Final Thoughts

Since coming back to the States, I have been in a daze that I am only starting to shake off. It has felt like nothing in my day to day life could ever compare to the beauty and wonder of Europe and the amazing things I got to see every day. My experiences in Germany and Europe as a whole can only be described as some of the best times of my life. Every day was a new adventure and I think I can honestly say that I was taught something new every single day, whether it was a new part of a Tai Chi sequence, new academic material, another German word, how to use another form of transportation, or a different way of looking at the world. This program had so much to offer, and it affected me in ways that are still manifesting now.

The first thing I learned after the program: change creeps up on you. I didn't feel like I was changing throughout the program, at least not in any way that would be immediately perceptible from looking at me. However, that was not the case. The minute my family saw me back on Houston ground, they instantly told me that something about me was different- the way I looked (my tan), the way I carried myself, the look in my eye. And that really got me thinking- had I really changed? After I started talking to them about all of my experiences and the things I learned, I realized that I truly was different, particularly in the way I thought about things.

For example, this program helped me to get drastically better at entertaining ideas or other ways of life that I might normally have rejected in a normal, every day setting. For example, public transportation. Here in Texas, we love our cars and are generally not used to public transportation, so I did not think much of it. However, after depending on public transportation, and seeing it used in an extremely successful way across Europe, I gained a deep appreciation for a good train or bus system.

This experience also ended up giving me a pretty big confidence boost, and helped me come out of my shell a bit, which was quite unexpected. I am normally a very reserved person, not prone to taking many chances. However, now any time I doubt myself now, or feel the urge to back away from something new, I think to myself that if I could figure out how to traverse a foreign city using transportation I'm not used to, and find a place to stay in a foreign country, I can do anything. This program was big in taking me outside my comfort zone- something I do not do very often at all. It got me more comfortable in being outside my comfort zone and being more easy going. Life can be an exciting adventure no matter if you're in Prague, Czechoslovakia, or College Station, Texas. 

This experience also changed my view of the world. I was amazed at how many similarities I found between cultures, instead of the vast differences I expected; I didn't think about how seeing people go about their everyday lives in a different country would affect me before starting this program. Since I had always dreamed of going to Europe, I think I had this silly and unrealistic view of how Europeans lived- that somehow there lifestyle would be perfectly ideal and better than the American lifestyle. But, after about a week of living in Germany, I found that it was not that different from how we Americans live, in fact, it even felt mundane at times, which was shocking.  Everyone still meets for coffee, goes to the neighborhood pool, has dinner with their family, and goes to work or school. In just about every country I visited, I somehow managed to interact or find a connection with at least one of its residents. This helped realize that people are people, no matter where they are from or what language they speak. We all want the same general things out of life, and that made the world feel a lot smaller to me.

Finally, something huge I took out of this trip was the friendships I made. It was wonderful to be surrounded by so many great people, and to have peers to lean on when difficult situations arose, or when everything felt too foreign. And now that I am back in school and seeing many of the familiar faces in my classes, it is like we have brought our experiences in Germany back to Texas. I will never forget the experiences I had and the friendships I made during this program. I can confidently say that when I am older and looking back to what shaped me as a person, this experience will be at the top of the list. 

The Long Haul

I’ve been back in the U.S. for 43 days now, and I can’t decide if I miss Europe or not. On one hand, I miss the bathroom stall doors that didn’t have cracks and being able to travel anywhere cool on the weekend. On the other… well I don’t think I can ever live again without AC and my own car. Although the public transportation was wonderful in Europe, I like being on my own schedule and going wherever I want when I feel like it. But I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything and I’m grateful for the 2 months I spent there. 

When I arrived back, the next day I had an early morning shift for work. So I was tired and jet lagged, but I found myself being more decisive in decision making and relying less on other people to lead. On the trip, I didn’t make that many friends and that lead to me depending on myself to pick and choose how I want to spend my free time. I didn’t have the luxury of having people to pitch in ideas or someone making the decision to go somewhere, I had to make quick decisions to go left when everyone was going right. And it lead to me having a lot of introspection of what I liked and didn’t like. But more often than not, I was trying out new experiences that I wouldn’t have gotten surrounded by a group of people. On Norderney, after freezing on the mud flats for 2 hours, I made my way as fast as possible back to the hostel and then to the Bade Haus. If I had waited for people, I would have been freezing for hours more. I wouldn’t have gotten to experience the all female sauna and participated in a löyly ceremony. Coming home to my management job where everyone looked to everyone else for decision making, it had me taking action and completing tasks faster. My employees were happier because they had a more solid sense of direction and their time was not wasted in the summer heat. 

Recently I visited my friend in Houston for a weekend of fun before school started. Her family was very nice but very conservative. Her dad and I got into a conversation about the German healthcare system, and I’m sure Dr. Wasser would be mortified as to how I presented it. I did my best to explained why I liked the system so much and how it worked, but I couldn’t do the system justice and her dad tore my argument to pieces. My one point of pride is that I would state a fact and he would do silent for a few minutes googling it on his phone until he was deep into the search results, finding some obscure article that refuted that fact. Although the conversation was frustrating, it reinforced my view that most Americans, specifically the older generations, do not have the same compassion and vision the younger do of a public health system. Yes we would have to pay higher taxes, and possibly never reap the benefits, but millions of Americans overall would be better off for it and would strengthen our country. I wish I had my notes in front of me during this discussion with him, but even then I don’t think he would have been convinced that the German system is miles better than our greedy, fractured and leaky American mess. Maybe Dr. Wasser could’ve made a dent in his mind. 

All in all, my bank account was lightened while my mind was weighted down with a whole new way of thinking. Not weighted down with stress, but knowledge of a wider world that is growing and changing with every new person that experiences it. 

Trip Takeaways

The six weeks since I got back from the trip were very strange, especially compared to the trip itself. Settling in to a comfortable routine to prepare for the school year at home was a refreshing change, despite being a lot less exciting than rushing around Europe, The last three weeks were spent at College Station, preparing a new class of freshman for the trials of their fish year. This was an exhausting period of time, with early mornings and late nights and long days spent in the Texas sun.

Being back in the States has given me a little bit of time to process everything that I did in Europe. I totaled seven countries in the six weeks of the trip, and I feel like every place I went taught me something different, and that there was a lesson to be learned from every culture and people that I saw.

Brussels showed me how being open to visitors and willing to adopt multiple languages can create a city and country that is welcoming and diverse, with an inclusive mindset being key there.

In Paris, I learned what it felt like to be actively disliked by the majority of people. I felt their discrimination against Americans, and I saw firsthand what idealism, extreme wealth, and a touch of corruption can turn a city into (Versailles was the best example).

The Irish demonstrated an incredible degree of openness and friendliness. Dublin was this beautiful bastion of welcoming smiles and good times, enabled by hard workers and cold drinks. I've never been to a place so upbeat and open.

Amsterdam helped me appreciate a lesson my old friend had taught me, that taking life too seriously is the fastest way to make yourself miserable. Being flexible and able to adapt, to change plans, helped me enjoy the city both times I went, once with friends and once on my own to fly home.

Austria gave me the perspective that death can be welcomed, and that even grim ideas can be appreciated, even celebrated, to help bolster spirits when things get tough. The Viener's take on death has allowed them to take the biggest fears of most people and turn them into an iconic part of their culture.

Going to Prague lent me a new perspective on urban environments, and the beauty of architecture. I also took away an open-mindedness thanks to the compression of huge numbers of people around me through all parts of my visit to Prague.

Last but not least, Germany and her people gave me many lessons. Austerity in living, both in plainness and seriousness. Being open to new people and languages and foods and lifestyles. A serious dedication to what is better for the environment, from recycling to public transit. However, my favorite thing about the Germans is the genuine nature of their interactions. The respect of being on time and the honesty of every conversation was amazing, and probably the thing I miss most of all.

I hope that I remember all of these lessons, and apply them in my life from this summer forward. I want these experiences to improve me, and to better inform me as I press forward in my life and make decisions and have influence on people as a leader and learner.

Bye Bye Duesseldorf Digest

It’s crazy that we’ve already been back for 7 weeks. When I went to the first informational meeting about this trip and heard the former students talking about how life changing it was, I didn’t really believe them. It all sounded a little cheesy and cliche. But now that I’ve experienced it for myself, I can wholeheartedly say that they were SO RIGHT! This experience was nothing short of life changing. I really do feel like I’m a different person, for the better.

 First, I’m much more independent. Even though I’ve been an “adult” for three years, I’ve never had the same freedom that I’ve had when I was in Europe. I could pick up and travel to a different country every weekend, and no one could tell me no. Having this amount of freedom forced me to gain a new level of maturity. When something went wrong, I couldn’t immediately call my parents for help. I learned to think critically and problem solve both on my own and with others. Learning how to solve these problems gave me confidence that I’m capable of handling tough situations on my own. 

Second, I’m more sensitive to social and cultural differences. Immersing yourself in a totally different world for 6 weeks is a really great way to develop an appreciation for and learn from someone else’s way of life. Getting to live with a host family and adapt to their way of living taught me to be more flexible and open minded. I learned that just because something is different than what I’m used to doesn’t mean its bad or wrong, it’s just different. And a lot of times different can be good! 

I’m really having trouble putting my thoughts about this experience into words. It’s truly indescribable and one of the best decisions I have ever made. To any prospective students reading this, if you have even the slightest inkling of interest in this trip, GO. Don’t let fear keep you from the experience of a life time. I learned so much, grew as a person, made memories that I’ll have forever and met some really amazing people. I’m so grateful I had this opportunity and can’t recommend it highly enough to future students.

This is it...

 

My family dropping me off
at the airport in Austin

Wow. I can't believe that this is it. That the greatest experience of my life has now been over for 7 weeks now and has been 6 weeks since I came back to the United States. Hearing everyone talk about how life changing this trip was supposed to be, I really didn't understand what could be so life altering. I thought there was no way doing this could actually change the person I am, but boy was I wrong. The first change came with learning how to live with roommates. I am an only child and even when I started college, I have always lived by myself in a studio apartment. Now all of a sudden I had to share a house with 5 strangers (our 3 host family members and my 2 roommates). I was never used to leaning on others for walking home, leaving to travel, or just when we were going to eat dinner. I also never got the opportunity to just walk out of my bedroom door and have 2 people within steps to joke with, laugh with, and live with. I am now a much more considerate person especially after learning how to talk out a shower schedule and ask before just going down and using the shower. Now I am back in my studio apartment, actually missing having someone to talk to whenever and having the comfort of knowing there is someone right there with me.
   

Bonn BBQ

      The biggest change, in my opinion, that happened was when I learned how to appreciate my family and friends and no longer take time with them for granted. Having been away from my family during the school year was so nice for me cause I just spent the last 18 years of my life with my parents. I had their sole attention for my whole life due to being an only child so I really enjoyed my freedom at college. The one thing I looked forward to though was my summers. That was guaranteed time with my family that would cure whatever homesickness I had. Boy do I take every opportunity I can to call and see my parents and fiancée. I have never missed my family more than being across an ocean with an international cell phone plan that didn't allow phone calls and only allowed text messaging. I had to wait until I had wifi access to make free messenger calls and the time difference between here and there made it virtually impossible to talk to my family during the week. My entire attitude towards my family changed and I am forever grateful for that cause now my family and I are closer than ever. It was also quite literally life changing because I realized I never wanted to spend that much time without my boyfriend, and apparently he felt the same way because he flew over to Austria with my mom and dad to visit my great aunt for the first time (for me, my dad, and him). Before I knew it, he was down on one knee proposing in the town my family is from. So thanks to this study abroad, I left with a fiancée. Anyways back on track, I cherish time with my family so much more thanks to this trip.

Interlaken, Switzerland on top of
Heidi Klum (Harderkulm)

     Another big change is the way I view any new person that I meet or see on campus or anything. I had a bit of a negative preconception coming into Germany that my mom had told me about from her experience being in Germany 24 years ago. She had a lot of bad experiences with Germans pretending that they didn't speak English, until she brought her mom (my grandma) over to translate and then the Germans would pop right out and speak clear English even though they had just told my mom that they didn't speak or understand English. I was very nervous and scared coming in that I didn't know any German and that every native there would be mean to me and I would hate it there. But that was another thing I was so incredibly wrong about that. Actually being in Germany really changed my perspective on that. There's only 2-3 times the entire 6 weeks I was there where a native got frustrated with me because I couldn't speak their language. But they were never rude or mean, they were just a little frustrated and snippy, which is understandable. I definitely get frustrated really easy when people here don't understand me when I feel I am speaking so clearly. I am more patient than ever when people may not understand me the first time or maybe even the second time. I know now after this experience that I need to slow down and appreciate the diversity we have here and welcome those who wish to experience what we get to experience. I loved seeing the excitement in some of the natives faces when I would at least attempt to learn and communicate with them in German. It just made me more excited to learn the language. And shockingly a lot of them wanted to practice their English so I didn't have to worry or stress about pronouncing something wrong or messing up my words.

Shadowing at the Clinic

Seeing my family for the first time in Austria
after 6 weeks

     This was by far one of the best experiences of my life. I feel like I have learned so much about the world when I have really only visited 2 countries on this trip. I even got clarity on the medical profession I want to go in to. For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon. Now, I am looking into surgical technician programs for when I graduate. I learned about this while shadowing at the clinic in Germany. That was one of the best experiences and it was really life changing because it has now set me on a different career path. A surgery tech gets to assist before, during, and after surgery and gets to be in a bunch of different surgeries in different departments. My favorite thing about the clinic was getting to be in 3 completely different surgeries in a matter of 5 hours. My life has definitely changed after that. I learned so much about the history, the culture, but most importantly, I learned the most about myself. I was so scared to begin this journey on my own, but now it just makes me want to go out and travel more. Heck I might even go down to Costa Rica for the Christmas break for a few days cause I still have the travel bug. I am so ready for more life altering experiences whether they're good, bad, or both. I am forever grateful for this trip, and I am so excited about the great friends that I found on this trip. #Gayrats4life

Before the classical concert with
the fam

Annnd, we’re back..

Reverse-culture shock is definitely a thing. It’s only been 2 and a half weeks since I’ve been back in the states and there are so many things I miss. I miss my hos mom more than anything. Christiane SPOILED me and I appreciate her more than ever. I miss hearing German. I never knew hearing a language I didn’t understand would ever feel like a safety blanket, but it does now. I miss seeing history on every street you all down. I miss the friends I made in Germany. BUT, I am also glad to be in the states, I just don’t feel comfortable calling either place home. My heart is in both places. I’m glad I’m near family though. And I’m so beyond thankful for ice and free refills.

There are some things I implemented into my everyday life in Germany that I hope to continue in America. First: recycling. I see now more than ever how waisteful of a country the US is. I bought bins for my house and set up a system like the one I was already send to in Germany. I have a bin for plastic, paper, (I added glass), metal, and residual. I may not make that much of a difference in the grand scheme of America, but hopefully I can encourage others to start doing their part also. I also have started taking my own bags to the grocery store. I have them and didn't really use them before I went to Germany, but now I will! I keep them in my car and everything. Going along with producing less waist, paper bags instead of baggie for lunch is so much better for the environment and such an easy switch. I’ve been wrapping my sandwiches for lunch in paper and I feel so environmentally counsious! Finally, in the future, I want to have a garden. My host parents did and fresh ingredients really do taste differently. I also had less digestion issues and I think that had a lot to do with the lack of processed foods I ate.

Lastly, since I’ve been back, I had a nephew born and got to spend an entire week with the ‘lil man! He’s the most perfect human on Earth. While I’m happy that I got to be here for that and see my family and friends, I still miss Germany and the lifestyle I had abroad. I learned so much and it definitely changed my outlook on the world. I’m not worried though, because I know I will be back. Who knows, maybe it will be with a husband and kids some day, or maybe a vacation with my brothers and sisters. It doesn’t mater, because the German culture has influenced my life and will always be a part of who I am.

My Street: Plitersdorferstrasse

My home away from home

Tye Dodd Davis.

The most beautiful baby boy ever!

I had to show him off! I’m a proud aunt!!

Buda Buda Buda Buda Rockin' Everywhere

The final free weekend landed me in Budapest, Hungary. First off I had no idea that Budapest was actually two cities, Buda and Pest, that are separated by the Danube river but are connected to make one big great city. Friday night in Budapest was kicked off with navigating yet another public transportation system to get to our hotel. As so as we stepped into the hotel lobby all of our jaws dropped. I am not exaggerating when I say that it was one of the prettiest hotels I've ever been to. Here is a picture to prove it.

No this is not a church its the inside of our hotel

The night was finished off with a quick bite and a much needed good nights sleep. With some of the best sleep I think I have ever had we headed downstairs for breakfast. While eating the couple next to us noticed we were American and asked where we were from. This turned into a long conversation with two doctors who gave us incredible advice on what it is like to have a full time demanding job while also having a family at the same time. I honestly could have talked to them for hours but we didn't want to waste our day and reluctantly said goodbye. Our first stop for the day was visiting the shoes on the Danube memorial which remembered a number of Jews that were told to take off their shoes and some clothes before being executed and falling into the Danube River. From there we walked to the Parliament building and basked in the grandeur of it all and of course took a ton of pictures as well. We then stumbled upon a memorial for a mass shooting that took place in the square in front of the Parliament building by the Soviets that once controlled Hungary. After this we crossed the Chain Bridge to Buda and hiked all the way up to Fisherman's Bastion. The numerous amounts of stairs were worth it though because the view was great and provided yet another picture opportunity. By this time we were starved and found a restaurant that just so happened to be a Michelin star restaurant and boy was it good. We then wandered around Buda some more and saw the Buda Castle before heading back to Pest. We were able to grab a quick nap before heading out for dinner which was much needed. Once reenergized we headed out for dinner but sadly the place we wanted to go to had an hour long wait and we couldn't wait that long so we stumbled upon another restaurant that served traditional Hungarian food which was so good. From dinner we headed to craft beer bar to try Budapest's finest beers. Then it was time to check out the local ruin pubs and I have never been in anything like it. Basically a ruin pub is housed in an abandoned building where within the building are tons of different bars within one big bar which was really cool. Most of the night was spent here until we decided to check out another ruin pub but along the way to the next one I ended up breaking my shoe and had to hobble by way there. Because of this I decided to call it a night.

Shoes on the Danube

Hungarian Parliament Building aka our new home

Fisherman's Bastion

Traditional Hungarian Food

The next day we slept in and headed to the Széchényi Thermal Bath for some relaxation. This was really cool because they had indoor and outdoor pools and each pool was a different temperature so you had a lot of variety. Sadly we couldn't stay forever and decided to check out St. Stephen's Basilica. From there we walked around and happened to stumble upon some street venders selling all kinds of things including one selling prints of the city so naturally I had to get one. To round off the trip we stopped to get something sweet. 

St. Stephen's Basilica

Széchényi Thermal Bath 

Chimney cake with soft serve ice cream!

Budapest was one of those places where I didn't know much about and probably wouldn't have thought to visit but boy was I wrong. Of all of the places I have visited on this trip this has probably been my favorite and I will definitely be back!

"When the Student is Ready, the Teacher Will Appear"

As I write this blog post, I am in my room, back home in Fort Worth. I got back on July 16th, after spending 10 days on a road trip across Italy after my study abroad ended. A lot of things happened in that time span and I got to see a lot of incredible things. Towards the end though, I was ready to come home. It might have something to do with the fact that we got robbed in Rome. Someone broke into our rental car and stole all of my luggage and my backpack. So all of my clothes, electronics...  everything was stolen. I went to Europe with a massive suitcase, carry-on case, and backpack stuffed to the brim and came back with a hotel laundry plastic bag carrying three books, some pens, and a hair clip. I was really sad at the moment, but now I have had time to reflect on what happened. Everything is replaceable and the one thing they can never take away from me are the wonderful memories I made while I was abroad.

I miss Germany. A lot. My experience there was incredible and I have already set myself on figuring out a way to finesse my way back there next summer. After doing this, I cannot imagine spending a summer in Texas and not going out and exploring the world. There is so much out there and so many people to learn from. SO MANY EXPERIENCES TO BE HAD. 

Day 36 (July 1): The second to last day in Bonn. I am already missing Bonn. Walking around the town, I made sure to take everything in. We went to the Bonn University gift shop and I bought a sweatshirt to remember my time in Bonn (unfortunately this got stolen too :( I guess I have to go back and get another).

Day 37 (July 2): Our last day in Bonn we got out of class early and had time to spend with our host families. I was interviewed and then I went home. Carmen made us a wonderful last dinner and after Maddie and I gave her and Wolfram a gift. We gave them a framed picture of all of us at the top of Drachenfels (which she went and put in their room) and a thank you card. I am going to miss Carmen and Wolfram and the many talks we had. Carmen made me a more informed person and I am going to miss that. I am sad to leave my room on the third floor of their lovely home in Oberdollendorf. I also am going to miss the tram ride in the morning into Bonn. There is so much I will miss. 

Day 38 (July 3): I really like Berlin. We went to the Charite Hospital museum and got a tour around the city and it was super interesting. The whole city has so much history and it is crazy to think only 29 ish years ago the wall fell.

Day 39 (July 4): My Berlin Day. Today we got an architectural/history tour from Jan around Berlin's Kulturforum. I really enjoyed the tour and enjoyed listening to everything Jan had to say. Berlin has so much history and it is so apparent wherever you go. My favorite thing we saw was the library. It was so cool to see a place that I would probably go if I lived in Berlin. So many students where there and the architecture of the building was incredible. I loved it. At the end of the day, we got to give presentations on our respective days and I really liked hearing what everyone else did on their My Berlin Day. Sitting in the room, I started reflecting on all the things I had learned in the past 6 weeks and I started to get emotional. My summer could have gone so different if I hadn't decided to go on this trip. I was so lucky to have been able to meet so many incredible people and see so many incredible things. I don't know if I'll ever have another experience like this one and I think that's why I was crying. Its like the phrase... don't cry because its over, smile because it happened. In that moment I think I was crying because it happened and because it was almost over. 

Day 40 (July 5): Our last full day in Berlin. It was spent going to Sachsenhausen concentration camp and Musical instrument museum. This was a very sad tour and it was very eye opening to go there and learn about the tragedies and horrors that went on inside those very walls. After the tour, we went to the musical museum and our guide was awesome. She played a bunch of instruments for us and my favorite was a cinema organ that used to be used to make movie sound effects. After the museums, we got ready and then went to the Lebanese restaurant for our farewell dinner. It was a festive but sad occasion with awesome food.

The next day (July 6) I woke up early and caught a plane to Frankfurt where I started my next adventure to Italy. That is the end of this chapter in my life though. I will forever be grateful for being able to have this experience. 

A big thanks to my parents for sending me abroad, Dr. Wasser for setting up the whole program and being the best guide and professor ever, Professor Waltz for teaching me about sound and music, and Alexa for being the absolute best minion ever.

Well, that's all for now. 

Tchuss!

Ali, Move Out of the Way

My adventure in Germany and abroad has officially come to an end, and I have brought home nothing but good memories to look back on. I am already missing all the views and all the people that witnessed them with me. Week 6 was exhausting with two days in Bonn then our final trip and final destination, Berlin.

Monday was a rough one because of class all day, then for us procrastinators, we spent the evening writing the paper for neurophysiology. It was a bit of a bummer having to spend one of my last nights holed up in my room writing instead of enjoying my host families company for the last time. Maybe I should not procrastinate. I was able to, however, take a trip to the Birkenstock outlet to get some goodies for my family. I also joined my host family and Brenae's host family for a short dinner in the garden. My paper may not have been the best work I have ever written, but I am glad I was able to spend part of the day checking off some final things in Bonn.

Tuesday was a wonderful day. I celebrated my birthday with another full day of class. The AIB and my host mom provided birthday cakes for me and the class to share. Having a summer birthday, it was quite special to spend the day surrounded by classmates. We ate at Tacos for lunch, and after class we sat at an outdoor cafe, sipped on some wine, and laughed about memories from the trip. My host family treated me to dinner at a Chinese buffet, and let me tell you, Chinese buffets are just as gross in Germany as they are in the United States. Nonetheless, I was grateful they took me out to dinner and made it special. After dinner, it was a night full of packing before we headed out early the next day to Berlin.

Our Berlin excursion started early Wednesday morning with a five hour train ride. We were advised to spend the trip working on our final neurophysiology test, but I was exhausted from only two hours of sleep, so I napped. Once we arrived, we dropped our luggage off at the hotel and ate some lunch. Lunch was a bit of a struggle because we chose to eat at a cafe that decided to spend 45 minutes making paninis. After lunch, we toured the Museum of Medical History at the Charite Hospital. This may have been my favorite tour because of all the specimens we saw and our wonderful, interactive tour guide Tiny Tim. Following the museum was a walking tour of the city which showed us all the important features and history behind Berlin.

My Berlin day on Thursday was maybe my favorite and the coolest experience I had on the trip. My group had the pleasure of following Silke Meyer, a local beekeeper, artist, and environmentalist, around. First, we started in the back of a graveyard where her bee colonies reside. We got to wear those fancy little beekeeper hats to protect our faces and got to watch her bees in action. Silke is also big on herbs, so we got to walk around her garden area and pick stinging nestles straight off the bush and eat them. She also made us a smoothie, which I didn't like too much, and she brought some hummus-like spread to use with our stinging nestles. After visiting her hives, we ventured over to Prinzessinnengarten where we saw more hives, ate honey straight off the honeycomb, and enjoyed the most delicious, fresh salad for lunch. Prinzessinnengarten is a garden where the whole community can plant and grow organic food. This organic food is then used in the daily dish that is served. The whole day felt so relaxed and it was just a good day to get closer with a smaller group of people on the trip. Thank you, Silke!

The (B)ee Group

Sweet Silke

Friday was our last day all together, and it was a pretty somber day. The weather was overcast and a little rainy, which set the mood for our tour of the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. Seeing a camp in person was quite a crazy and humbling experience. You hear about these places in books and movies but actually getting to stand where the prisoners stood and worked and were enslaved was sobering and surreal. While standing there, it was truly hard to believe that these events actually took place in a place like Sachsenhausen. Afterwards, we toured the House of Music, which everyone thought was going to be a boring way to end the trip, but it turned out to be one of the most fun tours we had. Our tour guide was wonderful and could play nearly every instrument in that museum. She spent nearly thirty minutes playing the theatre organ for us because we were all in awe of it. To end the day and wrap up our trip, we had a farewell dinner at Merhaba. It was a joyful night celebrating all that the summer brought us, and we had lots of fun dancing with the surprise belly dancer.

Saturday, we all departed to our next destinations, and I was off to meet my family in Stockholm, Sweden. I traveled through Scandinavia from Stockholm to Copenhagen to Oslo to Bergen before returning back to the states a few days ago. This summer was the most memorable summer I may ever have, and it is safe to say my love for Europe grew stronger with every place I went. I will forever be thankful for Professor Wasser and Professor Waltz for the knowledge they bestowed upon us and for what this summer taught me about medicine and myself. Auf Wiedersehen Europa. Vielen Dank für den schönsten Sommer!

This girl is on fire - literally

Monday we had our bioethics lecture which was unlike any other lecture we had had and ended up being one of my favorite class days.  The guest lecturer was open to hearing all opinions and ensured us that there really was no right or wrong answer to the difficult questions he was asking so it was really interesting to hear what my classmates had to say about how they would handle these situations, and also pointed out some perspectives towards these problems that I may not have thought about on my own.  We got out of class for the day early (thank you Dr. Wasser) and afterwards I went to Tacos for the first time with Sammi and Kelbi and got some fun drinks and talked about how we could not believe this trip was already practically over. 

Tuesday we had our final day in class and we got out early again so all of the girls were able to go get a drink together one last time before going home to our host families and packing everything.  At my host family's house they made me one last traditional German meal - I can't remember the name of it, all I know is that they were squishy potato ball things and were actually really good.  We finished off the night by walking to the neighborhood gelato shop and got espresso and gelato.  I went to bed early that night since I still had to pack and saying goodbye to my host family was a lot harder than I thought it would be, and I actually had to fight back tears since they really are not the crying type.

Wednesday we headed off to Berlin.  I finished Waltz's test on the train ride there which I was pretty happy about since I didn't have to think about it for the rest of the trip (even though I know I answered one of the questions incorrectly and didn't feel like changing it, oops).  We dropped our stuff off at the hotel and went out to get lunch.  After this we went to the Charite museum and got a tour from tiny Tom who was my favorite tour guide from the trip and got gelato with Dr. Wasser.  We finished the day with a city tour from Ryan which was really enjoyable.  Berlin itself is a really awesome city and it helped that Ryan was very knowledgable and I liked listening to his accent.  That night after getting back to the hotel, we went out to dinner, played card games, and some of us went down to the river and talked before heading in for the night.

Thursday was the My Berlin Day which I liked way more than I thought I would.  We started our tour with Mohammed, who was a Syrian refugee, taking us around to the places in Berlin that we went to the previous day with Ryan, but instead of only talking about Germany's history, he drew parallels to how these places represented similar circumstances occurring in Syria.  I had known a little about what was going on in countries dealing with civil wars based on what I had seen on the news back home, and I learned more from my host family, but hearing a first hand account was different since it made what these people were going through more tangible.  I loved all of the different presentations from everyones My Berlin Day because every experience was so unique and really showed how diverse Berlin truly is.  After the presentations we went out to dinner, met up with everyone at the hotel and walked around Berlin again.


Last day :( We had two tours and they were actually my favorite ones for Berlin.  The Sachsenhausen tour was a really somber experience, and pretty disturbing but I think a really important part of the trip.  The House of Music was completely different and actually so much fun.  Our tour guide was really funny and talented and I loved hearing her play all of the theme songs from some of my favorite movies on the piano that I forget the name of.  Our farewell dinner at Merhaba was a little bittersweet until someone pointed out that we could literally all see each other again in College Station.  The food was delicious and I loved when the belly dancer came out and started dancing with everyone.  I was in a corner so had to lean over the table to watch and in the process caught my hair on fire because of the candle on the table.  It smelled soooo bad and I felt bad for anyone who was sitting around me, but it was actually pretty funny and I needed a hair cut anyway.  We all said goodbye outside the restaurant and this was a great way to end a perfect trip. 

Last Hurrah

Per usual, I am a little behind on posting this final blog from the regular routine. Might as well keep it consistent down the last stretch, right?

My last couple days in Bonn were spent trying and failing to wrap my head around everything I had done, and the idea of leaving. Saying my last goodbyes to my host family was tough as well. My host mom had me write a farewell letter for her to be a part of her collection, which included all of the other people she has hosted over the years. It was a very exclusive club that I feel honored to be a part of, and was an awesome way to say goodbye. I wish I was a better writer or had more paper so that I could express even more what she and the city of Bonn and her family and all of it came to mean to me.

Berlin was crazy. It felt like standing in history that just happened. The concentration camp was poignant, the remnants of the Wall were shocking. Berlin was a demonstration of just how out of control things can become if you begin to treat your own people as Outsiders. I felt like the weight of history was well illustrated here, and it weighed heavily upon us as each new place was visited. However, the light in this darkness came in the "My Berlin Day" that my group spent with Nico. It was a nice reminder to be mindful of the sights and sounds around you, and how being mindful can be a simple way to improve and enrich your experiences in everyday life. It was a great counterpoint for the more grim scenes that had been painted as the week played out. The farewell dinner was awesome as well, with people reflecting before the fun began.

My flight was on Monday, so I spent my last weekend in Amsterdam (it was much cheaper to fly from here). I mostly stayed in and slept, but spent one evening watching the new Spider-Man movie. Without spoiling too much, it was cool to see the movie visit so many places that I had been to during my trip. My journey home was rather long, and included sleeping on a bench in JFK during a 14 hour layover and nearly missing my final flight to Charlotte thanks to the terminal being changed last minute. Now, its just back to my humdrum daily lifestyle until I return to Texas in a couple weeks.

I refuse to leave German mode

     By avoiding writing this post I have been living in denial that I am back. If you told me before I left for Germany that I would love it I would believe you, but if you told me that I would stay forever if I given the chance I don't think I would have. I knew when Dr.Wasser gave the Hero's journey lecture that the trip would transform me in some way but I was thinking more surface level. I knew I would learn more about other cultures but I didn't just LEARN it, I LIVED it. I moved into a home with a family who in almost every way, operated differently than mine. A family who really didn't speak much of the same language. I travelled around countries I had never been to before with people I had never met and I wouldn't trade the experience for anything in the world. The things I experienced and saw have changed me already in ways I didn't expect. I realized that we live in a bubble in our country. We are so far removed from everyone and everything that we take for granted the calm that we are used to. I miss waking up in the morning to the birds outside my window and having breakfast with my host family while their cat tries to rub on my coffee mug. I miss power walking every morning with Ali to class early enough to grab coffee at the AIB. I miss tai chi in the courtyard during breaks. I miss traveling on the weekends to new places with my friends, and even forgetting my eurail pass. During my Berlin day we went with a yogi, Nico, to an abandoned spy station built upon a literal mountain of world war two rubble. We learned about and enveloped ourselves in the sounds of the city and nature. He taught us about the thin space between the two and how it is the cusp of diversity. I feel like right now I also am living in a sort of thin space between two different worlds. I am back in the US with my family, getting into the old routine, taking classes, working again, but I am also conscious of the things I have and how lucky I am to be able to do what I do and the way I do it. I notice small things around me that I wouldn't have ever done before because I have experienced what it is like to be the outsider. When I landed in Newark I was stunned by the lack of any language other than english in the airport. Since I noticed that, I have looking everywhere I go for any other language written anywhere. I don't even want to think of what would have happened had Europe not had things printed in multiple languages everywhere. The Frankfurt airport had German, English, Spanish, Japanese, and others so anyone flying in would be able to find their way around and yet as a country that prides itself in being a "melting pot" we can't even put up signs in other languages anywhere. I know that that is a small thing to pinpoint but it's only the tip of the iceberg in things that I am starting to become conscious of.
     I knew I was going to see amazing things on the trip and that I would learn some cool facts but I honestly feel as though I have gained a new outlook on life and that is what I am most thankful for. If anyone reading this is curious about the trip or whether or not they should go - do it. Take the leap. Learn more about yourself than you ever thought possible. Meet new people, make new amazing friends. This is the most important time of your life and if I dare say, one of the most important times in history to be stretching out and becoming more cross culturally aware. Things are changing here, things are changing everywhere. Be part of the reason that it's in a better way. It won't make sense reading these posts, it truly takes the experience - but I promise you it's real.
     Thank you to Dr.Wasser for never having a dull lecture and making me realize how much I don't know - in the best way possible. Thank you to Professor Waltz for teaching me a better way to appreciate music and where to sit in a movie theater. Thank you to Alexa and Brian for always being there to answer a million stupid questions and always giving me a laugh. Lastly, thank you to all my friends I made on this trip. I really don't know where I'd be without everyone I met. To end this I thought I'd share some of my favorite memories:
-Completely busting my butt dancing with Madison during the Norderney barbecue
-Thalasso every morning on Norderney
-Malloy's in Dublin with the gang just singing along to classic songs before being called French by the singer lol
-Getting to see the goat with Emily in Dublin. iykyk
-The Versailles rave - Tyler, the Creator showed up
- Swimming in the river in Vienna and then going to Europe's oldest amusement park
-Getting to tour Prague with Madison and her long time friend from Czech
-My Berlin Day with Nico
-Wandering around Vienna after the concert and singing way to loud in the subway stations to Taylor Swift
-THE BADEHAUS
-The Rhine cruise
-Dragging Ali into every cheese store in Amsterdam
-Watching Geordie Shore in Amsterdam and laughing so hard I cried
-There are so many more to mention but this would get way to long, congrats if you're still reading

   

Auf Wiedersehen :(

        I've been avoiding writing this last blog post because I didn't want to face the reality that the trip is finally over, but here we are. Our last week in Germany was nothing short of amazing. On our last two days in Bonn we had class and visited some of our favorite spots from the last 6 weeks, including the beloved Tacos. Monday was particularly exciting because we had a bit of a bed bug scare. Luckily, no bugs were ever found but Emily and I did have the pleasure of dragging all of our belongings onto various forms of public transportation to the AIB in large trash bags to be washed on high heat, just in case. As much of an inconvenience as this was, it's funny to look back on now. On Tuesday I had my last dinner with my host family and gave them a note thanking them for everything they've done over the last 6 weeks. I had to hold back my tears as we said our final goodbye that night, but they did flow once I was in the privacy of my room. The rest of the night was spent cramming all my clothes and all of the souvenirs I'd accumulated into my two suitcases and getting ready to leave for Berlin the next day.

        We had an early morning Wednesday to start our journey to Berlin. On the train ride, I worked on our last neurophysiology exam and got some much needed sleep. Once we arrived in Berlin there was no time for rest. All 31 of us unloaded the train with bags in tow and headed to the subway, with multiple staircases and escalators along the way. My suitcase took a real beating on that day, but survived with only a few scratches. After a quick breakfast at the hotel, we headed out for a walking tour of the city. I loved doing this on the first day because it gave us a first hand look at the rich history of the city we'd be exploring for the next few days. We also got to visit the Charite hospital museum. Our tour guide Tiny Tom was so fun and made the whole experience both educational and exciting. Getting to see the various preserved specimens was my favorite part.

        Thursday was My Berlin Day. I was excited for this day since we first talked about it, but my excitement peaked once I was assigned to Nico's group. Mindfulness and contemplative practices are something that have interested me for a while, so I couldn't wait to learn more. We started the day by briefly introducing ourselves to the group and then forming a meditation circle. We closed our eyes and focused on the different sounds we heard. This practice of tuning into the sounds around us continued for the rest of the afternoon in the subway station, on the street, on the Teufelsberg and even inside the subway. This seems like such a simple task, but taking the time to pause and really be aware of your surroundings has a huge impact. Doing this throughout the day left me with a sense of both calmness and awareness. This day reminded me that it's important to take a step back and not get caught up in the stress of our daily lives. It also reminded me that if you take the time to really be present in your daily activities, they'll be much more rewarding. At end of the day, each group presented their experiences from the day. It was so cool to learn about Berlin through the eyes of four totally different people. Hearing all the presentations was really eye opening. My Berlin Day was definitely one of my favorite activities of the whole program.
     

         Friday was our last full day in Berlin. We started the day by visiting the Sachsenhausen concentration camp memorial site. As hard as it is to see the images from the camp and hear the horrific stories, I'm very glad we had this opportunity. It gave a real life example of what it means to be "the other" and showed how truly dangerous this mentality is. After returning to the hotel, we got ready for our farewell dinner. We were all enjoying the delicious food when suddenly the lights dimmed and music started playing. Out of the back room walks a belly dancer!! I remember being told that this dinner would include surprises, but I never expected this. Everyone took turns dancing, including Dr. Wasser and professor Waltz. This experience was so fun and the perfect way to end the night. We all teared up after hearing a few words from Dr. Wasser and Alexa and shared a group hug, then starting saying our emotional goodbyes. Saturday morning I had a 5 AM wake up call to finish packing and be ready for my taxi at 6:15. Before I knew it, I was on my flight to Houston.
        This trip was more than I could've ever imagined it would be. I learned so much, I became more open-minded, and I truly think I'm a different person than I was back in May. I'll never forget the memories I made in Germany and I'll probably never stop talking about it, sorry friends and family! Time to sign off because I'm getting emotional. Auf Wiedersehen!!!

We met Heidi Klum!

During week 4, we had the incredible opportunity to go observe surgeries in the operating room at the University Hospital in Bonn. We also got to visit the Klais organ factory and get a complete behind the scenes tour of how these incredibly intricate instruments are made and how much time and effort it takes to make them perfect. As a class, we visited the Rhineland town of Bingen, where we got to learn more about one of the most important figures of medical history in Europe, Hildegard. The week ended with a relaxing personal excursion to the absolutely beautiful town of Interlaken, Switzerland.

At the University Hospital of Bonn, we suited up in our scrubs and crocs and stood right next to the surgeons, nurses, and anesthesiologists as they performed surgery, some of which were life-saving operations. Some of the surgeries I observed dealt with the menisci in the right knee, overgrowth of scar tissue from a previous surgery, and even two open-heart surgeries. It was amazing to see all of the content I’ve been learning throughout my college career being put into action. The only surgery observation I had seen prior to this excursion was dramatized scenes on ER or Grey’s Anatomy, but seeing it in person was, of course, very different. It was an experience and a feeling I had never had before. Of course, it was a little uncomfortable because I was seeing someone being cut open right in front of me, but it was so eye-opening to how far modern medicine has come and how we’ve been able to correct and fix so many physiological problems. At the organ factory, we got to see the entire behind the scenes process of what it’s like to design and create one of the most intricate musical instruments ever. It was so cool and eye-opening to see how much work it took to make just one organ, and it made me realize why these instruments are and have been so treasured throughout time. At the end of the week, we visited the town of Bingen, which was the home of a famous figure in medical history, Hildegard. The first place we visited was a museum dedicated to the life and work of Hildegard. Here, we got to go even more in depth learning about all of the things she did to help bring a new perspective to medicine, and how important it was that a woman was able to contribute as much as she did. Then, we took a cruise along the Rhine and got to see how beautiful this area of Germany was. Every view we got on that boat was gorgeous and could have been put on a postcard. 

For this weekend excursion, a few of us visited the city of Interlaken, Switzerland. Words cannot describe how absolutely beautiful this entire area was. The lakes and rivers had the bluest water I think I have ever seen, and no matter what direction you looked, there were mountains towering over the town. It was its own paradise oasis in the center of Europe. First, we flew into Zurich. This is where we got our first taste of how expensive Switzerland was. I got an iced coffee from Starbucks in the airport for 8 franks (basically $8). So, it was bittersweet that we could only be there for one night. I didn’t drain my wallet, but I didn’t get to spend much time in possibly the most beautiful place I have ever been. The first thing we did when we got there was take a trolley up to a nearby mountain peak called Harder Kulm. It wasn’t a highly elevated peak compared to some of the others in the area, but it definitely provided one of the best views of all of Interlaken that we could have seen. There, we ate at a restaurant where we had cheese fondue, which really changed my life honestly. From now on I only want to have a diet of cheese fondue. After we went down the mountain, we walked around the town and got to interact with some incredibly nice Swiss locals. The entire time we were there, it felt like we were in a fairy tale scene, and I want nothing more but to be able to go back there and spend more time.

I did not miss the Texas heat

             I began my last week in Europe saying goodbye to Bonn. The week began with a bed bug scare, we thought we may have picked them up at our hotel in Munich. So I got to experience the pleasure of carrying every article of clothing I brought on this trip across town to the AIB so they could get treated. Luckily, I think the bed bug scare was JUST a scare, but better to be safe than sorry! While Madison and I's clothes were cooking (we were sadly both affected by the possible bugs), we went to Tacos in downtown Bonn to meet up with our buddies. Tacos had kind of become a safe haven for us; it was one of our favorite hang out spots. Tacos had great cocktails and the closest thing to Mexican food that we had found in Germany. We were super emo about this being our last time there (or so we thought), but we just spent the night laughing about the bed bugs before we all went our respective ways.
        The next day marked our final day of class in Bonn. The class went as usual, except we were all a little sad to know that this was the last lecture we'd be hearing in Bonn. For lunch that day, we went to Dim Sum and dined on delicious dumplings. After lunch, we got gelato for one last time. Class got out a little early, and we were all debating what to do before we went home to spend one last night with our host families. Without much convincing, we decided we needed to go to Tacos just one more time. So, we went to tacos and each ordered a new cocktail we had never had and got one last order of nachos. As we were leaving after we paid, our waitress said: "See you tomorrow!". We sadly informed her that this was our last night in Bonn, to which she decided to treat us to free drinks because we were such loyal customers. We then went our separate ways. I spent the night packing and reminiscing on my last night in Bonn.
                 The next morning, I got in a cab at 5:30 am to begin the journey to Berlin. I was excited to visit the city because it was so rich in history, but I was also so incredibly sad. Berlin brought with it my departure from Europe. After arriving in Berlin, we went to the Charite museum. It was super interesting getting to see all the specimens, and Tiny Tom was an awesome guide. After our tour with him, we went on a walking tour around the city. It was so interesting to get to see all of the iconic landmarks of Berlin and to get to hear all the historical facts and stories associated with them. We ended the night eating at a burger place next to the hotel, and hanging out at the bar literally twenty feet away from the hotel's entrance.
              Our second day in Berlin, we were all split up into different groups where we got to experience My Berlin Day. My guide was Mohamad, a Syrian refugee. He took us around the city and showed us landmarks that corresponded with either Nazi Germany or East Berlin, and he related what happened in those locations to events that were happening in Syria. His story was very powerful and made me grateful for the things I may normally take for granted. After going on our tour with Mohamad, he took us to a Syrian restaurant where we gorged ourselves on Syrian food. It was sooo good. Following lunch, we went back to the hotel where we worked on our presentations, before presenting to the rest of the group that night. It was really interesting getting to hear what everyone else learned and experienced that day. After presenting, we went to dinner before spending a night out in Berlin. It was definitely an eventful night to say the least, but it was so much fun.
             Our final day in Berlin began with a tour of a Nazi concentration camp, Sachsenhausen. This was a really powerful tour. Hearing the atrocities the Nazis committed against so many groups of people was horrible, but important. After a depressing tour, we went to lunch before heading to the music museum. Our tour guide was awesome and we had so much fun listening to her play all of the instruments. We then had a short break before we headed as a group to Merhaba for our final dinner. We were surprised about halfway through the meal with a belly dancer. This night was so much fun. We laughed, danced with the belly dancer, sang when Michael played the piano and cried when we realized this was the last time we'd all be together.
        The next morning was my departure from Berlin. The flight from Berlin to Newark went smoothly and was pleasant. Afterward, it went downhill. To make a long story short, I was supposed to home by 6pm and didn't get home until 2 am. But, it could've been worse.
             I'll save most of the sappy stuff for my last blog post, but I really loved this trip and I know it gave me memories I'll cherish forever. Thank you to my parents for giving me the opportunity to have my own hero's journey. And I miss all of y'all already :,)

And now my watch is ended

I totally did not forget to write the last blog post, I have no idea why anyone would think that

Monday: went to to class and learned and stuff, spent the night at Shane's because we had been relaxing by the river and lost track of time.

Tuesday: Last day of class followed by last day with the host family. Blake and I watched the USWNT advance to the finals with our host family and we visited with them for the remainder of the night. Wolli BBQ'd for us and it was good and sad because it was the last night.

Wednesday: Mandy cried when we said goodbye, I kept it together and we headed out to Berlin. On Wednesday we toured a medical museum and got a walking tour of Berlin in which we saw numerous historical areas. Finished off the day at a local bar before turning in for the night. 

(Brandenburg gate and the site of the infamous book burning)

Thursday: My Berlin Day, we were given a tour of Berlin by our guide Mo, who was a Syrian refugee. He talked about the history of Syria leading up to his flight from Syria and how he escaped...very moving stuff. He connected all of this to Berlin's past and led us to examples of this such as Checkpoint Charlie representing borders and what borders meant to a refugee. After this we ate at a Syrian restaurant which was awesome. I was a bit confused at why Blake ate about 3 pounds of rice, but to each their own I suppose. After this we gave a presentation about what we had learned then went back to the hotel to regroup for the night. I had a blast, but did not get back until really late.

Friday: After a humbling tour of Sachsenhausen we had a much more uplifting tour of a music history museum where our guide played movie themes on an organ (was dope). We then had our farewell dinner at Merhaba complete with Wasser and Waltz belly dancing and plenty of good food and drink. After some emotional goodbyes I elected to turn in for the night as my Thursday adventures and my long stay had worn me out. 

Saturday: Not officially part of the trip, but worth including because of how much it sucked. Long story short I was supposed to get home at 5, I got home at 10 (F you Philly). At least I wasn't delayed until Monday like poor Melissa was (RiP). Reflections I will save for my post analysis in like a month, but all I will say is this: I loved each and every single person on this trip and it was a life changing experience. I'll miss you all and remember, always look for wifi in de train. 

Week 6: My Plan for Finding a German Husband in 6 Weeks Didn't Work :/

(Yeah I was kinda hoping to find my German soulmate so I could stay in Germany forever, but whatevs. We'll see what weirdo life throws at me.) 

Our last few HoM ad Neurophys. of Music lectures were on Monday and Tuesday of this week. It was very bittersweet; no more cool knowledge about how music is both received and processed by the brain and all about important medical facts both past and present. Wednesday was the beginning of the end, the last excursion before beginning our journey back home. Its funny how within six weeks Bonn, and basically Germany in general, can feel like home-how much comfort and happiness a place can bring you just within a few weeks. The end of the hero’s journey was nigh. The journey didn’t quite end with our departure from Berlin but continued until we all safely arrived at our homes. Most of us had very extended ends to our journeys due to horrible weather and delayed flights. Anyway, back to Berlin. On my last day in Bonn I went shopping for some last-minute Bonn souvenirs-a couple canvas bags, a t-shirt, and a mug. I walked around for a little while soaking it all in one last time before leaving for an indefinite amount of time. It took me quite a while to pack all of my things and allocate things to try to make travel a bit easier. I only slept for two hours that night by the time I packed and showered. Getting my ridiculously heavy luggage down the stairs was quite a doozy. I felt bad waking up my host mom at 5 am, because my extra extra large luggage was too heavy for me to carry above the steps. We had said our goodbye’s last night, but that moment was the actual last that I saw her. I was planning on catching the 5:22 am train, but all my dilly-dallying and staring at my host room and house made me miss it. Well, all that combined with the extremely hard time I had dragging my crud around made me two minutes late to the platform. Because I had to arrive at the station to meet everyone by 6 am, I was on the verge of losing my mind. I had to do something. Acting fast and with a tiny sense of hope I asked a random German woman who was riding her bike to the station if she knew where the taxis stopped. She told me they stopped across the tracks. Well, I walk there and they are nowhere to be seen. I had to ask several more strangers for help and guidance before one called a taxi for me. He didn’t speak English, but as soon as I said “taxi” he sprung into action. He used my phone to call a buddy, I guess, and the buddy came within a few minutes. I said, “Thank God,” about 10 times. $20 and 10 minutes later I arrived at the train station at 6:03 am with huge weight of anxiety lifted off my shoulders. The five hour ride to Berlin was pretty smooth, but the transfer to our hotel was pretty rough. My two ridiculously heavy bags and my small carry-on were hell to lug around even though my friend Michael helped roll around the carry-on at times. (Side note: NEVER AGAIN, AM I PACKING SO MUCH. I KNOW HOW TO PACK SMALLER NOW. I DIDN’T EVEN USE THREE PAIRS OF SHOES I BROUGHT AND USED MOST OF MY CLOTHES ONLY ONCE.) I actually thought to myself a few times, “oh my god, I don’t think I can walk anymore…i don’t think I can go any further omg,’ because my legs and arms felt like they were going to fall off. I also felt pretty winded and weak. I was SO relieved when we arrived at the hotel and were able to store our things and have quick lunch. Dr. Waltz (praise him) took my luggage so I would not have to wait in line for so long before having lunch-pretty sure it was to speed things up in general, but I still appreciated it. That afternoon we toured the Charité museum and had a city tour with Dr. Wasser’s favorite Scottish lad, Ryan. Our all-merciful and kind Charité museum tour guide, Tiny Tom, noticed that several of us students in the group were dozing off in our seats as he spoke to us and did not get mad. The Charité was another museum that I probably could’ve spent all day or several hours touring. The collection of fetal deformities alone was very enthralling and interesting. Because the descriptions for the specimens were only in German, I had to use my Google translate app, which has the capability of translating whatever you’re looking at using your camera. Brian thought I was taking pictures and told me, “I don’t think we can take pictures here.” Yeah, I definitely wouldn’t be taking pictures of the specimens I saw; it would have definitely been socially unacceptable to take pictures of human body parts and of deformed human fetuses. I was trying my best to both listen and rest my eyes. I know I missed out on a bunch of cool info. After our stint of sitting at the Charité we had a couple hours of walking to do with our Berlin city tour guide Ryan. I am very glad that the Berlin tour was built into the schedule. We most likely would not have had any independent time to tour Berlin on our own. The city of Berlin and its history are truly captivating things. Our second to last full day in Germany, Thursday, was mostly spent touring the city a bit more. The tour guide for my group, group C, was a doctor of contemplative practices who we referred to as Nico. Nico had everyone in our group pay very close attention to sounds, sounds of both the city and nature. We spent quite a bit of time in circles giving little updates about our most recent feelings, thoughts, and significant sounds we were hearing. We took the metro out of town and walked maybe 30 minutes or so to Teufelsberg to visit the abandoned US spy station there. The spy station was nothing close to what I was expecting; the whole complex was covered in top-notch graffiti art and discarded, repurposed objects. The station somewhat seemed like it could pass for a post-apocalyptic settlement or something and reminded me of a few settlements I had seen in a video game I like to play (Fallout 4). The area nearest the tallest tower had a small herb garden that visitors could pluck and eat from. The tower we were supposed to tour was closed to the public; I am not sure when or if it will open again. Nico was such a fun guy. He wanted to dance as soon as he heard the music that was being played near the small bar. After we finished doing some play fighting he took us to the bar so we could refresh ourselves and was hoping to dance a little bit but we had to start heading back to the city for lunch :///. We finished our tour at around 3 pm and had to quickly grab some lunch and get to work on our My Berlin Day presentation. (side thought: I was a little sad that I didn’t have any time to grab any souvenirs while the other groups did. :c ) After everyone was done presenting about their Berlin Day tours, I headed out with my little group of buddies. We decided to settle for a slightly pricey French restaurant that was near some sort of opera festival. Admission into the festival area had already ended, but dozens of people were still gathered outside of the tall, white, opaque, temporary wall placed around the festival. Families, couples, and singles brought their camping chairs and drinks and just enjoyed the music that could still be heard. At the end of the performance there were fireworks and one the large, Neo-classical buildings was lit up in red, white, and blue; I thought it was weird that Germany seemed to be celebrating the United States’ Independence Day. On our last day in Germany we were taken to the Sachsenhausen Memorial, the site of the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp where approximately 50,000 people lost their lives. Even though it was a work camp, Sachsenhausen was still a home to the monstrosities of the Nazis. They would “clean house” by the thousands when the camp was full of prisoners. They would pretend to measure prisoners’ heights but would instead shoot them at the back of the head from a hidden compartment behind the ruler. Nazi women would often be just as cruel. The wife of Sachsenhausen’s commander was very fond of a macabre type of art-portions of tattooed human skin. Our tour guide told us that the commander’s wife would have the prisoners lined up to present their tattoos to her while she sat comfortably in a chair. If she saw a tattoo she liked, she would point at the prisoner and her husband would prompt execute the prisoner and harvest that area of skin-BARBARIC. Our later visit to the Musikinstrumente Museum brightened the day quite a bit. Our tour guide was INCREDIBLY and SURPRISINGLY talented; she absolutely blew us away. She told us that she had only mastered less than a handful of instruments, but since she knew how to play almost every instrument she presented to us, we were nonetheless BEYOND impressed. The most awe-inspiring moment of the tour was when she played the old, super bulky cinematic sound-effects keyboard. She played several familiar works including the Harry Potter and Pirates of the Caribbean theme songs. Once we were able to tour the second story of the museum we saw the large compartments that housed the pipes and other instruments that were being operated by the cinema keyboard. After our jam-packed day of more unique experiences we had a teeny tiny break to freshen up and dress ourselves up for the last supper of the program. That night within and of itself was a night to remember. It did make me wish that I had partied a bit with a few of our groups party-goers cause holy cannoli that night at Merhaba was fun-30 of us dancing and drinking and enjoying each other’s company. We definitely owe all the fun to the belly dancer, though. I had never seen a belly dancer perform in front of me, and for an older woman (in her 50s maybe), she was in fantastic shape and was also very talented. I was put in the dancing mood and was pretty delighted that she invited me up to dance with her; I had been DYING to SHAKE IT a little bit. About half of us danced with the belly dancer, including Dr. Wasser, Dr. Waltz, Brian, and Alexa. It was wonderful to let loose and to see our professors and program helpers do so as well. We were definitely a large group of very fun people that evening. My friends and I ended the night a bit early and headed home pooped and content with our night. I was pretty exhausted and had a ton of rearranging to do so I didn’t have to pay $200 for an extra checked bag and a heavy bag; surprisingly, I only had to pay $75. My heavy bag was still heavy but only by seven pounds instead of 15 pounds. After four hours of delays once hitting land in the states I finally made it home (well, sorta…my mom and I were staying the night in Houston and meeting some relatives in Spring, Texas for lunch and shopping). I didn’t have to look very far for a little taste of Europe. Just across the street from the restaurant I was eating at with my family were two little shops-The German Gift Shop and The Little Dutch Girl Gift Shop. An older woman working at The Little Dutch Girl is actually from Koblenz!! Both of our faces lit up during our conversation about Germany and Koblenz. Her granddaughter was there working or helping or something and will one day visit Germany as per her grandma’s hopes. I told the granddaughter about the spring and summer HoM programs since she is apparently planning on attending A&M in the fall. I found it a bit funny how just hours after I left Germany I ran into two Germans working in two stores right next to each other. I thought, “ha wow…small world,” which obviously is not the case; this world is a VERY large one, but thanks to my experiences I was able to connect with people not so very far from me in ways I wouldn’t have otherwise been able to if I had not visited Germany. The joy and excitement that Germany had brought me had decided to linger for just a while longer to remind me that I am in fact not as far away as I think I am.