1st week recap!

 Howdy!! Ok so we have officially been here in Bonn for an entire week and I cannot believe it! I feel like it has gone by so quickly already but, at the same time, we have fit so much into just a few days that I cannot wait to see what the rest of trip has in store! At the beginning of the week, we walked around the marketplaces and got to see the amazing architecture and eat some very yummy pasta and gelato :) We went to see the old hunting palace and walk around the botanical gardens which was honestly a highlight of the week for me! After seeing the gardens, we all laid in the grass for about an hour just talking and sitting in the sun and it was just so peaceful! I love that life moves a bit slower here so you get to fully enjoy the time you spend with people! Carly and I took a little trip to Koln one night for dinner and got to see the incredible cathedral there! It was truly one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen and seeing it was a bit of a surreal moment where I was like wow I am just so glad I came on this trip because I would not get to see things like this if I just stayed in my little corner of the world forever! This weekend, we went on a few hiking trips and got to see a replica of an old castle!! So, yeah, overall a very fun first week, I could not be more grateful–sorry for the long rant but here's some pics to show just a glimpse of all we did!

-Halle Hinton

We hiked 12 miles...accidentally

 The air is cleaner here and a cool breeze floats off the rhein slowly rustling the trees above. Setting out on a hike feels like starting a great quest, like the kingdom must be saved and like the adventure is right around the corner. I love walking and just breathing in the cool air. our goal was to make it to the top of the lookout and see the whole valley from above but we took multiple turns off the path chasing after each new adventure. We encountered a blue lake and stared down from the top of the cliff and I'm pretty sure each of us was thinking okay what if we jumped, but we didn't, don't worry Dr Wasser.  After we finally reached the lookout we realized we had no idea where we were going and google maps was close to 0 help. We somehow trecked through the woods climbing over fallen trees and made it to a tram stop. Then we climbed up the largest hill ever, our calves begging us to stop,  until we reached a castle at the top, The Schloss Drachenburg. When I finally sat down to shovel my face with gf pasta while wrapped in a blanket my apple watch read 12 miles. SO WORTH IT! 

Beginnings in Germany

    When we began our trip into Germany on the bus, I was expecting to see a very bland countryside filled with some trees and grass and old buildings from the medieval ages. But what I found changed my entire perspective on Germany. It is a mix of both old buildings and feelings with new innovations in design. Many of the buildings are never torn down, instead they are just renovated to fit its new purpose. Many shops in this area's first floor are like those back in the United States, while a floor above is this old looking building that you would find hundreds of years ago. The blend of keeping your buildings feel of old along with that of keeping it practical and not letting the building take up a vital part of the town to maintain its medieval feeling.

Post #1- An Exciting Start

5/23/2022

I'm writing this first blog post while waiting at the airport for my direct flight to Frankfurt! Although I'm a day late due to overbooking of the flight, I can't wait to meet up with the other students and hear about their first day. I'm a little nervous about finding the train station in the airport when I land by myself, but my dad made me watch YouTube videos about navigating the Frankfurt airport. Hopefully I won't be completely lost. It's awesome to see the pictures and messages other students who are already in Bonn are sending in GroupMe and Snapchat. I'm so happy my parents encouraged me to take this study abroad and look forward to meeting everybody at lunch tomorrow!

- Bailee

Duo lingo didn’t prepare me for this…

 So you think you have been learning German for months on some silly little app with an owl? GUESS WHAT! you are wrong you know nothing. Landing in the airport gives you a false sense of confidence but being sent to the supermarket is the real test! When I arrived to Bornheim I was hurried through the pouring rain into a stunning tan building by and elegant Germany lady with extremely eclectic taste! ( think old church converted to techno bar with a splash of Middle school English teacher). Our room is simple but perfect, I must admit I am still getting used to the lack of AC. Even now I can see life is slower here, I see people slowly meandering along the rivers, and fathers chasing children through the garden. On Monday’s stores are closed but on Sunday groceries are closed( very confusing hahah) So in a fit of hunger and sleep deprivation Halle and I settle a super market to grab some quick snacks. In about 5 seconds I realize I don’t know Anything when we set off an alarm and earn ourself glare from the shopkeepers, finally getting our stuff after being forced to go off looks alone and hope for the best. I think I have a long way to go before I am the experience local I thought I would be instantly! But what a joy it is to learn!!!! 

Initial Thoughts

In the months leading up to this trip, my expectation was to see a country unrecognizable from that which I am used to. In reality, when I was finally able to see Germany as our plane finally flew lower than the lowest level of clouds, I was amazed at how different yet similar the country looks to the United States. I joined this study abroad opportunity in order to examine the differences between American and German culture. Now that I am here, I plan to study not only the differences, but the similarities I share with the German people. Although I am anxious about the language barrier that I will inevitably run in to during the trip, I hope so slowly learn more of the german language everyday.

HOM Expectations

I have always wanted to do a study abroad experience, so when Professor Wasser mentioned the HOM study abroad program in Physiology I looked into it and decided that I wanted to partake in it. I'm excited for a lot of things about this study abroad experience, but the thing that I'm most excited about is learning and seeing German culture. I'm also nervous about a few things, including the language barrier. I've heard that most Germans speak English, so hopefully this isn't much of an issue. I can't wait to see what the next few weeks hold, and I'm ready to learn new things.

Episode 1 !

  Waiting to check in to my flight here in the Houston Intercontinental airport I find myself at a loss for words. Dr. Wasser prompted us to write a post explaining why we wanted to participate in this program, what our worries and expectations are, an introduction to this "heroes' journey" as this trip has been coined. My aspirations to study abroad were first ignited several years ago as I watched my older siblings chase the opportunities that college presented them across borders. With the challenges that busy schedules and the world-wide pandemic ensued upon my college years, it wasn't until I saw this program on the abroad website last October that my once farfetched goal became something I could grasp. Even now it seems like an overwhelming process of preparation has been completed as I finally stand in line (literally) to begin this experience. Let it be known that I have never traveled out of this country, so even my passport ordering appointment was a new and unfamiliar experience. I've faced every bullet on my checklist so far with optimism, confidence, flexibility, and a mindset ready to learn. Looking ahead to what waits for me in these next few weeks, I plan to take on every next day and task with the same attitudes. 

I wished to join this program for many reasons, but I feel the largest in this moment is that I am confident that it will change my life in ways that I can't yet fathom. I'm certain I will meet more people than I could expect, learn concepts I hadn't imagined, and experience sights that I didn't know even existed. With all of this said, I could definitely pinpoint nervousness and anxiousness in the arsenal of emotions I currently hold. I have crafted a very comfortable corner of the world here in south Texas, so this program and all of the "new" that it will bring will require a whole new schema for processing in my brain. However, with reassurance, excitement, and lots of support, I am focusing on all of the positive ramifications this experience will bring me. The word excited sounds pathetically tame for how I am feeling right now, and I cannot wait to set this movie in motion. 

Here is my dad, my brother, and me in the drop off lane at the Airport! 

Arriving in Germany!

Today is my first day in Germany and I already have so many stories to tell. This was the longest flight I was on but the plane was pretty nice, except the food was skeptical. I wasn’t able to finish any of the meals mainly because I was still on Texas time. After the first meal, a group of people rushed to the bathrooms and my stomach started to hurt. I had thought it was just me and maybe my bowel movements were acting crazy today, but I then found out that other students had the same problem. Once I got off the plane I was so relieved and excited to finally be in Germany… and use the restroom comfortably. 

I came on this program not only to gain more experience in medicine and travel, but to work on my mental health and mindset. In the past, I have always been hard on myself and viewed the whole in a way that was not the healthiest for my mental health. I’m hoping to come back from this trip changed. I’m excited to learn about the history of medicine in Germany, exploring Europe for the first time, and becoming an improved different person.  

Second day in Germany:

Today we took a tour of Bonn and it was absolutely beautiful. I learned that Germans are indeed “frank” but also very kind. I forgot a mask on the tram and one of the students gave me an extra. When I got on the plan, my mask broke and I was struggling to fix it. A nice lady saw me struggling and gave me a mask. I also realized how much it actually rains in Germany, but the weather is still way better than Texas. Me and a group of people went to go find someplace to eat in the center of Bonn and experienced how difficult it would be to find a place to eat. We had a hard time understanding some menus because they did not have an English one. We wanted to try a traditional German restaurant but ended up going to a Cantonese restaurant. For dinner, I order a pina colada without getting card and finally felt like an adult lol.

My health the first two days have been a little rough. I haven’t flown a plane in years, especially not 9 hours plus. I had a hard time building up an appetite on the plane due to the time difference and plane sickness and ended up eating in total 1 meal in the two days. I’ve had back to back migraines and nausea. Today I finally built up an appetite, ate, and felt way better. I am ready for the rest of the weeks!

Frankfurt Airport Thoughts

 As I sit here in a café in the Frankfurt airport, I am reminded of all the new experiences that I will have on this trip. From the new foods to all the German signs, it was almost a little overwhelming, but I am excited. This represents my general attitude towards the trip as I am very excited to experience every cultural nuance in Germany, but also worried that  some of the experiences may be a lot in the first couple days. As I meet my host family and arrive at AIB, these small worries will most certainty transform into joy and excitement. 

One difference I saw as I flew into the Frankfurt airport was the vast amount of windmills in Germany. These are seen in some places in the United States, but I was able to see so many more windmills while on the plane. It was a great reminder of the differences in Germany. Attached is a picture of the windmills I took from the plane as we flew over parts of Western Germany. Overall, I am excited to see what I will learn here in Germany.

Week 1 - Calling myself German

Now that we are officially in Germany, I can't wait for the weeks ahead! I am very excited to get familiar with the town and immerse myself in the German culture. The last time I came to Germany was 6 years ago with my family so I am excited to experience the country with a different perspective. 

Arrived in Germany!!

  Hi, my name is Halle Hinton!! I am a sophomore BIMS major, hoping to go to vet school, and I am from Frisco, TX! I was interested in the HOM trip because I have never been to Europe and I have always wanted to experience a new culture while getting to learn about something I love and meet fun new people! Can't wait to get to know all of you better and excited for everything to come!!

Em's Day 1: The Kindness of Strangers

 This trip is nerve-wracking. I am both excited and nervous. Do I know any German? No. Do I know how to get around Bonn yet? No. However, I decided to come on this trip to experience the world.

I have never come to Europe, and given this opportunity, I thought I should experience navigating a new culture. I am excited to get to know my host family, make new friends, broaden my horizon of medicine, and have fun along the way.

Even while in the airport my fears are diminishing. From a German man sitting next to me on my first flight, explaining to me how he hasn't been able to fly home in 3 years due to the pandemic and he is so excited to go see his family. To the man from Italy sitting next to me on the second flight who rated the airplane food with me and nicely showed me to push the bathroom door when I was trying to pull it. To lastly all of the A&M students I am already calling my friends after one day at the airport. I am already blown away by kindness and excited for these next few weeks!

First Blog Post

I am super excited to be going on this trip! I have never traveled out of the continent before so it should be cool. I chose this program because I want to be a doctor and I think this will provide me with a more diverse perspective. The plane ride was long and the man in front of me in the bathroom line was extremely excited and did a little dance so it has already been very interesting.  

HOWDY GERMANY!!!

 YAY!  I just landed at the airport and picked up my first of many coffees for the day! I’m so excited to get this trip started and can wait to start unpacking. The flight was way easier than I thought! This is going to the best!!!! 

Intro!!

 I am excited to be able to have experiences in a new country and learning the history while also focusing on medicine. I'm a premedical student so this experience is one that will be very useful for my future career. I'm also excited to immerse myself in the local german culture.

I am nervous about a few things coming into a new country. I can't even begin to imagine being able to navigate all of the buses, trains, and the city of Bonn itself. Driving through the city on the bus today was intimidating enough! I know that with time and support from my host family that I will be able to learn my way around.

I am very excited to be able to practice speaking German. Right now I do not feel  confident enough to speak to a native german speaker, but I know that I just have to put myself out there and not be afraid to try. I know that attempting to speak german, even if I fail, is the only way I can improve my speaking skills.

Overall I am both nervous and excited for this journey to begin, and I can't wait to see where the experiences in the future will take me!

Expectations for the Study Abroad

     I am super excited to start on this journey while in Germany this summer. One of the reasons that I picked this program was because I love the history of Europe and am very interested in science, which made this program perfect for me! With my goal of going into pharmacy school next fall, the applied pharmacology class would also fit perfectly with my future career path. It is also giving me an excuse to visit my past German foreign exchange student, Marga, who I am seeing during my free weekends during the trip.

Made it to Germany

I chose this program, because I am interested in human medicine and German culture. I am from a small German town in Texas called Muenster, so finding a program in Germany was very fitting. I am looking forward to this experience and all that it brings!

Hello Germany!

 I am so excited to be in Germany and learn a lot about the culture and history around here. I joined this study abroad because I am very interested in medicine and think learning how it came to be what it is today. I currently have just arrived in Frankfurt and I am so excited to get started on this program. I can’t wait to explore all that Europe has to offer for these next 6 weeks. I’m sure they will fly by. 

As of right now I am still a little anxious about staying with a host family. I’m sure it’ll end up being a great experience it’s just an experience like none I’ve ever had before so I’m not too sure what to expect. Based off of her email she does seem like a very nice and genuine person and I’m so excited that she has cats. 

I think what I’m most excited for is our excursions. I love seeing new places and getting to do that as one big group will be a great experience. I can’t wait to see how the group grows together and what relationships can be made it just six short weeks. I can’t wait to see this hero’s journey in action. 

Thoughts from the Frankfurt airport

Finally in Germany! Need some tums or Pepto. Lots of us got some strange stomach issues after the plane food! So fun! But the flight wasn’t bad, and now I can be excited about our trip!!! I can’t wait to make it to Bonn and meet my host family! It’s already been great meeting other students on the trip, and I can’t wait to see how the rest of it goes. I chose this program to learn more about medicine, experience German culture, make some new friends, and gain new experiences :)

 Hello! I joined this program because I wanted to travel before attending medical school! I’m super excited to explore Europe and I hope to come back after this trip! 

Danielle Chagnot

Bis bald germany !

 I’m nervous and excited as I prepare to take off. I hope to learn more about Germany and it’s culture as well as the people I’m surrounded by. 

I chose this program because it seemed like the perfect length of time for me to be away and immerse myself into a different way of living. 

Well we’re going to be walking around the airport for the next hour before we board, so bis bald Germany!