One week in the books

The first week abroad has been nothing short of incredible.  The amount of new things that I've seen and done these past few days is almost overwhelming considering what I knew sitting on the plane over.  The anxiety from being in a new place has gone down exponentially as I now feel like I can confidently get anywhere in the city by train or bus.  My host parents Carmen and Wolfram have been great with getting us acquainted to the new atmosphere.  Although they've been great it's been tough acclimating to the whole no AC anywhere thing.  I love the culture and I've learned so much about how the Germans live already I can't imagine what I'll know by the end.  One thing I've learned not to do is smile at people in passing. Its not like College Station and for some reason they'll look back at you as if you have some type of mental illness.  Once the first school week was over I took a weekend trip to Amsterdam with a big group from our program.  During which we came across our first, may I say optimistically "learning experience", when we missed our first train from Cologne to Amsterdam.  It literally drove away right in front of our eyes while we stood there thinking all was good.  Looking back I'm glad it happened because it made for an awesome bonding experience and a nice short trip in Cologne with friends until we finally made the later train.  Once we got to Amsterdam it was beautiful, weather and all.  Also it was a very refreshing to find most people spoke English along with Dutch so communicating was much easier all weekend long.  On Saturday we went to visit the "Heineken experience" which was quite literally an experience and not just your everyday tour.  At one point we literally got "brewed" like a Heineken beer does and got to witness the full process in how the dutch beer is made.  The train ride home went more smoothly than the way there and we're officially back for our second week of class.  It's been amazing how well everyone hit it off during this first week.  It already seems like we've known each other for much longer than a week so I'm that much for excited for the weeks to come.

Weekend in Brussels and Amsterdam

This weekend me, Kalea, Karen and Miguel all went to both Brussels and Amsterdam! We booked everything last minute so it was kind of stressed figuring it out for the first time. Although we had so much fun it was exhausting doing two countries in one weekend. Both places were so amazing I'm glad we got the chance to do them. Brussels was probably my favorite place because the incredible architecture and sights. We got there a little late so we could only eat dinner and go out. We ate in the central square at this little Italian restaurant with a great view. As soon as we got into the square there was a jazz concert going on with all these lights and amazing music, It was truly breathtaking. We decided to do a pub crawl to save money and because we weren't sure where to go at night. The pub crawl was so much fun and we met some really cool people! Everyone we talked to was from somewhere different and we got to compare cultures. Which was interesting to see how foreigners view Americans, even though they mostly asked about the negative aspects.
After a long morning of train delays, we arrived in Amsterdam on Saturday. We spent the day walking around, eating and checking into our hostel. We met up with two other groups in the program and we all went out together. In the morning we got up and went to the Rijk museum which was so interesting! We only got to walk around for a couple of hours before we had to make our train. The train ride was a little tricky because we got on the wrong train but we fixed it and made it home okay.
Overall this been an exciting and eye opening week, even though I'm exhausted it all has been worth it!

Expections vs reality

When anticipating being in a foreign country, I was nervous about getting lost, pick pocketing and negative attitudes towards Americans. I am happy to say none of this has been an issue for me! Bonn has a very safe and home like feel to it. I was surprised how clean the streets and buildings are, also how much they recycle. Which is something I think the US could learn from! The people are one of the biggest surprises, they're so friendly! I was expecting attitudes because we cant speak the language but almost everyone speaks English. They also love when you attempt to speak the language. Navigating I'm still figuring out right now but its nice to have my roommate, Marissa, so I'm never alone. I never really worry about getting lost anymore because people are usually pretty helpful!
I was anticipating staying with a random family would be a little awkward and uncomfortable. But I already love my host family so much! They have 2 little girls who call Marissa and I "big sister", they are the sweetest! The parents are also very sweet and funny. They have really made us feel like family. They are truly interested in our culture and getting to know us. We are staying in their side apartment which is super convenient because we have our own little kitchen and we don't have to worry about ever wake the kids up. I'm loving everything so far! :)

It has officially been one week since we first landed in Germany. We have done so many things since then, it feels like we've been here for a month. Getting to Bonn was and interesting adventure in itself as our bus ended up taking 4 hours rather than two due to a wreck on the autobahn. On the plus side of this, we were able to travel through the German country side and up along the bank of the Rhine. The first few days here were pretty hard to be honest. The culture shock was more than I expected, itt was frustrating and stressful to do just about anything due to the fact none of us spoke German. Things which were easy back home were next to impossible here, for example, trying to decipher the tram schedule/map.

It took a few days to acclimate but now, my little village of Oberdollendorf feels like home. Our house mom Carmen showed us a few hiking trails that lead up into the hills surrounding Bonn and on Ascension of Christ Day, Nick and I went hiking and discovered multiple vineyards.

This past weekend, a group of about 8 of us traveled to Amsterdam. We took off from Bonn and missed our second train. We ended up spending the day in Köln walking around and sight seeing. Finally, 4 hours after we were supposed to arrive we boarded the train to Amsterdam. Amsterdam was another culture shock in itself but this time we were ready. Although everything was in Dutch, it was easier to figure out the metro map and train schedule. We went through the Red Light District and toured the original Heineken brewery. Yesterday, we made our way back to Bonn and although I never thought I would say it, I was so happy to be back in my village.

The first week of class set the tone for the semester. I didn't realize that the history of medicine was related to music however, Dr. Waltz has convinced me otherwise. This upcoming week we are traveling to Vienna. We are going to see many of the famous concert halls, churches, and landmarks. After Vienna, a group of 12 of us are going to Prague. I'm looking forward to what this week has in store for us.

One Down

It's been one week since we began our adventure to Europe and it has been quite a week. There are so many things that I have learned and gotten the chance to experience that I never even thought about before departing. I didn't realize how much practice it actually takes to get used to the public transportation system here in Germany, and I can say that I am far from a master in the art of getting on the right train/bus/tram/etc. I have also learned how useful the phrase "I'm sorry" in German is with all the mistakes and misunderstandings I have had between locals here. As well as how fun it is to say "Danke!" everywhere and to everyone. Here's a picture from our spontaneous castle excursion on a free holiday our first week:

There has definitely been a learning curve so far in my experience abroad. Whether it's missing a train headed to Amsterdam for the weekend or getting lost every time I venture somewhere new, it has still been a blast. I'm so thrilled to get an opportunity like this to be taking classes that I'm very interested in and getting to explore Europe at the same time, a place I have dreamed about going for as long as I can remember. So far this trek has been such an adventure. With each day that passes, I feel like I have become closer to so many people in the program with me. A big group of us were able to survive and have a blast in Amsterdam this weekend, even though there were some difficulties along the way. I have gotten the opportunity to get a little closer and more comfortable with my host family each day, and feel more at home than I did from the start. It still is going to take some getting used to, but I am hoping by the end of the program they will be like a second family to me.

Here are some pictures from Amsterdam!

I am so lucky that the two professors leading the program Dr. Wasser and Dr. Waltz have such a passion for the subjects they are teaching and have transferred that excitement and eagerness to learn to all of us students. I can't wait to visit the research facilities, hospitals, operas, and everything else that we have planned in the program and get to see what we are learning applied first hand.

This is the first of many more weeks to come and I can't wait to see what this place has for me next.

Update: Never trust taxi drivers.

It's hard to believe that I've already been here for just a week. Time is flying by, and this week has felt like so much longer than that. I feel as if I have been here for weeks! I was surprised at how quickly I adjusted to using public transportation and learned a little bit of German. Also, I quickly realized I have to use cash to pay for literally everything I buy. I guess Europe hasn't figured out yet that credit cards really are the greatest method of payment ever created. Maybe they'll get there someday. Class has been quite interesting so far, and the coolest part about it is that even though it is class, it doesn't really feel like class. This is most likely due to the fact that I'm in a beautiful foreign country. All in all, this week has been a relatively successful one. I now know how to say excuse me in German, which comes in handy a lot, as well as thank you. Everything else is still a little rusty at this point, but I have faith that by the time Hilde is done with us, we will know far more than that. 

What little German we know was however enough to get us through our first weekend trip. Navigating the Eurail system and getting around in yet another foreign city was interesting. Apparently there is a significant difference between saying Dachau, like a normal human being, and Dacccchhhhhau *insert excessive phlegm*. There are also about 4 different versions of the street name Brucker Strasse. Those of us who traveled to Munich took taxis from the airport to our Airbnb in Dachau, and four of us were blessed with our first terrible experience that turned into a great story. We approached our taxi driver and showed him the address where we needed to go, adding that it was in Dachau (which is about 30 minutes away), and politely asked if he could take us there. He says yes. We say awesome, thanks! After driving for approximately 11 minutes he says we are here! We were not there. We were on Brükerstrasse in Munich. So we re-evaluate the address and head off for round two. Things were looking good until we ended up in a very small seemingly residential area lacking street lights and any sign of human life. Once again he says, we are here! We were not there. We were on Brückestrasse. We said, no this isn't it, it's in Dachau! He looked very confused. So once again we re-evaluate, and the guy starts yelling at us saying NEIN EN MÜNCHEN??? EN DACCCCHHHAU *insert excessive phlegm*. Finally he understood and got very upset claiming we told him it was in Munich. I guess the phlegm really does make all the difference in the world. After some awkward rambling, we were off again, to 16 Brucker Strasse, our destination. Finally he drops us off at 18 Brucker Strasse and we figured this is fine, we can walk the rest of the way. After getting out of the car I thought, this doesn't look like the pictures at all....and that's because we were in the wrong place. Again. Unfortunately though, this time, the taxi driver was long gone. So we googled how far it was to walk, and it was 37 minutes away, a little over 1.5 miles. Seeing as we had no other option, we walked, luggage and all, 37 minutes down the road to our hotel, in the dark, on back country roads, past some corn fields that weren't actually corn fields and a very strange looking unidentifiable large rodent. I must say the view of the stars was quite fabulous though. Luckily we survived, and there was pizza at the end of our journey which made everything okay. 

The rest of the weekend was really a great experience. Getting to go set foot onto the concentration camp that set the example for all others during the Nazi regime was an experience that cannot be put into words. I have such a greater respect for the lives lost there and a better understanding of the monstrosities that occurred. There's something different about being able to actually go witness it yourself as opposed to being taught about it in history class. It's an experience I'll surely never forget and one that I hope everyone has a chance to have. We also got a chance to go visit the Olympic Park in Munich which was actually quite cool. The architecture of all the buildings was unlike anything I've ever seen before. There were also some beautiful park areas which provided a 360 degree view of the city. It made for some excellent panoramic pictures. Of course, since nothing can be easy with us, our already 6 hour train ride was delayed 51 minutes due to a fire on the tracks. It was astonishing how many people just got off the train, in the middle of nowhere as we were stopped, to smoke some cigarettes. I don't have that amount of trust in the conductor to not leave me stranded. Good for them though, that's awesome. Sadly, we didn't receive anymore information on the fire situation. All I know is we sat on a train for almost 7 and a half hours, and that's a super long time to go not super far. We're back though, ready to head to Vienna in about 36 hours. Overall, our first trip was largely a success, but the moral of the story is, German is hard, and never trust your taxi driver. 

What a week!

Tomorrow will mark my first week in Germany. I feel like so much has happened in this week. Getting to Germany was fairly simple, getting to Bonn was not. The two hour bus ride took an extra hour due to traffic. Being late due to unpredictable circumstances happens more often than I like this week. I met my host family and they are wonderful. The mother is so caring, nice, and friendly. The daughter is younger than me but is very mature and we have very similar interests. They showed me the different ways to get to the HBF and I tried public transportation for my first time. I took the bus and a train to get to AIB the first day of class. I soon realized that a different bus was the easiest way to get around. Charlie, my host sister's dog, has kept me from getting homesick. He is a playful puppy that reminds me of my dog back home. He is always happy to see me and has taught me some German; we are working on his English. Later in the week I got to try my first German beer. It is really strange to me to be able to sit at a restaurant and order an alcoholic beverage. Kölsch beer is my favorite. I cannot pronounce it, but I somehow manage to order it. I learned very quickly that if you mispronounce a German word, the Germans do not understand it at all. It is almost easier to try to find the few English words a person knows than trying to correctly pronounce a German word. This does not help me learn a new language but very much helps me get around. I have liked my classes so far. The pace is very fast but manageable. I used to go to sleep listening to classical music up until I was about 10. I find this doesn't help my school work because I want to go to sleep whenever I listen to my homework assignments. I fell asleep listening to the assignments and had to re-listen to them in order to be prepared for class the next day. I went to the opera to support my host sister and found it kinda hard to stay awake during the parts where no singing occurred.I made my way through my first opera and would not mind if it counted as extra credit. For the first weekend in Germany, I went to Munich with some classmates. The journey to the hotel was long and costly, but the pizza there was amazing. We got to go to the Dachau concentration camp. It exceeded my expectations. I was amazed at all the number of people who had been to the camp: prisoners, visitors, and SS officers. The rest of the Munich trip was much more lighthearted. We went to the Deutshe museum. This museum is somewhere I could spend days in. There was so much information on the history and production of different technologies. I also got to try Bavarian beer. I wish I could have tried it in smaller portion sizes, but they only sold the beer in a liter. Munich is a beautiful city but is very large and expensive. The journey back to Bonn took more hours than we planned due to unforeseen circumstances. I am just glad that I made it back to my wonderful host family survived my first week in Germany!

Week one DONE!

This past week was way more than I could ever think of.  When I first got to Bonn I was overwhelmed by the square because that was something that I've never seen and I was so confused how to get around.  By the end of the first week, I started to figure out how to navigate in different ways around the town central.   I love my host family and I am so appreciative of everything that they are doing for me.  On the weekend, I went to Munich with 8 other people and I loved the fact that I could see another city.  In Munich, we went to Dachau to see the concentration camp and experience that.  After that, we went to Munich and saw the technology museum and it was breathtaking.  The only other museum I have been to like this was the Perot Museum in Dallas and this one was way better.  I honestly wish that I could have spent a longer time in Munich but this showed me that I really didn't have a ton of time on the weekends and that I need to appreciate the time that I have in the place I will be in.

One Week In

I can't believe one week has already gone by...
Getting oriented took a while, but I'm starting to know my way around and am still figuring out how Bonn is wonderful and full of life and history. Dr. Wasser took us to see Roman ruins of a bath house that dates back to 50 BC which was incredible to see. We will be learning about the history of medicine and its evolution through time, and I couldn't be more excited. Learning about cultures, especially ancient ones, fascinates me already, but learning about their medical will be absolutely enthralling.
This week has truly been an amazing one. We started classes, and I was reminded of how incredibly incompetent I am with music thanks to Professor Waltz's lectures on sonatas and arias and forms and keys.... I also now know that German truly is as difficult and guttural as I once thought. I'm slowly started to pick up on some German, and this week I was even able to order ice cream in German, which went really well until the lady working asked me something in German that I didn't understand... but hey, baby steps.
A group of us just got back to Bonn from spending the weekend in Munich. This weekend was incredible, but it had its minor mishaps. Munich is a beautiful city. We started by going to the concentration camp in Dachau, which was gut-wrenching and difficult but also good to see. We then went to the Deutsches Museum in Munich. While there, I saw some information on ancient medicine in the pharmacology exhibition. This was very cool to see because we had just talked the week before in Dr. Wasser's History of Medicine class about the medicine during this time period. We talked about the Eber's Papyrus, which was mentioned in the exhibition.
After the museum, we spent the rest of that day and the next exploring Munich (and eating ice cream). The trip home was interesting, and we ended up being delayed about an hour. In the end, we arrived in Bonn around 10:30 at night, all exhausted. But this weekend was worth it.
It truly is amazing to be in a place where there is such fascinating history and culture all around. I'm definitely not in Texas anymore, and I honestly don't know if I'll want to go back.

Tschüss!
Alana Carrasco

Time's flying by

It's been almost one week since we first got off the plane in Frankfurt. Wow. I knew my days would be packed with a full itinerary but I didn't expect time to fly by so fast. I've only been here one week so I'm by no means feeling like a local just yet. What I've learned this past week can be summed up in a few words: traveling isn't a piece of cake. Firstly, I live about twenty minutes outside the center of Bonn so it's a bit stressful in the morning if I miss my first bus. Secondly, a few of us went to Amsterdam this past weekend. Not sure if we thought it would be smooth sailing all the way but it most definitely wasn't. We got confused and missed our connection train both coming and going from Amsterdam; nevertheless, we made the most out of the negative outcome and turned it positive by relaxing in Cologne and started to get to know each other better.

When I started booking weekend trips, I didn't really think about going to Amsterdam. I'm so happy that my friends convinced me to go. It was honestly very different from what I thought it would be. It is a lot cleaner, the locals are so kind and hospitable, and the city is absolutely breathtaking. I love that there seem to be more people biking then walking. I love that every home/building is slightly different yet still so narrow and tall. Amsterdam has character and so much history that I was not even able to make a dent in. Thank you to the locals, fellow visitors, and my friends for making my first weekend trip one I will never forget.

I'm already feeling more at home in Bonn. My first week of classes are over and I have to say I'm in love with history of medicine. History has always been one of my favorite subjects (I actually thought about majoring in history). To combine history with medicine is in my opinion the perfect combination a class could be. I remembered Dr. Wasser said we should visit the Rijksmuseum and I am so happy we did. It's a beautiful building filled to the brim with history. It's time to rest from this weeks adventures and start dreaming about what's to come. Lets go to Vienna!

The Munich Adventure

Well.... I can truly say that Munich has been an adventure. My adventures starts with a Saturday morning train that lasted for sechs hours and we arrived in Munich during the afternoon. The train ride was very quiet and relaxing for the most part, the only part that was nervous was making sure we got onto the correct train. When we arrived in Munich, the city at first reminded me of New York City and I felt a little disappointed. The group that I was traveling with explored the city for a bit until we decided to eat. Afterwards, we checked in our place for the night and went to have dinner at Hofbräuhaus. Now, this place was the most German place I have ever been in for my entire existent. Once our taxi driver dropped us off, we went into the entrance and we were surrounded by beer, polka music, food, and laughter. To be honest, it reminded me of my hometown. My hometown, Hallettsville TX, has a Kolache festival during the fall and it is filled with drinks, food, and polka music, so when I went inside Hofbräuhaus, I could only stand there and smile. After searching for a table, which took a long time, we order our food and drinks and had a fantastic time. The food was not bad, but the drinks and the atmosphere made the place worth it. I even got a small glass mug from the place. I think my German ancestors would be very proud of me for going to Hofbräuhaus. Traveling and Hofbräuhaus took most of the day so we decided to head back and sleep. On Sunday, we visited St. Peter's Church (yes, we climbed all of the stairs to the top of the church and the view was beautiful) and Deutsches Museum, which is a massive technology and scientific museum that was quite enjoyable. I particularly liked the pharmaceutical part of the museum that has an animal cell in which a person can walk inside to see the cellular structures. It also had excellent information about asthma, COPD, and heart attacks. In the end of this adventure, it was worth it and I think I am going to sleep well tonight from all of the traveling that I have done. I hope everyone else had good weekend travels.

The Weekend Travel

I stated in the last update I was a little nervous in taking a train to another place I had never been before. I initially was this morning, but once I got on the train to Munich and the conductor checked my Eurorail with no problems, everything was peachy. The trip itself was five hours of a quiet train, but the view was absolutely gorgeous; nothing but beautiful green hills along the Rhine. I was surprised at how few people were on the train, and also by the significant age gap between us and the other passengers (lots of elderly).

Upon arriving in Munich, I was rather disappointed. It looked like I just arrived in downtown Dallas back home. As of now, I prefer Bonn by a great deal, but I'm trying to keep an open mind. We were looking to visit the BMW museum here and the Olympic park next door. We may also end up at the Hofbrauhaus for dinner; it is an old beer hall that dates back to the 18th century with a great atmosphere (or so the website says). My host family and hostel attendant recommended going there and checking it out. How can I refuse?

Week 1 of Germany Adventure

Time flies by when you are having fun. We only arrived at Bonn on Monday and now, it is Saturday. I have been enjoying my time here. I have been learning new things including academic material, like the three major composers during the classical period of music, and cultural material, like kids from Germany don't know how to play Go Fish. I actually just taught my host family how to play Go Fish, which was quite enjoyable. I was first nervous when I arrived at Bonn since it is a foreign place, but I am starting to enjoy Bonn. I love the small bakeries where you can buy fresh goods to the nice summer climate, which beats the Texas's heat any day. My host family has been nothing but nice and caring. I couldn't have ask for any other host family. One adventure that I had, which might seem boring to an average person, but is exciting from me, was visiting a grocery store in Bonn. I found it fascinating at the similar and different food easily available in Bonn. I can recognize similar food in the store like bread, fruits, and etc. but, some products were extremely different. Did you know there was bacon chips?! I actually bought them (well, my host mom saw my reaction when I saw the bacon chips and told me I had to buy them) and they tasted a lot better than I thought. Also if anyone feel like they need a Dr. Pepper fix, they have that here. I feel like this week will be a small step on our giant European adventure. I hope everyone has a wonderful week and takes care!

My First Week in Bonn

Hallo, y'all! My flight to Frankfurt wasn’t bad at all. Everything went smoothly, except for the fact that I really couldn’t go to sleep on the plane. Thankfully, though, I really didn’t experience much jet-lag. On Monday, me and Emily got to meet my host mom. She is very sweet and kind! And the food she makes is great. Every time I ask if I can help her clean up the dishes, she says not to worry about it. It’s very strange for me, though, because I am used to helping out around the house (my mom is always reminding me to clean after myself). I love the neighborhood we live in, and our walk to the bus stop is about a 2-minute walk so that’s a bonus. We have been in Bonn for five days now, and it’s been great! I feel very comfortable and safe here. I am getting to know more and more my surroundings. Yesterday, I had brunch with my host mom and her son’s family. Because the weather was great, we ate outside and talked. Afterwards, a group of us went to the Seven Hills and went on a hike towards Schloss Drachenburg. From the top of the castle, the view of the Rhine River and surrounding town was phenomenal. We ate at a restaurant along the Rhine River. Back home, I like all my drinks really cold. I basically add ice to everything I drink (including orange juice). Here, however, ice is not the norm and I really haven’t gotten used to this (maybe that will change in the next weeks to come). It’s really strange for me to drink room temperature water, and even stranger to drink sparkling water. Tomorrow morning, I will be going to Munich. It will be my first European excursion! I will let y'all in on my findings there soon. Alright, talk to y’all later. Auf Wiedersehen!  

Dinner with Host Mom

Schloss Drachenburg

Dinner along Rhine River

First Post of First Week

I have been in Bonn for about five days now, observing everything I can about the place, the people, and the general vibe I get from this place and how it compares to what I have experienced before. My findings in a few words: I freaking love it here! I initially had doubts about the trip in the initial stages of applying and planning, but I am so glad that I went through with my decision. I love the people here, despite not being able to communicate fluently with them (hope that changes). I love the way things run here. I love my classes so far, particularly the History of Medicine class itself (no, I'm not saying that because Dr. Wasser reads these, they legitimately fascinate me).

One of my biggest worries was, and still is, traveling among the different countries and whatnot. With my first weekend trip starting tomorrow with a very early train to Munich, those fears still hold on slightly. However, nothing ventured is nothing gained, and I'm sure I will calm these fears very quickly once the train starts moving.

I will probably talk all about it in my next post tomorrow.

four days in and time is flying by

The moment Jessica and I walked into our host home, we were offered coffee and cake and I instantly knew this was going to be perfect (since I live off coffee, and who doesn't love cake??). Our host mom is awesome and has been very hospitable since we have been here. We live in a very quaint, quiet neighborhood right against a beautiful forest with trails. Learning how the bus system works was difficult the for the first few days. The first day we didn't realize that we needed to catch a different bus headed back home, so it took us two and a half hours to get home, and the following day our bus came 15 minutes later than our host mom told us, so we were late to class. And then, I left my bus pass one day and had to pay for a ticket (because after 9pm they check for tickets). BUT, yesterday and today I managed so I guess you can say I'm a local now (just kidding, but maybe after 5 weeks I could be??). On that note, German is an interesting language and I am starting to kinda pick up some phrases, but when I need to actually use them I can't remember any of it. Hopefully I will get some practice in this weekend. 

Yesterday was Ascension Day, which is a public religious holiday and so we did not have class. My host mom's family came for brunch, and they all spoke English (yay). We had so many cheeses and breads, of course, and it was all so delicious. After brunch a group of us went to Siebengebirge (Seven Hills) and took what became a very steep hike, up to Schloss Drachenburg (Dragon Castle). The weather was wonderful and the view was beautiful. So much greenery, clear blue skies, and the Rhine River looked great. We then ate dinner, and I finally had Wiener Schnitzel and it was delicious. It was such a great day. 

Today, after 4+ hours of classes, I came home to take a nap and hopefully will be taking a nap soon. Mostly everyone is leaving for the weekend, but I am staying back and meeting with a mutual friend who is taking me around outside of Bonn (she was actually my cousin's exchange student back at home some years ago, which is neat). I also hope to really master city center this weekend because my directions aren't too hot right now, and also learn some more German.
Tschüss!
Emily

Pre-departure (5/21)

Tomorrow is the day! I have spent the last week in Barcelona which has given me some time to adjust a little bit. I have dreamt of visiting Germany my entire life, and I cannot believe the time has finally arrived. This is the first time I have traveled to Europe, so I am both excited and a bit anxious not knowing what to expect. I am most excited to be independent and find myself on this journey. I will be doing a lot of solo traveling, which I know will challenge me greatly. I have faith, however, that I will grow as a person more than ever before. I am excited to completely immerse myself in the German culture. I want to go on morning runs, visit coffee shops, and just live in the daily life of a German. I am really looking forward to getting to know my host family. I feel that this is the best possible way to fully experience all that the German people have to offer. The months of preparation are about to pay off, and I can't wait to see what life is like on the other side. Let the journey of a lifetime begin!

-Sarah Speights

We made it!

After tomorrow we as a group will have finished our first week of classes here in Germany!  In such a short period of time it feels like so much has already happened.  Our trip to Europe felt like it would never end but now that we are here it seems like time is flying by.  The first night with my host family they welcomed me and my roommate to Germany and told us that we were now a part of their family.  From the very start they treated us like family and I feel extremely lucky to have such a loving host family.  After being welcomed to Germany I promptly went to bed to prepare for our first official day in Bonn.  After our orientation a group of students and I went and had lunch.  This was our first time interacting with the people in Bonn and as such I was slightly nervous.  We had one German class under our belts so we did not have a lot to go with at this point.  In the end though we managed to order and get our food successfully.

The first meal I ordered in Europe was currywurst.  I was slightly skeptical about ordering German sausage with some sort of curry component, but in the end I decided I would give it a shot since I love curry.  It ended up being delicious and I was very happy with my first food selection in Europe.  After lunch we went back to AIB where we then got a tour of Bonn from Henning.  Bonn is truly a beautiful city but as we were going along on our tour I could not help but feel overwhelmed.  It seemed like I would not actually retain where anything was.  After our first day in Bonn I was exhausted so I went back home and had dinner with my host family then promptly went to bed.  Our first day of classes started as a bit of a cluster...  Dae and I got on our bus to go to class and everything was going fine until our bus turned and started going away from AIB.  We had falsely assumed that the bus would continue down the road and get us closer to AIB.  By the time we realized the bus was not going back towards AIB we were pretty far so we ended up having to rush to class.  Once we were in class tho everything was fine.  After my first day of classes I do have to say that I am a little stressed about the school aspect of this trip but I know that I just put in the effort everything will be fine.  After classes we had a long gap period and then the AIB BBQ.  The AIB BBQ was a great way to socialize with not only the students in my own program but also students who in other programs who are currently in Bonn.  I met multiple people the night of the BBQ that were in different programs and am actually planning on meeting up with them as the trip progresses.  The day after the BBQ was a free day so a group of us decided to go to the Seven Hills region to visit Schloss Drachenburg (Dragon Castle).  

After hiking up what seemed to be a completely vertical path we made it to the top and found an amazing view awaiting us.  The castle itself was lavish and exciting but the view of the surrounding area is what really captivated me.  Being able to experience Germany on such a beautiful day made this day a success.  I was able to bond with the other students on the program and experience Germany in an extremely fulfilling way.  As I approach the weekend and a trip to Munich I am becoming overwhelmed with planning future weekend trips and trying to focus on school.  I know that as the trip progresses though there are only more amazing things to come. 

Update on life

I have currently been here for about half a week and I feel like I have already done so much. The flight wasn't as bad as I expected but it still brought on some unwanted jet-lag. When we arrived, we waited at the airport for what seemed like forever which was probably caused by the crazy anticipation of what was to come. After a long, but scenic bus ride, we finally ended up at my host family's house where we were warmly greeted with open arms and endless trays of German food and drink. My host parents have been some of the most caring and loving people that I could have asked for and I couldn't imagine anything better. The first day of classes was an exciting one because it fully revealed what we have gotten ourselves in to and I definitely do not regret it. Dr. Wasser and Dr. Waltz did a great job at presenting the subject matter in a way that deeply sparks my passion for medicine and my excitement to further educate myself on these fields of study. It still hasn't sunk in yet that I'm learning what I love in Germany because never in my lifetime would I have ever thought I would get this opportunity. So far literally everywhere I've travelled has been almost like a dream because of the surreal beauty that surrounds me. From the european style homes to the millions of trees casting a shadow over me, I honestly can't get enough of it. For example, today I had the opportunity to venture out to the seven mountains to go on a scenic hike along the mountains that line the Rhein River. On the top of one of the mountains was a gorgeous castle and some ruins that we visited. The views from these landmarks were absolutely breathtaking and although hundreds of pictures were taken, no picture could do justice to the true, natural beauty that we were witnessing. Lastly, amidst all the beauty, we have encountered a few minor problems in the foreign country. First, of course, is the language barrier. From trying to order food to trying to read important signs, its been a struggle not being fluent in Deutsch. However it's a challenge that I am up for and willing to improve at. The second complication is the transportation, however slowly but surely, we're piecing it all together. For example, tonight while trying to get home, we got on a bus that went the opposite way of our home and ending up wasting an hour. The good part is that at least we know what not to do for future reference. In conclusion, this week has been delightfully eventful and makes me even more excited for the weeks to come, lessons to learn, and deeper friendships to form.

I'm coming for ya Germany

The day to leave is finally here and in a few short hours I'll be embarking to gain an experience of a lifetime.  Although I've known that I'd be attending this trip for months it really only just hit me as I'm writing this post in my living room with my packed bags all around me.  I can confidently say that I'm going to be a different person when sitting back on this couch in 6 weeks but I can also just as confidently say that I know nothing of what those changes will be.  Only time will tell all the things I'll learn and the new friendships that will come to fruition.  I'm nervous and excited to dive in head first into German culture with my peers who are all in the same boat as me.  It's important to continue to remind myself how special of an opportunity this is everyday I wake up abroad.  Not everyone gets the chance to have experiences like this and I think keeping this in the back of my mind will help me to maintain an attitude of open mindedness, positivity, and an ambition to learn as much as possible.  I hope that by the end of this trip I'll have been so fulfilled that I'll think twice about hopping back on that 10 hour flight home.

See you in 6 weeks Dallas.

Pre-Departure Post

I can't believe it's finally time for me to leave for Germany. I have been waiting for this trip for months, but it didn't feel real until I started packing my bags and exchanging my dollars for euros. I have never been outside the United States before, which is one of the main reasons I decided to participate in a study abroad program. I have always wanted to visit Europe and see the rich, cultural sites. I feel very sheltered having never been outside the country I was born in, and I wanted to change that. I chose this program because I enjoy history and being able to learn about medicine and music where it all happened is an incredible opportunity. I'm expecting this trip to be better than simply learning in a classroom. I'm hoping to pick up some conversational German, since I currently only know how to say "hello" and "thank you". Being in a different country and hearing people speak a different language I don't understand is a very humbling experience. I am a little nervous about flying by myself. I've only flown by myself twice before and for much shorter distances. I'm excited and a little anxious to meet my host family. I'm looking forward to learning about them and discussing both German and American things. This trip is going to be incredible and I am very thankful to be here.

sweet dreams (are made of this)

The trip has finally arrived. After an entire semester of anticipation and dreaming of this trip, I'm getting on a plane very soon to leave home for over a month. I've been abroad a couple times before, but always for max two or three weeks at a time, and never without my family, so I'm very eager to be put out of my comfort zone and do some traveling alone. I'm excited to fully experience German culture and people and food and to hopefully learn some German along the way. I remember when I first got the email about this program. I was at tutoring, not really paying attention (whoops), and saw the notification for the program from Emily. I read it and was instantly hooked. It seemed so interesting, with all the integrated trips, courses, and of course the free weekends to travel. I was delighted when my parents said I could go for it and apply. They've been so supportive and I am so so thankful. It's weird to think that after all this buildup, it's finally happening. Honestly though, the feelings of excitement have momentarily subsided and have been replaced by nervousness. Like I said, this trip is going to put me way out of my comfort zone and I know I'm ready to be not ready (haha), but there are so many variables that I'm going to just have to do my best to keep an open mind, stop overthinking, and enjoy the moment. Here's to a (hopefully) great trip!

JMD

Today Is the Day!

I board the plane today for Frankfurt, and yet as I sit here, bags packed, it still doesn’t feel real. I have never been to Europe, or out of the U.S. for that matter, so this will be a whole new experience for me. I cannot wait! I am extremely excited and slightly antsy. I am eager to observe a new culture, to learn what our host family’s everyday lives are like, and to see the landscape of Germany and the surrounding countries. And the food… I am very excited for the food. I don’t really know what to expect, which is what makes me so nervous. I know this will be a life changing experience and a summer I will never forget.

Hallo, Deutschland!

Just a matter of hours!

My flight leaves tonight and it still feels unreal that I will be in Europe for 5 whole weeks! I will be leaving much behind but I am eager and ready to see what lies ahead. I've only been out of the country twice and have never traveled alone so I'm a little nervous about getting lost or losing important documents. I've been researching the different cultures and customs to try to be prepared! Which has increased my excitement to get the chance to be exposed to new things. I have always loved traveling and learning about other cultures so that definitely trumps any anxiety I have about the trip. Even with the excitement, I know I will get home sick no matter how much fun I have. I will miss my family, pets, friends and my bed! I am leaving my 2 dogs and cat with my parents for the 5 weeks. They aren't thrilled with the idea but I know they till take great care of them. I will be exchanging plenty of pictures with everyone to stay in the loop. Overall I can't wait to meet everyone and make lifetime memories!!

Adventure Time!

Naturally, I am writing this post about 10 minutes before I leave for the airport. And, I just realized my passport is in the copy machine at my Mom's office... so directly after this I will be headed that way before I leave for the airport. It is currently 2 AM, and I have never been so excited to wake up so early in my life.

Right now I'm not too nervous about the long day of traveling, except maybe having my luggage lost again-- flashback to traveling to Tanzania and being stuck wearing the same clothes for 3 days in the middle of summer in Africa. Hopefully that doesn't happen again. I'm most excited to be in another country for longer than 10 days with the opportunity to live with a host family and feel like a part of the community rather than just a transient tourist. This is what drew me to this program in the first place. A semester abroad didn't work with my school schedule, but 6 weeks during the summer was perfect, and I get the opportunity to backpack for almost 3 weeks afterwards. Honestly, that is what I am most nervous or anxious about. I'm happy to have these six weeks with other people to get used to the transportation system and traveling in Europe before venturing out on my own solo adventure in Spain and Italy.

My roommate, who was here for a semester, as well as another friend both have been on this program before and had a great time. I'm excited to take their stories and experiences and knowledge and create my own and see all the places they've talked about for myself. My expectations for this trip are: great food, new friends, and learning about and appreciating new cultures. All of which seem very doable. See you soon Germany!