Concluding Thoughts...

I struggled with writers block for a while before beginning this final blog. I am not sure if I should attribute that to the fact that as an engineer I am rarely required to put more than two sentences together or because it is difficult to condense all of the memories and emotions of the Germany trip into a single coherent thought. (Realistically, I think I am suffering from the latter.) But I can easily begin by saying that The History of Medicine- Winter Abroad program was with out a doubt the best time of my life and an invaluable educational opportunity.

To catch you up to speed, my trip did not end at my last blog. I concluded my European excursion with a four-day trip to Paris, which was absolutely amazing, complete with a trip up the Eiffel Tower, a walk around the Louvre, a breathe taking church service in Notre Dame, and a stroll down the Champs Elysees! But after nearly of month of constant travel I was exhausted and ready to return home. In all consideration my travel method back to the United States might not have been the best idea, but it was an adventure nonetheless. I spent my last day in Paris alone, because my travel buddy, Tarah, departed early that morning. I remember enjoying the sunshine and the considerably warm weather very much that day, while lounging in the Jardin de Tuileries until it began to down pour. However, a little rain didn’t ruin my day. I devoured the BEST chocolate, banana crepe in the history of the world, then lost track of time in the most adorable bookstore, and did some last minute souvenir shopping. My last day in Paris could not have ended more suitably; I enjoyed a glass of red wine and crème brulee, tucked in the corner window seat of the restaurant watching people, traffic, and the drizzling rain. Then the journey began…
I did not really consider timing or scheduling prior to boarding the train that would take me back to Koln, Germany and ultimately to Houston, Texas. About six hours after leaving Paris, I arrived at the Koln train station around 1:00 am. It felt great to be back in familiar territory, but my mood deteriorated a little when I realized that the next train to the Airport didn’t leave until 3:00 am. (But, problem solved; I chilled in BK for two hours watching Germany Music Videos!) I have no clue what I had anticipated doing for 5 hours in a desolate airport in the wee hours of the morning, but the situation did not present the many good ways to kill time, except sleep, which was evading me. So when I finally sat down on my one hour flight from Koln to Munich, I knew I would pass out immediately, but such was not the case. My seat neighbor, David, had the most amiable disposition and instantly struck up a conversation with me. He was a native Kolner, and travels to Munich every Tuesday and Thursday for business. We shared a love for nature and outdoor activities; David is a huge bike enthusiast, and I am an avid trail runner. We exchanged notes on our future travels. He told me about his dream to ride a motorcycle with his best friend, from California to Alaska and I shared my hopes to backpack from Ireland to Greece. Despite my exhaustion, I enjoyed our conversation very much, and it fully confirmed that Germans are the nicest people in the entire world! (I was excited to read a Yahoo new article the other day that ranked Germany second among all the countries in the world for the most friendly to foreigners. But I already knew that!)
There is still more to tell about my final adventure home…I had a layover in Washington D.C. for a couple hours on Inauguration Day!!!!!!!! This was very cool, because I got to talk to so many people who witnessed the historic event first hand.

One of the best things about the entire trip was that it reaffirmed my desire to pursue a career in the medical field. In the months prior to the trip I was really struggling with whether or not medical school was for me. Becoming a surgeon has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. And, although I have done a lot in recent years to help prepare me for such a career, I was beginning to doubt if I was willing to endure the long and hard road that lay ahead. The study abroad program did the best job of acknowledging the breadth and depth of the medical field and introduced me to areas of medicine that I knew relatively little about. This was extremely encouraging because it reminded me that medicine extends much farther than surgery (although watching open heart surgery was definitely a highlight of the trip) and that the important thing to keep in mind is my love for medicine and my desire to help people, which makes the road ahead so much more approachable.

The second thing that this trip affirmed was my love for travel!!! I live for adventure, and there is nothing that compares to the excitement of new discoveries and the ultimate freedom found in the unfamiliar. I am really missing the all of the opportunities for spontaneous excursions and adventures that were available while traveling around Europe. I am struggling to find Viennese coffee, Parisian crepes, German Pubs, breathtaking cathedrals, and unparalleled art museums in College Station, Texas. I guess that only means that I need to continue my worldly travels!

Before I say “Auf Wiedersehen” I want to reinforce how grateful I am to have been given such a wonderful opportunity. To everyone who participated in the program, I had so much fun getting to know all of you and look forward to continuing our friendships. Dr. Wasser, thank you a million times over! You did the best job of organizing the trip, putting up with 15 college students, and I really valued all of the insight and knowledge you passed along. And to anyone else who reads this, if you are presented with a similar opportunity, all I can say is DO IT!