Nordeney Adventures

 Following my travels to the Black Forest, we found ourselves continuing our journey in Nordeney. This portion of the trip was definately a test for my body as our 2 hour bike tour included wind and rain as well as getting lost, but it all builds character right? However, I had the BEST seafood pasta of my life that evening at the Gran Cafe so it was definetly worth the struggle. Thankfully, the next day included an informative and interesting set of lectures about the science behind the spa island. Then we went to the Badehaus which was incredible. It was a very good experience for me to push myself out of my comfort zone and bond with the group even more. All of the pools were amazing and my skin has never been softer. The fun weather continued on the second to last day when we had to bike against the wind and got lost ... again. The mud flat hike was super interesting and it was nice to see all the different organisms supported by that ecosystem. But overall Nordeney was incredible and I enjoyed spending the time bonding as a group and getting to hang out with some of the locals, where I ended up using more of my German.

I just arrived in Dublin, Ireland today and I can't wait to see what this long weekend has in store for me!

Hero’s Journey Continues in Norderney

Norderney did have a bit of ups and downs for, but overall I think it was a good experience. While I may have still been having some allergy issues and getting lost on two of the bike rides, I did enjoy a lot of what Norderney had to offer. 

By far my favorite was the Badehaus. I loved just about everything I tried there and especially loved the hot tub that opened up into the sky. Especially when it started raining on us. I also liked how it felt to run into the cold water after the sauna. Surprisingly, it was very refreshing and I really enjoyed it. The mud hike was also a highlight for me because I genuinely did not think I was going to like it but ended up having fun. 

Norderney was fun, but now it’s time to have a new adventure in Amsterdam!

Norderney!

Just left the island of Norderney. It was a great excursion filled with exciting activities. I can now say I have been in the North Sea which is pretty neat! The badehouse was a really cool experience and I am glad to have now been in a German sauna. Norderney is home to some of the best ice cream I have ever had. Overall, this excursion was super interesting and enjoyable.

Week 1 Post

Settling in the first week has gone great! I am getting to know my host family better and understand public transportation in Germany. I have a pretty large room in the basement of my host house. They also have two dogs who are fun to be around. This week I got to explore Bonn with most of the other students. We spent a lot of time just walking across town and then we decided to hit up the botanical gardens. We went out to a biergarten one night which was a lot of fun. I am excited for what is to come on this program.

Week 2 Recap

 This is another blog coming in late. This will serve as my week 2 recap in Bonn. This week felt much more relaxed and easier than the first week in terms of logistics and details. The train system is slowly getting figured out, and the more I figure it out the more I realize it has many flaws. There are many trains that conssitently run late. Talking with my host family and other German adults has made me realize that this system has faults just as we have in America. This was an interesting realization because of the fact that I was so enamored with the public transport system in Germany due to the fact that we simply do not have an effective public transportation system in the US. Therefore, these conversations forced me to remove these rose-tinted glasses and gain a little more perspective to be more critical. 

The highlight of the week was most definitely a trip to the Cologne Cathedral. The magnificence of this cathedral was simply spectacular. The detail was simply out of this world, and frankly it was the most beautiful church I've ever been in. It was truly a spectacle I dont know if I will ever see again, or maybe I will here in other places in Germany. I will share some pictures below. This week was full of more comfortability in Germany while being still astounded by many things. It was simply a great week despite it being not too busy.

Week 1 Recap

 This blog is a little late because I have been forgetting to do them. I have been writing in a journal to document my experienecs, and this blog simply slipped my mind. This serves as a recap of the first week we spent in Bonn. This first week was full of suprises and adjustments. Adjustments to the new time frame, adjustments to my host family, and adjustments to the German culture. It took some time but I slowly started to feel like less of a foreigner in this new country, but there have been moments where I am very confused and feel out of place. My lack of actual skill in German sometimes is a hindrance, but I feel like it has been a great way to truly experience real German cuisine. In this first week, I did a thing where I would simply find a random item on the menu, and just order it despite not really knowing what may be in it. I slowly learned new words in order to know exactly what I was ordering, but I felt like that first week and that practice was a great way to truly experience German culture in the food.

The first week consisted of lots of class, but my favorite part of the week was a trip to the Botanical gardens in Bonn near the University. It was very cool and quite impressive. A great way to spend the afternoon after getting out of class early! I will provide some pictures for reference below. The weekend involved a hike around a forest close to Bonn and a hike up to the Drachenfels castle on Saturday. On Sunday, I went with my host family to a festival at an old castle in Kobkenz. This was a turning point in my relationship with mu host family as it felt like I was truly with them. Both of these excusrions offerred some great views. 

I rode the train 2 hours and it was really fun until it wasn't

On Saturday I went to Aachen!!!!! 

and it was beautiful! Charlemagne's cathedral was jaw-dropping. It had a beautiful deep blue stained glass and gilded dome.  I was so in awe thinking of the thousands of people who prayed here that I had to sit down and just look at the ceiling. After that, we walked around for a bit and I found a gluten-free version of the cinnamon bread famous in the area. It was pretty much a harder version of gingerbread with a bit more spice dipped in chocolate. After that, we went to the Spa and swam in the pools and hot tubs, and went to the steam room. The water felt amazing and so refreshing, but there was a LOT of PDA happening in the hot tub! After that, we ate some traditional sausages and headed home on the train! which was really easy until we had to switch trains in köln. Then it was so crowded I had to stand for an hour and a half with a bike in between my legs. not fun!!! over all It was definitely worth it to spend the day exploring Aachen.    

Week 2 in Bonn

 This week I’ve been able to adjust more to life here. I’ve figured out how to take the trains and feel more comfortable with public transportation. I love doing things both in groups and on my own. One of my favorite moments this trip was taking the train alone to Bonn. I sat alone near a fountain while I ate curry wurst mit pommes and watched everyone. I’m amazed at how similar the teenagers seem to american ones. They wear similar clothes probably due to social media. Then I went to the botanical gardens to lay in the sun and read. I love how much more I’m blending in here. I went to the grocery store next and was able to make it with out them realizing I didn’t speak German. I’m also really interested in all the Ukrainian refugees here. It so sad to see the faces of people who were actually affected by the war which once seemed so far away to me. Even though I’ve been yelled at many times here I love it and I’m already dreading going home. 

Week 2 Update

During this past week, I have become more familiar with Bonn, Cologne, and Bornheim. I've found several things surprising, such as how almost all shops close down on Sundays. While I have become much better at navigating the public transportation system, I am still not the best at using the DB navigator app. 

This weekend I was supposed to travel to Luxembourg with Anna and Caitlin. Unfortunately, I forgot my passport at the boarding house. I traveled all the way to Koblenz before realizing my mistake and returning. On the bright side, this means I will most likely never forget my passport again. 

2nd week in Germany

 As I am finishing up my second week of studying abroad in Germany, I can truly understand the saying “it’s gets worse before it gets better”. It has been a roller coaster this week. I’ve been loving my history of medicine course, getting familiar with the different ways they would treat diseases like pulling a dirty string through the body and letting it get infected to “pus all the bad stuff out”. I also learned something new about myself which is that o can go through $300 in less than 2 weeks (yikes lol). This week we visited cologne and it was AMAZING! It was true what they say about it being the German New Orleans. It was so fun visiting for our study trip that I decided to go check out the night life. Some friends and I decided to reward our self for Al the hard work we put in this week and go to a club. Little did I know that this club had mandatory tab cards and if you lost them you had to pay $65 to eave the club… plus the $15 cover. I always end up losing things but this night taught me to keep up with all of my stuff. After that night I was pretty upset and financially stressed, but after a talk with some friends and family, I felt a lot better. I even headed back to cologne the next day to take a dance class from a dancer who won hollands got talent! I was able to recollect myself and felt better than ever. I’ve learned so many lessons this week and I’m excited for what yet to come!

German Architecture

    When looking around German cities such as Cologne, Bonn, Bornheim etc. You see a lot of what appear to be older looking buildings. In German cities from the 2nd floor to the roof is something you would see from either the 1950s or earlier than that. This is because Germans and Europeans in general do not tear down their old buildings instead repurposing them into new structures or just letting them stand. 

    The most interesting part about it is if you look at the first floor in a city it would look completely different. The entire first floor is completely redone to match the shop or restaurant that occupies that space. It stands out to me because in the U.S. you do not see that a lot you see shops in buildings match the design of the rest of the building, but not here in Germany. You would see would looks to be an apartment from the early 1900s and then have a McDonald's right below it with all the décor of a McDonald's restaurant. Just a very fascinating perspective. 

Adventures in Aachen

 Yesterday a group of us traveled about two hours to a town in Germany called Aachen. We walked around town and saw the Aachen cathedral, and it was so beautiful! And fun fact, it was constructed by order of Emperor Charlemagne. 

We also went to a spa that had natural thermal pools both indoors and outdoors. I would post pictures, but they said that they didn't allow anyone to take any pictures of the inside! It was a very relaxing end to the day. After that we went to a german restaurant and they gave me a hotdog in a cup of water which I'm not sure how to feel about. 

Overall, I'm feeling much more confident at navigating my way around unfamiliar places and using the train system. I also feel like I can communicate better with the people in the town around me. It has only been two weeks and yet I have seen a lot of growth in myself, and I can't wait for this next step of the journey in Nordeney!

Trip to Cologne!

A couple of days ago, our class took a study trip to Cologne, which is about 20 minutes away from Bonn. The cathedral is right outside the train station, and I never could have imagined just how HUGE it actually is!! Every time I looked up I couldn't even fathom the amount of detail in the architecture while also being on that large of a scale. We got to go up in an elevator all the way to the roof and get a 360 degree view of the city.

This past week has been filled with more adventures just like that one. We went and hiked up to the Drachenfels ruins by the Rhine. Yesterday, I got to go to my host family's farm and eat cherries straight from the tree! They were the best cherries I had ever had in my life. Even exploring the different parts of Bonn has taught me so much about how to navigate a new city and interact with strangers. I can't wait for the next few weeks when we are going to get to travel even further and meet more new people!

2 Weeks in Germany

 I cannot believe that I have been in this beautiful country for 2 weeks now! The sights have been incredible and it has been so much fun getting to know all of the other students as well as getting to spend more time with Marga in her host country. Living with my host family definetly is causing me to grow and learn more German, as their English abilities are a little lacking, but it is giving me an experience like no other. The first weekend I travelled to Cologne and got to hang out with Marga and her family which was very special as her parents were celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary. I got to see the Dom for the first time and walk along the Rhine and see the crane houses which was all spectacular. Especially the Dom, which continued to take my breath away during our group trip there on Wednesday. Getting to go to the top of the Dom has been one of my favorite experiences so far. This weekend Marga and I ventured to the Black Forest and stayed in Freiburg then Baden-Baden (where we are fighting some rain today). Freiburg was so much fun and we walked up nearly 300 steps to the top and got an incredible view of the city and the surrounding forest. I am excited to go to the thermal baths here in Baden-Baden later today. Until next time!

2 Week Recap

It’s crazy to think that we’ve almost been here for two weeks already. Time is really flying by but there is still so much left to come. I’ve made two trips to Cologne this past week and I absolutely love it there. The city is nothing like anything in America and the cathedral is absolutely beautiful. 

I am really excited about going to Norderny and Amsterdam next week! Amsterdam has been one of the places I always dreamed about going to so I can’t wait and hope everything goes well. 

Minus the asthma incident on the hike and getting off on the wrong train stops, I am having an absolute blast in Germany. I can’t wait for what’s to come. 

One Week In

 There is no where else in the world where every single place you go to for food makes one of the most amazing meals you've ever had. This is how I best describe how meals have been in Germany. In fact, one of my favorite past times with my friends on this trip so far have been wandering around Bonn searching for the next place to eat.

To counter all the calories I've been consuming during this trip, many of us on the trip have stayed quite active, running and hiking around Bornheim or the nearby country side. This has almost become a daily routine, and I hope to keep the tradition for the duration of the trip.

Classes are long but still very interesting. The two main courses, pharmacology and history of medicine are quite different as well. Pharmacology has us apply our knowledge and analytical skills for discussions amongst each other. On the other hand, history of medicine is lecture/ information based and has us consume large sums of information in a traditional lecture setting.

Blog Episode 3: Sunday Morning !

 This blog post is wrapping up my second week here but I want to write specifically about church. My religion is a very integral part of my identity, and is thus exploring my religion in a new setting is an important aspect of being abroad. Looking ahead to my trip back in months prior to departure, I wasn't sure how my faith would fit into my experience, but even after two weeks I can declare that I have had an adjustment of perspective. 

On Mittwoch, we embarked upon our study excursion to Cologne and I was unprepared to say the least for the colossal cultural gemstone that waited for me there. While the Dom's striking beauty from its exterior would definitely be enough to make a lasting impression on ones life, we were privileged to transcend the effects of only a distant impression. Being able to walk through its sanctuary and even scale its towers, I tried my best to soak in the facts from the tour guides, the light pouring through the colored windows, the pitch of the bell chimes, and all of the components of experience that fell into my subconscious. As my feet tread the tile, I could only think of how many pairs of shoes had done so before me. Doing so made me appreciate that my faith was something that tied me to each of these people through hundreds of years; an invisible string of sorts. From then on, I looked up from the floor with a new mindset. When I analyzed a component of the architecture or décor, I recognized its significance. Then, more importantly, I took a moment to ponder who mastered the craft of designing it, creating it, maintaining it, repairing it, preserving it, and who else had the honor of viewing it as I had. 

In my free time before and after classes I have taken a special side mission to explore the local churches and cathedrals that I've spotted on the city's skyline. On one of my attempts to navigate home without a map, I got moderately disoriented and ended up on a 2 mile detour attempting to make my way to what I thought was the church near my house. When I reached its courtyard I realized that I had actually discovered yet another beautiful house of worship. For each one that I have discovered, I take a moment to appreciate its exterior, before entering silently ready to observe the essence of the inside. While each has its own ornate decorations and tributes, all of the churches that I have experienced bring about a feeling of peace and grounding that I cherish and seek to experience increasingly more often. 

Blog Post 2

 Our first week here was a bit of an adjustment: beating jet lag, learning the trains, figuring out class schedules. But even in such a short time, so many unforgettable events have already happened. The House of History was very interesting. I've always been interested in Cold War history, but I have only ever learned it from an American perspective, so the German perspective was very eye-opening. 

I am also learning how limiting and awkward it is to not speak German. Although a lot of people here speak it and speak it well, the few encounters I have had with a true language barrier have been strange. Being yelled at by an annoyed German in a McDonald's was a little frightening and has really strengthened my resolve to continue my Duolingo lessons. 

I am very excited for what the next few weeks will bring!

Blog Episode 2: Germ-lish

 Although we have only been here a week, I sit down to write this post and find myself struggling to select what it is I would like to write about. My writing hand has grown a new caulis from scribbling in my journal, and my camera roll would be busting at the seams if it harnessed physicality. 

The title of this blog post stems from my most recent adopted pattern of speech where I pepper in as much German as I know, then resort to English to fill the gaps in my sentences. My host family finds it hilarious when I give up, but this has turned into a game where I try to enter stores and complete transactions in German without them detecting that I am American. While specifically applied to language in the previous scenario, I find myself participating in this phenomenon in other aspects of my life as well. Applied only slightly differently, I have been eating "as the Germans do" as much as my schedule for the day allows, then filling in the gaps with my American dietary habits. I have enjoyed the trend of fresh vegetables and fruits being readily available, and have accepted the integration of high quality bread as a staple for daily cuisine. However, because im not sure I could make it a day without it, I convinced my host family to each try peanut butter, for apparently its not very common here. 

In other aspects of my life here in Germany, I have further welcomed the lifestyle components of transportation, punctuality, comfortable silence, and even air drying laundry. I adore my host family, and I'm very grateful for the patience they have shown me as I rockily adjust to their way of life. Not that the first few days were gilded, but I would say that I was immediately blinded by the culture shock and beauty of the scenery that I didn't instantly recognize the challenges I would face living abroad rather than simply vacationing here for a few days. I have embraced the challenges, such as the language barrier and public transportation with an eagerness to achieve normalcy in this environment. While that may seem a little over ambitious, I made my was across a few towns and up a mountain by myself within a few days; therefore, anything is possible. 

Here is us HOM students on our first day in the AIB! 

This is my sister Katharina and I on a bike ride through the local recreation trails! She is much better at navigating than I am, we don't have to talk about my crash. 

Every morning I have been starting my day with a plate similar to this, and believe me when I say I will be continuing this habit well into my return to the US. 

 

1st week recap!

 Howdy!! Ok so we have officially been here in Bonn for an entire week and I cannot believe it! I feel like it has gone by so quickly already but, at the same time, we have fit so much into just a few days that I cannot wait to see what the rest of trip has in store! At the beginning of the week, we walked around the marketplaces and got to see the amazing architecture and eat some very yummy pasta and gelato :) We went to see the old hunting palace and walk around the botanical gardens which was honestly a highlight of the week for me! After seeing the gardens, we all laid in the grass for about an hour just talking and sitting in the sun and it was just so peaceful! I love that life moves a bit slower here so you get to fully enjoy the time you spend with people! Carly and I took a little trip to Koln one night for dinner and got to see the incredible cathedral there! It was truly one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen and seeing it was a bit of a surreal moment where I was like wow I am just so glad I came on this trip because I would not get to see things like this if I just stayed in my little corner of the world forever! This weekend, we went on a few hiking trips and got to see a replica of an old castle!! So, yeah, overall a very fun first week, I could not be more grateful–sorry for the long rant but here's some pics to show just a glimpse of all we did!

-Halle Hinton

We hiked 12 miles...accidentally

 The air is cleaner here and a cool breeze floats off the rhein slowly rustling the trees above. Setting out on a hike feels like starting a great quest, like the kingdom must be saved and like the adventure is right around the corner. I love walking and just breathing in the cool air. our goal was to make it to the top of the lookout and see the whole valley from above but we took multiple turns off the path chasing after each new adventure. We encountered a blue lake and stared down from the top of the cliff and I'm pretty sure each of us was thinking okay what if we jumped, but we didn't, don't worry Dr Wasser.  After we finally reached the lookout we realized we had no idea where we were going and google maps was close to 0 help. We somehow trecked through the woods climbing over fallen trees and made it to a tram stop. Then we climbed up the largest hill ever, our calves begging us to stop,  until we reached a castle at the top, The Schloss Drachenburg. When I finally sat down to shovel my face with gf pasta while wrapped in a blanket my apple watch read 12 miles. SO WORTH IT! 

Beginnings in Germany

    When we began our trip into Germany on the bus, I was expecting to see a very bland countryside filled with some trees and grass and old buildings from the medieval ages. But what I found changed my entire perspective on Germany. It is a mix of both old buildings and feelings with new innovations in design. Many of the buildings are never torn down, instead they are just renovated to fit its new purpose. Many shops in this area's first floor are like those back in the United States, while a floor above is this old looking building that you would find hundreds of years ago. The blend of keeping your buildings feel of old along with that of keeping it practical and not letting the building take up a vital part of the town to maintain its medieval feeling.

Post #1- An Exciting Start

5/23/2022

I'm writing this first blog post while waiting at the airport for my direct flight to Frankfurt! Although I'm a day late due to overbooking of the flight, I can't wait to meet up with the other students and hear about their first day. I'm a little nervous about finding the train station in the airport when I land by myself, but my dad made me watch YouTube videos about navigating the Frankfurt airport. Hopefully I won't be completely lost. It's awesome to see the pictures and messages other students who are already in Bonn are sending in GroupMe and Snapchat. I'm so happy my parents encouraged me to take this study abroad and look forward to meeting everybody at lunch tomorrow!

- Bailee

Duo lingo didn’t prepare me for this…

 So you think you have been learning German for months on some silly little app with an owl? GUESS WHAT! you are wrong you know nothing. Landing in the airport gives you a false sense of confidence but being sent to the supermarket is the real test! When I arrived to Bornheim I was hurried through the pouring rain into a stunning tan building by and elegant Germany lady with extremely eclectic taste! ( think old church converted to techno bar with a splash of Middle school English teacher). Our room is simple but perfect, I must admit I am still getting used to the lack of AC. Even now I can see life is slower here, I see people slowly meandering along the rivers, and fathers chasing children through the garden. On Monday’s stores are closed but on Sunday groceries are closed( very confusing hahah) So in a fit of hunger and sleep deprivation Halle and I settle a super market to grab some quick snacks. In about 5 seconds I realize I don’t know Anything when we set off an alarm and earn ourself glare from the shopkeepers, finally getting our stuff after being forced to go off looks alone and hope for the best. I think I have a long way to go before I am the experience local I thought I would be instantly! But what a joy it is to learn!!!! 

Initial Thoughts

In the months leading up to this trip, my expectation was to see a country unrecognizable from that which I am used to. In reality, when I was finally able to see Germany as our plane finally flew lower than the lowest level of clouds, I was amazed at how different yet similar the country looks to the United States. I joined this study abroad opportunity in order to examine the differences between American and German culture. Now that I am here, I plan to study not only the differences, but the similarities I share with the German people. Although I am anxious about the language barrier that I will inevitably run in to during the trip, I hope so slowly learn more of the german language everyday.

HOM Expectations

I have always wanted to do a study abroad experience, so when Professor Wasser mentioned the HOM study abroad program in Physiology I looked into it and decided that I wanted to partake in it. I'm excited for a lot of things about this study abroad experience, but the thing that I'm most excited about is learning and seeing German culture. I'm also nervous about a few things, including the language barrier. I've heard that most Germans speak English, so hopefully this isn't much of an issue. I can't wait to see what the next few weeks hold, and I'm ready to learn new things.

Episode 1 !

  Waiting to check in to my flight here in the Houston Intercontinental airport I find myself at a loss for words. Dr. Wasser prompted us to write a post explaining why we wanted to participate in this program, what our worries and expectations are, an introduction to this "heroes' journey" as this trip has been coined. My aspirations to study abroad were first ignited several years ago as I watched my older siblings chase the opportunities that college presented them across borders. With the challenges that busy schedules and the world-wide pandemic ensued upon my college years, it wasn't until I saw this program on the abroad website last October that my once farfetched goal became something I could grasp. Even now it seems like an overwhelming process of preparation has been completed as I finally stand in line (literally) to begin this experience. Let it be known that I have never traveled out of this country, so even my passport ordering appointment was a new and unfamiliar experience. I've faced every bullet on my checklist so far with optimism, confidence, flexibility, and a mindset ready to learn. Looking ahead to what waits for me in these next few weeks, I plan to take on every next day and task with the same attitudes. 

I wished to join this program for many reasons, but I feel the largest in this moment is that I am confident that it will change my life in ways that I can't yet fathom. I'm certain I will meet more people than I could expect, learn concepts I hadn't imagined, and experience sights that I didn't know even existed. With all of this said, I could definitely pinpoint nervousness and anxiousness in the arsenal of emotions I currently hold. I have crafted a very comfortable corner of the world here in south Texas, so this program and all of the "new" that it will bring will require a whole new schema for processing in my brain. However, with reassurance, excitement, and lots of support, I am focusing on all of the positive ramifications this experience will bring me. The word excited sounds pathetically tame for how I am feeling right now, and I cannot wait to set this movie in motion. 

Here is my dad, my brother, and me in the drop off lane at the Airport! 

Arriving in Germany!

Today is my first day in Germany and I already have so many stories to tell. This was the longest flight I was on but the plane was pretty nice, except the food was skeptical. I wasn’t able to finish any of the meals mainly because I was still on Texas time. After the first meal, a group of people rushed to the bathrooms and my stomach started to hurt. I had thought it was just me and maybe my bowel movements were acting crazy today, but I then found out that other students had the same problem. Once I got off the plane I was so relieved and excited to finally be in Germany… and use the restroom comfortably. 

I came on this program not only to gain more experience in medicine and travel, but to work on my mental health and mindset. In the past, I have always been hard on myself and viewed the whole in a way that was not the healthiest for my mental health. I’m hoping to come back from this trip changed. I’m excited to learn about the history of medicine in Germany, exploring Europe for the first time, and becoming an improved different person.  

Second day in Germany:

Today we took a tour of Bonn and it was absolutely beautiful. I learned that Germans are indeed “frank” but also very kind. I forgot a mask on the tram and one of the students gave me an extra. When I got on the plan, my mask broke and I was struggling to fix it. A nice lady saw me struggling and gave me a mask. I also realized how much it actually rains in Germany, but the weather is still way better than Texas. Me and a group of people went to go find someplace to eat in the center of Bonn and experienced how difficult it would be to find a place to eat. We had a hard time understanding some menus because they did not have an English one. We wanted to try a traditional German restaurant but ended up going to a Cantonese restaurant. For dinner, I order a pina colada without getting card and finally felt like an adult lol.

My health the first two days have been a little rough. I haven’t flown a plane in years, especially not 9 hours plus. I had a hard time building up an appetite on the plane due to the time difference and plane sickness and ended up eating in total 1 meal in the two days. I’ve had back to back migraines and nausea. Today I finally built up an appetite, ate, and felt way better. I am ready for the rest of the weeks!

Frankfurt Airport Thoughts

 As I sit here in a café in the Frankfurt airport, I am reminded of all the new experiences that I will have on this trip. From the new foods to all the German signs, it was almost a little overwhelming, but I am excited. This represents my general attitude towards the trip as I am very excited to experience every cultural nuance in Germany, but also worried that  some of the experiences may be a lot in the first couple days. As I meet my host family and arrive at AIB, these small worries will most certainty transform into joy and excitement. 

One difference I saw as I flew into the Frankfurt airport was the vast amount of windmills in Germany. These are seen in some places in the United States, but I was able to see so many more windmills while on the plane. It was a great reminder of the differences in Germany. Attached is a picture of the windmills I took from the plane as we flew over parts of Western Germany. Overall, I am excited to see what I will learn here in Germany.

Week 1 - Calling myself German

Now that we are officially in Germany, I can't wait for the weeks ahead! I am very excited to get familiar with the town and immerse myself in the German culture. The last time I came to Germany was 6 years ago with my family so I am excited to experience the country with a different perspective. 

Arrived in Germany!!

  Hi, my name is Halle Hinton!! I am a sophomore BIMS major, hoping to go to vet school, and I am from Frisco, TX! I was interested in the HOM trip because I have never been to Europe and I have always wanted to experience a new culture while getting to learn about something I love and meet fun new people! Can't wait to get to know all of you better and excited for everything to come!!

Em's Day 1: The Kindness of Strangers

 This trip is nerve-wracking. I am both excited and nervous. Do I know any German? No. Do I know how to get around Bonn yet? No. However, I decided to come on this trip to experience the world.

I have never come to Europe, and given this opportunity, I thought I should experience navigating a new culture. I am excited to get to know my host family, make new friends, broaden my horizon of medicine, and have fun along the way.

Even while in the airport my fears are diminishing. From a German man sitting next to me on my first flight, explaining to me how he hasn't been able to fly home in 3 years due to the pandemic and he is so excited to go see his family. To the man from Italy sitting next to me on the second flight who rated the airplane food with me and nicely showed me to push the bathroom door when I was trying to pull it. To lastly all of the A&M students I am already calling my friends after one day at the airport. I am already blown away by kindness and excited for these next few weeks!

First Blog Post

I am super excited to be going on this trip! I have never traveled out of the continent before so it should be cool. I chose this program because I want to be a doctor and I think this will provide me with a more diverse perspective. The plane ride was long and the man in front of me in the bathroom line was extremely excited and did a little dance so it has already been very interesting.  

HOWDY GERMANY!!!

 YAY!  I just landed at the airport and picked up my first of many coffees for the day! I’m so excited to get this trip started and can wait to start unpacking. The flight was way easier than I thought! This is going to the best!!!! 

Intro!!

 I am excited to be able to have experiences in a new country and learning the history while also focusing on medicine. I'm a premedical student so this experience is one that will be very useful for my future career. I'm also excited to immerse myself in the local german culture.

I am nervous about a few things coming into a new country. I can't even begin to imagine being able to navigate all of the buses, trains, and the city of Bonn itself. Driving through the city on the bus today was intimidating enough! I know that with time and support from my host family that I will be able to learn my way around.

I am very excited to be able to practice speaking German. Right now I do not feel  confident enough to speak to a native german speaker, but I know that I just have to put myself out there and not be afraid to try. I know that attempting to speak german, even if I fail, is the only way I can improve my speaking skills.

Overall I am both nervous and excited for this journey to begin, and I can't wait to see where the experiences in the future will take me!

Expectations for the Study Abroad

     I am super excited to start on this journey while in Germany this summer. One of the reasons that I picked this program was because I love the history of Europe and am very interested in science, which made this program perfect for me! With my goal of going into pharmacy school next fall, the applied pharmacology class would also fit perfectly with my future career path. It is also giving me an excuse to visit my past German foreign exchange student, Marga, who I am seeing during my free weekends during the trip.

Made it to Germany

I chose this program, because I am interested in human medicine and German culture. I am from a small German town in Texas called Muenster, so finding a program in Germany was very fitting. I am looking forward to this experience and all that it brings!

Hello Germany!

 I am so excited to be in Germany and learn a lot about the culture and history around here. I joined this study abroad because I am very interested in medicine and think learning how it came to be what it is today. I currently have just arrived in Frankfurt and I am so excited to get started on this program. I can’t wait to explore all that Europe has to offer for these next 6 weeks. I’m sure they will fly by. 

As of right now I am still a little anxious about staying with a host family. I’m sure it’ll end up being a great experience it’s just an experience like none I’ve ever had before so I’m not too sure what to expect. Based off of her email she does seem like a very nice and genuine person and I’m so excited that she has cats. 

I think what I’m most excited for is our excursions. I love seeing new places and getting to do that as one big group will be a great experience. I can’t wait to see how the group grows together and what relationships can be made it just six short weeks. I can’t wait to see this hero’s journey in action. 

Thoughts from the Frankfurt airport

Finally in Germany! Need some tums or Pepto. Lots of us got some strange stomach issues after the plane food! So fun! But the flight wasn’t bad, and now I can be excited about our trip!!! I can’t wait to make it to Bonn and meet my host family! It’s already been great meeting other students on the trip, and I can’t wait to see how the rest of it goes. I chose this program to learn more about medicine, experience German culture, make some new friends, and gain new experiences :)

 Hello! I joined this program because I wanted to travel before attending medical school! I’m super excited to explore Europe and I hope to come back after this trip! 

Danielle Chagnot

Bis bald germany !

 I’m nervous and excited as I prepare to take off. I hope to learn more about Germany and it’s culture as well as the people I’m surrounded by. 

I chose this program because it seemed like the perfect length of time for me to be away and immerse myself into a different way of living. 

Well we’re going to be walking around the airport for the next hour before we board, so bis bald Germany!