Looking Back on Germany (Post-Study Abroad Reflection)

Three months after the fact and it's still difficult for me to realize that I spent nearly four months in Germany. Summer has flown by so quickly; I can hardly believe school will begin again in less than one month! I just got back from Italy a few days ago, so that's why I'm late in posting this blog entry. I still find it weird that I've spent more time in Europe than I have in the US this year.

I have to say that last semester was a unique experience. I had the opportunity to live and learn in a country outside of the US and although I didn't learn the language, it didn't make the past semester any less of a success. Even though the field trips went to places I already visited for the most part, it was a different experience to see the sights and museums a second time. You manage to find new things and create fresh experiences out of what may seem redundant or repetitive. I mean, how many people can say they've seen something twice? Living with a host family was one highlight of my semester abroad. I can honestly say that I miss them and I know that I developed a bond with them, as I plan to stay in touch with them. From the delicious home-cooked meals, to sitting in the living room with the company of others, I had an enjoyable experience living with the Gehring family. In my opinion, living with a host family was probably one of the strongest components of this particular study abroad program. Because the students are other fellow Texas A&M students, it can be difficult to experience German culture without other Americans being present. It's not a bad thing; people tend to stick to what is comfortable and known. My impressions of Germany are much like from my last study abroad there. The food is delicious and the people tend to be polite and courteous.

Those months in Germany were some of my favorite, although taking Physiology, Biochemistry II, and Pharmacology abroad was a challenge. Despite the stress of school, I had a great time traveling Europe and getting to know my fellow Aggies. Going on a Spring Break cruise in the Western Mediterranean, taking a train to the top of the Zugspitze, biking around Berlin, seeing the sights of Paris. These are the moments that I will always remember and fondly look back on. As a person, I know this experience has helped me grow as an individual, as respect and open-mindedness are always traits that one can improve upon. I'm hoping that I will be able to keep in touch with everyone from this study abroad, as we are all back in College Station for the upcoming school year. Until then, tschüss!

Austin Wang


 

Not a Dream

Wow. That's really all I can say about my study abroad in Germany. It was absolutely amazing to discover a whole new world out there that I had never seen before and to realize that I can survive in the real world by my self. Although the classes were a little difficult and there were times filled with drama (what 18 person group constantly forced together wouldn't have some drama?) overall I had a great time getting to know my fellow travelers. Going to so many different places was amazing and I find myself constantly telling a story about that one time in Paris, or a funny story about Berlin. Frankly, some of my friends have told me that they're fed up with so many stories, but it's all so cool I just can't stop.

But I didn't only learn about the world and my classes. I also learned about myself. I've noticed that I'm much more confident and loose where before I was hesitant and stuffy. It was surprising to come back to my friends and have them realize that there's so much more to me than what they've previously seen, and unfortunately I feel like I'm stuffed in a too tight box when I talk to some of my old high school friends who don't realize that I've grown as a person. Beyond that, I've discovered that I don't need to rely on anyone to do what I like and other's opinions shouldn't matter because there will always be other people who will accept me for who I am. On the other hand, a lot of my friends are excited with my transformations and we plan to have a lot of fun this upcoming year.

Going abroad has been an amazing experience and I've discovered so many new things (I mean, I wrote a 300 page blog about it on www.erinzstravels.blogspot.com throughout my time here. If that doesn't say something about the trip, nothing does) I would do it again in a heartbeat and encourage others to do the same. I've grown so much and gotten close to so many people, that it just makes sense. When else will you ever get a chance like this? And true friends will be right there when you get back ready to listen to all your stories. The whole trip seems like a dream, and at times I would look at my surroundings and wonder "Is this my life right now?" But what I've gained has stuck around long past when I would wake up and I know that it happened, and I couldn't be more happy.

Signing off,
Erin Z

Tschüssticles Is A Real Word: Post-Return

Alpacas in College Station make me feel a little better about not being in Germany anymore.

Hallo! Coming back from Germany, I was hit by the pre-med bug and had to study for an MCAT on May 31^st. That gave me roughly three weeks of cram time. It was absolutely terrible coming back from study abroad to find myself studying for the MCAT in Clear Lake, not to mention leaving for College Station the day after my MCAT for TAMU summer school to start anatomy. I really felt like I never got much of a break considering I’ve just had one academic challenge after another ever since. In addition, anatomy is currently kicking my butt even more than physiology did. Before you say “Wait, but you just had a semester abroad in Germany? Isn’t that a break?” I just want to say that it was really fun and awesome but it was also very busy and a lot of work. I’ll discuss that further down.

Fastest relay ever! That Bonn Marathon done near did us in.

As I remember from the film, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, “Our lives are defined by opportunities; even the ones we miss.” Studying abroad is an incredible opportunity that more students should take because not only is it culturally and educationally beneficial but it can really give you another life perspective. Perhaps even make you reevaluate your own life and priorities. I've known it already but this semester really helped me accept that there are more important things to me, as a person, than school and academics. Yes, college and grades are extremely important, but sometimes there are life experiences that aren't graded that are more meaningful in the long run than ones that are graded. Everyone will react differently to the experience but rest assured, you won’t be the exact same person you were when you come back from it. So definitely take this chance if you can. I often feel it’s better to define your life with opportunities taken rather than with opportunities missed. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

You will probably have to deal with some ratchet days.

With the Biosciences Program, it really is "study abroad". It’s not a misnomer. Doesn’t matter if you’re BMEN or BIMS, if you want to make good grades, there will be a lot of studying. This isn’t a blow-off program like many other programs I’ve heard about from other people. Be sure to plan your extra activities according to the program calendar and the exam schedules. For our program, most of our exams were not planned at the beginning and it ended up that most of them were in the second half of the program so it was quite unbalanced with most of our grades being determined later in the semester. If you’re going to do this program right, study at least a little bit everyday so you don’t end up cramming, crashing, and burning. Time management is key. Even just 30 minutes a day will make a big difference. There are a lot of fun things to do and see on this program since it’s in a great location in Europe and you’ll be able to enjoy them more if you manage your time well. So what I’m saying is, the more efficiently you handle your time, the more free time you’ll have in Bonn to see what it has to offer during the weekday and evenings and the more time you’ll also have to travel to other countries on more weekends. Don’t go out every night or travel every weekend because you probably won’t be able to handle everything but make an effort to do those things as often as you can. If you manage your time well, you’ll really get the most out of the program without neglecting school.

Ich liebe Bonn mucho! Offers nice city walks.

Bonn is an incredible city. You will see many cities while you’re in this program but nothing quite has the charm and feel of Bonn. Honestly, I think it’s one of the most “perfect” cities I’ve ever been to. Its size is great because it’s not too big and not too small. It’s scenic. The Rhein River divides it. There are so many beautiful buildings here and the people are nice. Not to mention it used to be the capital city of Germany at one point. I remember times after classes at the AIB or travels outside of Germany when I talked about “going home”. I meant going to my host home in Bonn of course, but even though Bonn wasn’t my real home, it really felt like it was. The place just grows on you and I miss it a lot.

Don't miss Bonn's cherry blossoms in the spring.

Not only is the Bonn scenery great but you’re also going to love the German food, beer, public transportation, and Karneval season! I’m a pretty “meat and potatoes” kind of guy and that stuff is everywhere. It’s the best stuff! But my absolute favorite foods were jägerschnitzel and currywurst. If you don’t like them, you don’t have functioning taste buds. Also, I disliked beer before coming to Germany and now I’m tolerable to it and even enjoy certain ones. My favorite beer there was Gaffel Kölsch but a lot of other people on the program for some reason weren’t a big fan of it. Anyway, it was my “go-to” beer there. And public transportation is super useful there. You will use it because you will need to go to class and you will also need it to get home in the evenings on the weekends if you know what I mean. The night buses only come once an hour so make sure you’re with the clock. And Karneval season is great. You need a costume, beer, some friends, and you’re set for the parades. You just have to experience it for yourself and don’t forget to yell “Kamelle!” if you want to be assaulted by barrages of candy. Just make sure you don’t get blinded by a pack of Haribo gummies. That would be unfortunate.

We laughed. We cried. We karneval-ed.

At the same time, everything from eating to daily commodities costs more in Germany coming from a society that utilizes the American dollar. The euro is a stronger currency and you will end up spending more money than you’re used to on mostly everything. If you can, just pretend the euros are dollars and just like magic, everything will seem “normally” priced. Also, always have euro coins on you. Coins, aside from the copper ones, are actually useful here and you will need them to use the restroom on many occasions because it’s not free in a lot of places around Europe. Also, try to learn the German language! It’s a hard language for beginners. I really wanted to learn more Deutsch this time around since I didn’t pick up much on the winter program when I was there but I’m sorry to say that I’m not much better than before. The most important thing is to practice what you learn by actually using it. I’ve gotten pretty good at ordering at restaurants but I think that’s just about it.

"You guys are my best-looking bunch." - Dr. Wasser

You’ll make friendships with the people you spend this semester with. Whether the people you meet become your good friends or simply “time-passes”, it’s worth it to get to know them. Learning to get along with a small group is a good life skill to have. Perhaps you’ll learn something a little more about yourself? That said, living and studying in a whole different country with different people you’re not used too will not only help you expand your cultural and educational horizons but it can also help you find yourself a little more. Sometimes, you need to be put in a different environment with different people to take a step back to see you and your world a little more clearly.

Not many things are "more better" than the Alps.

There are definitely both things I liked and disliked about the semester since nothing’s perfect but overall, it was one of the best semesters ever. I mean, on the program, some weekends, and the longer breaks, I got to visit several German cities (and go to the top of the tallest peak in the German Alps, the Zügspitze), Austria, Amsterdam, various Mediterranean cities (including my 1^st time in Africa with Tunis), and Paris. Europe is pretty small compared to the US and travelling is fast, easy, and you get to see so many different cultures within relatively short distances. Both the program and all the travelling were great experiences and with all of the things I was able to see and do, I wouldn’t trade it for anything else. Also, you will love the people who work at AIB. You are lucky that Kristin Vosbeck will be your program coordinator! Not only does she look like a real-life Disney Princess (which she is), but she is also extremely helpful and nice. You will love her and all of the other wonderful German people who work at the AIB. You will also love Fenja if you get her for German class and always remember: #WWFD.

Look at that face. Kristin can definitely pull off a bike helmet.

Anyway, I’ve been yapping for too long and there’s no way I can fit my semester-long experience of studying and living abroad in Germany in a single blog post (nor do I have the patience to write a novel) so I’ll close with this: Do it if you can because this is most likely a “once-in-a-lifetime” experience and a semester abroad is probably the longest amount of time you’ll ever spend in a foreign country at one time (unless you end up living abroad later in life) and that semester will be the longest you’ll have to explore the world more and to find yourself a little more in a different and unique environment. Being a small foreign part of Bonn has definitely made me more comfortable in my own skin and I find more new things and situations I encounter now to be more relatable and approachable. Even I know I won’t be able to do something like this again as a student but I’m glad that I had my time and experiences there. After all of this, I think I know myself and another part of the world a little more now. And I don’t want to think I just studied abroad in Bonn, Germany but rather, I want to think found a place I called “home” for the time I was there. Well, tschüssticles for now.

"Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting." - Peter Pan

Reflection

My semester in Germany was easily the best experience I have ever had, and probably will be for a very long time. I was hoping to “find myself” on this trip. I can’t really say I even knew what that meant, but I was hoping to figure it out. This semester taught me several things about myself and about the rest of the world. The words I type could never come close to expressing just how amazing this experience was, but I will try to describe a few of the major ways last semester impacted me. I read over my first blog and it felt like I was reading someone else’s work for the first time. I guess even though my time in Germany seemed to fly by a lot did happen, and it really was a long time to be away.

The first thing that comes to mind when reflecting on the trip is that it made me realize how important it is for me to be independent and to discover. I’ve always been adventurous, but I think I held myself back because of other people. I had a hard time doing something if I didn’t have someone else by my side, no matter how badly I wanted to. This trip was the first time I was really on my own, and I really enjoyed getting to discover myself through simply living the way I wanted to. I allowed myself to make mistakes and had to push myself to make good decisions on my own. I think if you always rely on other people to make decisions you miss out on getting to mess up and be held responsible for it, and I have definitely learned more from being on my own than I could ever put into words. I just know that these experiences will be reflected in my future actions. I also learned that I am capable of being on my own. I found a new level of confidence to follow whatever path I find an interest in, and to allow my dreams to guide me.

I also learned how much I truly crave that kind of adventure. This lesson hit hard when I arrived back in America and found myself feeling like something had gone missing from my life. I thought it would be relaxing to come home to a familiar place with nothing to do, but I felt restless almost immediately. I tried to figure out what exactly I was missing, and I think it was the discoveries I made, and constantly learning. Seeing new places for the first time, trying new things, meeting new people, and taking exciting classes. It was like constantly opening presents. It was amazing how much I missed learning even after one week of sitting at home. Physiology class was exciting for me. The body is more complicated than you could ever imagine, and then somehow everything just works. I liked getting to learn in different environments and in “the real world.” There’s something about getting a lecture on Sigmund Freud in his own house, or learning about historical remedies while recreating them, or seeing artificial hearts being tested after the cardiovascular unit in physiology class, that brings learning into a new light. The excursions we took allowed me to take a step back from typical methods of learning and get a view of the big picture; the purpose behind what we are doing; the goal.

This leads to something else I got from the semester: affirmation in my choice of major. I found myself excited about every plan we had that was biomedical-related. Everything we got to learn in the classroom, on our own, and especially the hands-on learning was so fascinating. Working on a design with an engineering team and then presenting it to a company was the kind of work I can see myself doing in the future, and it was great to get to try it out and experience this kind of engineering (and its struggles). The most exciting part of the entire semester for me was visiting the cardiovascular department in Aachen. This was the first time I had felt such a strong sense of confidence in where I belong. I was so interested in everything we saw there, and I knew I had made the right decisions in choosing biomedical engineering as my major and coming on this trip. I wish I could better describe the feeling that overwhelmed me on that tour. I guess simply put, I felt passion for what I want to do.

 My passion for biomedical engineering, aside from it being complex and interesting, stems from my passion for people. Even though I am a bit shy around people I don’t know, I love meet new people. Everyone has a story and a complicated personality and I love to get to know people and learn about their lives. It was fun to get to meet people in different countries and see how their perspectives differ. I was often surprised by both similarities and differences between people in Europe and people back home. I have also noticed that you see a people in a different light when you are an outsider versus being part of them. My perception of the German people changed as I became more affiliated with them, as did my perception of Americans the more I distanced myself from that label.

One of the last things we did on the trip was also one of the most significant. There are many reasons to study abroad. Several of them I have already discussed. But on one of the last excursions we did, I finally understood why we were there. We visited the bridge at Remagen, which had been turned into a peace museum. The German people are very sensitive about war, for obvious reasons, and this really influences several aspects of their lifestyle and way of thinking. I think they possess a certain quality because of their past that most Americans lack. They are more sensitive. At the peace museum Dr. Wasser gave a moving talk at the top of one of the towers. The room was a somewhat simple display, but with great gravity. On one side of the room there was a poster listing the lives lost in World War II by different countries; the magnitude of the numbers was astonishing and basically incomprehensible. The other side the wall was filled with countless plaques each naming a war that has occurred since the end of World War II. The message was, “don’t we learn?” I wish I could relate to you the words that Dr. Wasser spoke to us in there. I wish I remembered more of it. I do remember the feeling we shared in that room. With tears in my eyes I felt a combination of sorrow and hope. Sorrow for the wall of plaques and the realization that despite the tragic events of the past, conflict continues. Hope for the comment that Dr. Wasser made, that this is why we do this program. He told us that his generation had failed but ours could make a difference. If everyone made an effort to get to know people who are different from them and understand their way of thinking, like we did as we assimilated into the German culture, imagine how many conflicts could be avoided.

I am not a writer. Even if I were, there would be no way to put my experience last semester into words on a page. My semester was so much more than just words, it was people and places and thoughts and feelings. It was traveling to a new world and leaving with the realization that it was not a new world at all. We are all people with similarities that bring us together and differences that make life worth living.

Back to reality

It's been two months since I've been home from Germany and gotten back to my real life.  A week after I arrived stateside, I had already returned to College Station, gotten a job, and attended the much anticipated baby shower of my very pregnant sister.  Life has been good.... but different.  I was no longer in the hustle-and-bustle of my German lifestyle.  I no longer had 5 people eating around the kitchen table, was not near my host parents anymore, and did not have to prepare an hour in advance if I needed to go somewhere.  I have very much enjoyed my time with my family, but everyday I miss my other family.  My German family truly became apart of my everyday life and they truly became my FAMILY.

It's strange to think about celebrating the 4th of July and that not being a world-wide holiday, just like Karneval is not celebrated in the United States.  It's strange to think that rooting for Germany in the world cup is essentially going against rooting for my own country.  And it's strange to think that I have lived this entire life for several months and nobody other than my classmates knows the life I had in Bonn.  My bus route, my walk to school, the shear amount of walking we did on a daily basis, the grey cobblestones that made me feel like I was walking in another time.   It all almost seems like a dream. This trip has changed me  in many ways.  The experiences and my relationships has made me very happy, however coming off of the high of the excitement and the yearning to see my host family again has left me feeling like something is missing from my life.  I've even started recycling my plastics..... because.... it's not that hard to do and because it reminds me of the look I'd see on my host-dad's face when I'd put the wrong thing in the wrong recycle bin. "Nooooooo" he'd say, and then look at me with a smile and correct my error.

I have enjoyed coming home to the Texas heat.  Even with the air conditioner broken in my car seems alright because I can feel the much needed rays of sun and heat seeping into my skin.  Although the whole trip does seem like a dream, much of it remains in my mind... I want to speak German to the spanish-speaking people at work because now I know more German than Spanish, and because that's the only foreign language I know!  I quickly come to the realization that me speaking German to them is not doing anybody any favors.  I have however learned to love the language and I plan on continuing my German education.  I love listening to the song Edelweiss being played on the piano at the restaurant that I work at because it reminds me of my time in Salzburg.  I love looking at the painting I bought in Paris hanging up in my home because it makes me think of the delicious Souffles I shared with my family.  I love drinking coffee out of a cup I bought in Ireland because it makes me remember how I bought that cup while traveling through the Connemara region of Ireland.  I have strategically placed many things that I bought on the trip just so that for a moment I can go back to the place I bought them and be there for just a moment.

I truly hope that I can go back to Germany and spend more time there, get to know the culture even more, and become fluent in their language.  I want to see more of the regions of Germany that I missed, and eat the German food.... drink the German beer (naturally).  But one thing is true is that this was a chance of a lifetime... and I wouldn't change one minute of it!!!

Home sweet Germany

Well I've only been back in the states for almost two weeks. That was because my host family practically begged me to stay (actually I think it was more like actual begging). Now I am back in my very own living room instead of theirs to write my last blog entry.
Germany was the most amazing experience of my life so far. That is the simplest way to sum it up (no amount of me babbling on and on could really do it justice) I have to say that the best part of the trip was my host family (sorry professors). They went way above and beyond my wildest expectations of what could happen once I arrived in Germany. By the end I was very much a part of their family, their American daughter. It was very hard to leave them all and now I miss them terribly.
But on to the fun stuff, I saw more of the world in 6 months than I thought was possible. Of course we went to the touristy cities in the nearby countries such as Rome, Brussels, and Paris, but I think it was the "not so special places" that truly made the experience. Without the trips to little unknown towns and villages I wouldn't have gotten the true feel of Germany or felt like I was a resident instead of just another tourist. By the end of the trip I felt that Germany was my home.
The study abroad experience is definitely not about the classes. Even though we got to do some cool and interesting things in class, the true value and joy of study abroad is exploring a new country and learning how to adapt and fit in to the culture. I think that I got the most possible out of this trip and well now its time to figure out how soon I can get my butt back to Germany and other countries around the world. This trip has opened up possibilities of working around the world that I would never have considered before. Back to Texas and Mexican food for a while :)

Back in the Lone Star State

It has been about 2 months since I have left Germany and it still has not sunk in yet that I spent an entire semester abroad. I get brief moments when that thought kind of sinks in, but I think it will take awhile for me to fully appreciate how incredible of a semester it was. Man was it an incredible semester. You think that four months abroad in a new place might seem like forever but when you are super busy with traveling, school, and experiencing a new culture you will be surprised how fast time flies. I remember debating for weeks about whether I should go abroad and all the concerns, worries, and fears that crossed my mind when trying to make a decision. Let me tell you now, all of those worries I had beforehand seem silly and I definitely didn't need to worry about them. And I beyond glad I decided to go because this was a once in a lifetime experience that I will cherish for years to come. I got to go to 7 different countries (partly thanks to the Mediterranean cruise a group of us went on during Spring Break), made lifelong friends, saw many interesting medical facilities/museums along the way, and gained a better understanding of different cultures in Europe. All of that happened in one semester...that's just incredible.

Don't get me wrong, the trip wasn't always rainbows and butterflies. Of course I missed my family, friends, and Texas while I was abroad. And then there are the little things you miss that you never thought you would: free bathrooms, Mexican food, free water, having your car (public transit there is great but I missed being able to come and go whenever I pleased and not having to plan around the train schedule), etc. I'll admit I was getting home sick the last couple of weeks of the program and I was very happy to be back home. But we were so busy with new and exciting things throughout the semester it took me longer than I expected to get home sick. That's another thing, you're super busy and there are a lot of distractions. Traveling is exhausting at times and I suggest you plan your personal trips ahead of time (especially Spring Break) so you see as much as possible or else you might wonder around a new city not sure how to get back to your hotel at 2 in the morning. Back to the topic of distractions, there is so much to do and I say you go experience the culture and events as much as possible. But you have to remember you're abroad for school as well. Staying focused and on top of your work is pretty challenging with all the distractions. And the grades are not going to be handed to you either. Plus the school schedule varies quite a bit throughout the semester. We wouldn't have class or work due for a week or so while we travelled and then had to play catch up the following week.  Those catch up weeks were stressful, but I knew that would be the case going into the semester so I was fine with it. With all of this in mind, the semester school-wise is definitely doable and manageable. Even though it was stressful certain weeks and we would have to cram work in, overall I found it to be one of my better semesters as far as the amount of work and stress that went into school goes.

Okay, enough of that. Time to focus on the positives which in my opinion outweigh the negatives. I'll start with some basics. The food is DELICIOUS. If you go, you'll understand just how yummy it is because I can't really put it into words. Another thing I can't describe is how beautiful all the places are. I found myself in awe of the beauty and rich history that surrounded me on various occasions. Definitely go see as many places as you can but don't rush your trips either. Trust me, it's worth it. Plus it's an awesome feeling when you turn on the TV and see a place you've been to (I've said "Oh, I've been there!" tons of times these past 2 months). Also, I really enjoyed being in a country that truly appreciated soccer and where I could find people playing almost everywhere I went. However I gained more from this program than just yummy food and pretty scenery. I got to experience multiple cultures first hand and observe the similarities and differences between them and what I was used to in the United States. Some of the differences I liked and some I didn't, but it's nice to truly know the characteristics of different cultures instead of relying on stereotypes. I also think I grew up and learned more about myself. Throughout the semester I was put in new situations where I had no idea what to do and the freedom to pick whatever I felt like I should do. Situations like that tend to bring out your true personality and force you to make your own, adult decisions. I don't think I would have gained that much insight if I had stayed in Texas for the semester simply because I wouldn't have been placed in such new circumstances that were out of my comfort zone. I'm thankful I was able to gain that insight and experience before I graduate and have to face the real world for a longer time than just four months. The final positive I want to mention (because I really could keep going) is one that some of my classmates have already mentioned: the great friendships you make over the course of those four months. You will learn a lot about the people who study abroad with you because you see them almost everyday, travel with them on several occasions, and are placed in unique scenarios that you must work together and/or trust each other. And like what some of the others have said, no one quite understands what you have been through like your fellow study abroad classmates. I'm happy to say that I have come back home with many more close, lifelong friends who I can't wait to see again in the fall!

I honestly don't think this post does the past semester justice, but hopefully it shows that I truly enjoyed the semester and that my decision to go on this study abroad program was the right choice. After going on this program and realizing how much I gained and experienced, I highly suggest that people study abroad at some point during their college careers (if possible, of course). So if you're considering going abroad, do it. It'll be an unforgettable semester filled with a lot of great memories.

Now all that is left to say is thanks for the great semester, Germany. Auf Wiedersehen (for now)!

The Epilogue

There's a lot to be said about my semester abroad in Germany. These past few weeks home I've spent many hours with friends and family and as you can probably imagine, they ask a lot of questions about my experience and I have a lot of stories to tell, but even in the many hours I've spent talking to everyone, they still really barely have an inkling about the magnitude of what happened this past semester. That being said, these few paragraphs will be inadequate at best at giving you a full picture but I'll do my best.

One of the first things I'll say about the program is about the friends you'll make. Being new to the major and not living in the dorms my freshman year meant that I didn't really have any friends in my classes. Besides finding a whole new host of people to give me rides, I met a lot of truly lovely people. Many of these were in my major and I'll be spending a lot of time with them in the coming years but many of them were students in a different major, teachers, TA's and general program helpers. Having diversity among your friends is something that I never really appreciated, probably because until now, I never had it. Listening to other people who are really passionate about things that you never gave a second thought is good because of how much you can learn from them. Also the speed that I made these friends was astonishing(a product of being together for several hours a day). To put this in perspective, within 3 months of first meeting some people, I spent 9 days with them in 5 different countries. They were there when I opened my eyes in the morning, when I closed them at night and every moment in between. It's always a wonderful thing when you make a new friend and I can say that there are around two dozen more wonderful things in my life as a result of this trip.

The next thing I'll bring to light are the classes. They were smooth sailing at their best but near their worst I lost hours upon hours of sleep. In my first 3 semesters of college, I pulled a single all-nighter during finals in the fall of my sophomore year. This past spring, I pulled something around 9. With so many new things to experience that wasn't school, school work often fell by the wayside. As can be expected, my grades were not as good as they have been in prior semesters, but honestly it really doesn't bother me too much. The experiences I gained at the cost of a few hundredths of a GPA point was worth so much more. An important thing to mention about the classes that I should say before I forget to add it is about all of the integrated learning that happens as a result of being abroad. You'll learn about anatomy from some really really cool old wax models in Vienna and you'll learn about surgeries by witnessing them first hand. You'll hear a lecture about Freud in Freud's house and you'll learn about Hildegard von Bingen from a museum all about her near the place where her convent used to be.

The last thing I'll mention is the travel. In the downtime, theres a lot of traveling and sightseeing. In this past semester, I went to 10 different countries. To put it numerically, this is a 400% increase over the 19 years prior to the trip. Just a few minutes ago, I opened a Times magazine in a friends house titled "Great Buildings of the World", and when I opened it to a random page, I saw a place that I had already been. When I opened it to a different random page, I saw another place that I visited during my travels. It was a really cool feeling to see that.

In conclusion, if you're one of the ones on the fence about whether or not to go on this trip I would say do it. There's a lot of good times to be had and a few not so good ones but even during those, you'll learn about yourself and grow and you'll have a story to tell your friends back home in a few months.
TL;DR: Germany was cool people and you should do it too

In Conclusion, You Should Do It

First off, I'd like to say that I will not be nearly as helpful or conclusive as some of my friends in attempting to convince you to do this trip, so I suggest you read another blog. My arguments will seem counterintuitive and you'll think that I'm trying to trick you into a bad experience. The problem is that trying to summarize my time in Germany would be comparable to combining both my middle and high school experiences into a few paragraphs. I've changed, to say the least, though I can't say it's for the better. Regardless, after much thought and some time back in the US, I wouldn't take it back.

While I've been to Europe before, this was a completely different experience. I was essentially on my own to make every decision, and that was both good and bad. I've learned that I'm way less mature than I had thought previously, and I advise you to heavily evaluate the decisions you make while studying abroad. This applies to where, how, and with whom you travel; how you take advantage of your legal ability to drink; how you spend your money; and countless other things. Certainly, you'll make mistakes--I had at least five transportation mishaps that could easily have ended up way worse than they did--and I'm not saying to avoid any risk because that's all part of the experience. The only point I'm trying to get across is Don't Be Stupid. Or if you decide to be stupid like I did, then no worries! It will still be worth it because you just get to learn the hard way, and I think that drills in the lesson better anyway. I'd like to think I'm at least more intelligent than I was going into the semester, even if I am a bit jaded.

The entire program is a unique social experiment. Place eighteen or so science-minded students, ranging in age between 19 and 24, into an isolated room along with a TA, just a few professors, and maybe one of their significant others. Some of them have known each other for years, some are alone. Give them a sense of freedom in being able to do whatever they want for a semester. Sit back and observe. The shy kids open up. The strong personalities take lead. The ones who don't care keep on keeping on. People start to get closer, and things seem great for some time. But just wait, you'll start to see how some get almost a little too close and then one person doesn't have quite so much patience with certain quirks. That's when the drama starts. In a typical setting, you may not notice this slight difference in the social dynamic, but remember that this is like a very small high school. Everyone notices and everyone talks. That gets people to start taking sides, and woe to the one who ends up "in the wrong." This may have started as a complete misunderstanding, or maybe that person really did do something, but there's no turning back now. And this makes things complicated when people have planned travel a month in advance when things were still dandy. This forces them even closer and raises the heat that much more. (I'll interject with a suggestion to travel with different people each time, for many reasons that I won't get into.) All the while, everyone else is either experiencing their own drama, getting caught up in that of others, or just trying to avoid it all (which is a task in itself). And just to make the experience more pleasurable, school work starts piling up and the students remember that they're not just here for fun and games. They lose sleep, they get disappointing grades, they struggle with group members, and this puts them in a fantastic mood. Everyone copes differently and this only serves to provide more friction. At this point, they start missing home, alone time, friends, family, summer, alone time, cheap food, alone time, cars, free bathrooms, and chips and salsa. Oh, and alone time, did I mention that? So as grades drop and tensions rise, home begins to look much more appealing. Unfortunately these feelings mix with the grand memories that have been made over the past few months and the students are confused on top of it all. Until each student steps off their plane and waves goodbye to their semester-long companions, they aren't even in a position to sort out all the emotions.

At this point, I've had quite some time away from my study abroad fellows. I've reunited with my family and old friends, but frankly I miss being in Germany. Not even so much for the country itself or anything about it. Just because it was nice to always have some friends around (not to mention, friends who have an engineering and/or medical mindset are somewhat rare and always good company). The only way I make friends to be forced to hang out with them, and that's exactly what this program did. Drama aside, I had a blast and now I have some great people to be around for the next couple years of school (maybe even beyond).

You'll hate your life at times. You'll have regrets. You'll want to scream when you feel confused and lonely. You'll be scared for your life when you're stuck outside in the freezing cold at three in the morning, trying to figure out where you are on a screenshot of a map that will take you back to your creepy hostel in the woods. But you'll grow. While I don't consider myself a better person than when I entered Germany, that's only because I've learned so much about myself--good and bad. There are so many different aspects of the experience that will bring out the best and the worst in you. Not to mention, the trip sparked an interest in travelling that I didn't even know I had. In essence, studying abroad with this program will force you to grow up, and I say better sooner than later.

Germany wasn't friendly in the World Cup.

Being back in the harsh unfriendly lighting of Texas is rough. I was spoiled in that a week after I returned to the states, I flew to California for several weeks. Now that summer school has started up, I've been in College Station and I'm starting to get used to it. The recent summer showers have been relatively helpful, but muggy and humid. I've actually seen several of the other study abroad students on campus and I can't help but remind myself of how good I had it since we never had to cook. To express my feelings, I've written the following haiku:

Oh how I miss thee
Please get into my belly
Döner Essen Yum.

If you're a potential study abroad candidate and you're going through the blogs to make your final decision, good choice. I've compiled a list of pros and cons, brought to you by yours truly.

Cons:
-> It's expensive: The program itself is expensive. Eating there is expensive. Drinking there is expensive. Using the restroom there is expensive.
-> School's hard.Very hard. If you don't take anything from this blog, listen to the next four words. TAKE THIS SEMESTER SERIOUSLY. This is NOT a blow off semester. I'm not going to lie. Half way through the semester, I realized that I'd blown it with my grades; however, that was on me. The opportunity to do well is out there, so take it seriously.
-> You'll miss things: Whether it be a loved one you left a home, a pet, a friend, a delicious tex-mex restaurant, your scooter, your hedgehog... You'll miss them.
-> I threw up. Twice.

Pros:
-> The people are pretty. Germans are pretty. Dr. Wasser was pretty in his jeans and slick thick frame glasses.
-> Public transportation: You can get almost anywhere at anytime.
-> Host families: I can only speak for mine, but they were incredibly friendly and inviting. Especially when my parents came to visit at the end of the program. They offered to have my parents stay in their extra bedroom and cook a lavished meal.
           If you're worried about being assigned to a unsatisfactory host family, don't worry, I was too. I was put with a lady from Wisconsin, and a man from the Gaza Strip and their three children (16, 19, and 21 years old). I thought I wasn't going to have the 'true' German experience, but it turned out better than I'd expected. However, if you do ever have issues AT ALL, there's someone you can talk to. Her name is Hilde Koch. She's really friendly and in charge of the housing arrangements and will accommodate your needs. For Easter, my host family went to Barcelona and left myself alone to cook canned soup for a week. It would've been awful, but Hilde found out and for a week, she had me over for delicious yummies. Oh! There's another pro.
-> FOOD. Say the word with me. "ESSEN". That's food in German. The food there is muy delicioso. Here's a list of things you must try:
     Döner Tasche, Bratwurst, Currywurst, Black Forest cherry cake, the tap water, my host mom's chile, the schnitzel, the potato dumplings, sauerkraut, and more!
-> If you're worried that you won't have time to travel, fear not. On this program, they take you throughout Germany and even to Austria. Even during and after the program, you have time to travel. Overall, I travelled to Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, England, Spain, France, Italy, and Tunisia! I highly recommend you plan your Spring Break early. When you're ready to start planning for spring break, it's too late because you're really busy at that time. You could also do what eight classmates, and I did. We took a Mediterranean cruise for a week.
-> Worked on my bucket list. On this trip, I got to cross off the following:
    run a half-marathon, go on a cruise, see the alps (I also ate some of the alps), visit the cherry blossom avenue, meet my idol (of three months), I sang Afica, by Toto, in Africa, danced with an elderly man, rode a camel, took Titanic-esque pictures, Went to carnival (as a gnome and got ALL the candies! KAMELLE! (Shout that if you want candy bars thrown at your face)
-> Life long friends: Only the people who experienced this trip will understand what you've been through. I'm actually sitting next to someone who went on the trip with me, but didn't know prior as I'm typing this. Whether you no longer speak to those people, or you're now forever buddies who will understand your quirky obsessions, these people understand you.
-> Ich spreche ein bischen Deutch: You get to learn German from Fenja. Fenja ist meine Freundin und Sie ist Supergeil.
-> You experience things. Fun things. Sad things. Happy things. Confusing things. Things that make you feel things. I liked these things.


Looking back now, the experience is indescribable. It's like those Mastercard commercials where they'd say something like:
Tuition-> $10,000 a kidney and two packs of Juicy Fruit
Grades-> Tears, frustration, anger, confusion... etc.

But... You saw it coming.

The experience-> Priceless.

So, I guess this experience is describable: priceless.

Overall, my message to you is give it a go. Whether it be signing up for this program, or trying anything new, give it a go. I'd recommend you sign up for this program. However, TAKE THIS SEMESTER SERIOUSLY. TRUST ME. This experience could make or break your future. If you're in an interview, this program could be quite the conversation starter, but if they see that you didn't do all too well, then bye bye opportunities. There's a lot of things I say that you should never listen to, but this is one that you should. So, life lessons from Johanna.

1. Give new things a try (Be open minded)
2. Take school seriously
3. Repeat #1 and #2.

If you follow these simple, yet effective instructions, you'll turn out alright. Sorry this post was so long, but I hope you make the decision that's right for you. Viel Gluck!

The End

A few weekends ago, I went to Scotland with a friend. We flew into Edinburgh and then took a bus to Aberdeen. We didn't expect to be given food on the bus so we got a snack to tide us over, but it turned out that we got complimentary sandwiches. And drinks. And cookies. And tea. And crackers. And a few other things until we were pleasantly full. Once we got to Aberdeen, we met with my friend's friend who showed us around the town and his university. The following day, we rode a train out to Stonehaven and hiked to a castle ruin on the beautiful cliffs along the shore. We then had a classic meal of fish and chips on the beach. We got up early the next morning to catch a bus back to the airport. Unfortunately, the bus took a half hour longer than scheduled and we got to the airport too late to check in. Since the next flight wasn't until 24 hours later, we decided to go back into the city center and explore Edinburgh. We walked up to the castle on the hill and got a few groceries. We even found a discount DVD store and bought some to bide our time in the airport. When we got back to the airport, we finished up some homework, watched the movies, and then took shifts sleeping. Finally we got on the plane the following morning and made it back to Bonn. I was exhausted and just wanted to go home and take a shower.

A few days later, we visited the Hildegard Von Bingen museum and garden, had a yummy group lunch, and rode a chilly cruise down the Rhein. We saw one castle after another to the point that it was almost ridiculous, and we toured one of them.

For Easter weekend, a group of us took a train to Paris and stayed in an apartment for a few days. The first thing we saw was the Eiffel Tower lit up at night. The next day, we visited the Louvre (which was free with our visas, along with a few of our other visits) and of course the largely unimpressive Mona Lisa. We had lunch in the gardens between the Louvre and the Arc de Triomphe. We walked to the top of the Arc and then a few of us attended Good Friday Mass at the Basilica of the Sacré Cœur. When we got back to the apartment, we ate a home-cooked meal. We spent the entire next day at the palace and gardens of Versailles. If anything, I gained an understanding of why the French Revolution began because the palace was ridiculously extravagant. That night, we ordered escargot and I wasn't planning on eating any until I saw that they were covered in pesto and olive oil. It turned out to be much less slimy than I had expected. We attended Easter Mass at the Notre Dame the next day and then the Musee d'Orsay where I saw some paintings by one of my favorite artists, Edgar Degas. We had another dinner at the apartment and then switched to a hostel for the final night to be closer to the train station. A few of us made it over to the Pasteur Museum and Institute, but it was closed on Easter Monday. Nevertheless, an employee or student let us onto the property and we explored a few of the buildings. We found a set of three lab coats and strongly considered putting them on to get into the labs, but none of us had the guts. When we were making our way out, we realized that the gate was also locked from the inside and had to nonchalantly follow another employee out. We had lunch in the Latin quarter and dinner (including chips, salsa, and raw bell peppers) on the lawn of the Eiffel Tower. Since it was April 21, we held Aggie Muster on the lawn that night.

The next couple weeks were pretty rough with exams and all, but it felt great when it was all over. The first night after finals, we had a fun night of karaoke at the AIB. The next day, we took a 25-km bike ride to and from the Ludendorff Bridge in Remagen. We had a nice lunch on the Rhein as well. The bike ride was difficult, especially against the wind, but it was definitely worth it. When we got back to Bonn, AIB hosted a farewell party for us, where we had wonderful food and got to watch a slideshow that one of us had put together. That night, we watched fireworks for the Rhein in Flammen celebration and it was certainly the best fireworks display I've ever seen. After that night, we had a few more days in Bonn that were rather uneventful before finally getting on the plane to go home.

Rain or shine we go to the Rhein

The weather has been beautiful here the past couple of weeks except for one day last week. That one cold, rainy day was the day we went on the rhinecruise. Forgetting our bad luck with the weather, that day was a fun one! We started off heading south to Bingen for our first stop at the Hildegart von Bingen museum. We had just learned about Hildegart in class the day before so it was nice getting to explore the museum and to see things first-hand that we had discussed in class. After the museum and lunch we headed towards the Rhine to meet up with our boat for the cruise. We all did our best to fight through the cold and stay on the deck for as long as possible because the view was beautiful! The river was lined with castles and I enjoyed looking at the landscape. Plus we all tried to forget about the cold and make the best of the situation by singing random songs on the deck together which I’m sure the other tourists enjoyed…maybe. We then docked and headed to Marksburg Castle for a tour. The castle was on top of a tall hill so we had a gorgeous view of the river and surrounding area from one of the towers. This castle also had a cute little chapel and a torture room (which obviously isn’t cute but it was interesting to learn about some of the torture methods that were created in Germany). Altogether it was a great day with everyone on the Rhine!

A few of us in the dress up room in the Hildegart von Bingen museum