Is this real life?

This week abroad has been quite an adventure! The past week was mostly spent in Austria, Vienna with the program, and then Salzburg, and Innsbruck for our free weekend before heading to Munich. Even though the traveling has been exhausting, it has all been worth it. I would not trade a single minute I have spent in Europe for anything in the world.

Being able to see and tangibly experience the things you have learned about growing up is just an awesome experience.  I took piano lessons for many years when I was younger and my piano teacher would always make me study the history of the classical composers before learning their music. I spent years learning about Beethoven and Mozart for example and it was beyond awesome to stand in the same room that Beethoven had performed in and to see the place where Mozart died. They were such influential people and the only way to really experience those things is to get out of your little bubble of life and go forth and see the world. I am forever grateful for the experience.

I think it is obvious that the program activities were all pretty great. In the few hours we spent at the Josephenium, I feel like I learned more than I did all last semester in physiology class. And the Fools Tower? Awesome! I had never seen specimens like that before and after doing the project on Harlequin Ichthyosis last year, being able to see the young girl specimen with HI was really cool. Since the disease is very rare, I would have never thought I would have seen anything like that in real life.

Vienna was a very pretty city but I would have to say my favorite city so far is Salzburg. A few of us went on a Sound of Music and Salt Mines tour that took us up into the mountains. Luckily, it was warm and sunny that day and the views were spectacular. The lakes in the mountains were so blue and beautiful that it really looked fake – like something edited for a movie. Innsbruck was the same way. We visited Innsbruck on Saturday for a paragliding excursion, which was absolutely wonderful! The paragliding experience was something I will never forget and the views were something you see once in a lifetime.

Paragliding in the Alps! 

My week concluded with a visit to Munich, which I enjoyed very much! I am happy to have added a few Steinbach nutcrackers to my collection, as well as a few steins. The bike tour we took on Sunday morning was really good and I would definitely recommend it. I think it was a great way to see the city in a short amount of time. My favorite part of the tour would definitely be the English gardens where we were able to eat what I have always thought of as a ‘traditional’ German lunch of sausage, pretzels, and beer.

Overall, this has been a week for the books. Can’t wait to see what Hannover and Norderney have in store!

Tchüss,

Emily