Vienna Send-Off

Yesterday, we went to Freud's old home. It was cool to visit and to hear about his life, but one of the real problems with the musuem is that it is almost completely empty. You see, the Freud's were fortunate enough to plan their emigration to London in 1938 before it was no longer possible to flee from the Holocaust. They took most of their things with them, and their apartment became a Jewish ghetto. What was there was very impressive, especially since the "talking cure" is making a little comeback, from what we were told.
My favorite idea that Freud had was the supreme influence parents have on their children based on what they tell them, and not so much based on their actions. I feel that my personal experience confirms that. For some reason it seems that what parents say has a much greater impact on me than what parents do. It makes me want to be very aware of what I say around my children years from now.
Today was a trip to the medical history museum that is attached to the medical university in Vienna. There were a lot of very impressive wax figures that are extremely well preserved considering their age (many around 250 years old, still with real hair!). There was also a large painting of a surgery with early anesthetics signed by none other than John Quincy Adams. No idea on its authenticity. Some of Vienna's medical history highlights the tension between physicians and surgeons. One of the university's primary goals was to give surgeons a formal education and move away from an apprentice based system.
There's a very good chance that this will be my last time online in Europe. I've had a lot of fun on this trip and I wish I could stay here and see more things like this for a very long time, but I've got some work to do back in the States so I guess this is farewell. I recommend this program to anyone who can get in, no matter what your interests may be. Much of what we've learned on this trip are things every person ought to know. I wish everyone safe travels on their way back to school, and a very good semester in College Station.