The End

Well I thought that my last post really sucked so I am going to redeem myself by reposting. This summer was amazing, I don't think that there are words to describe it. I have to admit that I was scared about the program since I was the only one that wasn't bio-oriented, but I think that I stood my own. The best trip was the one to the heart clinic where we got to watch the surgeries. I hope that more chemistry majors are invited to join this program, it could liven things up. My favorite place that I went to was Paris. Standing infront of the Lourve was the most amazing feeling. I definately intend on going back, and seeing more of Germany and maybe France.

Shake N' Bake Baby!

I was sitting in my girlfriend's living room during a party when someone said they heard this tribe in New Guinea made the young men in the tribe perform fellatio on the elders in the tribe in order to welcome their passage from boyhood to manhood. They also said the tribe believes swallowing the bodily fluids that result from this action protects the young men from the wide world of heterosexual diseases. One person immediately responded, "man the rest of the people in this world are sooo stupid!".

As ridiculous as this tribe's beliefs may seem, they are still part of their way of life and it should at least be attempted to understand why they perform these rituals before condemning them and the rest of the world as redundant. Actually, the person who made this comment makes a lot of derogatory comments about people from other parts of the world. Sad thing is, she's never even left the state of Texas. It seems like many people find it easier to demean other cultures rather than understand them, especially when they themselves are ignorant and cannot fathom a world existing outside their realm. I mean, how do you call the the countries of Mozart, pyramids, Budweiser, nut flavored gelato, and Toyota stupid??? Beats me.

Although I never have been naive enough to make a comment of that magnitude, this trip has given me so much more perspective on the world than I had before. I learned lots of information about different countries and the people living in those countries. I learned how to act and to survive when I'm no longer in a comfortable evironment (also known as Shake N' Bake). I sat down and talked world issues with well-informed, middle-aged people and actually enjoyed it. I learned to listen before I give an answer and to really attempt to understand where people are coming from before judging their words and their actions.

More important than the things I learned while in Europe, I developed a passion for travel and learning about new places and cultures. Even though I'm currently stuck in College Station taking classes and walking through cold puddles of water in poorly paved parking lots, I'm already planning for a trip to someplace new whether it be across the world or here in the U.S. Who knows? Maybe I'll end up in New Guinea trying to figure out why they do what they do. Regardless, I'll be eternally grateful for the friends I've made and the times I've had.

From Timid Traveler to Galavanting Globetrotter

I think the best way to sum this whole experience up is to start at the beginning of my German experience. In high school, I needed to take a foreign language, so instead of doing the "normal" thing I took German. We had an exchange program set up and my teacher REALLY wanted me to go but NO WAY!!! This girl was NOT leaving America. No way no how no nothing. I hardly liked leaving Texas! I was happier to learn about Europe from afar. Fast forward to October 2005. I stumbled into overseas day, just passing through the MSC, not knowing what I was getting myself into. While I was walking around, trying to keep from looking at the tables, I saw Dr. Musser, who I had as a prof for Great Disease. This class was awesome and I really really liked Dr. Musser. (I liked him so much he wrote a med school rec for me!). When he told me about this small little program that would take pre-med and pre-vet students to Europe I said NO WAY I don't want to go I never really liked to travel but it was so nice to see you Dr. Musser ok I will take a brochure. That's where the trouble started.....

I called my dad later that day, telling him everything that went on, and then I mentioned "oh yeah I ran into Dr. Musser today. Oh yeah I said hi, yeah it was for this study abroad program thingie.... they go see German vet schools and hospitals and learn about all that stuff, but oh gosh NO I could never go and do that. Only crazy people WANT to get in a plane and fly across an ocean. Did you know you can't land a plane on water?" Instead of humoring my concerns my dad said "OH MY GOSH SARAH!!!! You should TOTALLY do that!! It sounds SOOOOO COOL!!!!" Holy moly that's where it ALL really got started. I kind of realized hey, it would be cool to go to Europe, a once in a lifetime chance to travel while I'm young and don't have anything else to worry about. I applied, got accepted, managed to figure out the money situation, and everything was set. But then of course my boyfriend had to tell me "Wow Sarah, I've always wanted to go to Europe, we should go early and travel together." I was screaming in my head "We've been dating FOUR years and you JUST now tell me this!" I spent forever trying to figure out planes, travel plans, TRAINS (WHOA trains.... a whole nother world), and foreign hotels, all on a college students budget. I was totally overwhelmed. Plus we started our initial trip meetings, and gosh I was sure no one in the group was going to like me and everyone already knew someone and I wasn't going to have hardly any fun at all. Boy was I wrong.

Traveling with my boyfriend was A-mazing. We went to London, Paris, Berlin, Bamberg, and Amsterdam. There are so many stories from that trip, I wish I had longer to tell all about them. (Yeah that's him watching the World Cup game from Fan Fest in Berlin. Oh yeah and that's def the Branderburg gate behind the TV screen. Crazy huh?) Anyway, traveling with him was amazing. I definetly learned a lot about being confident and not being afraid to ask a total stranger how to find something. I also wasn't afraid of looking stupid, I mean hey, I'm just a dumb American and I'll never see you again because I am in Europe!

Even through traveling around was a blast, I still wasn't ready for the shock of the program. My boyfriend left from the Amsterdam airport and all of a sudden I realized.... I'M IN EUROPE!!!!!!!!! ALONE!!!!!!!! NO CELL PHONE!!!!!!!! WHOSE IDEAS WAS THIS??????????????? I freaked out a bit. Not as much as on the plane ride to Europe (it takes a LONG time to get across that ocean, and planes are not as big as they look. My dad calls them cattle cars with wings for a good reason). I had to go back to my hostel alone, get all my stuff together alone, walk back to the train station with all my crap alone, and then take the train into Germany alone. I was a bit sad. Once I got into Duesseldorf I really clicked on my German (I used in a some in Bamberg because its a small town and not everyone knew English) because now I was living in Germany. LIVING!!!! Even if it only was for 5 weeks it was still living.

I made it to the AIB safely, paid my cad driver, and there I was. I was SO nervous! What was I thinking when I signed that paper! My host mom spoke very good English even though she didn't think so and after picking me up and taking me on my first trip on the Autobahn she showed me around the house and into my room. It was a very nerve racking time because I've always tried to be very courteous and I hate to make others feel uncomfortable but I am usually very warm and friendly but I had heard so much about the standoffish Germans I was afraid to come out of my shell for fear of offending her. But boy did I throw out those notions fast! My host my was so incredibly nice and always wanted to make sure I was comfortable and happy. We really started to talk more at the 4th of July celebration we had at the AIB, which I think was the first sign of everyone wanting us to feel comfortable. I love the U.S. and the 4th of July is a very important holiday and I really feel like they recognized that even though it was American, it was important to us, even if we were in Germany.

Well, this is starting to get long so I'll try to sum everything else up pretty quick. The details of everything we did are around here somewhere in the blog. We went on some crazy trips, did some really fun things, learned about Germany frat boys, saw the most incredible sights, and I met four of the most A-mazing women ever. We are the female straight version of the Fab 5. I didn't think I would become close with one person, I became close with FOUR! Kristen, Melissa, Kit and Stuart are girls I probably never would have imagined I would love so much. Even being the mom of the group I always had a blast and I can't imagine having a better time than I did. We wandered through the red light district of Amsterdam together (We had to cover Stuart's eyes a couple times.), we partied like real German's at the vet frat house together, we took care of each other on the Munich bike ride, drooled over the Eigelstein's waiters together, sang the War Hymn at the biergarten like true Aggies, and we made friends with almost everyone on any train we got on. Oh yeah, and we shopped! I really feel this whole trip brought out the absolute best in me. I would say I changed, but I feel like its just that who I am was able to come out more, and now I'm not afraid to show who I really am. I got to be curious and caring and nerdy and a medicine freak (seeing open heart surgery... MOST overly emotional medical moment of my life, I saw a man's hear beating... in his CHEST!!!!), and I got to have a lot of fun with the best girls ever. Don't get me wrong I really love everyone that went on the trip. Seeing Greg at my med school interview made me feel so comfortable and at home, going to Chrissy's ring dunking and then Derek's was super exciting, having Becca and Erin in my molecular genetics class always makes for an interesting time (ROW 6 Baby!!!), and running into Mas at random places always makes me smile (or maybe its his funny laugh, I dunno). In fact I call everyone that went on the trip my German friend, which is pretty confusing to all of my friends that didn't go on the trip. I definetly idenify with friends at home not understanding. All of a sudden to them I had a new group of friends that I was crazy about and wanted to see that they didn't know. And I've been through a whole life experience that they've never had. And I KNOW I drive them crazy when I say "OH gosh!! When we did blah blah blah in whatever cool country we were in at the time." I have very few regrets over all. I wish I hadn't gotten sick (yeah don't get sick in a foreign country, they don't have a CVS with all the medicines you know and love), I wish I had taken more pictures, and I wish I had bought more souveniers. Oh yeah, and I wish they hadn't told everyone not to wear t-shirts. I brought all these plain polos because the study abroad people said OH NO Don't look like an American. I hate to break it to them, but you can't help it!!! The second you get there you have American written in day glo orange on your forehead. (okay I had ONE time where some one honest to goodness thought I was German. I was pretty excited about that.) But that's it. The trip was worth the money, the time, the tears... everything. I can't imagine my life without having done this trip. When I left I said oh wow this is so cool, a once in a life time opportunity. But now I know it wasn't once in a lifetime because now that I've been... I WILL go again. I can't wait to travel, I get excited about looking at new places to go, I even enjoy being a little bit spontaneous! Dr. Wasser and Dr. Musser were incredible the whole trip, as was Miriam. They all wanted us to go out, have fun, and learn about ourselves and Germany. There could have been no better group to go on this trip with. I am so blessed to have been given all of this. Now that I'm at the end, I want to cry again. It would be so much easier to just be able to plop my brain out onto the computer so that everyone could feel the happiness and memories I have because of this group and program. So as the girl who didn't want to leave Texas, much less the U.S., let me tell you, JUST GO!!!! You'll never have as much fun and learn as much as you will on a study abroad program. If I can do it, you can too. You'll love it, or my name's not Sarah Morris :)

And here's a few pics to show just how cool it all was.





The first is the Dom in Cologne.







Then its me at the Marksburg castle. I met some nuns there on the walk up. REAL nuns! They needed someone with German skills to help them out. So I tried. Dr. Wasser said I get double points since I'm not Catholic.







And that's Stuart in Munich being silly. When is that girl not silly?









And that's at Dachau. It was really hard to put into words the emotions I felt there.










And finally, that's a bunch of the girls at the Biergarten in Munich, posing with the Ompapa band. They were so cute in their Lederhosen!

unsure

Germany was amazing, but now those times seem to far gone. I hate to admit it, but I haven't had a lot of time to think about this summer. The Lab Service Supervisor quit midweek and I have to temporarily fill his place until they can find someone else. I am also TAing four other classes so it is really hectic. I am sorry that I missed the fun, I am kind of stuck up here for a while. I hope everyone is doing fine and someday the fab five will have a reunion.

Looking back

So I have no problem going overseas for the summer, I was excited and could not get on the plane fast enough. When I was over there I can honestly say that the only time I felt scared/worried was when I went to the doctor who spoke no english. But I was not expecting what happened when I came home. I hated it, I did not want to be back in the states, I did not want to talk to anyone or talk about my trip and everything seemed to be going wrong. Everyone kept asking to see photos and tell stories and I just didn't want to talk about it. During the last dinner I said that I did not think I had changed, maybe saw myself more but not changed. When I came home I realized I had. I guess I have become softer and not as closed... ahh I kinda miss the harsh Prissy! haha! I had a wonderful time and I have just now been able to talk about what happened and things that I did. I guess I was afriad if I talked about it I would ruin it. But I'm all better now! Well kind of, my foot is STILL BROKEN!!! AHHH this makes 4 months of a broken foot! grrr... I would do this again in a heartbeat and worth every penny! Thanks to everyone who made the trip so amazing and wonderful and something I will never forget!

So-Long, Farewell...

This will be my final post to the Dusseldorf Digest, and therefore, I will try to summarize all my experiences and the impact this trip has made on my life. First of all, my host parents—they are truly two of the most wonderful, caring individuals I have ever met. I am so thankful to have met them, lived with them, and become great friends with them over the five weeks I was in Germany. They did so much and cared so much for Katie and I that I began to feel like part of their family. I plan on keeping in touch with my host parents hopefully for the rest of my life because I don’t want to lose them as friends. Hopefully I can return to Germany sometime in the future and go to visit them; it would be great to see them again!! My advice to any newcomers to this study abroad program…and any for that matter… is to get to know your host parents well by talking with them, doing things with them, and learning from them. You’ll meet some awesome people that way!!
Secondly, I loved getting to know and making friends with all the other students and professors on this trip. It was fun getting to know Dr. Wasser, Dr. Musser, and Miriam better and talking with them and hanging out with them at Biergartens. It is always good to have a professor that knows you better than just by your grades in a class. This was new to me, because usually I don’t go and talk to my professors much, but now I just spent five weeks with two of them. It is good, though, because now I have two professors that I know well enough to feel comfortable going to talk to for advice, to ask for a letter of recommendation, or just to chat. That is something really nice to have. As for the other students, I had a great time getting to know all of them since I didn’t know anyone really well. I usually get nervous about meeting new people, but since we all didn’t know each other, everyone was forced to do the same thing. I also loved rooming with Katie because we had a lot of fun together and we became really good friends. Even though Katie was in all my classes, I didn’t talk to her much, so it was really cool that we became friends over this trip. I also found it really interesting that everyone in the group got along fairly well when we were all from different majors and involved in different things. It is really awesome that I have something in common so many different people that I probably would never had known otherwise. I see the other students around campus everywhere and it is so neat to know that I share this common experience--an experience that most people would not understand or be able to relate to. So far I’ve seen Becca at the football game sitting behind me, Mas working as an EMS at the game and walking to class, Erin on the field at a game with the swim team, Prissy standing out of the rain at a football game, Leslie going to class, and of course Katie, Robin, Doug, and Kyle who are in my classes. It is fun seeing everyone again because it reminds me of all the fun times we had in Germany.
Lastly, this study abroad program has taught me a lot about myself and my capabilities. Through riding trains and busses into class and riding trains all throughout Europe, I have learned that I can successfully navigate through big cities on foot and by bus and figure out how to get to where I need to go by using public transportation even if it is in a different language. I also feel I am more comfortable talking to people and asking questions since I had to do that in Germany where it is harder to communicate. I used to hate calling businesses to ask questions or talking to them in person or even sometimes calling people I knew, but now I don’t mind at all and I do it without even thinking about it. I also definitely do not like interviews, but when I went to Career Fair and started talking with some of the representative of companies, I became really comfortable and not so nervous. This trip has also made me more independent because I had to do everything for myself while I was in Germany and I did not have my parents to run to for help. I also became more confident in talking to people in a foreign language, although I wish I had practiced this skill more while I was over there. It was hard to force myself to speak German when everyone there seemed to speak English. Overall, from this experience, I have learned more about myself, become more confident in myself and my abilities, become more assertive, and become more mature. This program was a fun, learning experience for me that has affected my life in a positive way. I had so much fun and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Back to the Real World

Towards the ende of the trip, I was more than ready to return to my good old US of A. My two month trip spanned nine different countries, making my total of countries seen in my life ten, and the wear and tear had caught up to me. The rest was short-lived after my arrival back home because three days later, I was forced to move up to College Station for soccer two-a-days. Now having reached the first round of exams for the fall semester, I find myself looking back to all that I learned this summer and truly appreciating the opportunity presented to me. During the first week of soccer practices, we had three students show up from out of the country: one from Russia, one from Serbia, and one from Copenhagen. Before this year, I would never have known anything about their culture, or even met anyone from their countries. This changed this summer in Europe when I actually stayed a weekend in Copenhagen, met a group of girls from Russia, and took a tour of Dachau from a professor who specializes in eastern European history, while speaking Serbian and Russian. I was able to relate to these people’s lives and more importantly, knew what it was like to enter a new country where I did not know anything of their social practices. I went out of my way to make them feel comfortable in their new environment. In this example, I think the greatest lesson can be viewed. The ability to relate to others is key to not only individual success but for global success. I feel that my experiences in various countries throughout Europe have provided me with the tools to deal with people from all walks of life and all continents, for it is not the understanding of their beliefs that is the key, just the accepting that there is a difference.

The German Experience

I had to force myself to find time to write this because this semester has already been hectic. Everytime I think about Germany, which is a lot, I can't help but smile. There are so many good memories that I will never forget and that we can't stop reliving. Being back in the states, its almost like Germany never happened-its so surreal. Like its becoming a glimpse in my memory. Since I didn't know anyone on the trip beforehand, seeing everyone how they truly are is weird too but its cool because when I see them its like we have this strong underlying bond (even if I didn't get to know everyone equally well). I don't think there is a day I go without telling someone about Germany, thinking about Germany, or sharing stories about Germany with Kristen. That's the best part. I think going to Europe I wanted to confirm how independent and responsible I am when I really just clicked with someone else who had it all together (Sarah-our German mom). BUT, being all by myself after the program ended for 4 days definately tested me. I think the funniest thing is when my Mom, who didn't hear from me for awhile b/c my phone died, says "Well, you call me...a couple of times a day!" I guess being over there you see its pretty safe and a lot of young people travel around-especially by themselves. I would do it again in a heartbeat (after making some money). I'm really nervous about getting into Vet School this year and I've been thinking if I don't get in I really want to do an internship at the experimental farm with the "cheeps". I have never really been interested in doing research, but learning more about the embryo transfers and doing my paper on the technique and application really spurred some possibilities in my future. All in all the Germany trip has open my eyes to a world far beyond what I could have ever imagined...and I LOVE IT!

Confessions of a homeschooler

Wow, Derek's post was so insightful it's hard to compete. Showoff.
Anywho, I really hate school. I always have and I always will. Whenever I'm feeling so bogged down and exhausted that I think I'm going to fall and hit the floor any minute, my mind always seems to wander back to Germany and the amazing people I got to meet and hang out with for one perfect month. It's nice to know that no matter how bad it gets either today, tomorrow or for the rest of my life, there was one month that I felt happier, freer and more excited to be alive than I have ever felt before.
I think a lot of the feeling sprang from a lack of responsibility, and I know I felt wonderfully welcome by Miriam, Lars, Margot, Freddy, Karsten, Michael, Ferdinand, Denny, Bruno, that New Jersey Guy, X-treme Drummer (she made a great screwdriver), the girls that showed us where to buy cheap shoes and beer in Duesseldorf and of course our strange little bus driver on the sound of music tour. After I showed my mom all my pictures she asked me if I stuck my arm around every hunk I saw. The scenery was so beautiful that it seemed to bring you closer to God, knowing that he created such unspeakable beauty.
I think one of the most surprising aspects of the trip was how well I got along and really came to love some of the people on our trip. I was almost certain when I left home that I wouldn't really find anybody to connect to because there are very few people that I hold in high enough esteem to actually like, much less call my friends. So many great friendships and good feelings came with those people I met and it was such a surprise.
Dr. Wasser wanted to know if I ever plan to go back to Germany and I'm not really sure what answer to give. On the one hand, I only got a tiny taste of so many beautiful and unimaginable places, people and things and the thought of not ever going back just doesn't make any sense. On the other hand, I have to wonder if any future experiences there could ever come close to being as good as the experience I had this summer. It's almost impossible to imagine myself there again in the future without my girls and my bros. Without living with my host mom and listening to Dr. Wasser belt out songs at the top of his lungs while nearby strangers gave him weird looks. It's hard to imagine not having Kit there asking where I am every 5 minutes and I don't know if I could go back without having my drunken kareoke buddies to dance on stages with. I think I can only wait and see what happens. If an opportunity comes along I would be the stupidist idiot in the world not to take it, because this past summer was solid proof that unique opportunities can be the most incredible and liberating investments you'll ever make.
I have homework and responsibilities piling up now, it's hard to believe that it was all just a month ago. Reflecting on everything I saw and did there is almost like having a recurring dream in extreme detail. Thank God for cameras or I might never believe I was actually there.

Back in the States

I am starting to really miss Germany. My host parents sent Kathy and I each a care package with some chocolate and memorabilia from Dusseldorf. I miss them quite a bit! I did not realize how much the trip had impacted my life until I came back and realized what I had learned. My perspective on life seems to have completely changed. In the past I have been caught up with my studies, and at times, I will pass on an event in order to focus on school. I am not at all saying I am going to stop studying this year, but I realized how important relationships with people are. I think the most amazing aspect about Germany, or really Europe in general, was the people I met and came into contact with, and I no longer want to pass up an opportunity to get to know someone better. It is amazing how you can talk with someone for hours and not even come to know their name, but it is those conversations that my mind constantly reverts back to. I learned quite a deal from those people. I learned to give everyone the benefit of the doubt and to trust everyone first. I know you must also be cautious, but when Kathy and I were stranded in Frankfurt, we may not have had the luck that we had had we not decided to trust the Pakistani man who approached us. I have also decided to become more involved with international students. Last night, I actually went Indian dancing, which was completely out of my comfort zone but so much fun nonetheless. I met a man yesterday from Iran, and it was his first day at Texas A&M yesterday, and I could somewhat relate to what he must have been going through. We talked for awhile and decided to hang out again, and I am really looking forward to that time. I have branched out of my engineering bubble and academic tunnel vision it seems, and I have begun to see my surroundings. I am quite enjoying life at the moment, and despite my hectic schedule, I am at peace with life. I do not stress as much as I have in the past, and my studies are not suffering from it. I am also going to take a class in German with the LLI, and I recently got accepted into the AFIL program through the study abroad office. I do not know what the future will bring, but I have a deep desire to travel overseas again, and hopefully, that will happen sooner than later. Tshuss und bis spater!

Its over :(.

I can't believe I've been back for over a month! My adventures abroad have definitely impacted my life more than I imagined they would. The whole trip was much more intense than I expected, and I loved every minute of it. I feel like I was exposed to so many things and grown a lot as a person. Most of all I have changed my mindset and have become much more open minded. We experienced so many different cultures, and I feel like I can now take the best attributes of each and leave behind the negatives. I learned from Germany how to relax, slow down, and appreciate life. It was a great experience, and I will encourage everyone I know to participate next summer.

Definitely the most amazing part of the experience are the friendships that developed. I've made some of the best friends in college while I was in Germany. I hope a reunion comes soon.

Peace out,

Rebecca

P.S. I miss Miriam, Lars, and the AIB!

Left, lived, returned...

So the semester has already started and I'm still trying to figure out where my summer went. The study abroad trip was by far one of the highlights of my college years thus far and I feel like I could go on forever about what a great experience it was. Going in to the trip I felt fairly prepared as to what to expect mainly because of my previous experience of traveling to Europe. Being in Germany, however, was quite different from my two week "see all of the main tourist attractions, take a picture, and on to the next city" trip two years ago. I also had the opportunity to be much more independent and make many of my own travel plans. Living with a host family presented a completely new aspect of being in a new culture. I went in to the host family situation thinking that we would be at "home" and have "family time" much more than we actually did. I guess I didn't realize how much time we would be spending outside of Dusseldorf.

One of the main aspects of the German culture that I admire most is how they view life in general. They live in a much slower paced life and many of the materialistic things that are so important to Americans mean little to them. I also learned that they value their friendships in a different way than what we are used to in America. They don't just call anyone a friend, and only those who they have conversations with on a quite regular basis are honored with that title. As for us, if we have met a person once, they automatically become a 'friend'. Meal time is also an important part of a European's day. Eating a meal is a time to sit with those people you care about and actually partake in discussions, rather than scarf down your food and move on with the day. They enjoy what they are putting in to their mouth and make time to relax during this time. In general, they just seemed so much more laid back and seemed to take in their daily surroundings.

Besides learning about the culture, I also returned home with much knowledge about the history of medicine, World War II, German leaders and politics, current German medical applications, the way German corporations run, the ways medical care is available to German citizens, and much more. I feel that I was taking in new information every minute that I was on this trip. I also learned a lot just from talking with the other students on the trip, almost all of whom I didn't know previously. One thing that amazed me was the vast difference between how little I knew about the other students before the trip to how much I knew by the end. Being around people for that many consecutive days allows you to see others in all kinds of situations. By the end I felt that I knew some of the students better than friends from home that I have known for years.

Overall I will say once again how great of an experience I had studying in Germany. It truly does open your eyes to a whole new world and almost forces you to adapt and somewhat alter many of the ways of life you are so used to.

Last Blog

Wow, I can’t believe that it has already been over a month since we have been back. I have finally gotten out of the habit of saying Danke and Tschuss to everyone. It was really hard to be back in the U.S. at first. I came off of such a high being on a social hiatus for over a month and having to get back into the swing of things. I would try to tell everyone about all the funny stuff that happened while I was over there and no one understood (or they did, but they didn’t think it was funny which was depressing). Now that I am back in College Station I have gotten to see most people again and reminisce about our German extravaganza. It is almost a support group. Hello, my name is Erin and I studied abroad. I have been telling all my other friends that they have to go to Germany. The country is totally different that anything I could have expected (in a good way). Just knowing that I now have journeyed the German country side puts a smile on my face. There aren’t many people that can say that they went to Germany with 22 of their good friends and experienced all the adventures that we did. I would love to go back. I told our host mom that next time we’re in Düsseldorf I will come and visit her (and hopefully know more German). I plan on learning more of the language for the future. It was so eye opening to go to a place where everyone is bi-lingual. It made me conscious of our culture that expects everyone to speak English. Other than that, I still love salami and gouda cheese, and I can not tell you how many times I have gone to get Mexican food for dinner. I wish everyone luck on this new academic year, and hope to continue to hang out with the study abroad group.

Tschuss Sucker,
Erin Briskie

Kellie's return entry

Life as a busy American student has returned in full swing. Buying outrageously priced books, waking up at the crack of dawn for 8AM’s, having a rushed breakfast, studying until the word study makes you nauseous, and all the time remembering the tranquil life I lived in Europe for 5 weeks.

I catch myself in-between hectic moments in my life looking back on pictures and reminiscing about having my breakfast made for me every morning by my awesome host mom or times when I laughed uncontrollably on the long bus rides to cities in Germany. Although the trip wasn’t ages ago, it already feels almost surreal. The pages in my life keep turning, and a climax in one of the chapters was definitely studying abroad in Germany.

Studying abroad during your academic career is an astronomical benefit to your academic career and your perception of culture. I would highly recommend living, traveling, and studying in another country. All the memories you make, the friends you encounter, the lessons you learn far outweigh any cost.

I assure everyone that I will be talking about my study abroad experience for years to come. I will have to emphasize the train ride to Amsterdam and back, the fraternity house, the crazy night in Heildberg, the long bus rides, the hotel room with the over-population of girls, the adventures on the city buses, and of course all the amazing friends I got to know really well over a 5 week period.

leave it up to me

So, leave it up to me to have the different experience. I don't think that I ever had culture shock going to Germany. I certainly didn't have it coming back either, because I managed to make a visit to the ER and get into a splint from my knuckles to my shoulder within a few days of returning. Thus, I spent plenty of time with my mom and the TV. My brother and I also probably played more Mario Kart in those two weeks than we had ever played in our lives: that is, as soon as I could move my fingers enough for that. But, that's beside the point. I just always somehow get something different. For example, crazy French cat woman.

I've definitely learned a lot in the past few months - about myself and many others. When people ask me what I liked best about the program, I always say it's the fact that I went somewhere for a month with 23 people I didn't know. I've also learned how to be happy while dealing with certain circumstances. I'm just so surprised at how much I've learned about myself. I'm not going to go into detail because it's not going to mean anything to anybody else.

Well, great... all that time and nothing tangible to show for. Then again, intangible things are probably my favorite any way. So, as I've always said, if I was a camper, I'd be a happy one. (I'm very glad I went!)

Life has moved pretty fast since coming back from Germany. That is to say, life has resettled back into the old school/work/study routine, with little time to reflect on those 6 weeks. I find myself reliving moments and memories, seeing locations and glimpses of the most obscure and insignificant details of the trip. I have yet to find a way to fully explain what it was like, living in another country, experiencing such amazing things that many people will never have a chance to do. Looking at the pictures I took, it seems like they don't even begin to do justice to what occured, can't hold a candle to the movies in my head that play at random. It's so surreal to see pictures of places and to think, "I've been there", or to have a feeling of familiarity with places that formerly existed only on maps and tv. The excursions to all of the companies, hospitals, and other businesses definitely gave a wide perspective of the opportunities in the medical field, yet personally led me in no new directions. I suppose it has helped to clarify what I don't want to do, so it's progress one way or another. I'm thinking about taking a year off to work, get some experience, and discover what career would really make me happy, away from the mind-draining regimen of school, work, studying and reading. This trip has taught me that it pays to take a chance and actively seek out new experiences. Hopefully I'll return to Germany someday, speaking a little more of the language, or travel to somewhere new. Now, if I could only find an internship at a Bavarian brewery, I'd be set. I can't believe I almost missed out on this trip because I couldn't conceive of coming up with the money. To anyone who reads this, study abroad, on this trip or another. Now is the time, young and unbound by the responsibilities of the real world, most likely starting or freshly on the road to debt. There will never be a time of greater opportunity and freedom to expand your horizons, experience other cultures, and create unforgettable memories. This trip was well worth the money, the work, and the effort, and since I can't quite convey how amazing it was, I can only tell you to go and see for yourself, you won't regret it.

Its like it never happened!!

Wow, its already been a month since we came back from Europe. I still cant believe that I was in Europe this summer. I always wanted to go there and I finally did. I can say now, that it was an amazing trip and experience for me, and Im sure it was for all of us.

Since I have been home, I have been telling my family, friends about the trip and Germany and the other place we went to, everyone thinks its cool to experience this type of study abroad, but they just don't feel me, maybe my stories are just not interesting enough to make them become really into it. I have experienced and learned so much this summer, also was surely one of the best summers I have ever experienced. Being home is nice, but there is something wrong... There's something missing, I feel there's something missing inside of me. I knew what that was.... It was Europe.

I have traveled quite a bit before in my life time, North America, central America, south pacific, and of course Asia. In doing this, I met many people and made count less friends, also I developed an understanding against people that did not share the same culture, traditions, and beliefs. I think this had made me a well round person. But now, I made it to Europe. Im sure that this trip to Europe will make me even more well-rounded by means of foreign experience and understanding. I know this experience is going to add on to my personality for sure, I can already tell.

This study abroad has given me a better understanding of the history of Europe, Medicine, and people. Its given me a different view point that I have never seen. I know view points from Asia, North America, but I really didn't know about Europe. Now I know. This view point that I have been talking about is priceless, education wise, you cant get this kind of education by sitting in a class room. The stuff we learned over there was by experiencing everything was worth I want to say months, years worth of studying in some way, but some people may say that is over expressing it, I think not. Even you don't realize it, we have learned something that is unexplainable by words.

I made so many good friends from this trip, we now have a unexplainable bond with each other, we all spent 5-6 weeks together learning, experiencing a different country, culture, and people. This make us more than friends, the bond between us is tight, I hope we can keep this bond and see each other often and talk about all the different cool things we did. I also hope we can share our experience with our two great Prof`s that lead this program.
I will pass the word along to people about this trip, and encourage them to look in to it and go.

I had a BLAST!! Thanks to every one that made this trip possible, here ins the states and in Germany.

I hate America!

Ok not really, but that has been my saying for the past 2 weeks. I'm convinced that all of the stupid little problems that have been coming my way somehow have to do with me being in america because nothing bad happened in europe. I guess I should attribute it to the fact that I had no responsibility in Europe, and now I have a million things to do, but I like blaming my troubles on America. All I really want to do is hop on a train and go somewhere. I miss the German transportation system (A&M's TS needs to go over there to see how its done). It's definitely different being back home, and I've realized that I can live without a lot of things, such as my cell phone, air conditioning, a credit card, and even Dr. Pepper. I also feel like I've changed a bit as a person. I have more of an understanding and interest in other parts of the world, and I've actually been paying attention to global issues instead of just living in an American "bubble". I miss so much about Europe and I'm already trying to figure out a way to get back over there. I even walked to school the other day because I missed walking around in the heat. The scenery wasn't quite as good as Europe, but it took me back to the good times of walking miles and miles every day. I actually had a dream the other day that everything I loved about Europe was right here in College Station, which I think may have been the best dream ever! All in all, the 5 weeks I spent in Europe was the best experience of my life and I miss everyone so much. I really can't wait to go back there and I hope I see everyone soon! Tchoss!

Last Entry..and it's still almost as awkward as the video journal.

So, I made it home from Europe, but evidently barely. My plane home left from London Heathrow about 2 hours before all the crazy terrorist arrests on the same airline started happening. Mom had a field day with that one, especially since I sent her an e-mail right before I left saying that I was going to postpone the flight for a day as a joke. But, I made it home ok and MILES was waiting for me right outside the door at the airport.
Anyway, its been a few weeks, and I’ve had time to think about the trip quite a bit. As we all know, a month in Europe is a life changing experience, but I find it hard to explain exactly what those changes are. One thing that I have noticed is that I really don’t care as much about fitting in with some norm for the sole purpose of blending in and fitting the mold. I’ll attribute this to the realization that I spent a month in various places where I most certainly stuck out like a sore thumb, and I’ve gotten used to being myself regardless.
When I got home I did not exactly have a relaxing return with a few days to recover like I expected, and very much needed. Less than 24 hours after I got back to Austin, I left for Dallas to meet up with my roommates where I managed to probably act more irresponsibly than I ever did in Europe while at the lake and down town Ft. Worth for two days. After the fun few days, things went down hill quickly. I messed up my back and had to go to the emergency room at 3 in the morning right before two-a-days for soccer started. Bottom line on that one is that it hurt and morphine is quite possibly the coolest drug ever. Also, I realized that I was graduating in exactly one year and I had/have no clue what I want to do with myself after that. So it’s been a stressful few weeks realizing that I didn’t exactly see any clear image of who I am while I was in Europe to help me decide what work I was interested in, other than not going straight to med school. The current plan is to work for a year or so after I graduate and then probably go to grad school, and I wouldn’t mind doing one to the two in Europe (particularly London).
I’m starting to ramble so I’ll wrap this up. The trip was great and I learned a vast array of interesting medical and veterinary related facts through the program that has honestly helped to renew an interest in my major and understand the value of the often monotonous engineering courses. I could not have asked for better instructors, and I think that both of their interest in the excursions, course material as well as their encouragement of our submerging ourselves in the culture and taking advantage of the opportunity we had while abroad really helped to make the experience as memorable as it was. There are a lot of memories that I have from the trip that have helped me grow as an individual, most of which I keep to myself because none of my close friends can relate, but the entire experience has been amazing. Anyway, I wish you all the best and hope you have a good semester.


P.S. come out to our soccer games this fall.
P.S.S. I bet Kyle called Thomas when he got back home.

Back in school again...and missing Germany

I have so many memories from Europe that none of my friends here can understand. I show them pictures, and they say "that looks like fun." But they just don't get it. I can honestly say that I was shocked by certain European habits when I got over there in June, but just the same I was shocked when I came back to the U.S. I was ready to come home because I missed my family and friends, but I miss Europe already.

The 6 weeks I was in Europe gave me a different perspective on life. Somehow I am more patient now, and strangely enough I haven't gotten stressed out since I've been back. Of course, I haven't had any tests yet this semester. ;) But somehow I feel more calm and open to other people's viewpoints. I have already talked up the trip to so many of my friends who want to do a study abroad program. I hope that some of them look into it and actually get to go! Because this was definately an amazing summer.

I haven't seen any of you guys very often, probably because I'm an Exercise Physiology major and we don't have any of the same classes! But I hope we continue to meet up every now and then like we did last week at La Bodega. Because who else is going to understand my stories of getting kicked off trains or going on a class tour of Dusseldorf with Dr. Wasser?