Final Blog

The Germany trip was unlike anything I have had the opportunity to experience before. I haven’t lived in a bubble my whole life by any means, but my cultural experiences have almost always been those people who come here to the US. Never have I been immersed into a culture where I am the one who is the foreigner. It was an enlightening experience. There is so much the world has to offer. We grow up knowing and hearing about other cultures, but it never really sinks in how people can live in such a different lifestyle from one you’ve known your whole life till you see it firsthand. Most people have a deep attachment to their country that they refuse to loosen. I will always feel at home in the US, but after this trip I see the world is where my attachment lies. Meeting and conversing with people from around the world makes us all seem closer, and many of the perceived differences melted away. I hope to travel a lot more during my life and experience all the world has to offer. Before this trip traveling may never have been a priority, but that has easily changed.

Upon returning I didn’t have any type of reverse culture shock. I never lost myself in the cultures I visited, despite the amount I enjoyed it, but things did seem a bit stale compared to all the excitement there was to be had in Germany compared to College Station. Going back to classes wasn’t much fun to say the least either, but it’s been a month now and I’m finally back In the swing of things, enjoying myself between test weeks when I can, continuing on my degree path to becoming a doctor. The medical experiences on the trip only cemented my desire to be a doctor, especially after watching the open heart surgery. Learning of other types of medical systems was a definite plus as it gives me another perspective on how things could be handled instead of the one I have known all my life. It’s always good to get a different point of view. Just experiencing another culture will have a great impact on my future career. It is important for a doctor to be able to handle patients with different backgrounds in a respectable manner. All the experiences on this trip will help me to be a better doctor both with the information I learned and the cultural experiences I shared.

I can’t wait to travel again. Who knows what I will learn next time. Italy Summer ’09 here I come!