Shadowing at the teaching hospital I was able to see open heart surgery and general surgery. The gastrointestinal tract is fascinating and it was interesting to see it compared to surgeries in America. I did not think I would like cardiac surgery as much as I did, a new world opened up to me. How the machines took over for the heart and lungs was an interesting concept. These machines took away the need for a human conscious. 

The organ building shop was a unique and rare experience. There is a great amount of science which is required for the organ to play. The organ has been around since the roman times when there was no understanding of how this instrument truly worked. 

The bus ride to Bingen went through beautiful, lush countryside. We toured the Hildegarde Museum were our professor sang us music similar to what she wrote. He also gave a lecture on military medicine in the museum. We had lunch and then when on a boat cruise up the Rhein. It was peaceful and tranquil on the boat. I was in my happy place why cruising. The cruise ended at a castle. This castle is the only one which has not been conquered or damaged. 

On the weekend we went to Amsterdam. It was a hopin’ city. The canals were interesting as they would separate rows of building and there was not much room for cars. Maddie, Kim and I had pancakes one morning and they were so good! Kim and I split a sweet and savory on, great combination. The flower market was beautiful and I can’t wait to go back when the tulips are in bloom. We were able to score ticket to the Anne Frank house Sunday morning for later in the day. That was an amazing and eye opening experience. I read about how small the rooms are but never understood what that it was like till I was walking in the rooms. Even without the furniture in there the rooms were very small and to add to add more that one person in a living space, that is very cramped. There was a video about a lady who met Anne was in the camp and the lady was outside of the camp. They formed a friendship and the lady would throw her food over the fence. The first time she threw the bread another woman in the camp snatched the bread before Anne could get to it. The lady returned the next day with more food, which Anne was able to catch.