The Sites of Bonn, Cologne, Berlin, and Dresden

Outside of the curriculum, we have seen a great deal of Germany and learned much about its history. We began in Bonn, where Dr. Reiner gave us a personal tour and explained to us Bonn's role as the capital of West Germany. He showed us the city's cathedral as well as a wonderful view of the Rhine. As we came near the AIB offices at the end of the tour, Dr. Reiner pointed out a nearby building. It was closed to the public, he explained, because it was a seminary. In fact, it was the seminary that Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, attended.
The next day we saw a museum on the history of the Federal Republic of Germany. It was a very informative demonstration of the events that have shaped the development of Germany and Germans over the past 40 years.
We spent the afternoon in Cologne, where we were given a brief tour of the inner city and the cathedral by Andre. He showed us Roman ruins, the old Rathaus, gave us a history of Cologne both in antiquity and over the course of the cathedral's construction, and then took us out to a local bierhaus.
Berlin is overwhelming. We arrived about three hours before the new year. In one hour we were walking out of our hotel toward the New Year Festival. In another hour we were at the far end of the festival. After almost another hour of pushing and shoving, we were in front of the Brandenburg Gate just in time for 2009.
The next day we had our bus tour. Berlin is the worldwide Cold War packed into city size. Checkpoint Charlie had a rebuilt booth (the real one was torn down) and around it were pictures of loaded American and Russian tanks pointed directly at each other, about a football field apart. It gives this member of a younger generation a better appreciation for how dire those times had felt. There were many other memorials, monuments, and musuems that were very nice to see, but I was most of all amazed by how much Berlin was defined by the time it spent divided.
Today we visited Dresden, which still has ruins in the old part of the city. So far we have mainly seen the Zwinger (a sort of festival square) and the Frauenkirche. The Frauenkirche is a Lutheran church that is unique in two ways: the church is named after Mary and the inside is filled with statues and images Jesus and some other important biblical figures (though not a single image of Mary can be found).
We have more to see in Dresden and I still have much more to see in Berlin tomorrow and Monday before we move on to Hannover.

Off To A Great Start

I could not imagine enjoying myself more. With only five days in Germany behind me, it is still easy to say that this is one of the best experiences of my life. My introduction to Germany began in the Munich airport; I had a four hour layover, so I decided to do a little exploring. Immediately I was impressed by all of the chic cafes and the posh people, and I kept thinking "this is only the airport!" I then ventured outside for a little fresh air, and found an ice skating rink, many booths and kiosks, trinkets and food that smelled wonderful. It was a very surreal experience because I was all alone, in a very unfamiliar place, and could only smile when people started rattling off in German to me, but I loved it.
During our stay in Bonn/Köln, I found the Cathedral to be most impressive. It is absolutely gorgeous, but I found its dark color at archetypal Gothic style to be somewhat imposing and mysterious. However, despite the incredible stature of the cathedral, I found that it is the small things that I have enjoyed the most; little things that I could not predict or imagine until I was walking on cobblestone streets, that are hundreds of years old with thousands of years of history layered beneath them. I love the smell of fresh bread that fills the walkways of Bonn, and the endless assortment of baked good and hot drinks. I was so happy to see half a dozen flower shops set up on New Years Eve to celebrate the coming of the New Year. All the bright colors of the fresh flowers created a unique sight in the dead of winter with temperatures hovering around freezing. And, most special to me was watching the sunrise while running along the Rhine, not something I generally see on a typical morning jog.
I had been anticipating New Years Eve in Berlin since the second I found out about this program, I was extremely excited but also completely unsure of what to expect. The minor glitch of unexpectedly having to take a train instead of a plane to Berlin only added to the adventure of trip and the train ride was rather relaxing and a good time to rest up for the evening that was soon to follow...Never in my life have I seen so many people until I joined the mob pushing their way toward the Brandenburg Gate for the fireworks, music and chaotic of celebration! It was definitely a New Years that I will never forget! And, there is no way that I could enjoy a New Years day as much as I enjoyed the the first day of 2009! I had the pleasure of visiting Chalottenburg palace and gardens. Inside the detail of architecture and interior design was magnificent. I loved nothing more than the spacious rooms, many mirrors, large open windows and ceiling paintings. I have decided that I was born in the wrong time period and that it was definitely good to be queen of Prussia.
This morning I returned to the gardens for a run and it was as if I stepped into a magical story book. I made the first footprints in the freshly fallen snow as I ran through the maze of trees and bridges over frozen ponds. Academically, I found the homeopathy lecture to be extremely interesting. It is an area of medicine that I knew almost nothing about, and while I found some of the ideas difficult to fully comprehend/ belief, I thought the foundation of the subject to be very encouraging, especially these two fundamental beliefs: "the highest ideal of therapy is to restore health happily, rapidly and permanently" and "the force of gentleness is great."
I am looking forward to some adventures and explorations today in Berlin!
-Amanda

The first week

My first week in Germany has been very eventful, starting with the plane rides over to Germany. The first flight I was on unfortunatly got cancelled, but the flight in Dallas to Frankfurt was delayed so I was able to make it on that flight. Luckily another student was on the same flight with me, it made the wait much easier in the airport. Once I arrived in Frankfurt and made it through customs, My aunt met us and helped us to make it on the train to Bonn. We met Olaf at the AIB and he took us to the dorms that we were to use while in Bonn. Olaf was very nice and made great eggs for breakfast. On the first official day of the program we had our first lecture by Jürgen Weiland over the history and evolution of homeopathic method. I learned quite a bit about homeopathic medicine. My previous view had been of quacks who discouraged the use of modern medicine because it was modern. Also that day we were givin a city tour by Rainer Zäck. Olaf took us out to experience the night life of Bonn later that night. We visited a traditional German pub to try the local beer then headed to a cuban bar. Here we where able to get more flavorful drinks. I enjoyed going out with the others and getting to know them better.
The next day we visited the House of German History, this focused on the history of Germany from post war times to the present. I saw and learned many things that i had not known about the German people. The slow progression of the entire country after the war was a real eye opener. Also the differences between the East and West was astounding. A trip to Cologne was next on the list. We travelled by train to the city. the most amazing sight in the city was to be found just outside the train station. The Cologne Cathedral was a beautiful masterpiece of architecture. I was in awe of the sheer size of the cathedral and its two spires. The walking tour of the city was givin by Andre Fischer, a native Cologner. He was a fountain of knowledge for the history of Cologne, or Köln as the germans call it. After the tour we visited a local beer house with Andre and got a round of the local beer. I left the beer house with Lauren and we travelled back toward the cathedral for some shopping and to get some food. In our wandering we found a very nice little cafe called Eic & Cafe. They had delicious crepes and coffee. Our last day in Bonn was on New years eve and sadly we had to leave Olaf at the dorms. To celebrate new years eve Olaf brought Berliners from the local bakery. The first lecture by Dr. Wasser was givin at the AIB before we left for the Airport to fly to Berlin. This is where the trip got interesting, it turns out that our seats were not reserved on the plane to Berlin. So we were unable to fly that day. It was arranged that we would take a train to Cologne then catch an ICE to the Berlin train station. Fortunatly we were able to make it to the New Years celebration at the Brandenburg gate in time for the coundown. Through sheer will a few other students and I were able to make it right up to the gate for the countdown. It was an amazing sight and made all the trouble getting there completely worth it. I think that was the best possible way to experience berlin for the first time.
New years day was a considerable amount less hectic. The entire day was free to do whatever I wanted. I decided to visit the Schloss Charlottenburg with Dr. Wasser, Amanda and Asher. The palace and grounds were considerably destroyed during the second world war, but thanks to pictures and furniture form other Prussian palaces, the original way of the palace in Sophia Charlottes' time was able to be recreated. I also enjoyed walking among the garden and being able to walk on the pond, which was frozen over from the cold weather. I took advantage of the rest of the day to relax and read.
Today was my first chance to see most of Berlin, a tour bus picked us up at the hotel. It took us past the Charlottenburg palace, the main shopping street in west Berlin, and then stopped at the T-4 victims memorial on Tiergartenstrasse. It is very humbling to realize the nazis persecuted not only the jews but even Arian people bacause they were not normal and worthy of life. We also visited the memorial to the burning of the books in Berlin and Humbolt University. Something that I found interesting was that the red marble inside the main hall of the University was recycled from Hitlers chancellory. Overall the trip so far has been amazing and I am very happy that I am able to see and learn the history of this country.

First post in Germany!

So Germany is absolutely amazing and has surpassed all of my expectations. I am learning so much in such a short time, and I am enjoying every bit of it. A doctor named Jürgen Weiland gave us a presentation about homeopathy and its history, which I thought was very informative adn interesting. Dr. Wasser also gave us a lecture about the 'Unworthy lives' that the Nazi party used as test subjects to prepare for Hitler's Final Solution. It was eye-opening just how poorly these patients (mentally retarded, disabled, etc.), who were still human beings, were treated, and its a significant event in history that barely anyone knows about... Very depressing and scary.

I have learned a lot outside of the lectures as well. I have visited the Haus von Beethoven and got to know my favorite composer a tad bit better! There has also been the Haus der Geschichte, the best history museum in Germany for post-WWII, which was very, very cool. My favorite part was the tiny car, that appears to only fit two people comfortably, but in reality was used to fit around SIX people in. Wow! Also, one of my favorite sites has definitely been the Cologne Cathedral. It is so magnificent! To think that people actually built that with their own hands so long ago... Its unreal. Breathtaking every time you see it. The architecture of not only the cathedral, but of all the other bulidings here in Germany is really old-fasioned. It is really about history here in Germany and I like that.

Yesterday I went to Sachsenhausen, a concentration camp over in North Berlin. It was very eerie. It was a cold, cloudy day, and it was completely quiet. Which, to be honest, I was glad for because it added that much to the experience. Seeing the prisons in which the victims were held in, seeing various ways in which the Jews and others were tortured, and seeing the gas chamber most of all was very eye-opening. I think that all young students should eventually visit a concentration camp. It would make you change the way you think about things.

I am looking forward to the rest of things I will get to experience, and all the things I will get to learn and cherish forever!

The First Set of Lectures

Our first lecture was in Bonn at the AIB offices. It was given to us by Jürgen Weiland, a homeopathologist who works in Bonn. His focus was on the history of homeopathy, but he also gave us a brief explanation of what homeopathy was.
The whole practice hinges on two ideas. The first is that a substance that produces a set of symptoms in a well person will cure the disease of an ill person that shows the same set of symptoms. The second is that the theraputic effect of a substance can be separated from the toxic effect through a special series of dilutions.
As far as the history goes, a German by the name of Samuel Hahnmann was the founder of homeopathy. He began as a physician, but was shocked by the harm that medicine would often cause his patients. He set out to find a form of medicine that would meet his ideal: one that would cure the patient at minimal discomfort. While I believe that what he settled on was a fantastic demonstration of the placebo effect, I still found this lecture to be very helpful in the sense that it forced me to think about what dreams and ideals ought to be chased after in medicine today.

The second lecture so far was given by Dr. Wasser, and was about the 'racial hygiene' practiced by the Nazis just before and during World War II. The official name of the program was Aktion T4 and was a systematic murdering (under the name of euthanasia) of any kind of invalid, but especially the mentally and physically retarded. Under this program, doctors were no longer expected to consider the health of the individual so much as they were to consider the health of the race. The unworthy had to be cut from the gene pool like a tumor from the body.
It was interesting to learn that many of the individuals involved in this program used their acquired experience for death camps a few years later. Some have even described Aktion T4 as a 'test run' for the Holocaust. Dr. Wasser also spent the first part of the lecture describing some of the intellectuals and their writings that led up to Aktion T4 in Nazi Germany. I was amazed to hear that some of these men were great intellectuals of their day who had very scientific and rational explanations for their views. One of the few hospital directors that refused to permit euthanisation remarked, as best as I can remember, that God would not permit him to do so.

I'm Loving It!!

I was nervous about the trip for various reasons, but I have absolutely loved my time here in Germany so far. It seems like we have packed so much in the last 6 days already! I feel like we have already seen and learned so much about the city even though we have been here less than a week. Everywhere we go there are cool things to see and there seems to be so much interesting history behind so many of the buildings. This is all very unusual for me since I have lived in America and never really travelled outside of the country but I love seeing everything. The buildings are all fascinating to me, especially the Köln Cathedral, but I love all of the architecture. It was so funny to see everyone's mouth drop, mine included, as soon as we walked out of the train station in Köln and looked up to see the massive cathedral. It was incredible. Each of the tours that we have been on have been incredibly interesting also. Our tour guides are wonderful, as are all of the AIB people and Dr. Wasser, so the trip has been an amazing experience so far and I am very much looking forward to the rest of it.

As I suspected, I've found that the things I was nervous about, such as not being able to talk to my family much, have not bothered me much at all. I have enjoyed talking to people back home when I've gotten the chance to, and I've probably talked to them more than other people on the trip, but I'm really doing fine on my own. I feel like we have a great group of people here and I've loved hanging out with them and getting to know everyone better.

The homeopathy lecture was very interesting. I had never known much about any alternative forms of medicine so I enjoyed listening to other perspectives, even though I agree much more with the conventional form of medicine. I feel like it's always good to hear more about other people's ideas and practices. I also greatly enjoyed Dr. Wasser's lecture on the Nazi Euthanasia Programs. Again, this was something that I had heard a little about, probably earlier in the year from Dr. Wasser, but I learned much more than I had known before. I find anything about medicine fascinating. Though this was a terribly horrible thing that happened, I enjoy learning about the history of medicine and the bad comes along with the good. Everything has much more meaning when you first learn the history behind it. I was glad that we had heard about T-4 prior to our Berlin tour earlier today for this reason. I look forward to the other guest lectures that we will hear and definitely the lectures that Dr. Wasser will give. This has been an incredible experience so far and I can't wait to learn more and visit all of the places we're going!

Just Jon 2

Well, I made it to Europe. I managed to survive sitting in a lobby at the IAH for 6 hours. I flew over to Frankfort on Lufthansa for 11 hours. I loved the flight. The flight attendents were nice, they served all the passengers snacks, breakfast, lunch, and even wine. The wine was new. It was my first plane ride and I wasn't for sure how it would go, but it went well. When I got to the airport in Frankfurt, I spent time wandering around looking for my luggage. After spending about 20 minutes looking for it, I couldn't find it. So, I had about 30 minutes to go look all over the airport for the trains. It took 29 minutes for me to find the train. Once on the train, I immediately noticed the scenery of the towns. The towns weren't like in America with tall buildings downtown and suburbs on the outskirts. All of the buildings were like the same size. From the train station, I got off at the Köln train station and met the crew there. From her, I caught the train and went to Bonn. From here, we met Olof who showed us to these nice dorm rooms which is where we stayed for the rest of the time in Bonn.

While in Bonn, we seen the downtown area, the shops, pubs, bars, and even candy shops. We also had a lecture on Homeopathy. This lecture really interested me because Homeopathy, which is made up of minerals, plants, and animals was a combination of all of the things that I actually want to make a carrier out of. Homeopathy looks to see both sides of everything in nature. For instance, Homeopathy will look at the negatives and positives of animals like the Bushmaster, the Rhino, and etc. This is really what I would like to do. I think I may have found my major. I also liked the Botany aspect of Homeopathy because I want to major in Botany as well. We also had a lecture on the history of Germany and we went to the history museum in Bonn, Germany.

From here, we went to Köln and saw the cathedral. I thought that it was just amazing. It was just overflowing with architecture, history, and people. I enjoyed the cathedral. We also ate at the train station in Köln too. For a train station, they had very good food. From here, we went to Berlin. We had to depart with Olof, which was sad because he was nice, helpful, made the best breakfast that I had ever had in my entire life, and he just kinda grew on me. He even gave us Berliners which were so good. I got really attached to him and still miss him. I wish he could have came on the rest of the tour of Germany with us.

Righ now, we are in Berlin. We all went to the New Years party downtown and man was it the stuff. I enjoyed myself a lot. I and the group that I was in got really close to the stage where the music was being played, we seen the fireworks finaly, we seen drunk people, got hit on by drunk people, I was dancing and singing both the German songs and a Rihanna song that people had going. It was the stuff. The only thing I didn't get was a half a meter of bratwurz. I reallz wanted a half a meter of bratwurz, but I had to let that idea go because getting the bratwury, even though it was only 3 Euros would have meant getting through a crowd of drunk people. I didn't want to do that. So after the party on the square, we all crammed into a crammed subway and came back to the hotel.

So far, we have been touring Berlin, getting souvoneirs, sight seeing, and going to some tricked out museums. The museums in Europe are way more cooler. So far this trip has passed my expectations. Also, we even got to try Döners here in Germany. I would like to say that the Döner I had yesterday was sooooooo good. It was like a food orgy in my mouth. I like it her in Germany. I can see myself spending a semester here.

JJ2out

To the end of the subway and back

Yesterday we took the subway until it ended and then walked a short distance to get to the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. The cold and dreary weather matched the mood of the camp when we arrived. I can't really find the words to describe the emotions that I felt when I walked through the gates of Sachsenhausen and came face to face with the phase ''Arbeit Macht Frei'' entwined in the wrought iron. For many years in school I've learned about the Holocaust, so when I was walking through the grounds of the camp, all of my knowledge of the suffering of innocent people came together and it really hit home with me. I enjoyed reading the timeline of what happened in the camp because it helped piece everything together. I was shocked to learn that over 200,000 people who were considered political outcasts, biologically inferior, or racially inferior went through this camp. Walking the grounds gave me a greater understanding of what took place there along with immmeasurable respect for those who survived and those who lost their lives.

After our hike out to Sachsenhausen, we rode the subway back into town and shopped around for souvenirs. We ate döners at a local bistro across from the trainstation, which were super!!! We polished that tasty meal off with some good ol' starbucks and then continued to hop on and off the subway trains in an attempt to find more shops. Finally, we got back to the hotel and it felt really good to just hang out and chill.

So as I sit in this internet cafe trying to think of what to write...I don't even know where to begin. We've only been here a few days, but already so much has happened. Luckily, I had an easy flight here. Jared, Tarah and I were one of the first ones here so we were able to go out in Bonn and do a lot of exploring on our own. We went to Beethoven's house, which I was really looking forward to. The house was tiny, but somehow they managed to fit 12 rooms inside of it. Walking around cities on your own with just a map in your hand is my favorite thing to do when traveling. That way you get to explore things for yourself.

I was really interested in the first lecture on homeopathy. Mr. Jürgen Weiland was very knowledgable on his profession, obviously. But it definitely opened up my eyes to alternative medicine. It is not advertised much in the US and I was surprised when he mentioned the oldest school for homoepathy is in the US. When I get home I want to read some case studies on patients to see if the 'like cures like' theory can pretty much cover any ailment.

The second lecture on euthenasia was also really interesting. I think it is interesting how through every history class I ever took, it was never once mentioned that the Nazi party looked towards the US as an example. I was also unaware of the forced sterilization programs that were taking place in the US. I should probably brush up on my history.

Everyone on the trip is really chill and easy going. Of course that makes any trip more enjoyable, but im glad were all getting to know each other after meeting every week for a semester when no one would say a word...

First Adventures in Germany!

Ever since I have arrived in Germany it has already been an adventure. Both flights here were great, and I got lucky, because two of the other students in the program happened to have the same flight itinerary as I did, so that eased a little bit of my initial traveling anxieties, while also giving me the chance to get to know a couple of my peers right off the bat!

The first couple of days, we stayed in dorms in Bonn. It was nice having our own building and also having Olaf there, who cooked great breakfasts for us each morning we were there. Dr. Rainer gave us a tour of the city of Bonn, and a man named Andre gave us a guided tour of Cologne and the cathedral there the next day. The golden coffin which holds the remains of the three wisemen is in that cathedral which I found very interesting, and somewhat surreal. We also heard a proffessor speak about Homeopathy, which is an alternative medicine that utilizes plants, minerals, and animials for healing. It was quite interesting to me, personally, because I had never been formally taught about anything like that before. Wasser also gave a lecture on the history and evolution of Euthanasia, which was not only very interesting and enlightening, but a little horrifying to hear about all the different ''reasons'' they would kill people that were considered to have no reason to live. (i.e. the mentally and physically disabled, people that werent within the ''preferred'' race, etc.)

We then made our way to Berlin, but not in the way we had originally planned! We arrived at the airport only to find out that our tickets had never been formally confirmed and the plane was full. Thankfully, Wasser was able to get us all tickets on the high speed train and we made it in time for the New Years Festival in Berlin. That was so much fun, but also very crowded and crazy!

The next day was a free day in Berlin, and 11 of us students took the subway to northern Berlin to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp there. It was a very moving experience that I think everyone should have a chance to do. The weather was strangly appropriate for the occasion also, I think, because it was a overcast and foggy day, with a constant light snow for most of the day.

Today we took a bus tour of Berlin, seeing the Holocaust Memorial, the remains of the Berlin wall, and the Embassies of various countries, among MANY other things. So far, I have found the German people to be very friendly, and it seems that all of them are fluent, or at least know much of the english lanuage, and are willing to help out a lost American tourist such as myself. :)
The first free weekend is already almost here, so Prauge, here I come!

Thus far...

I am almost at lost for words, maybe because I have always had problems at putting them into writing but I shall definitely try....if I don't drive myself cray with the switch of y and z and the absence of the left shift!

Day 1/2 went smoothly without any plane or luggage difficulties. I acutally found the train station which was my greatest fear that day and made it to Cologne. There Dr. Wasser and I waited for Asher in the Starbucks where we experienced my first of many friendly Germans. However, this man studies neurology and is a professor here in Germany, which was a fun conversation to listen to as he and Dr. Wasser exchanged experiences and business cards. Who knows, maybe one day this program will be visiting him for a lecture in neurology!

Academically speaking, the first lecture on homeopathy was very interesting but I must admit that I am still skeptical. Most likely because I need more information about why certain things work than "like means like", granted it was a very broad topic for the given time slot, but none-the-less still interesting. I also enjoyed Dr. Wasser's lecture on eugenics. It is ironic to me to listen how Hitler and his followers, specifically the T-4 doctors, took such things a genetics and social Darwinism to the point of killing those deemed inferior or useless after reading an article on the plane ride over about how Charles Dawin, unlike Einstein,among other scientists, isn't as celebrated. Then to hear how his theory along with other written works were used to try and create a "superior race" was a unique parallel that I couldn't have completely gained full perspective of without this experience of being in Germany and seeing the T-4 memorial and Sachsenhausen.

I have more the write but for some reason I feel like I'm moving, maybe all the train travel is causing motion sickness. If my thoughts above seem scattered, I apologize! Oh.....and New Years at Brandenburg Gate was amazing, even though I didn't make it to the gate and the fact we found our way back after being in the city for onlz a few hours was sheer luck!! :)

Hello, my friends, hello

I want to start by saying hello to everyone back home, I miss you guys and want you to know that I'm having a blast! This place is amazing, much older than I realized and very beautiful. I had a little trouble getting here, I had to be rerouted and ended up without my luggage for one day which wasn't a big deal. We're in Berlin now, we've been here a little over a day. Bonn and Cologne were awesome, especially the Dom Cologne, a high Gothic cathedral located about 100 yards outside of the train station in Cologne. The view as you walk out of the main lobby is the most awesome sight I've ever seen. So much so that I took a video on my camera, which I'm also using to take way more pictures than necessary. I think I hit the 300 mark today...

Anyway, we've been doing a lot of touring, exploring, and learning. The culture here is different but very interesting, and everyone is very nice. On New Year's we were at the huge party in the middle of Berlin. I've never been in a crowd close to that size, so it was definitely an experience. We learned the hard way that Germans aren't too good with lines and are quite liberal with the amount of force they use to push past you in a crowd, which is probably why my gloves and coat smelled like gluwein the next day. But this place is great, so much to see and learn. It's hard to believe that I stood in the ruins of a Roman General's living quarters that dates back to about 50 AD. Early this morning I jogged through the snow around Charlottenbourg, a 15th century palace in West Berlin, and had a moment of awe as we ran through the gardens during sunrise.

But even though Germans live amongst these reminders of their past, they are quite progressive. Just recently they elected their first woman chancellor and are obviously thrilled at the election of our new president. Most speak at least a little English, and my German is slowly getting better. Tomorrow we go to Dresden for a day trip and tomorrow night 10 of us are heading to Prague by train. Dr. Wasser and our program coordinator Stefi have been amazing so far, and are making this trip very enjoyable and worthwhile.

One last thing, we had a lecture on homeopathy a few days ago which was quite interesting. It was a little backwards to me given the training I've had so far, but had some very interesting concepts. Just as a brief overview, the idea is that certain herbs and other natural substances that cause certain symptoms in a healthy person can be used to help cure a person that is experiencing those same symptoms. I encourage you to read up on it, it's still relatively unknown and unpopular, but may hold the answers to some questions that modern Western medicine hasn't been able to answer. But I hope everyone had a great New Year's and is doing well. If you want to reach me I can check my email pretty easily so that would be the best way.

Until next time,

Asher

We have been in Germany for almost a week now and it has been amazing! Not one minute has been a dissapointment. The days take a little getting used to with sunset at 4 in the afternoon, but you get over it quick enough. We are in Berlin right now and have been here since New Years Eve. The celebration in the heart of Berlin was a once in a lifetime experience. Topping it will be near impossible. A few of us went to a local Jazz club last night that was great, and we will probably bring the rest with us tonight. The people are friendly and the culture is unlike anything we could have experienced in the states.

We've already had 2 lectures and a few tours, but there is still so much to do. The homeopathy lecture was interesting since it is something I knew very little about, and the Prof. Wasser first lecture over the T4 events was definitely something that caught my interest, especially with its connection to events in the US that we usually ignore. I'm looking forward to what he still has to teach us as there is plenty more to come.

Until next time.

Bonn, Cologne, Berlin... The best Neue Jahr ist in Deutschland!!!!

What can I say? Almost one week in this program. It has been an amazing time! I have enjoyed every single minute of this trip. From the very first day landing in Frankfurt I knew that I had come to the right place and that the little "sacrifices" that I made would be worth it.

The first day in Bonn we learned the history of the city, walked around and learned a lot about traditions in our welcome dinner at a local restaurant. Then came our very first foreign lecture on the evolution of homeopathy. Personally, this lecture was very interesting since I had a tiny little background with the subject thanks to my mom and her all natural remedies, as well as with homeopathic remedies. I think that perhaps, I will try to incorporate some of this knowledge into my practice. The information and history of homeopathy were very, how shall I put it, informative and it shed light on areas of the subject that I did not know. In addition to homeopathy, the visit and audiotour of the Haus der Geshischte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland walked us through modern German history (post WWII). Our tour taught me some things I did no know, it was a totally different learning experience, a living history class. The museum was very big, but the expositions were all real and the tourguide very informative.

Köln, Cologne, whatever you want to call it, I will stick with AMAZING. The sheer sight of the Kölner Dom (The cathedral) left me so amazed that Cologne is definitely on my list of cities to revisit with more time. The tour of the city taught me a lot about this wonderful city and yes I did have my very first beer (German beer, second one in my life) in the little restaurant we ate at. Cologne's colonialism reminded me a little of San Luis Potosí, the city I grew up in, because the architecture resembles it in a way. Of course, architecture in San Luis is prominently more Spanish, but they all date back to Roman times right? Our visit to the cathedral was also very cool since we got to see the relicary where the remains of the Three Wisemen are supposed to be. It is a little, well not so little, golden box on the back of the altar before the chapels and it is heavily protected. It is only opened on January the 6th, King's Day and people walk by and can see the relics. In summary, I think Köln was definitely worth the visit and I will come back and visit the museums and glass galleries again!

Now moving on to Nazi Euthanasia Porgrams. This is perhaps the solemn part of this blog. Dr. Wasser's lecture really opened my eyes to the atrocities that took place at the time. It was sheer dehumaniyation of groups of people, people that could not otherwise defend themselves for being handicapped, blind, deaf, or old. I had never heard about these "forgotten victims" of Aktion T4, butlearning about them here was bone chilling. Just knopwing that the 'instigators' were people with high education and even some in health professions made me think that perhaps there is a lot that we will never understand, but at least we are glad those times have come to pass.

Neue Jahr! December 31st! Our arrival to Berlin was delayed a bit, but neverhteless we got there! We celebrated New Year's at the Festmeille and a group of us actually made it all the way to the Brandemburg Gate! We were there to count down and welcome 2009! (A Whoop!!!) I hope that this new year 2009 brings us all what we need and especially health to continue with experiences like this one. So far our days in Berlin have been productive. We visited Sachsenhausen, a model concentration camp and prison, and we got to know the Berlin Metros and Subways pretty well. Today's tour was absolutely awesome and I have many pictures of Berlin's most notorious landmarks. In short, Berlin is beautiful, cold (SNOW!!!) and super interesting. Tomorrow we are off to Dresden and then we move to Prague.
Bis dann!!!!

These boots were made for walkin!

I thought I was going to have to wait until I landed in Germany for this trip to really start but as I was sitting in the DFW airport Saturday night, Michelle and Brian popped out of no where and it turned out that we were all on the same flight. We ended up talking to this ridiculously chatty guy from the UK and lucky for us our flight was delayed for two hours so we pretty much heard all of his life story.... He followed us all the way to the terminal of our connecting flight in the Heathrow airport.

I really enjoyed our tour of Bonn and the awesome view of the Rhine river. It was alot of fun to wander around the shopping center and attempt to order food in my limited german. The german pizza I ate is still my favorite lunch so far.

When we went to Cologne and went inside the Catherdral I was at a loss for words. The detail in the stained glass windows was incredible, I just couldn't stop taking pictures.

The Homeopath lecture was very interesting and introduced me to a new perspective of medicine. I never realized how much botany was involved and how detailed the dilutions were for each remedy. I'm glad i was introduced to an up and coming style of medicine such as Homeopathy, especially since its more popular in Europe than the US.

Yay for the tour of Berlin tomorrow!
Lauren

Wow

This trip is just flying by, I can't believe that we're already coming up on our first free weekend to Prague! It's going to be time to go home before we know it. For my blogs I've decided to post the "Reader's Digest" version of my journal entries.
The travel day getting here was way too complicated for my tastes, and I have never had any kind of mishaps while travelling before.The only good thing that happened was the free pizza we got in Abilene because we were stranded there for 2 or 3 hours. And the fact that my bag didn't make it until a day after I did was not helpful at all. It has taken me a very long time to get over the jet lag, but I think I'm finally on a better sleep schedule. During our stay in Bonn, I loved all the people that we spent time with! Olaf was an amazing guy that made the *best* breakfast for us every morning, and hanging out with him on Tuesday evening was great! Stefanie was so cute and helpful and didn't mind helping me with my luggage situation. Dr. Zack was cool too, I definitely enjoyed his tour of the city and his saying about the difference between Americans and Germans. I was a little sad when we had to leave as I was finally getting acquainted with the city and being able to (kind of) make my way around. All the buildings and architecture that I've seen has been so amazing, it's going to be hard going back to College Station with its plain-Jane buildings.
The discussion on homeopathy by Dr. Weiland was interesting, I had no idea that alternative medicine was that big in Germany. I've never been to or known a homeopath, so most of what he was talking about was new to me. I am going to want to check out his website with all the plants and what they are used for in this field of medicine. The Cologne excursion was fantastic! I could tell that Andre really loved his hometown and the things he showed were great. I loved the cathedral and the history behind it; I especially remember the competition with France and the three wise men. Dr. Wasser's first lecture was very intriguing. I had heard only a little bit about euthanasia in Germany before the war, and learning all the details about what kinds of people were chosen for this procedure was horrifying. And the transfer of doctors from euthanasia centers to concentration camps makes sense, but is still a terrible fact. After class someone told me that in American in the 1920s or 30s (maybe? correct me if I'm wrong), there was also a similar kind of happening. I had never heard about that at all, so that's another thing I want to read more about when I get the chance. It's hard to imagine the US going through a time like that, but like Dr. Wasser said, we're all the exact same except for the way we think. These events could happen anywhere.
That's it for now, this is getting a little long and people need the computer. Auf wiedersehen (sp?)!

Thoughts on Homeopathy

During the lecture by the homeopathic doctor (whose name was to intimidating for me to even attempt to write down), I was thinking about why there is such a difference in views on homeopathic medicine in the United States and Western European countries. My experiences of homeopathic medicine are very limited and my knowledge of it is even smaller. In my opinion it feels that the homeopaths here take their profession more seriously and scientific than the homeopaths back in the states. It must be very hard for everyone in our group to understand the rationale for the dilutions and the entire concept in general. We have all taken 2-4 years of very definite, provable sciences and this seems to be much lower in those departments.

This does not mean that I believe his entire profession is a crock, I just know for sure that is not the direction I want to take my education. The scientific laws and physical principles are things that I take comfort in for the ability to be discovered. This area needs much more research and science in my opinion. I am very glad he came though, he was very professional and a great speaker

Finally...

During my preparation for departure for the German history of medicine winter program, I have been trying to prepare my mind for the learning possibilities ahead. The purpose of my preparation is to give more background information concerning their societal, historical and ideological differences of importance. I want this experience to be more than just a winter trip for school credit.

My favorite part of the pre-departure lectures was the possibility of mainstream anti-Semitism in the 1930’s being directly related to the individual views of Martin Luther four hundred years earlier. Ideas like this thrill me and I hope that we are lectured on more cause-effect history.I am confident that I am putting in adequate pre-departure review of the history of Germany to have a basic frame to piece together ideas pertinent to the shaping of the nation.

On a more surface view of my aspirations for the experiences of Germany, I am looking forward to the new tastes, smells and experiences that await there. I am also looking forward to getting to know the customs of the people as well as the individuals going on the trip.

I am currently still trying to throw all of my stuff that feels warm into a bag and trying to remember all the papers I’m supposed to bring. I can’t wait to get to know everyone and to experience new things with new people. Hooray German beer!

Just Jon

Howdy! My name is Jon. I am a Texas Boy from the United States of America. I am writting this blog before I leave for the anticipated Germany trip. I am excited to be going on this trip I have only been out of the state 3 times in my life, and I have never been outside of the United States of America. I am a boy looking to see what some part of the outside world looks like. I will be experiencing a lot of firsts. I will be taking my first plan ride. I will be leaving the country for the first time. I will hear the German language in it's natural setting for the first time. I will be traveling with a group of people who I am not too familiar with for the first time. I will be on another continent for the first time. I will ride on a passenger train for the first time. I will be taking my first winter class. I will be the farthest I have ever been away from my family for the first time. I will be the first in the family to travel and study abroad. While all of these things are my first and there are many more for me, I see this as the greatest time in my life. I get the opportunity to experience a whole new culture for the first time in my life in a host country. To think, I am only 19. I feel free. I hope this trip is a blast of fun. Well, hope to see you soon.

Supercalifragilisticexpealidoucious

On the eve of departure, I find myself camped out on my couch in my pjs watching Mary Poppins as my mom asks me if I've finished packing yet and of course I use the usually response, yeahh sure, but really I still have piles of sweaters, socks, and random voltage adapters blocking my doorway to my bedroom. I'm taking the redeye flight out of DFW Saturday night so from the perspective of a procrastinator, I have plenty of time to pack, unpack, and reorganize things so I can zip my duffle bag shut!

During the few days when the weather actually was in the 30s last week, I volunteered to get the mail from the mailbox just so I could test out my first real winter coat, needless to say I felt pretty cool, or should I say warm? With each following trip, I tried out a new article of winter wear, gloves, then a hat, not to mention all of the scarves that I dug out of my closet. The neighbors just stared, until I explained that I was crossing the Atlantic Ocean to study abroad after Christmas.

This will be my first trip out of the US besides Mexico and I'm so excited and grateful to be able to experience a new culture and make new friends. I'm looking forward to hearing from the German medicine proffessors and visiting the museums and all of the historic sites. It will also be really cool to have some down time to go explore on our own and find some neat places to take in the scenery.

Besides my reoccuring fears of "beeping" when I go through security, I'm ready to board the plane! I can't wait to arrive in Cologne!!!

Happy Travels!!

-Lauren Lewis

I Can Hardly Wait

I can’t believe that I will be boarding a plane for Germany tomorrow!!! I enjoy traveling more than almost anything; however, I have never been to Europe before. I have spent a good amount of time in Central America, which I expect to have prepared me for certain elements of being in a foreign country, surrounded by an different language, and an unfamiliar cultural. Nevertheless, I imagine that the European culture I will soon have the pleasure of experiencing will be quite a contrast from my previous travels abroad.
I was extremely attracted to this program because of the opportunity to travel abroad, the direct application to my major of study, and because I knew it would be a great way to get involved with my new university! I just transferred to A&M this semester, after spending two years at the University of California. Although I loved every second of my time in LA, I missed my family, long-time friends, and good ole Texas hospitality (plus I felt a need to carry out a third generation legacy at Texas A&M). So anyways, when Dr. Wasser presented this trip the first week of class, I knew this was for me. Everyone in my family was so supportive, and I am more than grateful to have been given this chance of lifetime. I have had a very comfortable transition to A&M and really enjoyed my first semester, but I think that spending three weeks in Germany with one of my professors and many new friends will only make my experience at my new university all the better. I am really looking forward to the new friendships that will be established during this trip and the lasting memories that we will share together.
I have had an interest in medicine since before I can remember, so I find the idea the combining the history of medicine with an experience abroad to be most fitting. One of the things I am most looking forward to is visiting a few of the hospitals in Germany and possibly observing surgery. Last year, I had the opportunity to shadow a pediatric surgeon twice a week in the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, and the two of my trips to trips to Honduras consisted of me helping (to my limited ability) a team of pediatric orthopedic surgeons in the military hospital of Tegucigalpa. I find it very exciting that I will be able compare my previous medical experiences with the German medical facilities, personnel, and practices. I am also extremely eager for all of our sightseeing extravaganza, both the academic and not so academic activities.
I really do not have any anxieties about the next trip. I love adventure and find the unfamiliar exhilarating! I want to immerse myself in the German culture, especially the food, music and arts (all HUGE passions of mine). I am beyond excited about the timing of the trip…New Years in Berlin, need I say more! And, I think that freedom that we are given for weekend travels will make the program even better. Knowing that I will be experiencing the culture of not one, but FIVE countries is unbelievable!
I am not fully sure what to expect, but I like it that way. I have an open mind, and am eager for all that I will learn in the upcoming weeks. As for now, I am going to go attempt to finish SQUEEZING all of my clothes and shoes into the limited baggage space Dr. Wasser suggested.
Can’t wait to see all ya’ll in Germany tomorrow!!!
~Amanda

I can't believe it!

It still hasn't completely hit me that I'm leaving for 3 weeks in Germany tomorrow! I feel like I just barely had time to see everyone at home and relax after a hectic fall semester. Still, even with the subconscious denial that I'm leaving soon, I am so incredibly excited about this trip! I have been to Europe once before, but it was under completely different circumstances. For that trip, I had just graduated from high school, I knew almost all of the 30 kids going, and it was purely a fun-oriented, sightseeing excursion. Now, I'm in the middle of my sophomore year, I kind of know a few people going on the trip, and this is going to be a life-changing learning experience (though I'm sure we will get *plenty* of sightseeing in!). I am definitely looking forward to getting to know everyone really well over the next few weeks, and I cannot wait to immerse myself in German culture. Since the group I went with last was so big and every single moment was planned for us, there was no freedom to simply wander and explore on our own. That, I think, will be one of the best parts: being able to find out for myself cool spots in Germany that I like. The part of the program that I am most looking forward to is the opportunity that we will have to observe an operation. I have never been in a lab or job that allowed me to be in the operating room or dissect anything myself (besides a rat in 6th grade!), so that should definitely be a neat experience. Though I am excited about tomorrow and the following weeks, I am also a bit apprehensive. Besides the tiny fear I have of travelling internationally alone, I also feel nervous about stepping way outside of my comfort zone. Very rarely do I place myself in situations where I am kind of going in blind and not surrounded by friends, but this will help me be able to do that, and I'm sure others have similar anxieties that we can work through together! :) Oh, and I am most definitely anticipating the awesome German food that is praised by everyone that has been to Germany. I have very high expectations for this trip in every aspect: educational, cultural, even social, and I have no doubt that they will all be met and exceeded by the time it's time to go home!
Now I'm off to charge my ipod, buy a warm hat, eat some Mexican food (oh, I will miss it), and start (yes, I am the ultimate procrastinator) packing my duffel! See you all in a couple days!

Lord, I was born a ramblin' man...

So I just got back from my second trip of the break. Two weeks ago I was in Pittsburgh for an interview, and today I got back from Ohio where I was visiting family for the holidays. It seems that I'm always on the go lately, even during the school year, with rugby away games and med school interviews. But each of those trips has been 5 days or less. Thus, this trip will be by far the longest trip I've taken in years, and probably my whole life. I've been looking forward to this opportunity for about 4 years. With my graduation looming on the horizon, I feel that this trip will give me some experiences, teach me some lessons, and help me understand some perspectives that I need before I embark on the next phase of my life.

As far as anxieties go, I've got a few. Planning has never been a big priority for me, and since a trip such as this pretty much demands a lot of preparation, I guess I would put money on me forgetting something or looking stupid because I didn't bring the right gear. Nevertheless, I have been preparing an awful lot, and think I'll be just fine during the trip. More than that, though, is just fear of the unknown, as my mom would put it. This is not only my first time in a non-English speaking country without my parents, but the farthest I've ever been away from home. I guess I just don't know what to expect, and only hope I'll make the right choice if I'm faced with a conflict or complication. Again, I've been preparing for those times, and trust that Dr. Wasser, the study abroad department and my parents have given sound, useful advice.

But now that the trip is only a day away, I'm excited more than anything. I can't wait to experience this part of the world. The only other time I've been to Europe was a trip I took to Ireland for a week during my junior year of high school with my rugby team. I loved that experience and am sure I will love this one. I remember the culture and tradition was so rich, and the citizens so proud of its beautiful land and great ancestry. I suppose that the United States is still comparably such a young nation, that this feeling isn't felt as strongly here at home. I feel that it is because of her great tradition and ancestry that the origins of many things can be seen and understood so much better in Europe. That is also what I hope to gain from this experience: a better understanding of history, namely, the history of medicine.

Thus, I look forward to Sunday morning with open eyes, ears, and an open mind. As my stepmother says, I'll try to be like a sponge the whole trip. By the time January 17th rolls around, I don't want to be the same. I just have to remember to take pictures, or a lot of people will be very upset...

PEACE

Asher

2 Days Away?!

I feel like this trip to Germany has snuck up on me. I know we’ve been going to meetings all semester but since I’ve gotten home for break it seems like the time has flown by and now I’m leaving in two days. I am so excited for this adventure to begin I can’t even put it into words. Germany has so much history to it, hopefully I will be able to take it all in.

I’m definitely excited to be in the German culture for three weeks (which seems like a long time to me, but it probably will go by so fast). I have lived in Brazil and traveled to Italy and El Salvador so I’m not really worried about any culture shocks or differences in food preferences. But I am worried about the language barrier. When I went to Italy with my mom we found out that the Italians were friendlier if we spoke Spanish rather than English, so we got by with no problem. But I am absolutely lost when it comes to German except for cramming in the numbers and basic phrases starting yesterday. Hopefully enough people speak English where I can get by without resorting to sign language too much. I am also worried about the ridiculously long plane ride I have into Amsterdam. I have arthritis in my lower back which makes any position uncomfortable for too long, so this plane ride could be the worst 10+ hours of my life but it will be worth it when I get into Germany.

Since I’m neither pre-med nor pre-vet (I’m pre-pharmacy) I may not have the direct connection to the lectures as the other students, but I still feel that I will learn a lot from the lectures since Germany is always so advance when it comes to medicine. I’m especially looking forwards to the lectures Dr. Wasser mentioned about “complimentary medicine” or homeopathic medicine. I’ve seen what side effects heavy medicines have caused in family members and I think homeopathic medicine is definitely worth exploring.

I am definitely the worst person in the world at packing. I either way over-pack or under-pack. Also I can’t find the wool socks I know I had. So as I’m faced with this daunting task, I hope everyone has had a wonderful Christmas and I’ll see you in Germany!

I'm Leaving on a Jetplane...

I can't believe that I will be leaving for Germany in just two days! Seems like just yesterday that I was discussing the trip with my parents and signing all of the initial necessary paperwork. Now I'm busy packing up my backpack and making sure I have my passport handy!

This time of year always makes me very aware of how blessed I am, and the wonderful family and friends I have. But this Christmas will live forever in my memories. I really couldn't be grateful enough for this opportunity to travel and learn so many things that will benefit my future education, career, and life in general. I hope my sister has a chance to study and travel abroad in the next few years also.

I am really looking forward to all of the sightseeing that we'll be doing, but also all of the lectures and things we will be learning while on the trip. Initially I was a little worried about my lack of German-speaking abilities, but I know Dr. Wasser and Stephanie will help us in the area as much as we need. It will also be very interesting to see how the Germans interact with us, as Americans. During my other trip to Europe, I never had a problem, and the natives were always very hospitable, so I don't see why the Germans would be any different. I am a little nervous, however, about finding my way through the airports in the connecting flights. You would think with all of the traveling I've done in my life, I would have a little more confidence in this area. But mom and dad won't be there to follow through the busy terminals to the correct gate this time! Mom assures me it will be a good "learning experience" for me, so I guess I'll just have to face the challenege!

I know that this trip will change me, in ways that I can't even imagine yet, and that is very exciting. Being neither pre-med or pre-vet (at the moment), I hope to maybe find something that interests me, or gives me more of a passion for the major I'm in, and the route that I'm currently traveling in school. I think that passion is one of the only things I'm lacking in school right now, and I believe that it plays the largest role in a person's life, especially when it comes to their education and career. Lacking passion can be detrimental to even the smartest of people. Hopefully going abroad and learning of another culture will give me a new perspective and appreciation for all that I'm doing, which I'm sure it will!

Germany here I come!

3 DAYS!!!

It is so hard for me to believe that we will be in Germany in 3 days!!! I was the first person to sign up for the program about 9 months ago and I think it's just now becoming a reality that I will be thousands of miles away from home for 3 weeks! (This seems like such a long time for me to be gone, even though I'm sure it will go by quickly once we're there.) I am so excited about the entire program, but since the only time that I have been out of the country was right across the border to Juarez, Mexico for a mission trip, I really have no idea what to expect when we're in Europe.

Let's see...I feel like there are quite a few things that I am nervous about. Right now as I'm thinking about being gone for 3 weeks, I feel like the hardest thing will be getting used to not being able to talk to my family very often. I know I'm 21 years old and it may seem silly that I talk to my mom everyday, but I'm a momma's girl, so it will be unusual for me to only talk to her a couple times over a 3 week span. I'm sure when I'm over there I'll be busy and having fun and won't feel the need to talk to her or my boyfriend much, but right now it's one of the biggest anxieties I have. Another thing that will be a big adjustment for me is the weather there. I have lived in Texas all my life and never travelled any place that is really cold so it will be a completely new experience for me. I have both Under Armour leggings and shirts to wear under my clothes as well as warm socks, gloves, hats, scarves, and a big jacket so I should be fine, but I get cold really easily so I'm still a little nervous. I'm also nervous about pick-pocketers. However, I'm much more reassured after having the opportunity to talk to my friend's mom, who gave several helpful suggestions about how to keep everything safe. The language barrier also makes me slightly nervous. I have tried to learn the basic words that Dr. Wasser told us at our meetings, but I'm still not comfortable at all speaking German. I will definitely make an effort to speak German, but it is also reassuring that English is not a rarity there, so I'm hoping I will make it by fine.

I have never heard much about Germans or their lifestyle besides what Dr. Wasser has told us, so I don't really have any preconceptions about Germany or the people there. I'm thankful for all of the history lessons that Dr. Wasser gave us and the little bit of language that he taught us since I didn't know much about Germany before. I learned a great deal about Germany from these lessons and because of that I think I'm even more excited about the trip.

I am most excited about all the sites we will visit. I know this is a very general thing to be excited about, but the pictures of buildings in Europe that I've seen are spectacular and I can't wait to see them in person. I'm interested to see how we'll be accepted by the Germans and people in other countries that we're visiting. I'm very much looking forward to learning more about the history of medicine and visiting the medical schools and museums and hearing all of the lectures. I think I just covered generally what we're doing in the trip, so I guess I'm basically excited about everything!

I can't wait to see everyone in Germany in 3 days!! It will be incredible!! Now I think it's about time that I started packing!

Hello Deutschland, see you in 3 days!

So where do I begin? So many thoughts are running through my head...first blog...first trip to Germany...should I be helping my mom cook Christmas Eve dinner? But I shall try to focus on this blog.  For any of you who saw my childish grin every Sunday as Dr. Wasser tried to prepare us for the experience to come, it should be of no surprise to hear exactly how excited I am. For the past week I've been telling  family and friends of this wonderful opportunity that I had the chance to be apart of, but I'm ready to stop talking and start traveling!

I've had my fair share of traveling outside of the country. One of my favorite experiences being summer school at Cambridge University. So my anxiety doesn't come from going beyond U.S. borders but being outside English speaking territory, especially when I step off my plane in Frankfurt and attempt to find the train station.  However, I'm pretty resourceful so that shouldn't be a problem. The reality of it all hasn't quite hit me.  As my mom is running around wondering if I have enough socks, I keep repeating "Mom, I'm going to be fine".  I think the fact that one backpack worth of clothing is technically enough is very reassuring to me, especially since I'm taking a small duffel!

Besides all of the amazing sites we're going to see and lectures we're going to hear, I'm very interested in how the Germans will receive us Americans.  I'm ready to soak in the German culture, and being the respectful Aggie I am, prove the "stupid American" stereotype that I have received in the past, wrong! It is so important to remember that we are guests and ambassadors at the same time so BRING IT ON!  

"I met a lot of people in Europe.  I even encountered myself." ~James Baldwin

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.  Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime." ~Mark Twain

Up Up and AWAY!!!

It's only a few days till lift off, and the excitement is continually building. This will be my first (but hopefully not last) time to leave the country and visit another. Again, the excitement is building and words escape me. There is no way to fully explain what I am expecting out of this trip because I know any expectations I have will be blown out of the water after the first day. I expect to see and experience things I have never before, but defining it beyond that is useless. I will be wordier once the journey begins and my experiences can be reflected on, but until than I will leave you with the simple fact that this trip is going to be AMAZING!!! See everyone in Germany soon!!!

Getting Ready for Deutschland

One summer, my dad took our whole family to Italy because he had a ton of American Airlines miles that he thought were on the verge of becoming worthless. World affairs being what they’ve been, he jokingly quipped, “Enjoy it. We may be among the last Americans who will be able to fly on an airplane anywhere, let alone Europe. You’ll tell your grandchildren what it was like seeing little buildings from way up in the sky.” Since then I’ve been to Germany, and I’m now preparing for my third time in Europe (fourth, actually: I was two years old and have almost no recollection), so let this stand as a warning to all you would-be Oracles. No telling what’s on that horizon.

I can say that I’ve seen Germany and Germans, but I haven’t seen these parts of Germany nor have I seen Germans practicing medicine so I’m very excited about this trip. Like Vincent Vega said in Pulp Fiction: “It’s the little things about Europe that are so different.” I think it’ll be the small differences between American and European medicine that will surprise me the most. The fun thing about catching those differences is asking myself, “What does this way do better? What does this way do worse? How did it come to be this way here and our way over in the states?” I think this will deepen my understanding and appreciation for medicine in a way that is simply not possible within our borders.

My main concern is one I have for any trip I go on. It’s not especially personal, but it is especially specific and I’m afraid that I couldn’t stand the irony of putting it into print only for it to come true. I’ll keep it to myself for now. A secondary concern is, already ironically, posting for this blog. The trial of putting thought and word into writing has never brought me joy. I know that’s a problem, I hope Dr. Wasser isn’t offended for me saying so, and I’ll suffer it like the little kid that knows the gross medicine is good for him.

“…to travel is to leave the inside and draw dangerously near the outside. So long as he thought of men in the abstract… merely as those who labor and love their children and die, he was thinking the fundamental truth about them. By going to look at their unfamiliar manners and customs he is inviting them to disguise themselves in fantastic masks and costumes. Many modern internationalists talk as if men of different nationalities had only to meet and mix and understand each other. In reality that is the moment of supreme danger--the moment when they meet. We might shiver, as at the old euphemism by which a meeting meant a duel.” I think I’m prepared for a little danger, how about y’all? I look forward to seeing all of you in Bonn, and I hope you all enjoy the rest of the holiday at home.

Germany, I am looking forward to meeting you...

The fact that I will be in Germany in a week from tomorrow seems so surreal to me. All semester, when people asked me what I was doing for winter break and I told them that I was going to Germany, I really didn't seem to think anything of it; but it is all dawning on me now. Oh wow. This is going to be absolutely amazing. Since freshman year of high school, I have always wanted to go to Germany. To explain, I took German as my foreign language credit in high school, three years worth of it, and completely fell in love with the language. I think it is so interesting and I really enjoy trying speaking the language (or at least trying, haha). Germany is my second-favorite country. When Dr. Wasser presented to opportunity to go to Germany while earning college credit at the same time, I didn't see how I could let this pass by. Going to Germany was something that I have wanted to do for a long time. I am looking forward to so many things. I want to see and learn first-hand all the things that my German teacher, Frau Parris, talked about in class, like die Brandenburger Tor, die Berliner Mauer, the food, the culture, the beer, wine, music, history, the language, everything. I am so excited that I will be immersed into all of these things, at last!

There are also some things that I am nervous about... I have issues with getting lost. I am not the greatest when it comes to navigation. My number one fear in Germany is getting lost. It will be the very first fear that I will confront unfortunately, because I am arriving in Germany a day earlier than everyone else and will be on my own for a day. I really, really hope I find my way around.

The second thing I am nervous about is being treated differently because I'm American. Summer 2005, I went to China for a couple weeks to play in an international softball tournament to help China prepare for the 2008 Olympics, and everywhere I went, I was welcomed with stares, pointed fingers, and poor "salespeople" trying to sell us fake Rolex watches or Gucci purses. We were followed these salespeople constantly and it always made me very nervous. It got to a point where a parent tried to shoo one of them away and he got yelled at in Chinese. I took numerous photos with Chinise families who asked to be in their family picture because I was American. Of course, these were only the bad experiences I had in China, I really enjoyed my trip there and met some extraordinary people as well. But point being, I don't want to be discriminated against because of where I am from. To be honest though, I do not think I will have much a problem with this in Germany; their culture is very, very different than Chinise culture, and Dr. Wassers testimony has settled most of my apprehensions about this.

The third and final thing I am worried about is getting pickpocketed, stolen from, or harmed by someone in Germany. In China, I was silly enough to bring the most vulnerable purse; a bright, shiny pink purse with a zipper (with a keychain attached on the zipper as well!). The thing is, I was completely careful with it, and I always had my arm around it, kept an eye on it, and NEVER left it anywhere, and I turned out to be fine. Even with salespeople following us everywhere. This time I will be safer and have a small, wrap around purse that goes inside my jacket, so I am not too worried about this, it is just in the back of my mind, especially since I will be in a hostel. But if I turned out okay in China, then chances are I will turn out okay in Germany.

Those are the only things I am worried about on my trip. But there are more things that I am excited about than nervous about. I am looking forward to this trip and want to go so, so bad! I can't wait! I want to do everything possible, I want to take advantage of every opportunity, and I want to make as many memories as I can. I am ready for this to happen. Bis dann!

Europe... Germany... The beginning of an exciting winter!!!

I have been to Europe once before, as a sophomore in high school. We went to Paris on the eve of the Iraq war and the resentment against America could be felt everywhere we went, unfortunately, this included my host family. They were nice, don't get me wrong, but unlike my classmates, I spent most of my afternoons and weekends sitting at home while they went to the Eiffel Tower and other places around the city. Luckily for some of us, the ability to speak French spared us from being treated badly. Luckily for me, this meant I could go outside the house and wander (not too far) by myself. This trip taught me about European culture and their ideals. I learned that I should learn to respect others even if others don't respect you and most importantly, that everyone has their own opinions and ways to express them.

Learning a language implies learning about the culture of the country where it is spoken. I was born in Mexico, and my culture originates from there. I am very open to learning and I am appreciative of other cultures and people. I had to learn English to come to the US and I also had to adapt to the culture. I was never fully absorbed into the American culture because I chose to keep my own Mexican heritage. That heritage, along with my family's support, inspired me to get to know other cultures and learn more languages. I started with French, then with Italian, then a radical jump into Japanese, and now I am back starting with German. Each of those languages comes with very unique cultures. I have grown to appreciate each and every culture and honestly, nothing surprises me very much. For instance, some people may be afraid that "Europeans are very liberal," well, not really. My experiences in Paris showed me that this is a common misconception, and for quite some time, I fully believed this. I believed that Japanese were just like any of us, that their cities had high crime rates etc. Turns out, people respect each other and you can actually leave your laptop or cell phone on a counter or table, and it will be there when you come back from the restroom. We all have misconceptions, but as I learn more about other cultures, they are dissipated. 

I expect this trip to be fun first of all. We are going to Europe, to Germany! I expect to have fun and make up for my experience in Paris. At the same time, I expect to learn about the history of the career I plan to pursue. I will enjoy visiting museums, cathedrals, hospitals (cardiovascular center) and being in Germany. To me, it is a whole new country I have never been to, so it is an opportunity to experience first-hand a new culture, one that I plan to learn more about as I learn the language.

I do have some anxieties, and they all stem from my family’s experiences in Europe. Of course the number one anxiety would be the language barrier. I cannot possibly speak good German in three weeks but I will do my best to learn as much as I can. My second concern in this trip is security. My aunt went to England and France, and she was pick-pocketed in the metro. I have tried my best to avoid picturing this, but as always the possibility exists. I will be careful. My third anxiety is distance to some extent. I will be thousands of miles away from friends and loved ones, and that is difficult for me since I come from a very closely knit cultural background. These are my three main anxieties with this trip, but I hope they all turn out to be minor.

As far as the preconceptions about Germany, Europe, and people, well, I don’t want to generalize. I really had most of my preconceptions clarified. We learned from our pre-departure orientation that Germany is a lot more than the Nazi era country and the instigator of wars. Germany has a lot to offer in the field of medicine and medical technology. I am thankful for the orientation program, because I learned that there are always roots for the misconceptions and a way to dissipate them. Europe and its people are friendly as long as we know how to be friendly ourselves. I believe that being on one’s best behavior and being respectful. I learned this when I went to Paris, and I plan to put it to action while we are abroad. I learned not to be judgmental of other cultures and lifestyles, but rather to adapt to them the best way possible.

I have a lot of expectations for the program itself. I also have notions that it will sometimes be difficult to stay focused on the subject amidst all the fun and all the other preoccupations. So I am biased because I think that the program – the class – will be difficult especially when it comes to assignments. More so, when we return to the US, we will have experienced a different culture and we will have the tendency to compare ourselves. I will honestly try my best to avoid comparing myself to Europeans.

I think the program will help me understand the roots of medicine. The visits to museums and clinics along with tours of the cities and free time excursions will help me become a well rounded individual. This program will involve making some sacrifices, such as spending New Year’s away from my family and girlfriend, but in the end, I think it will pay off. I expect to learn a lot, to have fun, and to develop a more critical view of European lifestyle and culture. In a way, I see this trip as a chance to enjoy what I didn’t in Paris and also to reinforce my career path.