I think I'll stay here forever!

It was so hard to get any sleep on the nine hour plane ride to Germany from Dallas. After many hours of waiting, we finally made it to Bonn on July 1^st. Our host family doesn’t own a car because the public transportation in Bonn provides a practical way of getting anywhere your heart desires, which isn’t true where I’m from at all. Since Cassie and I had a lot of luggage, we took a taxi to our house. A car that would not stop backing up when we clearly had nowhere to move to almost hit Cassie. When the taxi did arrive, the driver started speeding off before I even closed the door. After all of the commotion with the taxi, the driver finally pulled up to our house. Our host family is incredible and I could not have asked for a better location to stay at in Bonn. Our host dad now calls us the “ice girls” because the first night we had dinner we asked for ice. Every time we sit down for a meal he will run and get us ice for our drinks.  You never know refreshing ice-cold water is until there’s no AC and it’s scorching hot in Germany.

German classes have been much more difficult than I anticipated. The words perfectly pronounced in my head sound so completely wrong when they come out of my mouth. We’ve only had two lessons with Hilde so far so hopefully I can get better at German before I leave. I feel so bad when I go into restaurants and I can’t speak their language. The first day I had lunch here part of our group went to get pizza. Romana pizza sounds perfectly safe right? Except that it had anchovies on it. After hesitating and letting Kasey make sure it was edible, I tried it. It still tasted amazing even with that one special ingredient!

Unfortunately for my own health, I got to experience German medicine first hand as a patient today. I have a history of stress fractures due to the many miles I run each week. Apparently the beautiful morning run along the Rhine was too much for my foot to handle. A very nice, lifesaving German student worker from the AIB took me to the doctor this morning. Then she sent us to get X-rays from the “Radiologie” office, which happened to be a long walk across town. The radiologist was so shocked that I went hiking up the mountain yesterday to find the Drachenfels Castle and the surrounding ruins. The sight was well worth it though! Then we had to go report back to the original doctor and get pain medicine just in case I needed it. The whole process took around two and a half hours but I didn’t have to pay anything out of pocket besides prescriptions.

Learning about how the German healthcare system is set up compared to the other models around the world was fascinating in Dr. Wasser’s first lecture. It’s amazing how much I don’t know about other countries and I can’t wait to keep learning about the history of medicine. We have so many excursions planned for us over the next month in Germany and I’m just afraid that the time will go by too fast. I already know that I won’t want to leave Europe at the end of the program!

Bonn Sweet Bonn

July 6, 2015

This first week in Germany has been absolutely incredible. I can't get over how beyond blessed I feel to be able to have this experience. It really is a once in a lifetime opportunity that I will never forget and I know the next month is going to fly by so quickly. I am already dreading having to say goodbye even though we just got here.

Our flight left from the Dallas airport on June 30th and we flew for a little over 9 hours and arrived in Frankfurt on July 1st. I watched some movies on the flight but most of the time I was passed out asleep. (Shout out to Kasey for sitting next to me because I'm sure I was not a graceful sleeper.) Sleeping most of the flight was helpful but nothing can prepare you for the jet lag that hits soon after. We waited in the Frankfurt airport for a while until everyone had arrived. We then took a bus from Frankfurt to Bonn. Our host families came to pick us up from the old AIB location in Bonn. Callie and I are living together and our host mom, Ana, was at work so her neighbor Lisa and her daughter Sophia picked us up. Lisa actually is originally from Maine and so she spoke really good English and they were very kind to us. Soon we met our host family. We're living with Ana and her daughter Clara and they are wonderfully kind people. I find it amazing that they open up their homes so willingly to students all the time. I have loved getting to see firsthand what a German family is like.

This past week has been full of classes and lots of adventures. Bonn may be a small city but when you don't know the language and have little to no cell data it can be easy to get lost. But we've all been looking out for each other and always make sure we each get home safe. The classes have been very interesting. Dr. Wasser's first big lecture was about the differences between the major health systems of the world. We learned a lot about the U.S., British, and German health care systems. I find this to be a fascinating topic and I learned a lot that I did not know. The United States is the only developed country that doesn't cover every citizen with the assurance of health care. We have amazing doctors and unbeatable surgical procedures and technology but we are lagging way behind other countries in how we provide this health care. I knew of a lot of the problems with the American system but it was fascinating to learn the true facts and statistics while in another country who has a leading health care system.

We also have been taking Deutsch classes. That has been interesting to say the least. It is very very difficult. Even when we do learn it our American/Texan accents kick in and we have a lot of trouble generally with pronunciation. Most of us learned some Spanish in high school so we have a tendency to revert back to words we learned in Spanish when we can't remember the German words. It's very entertaining but I hope that by the end of the trip we will have made some progress!

Our adventures outside of the classroom have been nonstop. Some highlights from this past week were the 4th of July party that the AIB hosted. There were American flags and delicious food and more American flags and a live band... It was amazing! The 4th of July is my favorite holiday so I was pretty bummed about missing it but I thought it was so cool and thoughtful that they threw a party for America's birthday! USA. We also went to some castle ruins called Drachenfels Ruins which were originally built in the 1100s and we also went to Drachenfels Castle near the ruins which was absolutely beautiful. The castle has definitely been my favorite part so far.

Today we adventured in Cologne for a bit. We walked out of the train station and the first thing we saw was the Cologne Cathedral and all of our jaws just dropped. No words can describe seeing this cathedral in person. I can't wait until we get to go on the rooftop tour. While in Cologne today we rode a cable car across the Rhine River and saw beautiful views. We also went to the Claudius Therme (spa). It was super nice and relaxing but I experienced a bit of culture shock because half of the spa was clothed and half was nude. I was shocked but tried to act mature about it and just hung out on the clothed side. It makes for a great story to take back home though!

Can't wait for all the adventures to come!

AH-Mazing Authentic German History Everywhere

I can't believe it has been a week since I left the states. The time has flown by! The flight here took forever. I just wanted to be landing in Germany from the moment we took off. I was too excited to sleep on the plane which resulted in terrible jet lag. However, I did struggle through staying awake the entire first day in Germany. Nothing that happened that day made much sense. My brain was like mush.

I met my host mom who is amazing. She has been very helpful in explaining how to get around Bonn and the importance of the objects in the pictures I take. One day I got home and showed her where we ate lunch. I thought it was a pretty gate in the middle of the city. Nothing more. Then she explained to me it was an old medieval gate that use to surround the city. The "Stern Tor" or stars gate. I was stunned that I had eaten under a piece of history.  Walking, Sitting or Standing by a piece of history is NO BIGGIE when in Germany!

Classes have been interesting. We have been learning German which has been a struggle. I barely remember any of it by the end of the day. Our teacher is very energetic about teaching us German. It is the most terrifying thing when she asks you a question because you never know what she is asking and you don't know how to reply. I get instant relief when she asks someone else a question first because I can learn the "correct response".

We have learned a little in the history of medicine about how other countries handle and run there healthcare. It has been eye-opening to see how other countries do it compared to the US. Also, to learn that America doesn't necessarily have the best healthcare statistics.

Besides class there have been many adventures and LOTS of fun and LOTS of walking. There seems to be history everywhere you turn. Which is Ah-Mazing! I love it. If only I could read in German.

Oh what a whirlwind

 Getting here, so not a problem. Easily one of the easiest flights that I've taken and kudos to Lufthansa for being such a great airline to fly. We got dinner and breakfast on the plane and they were real meals..not just some excuse for meat or a crust of bread. Never underestimate the wonderfulness of having your own tv in the head rest in front of you. It's a LIFESAVER for those 9.5 hr flights! Sleep didn't come easily to me, so the jet lag battle was a hard fought one. Although I'm sad to report I most definitely lost! Once we finally arrived in Frankfurt it was an interesting trek across what seemed to be half the airport to claim our luggage and find the other Dallas group that beat us there. Our group gathered together and waited to be picked up by the AIB staff and from there we took the 2 hour bus ride to Bonn where we met our host families and that pretty much ended our first day.

Little did I know we would be taking Deutsch classes while here in addition to the History of Medicine class.  Oh how the first day was interesting. Hilde unfortunately or fortunately, I haven't decided yet, got tasked with teaching us German. For her it must be absolutely entertaining to watch us try and fail to speak the language lol..I know most of us are laughing at each other half the time. Spanish seems to be our go to when asked a question by Hilde. Bien, y tu, bueno, si, gracias all seem like valid answers to us. At one point Hilde even wrote SPANISH on the board in big letters and put an X through it kindly telling us no more spanish allowed. We have all now learned how to say our names and a few other phrases which I've definitely enjoyed. The History of Medicine class has been very interesting to learn how each country runs their system. We learned about Germany, the UK, and the states. Ive really enjoyed the lectures so far and I've learned a lot that I previously didn't know. And fun fact...Americans could attend medical or veterinary school here in Germany for FREE! But there's a catch..you've gotta know German because all the courses are taught in German #bummer.

We're now starting a new week full of more classes and the field trips and free weekends are about to begin! Thats about all for now with the serious part of the trip, but theres another blog coming with all of our fun adventures.

I sweat so much I could build my own spa.

so the first week in Germany is done. Definitely an interesting one. Lets talk about the plane ride. I couldn't sleep at all cause I was just so darn excited. You never know how many compartments are in an airplane bathroom till you have been on a 9 hour flight. 11 if you were wondering.
So while I was on the plane every time they asked me if I wanted a drink I said white wine, because I can. I'm 21. When it came breakfast time the flight attendants came up to my aisle and asked "How do you like your coffee?" Im not a big coffee drinker so I didn't know what to say. But the flight attendant was like " One guy up in first class said that he likes his coffee cold and bitter like my women." Literally the funniest thing I heard that day. Never heard that one before so it made me laugh. I got off plane and I'm pretty sure gravity has a stronger pull down here.

So my host mom is outstanding. She's super nice and sweet. Today she had her choir group over and it was cool hearing them sing in German. I have my own room. The whole house is made of wood so that means pretty much if I fart the whole house will vibrate. awkward. It doesn't have air contending either.. That is the only thing I don't like so far is that no places have have A/C. and it's been like 90-95 degrees this week so it has been a real struggle. so real. I have to take a shower at night and in the morning because I wake up in the morning just covered in sweat. Then the sweat dries and your skin is all sticky. It's so attractive. Also I have noticed that most of the Germans have nice muscular calves. I guess thats cause they walk and bike everywhere..
They have some really weird drinks down here. I have had a Fanta mixed with beer, coke & beer, lemonade & beer, and sprite in beer. Literally the weirdest thing. But they're soooooooo good.
We are taking German classes and classes of the History of Medicine. I learned that Medical school in Germany is totally free and the doctors don't have to pay for malpractice insurance. In Germany healthcare is guaranteed to all 80 something million citizens that they have. And in Germany if you lose your job you don't lose your health insurance. Fun fact, in 2006 they started requiring the Germans to pau a cash payment when visiting the doctor of 40 euros. Which is maybe 50 U.S dollars.  There Germans got angry and it was appealed. Thats pretty much what I learned the first day of class.

So we did have a 4th of July party while we were here. 'Merica. They set up a bunch of U.S flags, had band, and had a "Barbecue." The barbecue consisted of German sausage and chicken. It was definitely good but no barbecue. The band opened up with Katy Perry's Firework. Which is one of my favorite songs. So that made me happy.

The company we are doing the study abroad through 'AIB' had a huge soccer cup today which was sooo much fun. Tomorrow we are taking a train to Cologne and we are hitting up the Claudius spa, a cable ride over the Rhine River, and this thing called Team Escape. sooo be looking for pictures and snapchats. I do have a few other stories but I will save that for another time.
So far it has been an awesome experience! I have had a lot of fun. Well, till next time


Collin Telchik

Reporting to you live from Bonn, Germany...

Our first few days in Bonn have been adventurous to say the least. I was definitely surprised at how tired I was by the time we got here -for some reason I thought jet lag was a myth. It isn't. Our host mom, Ana, was at work so her neighbor, Lisa, picked us up from the AIB when we arrived. We learned that Lisa was an opera singer toured all over the place. She was very kind!

When Ana got home we were tired, but excited to meet her. She made us a wonderful dinner and we fell asleep shortly thereafter. The house has been very full for the last few weeks. Two students from the Chicago film program were staying here and hadn't left yet. Ana's nephew has been sleeping downstairs while working on his apartment, and her daughter lives on the top floor. Everyone is so kind and inviting here -much like back home in Texas.

We've had a few German classes but Spanish just seems much more natural to us. I have slipped up a few times when attempting to respond to Hilde, our teacher, using Spanish instead of German...oops.

I have already discovered the most delicious form of street food -doner. It reminds me of a gyro, but German and equally as delicious. We've enjoyed plenty of tasty meals, pastries, and drinks. I can't wait to see what the rest of the trip has in store for us!

We've done so much in just a few days -way too many for one blog post. Stay tuned.

The Adventure Begins

I cant believe today is the day I am going to leave for Germany! Time this summer has just flown by to this day. I am extremely excited to see what the rest of the summer has in store for me. I know the time in Europe will fly by just as quick as the beginning of the summer did. As I have been preparing to leave, it has been strange packing to go to another country knowing my family won't be going with me. While I have traveled to Europe before, I have never been to Germany. I am nervous and excited about meeting my host family. While I have communicated with them a little I am anxious to meet them and build new relationship with them. I am glad I will be able to stay with Germans and hope to learn more about their culture from this experience. Also, maybe I will pick up some German too because I don't know any.

There are so many places I wanna see in Europe. I am excited I will have the chance to go to some this summer. I can't wait to see the new sites and just take it all in. I hope I have the opportunity to just enjoy the culture and the people and the food. I am excited about trying new foods. I love food because I think food really shows a lot about the culture. And who doesn't love food? I love learning and am excited about the opportunity to experience a little of what is like to learn in another country. There are just so many things I am excited, nervous, anxious, and thrilled about.

Hopefully I haven't forgotten anything because the adventure is about to begin!!!

Can't Wait!

Well, I’m very excited to be leaving for Germany later today.  This will be my second time traveling to Europe and visiting Germany.  This first time that I went I was 16 years old on a high school educational tour for two weeks.  I was very excited then, as well as I am now.   

I expect Germany to be just as beautiful as it was when I visited a couple of years ago.  I’m looking forward to visiting all of the different landmarks and architecture, as well as, traveling to the various neighboring countries.  It will definitely feel like a breath of fresh air visiting places that I’ve never seen before.

I am a little anxious to be traveling, however.  I am definitely worried about getting lost and not being able to find someone who speaks English.  Which probably won’t happen because many Europeans do speak English, I think.  I am also worried that when I get to Germany I will realize that I have forgotten to pack something.  Packing was definitely a struggle for me.  I contemplated on fitting everything into a duffel bag, suitcase, and backpack, and then I realized that I love to go shopping and that I would most likely need some extra space for souvenirs, or extra clothes, that I may buy.  I am also a little nervous that I will become the girl from the movie “Taken” and my father, who is definitely not Liam Neeson, will have to come and find me.  I don’t actually think I'll be taken though.

Even though I am a little nervous about traveling abroad, I am definitely more excited than anything.  I am excited to be in a new place with amazing food and an amazing culture, and I am looking forward to learning about the history of medicine in Germany.  The one thing that I am the most excited about is probably gaining some independence.  I am an only child from a small town who was raised in a very protective environment.  By being able to explore new places on my own and to be able to try new things outside of my comfort zone, I will be able to gain a since of independence while I am away.  I can’t wait! 

Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya tomorrow

I now find myself idle with nothing more to do to get ready for the next 5 weeks of my life. I feel as prepared physically and emotionally as possible when considering the whirlwind my life is about to become. When considering these emotions, I feel really anxious and also excited, and just full of anticipation about experiencing a new world with its own unique culture and food, music, history, and all its other aspects. Going abroad is something I've always wanted to do because seeing the world provides a whole new perspective on life and all it has to offer. What better way to broaden your understanding of the world than to throw yourself into a situation where you know nothing, which is exactly what I'm doing.

 I'd like to think I'm an expert on Austria because I can practically recite every word in 'The Sound of Music', but most of my knowledge of international culture stops there. German history has always fascinated me, and being a Biomedical Science major medicine plays a huge part in my life and undergrad studies. This program is a perfect combination of everything that is exciting and interesting to me and I cannot think of a better way to experience Europe for the first time than this. I'm hoping this program and the experiences I will have will help me in deciding on my future plans and goals, which are still quite underdeveloped. Who knows what a little perspective and wiener schnitzel can do...

Auf wiedersehen America,
Annie Starling

The Last 24

My flight to Germany leaves in 24 hours and 56 minutes, but who’s counting? To say I’m excited would be an enormous understatement. 

This will be my first trip as an adult and travelling by myself. I have been to Europe before on a high school trip to Italy that was completely planned out and supervised by teachers and parents. I also travelled back home to Hawaii with my sister to spend a few months there during the summers while I was growing up but I was never truly alone. When I get on the plane tomorrow I will be travelling completely by myself for the first time and while I thought this might terrify me, its actually exhilarating! I think this will be a great learning experience about being on my own and doing things independently. After having read the blog posts from previous years I have no doubt that I will be learning so much about not only medicine but other cultures. I’m so excited about learning about everyday life through my host family and hope to have an unforgettable experience.

I can’t wait for this incredible learning experience but at the same time I’m pretty nervous. My plane tickets, Eurorail pass and German to English translation book are ready to go but I can’t help the nagging feeling that I’m forgetting something. Perhaps it’s my sense of adventure and trust that everything will work itself out but I haven’t been terribly worried about it until a few nights ago when I had a nightmare that I showed up to the airport without a suitcase or tickets. Being unprepared is probably my biggest concern even though I have probably read every travel blog written and checked my packing list more than Mr. Claus. Being a close second would be the language barrier, hence the German to English translation book. I took Spanish in high school and know “nein” German so you can imagine my alarm when my host family emailed me in complete German! I’m hoping to make this into another part of the learning experience and pick up a little bit of German from my host.

Tuesday's Just Around the Corner

In high school I had the opportunity to travel to France and stay with a host family for two weeks during the summer. For the past two years I’ve been randomly searching for study abroad programs that could be interesting. I was really hesitant about spending an entire semester abroad and when I received an email about this program, I couldn’t pass up the informational meeting last fall. When I heard from other students about their experiences with this program, my heart was set on it. Who wouldn’t want to go to Germany and learn about medicine where it all started?

My experience with my host family in Paris was phenomenal and I can’t wait to do that again in Germany. There’s no better way to be culturally immersed than to stay with a host family! It’ll be a lot easier this time around since there won’t be a language barrier (in most cases). Having to speak French all the time could be somewhat stressful if I forgot a few words or had a hard time understanding my family since they spoke very little English. It’s comforting to know that many Germans speak English.

I have similar worries that most travelers have. I don’t know if I’m packing too much or too little for the five weeks I’ll be gone. I usually overpack, so it’ll be hard to consolidate everything and figuring out what’s not a necessity. The trains cause a little anxiety as well. I know they’ll be easy to figure out, but I don’t have any experience with them. I don’t really know what to expect for this program, but I know it will be more incredible than I ever could have imagined. I’m really excited to get to know everyone else going on this trip and meet a lot of great people while I’m there. Bring on the adventures. I’m ready for Europe!

On a scale of 1-even, I just can't.

Well, one more day till I fly to Germany. Literally so excited, I can't even.

Things I am excited about:
I am really anxious to see what their hospitals, medical schools, and vet schools are like. I will be interesting to see how they compare to the ones in the U.S. One of my favorite things about this program is being able to stay with host families rather than hotels. This will really give us a good German experience and a good taste of their culture. I am really excited about trying their food and all the different types of beer. Mhmmmm beer. Also, my family originated from Germany so I have a lot of relatives in Germany and Austria. I am actually planning to meet up with some family members in Vienna so I am really excited about that... My last named used to be spelled "Teltschik" but whenever my Great, great, great Grandad David Teltschik emigrated to the Galveston from Austria in 1855 he changed the spelling to "Telchik" because people had a hard time saying it. Our family has a tower called Teltschik Tower a few outside Bonn so hopefully one day during the week I can make a trip out there and see it! I would be so happy.

Things I am worried about.
I'm not a big worrier. So I'm not worried about nothing. Just kidding. I am a little worried about the pick pocketing. I do have locks for my backpack and suitcase so I think I should be fine. One other thing I am a little worried about is being completely on my own on the weekends. Not really worried just kind of nervous. I know this will definitely help me grow up a little and make me adapt and learn their culture.

But other than that I am sooooooo excited for this trip. It will definitely be a trip of a lifetime. So stay tuned to my next blog. I will try to make it more interesting, but no promises.

Collin Telchik

To Germany we go

It's been a crazy last week trying to complete everything I need to finish before I leave the country for 5 weeks. Wow 5 weeks..that sounds like a long time. Cue the anxiety of being in a foreign land for that long. But lets talk about the excitement that trumps any and all anxiety.

As a family, we've traveled tons. Mexico, Canada, Bahamas been there done that. Last summer we even did 17 days in Europe. Munich Germany was by far my favorite from the choices of London, Paris, Beaune, Lauterbrunnen, Munich, Venice, Florence, and Rome. I knew that I had to find a way to get back to Germany somehow. Then I stumbled upon this program and I knew it was bound to be perfect. I've never traveled abroad without my family so a couple nerves are originating from that alone, but I know those will quickly subside as soon as I step foot on German soil.

I've been bubbling over with excitement as the days before departure wind down and last minute things fall into place. I can't wait to meet my host family and learn more in depth German culture from them and compare how different things are between The States and another country. I am also so incredibly excited for the field trips we will take with the program, and also the ones we will do as a group of friends on our weekends! I'm almost even excited for the things that will go wrong and the goofy mistakes we will make like probably missing our stop on a train and who knows what else.

Until then, I will be counting down the hours till departure and waiting on the memories in the making! See you soon Germany!

Anxious but Excited

I am super excited to explore Germany! However, I would be lying if I didn't say that I was also pretty anxious about this trip. I have always been a homebody and a trip like this is stepping out of my comfort zone. I am uncomfortable traveling without my friends or family, I am uncomfortable about flying alone for the first time, but I know that it will all be worthwhile when I get to Bonn. My parents haven't helped either because while they know that I will be safe, I can't go a day without getting paranoid warnings like "be careful! There are illegal drugs in Amsterdam!". Even with all these anxieties, I have wanted to go to Germany for a long time and I cannot wait to be immersed in the culture and see the sites.

I am also excited because I truly have no idea what to expect. The only other time I have been out of the country was when I went to Mexico when I was five. Five year old me didn't fully appreciate the experience but now that I have a little more life experience, I can't wait to just absorb all that I can while I am there. I could write a book on what I want to see in Germany. I want to see the castles, forests, paintings, cities, and everything else that I can in the month that I am there. However, what I truly and utterly pumped up to see is Salzburg because of The Sound Of Music. My entire family knows every song and site from that movie and to actually be where they filmed is something I can cross off my bucket list. Also, fun fact, the iconic first scene in the movie where Maria is twirling on the mountains is actually filmed in Germany, not Austria. I am eager to learn more about medicine too and the history behind some of the major innovations in medicine. I want to learn more about the different plagues and diseases that motivated people to create new ways to treat patients. Also, to be in a place where these many major plagues and breakthroughs took place excites me and makes me feel like I was a part of that history. 

While I am overall excited, other than being anxious about traveling, I also have some anxieties about being in another country. One is because I am not very assertive, and will just take what ever is given to me. So if I am ever eating at a restaurant and they give me something that I didn't order, most likely I will just keep it and say nothing so that I don't bother them. On the plus side, I will probably try a lot of new things that I wouldn't otherwise. I am also worried that I will look just silly or out of place, but I have already taken precaution and am leaving my fanny pack behind. Last thing I am anxious about is packing, because I am a very talented over packer. I have been tested while I have packed for this trip because I keep trying to pack things that I can get while once I am there, even if it is not the same brand. Otherwise, I think I am ready. 

I am excited to meet everyone and my home stay family. This is going to be awesome! 

Three More Days

Only three more days until I hop on a plane and fly across the pond. The anxiety and excitement are setting in. Having never been to Europe, I’m unsure what to expect. I know there will be different cultures, languages, currency, and even scenery.   Knowing this does not make me feel any more prepared. It’s the unknown that makes me anxious, but also adds to the excitement.

 In the last few days I’ve been overwhelmed with packing. How do I pack for six weeks in Europe in a carry on sized bag? Am I packing the right clothes? Am I packing enough clothes? What am I forgetting? I guess I’ll find out when I get there.

What about the trains? My only experience with trains is listening to the one that passes through College Station. For as much as I’m anxious, I’m even more excited.

One of the main things I’m excited about is experiencing the culture by staying with a host family. I think this opportunity will give me a better understanding of the culture than if I were just staying in a dorm. I’m also excited to learn about history of medicine, as I have always been intrigued by medicine. I’m looking forward to all the excursions that aren’t available in College Station, like paragliding off mountains and jumping of cliffs in canyons.

I’m sure in just a few short days my anxieties will fade, and I will be left with only the excitement.

Here Comes the Bonn

I’ve never been out of the country before. I’ve been to Canada, Mexico, and some islands in the Caribbean, but do those really count? Never before have I flown across an entire ocean to reach my destination. The longest flight I was on was from Dallas to Boston. I haven’t seen the great chapels in Europe. But the other day I drove by a Catholic church that was built 20 years ago. I am truly thrilled by the prospect of traveling to Europe, yet I am still apprehensive.

I expect that the culture will be different, but the differences will be many and subtle. And quite honestly, I have no idea what these differences will be. Of course I am aware of the stereotypes of ubiquitous beer and soccer-viewing, but I do not buy into them. One thing I expect positively is the difference in health standards. Europe supposedly has a substantially lower percentage of overweight/obese people. I also expect there to be a smaller amount of chain restaurants. When I walk down the streets in Bonn I doubt to see a Taco Bell, a Denny’s, and a KFC all on the same strip. The buildings in European cities should be older and richer in history than those in the United States. And that’s not so much of an expectation as it is a fact.

Perhaps the thing I am most apprehensive about is the culture shock. Supposedly language barriers never present much of a problem because most Germans can speak English, but it still makes me nervous. What if I can’t understand their English? Also I hear that young Europeans tend to dress better than most young Americans. I am the type of guy who wears t-shirts and shorts regularly, so I am a little anxious about my prospective fashion choices. Those are my main worries, but overall I am way more excited than I am worried.

Counting Down the Days

I can't believe that I leave for Germany in just five days! I feel so unprepared and stressed even though I know I should be really excited. I know I'll get excited once we are on our way. For now I'm worrying about the typical travel concerns. I've never been to Europe so I have no idea what to expect. I've tried to read up about traveling tips and what to pack but I know it won't be perfect. I suppose that's part of the adventure. Even though I'm nervous I know it's all going to be alright and the things I remember about this trip won't be how worried I was before.

I am so excited to get to see Europe for the first time through a study abroad. I have always wanted to study abroad but didn't want to take a whole semester from school to do it so when there was an email sent out about this summer program it seemed like the perfect fit for me. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity and I want to be able to experience something like this while I am still in college before real adult life hits. I am really excited to meet new people. I like that our group is small enough that we can all get to know each other really well during our trip. I'm also excited about getting to stay with a host family and the opportunity to be more fully immersed in the culture.

I'm not usually the type of person to leave my comfort zone but I feel so blessed to have this chance to do something spontaneous and I can't wait for all the adventures that are awaiting us.

Lauren Weise

So close, yet so far

Travel has always excited me. I love seeing new places and learning about their history and culture. I had been looking for a study abroad for the summer months when I found this one. I have friends who did this study abroad for a whole semester and I didn't think I was ready to take that much of a leap yet, but the 5 week program sounded perfect! I'm anxious and excited for this experience all at once. I've never been away from home (or college station) for over a week so this will be a whole new experience for me.

Now that Germany is less than a week away I've slowly been trying to pack my bag. I've been told so many tips and tricks to pack for a month in just a carry on, but actually doing it is a whole different story. I'm also have a tendency to over pack, so this will really be a challenge. I think my biggest fear is getting separated from the group and not having any money, but overall I think I will be okay. 

I'm usually a planner but with Germany being so far away and not knowing my day to day schedule yet, I am excited to get there and just live life in the moment. I can't wait for this experience and I know I will be booking my next trip as soon as I get back. 

Auf Wiedersehen Amerika!

It's Almost Here!

I have always wanted to go to Germany because I want to see the places I have read about, and I really enjoy traveling. My ancestors are German, so that influenced me a little bit. I had always thought about studying abroad, so when I saw this program I jumped at the opportunity.

I am excited and nervous at the same time. I am nervous about the plane ride because I have never been on a plane for 10 hours! I am anxious about the normal stuff too like getting lost, getting pick pocketed, and meeting my host family. I'm also anxious about packing because I usually always forget something when I pack, but this time it's not so easy to go back and get it. I know it's all going to work out, and we're going to have a blast! So that helps ease my nerves.

My expectations are extremely high for this trip. I have read some of the blog posts from previous students, and I think my this experience will exceed my expectations. I have always wanted to go to Europe, and learning about medicine while I am there makes the trip sound even better. I just hope I can take it all in without missing anything!

Let the adventure begin!!!

omg Germany

My decision to study abroad was completely spontaneous. Though I do enjoy traveling, I'm no great adventurer, and was casually browsing through programs just for kicks when I stumbled across this one.  The class and destinations interested me, so I signed up, paid my bill, and went back to being consumed by school, applications, and work. It wasn't until today, when I was asked on several occasions when I was leaving, if I was packed, and if I was excited that I started to really think about the trip, and now, I can't stop thinking about it!

I am most excited about seeing the unbelievable architecture present all over Europe. I could spend every minute of the trip touring castles, stumbling across old churches, and wandering the streets of cities that were thriving long before Columbus sailed the ocean blue. I'm also really excited about the class. A friend of mine attended the spring semester version of this trip and raved about how captivating the class was. Both medicine and European history fascinate me, so I have no doubts that the class will live up to expectations.

Though I am nervous about packing, getting lost, and other typical traveling worries, I am most anxious about meeting my host family and all of you. I am quite shy around new people, and it may be a week or two before you hear me say more than a few words, but by the end of the trip, you'll find it hard to believe I was ever quiet to begin with! 

Let the packing begin. 

   

Ready for Adventure

There’s a map that hangs above my dad’s desk. It belonged to my grandpa and it is covered in different colored pins. Each color symbolizes something different –places I’ve been, places I want to go, my next trip, my favorite trip. I remember looking at is as a kid in awe of how well traveled my grandpa was. That map has inspired me to go, to see, and to do just as he had done. And soon I’ll be able to add a few pins to my own map as I venture on to Europe to study abroad.

Anxious would be an understatement. I’m still about two weeks away from flying out of San Antonio, yet I find myself constantly consumed by thoughts of food, and beer, and music, and history, and sight-seeing. Packing has led to lengthy conversations with friends and family about what to take even thought I know I’ll put it off until the night before. What if I leave something important behind? What if I don’t have enough space? What if my bags are too heavy? Am I taking too much? Am I not taking enough? I’ll figure it out…eventually.

I think I am most excited about the people I’ll meet and the relationships I’ll form with my peers, teachers, and host family. Nothing seems to bring people together quite like adventure. There are sure to be a few bumps in the road, but I hope that we can bond over our wrong turns and failed attempts at reading maps. I’m not sure what exactly the program has in store for me. That is part of what makes this whole experience even more exciting. I expect to get lost a time or two, but who knows where the journey will take us. I’m hoping to learn a lot about history and culture in Europe, to relax, and to enjoy wandering.

In a few weeks I’ll be jumping on a plane by myself to go travel, live, and learn in a foreign country with strangers. Even to me it sounds a little crazy. I’m not too concerned about being homesick; I’m more concerned with how my mom will handle me being gone for so long. Her baby girl has caught the travel-bug and I’m afraid there is no cure. Christopher Columbus summed it up pretty well when he said, “You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose site of the shore.” I’m ready. Europe here I come.