Study Abroad trip final thoughts

I have been back in the states now for about 6 weeks, and I have had a lot of time to think back and reflect on my time in Europe. By the time I barely made my flight back to America I was ready to be back home. I was ready for the warmer weather and all the other things I missed about home.
In the time I have been home I have slowly been making comparisons to the life over there and to life back home. The first noticeable difference between Germany and Texas is the lack of public transportation. The system in Germany was very efficient and seemed to get everyone where they needed to go without too many problems. In Texas this kind of system in my opinion wouldn't work on a large scale. It works decent enough on a small scale and a good example is the university bus system. To simply put it the state is just too large for there to be an effective train system. I found it kind of funny that some of the people we met there found 2 and a half hours to be a long drive ( the time it takes for me to go from College Station to my hometown).
The most noticeable difference between Texas and Germany was obviously the weather. With the exception of the first few days in Bonn the temperatures were below freezing and there was snow everywhere. I got pretty good at dressing for the cold and walking in the snow. For about 3 days the snow was cool and then it go to the point were it was slight annoying. I understood how much more difficult having to deal with snow all the time can make things. Then again the culture over there is used to colder winters and they know how to deal with everything. I'm sure after about 3 days they would get pretty tired of the Texas summer heat. The other day it actually snowed here in College Station. I didn't have the same reaction that everyone else in the city did. It wasn't as big of deal for me since I in snow for 3 weeks.
The three weeks I spent in Europe was an amazing experience, its not too often you get the chance totally immerse yourself in another culture and see things from another viewpoint. I had a great time while I was over there and I do home to be lucky enough to return one day, maybe this time in the summer. To all the students who are reading this and trying to decide if they want go abroad. I would say do it. You never know when you may get an opportunity like this and it is worth everyminute.

Post-Trip

It's been a little over a month since the end of the trip, and it took a little while to get back into the groove of being in school and the new sleeping schedule. I find myself a little nostalgic of the trip, but I really am glad to be back in the United States, back to a home and free water. I would definitely love to go back to Germany sometime soon, but I would much rather it be a situation where I could spend more time in one place and really get to know it.

I feel like I have learned so much from this trip, least of which is an appreciation for Europe, especially Germany. There were several situations in which I found myself wondering how I could have been so narrow-minded in the past regarding foreign views and concerns, but every time I learned more about the situations surrounding Germany and everything the country went through. The stereotype that often comes with Germany is truly sad, and in retrospect I can easily see that the whole thing is far from the truth. The entire trip, I was always met with hospitality, and never the hostility that others may expect.

Not only that, but the trip has inspired me to take so many more trips out of the country, the first of which, I hope, will be to Italy within the next year or so. I've already gotten the Rosetta stone for Italian and I plan on signing up for classes next semester to start learning as much as I can. Language is so beautiful and diverse that I would feel ignorant not to learn as many as possible. Already a bilingual, I feel the task would be a little easier, but I know that it won't be a cakewalk, and I cannot wait to get started.

The program has taught me so much about respect for other countries, for other cultures, for other languages, and especially for other people in general. I had a lot of fun and made so many memories. I'm really glad I went and I know that the whole thing will change my life forever.

Back in Texas

While it was GREAT to return to Texas weather, I wish I could have stayed in Europe longer. Even though it is currently snowing, I know spring will get her much sooner than in Germany, and we’ve had some really pretty days. It was really hard to leave Europe when I didn’t know when I could go back again. When I started the program, I thought this might be my only chance to see Europe, or at least Germany. However, I am now certain that I will return; I just don’t know when. The logistics of another trip are a little daunting. I don’t know when I have the time or money to go back. I would really like to learn a foreign language so I could live over there. I am much more interested in taking an overseas job now or going for a year between undergrad and graduate school.

Almost every day, something happens that reminds me of my time abroad. I love Germany! Every day was an adventure. I liked experiencing snow for the first time. However, I missed seeing the sun. The public transportation was really convenient. When I returned to the states, I enjoyed driving my truck at first, but now it’s a pain to have to drive everywhere. Also, people in college station cannot drive as well as the people on the autobahn. I don’t know why we can’t drive like that. You can only pass on the left and then you get over. It’s so easy! Oh, well. I’m glad I get to cook my own food now. The hardest and most tiring part of the program was eating out every meal.

Hopefully I'll be back soon!

Last two days

Okay it has taken me a little while to get back on to post about the last two days of the trip. I have had to adjust to the whole going to school thing again. On Friday night we went to the opera. It was the first time I had ever been to the opera. I thought it would be similar to musicals that I have seen but it was nothing like it. I kept getting thrown off by the girl playing the part of a boy. In my head the whole time I kept thinking that this should be a guy. Overall the performance was pretty incredible, even though I didn't really understand a word of it.

The next day, the last day was one of the easier days of the program. We took a walking tour of the city with Dr. Wasser and afterwords hung out with a student named Anna that goes to medical school in Vienna. She had spent time in Texas so she able to understand out version of English which was pretty cool. That night we had the farewell dinner and I ordered really good. I think I might have eaten the best meal of the entire trip that night. The next morning the trip was over as we all left to fly home. I have to say I had a great time and I would definitely go back, maybe in the summer next time

Goodbye

I can’t believe I get on a plane back to the states in less than 10 hours; these past three weeks have flown by. I’m already planning my next trip back to Germany. It has been an eventful last week abroad. Vienna, Austria is my second favorite place we have visited on this trip and is such a beautiful city.

The visit to Stephen’s Cathedral and the catacombs was very interesting. It is crazy that below where so many people worship there are sitting thousands of skeletons. It was creepy to see the mass graves of people who died from the plague. It is unbelievable that thousands of people were wiped out from one viruses.

Another very interesting place we visited was the wax models. They were so real and depicted the parts of the body, organs, and lymphatic systems so visibly. Although, something Dr.Wasser and the guide pointed out that was very interesting was that 90% of the models are male. The only time women are shown is in the OB section or the different parts of her body that are absent in males.

The Tower of Fools was kind of insightful, creepy, and sad all at the same time. The lady explained to us that what we were going to see were extreme cases, but even so these parts of skeletons were once upon time real living people. The part that captured my attention the most  was the first case of skeletons she showed us. There were two small skeletal bodies not much longer than my forearm. She explained that these were two sisters who were in there 20’s when they died. They had the disease rickets, which is now easily cured by vitamins. I can’t even imagine what it would have been like to have lived like that, or how much pain they must have been in. Even though it was an incredibly sad place, it is also very uplifting that most of the cases no longer exist because medicine has evolved to help or cure most them.

Meeting Anna and visiting their medical school was really cool. It is so hard to comprehend that she is one year older than me and is in her 5^th year of medical school. I really wish that the U.S. would model their educations system more like theirs.

Heart Surgery

 

    Today has definitely been my favorite part of the trip so far. We went to the teaching hospital, where we were allowed into the operating theatre to observe a surgery. In America something like this would never be allowed for either American students of foreign students. 

    I was in the second group, which went to the operating theatre in the second half of the day. First we were given a lecture by a researcher. It was very interesting, although he lost me after about 5 or 10 minutes. He kept my attention though, because he was so passionate in what he was talking about. I really hope with whatever I choose to do, after 30 years I can still be that passionate that I am making a difference some how. Next we went and viewed their telemedicine department. Before this trip I have only vaguely heard of telemedicine. I didn’t really know anything about it, just merely had heard the word before. I believe that it is an amazing new technique in medicine. Their telemedicine is mostly based on cardiac patients. They receive a small circular disk with pads that attach to their chest. After they attach their pads they press the start button on the disk and it provides an ECG that is then transmitted by phone to an on-call doctor. This can provide comfort to the patient that they are okay, or the Doctor can tell them they need to come in immediately. I think it is remarkable, and can’t wait til it becomes more popular in the U.S because I think it can be a tremendous help to older patients who are often times worried about their health constantly.

   After lunch we headed to the operating theatres. We wondered through the hospital and then all of sudden we were there. It was just a hallway that looked like all the others in the Hospital. If we hadn’t been escorted there I would have definitely passed it up. A lady popped her head out of the door and asked all the girls to come in the room to get ready to go into the operating room. We were given scrubs, both top and bottom; along with a cap, mask, and rubber shoes. After this we were allowed to enter the operating room. It still surprises me that we did not have to scrub down or sterilize. It just seems unsanitary to me that a person is cut open and we didn’t even have to wash our hands. Janelle and I went into operating room 1 where an older woman on dialysis was receiving a bypass. After about 15 minutes we were allowed up on the platform with the anesthesiologist to observe the surgery. The surgeon explained to us what was going on and told us that it was a special case just for the “Texans”. It was special case because she was receiving a quadruple bypass, which he said was not very common. I thought seeing the chest separated, or the heart lying there visible would make me uneasy. However, I was amazed more than anything. I was always told that heart was about as big your closed fist. This was definitely not true for this lady, her heart was bigger than three of fists and was all white (fat). It was amazing to sit there and watch an actual visible heard contract and beat. The surgeon was confident and cracking jokes while cutting on her heart; they are by far the most talented and gifted people. He explained to us how he inserted the grafts. He first put what he called “the octopus” on her heart, which looked like a big U with 6 suction cups on it. This stopped the movement of the heart where he placed that octopus which the allowed him to insert the graft.  We were only able to see him do one of the four bypasses before we had to leave. But it was definitely one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life. How the body works and how medicine has evolved to fix problems is just so extraordinary. 

Bonjour

So, this morning we got back to the hotel at 8:05, 25 minutes to spare. It was quite an adventure from the very beginning. There are so many trains that were able to take us from Hannover to Paris, but we finally decided on the direct overnight train that left Hannover HBF at 10:15 and arrived in Paris at 9 in the morning. We all went out dinner then headed home to pack before leaving for the weekend. I looked at the clock and realized it was 9:50, which meant our train for Paris was leaving in less than 30 minutes. We scrambled the rest of our things together and sprinted to the train station. We arrive at Hannover HBF at 10:12, barely on time. Our train wasn’t there yet, but we decided to wait up on the platform just in case. However, we soon find out that Joanna left her eurorail pass back at the hotel. So she runs back to get it and makes it back to the train station in under 15 minutes, which I might say should be a record time. We’re really confused because I stayed up on the platform and the train never came. So we decide to go talk to the DB help station and he says RUN the train is about to leave from platform 4. So we do exactly as he says, we run to platform 4 hop on the train and soon as I get the suitcase in the train takes off, we made it barely in time.  So, we’re finally on the train but we have no idea where to sit because we didn’t make reservations. A train man comes walking down the hallway and we ask him where to sit and he said, “ Do you have reservations”, we say “No”. He then repeats “No reservations” and we reply, “No.” He was very confused but definitely the nicest train person we’ve met. He explained to us that to ride on the overnight train you have to make a reservations, however he told us we could just pay him and he would let us sleep in the cabin.

    We finally arrive in Paris and go drop off our luggage at the “Aloha Hostel”.  Then it was time to go explore the city. We started our adventure at the arc de triumph and then pretended we could go shopping down the street champs de elyss. After lunch we decided to go see the Eiffel tower, which I must admit I was most excited about. The Eiffel tower is the iconic image every person thinks of when they hear of Paris, France. We get off the train and maneuver our way towards it. There were street people everywhere following us, beginning us to buy their souvenirs. Unfortunately, it was really icy and cold so they only allowed us to go the first viewing deck of the Eiffel tower. It was still an amazing view, something I definitely will never forget. The next day we went and toured The Louvre,  It is an immense gallery of art that would take someone a week to actually read and see every masterpiece.  However, we only had two hours to tour so we hit the highlights, the winged victory, mona lisa, and a few others. After we were done at The Louvre we headed to the train station to catch a train back to Hannover.

  Well to keep it short the train station hated us. Even though we had a eurorail pass they told us there was no way we could make it back to Hannover or Koln that day. So, we ended up buying a 74 euro ticket just to be able to leave France and go back to Koln.  From Koln we took the train to Bonn. However, our train didn’t leave from Bonn til 1:30 in the morning. So we decided to make the best of our night and headed to our favorite place in Bonn, Billa-Bonn. 

Vienna Vienna Vienna

(originally written 17/01/2010)

I can’t believe I will soon be departing from Austria after spending three marvelous weeks throughout Europe. Austria is by far different compared to the German cities I’ve visited. I must say the people are exceedingly unfriendly and the town seems very “antique”…if that make any sense. Being sick for two days while visiting didn’t help adjusting to the angry environment.

I enjoyed visiting the Medical University of Vienna, however. Professor März’s presentation on medical education in Austria was quite interesting considering my recent acceptance into medical school. Our education systems are so different; it’s intriguing. Unlike Texas medical schools, Austrian medical schools do not interview applicants, review essays or ask about the applicant’s motivation. Austrian students also only have to pay about 16€ per semester. There are even more differences in the grading scale and testing system. Makes me question the comparative quality of American physicians versus international physicians. There seems to be no such comparison.

I also enjoyed the Freud Haus Museum. I find it amazing to have stood in the house in which Freud lived and carried out his practice, especially with my minor being psychology. However, the ultimate highlight of my stay in Vienna was our visit to the State Opera. What an experience! I enjoyed every minute of the 3 hour performance. “Le Nozze di Figaro”, the name of the opera play, was composed my Mozart. The music, the settings, the plot, the actors and actresses…I loved it all. The State Opera building is a true beauty: high rise seating, golden painted figurines, huge glowing chandeliers. I felt like royalty. I plan on visiting more operas within my lifetime. I find pure bliss in the elegance associated with the atmosphere.

A "Heart" Stopping Experience!!

(originally written 12/01/2010)

WOW!! Today was awesome!! I just left an operating room where I saw a 65 year old man get an artificial heart transplant. All I can say is WOW!! Although I was unable to actually see the whole procedure, I was lucky enough to see the doctors attach tubes and machine to the patient’s heart and then stitch the patient’s chest back together. A million things were running thru my mind. Why did this man need the transplant? Was he married? Did he have a family and if so, where were they? How much pain would he be in when he woke up? My brain was in analysis overload. At first, I thought the sight of an open chest and blood would be mind boggling, especially the smell. But my stomach didn’t turn at all. I enjoyed every moment of the surgery. I find it amazing how long the doctors operate on the patient without breaks or time to spare. I was only in the operating room for 2 hours. The operation had to have been at least 6 hours long. I could go on and on about this experience. I wasn’t in an observation room. I was actually in the OR! A once in a lifetime experience…at least till I become a doctor myself.

It took me by surprise that the doctors joked around and laughed while performing the surgery. I thought doctors were supposed to be serious during those times. I guess when you know what you’re doing it doesn’t matter as much. I wish I spoke German. I’m still a little confuse about what all happened while observing the operation. It would have been so helpful if I knew what they were saying throughout the procedure. It sucks not being able to speak German and communicate effectively with natives. There were at least 7 people in the room at each and every moment, and surprisingly each one of them was needed for a particular task. Medicine is so amazing! Now if only I could understand the telemedicine concept. Dr. Roussel and Dr. Wasser both believe it will become increasingly important during my duration of practicing medicine. Not too sure how I feel about that. Guess I’ll cross that bridge when I stumble across it.

Doctors, Animals & Towers...Oh-My!!

(originally written 11/01/2010)

What a day! Unfortunately, I had to visit a German eye doctor today. I consider it the perfect way to end the day after learning about the German healthcare system. According to the doctor who presented the healthcare lecture, the German healthcare system is just as flawed as the healthcare system in the states. However, I do believe there is one advantage to their healthcare system: everyone has healthcare insurance. But back to my visit. There’s nothing really wrong with me besides the fact I have a huge stye on my left eye. It doesn’t hurt at all; just itches really bad. A pharmacist insisted that I see a doctor when I tried to buy stye ointment.

Week 2 has come to an end. Five more days in counting. The veterinary events of this week were really interesting. Animal medicine seemed like a nice career path until my fellow classmates stuck their arms up a cow’s rear-end. Not my cup of tea so I’ll just stick with my interest in human medicine. I find it intriguing how the Germans care for their dogs as if they are human beings. It seems as if dogs have more privileges than humans: dogs can come in restaurants and malls, dogs wear clothes, and so much more. It’s too cute. Even Olaf has what I call the “German dog-fetish syndrome.”

This weekend was marvelous. A group of us drove to Paris! What an experience. The trip in itself was pretty expensive. Buying food was actually depressing. But I was able to take pictures from the top of the Eiffel Tower. Can you believe that? I would go back in a heartbeat. But I plan on waiting until I’m better financed.

So far, I’ve had a tour guide and a saleswoman laugh at our group for visiting Germany in the month of January. If only they knew I’m enjoying every moment of it. Yes, it is mighty cold but to be submerged in what I consider a “winter wonderland” is worth every shake and shiver. Dr. Wasser says this much snow is unusual. So I’m going to enjoy every moment of it before I depart Sunday.

vienna

Vienna was a great city to end on, although I feel like I was so exhausted that I didn't get to enjoy all that it had to offer. To start out the trip, we had to get up at 4 in the morning to make our flight. It was alright though, because we were able to get about a two hour nap in once we got there. The sightseeing bus was different since I am used to walking the entire city, but it was nice to just be able to sit in the warmth and enjoy the city. The Wien Museum was very interesting and set up a precedent for all of the historical background that was put on us later, which really helped. It was amazing to see all of the specimens that the josephinum and Narrenturm had to offer, especially because they were all wax. We followed up seeing the spanish riding school, which was interesting, but unfortunate that we could not see any performances. The Freud house was very interesting, especially the fact that everyone, including the British apparently, does not know that most of his furniture and collected artifacts are in England. The opera was amazing and really topped everything off with a cultural bang that won me over. The last day was kind of sad knowing that it would be our last day in Europe, but in a way I am ready to go home. I am just thankful for the experiences that I have had on this trip and the great people that I have come to know.

Vienna...The last couple days

The last few days in Vienna were another experience in itself that I don't the program would have been the same without. Getting to see the St. Stephens Cathedral and the catacombs was extremely interesting, every step feeling like a step back into history. The catacombs were beautiful and a little frightening at the same time, especially considering the original bones of the graves were left at the site. The tour with the chartered bus, however, I must say, was not quite as great as I had hoped it would be. Although I know there would have been no other way to take a tour of the city so quickly, I almost wish we could have stopped more places and spent time getting to know the sites.

The next day at the wax museum was very enlightening concerning medicine and anatomy. The models were much more realistic than anything I could have imagined, and I could easily see why they would be used in the teaching of the anatomy of the human body. The most interesting ones in my opinion were the ones depicting human birth, congenital diseases, and abortion. Though controversial and even inaccurate at times, those wax models were great at demonstrating the birth process, the early methods of abortion, and even the early understanding of multiple births. The entire experience was another addition to the amazing time I've had on this trip.

The Sigmund Freud Haus, however, was the highlight of the time we spent in Vienna. I quickly found him extremely interesting and quite the role model in the field of medicine. Despite his problems with addiction and developing healthy relationships, you can't help but admire the talent, intelligence, and guts that he constantly demonstrated. I can't wait to get his book concerning dreams and start reading his genius!

Lastly, the opera proved to be so different from what I was expecting, an event that has encouraged me to start learning Italian. The language was so beautiful that almost had a hard time deciding which I appreciated more--the orchestra or the singing. Mozart's genius was uniquely complemented by the lyrics and song, and I can't wait for another chance to see something so beautiful.

All in all, Vienna was one of my favorite cities--the beauty and size both a little overwhelming and humbling at the same time. This whole trip has been an experience that has encourage to learn like four new languages and definitely to spend at least another semester abroad. I can't wait till my next study abroad, and I hope that everyone else feels the same way.

Last Days in Vienna

So its 2:30 in teh morning...i need to leave for the airport in about 3 hours. The last few days in vienna have been packed with culture and medical education. We got to have a city tour by bus that showed us all the historical locations of the city and the amount of history in this city is amazing. At the Vienna medical center, we were able to see an incredible and totally unique collection of anatomical wax models. They were incredibly deteailed and accurate. The collection cost over 15 million dollars to create. We were able to see part of the pathalogical wax model collection as well. Last night we were able to go to the opera and see "The Marriage of Figarro". The opera was definitely better than i thought it would be. It was incredible to be able to see an opera in the of the most beautiful opera halls in the world in the music capital of the world, Vienna! I would definitely see another opera. It was great getting to kiow Dr.Wasser and Dr.Rousseau and Olaf on this trip. Im sure I will see Wasser and Rousseau around, but unfortunately I will not have such access to Olaf, who did such an excellent job coordinating everything. I am excited to come back to Europe again now that I am more cultured, but for now I must say goodbye to the beautiful places of the world.

Bad Oeynhausen

Our day trip to Bad Oeynhausen was one of my favorite days of the program. We visited the Heart and Diabetes Center. When we arrived, I got to see an open heart surgery, which was my first ever surgery. I has to dress in scrubs and crocs and wear a hairnet and a mask over my face to enter the operating "theaters." Then I got to see them prepare the patient and begin the surgery. I got to stand behind a screen with the anesthesiologists. They cut open the chest and then used a saw to get through the breastbone and then when they got to the heart, they used this big metal clamp to hold the chest cavity open. It was pretty intense. They hooked the patient up to a Heart and Lung Machine (HLM) and so they eventually stopped the heart and it was pretty eerie. No one in the room seemed to care though. Afterwards, we had a lecture on artificial hearts which was really interesting. Then we went upstairs and met patients who actually had them. One patient had a laminar flow heart pump so he had no pulse. It was a really interesting day.

Surgery

The open heart surgery phillip and I got to experience was almost unreal. The case was a man with coronary heart disease and an enlarged aorta. We got to see the surgery from beginning to end and it was definitely the highlight of the trip. At first I found the OR a little intimidating, especially not being able to understand what anyone was saying or doing, but the fear quickly turned into anxiety. I was getting nervous about them cutting open a man's chest in front of me, fortunately not something I experience everyday. Soon enough, though, I realized that the blood and the body didn't phase me at all, especially considering all I could think about was how awesome the human heart and this disease were.
What the surgery encompassed was taking a collateral vein from the patient's leg and then replacing part of the coronary artery with it and then attempting to fix the dilated part of the aorta. The great thing about the surgery was that we were finally getting exposed to a real life situation without holding anything back. We got to experience the adrenaline rush of a life or death situation and the pressures and responsibilities that come with becoming a doctor. I won't forget anything about that day and how I would feel about medicine after that. I can't wait to get into the more detailed stuff concerning medicine and start studying this kind of stuff. This surgery has reaffirmed my love for medicine and becoming a doctor.

Austria is a Different Country!

Wednesday, January 13: Today, we woke up at 4:00am and was out the door by 4:50am. We all slept during the flight from Hannover to Vienna. It was really sad to leave Germany, but Austria is just as nice (cold). We toured the St. Stephens cathedral and the catacombs. I personally dislike spending more than two seconds around graves, but I managed to pull through the entire tour. The bus tour was amazing and very relaxing. It was nice to tour the city without walking as fast as I can and hearing Schnell every five seconds from Olaf. Wednesday night, we decided to go karaoking. I have never experienced singing in front of people. People tell me that I was good, but those same people also say that Janelle was good.

Thursday, January 14: This morning was mostly full of wax. We saw wax models of everything from naked blonds with their internal organs showing to the foot and mouth disease found in animals, which everyone should know is different from hand, foot, and mouth disease. The tower of fools, the first building world wide for the accommodation of mental patients, was an interesting visit. I enjoyed the architects’ theory that when the patients do leave their cells and wonder around, because the building is circular, they will eventually wind up back to their own cell. In the afternoon, we visited the “Spanische Hofreitschule,” the famous horse riding school in Vienna. Amazingly, the school exists in the center of the city, where performances are given as well. The school takes three new students each year and trains them longer than medical students. After the school tour, we had the most delicious sweets and coffee in the world at the famous Café Demel.

Friday, January 15: Today, the group experienced the Vienna Medical School and got some hands on experience with some dummies. Dominique drew blood. Samy installed a urinary catheter, and I got my heart examined. I could not stop laughing when everyone was touching my chest. In the afternoon, we visited the Sigmund Freud Haus, the museum of where Sigmund Freud lived and practiced medicine in Vienna. Without this man, psychology probably would not exist today. Finally, Friday night, we went to the opera and watched Figaro at the State Opera. Being a music fan, I had already learned the overture by heart, so it was interesting watching the opera that went to the music I had loved for so long. My phone was turned off in my pocket, but the way my hands were resting in my lap turned it on. I was very embarrassed when the entire floor hissed at me. After the opera, we all ate with our classy clothes on at McDonalds, the only restaurant in Europe that stays open past 11:00pm.

Opera

Tonight was the opera. I didn't really know what to expect because I'd only been to plays and musicals (all in English) before, and I was a little weary about how it would turn out. It was a lot more exciting than I expected. We got to sit in a box seat and had a very good view. I had no trouble understanding the songs because there were translator boxes in front of our seats. The performers were extremely talented. They ran around stage while maintaining perfect key. The opera was by The Wedding of Figaro by Mozart and was very comical. Not only was the opera good, the opera house itself was exquisite. Like all the buildings in these countries, it was ornately decorated with sculptures and gold designs all over the walls and ceilings. The whole experience was great. I'm very glad I got the opportunity to have the experience. I can't wait to go to another one, hopefully a tragedy. We leave in a couple of days to go home and start the spring semester. I'm not really looking forward to start school again or leave Europe, but it will be relaxing to be back home and back to the routine.

Hannover and Vienna

Monday I was back in Hannover and back to the program. On Monday we went to the medical school in Hannover and learned about dialysis from one of the doctors there. The next day we traveled to Bad Oeynhausen and went to a teaching hospital there. There I was lucky enough to be able to go into an actual operating room and watch an open heart surgery. The patient was having his second bypass done. The skill and speed at which the procedure was done was amazing and by the mood in the room you would have never guess they were operating on a heart. However I guess when you do that sort of thing everyday it just becomes routine. After watching the surgery we learned about artificial heart assisting devices visited some the patients who have had them implanted. Today was on off the more fascinating days of the program.

The next morning we left very early to our last stop in Vienna. During the day we visited the St. Stephens Cathedral and the catacombs. The catacombs had an eerie feel to them. Today we visited several museums in Vienna at the medical school. Afterwords we wen and visisted the famous Spanish riding school and went to the famous Cafe Demel. There I had one of the best pieces of cake and cup of hot chocolate that I have ever had.

HDZ

The HDZ center in Bad Oeynhausen was an enlightening experience into the world of cardiovascular medicine. Watching an open heart surgery, just inches away from the patient, is something I never would have imagined possible. I thought that seeing an open chest cavity would affect me more emotionally than it did because my dad died of complications from a heart transplant. He had a genetic disease called cardiomyopathy. They say an ECG at the age of 16 can tell if you have cardiomyopathy, fortunately mine was normal. Having a genetic cardiovascular flaw in my family makes me very interested in cardiovascular medicine. The surgery I saw was an implantation of an LVAD. I arrived in the operating theater late so I mainly just watched them clean and close the chest cavity. The man had several tubes sticking out of his chest connected to machines. I couldn't help but wonder what his quality of life would be after the surgery. Is going through that much pain and suffering really worth an extra couple of years? Then I started thinking that he might be hanging on for his family. I know my dad exhausted all his options for me and my sisters and I am very grateful for the extra 6 months that the heart transplant gave him. Looking back I wonder whether or not he was glad he went through with the procedure because he suffered immensely. I hope one day heart transplants or artificial hearts can give patients with cardiovascular diseases not only life but a good quality of life after the surgery.

Paris

Our trip to Paris started off pretty good. We planned on taking an overnight train but didn't make reservations because we were told we didn't have to. Once we boarded the train we found out we had been lied to. In the end everthing worked out. The train man gave up beds to sleep in for half the price! Upon arriving to Paris we were well rested and ready to explore the city. Unfortunately Paris didn't live up to my expectations. Maybe it is because I had such high expectations after years of people raving over it's beauty and uniqueness. While I did enjoy touring Paris and seeing the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triumph, and the Louvre Paris just wasn't what I had invisioned. I would prefer to go in the summer when I could actually go to the top of the Eiffel Tower. The second level of the Eiffel Tower was still breathtaking despite the bitter cold. I was amazed by the Louvre and want to go back one day when I can spend several days touring it. The statues and paintings fascinated me. Seeing a piece of art always makes me wonder what the history of it is and what inspired the artist to create such a time consuming masterpiece.

Our hostel in Paris was much nicer than the one in Prague. We ended up having three roommates from Brazil. At first I ws a little uneasy about the situation but they endd up being very nice girls. One major problem with the hostel was that the showers had only cold water and I enjoy steaming hot showers so I ended up not showering for three days! Needless to say I wasn't very happy.

Heading home from Paris was an entirely different story from arriving. We ended up paying 75 extra Euros because they said our Eurail pass would not work. This really made all of us mad because we paid over 350 dollars for the pass. We arrived at the Paris train station around 1:00 p.m. but didn't arrive in Hannover until 8:05 a.m. that next morning. As one could imagine 19 hours of traveling by train durring the night making 5 different change overs was NOT pleasant. I was very thankful to be back in Germany after the Paris experience.

Tomorrow we leave for Vienna. I've been told great things. I can only hope tha tI am not disappointed once again!