Highlights

*This post was written on Saturday, August 2nd*

I got to feed elephants!

The activities of this past week have gotten better and better with each passing day. On Tuesday, we had a guided tour at the Cologne Zoo and had a behind-the-scenes look at the elephant care facility which included getting to feed elephants! Despite being focused on human medicine, I enjoyed learning about how the animals are cared for. An important concept that I've been exposed to as a Biomedical Sciences major is that of One Health, which suggests that human, animal, and environmental health are all affected by their interactions with each other. Some of my questions about disease spread were answered and we also talked a little bit about organic and sustainable agriculture.

Chocolate as medicine? Sounds about right...

That afternoon we were free to explore the city, so a couple of us visited the Imhoff Chocolate Museum on the Rhine where we learned about the history of chocolate making and how it affects all aspects of culture including its uses in medicine. After our self-guided tour, I had the best hot chocolate ("Aztec"-style with Tabasco and spices) and cake (raspberry Tiramisu) of my life at the café with Katherine and Angelica. Afterwards, we went on a mad hunt for Deutschland World Cup jerseys with little success. All in all, the day was pretty fantastic and I was a bit sad to be leaving such a beautiful historical city. I wonder when I'll be back again and I hope it's soon!

Lovely morning at the Bonn UniClinics!

I'll err on the side of being rather informal and say that WEDNESDAY WAS PRETTY FREAKIN' AWESOME! We all met at the Bonn central train station bright and early around 7 am and took a tram over to the Bonn University Clinics to shadow surgeries all morning long. I was in on one surgery all morning which was the removal of a stage T3 carcinoma from an 84-year-old man's colon. I stood by the attending anesthesiologist and medical student administering anesthesia the whole time and helped out a little with getting materials. Once the tumor was removed, I got to hold the mass of tissue and that was SO STINKIN' COOL!!! You could feel on the piece of colon where it was very hard because of the tumor and the surrounding healthy tissue was quite squishy. I was glad to have all my answers questioned by the attending anesthesiologist about German healthcare and we had a nice conversation about the comparisons to American healthcare.

Me and Angela at the top of Rheinfels Castle

On Thursday, we all took a train together to the town of Bingen, where Hildegard von Bingen was born. We visited the Museum am Strom to view exhibits on her life and afterwards we walked through the attached garden and each student talked about his or her assigned plant that Hildegard had written about in Physica. My plant is the meadow cranesbill, which a pretty purple geranium that Hildegard suggested could be used to treat melancholy and bladder stones. Today it is more commonly used for inflammations, fevers, excessive bleeding, and a variety of conditions. In the afternoon, we went for a boat ride down the Rhine to St. Goar and just about everyone in the group fell asleep in the exhausting heat! We still saw numerous sights along the way including a 1000-year-old castle. When we arrived in St. Goar, we hiked up to Rheinfels Castle and our tour guide took us through the mines underneath which involved a bit of crawling through pitch black dark with the aid of candlelight or cell phone flashlights. That was a neat experience because we experienced a bit of how the castle dwellers would defend themselves centuries ago. 

Obligatory selfie with Beethoven's statue in his hometown!

Yesterday we had a late start and had back-to-back lectures as well as our pre-departure meeting for Berlin. It was bittersweet to realize that it was my last day in Bonn and that these were my last moments at the AIB and with my host family. At the end of the day I had a lovely hot chocolate outing at a café close to the AIB with Nishah, Edward, and Sean and afterwards we got this selfie with Beethoven's statue.

I'd just like to take a moment to say tschüss to my host family and vielen dank for taking care of Nishah and me to the point that I didn't feel homesick at all!

As promised, next week you'll hear about my experiences in Berlin!

Elisa Vengalil '16

Switzerland: My Last Free Weekend

Our time in Germany is coming to a close, and we are making our way to the capital for one last excursion. Berlin is the largest city in Germany and is filled with history. It makes me sad to think about leaving this country, but I am excited to see my family and friends (and new lab puppy) after being gone for so long.

On my last free weekend I traveled to Switzerland with Angela, Edward, and Angelica. We stayed in Lucerne, which my parents had been to before and recommended. Unfortunately, it was raining on saturday which affected our outdoor plans to go kayaking on lake lucerne. My mom's birthday was on saturday and I was able to recreate a picture she took by the Lucerne bridge when she was there.

We saw some of the historic sites in Lucerne, but what I will remember the most is the people we met there. We met a group of students from Michigan at our hostel that we explored the city with on Friday night. On saturday as we were looking for a cafe to have some hot chocolate at, a group of people about our age asked if we would like to join them. We did not have much else planned so we sat down and enjoyed their company for several hours. The group all lived in Lucerne and were already working at the ages of 21 and 22. That seems crazy to me since I will be in school for at least four more years. But most of my friends who aren't going into the medical field will be entering the "real world." Getting to know a group of people our age from across the world made me start to really think about possibly living over seas at some point in my life.

On sunday we planned on hiking up Mount. Pilatus, but when we found out that the hike took at least 2 and a half hours we opted to take the cable car instead. Halfway up the mountain was a toboggan track that we decided to try out which was a great experience! The view was great and it was something none of us in the group had tried before. We also went up to the top of the mountain and even though it was cloudy, the view was breathtaking. Climbing up to different peaks and taking in the sights from the top of the Swiss Alps was something I will never forget. Nor will I forget seeing Yao Ming at the top of the mountain! He was with his family and bodyguard so we were not able to actually talk with the former Houston Rocket. Switzerland was the perfect place to spend our last free weekend in Europe!

bye bye bye (Bonn)

our last week in Bonn was a blur. a stressful, surreal blur. it flew by entirely too quickly (the final week and the entire trip).

my favorite part of the final week was the zoo (and not just because Jens was there lol) i really do love animals. i mean obviously, since i want to be a veterinarian. but it was so interesting to see the way German zoos were set up, i felt like everything was so out in the open. i guess they didn't have to worry about silly people hopping fences to get to the animals or anything.

our final week we also got to cook for our host family. it was honestly the randomest combo of food but we made it work and our host fam ate it all so thats what counts. we were originally gonna try and make queso, but uhhh we couldn't find velveeta, american cheese or pepper jack cheese, so our cheesy night plans totally crumbled form that moment on. we ended up making salsa, guacamole, stuffed mushrooms, sautéed spinach and rice. the fam ate the entire massive bowl of guacamole. i was shocked, i really thought they wouldn't like it too much but they ate it up.

on our last night in Bonn we stayed around the dinner table for about 4 hours just talking and Erika kept saying how much she liked us and that we were her favorite girl host daughters. she was so awesome. i really liked living with her and Makeda and Menelik. they just took us under their wings and taught us all about Bonn, Cologne, and Berlin. they took us to dinners and out to bars and beer fests. they were just such a blessing to our already amazing program experience. having erika drop us off was really sad, i think she almost teared up. we had just all gotten so close in such a short amount of time it was hard to say goodbye.

we are in Berlin now. the final leg of our trip. its really bittersweet. I'm excited to go home and see my family and share my experiences with my family but i also wish i could stay for longer. being in europe has been such a different vibe than back in the US and i love it here. i'm definitely coming back in the future.

Week 3: Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Munich

We had a very early start Monday morning to make our way to Vienna. After all the celebration from the World Cup final win had to pull an all-nighter to packed all my things for the trip. After our smooth flight to Vienna we started our experience there with a tour by Dr. Schnabel (Dr. Wasser in a plague doctors outfit) where he highlighted all of the major medical importance of the city. Later that day we had a guided tour through the catacombs at St. Michael Church. I started with some background information about the church and life at that time in Vienna. Then we entered the catacombs through a stairwell inside the church. As soon as you enter you can feel the difference in temperature and moisture. The area is quite expansive with some smaller rooms that more wealthy families could rent burial space for themselves and their families upon their passing. You could tell how wealthy or prominent a person was by what their coffin was made of. The wealthier people’s coffins were made of iron or other metals with ornate decoration and ornamentation. Most of them were made of wood and some very beautiful paintings of flowers, angels representing life and its beautiful but delicate existence. The large room was estimated to have the resting place of over 400 bodies. The coffins would be stacked one on top of another and when they needed more space they would simply break the coffin at the bottom of the pile to make more space. Sometime before they discovered and excavated the catacombs there was a flood that had caused a lot of the coffins to corrode or rot. One astounding but effective way they displayed how many people and remains were found there was the wall of femurs. Any entire wall at least 8-10 feet high was covered with hundreds of femur bones that had been found there. Likewise, there was a wall with skulls and other various bones. The coolest part was being able to see the mummified people still in their coffins. There was one older man who was a prominent politician of his time, a middle aged woman and a young girl on display. You could still see most of their skeleton and even the clothes they wore when they were buried. Since the plague hit this region very hard several times it is safe to assume that a large part of the people buried there were victims of the plague. The most chilling part was seeing all the smaller coffins that were for small children. I was impressed with their efforts to preserve the bodies with hay and straw to soak up the fluids of the bodies as they mummified.

Our following morning was spent at the Josephinum Museum. It was essentially the first ever body worlds exhibit. They used it to teach the medical students and art students. The models were not always 100% accurate but it was still very impressive for the time. We learned a lot about how certain diseases or conditions were treated back in that time, some of which were similar to what we do today. I thought the obstetrics room was especially interesting. Our knowledge and technology in this area has advanced exponentially since that time. We have always known that many woman died of childbirth in those times but thanks to the visit we could see the various anatomical reasons why childbirth was so dangerous.

One of the most informative and eye-opening sessions we had was our lecture by Prof. Marz at the Vienna Medical School and Clinic. It was wonderful to compare the medical systems of the US and Austria side by side. Other than the varied years of schooling in each the main difference is the context of what you are being taught. American medical schools teach you in a classroom and you study and memorize for exams. The Austrian medical schools like to have more experience based learning where they students are having indirect contact with patients under the supervision of other physicians so they can see why they are learning the things they are in class. I like that approach a lot. Many times it can be difficult to study for a class when you cannot see where you would apply a lot of the material in a real job.  I was curious to know how costs compare and when I asked I was shocked by Dr. Marz answer, they do not have tuition! The tuition is covered by taxes. I am still not sure which system I like better but I know for sure the Austrian system is much more simplified and stress free than the American medical system.

Next as the Fool’s tower. The cylindrical building used to be an insane asylum and living quarters for nurses and doctors who ran the institute. Over time it was converted to a pathology museum with thousands of real artifacts and body parts. Our tour guide was a medical student and asked us a lot of questions about the items in the museum to see how much we knew. We could answer almost every question he had which made Dr. Wasser very proud. Although all of the affliction were sad and slightly creepy it was amazing to see all these real cases and how they tried to remedy/cure them.

That weekend was my favorite of the entire trip. We traveled to Salzburg where we took a Sound of Music Tour and Salt Mines tour. Both tours were exceptionally beautiful and fun. I have never seen such beautiful scenery in my life. We drove by the Monsee Lake which was almost unreal aqua color from all the gypsum that runs into it. That lake with the Alps in the background and the lovely sunny day made for the perfect day for the locals to go swimming in the lake. The salt mines tour was very educational and a unique experience. Through the winding roads up and down the mountains we caught a glimpse of Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest house. It was the highest peak in sight but resembled a prison like building to me. The following morning we went to Innsbruck where we went paragliding over the Swiss Alps! It was one of the most incredible and exhilarating experiences of my life. I was very nervous to take off but once we got into the air it was very relaxed and soothing not to mention the spectacular view of the moutains. We were blessed to have beautiful weather the whole time. Saturday night and Sunday we were in Munich where I got to celebrate my 21^st birthday. That day we went on a four hour bike tour through the city. It was a great way to get a quick look at all the city has to offer. I would have loved to spend the day in the English garden where all the locals were out tanning by the river. We visited the Asian Biergarten where we had lunch and had traditional food and bier from Munich. The experience really exemplified the traditions and history of Bavaria and made me wish to come back and visit again one day.

A Visit from Barbara

 Throughout this whole trip we have sat and listened about all the healing practices our family uses. They are very found of homeopathy, and our aunt uses a lot of different things to "balance her energy" as she says. Everything from numbers to colors; they have also showed us some reflexology and ways to open our chakras, very interesting to say the least. One evening during a massage lesson (yes those occur in our household) my aunt noticed my really slight scoliosis in my lower back. Ever since that day she researched methods and exercises I could do to help it and constantly asked about it. She even told me she would examine it when I got back from our two week excurtion to make sure I had been doing the stretches every day. Then she asked if Chanel and I would be interested in having a session with their friend Barbara, a Jin Chen Jystsu healing practitioner. Being open minded and appreciative of their concern we decided to try it out.  

Just as our host mom and host aunt Barbara had a big personality about her. From what I understood Jin Chen Jystsu was all about connecting the energy through all the cells of the body. Barbara would place her hands on two different places on my body and explain that herr hands merely worked as "cables", only transfering the energy we already contained, not adding or taking away any energy. I'd get scared when she'd make questionable noises about what my energy felt like. Things like "hmmmm" or "ohhhh". Whether it was good or bad I have no idea. A lot of the hand placements she taught us can be done on ones self, which is why Barbara said it was great because you could do it on the bus or while talking to someone and no one would know you were treating your body. She talked about the correlation of certain placements with organs or body parts and how the body has everything it needs to heal itself. Sometimes different regions of our body lose communication with each other and how putting them back in touch with each other can fix so many problems. 

I think the thing I appreciated most about Barbara was she realized her practice was something that could seem a little out there. Especially someone used to western medicine. She constantly told us that it was okay if we didn't believe in it like her. If we were willing to try it every once and a while then that was great and if we just gained knowlegde of the subject and never planned on using it that was okay too. 

Overall it was a really cool experience. I love meeting people like Barbara. There's nothing quite like company of people with extreme passions, even if it isn't mutual.   

Overcoming Anxieties

Only four days left, and I cannot believe it. I have spent one month abroad, yet it has passed in the blink of an eye. This week was certainly no exception. From the Beethoven House to Castle Rheinfelds and from the Cologne Zoo to the Uniclinics, the past five days have been some of my favorites. They have made me realize just how much I have grown throughout this experience as well.

My absolute favorite part of the week was observing surgeries at the Uniclinics. I went into the morning very nervous for what was to come. I had only been in an operating room once before, and it was during my time in Kenya. I didn't have the best experience, and it left a very negative association with surgery for me. While I was willing to give it another shot, I was certainly not excited for Wednesday. However, as I put on scrubs and walked into the first prep room, my nerves and anxiety quickly melted away. The anesthesiologist walked me through the orthopedic surgery that was about to occur. She made me feel included and important. I think she could feel my nerves a bit because she continued to explain the procedure while the patient was undergoing the operation. I was comfortable in the operating room and extremely thankful for her thoughtfulness. While I expected to be uneasy and ready to leave, that was not the case. The surgery included the immobilization of a patient's ankle after many unsuccessful attempts at repair. She had a rod drilled through the tibia and stabilized with a handful of screws. I was glad to be comfortable watching the procedure, but I was certainly not hanging on the doctor's every move either. However, this feeling soon came when I entered the operating room with a male patient requiring an aortic valve replacement. I was able to stand directly behind the patient's head and look over the operating field from the very beginning of the procedure. I watched the doctor create an incision and divide the sternum. I watched him cut through the pericardium and then prepare the heart for bypass. I watched the blood flow through tubes into a machine rather than through the heart while the surgery took place. Throughout the entire procedure, I never wanted to look away. I was amazed with every aspect of it. I wanted to ask a million questions and see every detail. I was so disappointed when I had to leave for the afternoon. Never did I expect to not only tolerate, but be absolutely intrigued by any form of surgery. Before this week, I was very confident that surgery and trauma were the two fields I definitely did not want to pursue. However, the Uniclinics made me seriously question my direction for the future. While I don't really care for orthopedics, cardiac surgery made me very excited for what lies ahead. 

I know I've stated this before, but I cannot help but develop a greater and greater passion for medicine as the days pass. After this week, I cannot imagine myself pursing any other career. I am more than thankful for the opportunity to discover my excitement for surgery and medicine as a whole. As we leave for Berlin in the morning, I am greatly looking forward to what these last few days hold.

New Experiences, New Thoughts, A New Career?

Yet another awesome week has passed here and I cannot believe how fast time is flying. I was expecting this week to be a chance to relax and take it easy since we were back in Bonn, but I was wrong! I don’t mind though. I absolutely love everything that we have been doing and am very thankful for the things I got to experience this week.

First of all, I really enjoyed the History of Medicine lectures on the T4 Program and the Nuremburg Doctors Trial because those were both things I have heard of, but have never learned about in much detail. I find it all interesting, terrible, but very interesting. I guess it is just hard for me to imagine that happening today but I do realize that it can, and it has. I think it is important for people across the world to learn about the past, whether it’s pretty or not.

The Thursday cruise on the Rhine was awesome! Being able to see the castles and little towns along the Rhine was really neat. I could not get over the fact that the castles we saw looked just like the images in my head that I gathered from books and movies. Luckily, the weather was in our favor that day and made everything that much better. Our castle tour was pretty incredible as well. I learned quite a bit about what life was like living in a castle like that. It was different than I expected and I wish we had more time to explore there.

Top of Rheinfels Castle!

Probably my favorite part of the whole week was the time spent at the Unikliniks. Watching a cancerous tumor being removed from a kidney was an AWESOME experience. I’d say this was one of the most educational experiences I have had since coming to Texas A&M (besides Dr. Wasser’s physiology class of course…) and really got me thinking about exactly what I want to do with my life. I had never considered becoming an anesthesiologist before and honestly thought the job was much different than it actually was. I found the position of the anesthesiologist to be incredibly interesting. The use of problem solving skills, mathematics, equation balancing, and attention to detail are things that I have learned to do and come to love through my engineering courses. This may seem a bit odd, but I liked the fact that the anesthesiologist has to constantly think ahead and be ready for any situation. He or she must have a superb knowledge of anatomy and physiology to be able to anticipate cuts or stresses that may cause more pain than others based on the location of the nerves. I always thought I would do something with radiation or oncology but now I think I may need to consider other things as well. Of course, I found the surgery itself to be remarkable as well. Both the anesthesiologist and surgeon were very informative and were able to talk me through parts of the surgery to explain them. Since I just studied the urinary system last semester, I thought it was super cool to be able to apply what I learned to an actual patient. Seeing pictures in a textbook or even wax models cannot replace the experience of seeing a functioning kidney inside a live human. Nothing can replace the experience of watching a surgery and that is why I am so thankful I got encounter that. I now realize how important and life-changing experiences like this can be and I now think I will accept a job/shadowing offer that I was previously unsure about for the upcoming fall semester.  

Of course I can’t forget about the Cologne zoo! I am truly fascinated by animals and have become very passionate about them in the past few years so of course I loved the zoo. Feeding the elephants was remarkable encounter that I know I will probably never have the chance to experience again. I am glad we got to do that – it was unforgettable!

Feeding the Elephants!

I am currently trying to make every minute count. I realize my time here is dwindling to a close and I must admit that it is a bit bittersweet but I know I will miss Germany and all the people who have made my time here so special. 

See yall in Berlin, 

Emily Thompson

A Career Roller Coaster

Over the past week in Bonn, my next few steps in life have been heavily weighing down my mind.  What am I supposed to do when I graduate? I keep changing my mind, and studying abroad has opened my eyes to even more possibilities! One of the main highlights from this past week was having the opportunity to observe a liver transplant. A LIVER TRANSPLANT! I still haven't wrapped my mind around the fact that I got to see this entire surgery.  It was incredible!

I left the medical school train about 2 years ago and really haven't thought much about it again until that day that I was in the operating room looking at a patients bad liver being removed from their body. I honestly gave up the dream of being a doctor because I didn't feel that I had what it took to be a doctor and that I wouldn't be able to make it in medical school.  Then life threw me for a loop when I realized I still had a very strong passion for wanting to be a doctor.  My current plan is to go to nursing school after I graduate in December, and then eventually become a nurse practitioner.  I've been diligently working towards this goal for a while now, and can't imagine changing directions once again.  Would I be challenged enough by just being a Nurse Practitioner? Am I pushing myself as hard as I can go?  My mind is running in all sorts of directions now!

As I stood on a stool learning and observing from the surgeons and doctors that day in the operating room, I couldn't help but feel like a kid in a candy store.  I have the passion for medicine, and truly believe that I am supposed to help people in this way.  What the heck is stopping me from becoming a doctor and giving people a second chance at life with surgeries such as a liver transplant!?  Nothing but myself!

The most exciting part of watching the surgery was seeing the bad liver come out of the body, and the surgeon holding it up and saying, "Look!!  It was as if it was no big deal for him to take a human organ out of a body, and replace it with a new one.  For him, it was a regular thing, but to me it was a huge deal! It was life changing, honestly!  I was shocked at the way the liver looked.  It was nearly the size of a football, and looked terrible.  Then came the new liver.  It was smaller, and looked much better, and much healthier! The patient was getting a new chance at life, and a whole new lifestyle.  Thinking about his future was exciting, and brought a smile to my face.

I sat in bed that night and couldn't help but think of how watching the liver transplant was sort of a metaphor for my life at the moment.  The bad liver is my negative perception of my abilities and my life, and the new liver is believing in myself, and looking forward to a new, better future! I hope to hear the words "Paging Dr. Thomman" one day!

It's funny how life works sometimes!

Bucket List: Item #1

Over the final free weekend, I crossed off the top item on my bucket list: going to Switzerland! Growing up, I saw photos of how beautiful the country was. Finally, I had my chance to go. Like the other weekends, there was stress, craziness, and life-changing experiences. For one, the minute we made it to Switzerland, we made friends. We greeted a group of students from Michigan State University as we heard them speak English. They showed us the bus system and oddly enough, we found that we were all staying at the same hostel! After I got settled in the 20-bed room, I knew this was a true "hostel experience". Our new friends from MSU decided to go out and explore the city with my TAMU group. We checked out local festivals/clubs and had a great time! 

The next day, we had our "touristy" day in Luzern. We visited the Gletschergarten, Chapel Bridge, and the Luzern Lion. To conserve money, we mainly snacked all day: breads, cheeses, spreads, free samples, etc. from the market street. After visiting the Church of St. Leodegar, an odd thing happened. We were all starving and cold (the rain/wind was a bit brutal). As I approached a menu at a nearby cafe, this Swiss group at a table called us over. They grabbed four chairs and had us sit down with them. Next thing we know, they're buying us drinks for no cost! Hot chocolate, a nice bottle of wine, etc. They paid for all of it! If you don't know anything about Switzerland, know this: everything's expensive. Our bill came out to 453 CHF, which is about $500 in U.S. dollars. Casually, our new friend pulled out this money and handed it to the waitress. Then afterwards, they showed a nice Italian restaurant to eat at. While our day was filled with the "touristy" side of Luzern, it was nice having a feel of authentic Swiss culture through our new friends!

On Sunday, the weather cleared up. Finally, we were able to do what Switzerland is meant for: mountains! Ideally, we would have climbed for the full experience (3.5 hour climb). However, due to time constraints, we bought cable car passes to reach the top of Mt. Pilatus. At one of the stops, we got to stop and enjoy the view, as well as go tobagganing! It is basically a slide down the mountain that you can accelerate. It was a lot of fun. 

As we reached the top of Mt. Pilatus, the view was breathtaking. At the top, Luzern looked like the photos from my childhood. My #1 item on my bucket list: crossed off. I jumped like a little boy when I heard the Swiss cows ringing their bells as they grazed. I was speechless at the sights from the top of the mountain. While there weren't as many sites, activities, tourist attractions, etc. as Paris, or Salzburg, or Munich, I was still extremely happy with Switzerland. The simplicity, the beauty, the cows--Switzerland is in my heart forever. 

Only one Week Left :(

It's unreal how fast this program has gone. Things are starting to slow down and I'm very sad to leave, although I am ready to see my loved ones from back home. This week we had to catch up on class a little bit. I don't mind since it's because of the extended excursion to all the wonderful places we just got back from.

I spent another day in Cologne. First we went to the zoo to see the animals. Zoo's normally aren't really my thing. I just feel like its blistering hot and the animals just sleep. The weather was nice and we got a special tour so it was awesome! I loved going behind the scenes and feeding the elephants. I got to feed them and pet them with the other hand. I don't know what I was expecting elephant skin to feel like. I knew it was rough but you just can't explain it until you actually feel it. probably 6 or 7 elephants came up to say hello. It was very very cool! Their trunks were slimy from I guess putting food in their mouth and feeling them suck the bread out of my hand was something I never though would happen. We went to see the gorillas as well. Our guide had a very special relationship with a few of the monkeys so things got a little lively! This one monkey he raised since birth so she ran up and was blowing kisses and putting her hand on the glass where his hand was. It was really adorable. She also tries to give him a branch to rub his scent on and give it back to her. The other male monkey would get upset and try to I guess protect his mate and kept running into the glass to attack the guy. Another monkey was showing off and grabbed a huge branch and started running around with it. That is for sure the most entertainment I have ever gotten out of a zoo!

We went to uniclinics this week as well. I got to see prostate removal. It was all done endoscopically and was neat to watch on the screen. It took two and a half hours which to me seemed like a long time. It honestly wasn't the most exciting surgery in the world but the experience of getting to stand in an OR room was incredible. Being and engineer that wasn't something I was very actively pursuing but maybe I should have. It would be interesting to see a doctor implant one of the possible devices I could be working with in the future.

Today we hiked up to a castle. The castle was really cool and my favorite part of the day for sure. I thought it was kinda funny that our tour guide had us go underground and into this very short, skinny, slippery, and dark hallway all just for fun. I was expecting there to be something really neat waiting for us on the other side and to my surprised we resurfaced above ground and were exactly in the same spot we had been previously. We literally went in a circle underground. The views were outstanding and I guess I was surprised how many castles were still left in the whole Rhein area. Everywhere I turned there was another one and then another one.

I absolutely love this trip and am so glad that I made the decision to come abroad! I can't wait for Berlin, but I am very sad that it means our trip is coming to a close.

5 Capital Cities, 5 Weeks

In the span of just three and a half weeks, I've visited four current or former capitals of the world and will be in the fifth one by the end of this week. I've used public transportation systems of varying efficiency, drank tap water of varying sources that are far superior to College Station water (almost anything is better than CStat water, haha!), and have enjoyed meeting people of various nationalities with amazing stories to tell. I'd like to describe my experiences in the four capitals I've been to so cfar in this blog post; next week I'll blog about Berlin.
Bonn, Germany
I know that Bonn, the former capital of Germany, will always hold a special place in my heart. I can say that I truly lived in this city, although for a brief time, and got to really understand how a German version of my family back home lives like. The metro system is so ridiculously convenient that our host family rarely uses the one car they own as opposed to my family back in Dallas who has more than one car and has used Dallas Area Rapid Transit once in a blue moon. Our host family also likes to travel like my family does and I've realized the huge advantage that Germans have in being able to take 6 weeks off from work to ultimately use for vacation. Our host family goes back to visit their relatives in another country each year for a few weeks and also have the time to volunteer at an orphanage nearby their relatives' home for a few more weeks afterwards as well, which is so so so amazing! I've enjoyed my host family experience for the most part and really enjoy being here in Bonn, so close to the Rhine and many beautiful parks, universities, and architectural sites.
Vienna, Austria
Honestly I have to say that this was my favorite city I've visited in Europe. Vienna is not only relaxing, romantic, and beautiful, but it also has an amazing café culture and is amazingly historical. It makes sense why Dr. Wasser described it to us as the city that famous people go to die in. Not only is the city important to the history of music, but it is also important for the history of medicine! We visited the Josephinum which houses one of the first versions of a Body Worlds-type exhibit with wax models of human anatomy and a giant obstetrics model collection. After having shadowed an OB/Gyn for a few weeks earlier in the summer, I was so pumped to see some early accepted practices for handling difficult pregnancies that may be a bit grotesque to describe to the general reader. One thing I found intriguing about these models is that they made our internal anatomy and fetuses look perfect and that these were models used to teach medical students. I'm really glad that in the 21st century we can study these things with our huge advances in assisting technology.
Our four days spent in Vienna were my favorite part of our two week excursion because so much of what we had already learned in Dr. Wasser's lectures came to life for me in places like the Josephinum and on our historical tour with the pestartz doctor, Dr, Schnabel.
Budapest, Hungary
Nishah and I visited Budapest for our long weekend and I wrote about our visit to the Holocaust Memorial Center here. I'm really glad that we decided to travel here because the city is so rich in history. We visited the naturally formed labyrinth system under Buda Castle and saw Dracula's supposed tomb in one of the rooms, which was so cool! We also went to a Turkish bath for the first time and had a relaxing experience. The locals seemed like going there was a regular occurrence for them, but Nishah and I were intrigued by the different temperature pools and sauna rooms and amused a couple people when we jumped out of a 42 degree Celsius pool after a split second. The Hungarians were also very accommodating people and we never met someone who was too busy to help us when we needed directions. I hope to get the chance to return in the future!
Paris, France
I realize that this is the middle of tourist season and also I hope that I don't come across as sounding snooty, but Paris has an overwhelming amount of gorgeous sights overburdened by confused tourists. It was tough to truly enjoy some of the famous sites that Nishah and I went to this past weekend without getting stuck in slow-moving crowds and having to keep an eye on our possessions at all times. I also feel that Paris is over-romanticized. While we enjoyed visiting places like the Tuileries and the Musee d'Orsay, we also saw the city's raw features in less picture-perfect areas like that around our hotel in the 19th arrondissement. I did not want to close my heart to the fact that the city is rampant with poverty and immigrant communities who struggle to make this place their home and find success. In the future, I hope to be able to return with a reasonable understanding of French so that I can meet the locals to better understand this city rather than seeing it from the glass wall of a tourist's eyes.

All in all I've had an incredible study abroad experience so far. I have enjoyed being able to learn about the history of medicine as well as things about myself as a person outside of the classroom setting. Having the world as my classroom is such an enriching experience and I am so happy that I became a "yes-woman" and took the plunge to go on this journey!

Elisa Vengalil '16

The power of healing

We had such a short time in Hanover it is hard to say much about the city. But trying not to fall in love with an Axolotl is a whole new story. They are incredible reptiles that can regrow lost limbs. A 'natural form of science' they are using is taking spider silk, creating a cross pattern and using axolotl cells to fill the spaces basically creating a later of skin.
While we are on the subject of natural healing, there is no better place to visit than the island of Norderney. The air is so clean that you will pay a tax on it for every day that you stay. It contains little to no pollutions or pollens because the air is pushed in from the North over the sea. It might not be so ridiculous sound after all right?
Among the things you HAVE to do, is to go mudflut hiking. Make sure you get a fun tour guide because it will make for an interesting trip! (Just don't hold and of the mud worms and be wary of a flying crab.) The first layer of mud is easy to navigate, almost like walking on the beach. The next layer is a little slicker and more painful because it is covered I a shells. The final layer of mud is probably where the idea for the mud in Lord of the Rings came from. You sink to your knees, and test your balance! When you least expect it you sink even farther. Here's the catch, people pay a ton of money to get covered in the stuff. It's high in sulfur and minerals so it is very good for your skin. -We all got the opportunity later to take a mud bath and who would have thought being covered in mud could feel so refreshing. The one cool thing is how many creatures live in one square meter of the mudflat. More than just a few hundred thousand, which is mind blowing. Along with the fact that one mud worm can ingest over 50lbs of sand a year. They actually clean it and then let it back out.
There is one more special thing that Norderney is known for. This is the Badehaus. If you believe in the power of natural healing, this is the place for you. They have many different types of baths, all are salt water but each contain a different percent based of of the oceans all over the world. The Dead Sea as many know, contains a high salt content and minerals. This is why when it meets with other water it does not mix. They have a bath that contains water of the same contents, I suggest trying it. It feels very unique to relax in, and you can float with absolutely no effort at all. They also have saunas, to help detox your body and a mud bath. You cover yourself in the mud that is very much like what you hike in. Sit in the sauna for about 15 minutes and then rinse with the salt water shower afterwards. You smell very unusual for a bit but your skin feels wonderful. All of these treatments might just sound like a spa, but in reality the different types of water and heat can help with physical problems or treatment. They have a vapor system that lets you breath the minerals which can help with respiratory problems. People can be prescribed to stay here for weeks at a time to help with health issues and then return to work, this is all covered by insurance most of the time.
This unique little island is a must see, not just to heal but to relax. Since relaxation and rest is a huge part of the healing process. Rent a bike so you get in your daily exercise (it's all flat land, so it's not to tough) and enjoy the beach, go for a swim (hopefully it's warm) and watch an incredible sunset. It has a power all on it's own!

From 7/24: A Distant Past

This week’s adventures so far included a trip to Hannover as well as a trip to Norderney. Honestly, both exceeded my expectations (particularly Norderney). Our first night in Hannover involved a slight mishap on my part. I booked a reservation at Hotel Marjani but turns out, there are three Hotel Marjanis. Of course, we ended up at the wrong one. I mistakenly figured there was only one and since I don’t have service, we all “Google Maps-ed” the wrong hotel. Hilariousness ensued. The struggle was so real that night… For starters, there was a woman at the wrong hotel trying to help us. However, her English was limited and she believed that we were trying to check into the hotel and brought out a manager. In reality, we were asking for help finding the other Hotel Marjani. Three of our friends were already at the correct Hotel Marjani and were confused. To top it all off, the real Hotel Marjani manager was on the phone thinking we were near his hotel. Struggles, what struggles? Oh and of course, the cab service we called could not understand our pronunciation of “Charlautenstrausse”. So… our friend tried spelling this street, but failed to pronounce the letters in the German way. For example, “H” is pronounced “Ha” in Deutsch. Needless to say, this night was a struggle bus.

After we made it back safely, we met our full group the next morning at the Hannover HBF. Then, we had a lecture on some curious creatures called “Axolotls”. These creatures are researched because of their ability to regenerate limbs, organs, etc. Perhaps one day, scientists will find a way to transfer these genes onto humans. After seeing these adorable lizard-like creatures, we went to the Hannover Medical School for a lecture. The youngest certified cardiac surgeon visited with us briefly and then, his colleague showed us various devices used for heart treatment. We then briefly visited with patients with heart implants waiting for heart donors. It was a bit eye-opening; these patients clearly made the most of their situation. My concerns seemed petty and this experience helped put life in perspective. I will be honest—Hannover was not my favourite city. The hospital and research facility was amazing, but the city was a bit underwhelming.  The next day was the highlight of the week: the island of Norderney!

The past three days could not have been any more perfect. The weather was a breezy 70 degrees (Fahrenheit, I promise) and it was sunny all three days. To travel around the island, all 16 of us received bicycles. Imagine 14 college students riding bicycles together… Yeah. The first night, we went to the beach and swam with my professor and program coordinator in the North Sea. We also saw one of the most beautiful sunsets and took photos together, one of which was the most awesome human pyramid ever!!! The diversity of the past week overwhelmed me: from Salzburg to paragliding to Munich, to the beach. I never expected such a beautiful beach to exist in Germany; Norderney was paradise.

Day 2: bathhouse. After a lecture on alternative medicines (particularly in Norderney through the climate, natural remedies, and the spa), we had the opportunity to utilize the baths in the bathhouse—an application of our knowledge per say. The spa was absolutely amazing. There was a shower with a head from 60 m above—basically a waterfall (and unusually pleasant back massage), a “fire bath” that basically made me infertile (water temperature of 40 degrees Celsius), a salt-water bath, and of course, the mud bath. Norderney is very special. The air is so fresh and clean that for visitors, there is a tax of 3 euros/day to breathe this air. Their mud also has various minerals that provide benefits to skin. Fortunately, our group was given the opportunity to use this mud bath. The only catch—we were nude. Someone told me people bond quickly on study abroad trips and for sure, they were not wrong. After we enjoyed this relaxing spa, we had the awesome opportunity to visit the boat of a sea rescue service. They rescue humans trapped in the water, lost, injured, etc. and they are essentially a volunteer organization. The nice men showed us around the boat and described their work. And of course, for group dinner, we sat in a restaurant by the beach and ate a fish platter with wine—yum!!! Afterwards, our professor bought us gelato. Best day ever!!!

And Day 3: today. Right now, I’m on a train back to Bonn for the first time in 12 days. Today consisted of our group presentations, which I felt that everyone nailed! Afterwards, our program coordinator led us in a workout with power walking, skipping, planks, squats, lunges, crab-walking, and some yoga with Tai Chi. Afterwards, I felt amazing. The Tai Chi and yoga were on the sands of the North Sea and my mind and body felt at peace. I will come out and say it: I’m in love with Germany.

A classy experience

Arrive in the beautiful city of Vienna, and take a walk with the plague. This historic town holds many homes of previous doctors that were famous during the ages of the plague. In a small cove of the town you find a building that was once the main school for the men. Now these weren't just your common man, these were your dueling, and ruckus types. The city people were not very fond of them for all the trouble they caused. You will even see the "doctors square"-they all had houses that were based around one area oddly enough. You will also find monuments dedicated to popular musicians that were from/or died in Vienna. Along with a gothic style Cathedral near the center of the city. Vienna has a very classy feel with its nice restaurants and clean landscape. It is a wonderful town to explore for everyone since there is a variety of music, museums, fantastic cafes and fun.
Walking through the Josephinum was fascinating because you see these intricate molds of bodies all done with wax. It makes the "Bodies" exhibit not near as unique because they were designed  much later, while the wax bodies we saw were done by a group of people ages before. The majority of them are very accurate from the organs to muscle groups that are shown. These wax models were used by the classes for the students to see the many different systems and anatomy of the body. They also have some of the very first x-rays and an assortment of operating tools separated by box for the type of operation that was to be performed.
The "Insane Asylum" or Fools tower is just about as mortifying as it sounds. Not in the way you would expect though, it is what is presented within this learning facility/museum. Every possible human defect, fact or fiction is modeled in this asylum. Beware walking past the walls filled with molds of dermatological diseases and preserving jars that hold anything from organs to babies. It isn't for the faint of heart -attempt to look at everything from a medical standpoint! At first it is an overwhelming sight, but quickly becomes interesting with the stories about what they used as lung plugs when a person had T.B. and can also show you preserved lungs with the filling. There are even skeletons of Siamese twins and the different places some were attached.  I won't ruin the best part, just expect the unexpected is all I have to say.
A few fun things we added to our free time, was the markets and the theme park! If you have a thing for roller coasters, you absolutely have to try it. The indoor roller coaster was by far our favorite one. Buy some food or fruit at the market, and if you see something you like then have a little fun bargaining with the sellers over it! It is quiet the experience and most of them speak decent English.
At last we arrive at the Freud house. The term "Freudian" might sound a bit familiar to you. It's an interesting walk through what used to be his home and also his office where he provided therapy. His psychoanalysis concepts are still talked about today due to the theoretical nature of them. -things that can't or haven't necessarily been proven. He wrote a book on the interpretation of dreams, one of his most famous writings. Many of his other theories brought on controversy and were often rejected. He did become a very famous name in medicine though, and was watched very closely for a time during the 20th century. What I found most interesting is how unusual of a person he was described to be and in a way it made perfect sense for his odd theories.
The city of Vienna is beautiful, it is worth going to explore and learn it. There is no where else with the same type of feel that the city surrounds you with.

Lets Go to the Beach

After a long week and a half of traveling across Austria and Germany, Norderney was the perfect way to end the trip. We were able to relax and enjoy the warm weather for three days while on the island. I can now say that I have swam in the North Sea, been given a spa treatment with mud, and have eaten the coastal shrimp (called krabben in German). 

Before this trip, I had no idea that Germany even had islands. Now I would love to go back to them! What I loved most about the island was the our time spent at a bade haus. This bath house is similar to a spa in America, with many differences. 

The bath house offers treatment for many types of health problems.  In Germany you can even be given a prescription to come receive different types of therapy. We were given access to all of the baths, as well as to a treatment using the mud that comes from the island. The baths are all salt water from the ocean to help draw out the toxins in your body. A bath here is what we think of as a salt water pool or hot tub. There was a hot bath, cold bath, extra salty bath, family friendly bath with a slide, baths with massaging jets, and saunas. Being able to relax was something I am very grateful for. I also received a treatment with the mud in which I put the mud on my body and sat in a type of sauna while it sweated off of me. It was an interesting experience but it left my skin feeling smooth and my body rejuvenated.

Exceding Expectations

Now that it has almost been an entire month abroad, I am realizing that this experience is opening my eyes more than I ever could have thought it would.  Last week we traveled to Hannover and Norderney where we were learning about alternative and complimentary medicine.  If you would have asked me 4 weeks ago what I thought about the subject, I probably would have told you that I didn't care much about it, and that I didn't think any of it was actually beneficial.  So when we arrived in Norderney, I was certain that my views wouldn't change, and that I was just going to enjoy the experience of being on a German island. 

The first day in Norderney was awesome.  We arrived, breathed in the perfect air, and headed straight for the mudfluthiking experience.  Mutfluthiking was one of the coolest things I have ever experienced.  The mud was so soft, and felt great on my skin.  Learning about how many different healing aspect are in it was really fascinating, but being able to experience and learn about it first hand really made me think that alternative medicine could be beneficial.  I honestly wouldn't mind going mudfluthiking more often!  The picture below shows a fear I conquered while on the hike! I always thought crabs were scary, but it was actually a blast to hold them!

Holding sand crabs while mudflutkiking

After mudfluthiking a few of us headed to the beach for some fun relaxing and swimming.  The water was nice, and it made my skin super soft for the remainder of the trip.  Even though I already knew this was normal, I chose to believe that the saltwater in Norderney was special! haha

The next day, we had the opportunity to tour the Badehaus which is a sort of healing spa.  The Badehaus offered all sorts of healing baths with different salt solutions, temperatures, and many different jets.  There was also a mud treatment that you could do which included rubbing the healing mud all over your body and sitting in a sauna.  I unfortunately didn't try the mud sauna because I don't like saunas, but everyone in the group raved about the experience, and how amazing it was for their skin.  After hearing a great lecture about all of the different healing methods the spa offered, and experiencing them first hand, my views on alternative and complimentary medicine were quickly changed somewhat.  I really do believe that they are beneficial to people, but I still have a hard time believing in the healing techniques.  I now strongly believe you cannot shut an idea down until you have experienced it for yourself.

Also while in Norderney we presented our group projects over alternative and complimentary medicine, and mind body healing methods.  This was also a great way to shape my ideas on the subject.  My views on this matter are very much more braod than they were! Hopefully, I can start to apply some of these techniques in my own life, and to patients in the future.

Travelling and learning about all of these different hings is continually exceeding my expectations.  I don't want this experience to ever end!

Enjoying the beach in Norderney!

Third Free Weekend

While everyone else in our class had their weekend planned out, Chanel and I decided to just go with the flow. After our two weeks of nonstop traveling it was actually really nice to just relax. Even though Norderney was relaxing too it felt awesome to be home. I definetely gained respect for people who travel for work all the time, it's so exhausting. 

After class Friday we said our goodbyes to everyone going to catch a train and then casually walked around Bonn in search if the perfect place to eat. We found a cafe with well priced food and ideal for people watching and ended up staying for three hours. I can't remember the name or even where it was but not paying attention to the time was amazing and I tried gnocchi for the first time!

Afterwards we headed home and were surprised to find the whole family present. Our host sister had celebrated her birthday which was on Wednesday in köln and now we were going to celebrate it all together. We cut up a bunch of raw meat and veggies as a fam and then set up a table in the backyard for fondue! I was scared because you're not allow to season anything before placing it in the pot but it ending up being really good. 

Since we live right off of the Rhine Aue we attended the Beer Fest that evening. It was actually really cool to see how much if a family event it was. Our host mom and brother would buy different beers that you couldn't normally find here and compare (we tried cherry beer and honey beer). It was the first time I really noticed a difference in family dynamic because of the drinking age. Drinking felt so casual with them, and seemed to make them closer, like an activity they were able to do together. I also noticed how open our brother was to introducing his mom to all the friends he bumped into. Then again I'm not sure if this is a German thing or just our family. 

I really appreciate all the time spent with our family. And it's nice to know that the feeling is mutual because they have mentioned multiple times that they wish we were here longer! I wish we were too.

The Island of Healing to La Ville-Lumière (The City of Light)

The past week has been a whirlwind of activities. From Hannover to Norderney to Paris, France, the adventures just keep coming. The thing that’s most fresh on my mind is the past weekend in Paris. I was a bit worried at first because the other groups that had gone to Paris on an earlier free weekend came back with mixed reviews. I was impressed with Paris overall and had absolutely no complaints about the cleanliness of the city or the attitudes of the French.  Everyone we talked to was friendly and willing to help if we had a question. On Saturday, we went to the lovelock bridge, Notre Dame, Louvre, Arc de Triumph, and the Eiffel Tower before taking a night boat cruise. Of course, I spent way too much money on macaroons but it was totally worth it! I had never had a macaroon before and I was not disappointed. I’d have to say my favorite flavor was raspberry but vanilla comes in a close second. And even though the blue one looks really pretty, the ice mint flavor is not very good…

Heaven in sugar form. 

We finished the night off with champagne under the twinkling Eiffel Tower – talk about a perfect night! It was like a scene from a romantic movie.  

Eiffel Tower

I would have to say that my favorite part of the weekend was stumbling onto the Tour de France. We were trying to get to the gardens in Paris, but when we got off the subway we were not allowed to go up the stairs like we normally would have because the police were blocking the way. Instead, we were directed down a hallway and up another set of stairs that actually led right to the viewing area of the Tour de France. It was awesome! We had an idea that the race was going on but we did not know where it would be exactly and we had no intention of trying to see it. It was so awesome to see and I can’t believe we were lucky enough to stumble upon it.

Tour de France! 

Norderney last week was incredible.  The beach was a nice change of pace from the things we have been doing so far. The day at the Badehaus was so awesome! I loved being able to go into the baths and experience that type of healing. The mud bath/sauna was definitely quite the experience. I know that I would have never done anything like that back in Texas so I am glad I did it here. It was a bit weird at first but it felt awesome at the end. It was also really fun to visit the family bath and play like 5 year olds on the slide and the wave pool. Being able to relax at the beach was also pretty cool. Even though the water was pretty chilly, we went swimming and I can say that I have now been swimming in the North Sea, which is something I never thought I would be able to experience.  In addition, the mud flat hiking tour was also a fun way of learning about something completely different from what we have in the States. I think we all enjoyed the excuse to walk around in the mud and get all muddy. Plus the little sand crabs were so cute and fun to hold!

Sand Crabs!

I was very impressed with Norderney. I did not find the island to be extravagantly beautiful compared to Islands in the Caribbean or Hawaii but it had such a calming quality about it that is unmistakable and special. I like that biking is the main form of transportation. The lack of cars enhances the simplistic lifestyle that the island promotes. The perfect weather we experienced also helped form my positive view of Norderney. The bright colors of summer in this mural painting emphasize the beautiful summer weather we had.

Norderney

I think the time spent on the beach was a great bonding experience for our group. The group dinner and ice cream stop were both wonderful and watching the sunset on the beach afterwards made the evening even better.

Beach Pyramid! 

We were not able to see much of the city of Hannover but the program activities we did there were awesome. I felt as if the stop in Hannover was a bit more engineering directed which is perfect for me. Even though it was so hot I thought I might pass out, the lecture from the doctor about the LVADs and modern advances in heart transplant technology was awesome. I found it very interesting, especially since I spent the end part of last semester learning about cardiovascular pathophysiology and LVAD technology. It was also super interesting learning about the research being done with the Axolotls and spider silk concerning cellular growth.

Can’t wait to see what this next week in Bonn has in store. The trip to the Cologne Zoo and the Uniclinics seem really exciting!

Gig ‘Em and God Bless,

Emily Thompson

A Week Already?

It feels like I was just blogging yesterday. The last week has very quickly flown by, and what a week it has been. Monday set the standards pretty high to begin. While visiting the cardiology department of the MHH in Hannover, I was quite intrigued by the techniques and experiences related to heart surgeries and transplants. I have never found much interest in any form of surgery, but this visit made me want to learn more. I feel like that was somewhat of a theme for the week. I greatly enjoyed each and every aspect and found myself developing a deeper passion for medicine with each passing day.

Aggies forming a pyramid on the beaches of Norderney!

I really loved the time spent in Norderney. It was the perfect combination of learning and relaxing. While researching for the group project, I discovered a great deal about the island and its healing baths. I thought it was so absurd that we had to pay tax for the air and that doctors literally write a prescription to visit a spa. However, I am certainly not complaining. The baths were more refreshing than I could have imagined. I would love to have stayed for weeks!

Rebecca, Amy, Emily, and I in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

Lastly, I had an absolutely fantastic time in Paris during our free weekend! The entire weekend was full of fun and excitement. I quickly fell in love with the city. From the Notre Dame to the Arc de Triumph and everything in between, this weekend contained some of my favorite activities yet. I really enjoyed the Museum d'Orsay and how many of the pieces were of real everyday life, things I could understand and relate to. Additionally, I crossed one more thing off my bucket list by adding a lock to a Love Lock Bridge in Paris. Lastly, the girls and I just happened to stumble upon the Tour de France as it came to a finish today. We were attempting to go somewhere completely different, but closed metro rails and loud police offices dumped us on a street full of people cheering and flags waving. There was so much excitement as the cyclist rode by! All in all, Paris was pretty great! It is a beautiful city that far surpassed anything I could have imagined. It feels like the weeks just keep getting better and better, so I cannot wait to see what still lies ahead.

Throwing my key into the Seine River in Paris after locking a lock to a Love Lock Bridge.

Mein Insel Norderney

These four days in Norderney have truly exemplified the importance of this trip for me. It felt like I was on a very relaxing summer vacation. We rode our bikes around Norderney, visited the beach, and for the first time, I went to a spa (bade: haus). But before I release my thoughts and sweet feelings about this island, mentioning our one day stay in Hannover is important too.
Elisa and I were stuck on the train for 14 hours during the ride back to Budapest, and so we started our day in Hannover in a rush with no time for breakfast or lunch. Our first stop was the research center on axolotls. Cuteness coupled with the ability to grow perfect sized limbs, these amphibians were simply stunning. We learned about their importance in plastic surgery and amputations, since regrowth is not something that human beings can do, but these animals can. We also saw spiders in the same research lab that are very important in discovering a better solution to burns than skin grafting. Next we visited the cardiology department of the Hannover medical school, and we were fortunate enough to meet Dr. Shmitto and his assistant surgeon. Dr. Shmitto has carried out many successful VAD surgeries throughout his life, and it was very enlightening to understand the process of installing a device that essentially carries out the function of a heart in a patient. Dr. Diaz talked about the various complications with the replacement, and also successes. In addition, we met and saw patients with the device installed, however we did not get to converse with the patients this summer. Once we were outside, Dr. Wasser talked about the patients he saw last year. Surprisingly, one of those patients chose to receive a VAD rather than having the option to get a donor heart. He believed that the device functioned very well, and that receiving a human heart would only cause a long stay at the hospital, followed by possibility of rejection.

axolotl

Coming back to our stay in Norderney, the first day was the highlight of the trip with the mud flat hike. We rode our bikes to the site and took off our shoes. Then, we stepped into mud and it felt GREAT. Squishy and slimy mud. These are things that we do not do in our daily lives, so knowing that walking in such mud was okay excited me. We saw crabs and worms that lived in the mud and I also held a crab. Next, we stepped into knee deep mud, and getting out was a struggle but fun. Our free evening shortly followed, and we went to the beach. It has been years since I’ve experienced the beauty of the sea, and therefore the walk along the shore was very calming. The next day we went to the very famous bade:haus, which is basically a bathing house and spa that supports the philosophy of healing the individual. We were allowed to make use of the house after a lecture. There were multiple saunas, mud baths, pools of various kinds including hot, cold, warm, waterfalls and lastly a pool depicting the Dead Sea. I enjoyed it all, and also was fortunate enough to use the mud bath. We applied mud all over our bodies and sat in the steam for 20 mins, after which the water falls started. Later, we visited the Sea Rescue Service and learned more about the lives of the medical aid workers on the boat. The most inspiring aspect of these workers was that they were willing to help people in any condition whatsoever, even in horrible weather. In addition, they were paid by donations. It requires an abundance of good will and courage to do such a job, away from home and family for 14 days and always being on call. On our last day in Norderney Olivia, our program coordinator, took us to the beach for an hour of physical exercise. Now we are on our way to Bonn. I will truly miss Norderney and everything that we experienced here, except the fresh air tax that Olivia paid for all of us. The beach, the fresh air and the pleasant climate—all would stay in my memory for years to come.

Hannover, Norderney, & Paris OH MY!

My first traveling slip up happened last weekend when heading to Hannover. We got a cab to take us to hotel Marijani, which turns out there's two. We kept calling the owner to let us in and causing all kinds of commotion. There was a strong language barrier between the owner and I. He asked me probably a good seven times which city the hotel I booked at was in. I repeatedly told him that it was in Hannover. Turns out he meant which street was I on the whole time. Some nice people staying at the wrong hotel were helping us and let us into the lobby to figure out crap out. We finally got the address of the correct hotel and called a cab. Rebecca was trying to tell them where to pick us up and they could not understand the street name she was saying. She said it about four times! She ended up having to spell it out in German for them to understand and they repeated it and to us it sounds the same! Haha

Norderney was a great experience! My favorite part was of course the mud bath. It was very relaxing and mostly just something I've never done or even thought I would do in my life. I was very surprised that they charge you for their air. I'm not sure I quite believe it was that pure gold of air that it needed to be paid for, but the island is definitely worth the small price. I absolutely loved the Badehaus! I can't believe they pampered us so much! The mudbath was quite an experience, and I actually loved it. At first the heat kind of overwhelmed me, but I adjusted pretty quickly. I could tell my skin was softer as well, if only the effects would last longer! I sort of regret not buying some schlick to take home with me but thats okay. My favorite part of Norderney was definitely the mudflucking. It was so fun goofing off and running around getting dirty in the mud. Our guide kept it interesting too, dying my hand from the acid a worm gives off.

I just got home from Paris!  I loved it! I heard some kind of bad reports that Paris would be a let down, but for me it really wasn't. It was all I expected and I had a really great time. I liked the Museum D'Orsay better than the Louvre which I thought odd because all you hear about is how wonderful and grand the Louvre is. I found its hugeness a little overwhelming actually and much preferred the smaller crowd at Orsay. The subway system didn't bother us. In fact it was quite nice that anywhere you wanted to go you could find a route and if you missed one subway you could wait 2 minutes for the next. Very useful. Of course we got lost some but not too bad, and the French were pretty kind and willing to help. That's another thing. I've grown up hearing how the French are rude and force you to speak French even if they know English perfectly well. I found the opposite to be true. They would answer any question we had and I didn't run into one person who didn't speak English. It's possible that outside of the tourism parts things are different, but I really thought everyone was kind.

Hannover, Norderney, Brussels & my experience with homeopathy.

Well, our time is winding down here in Germany but we are still traveling like crazy. At the beginning of the week we were in Hannover which tbh didn't have much. The fun came when we were in Norderney and continued when me and Jessica went to Brussels.

We got to Hannover a day early and stayed at this random hotel in the middle of nowhere which was hilarious. The hotel owner also owned the restaurant next door so we saw a lot of him that day. He was kind of creepy but its okay, we were only there for one night. The next day we were still in Hannover but with the program and Jessica, Amy and I all roomed together and i seriously think we stayed up laughing all night haha

Norderney was so much fun. We got there and immediately started biking around town. Going mudfluthiking (or however you spell that) was one of my favorite things we did. Especially when got to the part of the mud that was ONLY mud and not a mix of mud and sand. I think we all sinked in the mud until about our knees. The next day we were at the Bade:Haus, and i gotta say... that was my favorite thing that i've done. I've been to a spa before so i'm glad that was my first experience with one, even though i know its more like a healing spa than anything else. It was great getting to test out the different sea waters and going down the slides like a child. The mud bath was my favorite part. It was really refreshing once we were down, but seriously once i was in there and the steam was coming out full force i was like OMG howwwww do people do thissss?? but i survived. I'm a mud bath survivor.

We got back Thursday night to Bonn and were so happy to see Erica and Makeda and the rest of our host fam. We found out it was Makeda's birthday on Thursday but they forgot to tell us so Friday afternoon we had this huge birthday dinner with her and got all dressed up and went to Dimi's bar with her! We met all her musician friends, and they were quite a unique crowd. One of the guys asked us if Texas Chainsaw massacre actually happened so yeah, that was funny lol

Brussels was our third free weekend and Jess & I spontaneously decided to head there for a day trip! We got to the city and headed to the Grand Place aka the city center and oh gosh it was GORGEOUS. we spent all day going into little boutiques and going to chocolate shops. We ate so much. We had quiche, pizza, truffles, meringues, macaroons, ice cream, waffles and sandwiches. Then came home and ate some more. We really wanted to try some Mussels from Brussels but we ran out of time, it was very sad. lol


Today is sunday and Erica made us crepes for breakfast and they were FLAWLESSSSSS. so so good. i had never had savory crepes and they were actually really really good. i fell in love. I also asked Erica if she had any homeopathic remedies to help me with my allergies because they had been bothering me since Paris. She gave me some coated ozone and put in under my tongue and said for me to let them dissolve. its been about 20 minutes and i feel better, but i also blowed my nose too lol so i guess i'll let you guys know in a few days if they stayed away.