Wanderlust

Tomorrow I will board a plane and fly to Germany. (Holy cow... what?!) It still hasn't set in.
I will be spending the next six weeks on Texas A&M's History of Medicine study abroad. I will be located in Bonn most of the time, but we will be traveling to Vienna, Norderney, and Berlin. I have never been to Europe so I am extremely excited to explore this beautiful part of the world, but I am also nervous. Being in a foreign land with a group of students I don't know seems fairly daunting, but I am sure that everyone will be friendly and inviting.
I applied for this study abroad at the last minute thinking it would be a fun way to spend my summer. Funny story: I actually applied to the wrong study abroad at first... Thankfully, Dr. Wasser allowed me to apply late to his study abroad. When I saw that I was accepted into the program, I didn't know what to think. I was happy, but also fearful. I wasn't sure how I was going to decide what to do, but I eventually reached the conclusion that I wanted to go. I believe that this trip will not only give me a unique insight into medicine, but it will help me become more cultured and more knowledgeable of this wonderful world I live in. I am excited to travel throughout Germany and Austria. Paris, Amsterdam, and Prague are also among my list of places to visit, and I can't believe that these adventures are only days away.
I wholeheartedly believe that I will come back a changed person. I am eager to learn new lessons, meet new people, and experience new cultures.
Und jetzt nach deutschland!

The very last minute

I wanted to wait until the very last minute to do this inital blog post so I would be able to construct it with the maximum amount of excitement and anxiety. Well that's exactly what I did and that's exactly how I feel that Im about the most excited and most anxious I've ever been in my life. It probably pretty common for people to say it doesn't feel real until you're there. I'm in this group of thinkers. All of the research for traveling and hotels on weekends, how to speak German, the what to pack for study abroad videos...All it's done really is give me an idea of how this experience might go. I've never been to Europe, and I've definitely never had this much freedom. I look forward to making friends with my fellow class mates as well as building relationships with our professors and my host family. I'm also quite interested to see what people in Europe think about America, especially considering our current political climate. I'm not sure exactly how o will change as a person, but I'm definitely open to learning and listening. Hallo Deutschland!

Time to start packing!

Wait, only one more night and then I'll be on my way to Germany?? I still cannot believe that I will be in Europe for five weeks, and I am so excited. I have always loved traveling, and I before I came to Texas A&M, I knew I wanted to do some time studying abroad later in my undergraduate studies. I found out about the History of Medicine trip at the beginning of this spring semester and immediately knew that it was the right trip and the right time. Only given a few months to prepare made it difficult, but my family was supportive and made it possible, knowing it would be worth it. I love to experience different cultures, adventure in new places, and try new things, especially food (which I really hope to learn how to cook a German dish and make it for my family when I come back home). I know that this trip will provide me with the opportunity to do those things as well as learn about the history of medicine and see the progression that the medical filed has made over hundreds of years. I am also secretly excited to learn the neurophysiology of music. In elementary school I was in music memory and learned a lot of classical music, such as Beethoven, and being at his home city will be neat. Honestly, I am really not all that nervous about the trip. It might be because I have travelled to other countries before, or that I have always wanted to study abroad and I have been looking forward to it. At this point my biggest fear is over packing and still managing to forget something at home, but I know that anything I may need I can find in Germany. With that being said, I should probably start packing! Until next time!
Emily

Pre-Adventure Post

Well, hello to everyone. I am going to depart from Texas tomorrow and I can't wait to start this adventure. I always wanted to participate on a study abroad ever since I came to Texas A&M and now, I am about to go to Germany. My family took many vacations during the summers of my childhood and this has created my love for traveling. Traveling to a foreign country usually brings excitement, but it also brings last minute nerves to me. You never know what events will unfold while you are traveling for an extended period of time. I have traveled to Europe before, so I have a little experience, but it was only for one week in Italy. To be honest, I always wanted to go back ever since my trip to Italy. I want to try new foods, since I see myself as a foodie, and explore the wonders of new places. I hope this study abroad will broaden my horizons in many ways and create many wonderful memories that I will treasure. I hope everyone will have safe travels!

Germany Pre-Departure Post

I'll be on a plane headed to Germany in less than 26 hours and I still can't believe it. It was towards the end of my freshman year that I realized I wanted to study abroad at some point during my undergraduate career. I also wanted to make sure I found the right program to invest and participate in. Given my interest in medicine and my desire to visit Europe, the History of Medicine program in Bonn was the perfect choice. I expect to be in complete awe the first few days, unable to believe I'm actually there. Other than that, I don't really know what to expect from my stay in Europe but the simple idea of being hosted in a German household is extremely exciting because I think that's as first-hand an experience as one can get from a different culture. The only other country I've been to besides the United States is Mexico, which I lived in as a kid. I still travel to Mexico from time to time and the culture shock is still there every time believe it or not. I can only imagine how much greater that will be in Europe, being literally overseas and thousands of miles away from home. I am also the first person in my entire family to travel overseas which makes me appreciate this opportunity even more. The only worries I have about this trip are having trouble getting around (transportation), obtaining cash and making payments there, and possibly having trouble communicating with the people there. However, I have heard most people there speak English so hopefully that won't be a problem in most cases, and I also expect to adjust to the transportation system and money handling fairly quickly within the first week or so. I also know that the AIB and A&M staff will be available for anything we might need so I'm not too worried about being unable to resolve any issues that might come up. With that said, I will do my best to fully immerse myself in this experience, and enjoy and appreciate every moment of my time abroad. I absolutely cannot wait for it to begin!

Pre-Program Post

I have never been to Germany before but love the food and love the little I know of the culture. I hope to become more cultured on this trip as well as learn more about the medical field. I am not sure what profession I want to go into and hope this experience helps me narrow it down. I have not traveled very much in Europe and am looking forward to being able to see so many new and exciting places.  My biggest fear for this trip is getting lost. I have absolutely no sense of direction nor can I read a map. I am afraid that I will not be able to use the bus or train system. Unfortunately, I am sure I will come home with at least one or two stories about me being lost.

Pre-Program Statement

Firstly, let me say how absolutely excited I am about leaving tomorrow. I have always wanted to travel to Europe, as it is a place of history foreign to me, and it would allow me to view a different side of the world, allowing me to see how different yet similar it is. As this is a academic trip and not a vacation, I also welcome the chance to learn and absorb all the new forms of knowledge presented to me, whether it be academic, cultural, political, global, etc.

I do find myself slightly nervous about this trip. I have never been overseas before, and honestly the prospect of traveling internationally alone does qualify as 'outside my comfort zone.' However, I am sure that once the plane lands and I'm safely in Germany, any fears or reservations I had will vanish and be replaced by giddy excitement again.

This is a one of a kind adventure, and I am very glad I had this opportunity to take it.

Before I leave...

I have never really traveled outside of the U.S. except for the one time I went to Cancun (and although that was great, it does not compare to what I am about to do).  I have always loved the idea of traveling but never had the guts to ever go.  I decided to go on this program because I realized I needed change and that I needed to do something that I wanted to do.  I felt as though I was in a rut and everything was the same over and over again and I needed something new.  I have always wanted to travel to Europe, learn the different culture, and explore it to it's fullest potential and when I saw that I could study engineering in Germany as well as shadow at a hospital, I knew that I needed to go.  I wanted to go to see another view of the world and study something I love as well.  I could only dream about hiking in Germany, seeing Vienna and Berlin, or anything like this and now I am finally able to actually do that.  I am keeping my mind completely open and not holding any expectations so that I can experience everything to its fullest potential.   I want to be able to accept the challenges that may arise and appreciate everything I am about to encounter.   My main concern is the language barrier but that fear is quickly overruled when I start to think about all the positives that come along with this trip.  I cannot wait to explore Europe as much as possible, meet new people, and fulfill part of my wanderlust that I have always had.

Pre-Departure for Germany

It actually has not fully hit yet that in a few days I will be thousands of miles away from home.  This thought makes me extremely excited, but also slightly anxious.  This will be my first time going to Europe and as such it is all going to be new for me.  The fact that I am going to be experiencing so many new things is what makes me the most excited about going to Europe.  I chose this program because it seemed like the perfect opportunity to learn more about German/European culture while also expanding my knowledge in my field of interest.  One thing that I truly enjoy is being able to experience and learn about other people's cultures.  I think that an understanding of how people live in other parts of the world is something that can be extremely valuable in life.  One of my favorite ways to experience a person's culture has always been through food.  I consider myself a "foodie" and because of this I plan trying as many foods as I can while in Europe.  I cannot wait to learn more about German culture from the people that live there.  I am also excited to learn about their culture and my field of interest through the German History of Medicine course.  In growing as an individual I think it is very important that I try and learn from as many different people as possible.  In going to Europe I hope to gain a new mindset when it comes to veterinary medicine and medicine in general.  The aspect of the trip that makes me anxious is just the fact that I will be experiencing so many new places on my own.  To clarify, I will be with a group pretty much every where I go, but just the fact that we will be going on trips to so many new countries on our own seems daunting.  That being said, the anxiety that I feel is also paired with excitement to experience as much of Europe as I possibly can.

EINS

Hallo! 
Only THREE days left until I leave America for 5 weeks. I am beyond excited for this experience, and I still cannot believe it is real. I chose to study abroad in Germany mainly because I have heard nothing but amazing things about Europe from my dad who lived in France for two years in college and who has made it his life goal to live in Europe again. I have traveled to Europe before (Italy, France, and Britain) when I was in 4th grade, but I think living in Europe is a completely different experience.
I am excited for all of it: the good and the bad, I am so ready to try it all. If there is anything less convenient for me in Germany it will only add to the experience, allowing me to truly embrace  the culture. I am looking forward to living another lifestyle, and eventually learning to see the world from another angle. Maybe I will even leave Germany with new political, social, or spiritual beliefs. I am completely open to whatever changes may come my way.
The only concern I have is that I might somehow say or do something that rubs people the wrong way. I am not sure exactly what that could be, but I am hoping that if that happens they will let me know so I can learn how mannerisms might translate poorly in another culture. But hopefully I can learn before I make any mistakes! I am also worried that I will enjoy the culture and people there so much that I may not want to return to America!
Moreover, I am overwhelmed with excitement, and I am really looking forward to this life-changing experience.
Auf Wiedersehen, America!!

Before I leave...

Why have I chosen to go on this trip? I believe that thinking about this question will provide answers to my expectations and fears of going. One main reason I have chosen to go on this trip is simply because I love traveling and it's a passion of mine. I've been to all continents except Antarctica, Australia, and Europe so this will be an awesome addition to my traveling ventures. I believe that personally seeing different parts of the world produces a greater appreciation for yourself and who you are. The second reason I have chosen to go on this trip is because I have a passion for medicine along with a huge curiosity for the history behind it. I believe that medicine has much of its roots in the European setting which I will first-handedly witness on this trip. This passion of medicine combined with my love of travel makes this trip a win-win situation for me. 

Given my reasons for traveling, my biggest expectation is that I learn. I expect to learn not only about the history of medicine and neurophysiology of music, but also about the cultures, the people, and the beautiful attractions in Germany and surrounding countries. Other than those expectations, I really don't know what to expect from this trip which I believe is a good thing so that I can enjoy the moments to the fullest rather than comparing them to my expectations.

Lastly, do I have any fears? To be honest, none come to mind The  only thing is the language barrier which I hear isn't that bad because just about everybody over there speaks English. The other one is transportation which will be a huge learning curve for me, but I'll eventually learn the system.

With all that said, I'm extremely excited for this trip and I'll see everyone in a few days!

Looking back, moving forward

When I stepped back into life in Texas, the first thing that greeted me was an overwhelming wave of heat. I was in a bit of a daze as I walked off the plane to head back home, but after almost four months (and the conclusion of my hectic fall semester) I’ve had plenty of time to think about the changes I've noticed my daily life since the conclusion of my time in Germany.

I would have to say that my most profound change has been in empathy. As someone who took pride in being an “ENTJ” in the Myers-Briggs test, I assumed it was part of my nature to make quick, detached conclusions and then move on. This month-long trip reminded me that being detached is not always a good thing. As unrest continues to unfold in the Middle East, especially in Syria, I can’t just look at the casualties as numbers. These are people, those who have died and those who have seen it. I can’t imagine having to write what may be my “final” letter for all of my friends and family who are out of harm’s way. I can’t understand how a man had the courage to bring joy by dressing as a clown in a place otherwise filled with horror, or why he had to lose his life in the process. This isn’t something I can read, then file away to memory without sorrow.

And there are things happening here in America, too. With the incoming presidency of Donald Trump, a small supremacist demographic was emboldened—they saw the man who validated their own views being supported by almost half of America. With his presidency, they saw a future for “white Americans.” At Texas A&M, one such speaker was invited by an outsider (much to the dismay of the University and its students). In his ideology, he spoke of a future so similar to that of early Hitler it made me cringe. The group defends itself by declaring that all races are equal, but simply belong in their own respective nations. Surely they recall that Nazis originally intended to remove non Aryan races from Germany by simply pushing them out into other countries? But if they did, they’d realize the futility of this is what encouraged the act of genocide that was the Holocaust. This group does not fill me with anger, but rather sadness. Surely encountering diversity without prior hostility (and with an open mind) could cure the nativism they feel? It makes me wonder what would have happened if they had gone on a study-abroad like the one I experienced. I’d hope that most of them would be converted with the first döner kebab (seriously, those are delicious), but with time I feel the experience of living abroad would wash away the fear of even the most narrow-minded.

Living as an outsider is a fragile existence. Even when I had my own money available, I was still dependent on others for guidance. Without Google Translate, I know I would have had an even tougher time. And not everyone has the benefit of a smartphone with such technology. When I worked as a cashier, I frequently encountered strangers looking for help understanding the English labeling. I’m embarrassed to recall that while I always helped, I sometimes internally scoffed at them. As I muttered the few German words I knew, whether trying to get meals or purchase household items, I recalled the simple exchanges I had back at home with those who primarily spoke Spanish. This vulnerable position was uncomfortable, but gave me an important perspective.

My trip to Germany was great because of the food, cultural experiences, and connections I was able to make with the locals. But it was unforgettable because it drastically opened my perspective. To everyone who asks, I’ll always highly recommend going abroad; the experiences are incredible, but the impact of living out there will never fade.

Next Steps & Moving Forward

I guess this final post has been very hard for me to write. I know it's due. I know I need to write something down, but the words and emotions I feel right now are difficult to express and ,at this point, still jumbled in my head.

But, I love Germany. I love the culture, the people, and the little stands on the side of the streets that served the best ice cream for under a dollar. I miss watching the Rhine flow by and playing with my host family's German Shepard whenever I came home from school. I miss living there so much, but I'm conflicted at this point.

And I think my conflicts stem from what I want to do after undergraduate and my prospects of being a graduate student. I want to attend graduate school in Germany, but I also don't want to potentially destroy my academic/research career for going. Because in graduate school it's all about who you work under and what connections you can make with the scientific community, and I feel like I must make a final decision whether I want to stay in Germany or stay in the United States and establish my career at whichever I decide to choose.

And to be honest, I'm more on the side of staying in Germany. Like yes, there wouldn't be a language barrier in the United States, but most of the research I would like to do is actually in the Netherlands or in different parts of Germany. So, I feel like I'm at a large crossroad in my life, and I'm not so sure what to do. I'm still going to apply to American graduate schools, NSF scholarship, and any fellowship that I could possibly get, but if by the magical possibility I can get accepted to a school in Germany and have the funds to go, I would probably take the offer in an instant.

Where has the time gone?

Upon returning to the US, I managed to eat every food I missed during the 6 weeks abroad within 2 days.  This included Mexican food, Babe's chicken house,  and Texas (not German) BBQ. I ate more within my first two days back than I ever did while in Europe, and I quickly realized this is why American's are known for being slightly larger and unhealthy. My first two days in Europe I face timed my mom and told her I was going to starve because my host home's portion sizes were tiny.  This may have been a slight exaggeration but it proves the point that our portion sizes are not the same as theirs.  But, while eating out I did manage to find some foods that I loved. My absolute favorite was Goulash. I am pretty sure I ate it 4 times while abroad. I guess that's one thing I learned, goulash is the greatest thing ever and I need to find a restaurant that has it, or maybe try and be a chef and make it myself.  Option one is probably the safer option. Okay, thats enough talking about food... I could spend an entire blog post comparing the foods, discussing my favorites and least favorites, and discussing which country had the best food I visited, but that isn't the point of this blogpost.

I knew going into the program I wanted to be immersed in the culture, but I did not really know what this meant.  While there I sometime felt like I wasn't that immersed, and instead was the obvious american tourist. But, now I realize I got a completely unique experience that I would not have gotten any other way.  While in Germany, I had to find my way to the AIB on the first day of class, which was a challenge to begin with, but by the end of the trip I felt like a pro at using public transportation, not only in Bonn, but anywhere.  My roommate CheyAnne may laugh at this because my sense of direction walking was completely terrible, but this is the case in the States too, there is no changing that.  In addition to the lifestyle of using public transportation, I feel like my knowledge of the world outside the US changed.  I always liked to think of myself as a culturally sensitive person, and tried to learn about and understand other people groups, but I realized there were a lot of things I neglected to consider.  My biggest realization is how self centered the United States is, and I fall completely guilty of this too.  So much of our society is based on what we accomplish or earn, and how lavish our lifestyle is, and we don't consider keeping up with news in the US, much less world news and events.  This realization came throughout the trip whenever people would find out we were Americans, which wasn't that hard, and asked us who we were voting for in the next presidential election.  Yes, this election seems to be the laughing stock of the world, but they followed it more than I did.  I don't want to be that person who stays focused on themselves and their country, but I also realized I didn't even focus on my own country enough, I was too focused on myself and college.  Studying abroad made me look at the bigger picture of the world.  While in Germany, a lot of things about the German lifestyle and attitude inspired me.  First, I love that eating out is not a thing.  Families cook and eat at the table every night, or almost every night. Some people do this in the US, but my family was not like this. Second, I noticed how caring of other people they are while walking past the refuge housing on the way to the AIB every day.  Regardless of politics, the German people actively did something to help these people who had nothing.  German's, and European's in general, also seem to take life slower than we do, and really live in the moment.  This is something I could especially learn from, as I am constantly worrying and thinking about the future.

This may sound weird, but I feel like a grew up a lot while abroad. Yes it was only 5 weeks, and yes I did not change in age, but hear me out.  While abroad you are kinda thrown into it all.  I knew nobody going in and am a more reserved/shy person.  Yet, I had a blast abroad and met so many amazing and different people.  Second I grew up as a result of all the planning, or sometimes lack there of, that went on in those six weeks.  I traveled with just CheyAnne on the free weekends, succeeded.  Sure, sometime we didn't make a train reservation early enough and had to take 3 different trains in the middle of the night to get somewhere, but we got there and that's all that matters.  Yes, in college we live on our own, but being in a foreign country is totally different.  Then there is money, you come in with X amount to spend on the trip, eat out at Italian restaurants your first week there, and then realize this isn't going to work.  So, you find your way around the grocery store and buy lots of gummy bears.  Okay, maybe I didn't grow up that much.  But I learned to be independent and put my self out there while abroad.

The excursions we went on, and lectures we got to listen to in those places about the people who actually lived or frequented there, were by far the highlight of the excursions.  Like Dr. Wasser said, it's incredible to get to lecture about Freud in Freud's house.  I don't think I fully realized the magnitude of these events until I returned to the state's.  One lecture topic I really enjoyed was the bioethics/euthanasia lecture.  These topics are so fascinating and it can be hard to grasp what all happened.  But, I remember hearing something along the lines of this: the worst thing we can do is dehumanize the people who did those horrible things (for example the Nazis), because then we think it is impossible for us or any other person today to actually repeat the events.  These events show us the flaws in humanity and it is vital to understand what these people thought and why they did it.  We cannot solely classify them as crazy and let that be the end of it.  I love this perspective and is one of the main things that I took away from the study abroad trip.

To summarize this lengthy post, here are some key points.  Did I eat lots of food? yes. Did it open my eyes to the rest of the world? yes. Did I learn my way around Europe? By moving vehicles yes, by my own feet no. Lastly, did I leave a changed person? absolutely.

Since I have returned, life has picked back up again.  School has started, I started working for the first time, and the stresses of college came back full force.  Right now, I am just trying to focus on my grades, getting my resume together, and figuring out when I am going to take by DAT.  But I need to remember what I learned in Germany, which is to not focus too much on the future, and to keep up with what is happening in my country and the world.  My college bubble won't be here forever.

The final post :(
Megs

I will return to Germany one day, no matter how long it takes. Okay, now that is all.

snap back to reality....

oh! there goes gravity...

but honestly.

As I type this I am eating my LAST alpenmilch chocolate bar and I'm trying to channel my inner Germany Maddi to be able to make this blog post as good as possible. I have waited quite some time to write this because I feel as if there is so much I can relate everything I learned abroad to every aspect of my life. I want to fully be able to explain how much this summer abroad as taught me and changed the way I see so many things.

Learning how to be in close quarters with only 9 other girls for 5 weeks taught me so much about those girls as individuals, but also about myself. How I am the same and different in so many ways. How I can better empathize with them, help them, comfort them; but also how I needed them to do the same for me. This also allows me to be a better leader within my womens organization. I feel as if we have almost every possible personality on our trip - even with only 10 girls. I see a similar personality trait from one of the girls to almost ever person I meet. I believe this really gives me a unique perspective and helps me to better connect to those around me.
Learning how to be away from my loved ones for an extended period of time really put how much I love them into perspective. But also made being apart from my family while I'm here at school feel like nothing. I feel like I am always surrounded my friends and family. I dont think I ever go a day without seeing a best friend or a family member. While I was aboad I definiely made some best friends but it took some time and I felt alone for the first few weeks - even when surrounded by everyone. This was a whole new situation for me, and it really helped me figure out how to survive on my own two feet.
Learning how to focus on myself when needed was also so very important. I'm someone who will refuse to take time for myself even when I know I probably should. Bring abroad was hectic, packed with activity, and really wore me down physically and mentally. I learned how to go home and recharge, not worried about school or tests, and wake up the next day ready to go. Here in college station, unfortunately its not like that. I can't just drop everything to take a nap, or neglect my work for an entire evening. But I have learned various ways of dealing with my stress that my schedule allows.
Learning that the world is so much bigger than my tiny little bubble was so important. I absolutely love Texas. I love Chilifest, FTA football, saying "yall", getting excited over 60 degree weather, and so many other things I associate with my beloved state. But I learned that while yeah, Texas is awesome, some places just do it better. Better healthcare, better infrastructure, better government, better jobs, better housing market, better transportation, better vacations, better insurance, and the list could go on and on. I learned to see America and Texas from an outside perspective. I met many many young people from European countries as well as Canada who were not afraid to let me know how they felt about America. Especially American politics at the moment (lol). It was hard to even reply to these people because I am as dumbfounded as they are at the current situation - but it was honestly so fun to hear someone roast our candidates in a German accent. But what being away from home also taught me was how much I identify with where I am from. I am from "Texas" and specifically "Houston". I was honestly awesome to say I'm from Houston and having people from Europe know what that is. I am Texas and Texas is me. No matter how much I travel or learn other things itll be hard to not identify myself as a Texan forever.

On a less lighter note: I definitely saw a nasty side of humanity while I was abroad. Mall shootings, train attacks, train crashes, car crashes, police shootings, shootings of black men and women, racism, narcissism, ethnocentrism, and again, the list could go on and on.
Each day I would wake up to another tragedy happening just a few hundred miles away. This wasnt something I could ignore anymore. This wasn't something that was happening across a large ocean that didnt affect me. These were real atrocities that were happening in places I have been, and even affecting the great state of Texas.

All in all this trip has wonderfully changed my life. I see so many things in a new light and I talk about my trip at least once a day (to the annoyance of my friends and family)

Let's Go...Anywhere!

I found myself scrolling through everyone's pictures from our European adventures last week and thought, "wow, I can't believe I went to Europe this summer."  It seems so surreal and like it happened so long ago.  How lucky am I to have spent 6 weeks traversing Europe?!

I have done a lot of traveling in my life, but nothing compares to the independence I was allowed to envelop while on the other side of the world.  The friendships I made are also a huge component of the trip I will treasure for a lifetime.  These girls didn't just become my friends; we relied on each other for guidance and made sure we were all safe just like a family would.  I'm sad to say that as much as we've tried, we have yet to successfully make plans to reunite.  The friends I made studying abroad are some of the best friends I've ever had, and I sure do miss them!

A lot has happened since we returned from Germany.  As you may know, I had sort of an eye-opening moment at the Otto Bock Institute as we watched a video of a man learning to use his new extremities.  The thought of one day being the kind of therapist that teaches amputees and/or paraplegics how to use their new technology hit me, and it has been my mission since then.  Just days after getting home I began my PT school application and searched for shadowing/volunteering opportunities to make my resume more competitive.  The semester has been a whirlwind!  Balancing volunteering, school, and my presidential position in Aggie Sweethearts keeps me busy, but I am happy to say I have completed 4 out of 5 of my applications!  I can hardly wait to see where I will begin a new adventure next fall.  I don't think this journey would be nearly as exciting if it weren't for my realization in Berlin.

Although applying to PT school and Aggie football have been exciting, I can't help but wish I was traveling instead of being cooped up in College Station.  I am yearning to get out of this town and just spend a few days away from my computer and all the responsibilities that come with school.  I need an escape, even if that means just camping out at Lake Bryan or taking a day trip to Austin.  Our European adventures have left me hungry for more variety in life.  I am so thankful for the time we had together in Germany, for Hilde (my host mom), and the experience of a lifetime!  Most people will never gain half of the worldliness we were blessed to attain over the summer, and I am so grateful to have learned so much at such a premier time in my life.

A Thirst for Travel

As I'm sitting here looking at this blog, I can't help but wish I was back in Germany writing it. I miss everything about my time abroad. I constantly catch myself looking back at the pictures from my trip and wishing I was back in Bonn with every one. I miss the atmosphere, the streets, the trains, the sights, and surprisingly I actually miss learning as much as I did. Mostly I miss seeing our group every day. Before I left, I never thought I would become as close to these girls as I did, but it happened. Sure we all live in College Station, but we have different classes and organization and work and it is very hard to make time to get together. We had so many adventures in Europe and all I want to do is go back and make more.

Since I have been back, a lot of things have happened and a lot of realizations have occurred. For starters, as soon as I got back I had to rush back into "normal" life. I had to be at work the following week, then classes started back, and the stress and heavy load that comes with trying to juggle college life. Amidst all of this madness I had to retake my PCAT(which didn't go as I had hoped) and apply to pharmacy school. I was almost finished with applications when I retook the PCAT...this is where trouble began. I began to contemplate life at this point. I thought of myself as a failure and wasn't sure what was going to happen in the future. I wasn't sure if I should even apply because I knew that no one would want to consider me with a score like I had just received(I took it in January and my score was better but still not what I wanted). I decided to take time and collect my thoughts about my future and exactly what I wanted. One thing that constantly stuck out in my head and kept me grounded was Germany. I had spent five weeks in Europe learning, traveling, seeing, and experiencing life in a way I never thought possible. I remembered all the places we had been and things Dr. Wasser had said. I realized in this moment that plans don't always work out exactly as we want them too, but I'd never get anywhere or accomplish anything if I didn't try. After all, sometimes we just have to leap into the unknown and hope for the best.

Returning to "normal" has not been so easy. I long for adventure and to see a new culture or explore a new city...and this is not so easy when I'm in classes full time and have a job. People aren't the same. America is a harsh place as I've come to learn and we are not very accepting of those who are different. I understand there are some bad people in the world, but that does not mean an entire race or culture or religion is bad. Every group has a few bad seeds, and there is nothing that we can do to change this. However, we can educate ourselves on those groups, try to learn about their culture and then once we understand, maybe we would be more accepting. However, it seems easier to blame an entire group rather than take the time to educate oneself so they take the easy way out. However, in the end this could do more damage than good. I'm not really sure what is going to happen in the future, but I do know American and the world will continue to decrease as long as we keep the hatred and don't take the time to educate and explore. My life will forever be changed from this trip. I was able to see new things and I know have a greater understand and appreciation for the world as a whole. I believe and I now know there is good. I believe a lot of the problem is a language barrier. The fact that we can't understand everyone and the fact that they dress a little different then we do, makes it easy to blame them and assume they are bad. However, there was not one time when I was abroad that I felt threatened or scared for my life. I often feel more afraid in American then I ever did in my 6 weeks in Europe.

There is a lot more I hope to explore and learn, but for now, I will take my 6 weeks in Europe and hold on to them very tightly. I will continue to compare that world to this one we call America, and I will forever question why we can't be more accepting and understanding the way they were with us while we were traveling. I hope to go back some day and I hope that by the time I do, the world will be a little brighter place and there won't be so much fear and aggression. For anyone who reads this blog and is questioning whether or not it is a good idea to travel abroad, don't think, just do it. Take that leap into the unknown and don't look back. I promise, you won't regret it.

Forever wishing I could time travel and return!
I'll see you someday again Europe!

Lets go back.

Wow.  I can't believe that I've only been back in America for 3 months.  I feel like it has been a whole year.  It is probably due to everything picking back up again and going back to the fast pace of school, work, and other organizations.

Coming back to America, I didn't really feel much of a culture shock.  I was just glad to be back.  I may or may not have cried a little upon seeing my family when I got off the plane, but I blame the tears on the 20 hours of traveling and exhaustion.  The thing I enjoyed most about being home (besides the AC) was just the fact that I was home.  It was nice to be back in Texas and to enjoy some good ole Tex Mex.

Though the program was fast pace and we were always traveling, I didn't feel like I was constantly busy.  I was able to enjoy the moments I had and I honestly, can't wait to go back again someday.  Life on the Study Abroad Program was easy so to speak.  It was almost as if you got to leave all your commitments, duties, and stressors behind you as you left America.  It was an experience that I am forever grateful for.  The program allowed me to see the world in a whole different life.  Life is a little slower in Europe.  People don't stress as much.  They aren't as worried about being late because if they miss a train, there is always another one right behind it in 5 minutes.  They view life differently and in return, I know view it differently too.

Before the program, I was always stressed.  Whether it was about tests, assignments, graduate school applications, or just life in general, I could always find something to stress about.  However, after the program, I'm more at ease.  I know that everything is going to be okay and if it isn't, I can always just jump on a plane and head back to the countries that taught me to slow down a little.

My advice to anyone thinking about studying abroad is DO IT.  Trust me, you will not regret it.  The experience is truly once in a lifetime.  Everyone says it and I'm sure it is easy to think we are all crazy but we really do mean it.  The experiences you form in the countries along with the memories you form with your other students are simply amazing and something you'll carry with you for the rest of your life.

Don't hesitate, make the decision, and have the best summer of your life.