Hannover and more

I just got home from Hannover yesterday, one of our excursions with the program. The experience was very wonderful, s the pre-veterinary students (or veterinary students, in the case of Amanda) went separately to the vet school there in Hannover, where we shadowed the students there for their evening rounds. I got to give a cow an injection of ampicillin, give another cow an oral medication (which was quite difficult, since the cow had a weight advantage on me and knew the score), and examined another cow for a displaced abomasum. It was very interesting, and the opportunity for the hands-on experience here in Europe was invaluable.

We also went to see the amazing anatomy department at the school, with all of the old skeletons and models, which was very impressive. Some of the models date back the the end of the nineteenth century, and there were a number of posed horse (pferd) skeletons from famous horses that had been donated to the school. The accessibility of the model was impressive, as I believe A&M's models are all higher on shelves, as a general rule.

The aquaculture center was likewise very fascinating, especially as I have a strong interest in fishkeeping as a hobby. The fact that the center there conducts not only research, but also treats the fish that are simply pets is quite astonishing. I do not believe such a service is readily offered in the States, though of course all fish stores will offer advice and medications. There was also an impressive display aquarium, which had several freshwater rays, which had also recently given birth! That was a rare sight indeed, though I had actually seen more freshwater rays at the aquarium at the zoo in Köln.

Speaking of the zoo in Köln, I saw some amazing things there, too. The elephant exhibit there is very, very impressive, especially when compared to the paltry enclosure found at the Dallas Zoo. I was likewise impressed by the set up of the facility--the animals always seemed very close and accessible, a unique arrangement. And the zoo had a number of Przewalski's horses there, which I was able to see at a very close range, something that, given my interest in equids, was very exciting to me personally.

All in all, the past few days have been wonderful, and I am now very excited to see the aerospace center in Köln. Also exciting, though not relevant to the program, is the trip I will take immediately after the program to Paris, a place I never dreamed I would visit so early in my life. I can't wait to see the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Arc d'Triumph, and maybe even the Louvre, if I can. I can hardly wait! Expect more from me soon!