There and Back Again

Thinking back to the very beginning and the whole process of signing up to go study abroad in Europe, I realize that I really did something pretty out of the ordinary by my standards. I’m a kind of timid person in a way, but then again I’m not. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m a bit afraid of the unknown, because I’m very bad with directions, and I have this constant fear of getting lost. But by the same token, I always think ahead and say to myself, a well, if I get lost then I’ll just have to find my way back. It’s comforting to me in a way that probably makes no sense. I remember feeling terrified as I saw the email saying I had been approved for the trip, and then I remember another wave of fear when I purchased my plane ticket, and then a while later it all sunk in that I had pretty much hit the point of no return. Now thinking back on all of those feeling that I was experiencing, I feel like I was being overly dramatic because this study abroad experience was well worth it.

This study abroad experience broadened my view of medicine, not just veterinary medicine, but also human medicine. To me now that I’ve had time to look back and process things, I realize that I have had the opportunity to do something pretty darn awesome.

I got to visit historical museums where I got to get closer to all of the things that I have been taught throughout my education. Being able to visit these places and see what they have to offer makes me look at history in a whole new light. And it makes me marvel at how society has advanced so rapidly, and how even now we are advancing. A great example of this is the anesthesiology museum, where I was amused by how primitive early anesthesiology techniques where, but then as we kept walking through the exhibits and the years, my amusement rapidly turned into awe as I no longer understood the techniques being used, for that ,I would need to probably study extensively.

Now a little bit of insight from my point of view on people and how I relate to them. I met and hung out with amazing people. Truly everybody was a blast to be around. I usually never let loose and just have fun with people that I have not know for over a year or so, but being on this trip really helped me open up to strangers, and I found out that it’s ok. European people no longer seem as intimidating in my mind anymore. Well this is based on my experiences with the instructors, tour guides AIB staff, and the random people on the plane and bus rides. Overall, I think I’ve gained a new skill and I will treasure it, because being able to communicate with the world around us is very important. Well this is what I think on the matter.

Overall, this trip for me was a much needed break from the pressures of college life and stress, even though the trip brought with it a different kind of stress, but none the less being abroad was a breath of fresh air. I’m glad I got over the whole fear phase, and went for it because studying abroad was truly an amazing experience. I didn’t really know what to expect but I went with an optimistic view on things, and I came back feeling refreshed and ready to take on the new semester.

Only in my Dreams

While it was been over two months since we arrived back home, the whole trip still feels like a dream. I cannot believe that I actually went to not only one foreign country, but FOUR countries and had one of the best experiences of my life. Since the day we arrived in Houston, life has been filled with projects, tests, studying, and stress. I yearn for those “long” Germany days filled with adventure, new experiences, amazing food, and fun. This study abroad experience, I can say, was truly unique. From the people who went, to the surgeries observed, to all the museum and city tours, this was truly an experience that I could only imagine in my wildest dreams.

Dr. Wasser and Nils helped make our program become what it was. I’m sure it was not the easiest thing in the world to plan a wonderful three week trip for sixteen American college students. We all have a wide variety of interests, but I am certain that every one of our expectations were met due to the exquisite planning done by Dr. Wasser, Nils, Joy, and the rest of the AIB family. Every little detail of our day was thoroughly planned out. It became very obvious to me how difficult it actually was when we began planning our two free weekends. The first weekend, when we arrived in Prague, I think we must have sat in the train station for nearly an hour trying to plan our day out so that everyone was happy. Needless to say, we went our separate ways.

As I sit in class, I catch myself daydreaming of our adventures in Deutschland and new adventures that I will have in the future. A long time ago I made myself a promise that I would travel as much as I possibly could. I would not let money, fear, or anything else get in the way of me living my life to the fullest. This trip was the beginning of that adventure. I know that I will return to German some day. However, the new experienced that I encounter will be far below my experiences from this trip. I couldn’t have asked for a better group to share this with.

Thanks Papa Penguin, Papa Duck, Papa Bear, and the rest of the crazy animals in our zoo for making this an experience of a lifetime.

Bittersweet

So, it's been a month and a half since we got back from the Fatherland. Time has flown like crazy since then, and I hardly even remember February. College life is so fast-paced, and even though we never really caught a break in Germany, the whole trip felt like one huge roller coaster ride. And I love roller coasters.

Before I left for the trip, I mentioned that I was a little nervous about going. I didn't know what to expect, or what the people would be like, or what the food would be like. I only had one of my weekends planned and didn't know what I would be doing the second weekend, and also wasn't sure if I had enough money for food and souvenirs and such.

But now that I've been there, I can't wait to go back, and I wouldn't be nervous at all. We all learned how to navigate a train station quite effectively, which is almost a skill unto itself. I now know what to expect at hotels, hostels, restaurants, museums, reisezentrums, hauptbanhofs, and new year's eve bathrooms. I am so glad I went on the trip, and I can definitely say that going to all the trouble of obtaining old medical records so that I could get a new social security card and taking an online drivers ed class so I could get a Texas driver's license so that I could get my passport was well worth it.

I have so many memories from the trip, some wonderful, some sobering, all of which I am incredibly grateful for. Eating fried donuts on the walk back down from Neuschwanstein. The incredible view from the Neuschwanstein. The Hofbrauhaus and the Augustiner Keller. The Euro youth hostel. The Prague Castle and the indoor jousting room. The Jewish quarter in Prague and the synagogue honoring the murdered Czech Jews. The old world feel of Prague. Ali Baba's in Berlin, and his 2.50 Euro Doner and 1 Euro beer. The new year's eve festival and singing the war hymn. The artificial heart implantation. The aortic valve replacement. My first beer in Germany, the Weizen dunkel. Our first dinner in Bonn at the beer garden after we had been up for some 20 hours. The anesthesia museum. The pathologic anatomy museum. The operetta in Vienna. The veal schnitzel and apple strudel in Vienna. Listening to street musicians in Munich. The medical center in Vienna, the Josephimun and its wax figures, and the Pay-as-you-Wish hippie restaurant. The beautiful city of Dresden. The city of Cologne and feeling of awe when I first saw the cathedral there. The chocolate shop in Berlin. The memorial to the Jews in Berlin. Sachsenhausen concentration camp. The gelato in Cologne, henceforth no other gelato will compare. The night train to Vienna. The cool bartender at our hotel in Hannover, I can't remember his name. Running into people from California, Colorado, and Brazil at our first hostel. Listening to Vivaldi at a rip-off concert in Prague. The Charles Bridge. The discussion we had in Berlin at the Charite with one of the doctors about the pros and cons of socialized medicine. Cramming on to the trains in Berlin during workdays like sardines. Following Dr. Wasser and Nils like ducks in a line. The incredible Otto Bock facility and its sorting machine.

I could go on.

But I think I've made my point.

The trip changed my perspective on the world. I thought I had a "big picture" before I went. But it wasn't until I got there that I realized how fully I was wrong. There is a whole other world on the other side of the Atlantic. I always knew it was there, but it always seemed distant and foreign, almost like a fairy tale. But it's so real, and its history is so rich and complex. And yet the people, despite the cultural difference, are really not that much different. We all look up at the same sky, breathe the same air, like to go out and have fun, enjoy good food, enjoy good friendships, and listen to Ke$ha. And David Hasselhoff. I don't know why I was ever nervous about going overseas.

I would like to extend the following thanks:

To Dr. Wasser - There is no faculty member who I'd rather have lead the trip. I am always impressed by your depth of knowledge and wealth of experiences.

To Nils - I couldn't have asked for a better program coordinator. Thanks so much for all the hard work and for ensuring that everything always ran smoothly.

To the 15 students I had the privilege of sharing this experience with - I couldn't have asked for a better group. Y'all are awesome. I didn't know many of you before the trip, but I'm really grateful for the friendships that formed.

To my parents - for helping me finance the trip. I couldn't have done it without you, and I am incredibly grateful for the experience.

Ending this blog is kinda bittersweet. It's the last class assignment for this trip, and it feels like the trip is finally and officially over. It's good being back in the states. Free water is great, HEB is great, Texas is great. But Europe still lingers in my mind daily. I can't wait to go back to Germany, and I really can't wait to go back and see the rest of Europe. I definitely plan to.

Yearning for a Place from the Past

It has been two and a half months since our return from Germany, and not a day goes by that I don't recall events from our time there. While everyday there was filled with adventure and fun experiences, life post study abroad has been nothing but projects, equations, tests, applications and essays. Oh, how I yearn to escape back to our days in Germany. Being back has made me appreciate the study abroad experience much more than when we initially were there and when we initially returned. I will make plans to return one day. Perhaps post graduation or perhaps a time in the distant future. However one thing is for sure,when I return, I will be sure to return with as a great group of people as this last trip. They truly made every moment on the trip 100% enjoyable.

Were my expectations for the trip met? I absolutely think so. The surgeries I witnessed, the food I ate, the experience of each city we visited,the weekend trips, the interactions with the people; all these things went beyond my expectations. I never expected that I would fall in love with a city like I did with Bonn, Cologne, and Prague. I never expected to see a total artificial heart replacement. I didn't expect to see a bypass and a valve replacement surgery in the same surgery. I didn't even expect to become such great friends as I did with most of the people in my group.

I wish to thank the AIB, especially Nihls, along with Dr. Wasser for making this trip a success. If it wasn't for them, we would still be lost in Europe and our trip would have just been a regular trip, not an experience of a lifetime.

Thank you everyone.

I Miss Zee Germans...

What a splendiferous experience it was to go on this trip. I got to thank Dr. Wasser and the crew at AIB for putting together such a freaking awesome trip. The time and effort put into scheduling all the tours, hospital visits, museums, surgeries and all the other junk must have been enormous. But ya’ll should know that it was definitely worth it. Nils, man what a bad-a dude. He has got to win an award for all the trouble we put him through; losing tablets and transportation passes, and doctor visits, plus I’m sure we cramped his style. But seriously Nils thanks for all the trouble you went to to make our experiences abroad the best they could be.

Now that I’m back and in the middle of test week I find myself drifting off into daydreams about sitting in some café in Berlin or Köln blending in with the natives. There would really be nothing more peaceful to me right now than to be back in Germany minding my own, fading into the background of the everyday scene. It’s a good motivator, if I really want to spend some more time abroad I have to get through college and land a solid job. Or maybe ill just be Euro drifter. I could be a professional “blackrider,” and just hop form city to city making my money by kidnapping Liam Neeson’s. (Taken reference) Just kiddin I wouldn’t do that. But speaking about Liam Neeson, I have to recommend his newest movie The Unknown solely on the fact that we pretty much went everywhere he goes in the movie. Its pretty cool to recognize all the landmarks, and to say to the person next to me at the movies “I’ve been there.” They get annoyed quickly when you don’t know them. But if your looking for a cool way to remember Berlin then go see that movie.

I cant wait to go back. There are so many things that I want to do again. After the first time I got to go abroad I thought that I was just going to be a once in a lifetime deal, but I was lucky enough to experience it again. Now I can’t let it stop at just that. The trip opened my eyes and gave me a taste for something new and I can’t believe how much of an impact it has had on me, and how its changed my plans for the future. What I hope to do is get a job outside of the US. I never really had the desire before I went on this program. So once again, thanks Dr. Wasser, AIB, Nils Joy and A&M for putting together a great program!

I put the "man" in Germany

I miss our time in Germany. The hustle and bustle of the school this semester has really shown me that. I miss the people and the friends I made, the places we visited, and just having fun without a care in the world. The past 2 and a half years of pursing biomedical engineering have somewhat worn me out – the stress, the studying, the tests, the pressure. Going to Germany provided me with much needed relief and fun. It rejuvenated my motivation and reinforced the reasoning to why I put myself through such vigorous coursework. Observing the double bypass and ENT surgeries also gave me such a unique opportunity that few people ever get to experience. Seeing someone survive due to our advanced medical research provides me the motivation in pursing my own research. Knowing that I can save lives someday is just such a euphoric and unmatched feeling.

I am mostly thankful for the friendships that developed. Even if one single person had not gone on this trip, it would not have been the same. Everyone brought a unique perspective and a comical image that made our group so interesting. Whether it was Chris drinking an “ice” beverage, Katie waking me up at 3 in the morning to tell me there was a fire (on two separate occasions I might add…Thanks Katie), or Andy’s crazy adventure, there was always something to laugh about. And words cannot even describe the amount of respect I have for Nicole for fighting through her pneumonia to have a good time. In the end, I am just so incredibly happy we are keeping in touch. The frequent Germany reunions are something I always look for. In fact, we went to the Brauhaus restaurant in Bryan several weeks and I must admit they make a pretty mean schnitzel. What was even more awesome was that our waitress, Melli, was from Germany and was in the states to study. So we conversed about our Germany trip for a bit before heading out for the evening. I must admit it is the people you spend your time with, rather than the place you spend your time, that makes an experience memorable. Going to Europe is not the same if you do it with people you don’t love and have fun with. I will never forget all the hilarious times we had together.

The program would not have been NEARLY as successful as it was if it were not led by Dr. Wasser and Nils. You both did an extraordinary job organizing and planning out our itineraries as to make the most of our time there. I am truly thankful for the opportunity you laid before us and what you did to optimize the experience. I cannot wait to tell the summer participants how much fun they are going to have in Germany. I’m even jealous because they are going to be experiencing something while I am stuck in an internship getting coffee (not really, but you know what I mean). But anyways, the main point I am trying to get at is to thank Dr. Wasser for putting together this trip. We all really appreciate it and express our sincerest gratitude.

Oh yeah, and I also really miss Ali Baba and all of his glorious food.

"A Change In Me": Back to Texas...

In a stupid sort of way, choosing the song that I wanted to pair with this post was interesting in itself: "though what I used to be, I still depend on".

That sums up my feelings towards the Germany trip well. I had a ton of eye-opening experiences in Germany, some due to being abroad, and some due to the independence that I had during our free weekends. I found that not only did I have to adjust to the new countries, but that I had to grow socially and as a leader. I'm still who I was before I went on the trip, but with a little more experience in, well, life.

I always envisioned a leader as someone who had their stuff on lock, who had things planned and could run an event or an organization smoothly, but it turned out to be much more than that. The people that I looked up to adapted to changes and integrated them into a plan, whether it was getting lost and not letting the group on about it, having sick students, dealing with a giant group with divided interests, or working with a hostel on a lost reservation. Of all the leadership positions that I've held, you'd think I'd have learned that. I guess I have to be beat over the head with repeat experiences before I learn anything.

Returning to Texas was a strange experience. We got off the plane in a semi-unified fashion and made it to the baggage claim together. I'd say that was where the trip ended: when we parted ways. The people on the trip with me, above all else, made this trip unique. No matter what we do, we can’t recreate the conditions and relive the experience – it’s gone. Even if we could all afford the time and money to go again in the exact same group, it would be a different experience. It should not be something that is missed, but something that will be treasured by all of us who share memories of the trip.

Readjusting to life in the States was not hard, but the differences stand out more now. The lack of a transit system, the water fountains, the giant supermarkets and superstores – even the differences in the educational systems. In a major full of pre-med students, it’s hard to believe that somewhere else in the world, med school doesn’t cost a dime.

I read my pre-departure blog to try and determine if the trip “met my expectations”. I guess in not really knowing what to expect, it did. It certainly didn’t disappoint. I survived the hostel, I got to know great people in my major that I may never have met otherwise, and I got that valuable reminder that complacency is rarely a state to be envied.

Thank you...

Kate & Katie, for putting up with me

Luis, for making sure I don’t die

Daniel & Evan, for your appreciation of fine beverages

Kelli, for team babysitting a foreign five year old with me

Chris, for showing me that cool trick with a coin and reciting the alphabet backwards

Nathan & David, for your comic relief

Sarah & Vazanny, for your refreshing optimism and patience

Gus & Andy, for listening without judgment

Michael, for impressing us all with the closest almost-fall I’ve ever seen in my life

Paul, for your zealous pursuit of all things German

Dr. Wasser, for continuing to inspire me

Nils, for being the best program coordinator we could have asked for

“There's been a change in me

A kind of moving on

Though what I used to be

I still depend on”

- “A Change in Me”, Beauty and the Beast

Wait we get credit for this?-Vienna

Wednesday-Once we arrived in Vienna we met up with Rainer, and made our way to the hotel we would be staying at for the remainder of the trip. We had a short hour break at the hotel. That short hour was an amazing rest time for me as I took a small nap, showered, ate breakfast and drank coffee, getting myself ready for the day. After the short break it was off to our medical history tour of Vienna. We made our way to the city square and surrounding areas, and had an onsite lecture of all medical things Viennese. We even visited Mozart’s old home, now turned into a ritzy department store. After the city tour, we headed off to lunch were I got to experience a real Viennese Wienerschnitzel. Food in Austria did not disappoint, as it would wonderful. Unfortunately for me, I was still feeling the effects of the night before and could not enjoy lunch as much as I would have wanted to. After lunch, we made our back to the city square and went to tour St. Stephens’s cathedral. Just another cathedral tour right? Except for the fact that we got to visit the catacombs under the cathedral. The catacombs were just like you’d expect catacombs to be. Dark, claustrophobic, cold, and piles of bones lining the walls of the inner cells of the catacombs. After our cathedral tour, it was time to visit Café Demel. Café Demel was an awesome café as they had tons of desserts and drinks to choose from. I ended up getting a hot chocolate and a very unique tasting chocolate cake. After the visit to the café, it was free time, so we headed back to the hotel to rest up a little bit, before heading out to get dinner at a place near by our hotel.

Thursday: Today was going to be a busy day. We started off our program events by taking a visit to the Vienna Medical School, where we got a lecture about the Austrian medical school system and how it differed from our own. The system here was very similar to the system in Germany, consisting of 6 years post high school training. The curriculum here seemed to hover around early clinical exposure and problem based learning. After having talks about both systems, I’m still not sure what to think about them compared to our own back in the States. After the talk, we spent a little more time in the school/hospital and went up to the roof and looked out on to the city. Weather today had continued to be good to us as it was much warmer than it had been past weeks. We made our way to the Josephinum, where we had a small crash course in Viennese medical history. At the Josephinum we also had the opportunity to look at the anatomical wax models that had been there for decades. For being things made centuries prior, it was remarkable how well made they were and how “accurate” they were to a degree. Lunch afterwards was an interesting experience. We made our way to a popular restaurant that was a “pay as you like”, a very progressive idea. The food was Pakistani and was delicious. After lunch we made our way to the Narrenturm, which was basically an old insane asylum converted into a museum dedicated to pathology .The displays here ranged from wax models of the pathology to preserved remains of the person afflicted with the sickness. It was very similar to the Charite museum; however the sheer amount of items here dedicated to illnesses made it more impressive. After the visit to the Narrenturm, it was time for a short break back at the hotel before we headed off to the opera house to see the Count of Luxemburg. The majority of us grabbed a quick bite to eat at the McDonalds near the hotel. We dressed up appropriately and took a quick subway train to the opera house. Once we arrived and checked in our coats, Dr. Wasser and Rainer gave us a quick overview of the plot and setting of the play. The play started with a grand musical number, in a very Broadway like way. The operetta was in German, so an immediate understanding of the operetta was missing. However, from context clues throughout the play and prior knowledge of the plot, most of the play was understandable. I will admit I feel ashamed I could only point our 10 words I knew during the play. The operetta overall ended up being a great experience. It seemed more like a musical than a “happy” opera. After a long day, a little music, relaxation, and comedy is just what I needed. After the play ended, we headed out to a restaurant near our hotel were we had a post play dessert. A genuine apple strudel and chocolate cake really is a great way to end a day.

Friday-Today would be one of the more relaxing days on the trip. The day started off with a visit to the Spanish Riding School, which was a riding school for Lipizzaner horses. Rainer and Dr. Wasser gave us our ticket and we sat to enjoy the horse riding show. Unfortunately the constant drone of ¾ waltz time, and the same classical pieces being played over and over again, gave way for some listening exhaustion. When it was time to leave, we headed to a little café nearby and had a quick lunch. After lunch we headed back near towards the area where we had lunch we had the day prior to visit the Sigmund Freud museum. This had to have been one of the more enjoyable visits on the trip because Dr. Wasser gave a very interesting on site lecture on Freud and Freud’s ideals, and then we took an on-site tour of the museum which was remade to have parts that looked like Freud’s House and office. After the Freud museum, we headed off to the Wien museum, which was very similar to the German history museum we visited in Berlin, and had much of the same information, except from an Austrian and Hapsburg perspective. The tour was not nearly as long as the tour in Berlin and was less concise. After the museum was free time, so we went back to the hotel and rested up, before heading out to eat at the Italian restaurant next to our hotel. The service was a little slow; however none of us were in a big rush, so we did not mind too much. It was nice to just have a nice relaxing dinner. Tomorrow would be the last full day we would be in Europe, and it was time to prepare for that day.

Saturday-If I thought the day before was a relaxing day, this day was twice as relaxing. We started off the day by taking a trip to the Natural History Museum. This had to have been the best museum in our visit abroad. Seeing all the dinosaur bones, animals and animal Body Works exhibits made me feel like a kid again. The majority of the others also acted like kids and fully enjoyed themselves. One thing that was surprising about this visit was that Dr. Wasser acted as our tour guide. Boy did he know a lot about almost everything in the museum. He did a better and more concise job than a tour guide would have. After the museum it was our last free time in Europe, so the majority of us spent it going back to the city square to do some last minute souvenir shopping. For lunch we ended up going to a little “English” café. It was a tiny bit expensive, but for our last lunch abroad, it was nice. I ended up spending the majority of my remaining Euros on souvenirs for my family. After that was all done, we headed back to the hotel to pack up for the trip back, and rest up before dinner. Dinner today would be at the 7 Stern Brau, a brauhaus with great food and drinks. I ordered the full rack of spare ribs along with fried potatoes and French fries. Wow, just wow, what a meal. No matter how much I ate out of it, there was still a great amount of food left. Definitely one of my favorite food places we went to in Europe. Time flew by here, because before we knew it, it was time to leave. Our time in Europe was drawing to a close and I couldn’t think of a better way to end it.

The following day was our dreaded departure day. We said our good-byes to Rainer and Dr. Wasser, and anxiously awaited our plane to Frankfurt and home. I enjoyed my time in Europe very much, and hope to return with other friends and family. Three weeks was way too short s time, and if time and conditions permitted, I would have stayed longer. I’m grateful to have been able to take the trip.

Our (short) time in Hannover

Monday-Today was the day to visit the Hannover Medical School. A bit to our dismay though, when we arrived, our planned tour of the nephrology department was put on hold due to circumstances beyond our control. We headed to a conference room inside the hospital and waited until the doctor who we were supposed to meet came. When the doctor arrived, he gave us an in-depth look at the German healthcare system , and showed us how it compared to our in healthcare system in the States. The differences between the two were astounding, in both a positive and negative aspect. All of us in the group took away the message that neither system was perfect . Both systems needed a bit of new thinking. We then ate a quick lunch at the school’s cafeteria and made our way to the Hannover Vet School. The visit was interesting because I had never really visited a vet school, even though I had class inside one for a year. It was an interesting experience, and much different than a medical school. After this visit, we made our way to the city hall and learned some of Hannover’s history, much like we did in Cologne. After this, we had free time and made our way to a hotel restaurant to have some hot chocolate and dessert. When we got back to the hotel, we all made plans to eat dinner at a German restaurant nearby the hotel. Dinner that night was very filling and fitting as our last dinner in Germany.

Tuesday-Today was the day we were visiting the Heart and Diabetes Center of North Westphalia .We took a short train to Bad Oeynhausen. I got selected to be in the group which would see surgeries later in the afternoon, so the morning’s tour was a tour of the research part of the center along with the tele-medicine section of the center. The presentation given to us at the research center was a great way of showing how molecular medicine and physiology worked to help people. Our tour of the telemedicine department was great as well. I had no idea that such practices were being done here and back home in the States. Lunch came and went and it was now time for us to go observe surgery. It had been hinted in the morning that some of the surgeries in the afternoon would be heart transplants. When the director came by and picked up our group and asked who wanted to see the total artificial heart replacement, Daniel and I jumped at the opportunity to see it. During the portion of the surgery we watched, we had the opportunity to see the heart removal, canulation of the vessels and the sewing of the sewing ring. Unfortunately our time was cut short, but this surgery will be one I remember for a long time. Our day in Bad Oeynhausen was drawing to a close, and we headed back to Hannover to grab our last diner with our program coordinator Nils. It was a great dinner, and a nice farewell to our “papa duck”. After dinner we headed back to the train station and waited for our night train to arrive to take us to Vienna. We had arrangements to stay 6 people to a room, and sleep on our way to Vienna. Unfortunately for me, I was plagued with sinus problems and general discomfort, thus did not sleep the whole train ride, making another, long sleepless night/day on a train. 7 hours later, we arrived in Vienna and I was glad to be outside of the 6 x 5 x 8 coffin I had just been in.

Munich=A Place with Great Food

Friday-After quickly packing our things the night before, it was now time to say goodbye to Berlin. The last stop today before the weekend free time was a visit to Gottingen/Duderstadt. It was well worth the trip, since we were going to go visit the Otto Bock Fabrication factory. When we arrived to the Otto Boch factory, our first order of business was to take a tour of the different facilities in the factory. This included the feet and hand production sites, as well as the material science testing department. The next part of the tour dealt with the distribution and organization of finished products to market. This part of the tour had to have been the best part, since the automated system running the storage and organization was one of the most high tech things I have ever seen. After the factory tour, we had a short presentation on some of the products and how they came into effect to mimic natural human behavior. The myoelectric limbs and the “acti-gait” products for mobility were some of the more ingenious ideas. It was now time to make our way to our free weekend, so the group made its way back to the Gottingen station and patiently awaited the train to their weekend destination. For my group of six, Munich was our destination, so we grabbed a quick dinner and made our way to the platform early. When our train arrived, it was already quite full, but since we had reserved seats, we made our way to our seats and prepared ourselves for the three hour train ride. Up until this point, most of our train rides had been 3-5 hours, so this 2.5 hour train ride felt like nothing. We arrived in Munich with no problems, and what awaited us was a bustling night city just like Berlin. Luckily for our group, our rooming accommodations were very close to the train station. After helping the other five to their hostel, I made my way to my hotel. I had originally made plans to go to Copenhagen this weekend; however an urge to visit southern Germany hit me, so I made last minute hotel reservations. This day was a tiring day, so I fell right to sleep ready for another adventure.

Saturday-After one of the best nights of sleep I had on the trip, I awoke ready for our day trip to Fussen to visit Neuschwanstein castle. I quickly made my way over to the hostel, and grabbed a quick bite to eat there. We had to move quickly since we had to catch a two hour train to Fussen. For some reason I fell asleep on part of this train ride, even though I felt well rested from the night before. Once we arrived in Fussen, we bought a round trip bus pass and made our way to the Neuschwanstein bus stop. From the bus stop to the castle, the walk was a mile uphill. Any other day of this trip, this would seem a bit much, however, we were blessed with good weather, and the perfect backdrop of the sun shining on the white snow covered mountains. As we walked up the trail, we marveled at the great scenery around us. On one side, Schloss Hohenschwangau blessed us with its view, and on the other side, the forest mountain scenery of the trail to Neuschwanstein. Once we got to the top of the trail, we bought our tour tickets for Neuschwanstein, and admired some of the scenery near the castle before going on our tour. When it came time for our tour, it seemed like it ended as soon as it started. This tour was by far one of the shortest tours, and with the amount of money paid for a ticket, we felt almost somehow ripped off after going through all the other long tours we had been through earlier on the trip. However, we did get to see the inside of the castle due to this. The castle seemed way more modern than I expected to be, which took away from some of the amazingness. However, once we walked away from the castle and stared at it with the backdrop of the forest mountain scenery and the sun still made it an awesome sight to behold.

Hungry and 8 Euro poorer, we headed down back to the bus stop. On our way down, we found a pleasant surprise. 5 minutes down from the castle we came across a family run powdered fried donut stand. They were offering 3 donuts for two Euro. Hungry and tempted by the smell, we gave in and bought some. Wow. Just Wow. These things had to have been the most enjoyable thing I had eaten on the trip, and in a long time. Sure they were probably bad for our health, but the flavor contained in these little morsels was just unbelievable. Just as soon as they came, they were gone, and we continued our walk back down to the bus stop. Unfortunately for us, our little donut side trip made us miss the bus, so we had to wait an hour to catch the next bus to take us back to the train station. The bus finally arrived and we bid adieu to the awesome scenery that had graced us that afternoon. We arrived back to the station with just enough time to take our train back to Munich. We had made plans the night prior to go eat at the Augustiner Keller and try to visit the Hofbrauhaus. We arrived back to Munich, and took a quick pit stop back to the hostel before we headed out to the main town square for our night adventure.

New city, new train system. Fortunately for us, Munich’s train system had to have been one of the most efficient systems we encountered in Germany, so we made our way to the town square with ease. Since we had heard the outdoor market was nearby we decided to try to check it out. Unfortunately, timing was not our friend this day, as the market was closed. Hofbrauhaus was nearby so no time was lost. Once we arrived at Hofbrauhaus, we were greeted with the spectacle that was Hofbrauhaus. Oompa Music, long tables filled with people eating beer, and a room that seemed to stretch back as far as the eye could see. Seeing the crowd, we decided we would have better luck and try coming back the following afternoon. The town square in Munich at night was very lively, which surprised me. I guess I had not realized how big of a city Munich was, and I’m sure if we had spent more time here as we did in Berlin, I would have noticed it sooner. We headed back to the main train station, and made our way to the Augustiner Keller. Dr. Wasser had recommended that we try the Augustiner Keller, as it would have some of the best food in Munich. He did not disappoint. The food here was wonderful, and ranks as some of the best food I had in Germany. My meal of the veal schnitzel and fried potatoes still makes my mouth water just thinking about it. It was a great high note to end the day on.

Sunday: Our plans this day included a trip to the Hofbrauhaus and a little of city exploration. We checked out of our hotel and hostel, and made our way over to the Hofbrauhaus. It was much less crowded than the day before, however, it was still filled with people. The atmosphere was no different, as the oompa band was still playing and the drinks were plenty. This had to have been one of the more fun experiences in Germany, as the Hofbrauhaus was a great place to hang out and enjoy the company of friends. After enjoying ourselves at Hofbrauhaus, we made our way to explore the city , and made our way to the surrounding areas around the city square. The kind weather still graced us this day, so we enjoyed all we could of the weather. The day seemed to go by quickly, because before we knew it, it was time to head to the train station and catch a train to Hannover to meet up with Dr. Wasser. The train ride to Hannover was very much like the train ride to Munich. Quick, quiet, and filled with memories of the day. When we arrived in Hannover, we had to call Dr. Wasser for directions to the hotel. Unfortunately for us, our phones were out of minutes, and the only working phone had terrible quality. But somehow amidst all that, we followed the directions and made our way to our hotel in Hannover. While this weekend may not have seemed as exciting as the New Year’s Weekend, it was one to remember for years to come. Munich was by far one of the most enjoyable and fun weekend we had while abroad.

Our time in Berlin

Time in Berlin was mostly spent on tours through the city, museums or centers. Most of our learning of the history of medicine Germany came from this week. However, each day had one event that stuck out among the others as one to remember for the rest of the trip and beyond

The first day in Berlin, back from our weekend excursion from Prague, was mostly spent on a city tour of Berlin. However, a short visit to the Charite skill training center and Otto Boch Science Center, were the most memorable events of this day. At the Charite we learned a little more insight into how the German medical school system is compared to the US system. The newer alternative curriculum was something interesting, as it was based on problem solving based learning and earlier clinical exposure. The most memorable part of the Charite visit was the interactive tour of the doctor’s skills training facilities. Here we got to learn how to intubate a person, received some otoscope training, and pulmonary resuscitation training. After our time in the Charite, we took our city tour of Berlin, and ventured through much of the central area of Berlin. During the tour we stopped at a Holocaust memorial site, which consisted of thousands of black stone rectangular monuments aligned in a grid. Seeing the memorial was an experience within itself, however walking through the site was a chilling experience because of the atmosphere it created. After the end of our tour, we were left with our last mandatory stop of the day at the Otto Boch Science Center. The center had to have been one of the most fun places we had visited to date, since it was a bioengineer’s playground with all sorts of different implants, prosthetics and interactive demonstrations. I’m ashamed to say that as a bioengineering student, I hadn’t heard of Otto Boch before, but after this visit, I’m sure it will not be something I will forget easily as I learned a great deal about the implant/prosthetics industry as well as arising technology and innovations in my field of study.

For a day not seeming like much when first looked at on the schedule, our second day trip to Dresden was a day visit filled with lots of walking, learning, and interaction. After the three hour train ride from Berlin to Dresden, we were thrust into another city tour. We got to walk around the”New” –Old Dresden and visit many of the historic sites. The two sites that stuck out the most on the trip were the Church of Our Lady, as it stuck out as one of the most ornate churches we’ve visited, and the visit to the Dresden Royal Palace, as it still gave off a Baroque air. After our tour and lunch, we headed towards the Hygiene Museum, for another tour. However, this tour would be like the Otto Boch tour, were the unconventional interactiveness made it extremely fun, enjoyable, and memorable. The Hygiene Museum was split into different sections of exhibits, each with their own big room filled with displays, models and information. The motor and coordination room at the museum was the most interactive of the rooms, as it had many exhibits that were hands-on as well as filled with many biomedical device displays.

I must confess, Wednesday was the least memorable of the days; however the trip to the natural history museum was one of the more enjoyable visits to in Berlin. Throughout high school, I grew up a world history buff, so what better way to stimulate this old part of me than by visiting a Natural history Museum where I saw German history from its roman roots to its current state. We also took a quick visit to the Robert Koch Institute and received an onsite lecture from Dr. Wasser about the Nuremburg trials.

Our last day in Berlin was a day that brought immense value to the study abroad trip, as it gave us a touch of the grim reality of past happenings during Nazi Germany. The beginning of the day was a day riddled with snow. This proved to be the perfect backdrop for trip to the Concentration Camp Sachsenhausen. When we arrived to the camp, the camp was blanketed with a sheet of snow, with all the rooftops covered in snow. The snow would not stop until we left back to berlin for our final museum tour. At the camp we visited many of the different cabins were detainees were kept. Each cabin was dedicated to explaining a part of the life in the camp, from medical history to survival. Reading the stories in the exhibitions of the rooms in the camp, gave me a closer understanding as to what happened in camps such as this one. At the end of our tour of the camp, we went to visit a memorial dedicated to the lost lives. Seeing the remains in which the memorial stood, and the flowers around a monument cast an air of reflectiveness on the already somber atmosphere. We ended our day back at the Charite visiting the museum of medical history. It was one of the more visually memorable museums as the museum had an exhibitions dedicated to preserved body parts and disorders.

Our time in Berlin had finally come to a close, and a new fun weekend excursion was ahead. While Berlin may not hold the same small town comfort close to me as Bonn did, it did give us a feeling of familiarity and additional fun after our New Year’s Weekend.

Peace out my German hommies!

As the semester is in full force, the sweet pace and joys of Germany are no longer on my radar. It is amazing that it has only been about a month since we have returned. I miss Nill's and I didn't think I would say it, but I even miss Chris inappropriatly shouting his name at the top of his lungs.

But for real though. I realized I don't get near as much excercise here as we did in Germany. All the walking to busses, touring cities and museums, and climbing stair cases provided a consistent mild cardio work out. Plus lugging all my bags around was giving me some mean shoulders too. =/ oh well. Back to having to be intentional and disciplined about staying healthy.

I can also tell a big difference in the food. Maybe its my imagination, but the food just seemed healthier there. I miss the brautwurst and sauerkraut, and the huge cherries they would serve at breakfest. The team has been able to go out and eat at this German restraunt since the trip. That was fun, and getting to see everyone back here in the states is nice. Its cool cause we see each other in passing quite a bit now. Nicole gets soo excited when she sees me, she makes me feel special. Thanks Nicole, you make me happy.

I am gratful for the experience and would recommend it to anyone.

Thanks Dr. Wasser and AIB for all the hardwork. Oh, let me not forget Joy. Goodbye German Chicks that we ditched new years eve (Gus and I are sorry, we really mourned you guys), we just didn't wanna get lost in Berlin! Goodbye angry German waitress (Mona I believe), sorry you brought us five pretzels when we really just needed 3. They were delicious though, seriously. Goodbye crazy dude that stole the mug from Haufbrauhouse from our Hostel, and your friend Paula from Brazil. You will be missed. Goodbye Museum tour guide who delighted in grosing out his tourists -- Oh and I, besides Hershey Squirts, I thought of another slang for Diarrea -- green apple two step. Goodbye Ali Baba! DUDE we searched all over Germany and Vienna, and you had the BEST KABABS! I love you man. Peace out Midevil Lady who was defiling that Cathedral in Prague. Your a pretty girl, please find some better work. Bye to all the overpriced souvenir shops and owners who get mad cause we don't speak German. You are a souvenir shop, think about your audience... Just sayin. Deuce to Hotel Alex. I think Gus was right, you are Gay friendly -- and did we ever figure out what the little metal trashcan things were in the bathroom? Later Ernst, thanks for keeping our keys at the desk in Vienna, and for hooking me up with breakfest at 4:00 in the morning before my bus to the airport. You rock and I hope Christ reveals himself to you. To the guys who sold us the Soviet Hats: After thinking about it for a few weeks, its true, you win, 20 euros is ridiculous, but those puppy's were warm and I'd let you rip me off again in a heartbeat. And Lastly, goodbye team, thanks for being awesome and gracious, I had a blast, tons of laughs, some regrets and a lot of grreat memories =)...

So I guess I'm chunkin' the deuce... Peace out for now my German homies!