American Girl.

So I’ve been thinking on and off about what I’d like to write about for my pre-departure blog, and I’m currently sitting here with my mom and dad listening to an oldies playlist I made (of course my dad is really enjoying this).  "Take It Easy" by the Eagles just came on and for some reason it sparked something in me to start my little part of this blog right now.  Something about the line, “Lighten up while you still can / don’t even try to understand.”  Maybe it’s just the way its sung, but I can’t help but smile when I hear that line.  I feel at times that I try to perfectly map out my life into an exact right sequence with the exact right accomplishments at the exact right time with the exact right people and in the exact right place.  It’s this controlling aspect that often causes me to find myself losing track of the days, so caught up in the fast pace of it all and just keeping up with my responsibilities and to-do lists.  I oftentimes find myself thinking, “I just need to get through this week,” when I know that I should be appreciating and enjoying each day exactly as they come.  I suppose spending six weeks in Europe (really seven since I’m tacking on another one at the end of the program for solo travel) will quickly snap me out of that tunnel-vision mindset.  Just have to lighten up and go where I’m taken, for there is no way possible to predict each moment of seven weeks spent in a foreign country when you’ve never even been out of your home country.  And it must have been meant to be for me to start writing this right now, because "Life’s Been Good" by Joe Walsh (which it has been) and "American Girl" by Tom Petty came on right after.  “Well she was an American girl / Raised on promises / She couldn’t help thinkin’ / That there was a little more to life somewhere else / With lots of places to run to.”  How fitting.

This past semester of my life (funny that in college we start referring to stages of our lives by semesters) was quite the interesting one.  It tested me on all fronts – my intelligence, my work ethic, my patience (with myself and others), my serenity, and so much more.  But one thing that the previous semester (lol) taught me is to combat all of these with faith – faith in the interworking components of each day and faith in your struggles.  This is going to sound really crazy for a second, but up until May 14^th, I honestly had no idea how I was going to fully pay for this trip let alone have any sort of spending money if I even made it over there.  I had taken out much of the money needed to pay for program fees in student loans, my grandma paid for my flight (and I needed to pay her back at some point), and my tuition was still left unpaid.  All of this was a big financial burden I did not want to place on my parents.  I was informed of a few scholarships prior to this point that would indeed help but still not fully aid me; but on May 14^th (exactly two weeks before I would be in Bonn, Germany) I received notification of the scholarships that helped piece together a full award package for my study abroad experience –  tuition, flight, and all.  Looks like a semester’s worth of scholarship application essay writing paid off.  But through all of this, I honestly knew that it would work out.  I didn’t know how or when, but I just knew.  And I’m so thankful it did…

I chose this program for so many reasons.  From an academic and future career aspect, I have always been driven to help others and as such have chosen to pursue a career as a physician’s assistant.  Since my decision, I have been eager to discover more opportunities to better myself as well as make myself a more competitive candidate upon applying to professional school and cannot think of a better way to learn and grow than a program where I will be fully immersed into European medicine.  Not to mention European culture.  The medical knowledge I obtain will allow me to enhance my education in a worldlier approach and form a better understanding of medicine and treatment, ultimately leading to a more successful career full of compassionately healing patients.  Additionally, with this program, I will finally be able to stay with a host family – something I have been wanting to do for some time now.  While in high school and still today, my family has hosted several foreign exchange students – two from China, one from Japan, and two from India.  All of them quickly became integral parts of our family.  Though it has been a pleasure to host, I have longed to be on the other side as the student instead of as the host.  There is so much to learn by visiting another country and even more to learn by being integrated into a home.

More than anything, however, I think I chose this program because the opportunity presented itself with impeccable timing.  At the end of last semester, I was yearning for some sort of a separation from the predictable, day-to-day routine that so many of us fall victim to.  I’ve never been one to skip out on daily adventures and opportunities, but there has been a hunger in me for something bigger, and I knew something big was what I needed - something that would fully disconnect me from my life right now.  I think that is oftentimes so vital in the process of discovering more of yourself – your inner-workings, motivations, desires, strengths, weaknesses, abilities, and passions.  To recognize the ways in which you operate somewhere entirely out of your comforts and with no way to predict each situation is truly challenging, and that is what I so deeply desire.  And, the timing of my departure continues to prove perfect.  Towards the end of this semester, it became clear to me that I needed to take time away from my friends, activities, and school, and as such, I began spending a lot of time building myself.  Now, I feel that I am right on track to lunge forward head first into this program and take advantage of all its opportunities – knowing that I am much more confident and comfortable with myself and eager for the growth that will come from this experience.  Just because I am excited, however, does not mean that I am without anxieties.  I am nervous for international travel on flights, trains, busses and any other means (I have never had the best sense of direction), I am nervous for meeting my host family, and I am nervous about the language barriers I will encounter traveling from country to country.  These small anxieties however are nothing compared to my overwhelming excitement for the trip ahead.  I can only imagine the roller-coaster ride this will be, but even in times of complete chaos, I know that each moment is just part of the impactful journey that will further shape me.  I cannot wait to encounter all the trials and triumphs that come along the way, and all I can really think is I am one lucky girl.

P.S.  See below me looking like a mega tourist as I attempt to pack half my suitcase onto my body for the plane ride.  Also, I heard there are free drinks on long international flights?  Anyway, I swear I’ll try to dress more conformingly while abroad.  Mainly because my dad has been telling me about being an American target and bringing up the movie Taken, and my mom has been telling me foreign men will only hit on me so they can come to the U.S.

P.P.S.  I wrote this before viewing any other posts from my fellow study abroad bloggers and am now realizing I wrote an incredibly obnoxious amount.  And here I am in this “P.P.S.” just adding to the length.  Es tut mir leid, auf wiedersehen!



-Kylie Reis

The Emotions Before

Tomorrow is the big day, the day I get to spend over 10 hours on a plane and the day I get to go insane with many emotions before touchdown in Europe. I have always wanted to visit Europe, I am fascinated with the culture, architecture, and rich history. I also love that so many different countries are so close geographically, yet are so different. As I have been preparing for excursions, packing, and researching for this trip there are two competing emotions. These emotions are fear and excitement. 

Fear: There are many things that worry me about studying abroad, because so many factors can go wrong. While I have traveled out of the country, I have never been to Europe or been without a large pack of family members. Will I break or lose my phone? Will something go wrong with my credit card? Will my bag get lost? Will I stand out as an American? Will I get pickpocketed? And of course, will my host family like me? 

Excitement: Countless things about this study abroad experience are exciting. The idea of being able to experience another country, not from the outside, but as a resident is something I have never been exposed to and I think will impact my learning greatly. I also love meeting new people and while I do have great friends to help me try and zip up my jam-packed suitcase, I can’t imagine the kind of friendships that will be made throughout the summer. I’m excited to take in a new amazing view every week and use up all of my phone storage taking pictures of places I never want to forget. One thing that never fails to make me the happiest girl in the world is food, I am so ready to try authentic and new foods that we cannot find anywhere else. 

The reason I chose this trip, is because the excitement immensely outweighs the fear. In fact, the fear is really just anxiety of not being able to plan out all of the variables, but that’s also the beauty of travel. Nothing will probably go as planned and it will create memories that cannot be imitated or replaced. 

See you soon Europe,

                 Lauren Baker

How do you speak German?

I can’t wait to begin this 6 week adventure in Germany! One of the things I’m most excited about is living with a host family. I think that the best way to get to know what a place is really like is to live with the people who live there. Last summer, I spend two months living in a rural village in Uganda and getting to know the family whose house my group was staying at was one of the best parts of the experience. They taught us so much about the culture of the village and I am so excited to have that experience again, although in a very different place. I am also very excited to travel on the weekends. I have been to Europe before with my family, but I’ve never traveled here by myself/with friends, so I think it will be a fun challenge. One thing that I hope to learn (other than what we learn in class) is how to speak a bit of German. I don’t know a thing about the language, but I know that people tend to really appreciate it when visitors make an effort to learn the local language so fingers crossed that it’ll happen!!

Auf Wiedersehen Texas! Hallo Bonn!

In just two short days our program in Bonn begins, and I can't believe its finally here! I have been in Europe the past ten days traveling around Italy with my family. On Monday they will drop me off in Frankfurt where I will get to meet up with the group and begin our six week adventure! Although I have been abroad before, it has always been with my family. This program will be there first time I really go off on my own to Europe, and I am equal amounts of nervous and excited. I cannot wait for the adventures the next few weeks will bring, and to get to know the other people on this trip.

I picked this study abroad mainly because of the topic, History of Medicine. I think it will be an amazing experience to learn about it in Europe, where so many advances in the medical field were made. I had some biomedical engineering friends participate in the spring study abroad and absolutely loved it! So, I cannot wait to experience it on my own!

One of the things I am most excited about is getting to become friends with the people on my trip. Going in, I don't know many of them so I think it will be really cool to see how my relationship with these people evolve. So far GroupMe has been my main form of communication with them, so it will be fun to put the faces to the names.

I would have thought that since I had been abroad before packing would be a breeze, little did I realize, packing for eight weeks is an entirely different ball game. Since I have already been in Europe a few days, I am already starting to realizes some serious packing mistakes. For example, did I really need to bring that many pairs of shoes, and maybe the seven huge books I brought might be taking up a little bit too much space... Also I am very happy to get to Bonn, where for the most part I get to leave my suitcase in one place!!! Woohoo!! Let me tell you, lugging a suitcase through Italian train stations is hard work!


Ciao from me and my family! See you soon Bonn!!

My mom, grandma (we call her Nonnie) and I in the Colosseum! 

Me and the parents in Cinque Terra!

Guten Tag

In two hours I will be driving to Dallas to board a flight to New York City to celebrate my brother graduating from high school. I feel some sadness at only being in the city for 25 short hours, but am anxious and excited about the journey and adventures that wait in Bonn and beyond. 

Naturally, going abroad and experiencing things outside of my norm make me anxious (as much if not more than the average person), but I know that the experiences I have will be teach me not only things about Germany, but about myself. I hade never had any desire to study abroad, but after a few life-changing events in my life, I realized that I had nothing to lose. My main reason for participating in this program over others is the opportunity to continue investigating medicine and the amazing things it does. 

Although a little unrealistic, I hope to be able to construct a conversation in German when the trip concludes in Berlin. Being able to order a meal without Google Translate or speaking to the waiter/waitress in English would be a great achievement, especially considering I have no German language experience whatsoever. I also hope to deepen my desire for the field of medicine.

A quote that I recently read by Mark Twain describes how I hope to live this experience and everyday that follows: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.”

See you soon,

Matthew

What To Expect When You're Expecting

I'd like to think about traveling to study abroad in a similar way to expecting your first born child and all the questions to follow (from what I would assume...not from experience).

1.  The Anticipation
The days of arrival are filled with incredibly mixed emotions. You're equal parts nervous and excited, not knowing virtually any German doesn't help at all. You're packing. Probably way too much. But, you never really know what the circumstances will be so that justifies packing every shade of blue jeans, right?

2. The Ride There
Getting to the actual destination is full of stress and all of your family members are worried about the things you brought, or forgot to bring. It's hard to convince people that you have everything under control and that things will be just fine.

3. The Arrival
It's time. The moment you've been waiting for...will it be everything you thought it would be? You meet with everyone who's responsible for your safety and well being. You're going to have to trust the people you just met to guide you to what you need to do. For once, you're not in complete control of a situation and it's freaking you out just a little. You're wondering why all of these people are dressed funny.

4. The Adventure
After having some time to get used to the changes in your life, you finally get the hang of things. This new lifestyle isn't so scary, and it's different but a good different. You're meeting people you would never normally talk to due to this new situation. It's a good life, and you're content with all the new experiences you're going through.

While this not an exhaustive list of all the stages of travel, I'm hoping that I can resonate with this new chapter of my life. Except this time, my belly is filled with food...and not a baby.

8 Songs You Must Listen to Before Studying Abroad

Studying abroad is simultaneously thrilling and terrifying. Although these next 8 songs are specific to my experience, you may relate to these anxieties and expectations. 

1. “American Idiot”- Green Day

Don’t want to be one, but maybe I am one. I make loud jokes, seem friendly (which may come across as fake), and indulge in food too much. I fit many stereotypes of a typical obnoxious American which many Germans HATE. But hey! There’s much to learn from the seemingly reserved Germans that could be incorporated into my current lifestyle.

2. "Just Around the Riverbend”-Judy Kuhn (Pocahontas)

It seems as if adventure is waiting for me at every corner, and that’s because it is! On this study abroad program, I have the freedom to explore Germany and the rest of Europe. In College Station, it is so easy to just stay in my room and waste the day away on a screen; yet abroad, I do not see myself doing so when there are many exciting places to experience. Ultimately I want to carry over this zeal for life back to the States and explore my own town as if it was foreign to me. Like a common idea in Disney movies: adventure is out there. 

       3. "All The Small Things”-blink-182

There are so many small tasks that need to get done before the trip. Planning ahead is not my strong suit, but completing all of the preparations has been a fun yet stressful challenge. I’m nervous that I haven’t done enough planning because it seems like there is always something new added to the “To-do Before Germany” list. 

1.      4. "Here Comes the Sun”-The Beatles

“It's been a long cold lonely winter,” but, “that ice is slowly melting.” This study abroad experience could not have happened at a better time. I have had the worst year in college thus far. My motivation for school was at an all-time low. The only thing really keeping me going this past semester was knowing that if I just passed my classes, I could still go abroad this summer. I have never been this kind of student before. Hopefully the enjoyable educational experiences abroad, including touring research labs and watching surgeries, will revamp my passion for science that led me to pick my major in the first place. I may not be the kind of student I was before, but I plan to grow past that. The Sun is coming, and man is it warm. 

1.      5. "Supermodel (You better work)”- RuPaul

Unlike College Station or my hometown, there may actually be a fashion scene in Europe. I enjoy putting fun fashion combinations together over wearing a baggie oversize t-shirt and workout shorts. I’m hoping to feel almost liberated (and fierce) while abroad by dressing with more style, specifically when I go to Amsterdam. 

1.      6. "Try”- Colbie Caillat

Honest confession, I have poor body image. I have had this since I was 10. I cannot tell if Europe will emphasize my insecurity or lessen it. Europeans are seemingly more thin compared to their overweight American counterparts. Although this may be a myth, I am nervous I will feel insecure while abroad. Nonetheless, I’m sure I will learn something about how I perceive beauty while abroad.

7.  “Cool for the Summer”-Demi Lovato

I would be lying if I said I hadn’t dreamed about meeting a handsome European man while abroad. I mean hello, accents! Unlike the other songs on this list, I am less concerned about this becoming a reality. But if it does, a point for the hopeless romantics! My mom knows me too well and keeps sending me news articles about woman traveling abroad and get into serious life threatening danger because they were tricked by attractive foreign men. I will be wise and focus more on myself than on any boys while in Germany. But I have to admit this topic has crossed my mind and is worthy of a song on this list. 

8.      “The Great Gig in the Sky”-Pink Floyd

This is probably the most reappearing concern of them all, death. But not just dying, but the idea of dying before I even get to go to Germany. From a car accident to a heart condition, I’ve been so worried about never getting to even travel to Europe, thus living life unfilled. For years I have wanted to go to Europe. Yet no day is promised. I have to get through about 2 more days to make it there, and maybe live at least 3 more to get a bit of a feel for Bonn before dying. This may seem irrational, because it is, but it is also honest. There’s so much I am looking forward to while on this program. It is scary to imagine never getting to experience the adventures on this study abroad program despite spending the past year saving money and preparing for it.  

Bonn, here I come!

In two short days, I will be boarding the plane to Frankfurt and saying goodbye to my family and all of the comforts of home! Despite how foreign (haha) the idea of moving to Europe for the summer is, I truly do not think I have ever been more excited about an experience before - the fact that for eight weeks I will be traveling throughout Europe with fellow TAMU students all the while learning about global healthcare and the history of medicine in Germany is just baffling to me. I feel so insanely grateful to have been given this opportunity; it is truly difficult to even begin to fully express that gratitude!

The decision to come on this trip was an easy one; since high school I have known that studying abroad was at the top of my list of priorities for college. Having the privilege to travel throughout Europe freely isn't too frequently an option in life. As the sometimes daunting and serious reality of adulthood draws nearer and nearer, it has become more obvious to me that it is best to take advantage of experiences like this when they are presented to you! In the wise words of mother, you must strike while the iron is hot. While I sure hope that there will be other instances in my life when I have the ability to travel around Europe, this program really seems to be a once in a lifetime opportunity and something I cannot wait to be a part of! When browsing through the various TAMU study abroad programs, this one stood out to me immediately. I somehow stumbled upon this blog (not sure how) in my research of the History of Medicine program and ended up spending an entire evening reading through a large amount of the blog posts written by former History of Medicine students. In reading about the growth that they experienced while abroad, the wonderful adventures that took place, and the learning and fun that they had I immediately knew that I had to be a part of it all! The combination of the location in Germany, the emphasis on medicine and healthcare, and the opportunity to live with a host family made it a quick decision as well. For the past five months, I have been thinking about this upcoming adventure every single day. It quite literally got me through spring semester and my not too wonderful course load. From reading Rick Steves' travel books to spending an inordinate amount of time on the internet researching each city I plan on visiting, I have poured so much time into hopefully becoming as prepared for this trip as one can be. The friendships I hope to make, the cultural literacy I hope to gain, and the memories I will make/have for the rest of my life are right around the corner and I could not be more thrilled! For the next two days, I will be soaking up time with my family, making final packing decisions (it is proving to be quite difficult to not bring my entire closet), triple checking that I have all of the necessary documents, and enjoying some of my favorite foods from home (specifically tex mex and other good Austin eats). Here is to a wonderful summer ahead and making so many new friends abroad! 

Bis bald in Deutschland!

-Catherine

Get Your Feet Wet

Howdy! My name is Robert Saldana, and this is my first blog about embarking on this amazing study abroad program in Bonn, Germany. I chose this program because my friend Kathryn Ellis recommended it to me a while back. She told me that it was the most amazing experience she has ever been on, so amazing she plans to go again sometime in the near future. I love trying new things, so that’s why I wanted to be part of this program in Germany. I have never been to Europe, so this should be a major step in my traveling experiences.

My past two summers I have done a fair share of traveling. Two summers ago, I traveled to Cusco, Peru for 2 weeks, and last summer I traveled to Shanghai, Beijing, and Xi’an in China for 2 weeks. I haven’t been too anxious about this trip. I would say I am more excited than anything. I haven’t packed a single thing, and my flight leaves in a couple days. I have been planning my weekend trips, which is something I am really looking forward to. As of now, I will be traveling to Dublin, Ireland, and Interlaken, Switzerland.

Traveling is something I want to keep doing for the rest of my life because throwing yourself into a new culture is truly an eye-opening experience. I hope to learn about the German culture, go on spontaneous adventures, and come back to The States with memories that will last a lifetime. Gotta get your feet wet!

Texas-Sized Gratitude

The past few weeks at home have been a mixture of joy being with my family, boredom and eagerness to start learning in Bonn, stress in trying to plan weekend trips, peace in realizing that the weekends will fall into place and be incredible, and a lot of prayers and attempts to pack. Yesterday I finally went through my suitcase and surprisingly have lots of room left in it, but not surprisingly most of my wardrobe ended up in the colors of blue, light blue, navy, or white. Classic me.
I was riding my bike on a familiar route a couple days ago, and I couldn't help thinking about how beautiful Texas is and everything that I will be leaving behind. It was the evening and the sky was turning pink with fluffy clouds painted above the treeline. My route took my past the neighborhoods, through a park, and into pastures. I was covered in sweat even though summer had yet to reach it's full wrath of heat, and I took my time as I rode past the longhorns in the fields. One in particular had his head sticking through the fence and was snacking on the grass. This got me thinking about my excursion to Germany...
"The grass is always greener on the other side"... in the case of the big, old longhorn it ironically was greener. For us, as we are about to head off to a shiny new country, many of us never having ventured outside of our nation, sometimes feel like going to a new place is "greener". Exciting images of beautiful castles, bustling cities, grand mountains, rich history, and a new culture. It got me thinking about how the Germans might view Texas as "greener". In what ways do I take for granted so many beautiful things about the way I get to live and where. In what ways do we get caught up in the idea of travel and Instagram pictures as opposed to living in the moment and experiencing where we are in each day, no matter where that may be.
Riding back I passed some tall, feathery grass, and it was stunning. The last rays of sunshine glowed as the blades danced in the summer breeze, how lucky are we. This is Texas: boots, two-stepping, southern tea and southern heat, steak and brisket, Tex-Mex and gauc, pastures, cornfields, and pecan pie. I think my host family will be able to confirm many Texan stereotypes. So as I leave for Germany, I know that I will be blown away by all that I see and learn, but I will remember where I came from and what that means to me. It will be interesting to reflect on the ways that my love for Texas may grow as I grow in love with Germany and the people within.

Off to Germany!

I never believed that I would have the opportunity to head to Europe while in college, and I can't put all of my excitement into words. I have only traveled inside of the United States besides a Caribbean cruise that my family went on. That being said, even though I am incredibly excited, I am also a little nervous. Being surrounded by people in an unfamiliar area who don't speak English is a concern of mine. I have never been in a crowd of people where I have not understood what they said. I am also slightly nervous about living with a host family. I am hoping that I will get along with the family well and become close to them. On the other hand though, I am EXCITED. Lets be honest, one of the things I am most excited about is the food. I am ready to eat as much as possible in the next six weeks. I also can't wait to learn about the history of the old and beautiful cities I will be visiting. Although I don't know much German, meeting people and learning about their culture and passions will be a great experience. Will I look like a fool over there? Probably. Will I try to take as many touristy pictures as possible? Absolutely. I want this to be an experience that I will never forget. This is definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I hope to soak up the beauty and excitement (even if that excitement means getting lost) that each day will offer.

Until next time,
Mikayla

Almost time to go!

My travel experience thus far in my life has been mostly limited to the U.S. except the one time my family and I went on a vacation to Mexico. However, that is not even remotely comparable to what this experience is about to be. My entire life I have had the burning desire to travel and see the world but just never had the guts to actually do it. If you had told me one year ago that I would be packing a suitcase to spend a month in Europe I would have said that you were crazy.  Studying abroad was never really something that crossed my mind until the end of last semester when my friend simply mentioned that I should look into it. When I found out about the Germany History of Medicine program I immediately knew that I needed to do it. I knew I needed to take a leap and try something that I had never done before. My biggest reason for deciding to go on this program is that it is a travel experience unlike any other, and if I did not take the opportunity to do it now then I might not ever get the chance to do anything like it again. I am so excited to be able to learn about a field I love, while getting the opportunity to experience German culture firsthand in a host family. I want something to put me farther outside of my comfort zone than I have ever been before and this will undoubtedly do just that. I am about to embark on a journey that is almost entirely full of first experiences for me and I am definitely anxious about all of the unknowns that come along with being in a foreign country. Since I have never been to Europe before, I’m most nervous about the communication barrier especially when trying to travel around Bonn and to other countries. I am trying to prepare as best as I can for those situations, but I also know that I need to keep an open mind about everything and appreciate the process of learning. I know that this program will challenge me, and change me in ways I cannot even imagine at the present time as I sit here and write this. I am looking forward to exploring Europe as much as possible and meeting so many new people. I cannot wait to arrive in Bonn, and it is crazy to think that in just one week I will be there!

From Paris to Germany

I am current on a train from Paris to Munich. I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to travel with my parents for two weeks leading up to our time in Bonn. We left for London the night of May 15th, and traveled to Paris on May 19th, the day of the royal wedding. Being able to travel in Europe before starting our study abroad has helped me overcome some of the anxieties I had about staying in a foreign country, especially one where the primary language is not English. My biggest anxiety about coming to Germany was that it would be hard to communicate and get around, even though many people speak English. Being in France, without knowing any French, I found that I was quickly able to learn common phrases and found it pretty easy to navigate with the help of Google maps. I am still worried about communicating in German. I think I am like most people when it comes to learning a new language, because I tend to understand words much sooner than I feel comfortable speaking them. I was anxious to speak even simple phrases in french, because I was nervous that I would pronounce them wrong. Luckily, many people appreciate the effort to learn their language even if all you can say is things like hello, goodbye, thank you and "do you speak English?".  I am most looking forward to being able to stay in Bonn long enough to learn what its like to live there. I have lived in Texas my whole life, so it will be a very new experience for me.
Only 5 more hours until I reach Munich!

Round 2

So my experience is quite different than what others going on this trip have. Last summer, I studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain for 3 months and got to travel to countless amazing places and see more than I ever imagined. This trip is much more out of my comfort zone however, because I know absolutely no German. I could fluently speak to just about anyone in Spain, but I'm really nervous going into Germany knowing nothing! I think that will be a cool experience on it's own though, because where else would you learn German better than in Germany?
I also recently changed my entire career plan to wanting to work in global health, so I'm extremely excited to get to see health care in another country! I think this will help so much with my perspective on it. I'm mostly excited to see so many other students fall in love with Europe and the culture like I did last summer. It's a much different world living in it as opposed to visiting and I'm glad I get the opportunity to experience it again!

I also learned that no matter how good at packing you think you are, it is still awful.

On the way to the airport

      There is only one hour left before I leave to go to the airport to begin my journey to Germany. I am so excited and nervous at the same time. It has been quite an adventure just getting to this moment. Although I have been packing for a little over a week now, I still found myself at Walgreens 20 minutes ago gathering last minute supplies. I have never gone on a trip like this before so I am not sure what to expect. I keep imagining getting off the plane and speaking perfect German. I must mention though that I know very little German. For the next six weeks I will be studying and trying my best to take in the European way of life. 

      I chose this program not only because it allowed me to finish the last six credits I need before I graduate, but because it is giving me the opportunity to experience a new culture. I am hoping that this experience helps me become more independent as well as teaches me new skills about planning trips and budgeting time. After looking over the weekly schedule, I realized that I could not have picked a better program. I am looking forward to going to Norderney and learning how to use the bus/train systems. Living in College Station has taught me how helpful public transportation can be.
     The four days before the program starts I will be staying with my uncle and aunt who have been living in Frankfurt for the past three years. He is currently serving as the Consulate General for the United States. It will be a very unique experience because he knows perfect English and German. Lastly, I cannot wait to get to Germany to see where my mom is from. During the four days before the program, I am going to Heidelberg to see the city she was born in. Only four more days until the program starts!!
     

A Summer to Remember

            Wow to be back in the states. I think it’s finally starting to feel normal again. After being in Europe from May-July for 2 months it was really strange being surrounded by English speakers again. I had a pretty quick turn around when I arrived back home. I was offered a Co-Op position in California to start barely a week after I got back. I think being thrown into unfamiliar territories throughout my study abroad experience prepared me to accept another challenge in a place I’m not all too familiar with. I’ve been here for the last month and have gone in with an open mind to the cultural differences and the many new people I have met here. I can’t say that I would have the same attitude without going through what I went through this summer on Study Abroad.

My experience on the History of Medicine Study Abroad program completely exceeded my expectations in every aspect. From a learning standpoint, I had so many incredible experiences on excursions to museums, hospitals, medical centers, and more that put me right in the heart of the material we were studying during lectures in Bonn. I want to highlight a couple of things that still standout to me. Number one was the trip to the Bonn University Hospital, the least “hyped” excursion of them all. I went in thinking I would see routine procedures that I had seen before, which I would have enjoyed as well, but I did not expect to walk into a room in which a man’s sternum was sawed through and a beating heart was lifted almost entirely out of his chest. The procedure itself was amazing to watch and I admired the skill and confidence of the surgeons. What was also really cool about that experience was the environment itself. I spoke hardly any German, but to be right in the middle of a hospital in a foreign country and to be able to interact with German medical students, nurses, anesthesiologists, and surgeons was something I never even thought I would get to experience. Getting to see current medical solutions while studying the history of different medical procedures way back in the day, I was able to admire the progress but also see the parallels and similarities in the way people thought and how different procedures/products developed to what it is today. History of Medicine was a very valuable course for me, even as an Engineering major. I’ve always had an interest in healthcare and am still hoping to keep medical school as an option, but seeing heart valve technology, the development of anesthesia care, and my favorite the orthopedic arm and leg prosthetic devices at the Ottobock was amazing for me as a Biomedical Engineer.

On top of all of the educational excursions, we had free time to explore and immerse ourselves in the culture of many different foreign countries. During my time in Europe I was able to visit 11 different countries: Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Czech Republic, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Spain, Italy, and Vatican City (If you count that one). The variety of different experiences we had was incredible. From biking through the busy streets of Berlin to the remote island of Norderney. From staring up at the glowing architectural feat that is the Eiffel Tower, to the spiked mountain ranges in rural Switzerland. We really had a chance to see it all, granted only some trips for a couple of days on the weekend, but we tried to get as much into this adventure as possible. I keep saying “we” because within days I made friends with a great group of people who tackled these adventures and challenges along with me. We still talk about study abroad and the things back here in America that take us back to those days across the world. We went through a good amount of challenges along the way, such as missing trains, purses being stolen (and thankfully taken back), bike crashes, and more but it all added to the experience and I wouldn’t change anything except for if I could’ve stayed longer. I did my best to keep an open mind with the new things I tried. The food, easy. I dove right into every cuisine in every country without a second thought. It’s making me hungry thinking about the Schnitzels, Brats, Potatoes, and Bread in Germany. I also tried many new things such as the Saunas and Mudbaths in Norderney. I think my skin is still feeling the effects of that now. I even got used to the public transportation throughout Europe, and Dr. Wasser was right in saying people usually miss that when they go back to the US, because I surely do.

One of the big things that made this program so great was meeting so many people from different countries and relating and connecting with them on so many levels. Yes, Mr. Trump was a common topic that people I met brought up, but on top of that it was nice to feel so many similarities to people growing up across the world. I also felt so welcome in these many different countries. For some reason going into it, I wasn’t entirely sure how people would feel about American tourists, but I can definitely say the welcoming and hospitable reactions greatly outweighed the negative ones. I hope to be able to travel back to these countries and meet back up with Henning, who became basically one of our group by the end while concurrently helping us around unfamiliar territory in Germany. And to go back to Swizterland, where Manfred, someone I had never met and knew through one of my parents friends, let a few of us borrow his car and travel around his beautiful country. He even invited us to stay in his hidden away cabin in the Sevelen Mountains, while being one of the nicest people I have ever met on top of all of that. Those are just a few of the people that really made my experience even better, and I haven’t even mentioned the countless strangers who gave us advice and helped us around or that I just had a casual conversation with in English, Spanish, or my very basic German.

I’m really glad I had the opportunity to go on such an incredible trip with a fantastic group of students and professors. It truly was THE best summer to date. I would recommend this to any inquiring students, and I really hope I get an opportunity to travel back to these places again in the future and expand my cultural horizons a little more.

A Trip to Remember

It's been 8 weeks since I boarded my flight back to America, and I miss Germany more and more everyday. I never would have imagined that a trip could have such a huge impact on me, but it has.

After I left, I landed in Newark and went straight to Starbucks. I had to catch myself when I went to order in German, as I had for the past 6 weeks. Even then I almost said “Dankeschön” to the guy who handed me my drink! It was strange coming back to America and hearing English all around you after being immersed in the German language for so long. Oddly enough, when I landed in San Antonio and got off the plane, I recognized some people speaking German and it was so normal! Hearing people speak German in the SA airport is far from normal though. Originally, I had planned to go to Alamo Café for some good ole tex-mex when I got back, but sadly, my flight from Newark to San Antonio ended up being delayed 2 hours or so, and my only option was Whataburger. Not that I would consider Whataburger settling, but I just really wanted some queso. Luckily my thirst for some queso was quenched the next day. Adjusting to life back in the US was not very difficult, however my sleep schedule was thrown off for weeks. The last time I had been in Europe, I wasn’t affected much by jet lag, but since I had no time to sleep the day away before beginning class at 8am the Monday after I returned, I was quite tired for many days. I took lots of naps and finally got back on track. Overall, it was strange to no longer have public transportation everywhere, and I actually missed picking up a fresh Rosinenbrot from the Bäckerei on the way to AIB for class. Life somehow seemed simpler there, which is odd since that is probably the busiest I’ve ever been in my life. After being back for about a month, I made a visit to our local German restaurant in Boerne to satisfy my craving for some German food. I never thought there would come a day when I would crave sausages and sauerkraut, yet there I was. It turns out, their food is actually not as good as I used to think it was. Germans really do it best. I have no clue what they do differently to their sauerkraut, but whatever it is, we should figure it out because it’s amazing and difficult to replicate. Maybe someday I’ll find some bratwurst that lives up to my high expectations.

Even though I was only there for 6 weeks, Bonn became like a home for me. If you had asked me before I first left for Germany if I thought I would love it so much, I probably would have said no. That country surprised me in many ways, partially because adjusting to life there was so easy. I expected to be homesick the first week or so, and I wasn't, not even a little. All of the people, including my host family, were very nice and easy to communicate with; their lifestyle seemed so relaxed, and the food was incredible. I think oftentimes we think that Europe is a very foreign place, but really, it's not all that different from the way we go about our everyday lives here. Having this experience with study abroad allowed me to explore the country in a way that you normally can't when you are travelling. Being placed with a host family made all the difference in the world to me. You truly get to experience what their life is like on a regular basis. When you are travelling and staying in hotels and eating out for every meal, you miss out on a lot of the authenticity of the place you're in. It becomes much more special when someone welcomes you into their home to experience life with them for 6 weeks. My host family made me feel so at home with them. Dinner always took hours and hours because my host mom and dad, Anne and Gunter, and I would talk for so long! I definitely did not expect to enjoy living with a host family as much as I did. I figured it would be awkward and maybe slightly uncomfortable, and yet it was anything but that. There were a few nights that I was even left alone with just my host sisters, and Viky and Rike made dinner for me and hung out with me. It really helped me to forget that I was in a strange place with people I barely knew.

On top of that, I could not have asked for a better group of people to travel throughout Europe with. Europe itself is incredibly amazing, and it would be very difficult to have a bad time while you’re there, unless you just hate life, but these people are what really made this trip a once in a lifetime experience. Going into the trip, I only really knew one person, Gabe. I had known him for years and years, but knowing 1 out of the other 24 people that would be on this trip with me still was not very comforting. I was very nervous about making friends and finding people I got along with. In retrospect, that seems so silly, because it seems like I have known these people all of my life. During the first week, I can’t even tell you how many people asked Hailey and I how long we had known each other because they thought we were friends prior to the trip! Naturally, when you spend all day everyday with each other for 6 weeks, you get to know each other pretty quickly, but these people are friends for life. I cannot imagine what I’d do without them now, and I have this experience to thank for that. I will never forget the inside jokes, constantly giving Carter a hard time about only owning lacrosse clothing, getting stranded in the middle of the German countryside thanks to an incompetent taxi driver and our endless other grat tims. These people changed me in more ways than one, and I’ll be forever grateful for that. They helped me to let go of my OCD tendencies and just live life to the fullest, going with the flow, taking in each moment, and stopping to take a breath of fresh air every once in a while. I have always been someone who likes to plan things far in advance of when they will occur, and this trip forced me to be okay with making last minute decisions. Worst of all was when we spent 3 weeks saying “we need to plan our last weekend,” and then promptly waited until the WEDNESDAY BEFORE WE LEFT to book a flight. Probably have never been so stressed out in my entire life, but somehow I had faith that it would all work out; and it did. In fact I’d say a last minute trip to Mallorca for 200€ is a little more than just working out. That trip was amazing, and I’m sure we’ll never be able to pull off something like that ever again. I’m now convinced there’s no better way to bond than 7 hour train rides, navigating through foreign cities with a language and currency you do not understand, and picnicking beneath the Eiffel Tower. I will never forget all of the amazing memories I have with y’all. Thanks for being my people. I love y’all.

As I sit here writing this post, it is pouring rain outside, and has been doing so for the last 29 hours. Additionally, it shows no signs of stopping anytime soon thanks to good ole Hurricane Harvey. The good thing though is we don’t have to walk everywhere, so it’s quite soothing and far less of an inconvenience. It does remind me of one of our last days in Berlin though. We were in Alexanderplatz heading back to the hotel, it was pouring, and I had my Birks on. I remember the puddles were so bad I took my shoes off and walked barefoot the entire way back to the hotel for like 30 minutes. Probably super unsanitary, but at least I mostly saved my Birks. They’re still a little crunchy to this day, but that’s okay because it reminds me of the memories. It’s the little things like that which often cross my mind during the day and remind me of all the fun we had over there. I still compare every scoop of ice cream I eat to all the stracciatella in every wonderful European city we visited. Somehow Blue Bell just isn’t the same now. Everytime someone asks me if I miss it, I always tell them I would hop on the next plane back to Cologne, and I seriously mean that. Germany will always hold a special place in my heart, and I cannot wait to go back and visit, hopefully sooner rather than later. Until then, I still have all the memories, pictures, videos, and anecdotes from the trip of my life, so that I can relive it on a weekly basis. And trust me, I do reminisce about once or twice a week. I am so thankful that God blessed me with such an amazing experience and some incredible new best friends. As cliché as it sounds, this trip changed my life. I am a much more adaptable, independent, self-sufficient human being because of this experience. Sometimes it takes a little adversity to get you out of your comfort zone and help you to grow. Germany did that for me, and I’ll be forever grateful.

To the greatest place on Earth: you are deeply missed, and I will see you soon.

Auf Wiedersehen Bonn!