Starting from the top. Last Monday morning, I remember gathering my last minute things-toothbrush, toothpaste, etc. To our surprise, Stephanie and I were almost an hour early to the meeting point with our extra large suitcases. (Those things have got to go.) We didn't mind it much. I suppose we took it as a positive sign rather than having arrived late. The day was full of travel, but our afternoon tours of the beautiful city of Vienna were so worth it. The city tour went into the dark hours. This was something I appreciated because it allowed me to see the city's other face. Although relatively calm, the lights and architecture gave it an edgy delight. St. Stephan's Cathedral was not difficult to handle given that we have practiced climbing tall buildings (thank you, Köln). While on the rooftop, I felt as if I could feel the cold and dark air filling my lungs. I could see the lights flicker in the distance, I could even see a woman going about her quotidian tasks in her office space (not creepy, I promise). It was the evening dinner that was the big hit, though. I had never had a schnitzel, and yes, I was both impressed and satisfied. To begin with, it was the size of my entire plate. Unfortunately, that did not stop me from indulging in the delicious pancake bites afterwards...repeatedly. My favorite part about our shared dinner was the fact that we always find a way to all sit together. No one gets left behind or secluded. As I ate my schnitzel, I soaked in the warm feeling of group love. I think it's safe to say we are family-like. I really appreciate that.
Onward, the successive days were more oriented with tasks to complete, places to see, people to meet. I can not stress how much I enjoyed Dr. Wasser's History of Medicine Tour. He really is something else. As we followed him around like little ducklings of the Dark Lord, I felt immense pride and joy. (That's right, that stranger dressed in black from top-to-bottom is my professor) It was also great being able to interact with a current medical student on our trip. I had the pleasure of sitting next to her at lunch. Not only did she suggest an amazing dish, she was also easy to relate to. All of her interests coincided with my own. She was planning on pursuing a specialization in either neurology or gynecology-both of which are areas that I consider for expertise.
It may be obvious that as the only psychology major in the program, I was looking forward to the Sigmund Freud lecture and museum tour a whole lot. Dr. Wasser's lecture was awesome, and I loved that he loved Freud on the level that not very many do. Sure, modern psychology has strayed away and sometimes even denounced the theories of Freud, but as Dr. Wasser, I am one of those who believe he was a pioneer. Like with all innovation, the first one to declare against the norm is always the brave soul. I think Freud helped build and revolutionize a science that is often times overlooked. With that said, I can happily state that I LOVED VIENNA! The city, the culture, the architecture, the kaffeekultur, the music...all of it. It is a place that I feel embraced me wholly. The experience was great!
Steer safe of the universal shifting!
Love and sanity,
Jess (:
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