Texas vs Germany

I've always loved Texas, and I honeslty hadn't considered living anywhere but this wonderful state before the spring semester. However, Germany made me realize that I shouldn't limit myself to these borders. College Station has been my home for 21 years, but living in Bonn made me realize that I can live in unfamiliar places that are out of my comfort zone.

When I arrived back in Texas, I was extremely excited to see my family and friends... but I was actually hit by a wall of mixed emotions when I met with them. I learned that nothing really changed at all while I was gone. I was sad because I was expecting more, but happy because I had not missed anything. It's weird how you can leave for four months and expect your little town to change just to find out that the only difference is that there is more construction. Lots of construction. Besides this realization, I did not experience the "culture shock" I was warned about multiple times... Just like I didn't experience it when I moved to Bonn in January. I went right back to my normal life, but I was not the same. I learned things that I will use for the rest of my life.

I was not expecting to feel so at home in Germany, I think about Bonn all the time. I met so many different people while I was traveling, and it really is a shame that I won't be abe to travel again while I'm young. One thing I do regret is not learning German well enough to speak it... I think the program could definitely use a better teacher in the future.

I know I have to visit Europe again, but I also know it won't be any time soon. I have many more years of school ahead. Who knows, maybe I'll even live there for a short period of time. I would definitely go back in a heartbeat!

My Re-assimilation

The last morning at the Hofgarten, just before our bus arrived.
So long German frisbee friends.

http://biosciencesbonn.blogspot.com/2013/01/adventure-time.html
This is my final blog, revisiting my original post. It certainly is something being back. After living in Europe for the longest semester ever, I made it back home. The adventure was seemingly over, and time for another typical college summer. I didn't know what my summer had in store. I was excited for it, but also surprised by how it's turned out so far.

I was also surprised by how many bags I returned with,
having bought the brown one the day before the flight,
and the blue from Italy.

As I was riding back to Austin from Dallas, I started mulling over things in my mind. Like how did I survive without my phone for a semester. Calling friends and family and setting up times to reconnect. I stayed in Austin, and immediately ate at Plucker's for some good ol' fried chicken and sweet tea. Priorities. But I wasn't sure what was gonna happen. Searching for a job and research, I drove to Tennessee to support my friends from my last summer job.

A shot of LSU's campus
The warm climate, Cajun food and
southern humidity was a nice change

As I returned from Tennessee, I stopped by LSU (because it was on the way?) and had some good ol' Southern comfort food as well. Currently, I'm taking summer classes and doing research with a program from Texas A&M. Day to day I experience the differences, I experience Germany again and again.

My favorite response to "So, how was Germany?" is definitely a somber "It was alright." It usually gets my friends going, and gets their attention too. But while I'm just joking around with them, it also has some awkward ring of truth. I feel like I never really left Germany, nor did Germany leave me. So for me to describe it as being over, doesn't make much sense. It's more than just a 5 month period of my life.

In my political science class, State and Local Government, a few times Germany came up in my mind. Out of this 300 somewhat classroom of students, has anyone been abroad? How was the public transportation? As we learned about state and local taxation, I couldn't help but think about Germany. A class conversation was started about income tax. Texas A&M has very stubborn conservatives, defying progressive taxes, and strong liberals, vocally arguing for compassion. 

All the while I'm thinking of the 40% income tax my host family paid for those 5 months - and still pays as I'm gone - the 2000 euros that my host brother received for unemployment as he searched for a job with his economics degree. Just like all these students looking for a job right after college, my German host brother graduated, and ended up with an unpaid internship for lack of a better option - some would say the unemployment benefits from higher taxation were a good thing, as anyone had ever met Rue knows. To have an explicit idea of what unemployment looks like - good or bad - and of how people can survive with higher taxes is eye-opening during these kinds of political discussions.

This new perspective comes to me on the daily.  After my psychology class as I read the textbook and two supplemental books, it reminds me of the poster I have of Sigmund Freud from his old house in Vienna, pinned to my wall. The biochemistry professor that traveled to Germany I see once a week in the hallway walking to research, and the pharmacology professor's face on the front page journal I walk by, the same face that joined us in Germany. The 4th of July fireworks that paled in comparison to the "Rhein en Flamen" firework show set to Beethoven, on the outskirt of Beethoven's hometown. The research I partake in every day on the algebraic modelling of Patent Ductus Arteriosus, and the incredibly coincidental and integrated benefit of both the cardiopulmonary-physiology and computer programming (operated from my own laptop) I learned in Germany. The student lecture presentation I created for a congenital heart defect with a classmate one Sunday at our host families dinner table, and how we just mentioned the possibility of that procedure being used as a reference for our research paper as we start to write it.

It's like I can't get away from it. It's like I don't want to, nor does it need to. It's not something that even could be taken away, nor could it be forgotten.

Today, at a taco shop, I was drinking my long-missed sweet tea and enjoying my paradoxical neurology book (and no doubt thinking about Freud again). An older man walked in with a little bit of a limp, and talked to the manager as he waited for his tacos. Their delightful conversation ended soon, and the older man makes his way out to his handicapped parking spot. Driving away in his big old truck, the manager talks to the cashier and lauds the older gentleman that just left for his achievements, personality and attitude towards life.

To think I had been in that Ottobock factory, that building in Duderstadt, where that older man's prosthetic C-Leg was designed and created. That I had held that man's leg in my hands as I spoke to another amputee that helped design it and wears it. He droves away in his American Dodge Ram Truck, with a little piece of Germany pushing the pedals. 

And that's when it hit me.

Jéssica Denise Orobio, World Traveler.

Rewind. Pause. Play. If I were to go back to the day I left Houston, press pause, and resume upon my arrival four months later, I'd be right where I am now. I think about Germany most days. And my heart fills with a great mixture of feelings. Moments of happiness, surprise, fear, anxiety, thrill, love. All of the feelings I have experienced here, except to a higher power. I quickly convert those feelings into gratitude rather than nostalgia. I am forever thankful for all of the wonders my eyes got to see, but I wish not to dwell on those moments for too long. Instead, I grab a hold of the energy spur and apply it to the duties here...such as work.

Work. My internal clock was all kinds of crazy when I returned to Houston. I remember eating some delicious, authentic tacos and fighting sleep every bite. It was quite the spectacle for my family to watch. The day after, I began working for Aramis-Estée Lauder as the Michael Kors/Coach/DKNY representative, and had 9 (or more) hour-work days. Summer session I kicked in soon after and I was in school everyday from 1-5:15 p.m., meaning, most of the fruitful day. With summer one over, I intend to finally set my focus on studying for my MCAT. In other words, I have kept myself busy. 

Busy, but not ignorant to everything I lived while in Europe. I find myself having conversations with friends and strangers about cities our eyes have shared. I love leisure reading, and references such as: Haribo, St. Germain stop (in Paris), or Kaffekultur trigger wonderful memories. I have made time to reconnect with old friends. It's always a challenge to get the conversation started as there is no one-word to fully embrace my irreplaceable experience, but once I start chatting, it's hard to make me hush. Much of the talking includes words such as: I highly encourage...time of my life...once in a lifetime...do it!...and so on. My enthusiasm spills onto my companions. I can tell by the way they light up with my excitement. But my words do not do it justice. I recommend everyone to travel and see a little bit more than the place they call home. It's easy to associate your home to the place you were born and raised, but home can also be attributed to places where growth was on a more autonomous level rather than physical. The passage of years is another concept that shouldn't be mistaken for growth. I can say from personal experience that I learned a lot about who I am, what I want, what I really need, and ways to achieve it in the four months spent abroad. I would be lying to say I haven't also learned a lot before, but the fresh perspective, the new start, the break from the quotidian, all pushed me to stretch in areas that begged for it.

Choosing to attend A&M was the best decision I have made to this day. And I know that this trip strengthened the area of decision-making as well. (those occasions when time was of the essence and quick decisions were a matter of life or death...just kidding, kinda). And so I think back to the speech Dr. Wasser gave in BMEN 101 as a freshman (yes, I was once an engineering major), and I am very proud of myself for deciding to make this trip a reality. College Station has blessed me with many opportunities. My family, friends, and God have helped make them possible. But I did this trip in particular for no one other than myself. Embarking on this experience brought forth an overflow of opportunities for independence, exponential academic growth, focus, and internal, even moral realignment. I look to the future with a higher sense of confidence. I feel like I can better adapt to changes, and most of all, I feel more connected with the world than ever before. The people I met, my wonderful host family that I still keep in contact with, my professors that were truly mine (and not 500 other student's too), and the locations I hold dear will be carried on forever. 

Tschüssey!

Alles gute,

Jéssica Denise Orobio, World Traveler.

P.S. Don't spend too much time being a tourist. Rejoice in hidden gems and you'll be a certified traveler in no time as well. (:

P.S. #2 Find a place of your own to call home. It may be your current location. It may not. You can't be sure if you don't give it a chance.

I've already been home for two months?

When did this happen? I feel like yesterday I was leaving class to grab fruit at the market and go hang out at the Hoffgarten. This semester went by faster than anything before, so if you are reading this and thinking about going, my advice to you: Don't blink. Not only was every week and weekend jam-packed with travel and expeditions, but you gain an entire new family of students in your major. I knew a couple people on the trip very periferally before going, and now I honestly feel like these people are as close to me as family. It would be an injustice to not recommend this program to any underclassmen I know. Not only do you gain an international perspective on life and medicine (most students were pre-med/vet) but also a semester with nothing but GREAT professors (when will that ever happen in an undergraduate career again?). On top of that, traveling every weekend with friends all over Europe and experiencing as much as you can. Any one aspect of this program makes it worth the time spent away from College Station and the cost, but together, the experiences and education you receive is priceless. I can't stop telling "Back when I was in Europe" stories and getting crazy when my friends say things like, "Oh I want to study abroad, but its so expensive," or my personal favorite, "I just don't want to spend that long away from home."Absurd. You're 20-21. This is the chance of a lifetime that you will be talking about for a lifetime. Do it.

Reflection Time

So since I’ve gotten back to the states I’ve had to do some adjusting. I miss public transportation, the weather (I got to wear a lot of cute cold weather clothes), the different culture,  seeing history around every corner, my host family, the beer…., and the food, ahhhh the food. But I can finally eavesdrop on people again!! I miss Germany a lot but it does feel good to be back with my friends and family.

My four months abroad were some of the best times I’ve had. I met a ton of wonderful people and got to go places and experience things a majority of the world doesn’t get the opportunity to explore. I’m so grateful. But I did come back with a lot more than stories. I gained a lot of confidence when I was in Germany. Between planning trips and meeting new people all the time I started to trust myself a lot more. I’ve always been shy but I think I was really able to grow out of that during my time abroad. Being thrown into new situations all the time really helps you find out who you are. I think I also have a better grasp on who I want to be and how I want to portray myself to other people. I don't have any regrets although there are always situations where I think I could have handled something more gracefully. But I guess that’s just part of the learning process.

I hope to go back someday. I definitely have the travel bug!! 

Home Sweet Home!

I'm not sure what I expected when I landed back in Dallas, TX after spending four months abroad, but I will say that I definitely did not experience any of the "reverse culture shock" symptoms. I was able to pick things right back up from where I left off, and was studying for my MCAT my second day home. To be honest, I sometimes have a hard time believing I lived overseas at all. It just seems so surreal to me, how on earth could I have lived in another country for four whole months?! But scrolling through the hundreds of pictures that captured those priceless memories confirms that this adventure did in fact occur. I will never forget my time spent overseas, regardless if my memories seem like dreams, and I know I have made friendships that will last a lifetime. I could not have asked for better roommates, I'm not sure this trip would have been anywhere near as amazing without them. We had our little support group when times were difficult, and they were truly the best travel partners!

Landing in Frankfurt that first day, I honestly had no idea what to expect. I would like to say that I was fully prepared for everything that I experienced, but I would be lying if I did. There is no way to fully prepare to leave your friends, family, (and for me, my horse) for four months to live in a foreign country. But I feel like everyone felt the same way, a little nervous, a little excited, a little lost... but overall I feel like Bonn became like a second home. Words could not express how excited I was to leave on that last day, and how ready I felt to come home in those last few weeks, but now looking back, four months really wasn't very long at all. I realize as I jog around College Station, just how much I miss getting jog along the beautiful Rhein River, and being able to just walk to school. (Don't get me wrong, I LOVE having my car back!) People ask me all the time what it was like over there, and I really don't know what to say. No matter the words I use to describe it or pictures I show them, no one will truly understand. Did it have its ups and downs? Of course, everything does, but overall do I regret going? No. Not at all. I wouldn't trade my time over there for anything. Though when people ask me if I would do it again, to that I'm not so sure. Perhaps if I didn't have so much staked here in America, with my friends, family, and especially my horse, then of course I would without a second thought. At least with people you can communicate, but with Corona, I was forced to miss out on an entire four months of his life. When you're used to seeing someone or something everyday of your life, and suddenly you can't even drop by for 10 minutes to give him treats, it's very unstabling. So that fact alone, I don't think I could ever leave the country for that length of time ever again. (Unless of course, someone decided to send Corona with me! :D) But like Lauren said, I too, definitely have the travel bug. I am so grateful to have be able to see all of the countries I did, but there's so many more places I have yet to go! (And not just in Europe!) Living abroad provided me with so much more than just a cultural experience. I now know that I can successfully plan my own trips to other countries, and can navigate around without a problem! I am still so impressed with the people I met, and how nearly everyone (except my host mom of course haha) spoke English. Although my German is slowly fading, there are times where it still comes more naturally than Spanish for me. Academically this program was taught in a very effective way. I really enjoyed all of the professors that joined us, and loved the AIB staff! (Although I would NEVER reccommend that students should have SEVEN tests in their final week of school!)

The opportunities afforded to us as a group could not have been better, we were so blessed to be able to travel and see and do everything we have at such a young age; I can't thank my parents enough allowing me to embark on this unforgettable adventure. I remember thinking those four months would be the longest four months of my life, but looking back, they were by far the fastest and the most remarkable. To anyone that is considering studying abroad, I would highly encourage you to do it! There is no better way to learn than to experience things first hand, and living in Germany definitely provided just that.

Home, where the music's playing...

Hello all,
Germany was so awesome, I had to bring the best part of it back with me.
I was back in Texas for a month before classes started, with nothing to do, and wondering why exactly it was that I actually came back.
On June 1st, Tania, the German girl I had succeeded to convince to be my girlfriend while I was living in Bonn, came to visit for the Summer. Summer has been a lot better since. The experiences and points of view that changed inconceivably over the time we were there became suddenly noticeable. The American culture that had before showed no fallibility, started showing nonsensical aspects. Still, there were definitely some parts about America that I had missed. Tania made me notice these more. Whenever we go eat at a restaurant, she is amazed at how nice the waiters are.
What has been a rough transaction is the size of Texas compared even to the size of all Germany. In College Station, where I would feel at home and all-right having nowhere to go, now I feel the need to travel somewhere. With the pretext of showing Tania a good time, we've been traveling a bit. But this led me to a question to which I did not like the answer... What is there to see in Texas?
Nothing much is the answer. Especially in the Texas Summer heat. The question that had come up in Germany, "why don't I go out for walks like this in Texas" gave itself a harsh answer, "Because of the heat, you Idiot!"
The options of going anywhere in College Station were exhausted within a few days. Then we went to Austin, Houston, and Galveston. Then we went camping at Inks Lake which was actually really fun. Now we are going to San Antonio, which I believe is the best-looking city in Texas.

I would recomend the Germany trip to anyone and everyone,
Good luck,
Francisco Nunez

Können wir zurück?

According to the study abroad website, most people experience a reverse culture shock upon returning back to the States. It’s described as being an equally as emotional time as when we left for our trip. It was definitely weird the first few days, however, I felt like I picked up exactly where I left off before the trip. Nothing had changed at home and I barely had any time to relax before my busy schedule picked up again in College Station. I think being extremely busy made for an easier transition, but all in all, I was pleasantly surprised about adjusting back to my life back in the States.

Towards the end of our four month adventure, despite how much fun it was, I could not wait to get back home. I missed my family, my friends, life in College Station, driving, independence, and much more. But, of course, now that I’m back, I miss Bonn so much (especially the cold weather)! It feels like a dream or something when I look back at all my pictures. It was such a surreal experience and I’ve really enjoyed telling everybody about my excursions and life in Bonn. But at the same time, it’s frustrating because most people will never fully understand how it feels to live with a host family in a foreign country for an extended amount of time. I’m glad I still stay in contact with friends who went on the trip and we can reminisce together. Regardless, I will be telling stories to people from my semester for a long time to come.

My expectations for the trip were absolutely met. There were parts of it I wasn’t quite prepared for (nor could have been prepared for), but overall, I have no complaints. I feel like I’ve become a better-rounded person because of this trip. Socially, I have already found that travelling is a great way to connect with people and opens up numerous opportunities for developing relationships. It’s fun to share experiences with people who have been to places I have. Academically, I feel like I gained knowledge I would have never been able to in Texas. It was literally an out-of-classroom experience that provided real-world applications. I’m also a more confidant person in my abilities to basically manage on my own, whether through navigating, planning trips, or just adapting to changes. Culturally, I learned more German than I realized, was exposed to a lot of new foods, met some of the nicest (and most interesting) people, and learned a lot about European history and the history of medicine. My aspirations of entering the veterinary field are still strong and although there were not as many veterinary medicine aspects as I would have liked, it did not discourage my goals.

If I could financially afford to go back, I would in a heartbeat. I made some life-long friendships and definitely caught the travel bug. I would love to go back and explore northern parts of Europe and maybe one day, revisit the major cities I went too. But in the meantime, I’m content with having tons of fun this summer and enjoying my last month as an undergraduate at A&M!

Back in Tejas

The overall Germany Study Abroad experience was amazing. Not only were the sights and sounds we experienced great, but the friendships and bonds were unimaginable. This trip will probably be the only time in our lives where we had to grow close to people in a country we knew nothing about. Before we left way back in January, I saw the trip just as an excuse to go to Europe. Now, 6 months later, I see that was just the bait but the hook was the unforgettable experiences while we were there. Some of the greatest moments were being lost or not knowing what to do and having to take adventures and risks. This trip changed me by showing me how to think for myself and how to think on my feet. I now realize that I can make decisions in situations where decisions need to be made. As for my thoughts on my profession and the world in general, I now see that it is no longer fine to think about the world as just the tiny bubble we live in in College Station, or Texas, or even America for that matter. We live in a world where everything affects everyone. I now view my decisions and my future goals on how they impact the world and all of its citizens.

Thanks Germany,

Zach

Back In Texas

Well after nearly four months of Germany's chilly weather this year it was been the complete opposite here back home. We did not see 60 degrees till almost two weeks before we the end of the semester and I do not think it has been under 60 degrees any day since we have been back. Getting used to the Texas heat was not bad for me and it did not take me long to get back out on the water! It was not even a full day back home before I took the boat out with my brother and dad. A fishing trip was long overdue. Looking back on my trip abroad it truly is remarkable everything that I got to experience and learn. It was definably a once in a life time trip that I will never forget. I can remember towards the end of the semester there was a few of us that were ready to be home with our family, friends, and everything we were accustomed to, but now looking back I have realized just how much fun I had overseas. I even mentioned it to Zach the other day after class and he agreed. There are so many memories and friends that I made that I will never forget. Thinking back to this last semester never fails to make me smile. I could not of asked for a better roommate in Zachary Stone overseas and we really did make the most of our trip and I feel as though we fully embraced the experience and had a blast with it. From the "God Blessed Texas" music video we made, to the Dude Perfect marshmallow video,  or to sledding in Zurich, Switzerland. Not to mention all the unbelievable cities I got to visit or all the medical things we had the opportunity to do. The list goes on.

Post Program Blog

After arriving back in the States and getting re-acclimated to the College Station life, I can finally evaluate the semester abroad experience as a whole.  Upon first arriving in Germany, I wasn't sure what to expect.  My host parents quickly helped me to become comfortable with the area by showing me around the town and introducing me to some of the cultural subtleties.  As I grew more confident in my navigational abilities, I began to explore the town and its surrounding areas.  The city of Bonn has a lot to offer in terms of food and socialization if you know where to go and the neighboring city of Koln, Germany's college town, is just a short train ride away and also proved to be a great place to socialize and meet new people.  The program excursions were a great opportunity to experience some of the culture Europe has to offer and, more importantly to me, provided supple opportunities for academic growth.  As a pre-med biomedical engineer, I found the trips to the medizinche hotschule (hospital), the biomedical research facility, and Ottobock to be extremely relevant and interesting.  All in all, I found the semester abroad experience to be completely worthwhile and I believe it helped me to grow as a person both socially and academically.