Enjoying Good Camaraderie

Its my birthday today, I am 20 years old. How blessed I am to be able to spend it in Germany, such a beautiful country. After traveling to Brussels this past weekend and returning home I realized how much I love Germany. Its such a great place! I may be biased since I am studying here but I do love Germany.

This past weekend I traveled to Brussels Belgium with my flatmate Shawn, along with Caleb, Sarah, Lauren, Reagan and Elaine and it was a blast! Besides the delicious waffles(Nutella, banana and more whip cream than actual waffle) and chocolate, my favorite part was the Grand Place, a beautiful square with tall gothic buildings detailed beyond belief.

Tuesday we went to Köln and I realized I really love Cologne, for some reason its been my favorite place I have traveled to thus far. It seems like such an awesome city and an amazing place to hangout. The cathedral there is stunning. Literally breathtaking, especially with a view from 70 meters high right at sunset. Gosh that was THE experience of a lifetime, this all is and I LOVE IT ALL!!

Shawn and I met our other host brother André and he is so freaking cool to hangout with! He is sarcastic and hilarious and good at FIFA, we have spent a lot of time playing each other on that now.

This just finished weekend I went to Cochem Germany with Shawn Kendal, Elaine, Reagan and Madison. Cochem is a beautiful little wine town with an awesome castle on top of a tall hill. Our hotel was right across the castle, a beautiful view. We tried and bought some seriously DELICIOUS wine, and it was all so good! We even had ice wine, a rare luxury. Saturday night we went back to our hotel and played some games to get to know each other, and before we knew it we were talking about the Gospel, our past relationships, why we are doing Biomedical Engineering, and the purpose to our lives. It was a deep talk that was really kind of special. We all grew closer because of it and I am so thankful for that, to grow closer to these people and see the world with them. I am looking forward to traveling and studying and hanging out with these friends and seeing where the Lord takes us.

This past night of good camaraderie really shows me how sovereign the Lord is; I have been slacking in spending time with him, one of my three main goals I discussed in a previous blog. But growing a broad mindset and pushing myself to experience these different cultures is something I am definitely doing and its great. Its applying to loving these people here and I enjoy it. Everyone has a story and its so awesome to hear their stories and be a part of it too.

Beyond Thankful for this experience.

Of Romans and Chocolate

Just got back a few hours ago from Köln, where some friends and I visited the Römisch-Germanisches Museum and the Schokoladen Museum today. For those who haven't been back out there to visit these museums, I highly recommend them! I was so fascinated by all the artifacts the Roman-Germanic museum carries, I somehow spent about 2.5 hours in there without even realizing it (they really have a massive collection of artifacts on display)!

After the Roman-Germanic museum, we headed out for food. I managed to find a burger place called Freddy Schilling that carries gluten free burger buns and, again, I highly recommend this place! Don't worry, they have regular burger buns too and all four of us loved our food.

After eating, we walked over to the Chocolate museum, which is worth seeing as well. I really liked that they had some exhibits that I didn't expect: a small walk-through rainforest to show the environment the cacao plant comes from, displays showing the entire process of how the cacao is harvested and cultivated, ancient Mayan (and other civilizations) artifacts related to chocolate, and extensive information about issues within the chocolate industry, such as deforestation, underpaid workers, and child labor. It was actually very educational! For example, did you know that approximately 75% of people who work in harvesting and processing the raw, unfinished cacao have never tasted the finished product, chocolate bars?

But one of the best parts, in my opinion, was getting to have my own chocolate bar made-to-order (ironic given the previous sentences, I know). I got mine with cashews, hazelnuts, vanilla bean, and ground coffee beans, but there were so many options, it was very hard to choose. At the end, I visited the shop within the museum and bought myself some gourmet chocolate bars and a box of chocolates for my host parents. I was unsure about this, since I've never seen them eating chocolate before. But when I got home and asked them if they like chocolate, my host mom's eyes lit up and she said, "Oh, yes. Chocolate is kind of dangerous for me." She asked if I got any chocolate for myself and I told her about the chocolate bar I had made for me. When I told her what ingredients I put in it, she said "I want to try that one too!" I couldn't help but laugh. I can really see what she means about chocolate being dangerous for her!

A Not Very Average, Average Week

This week followed a weekend in Amsterdam, and this weekend was spent in Bonn, so things are very humdrum. Outside of going to the Cöln Cathedral, which was breathtaking, this week was a very average week. It was spent going to and from classes, eating, sleeping and doing homework. These things are like any other week of the school year. Yet, everything is so not average. Things are completely different.

When I wake up I ride the bus into a completely foreign city (although it is becoming familiar). I take classes in a small classroom of 20 or less students. I go to eat and I am faced with odd foods and cooks/cashiers who do not speak my language. I either get by with rudimentary German or they get the clue from my blank stare and respond in English if they can. When I am not in class or eating, I walk around a town with buildings older than the existence of my country. There are bakeries on every corner, and somehow people are not fat. I swear the German people have some secret that allows them to eat copious amounts of bread without gaining weight. When I am done in the city I take the bus back to a home that is not my own. I eat dinner with a family of strangers who have been nice enough to let me stay in their house. They feed me great food, but it is all very different than what I would eat at home. In many ways it is better, but sometimes I yearn for the comfort of familiar foods. Maybe this will soon change and the things here will become familiar.

Wochenende Nummer Zwei (...plus some)

When the scheduled events end, the adventure begins.  After the day’s events in Aachen and a few words on safety, the bus took us to the train station, we hopped off, and that was it.  Navigate Europe for the weekend, by yourselves, wherever you decided to go.  And for my group, this destination was Brussels, Belgium—home of Belgium waffles, chocolate, and frites (and something starting with “b” and very akin to the German word for four…shhhhh, you didn't hear it from me).  We waited for our train, playing frisbee and eating dinner in the meantime, and after a mere one hour ride, we were in a whole new country.  Between repeatedly declaring in astonishment  “Guys, we’re in Belgium”—we figured out our way to the hostel. 

Betcha can’t guess what we had for breakfast in the morning, can you?   Hmmm??  Yeah no, we definitely ate waffles (essentially dessert).  No regrets here: mine came with ice cream.  With happy tummies, we went on a three hour walking tour of the city and, logically, the extensive walking provided superb justication for more food...shortly followed by dinner…shortly followed by more yummy treats.  But after further walking and playing tag in a Brussels’ city square, I’d say it was all well worth it. 

On the note of playing tag in the center of the capital of Europe, remember the group I travelled with to Dusseldorf and the “debatably childish” pictures?  It may not surprise you that the same exact seven individuals ended up traveling together for two weekends.  I wouldn’t have had it any other way.  These people are a joy to travel with: they see each opportunity as a chance to discover, don’t complain even at the slightest inconveniences, and like to laugh until they cry.  The next morning several of us went to a primarily French-speaking church, being that Brussels is a quadrilingual town of French, Dutch, German, and English—where I had the joy of worshiping with other Christians in French and where women sat behind us to translate the service.  All in all, it was a grand trip. 

The pace during last school week picked up slightly, though still being perfectly manageable despite a LOT of trip planning, trip to Cologne in which we toured the roof of the cathedral, and pastry runs.  I have tried almost every pastry at the main bakery, called Voigt (similar to Dunkin Donuts but so much more leicher J ) so I no longer have an excuse for FPC (frequent pastry consumption)…time to slow down. 

My host family is doing well and I know I am so very blessed to have been placed with them.  They have a beautiful home, built in the 1850’s, so close to the Rhine that I can easily run to and along the river in the mornings, and they treat more like one of the family every day.  My host dad had a birthday party just last night and they continue to impress me with how generous, welcoming, and elegant they are.  I enjoy that we can sit in the kitchen and learn each others language, that the boys feel comfortable enough to play tricks on me, and that I can tease all of them about accidently and frequently calling me Anna (the name of the their last two host girls, with a third named Anne oddly enough).  

Until next time!  Tschüß.

Weekend Nummer Eins

Would you say there's a sharp divide between people who journal and those who don't?  I would say yes.  My dad journals almost daily, while I don't think I have seen my mom journal ever.  I think it is safe to say that I am a good mix of my parents, both in looks and personality, but in this case, I clearly side with my mom.  Journalling was never a constant hobby of mine, yet I knew coming into this trip that it would be wise to start.  Now, I know that sentiment was correct.  Excited to document my new surroundings and initial experiences, I wrote my previous blog post before we officially needed to start posting.  Yet, look down, look up, and here we are two weeks later! Time goes by so quickly, even though attempting to remember the events of two weeks ago feels like a month instead.  I'm not sure I'll ever understand that dichotomy.  Regardless, I am going to challenge myself to personally write something every day (considering this group of people and the trips I have taken thus far, I will be at no shortage for material).  But for now, let's recap my first European adventures.

After settling in with the host family and being acquainted with Bonn and AIB, we were able to take a tour of the Mayschoss vineyards, followed by a hike to Kreuzberg Church in Bonn the next morning.  If I could repeat those small adventures again— all the great people, wine tasting, and hiking— I absolutely would.  My first Sunday in a foreign country could only be described as a spontaneous success.  Early Sunday morning several of us met at the Hauptbahnhof to travel to a church near Dusseldorf.  Side note: whenever your friend says, "hey, I think that's our train," be concerned.  The phrases "German efficiency" and "silly Americans" come to mind…  After missing our train, we just waited in the McDonalds for the next train and soon sped through snow covered fields and past Cologne to our destination.  We visited the church and got to know many of the people, like Vlad, a Russian who immigrated to Germany at 18 years old, and Fredrick, a young man from Ghana, I believe, who is studying mechanical engineering here.  Each individual was incredibly genuine and interested in us and our travels.  A 23 year old girl named Melody, originally from the Dominican Republic then took us to lunch, to get ice cream (even though it was about 30 degrees), and to the Benrath Palace and Park.  Despite the sleet and cold, we all enjoyed ourselves— taking amazing and debatebly childish pictures, exploring the park, and sitting by the lake to watch the swans float by while the sun set behind the palace.  Sounds a fairy tale, right?  Felt like one. 

As the week went on, we started our classes, each of which took on a distinctive feel, and I began to see what would be necessary to do well in each class as well as the differences that distinguish my current courses from courses at A&M.  The week culminated with a trip to Aachen, full of rich history and the first details of our industry project with enmodes.  Beyond all the fun and excitement, I am truly eager for the moment months from now when I can reflect on how much I have grown professionally and academically.

Amster[dang] Trip

Woooooo, this past weekend was quite the adventure to Amsterdam. Of course being that this trip was the first non-class trip that was booked, something had to go wrong. Our first train from Bonn to Colongue took 15 extra minutes due to there not being an open platform. This 15 minutes would normally not be a big deal, however when you only have a 15 minute lay over to get to the next train then this is not good. As soon as we got to Colongue we had to race out of the train, only to have two lose to the concrete, and me pushing the button to open the train door as the train was leaving. We thought that for sure there would be no trip to Amsterdam this weekend, but luckily someone above was watching over us and we got on another train out one hour later.

In Amsterdam:
The city of Amsterdam is beautiful, as a man who loves water the endless amount of canals running through the city was an amazement in itself. We started by taking a tour through the Anne Frank House and buying tickets for other attractions. Due to us booking this tip pretty last minute out hotel was a good 45 minute walk after our tour, but it was worth it. The hotel looked like a kids dream with super cool bunk beds, a nice counter top to sit at and admire a nice view, and everything else a hotel has to offer. The first night concluded very late after a self led night tour in the city and our group hanging out at the hotel after. Sleep being of the essence, the next day we all got up early for breakfast and to see the Van Gogh Museum, a walk around in the city's central park, souvenir shopping and then some down time before our train for the ride home. There are things we wished we would have done like a canal tour, but we were all very happy with what we got to do and the decent amount of money spent. The people who went on this trip definitely made it better and I would and will go back to Amsterdam in the future.

It was nice to be able to book a trip all by ourselves though and a successful one at that. This was one of many trips I am sure I will be taking and one of many amazing weekends that I will have the blessed opportunity to be apart of.

Let the Good Times Roll

Another week down and feeling better and better about Bonn, school and the AIB with each progressing day. It has still been weird being away from home and I go in and out of fully realizing where I am. I am loving it here though and I owe that to my AMAZING host family, and of course the other students. My host family has truly accepted me as one of their own and my brothers' have allowed me to hang out and meet a lot of their friends. The first week was full of being told where to go and having something planned every second of the day, but finally being able to slow down and settle in is very nice. I plan on hanging out with my host brothers a lot more and becoming apart of their organizations.

Of course school is school, but it has been pretty great so far. Some classes are on a day to day basis, but I love what I am learning and the people teaching it.With learning what we  get to learn and the things that we have the opportunity to be apart of, this trip has made me ever more excited about my career and seeing more of the world. I am so excited for the design project that we will get to be apart of as well as the things we are getting to learn in class such as the in depth knowledge about the cardiovascular system. I can admit that I haven't fully accepted and embraced all of the things that we have been blessed with and have to look forward to. Each day is a new adventure and something else to be thankful for and this trip is definitely making me realize that. In saying all of this about life now, you truly don't notice how busy your schedule can be with organizations and clubs until you no longer have to go to any of them. I have had so much more time to focus on school or seeing friends and exploring because I have not had to worry about meetings, social events, or fundraisers.

This weekend I decided not to travel and stay home and get to know my host brothers more and even got to watch some new German sports as well as get to go to a rowing tournament. However, I could wrote ten blogs on the fun, scares, and good times of Amsterdam last weekend. This up coming weekend I CAN NOT....CAN NOT wait to get to experience Karnyval and just be apart of the German atmosphere during that time. I am sure I will have ever more to brag about after that time and the upcoming week. Each succession day is a new adventure in itself and I am very glad I decided to be apart of this study abroad trip.

A Weekend In Amsterdam

Another week has gone by…wow time is flying. Last weekend was our first free weekend, and I was fortunate enough to spend it with some great friends in Amsterdam!

The trip got off to a slightly unlucky start. Our train from Bonn to Cologne stopped on the tracks for about 10 minutes, so by the time we reached Cologne, we had ONE minute to catch our next train. All eight of us were determined to make it, so when the train opened its doors, we SPRINTED. Two of us fell running…I may or may not have been one of them. Despite our lightning fast running, the train decided to leave us in Cologne. We made the best of it though. We had a nice breakfast in the train station and left for Amsterdam on the next train.

Aside from that, the rest of the trip was incredible. Although we were only there for two days, we were able to cross off quite a few tourist attractions from our list. The first thing we saw was the Anne Frank house. It’s hard to imagine how anyone could live in hiding for so long. I didn’t realize how dark the rooms would be. All of the windows were covered with black-out curtains and each room had one light bulb hanging from the ceiling. It was truly depressing. There were parts of some of the rooms that were extremely chilly, probably from a draft or perhaps something else. Visiting this house was my favorite part of the trip, as it gave me a newfound appreciation for the spirit of life.

That first night, we walked through the Red Light District. It was interesting…that’s for certain. I wasn’t quite sure how to feel about it. I had only two thoughts running through my mind: 1. that girl is someone’s daughter and 2. that girl made a conscious decision to sell her body. I have no judgment for them, as their life decisions don’t affect me. It was just an unusual experience… Later that evening, we went to the Amsterdam Ice Bar. At –9.4 degrees Celsius, our group only managed about 20 minutes in the sub-freezing bar.

The following day began with a trip to the Van Gogh Museum. I absolutely love going to art museums, and it was extraordinary to see so many of his works in person. That afternoon, we walked through Vondel Park. Although it was a rainy and somewhat dreary day, the park was still beautiful and refreshing. We spent the rest of that day wandering through the streets of Amsterdam, buying souvenirs, and eating all kinds of Dutch food. Luckily, we made it back to Bonn with no troubles. Coming back to Bonn felt like coming “home.” So I guess you could say I’ve settled in and have become an official Bonner. 

A Little Story

I never know how to begin things like this. I've been staring at this blank text box for a solid five minutes, watching its blinking cursor taunt me. At first, I thought I had nothing to say, until I realized that it's actually quite the opposite. There are many thoughts to write about. Too many thoughts, in fact, and too few words to express them. So for now, I guess I'll tell a story...

At 18 years of age, Mary-Jane made the mistake of falling in love with a military man. Louis was 23-years-old at the time. The son of Mexican immigrants, he never received a high school education. Instead, he joined the army as a private and had spent the last few years rising to sergeant rank. He treated Mary-Jane well and, with the two of them being so young, it came as no surprise when they married within the year. You see, it was 1942, and getting married was not only what young people did, but what they were encouraged to do.

But the honeymoon phase was extinguished almost as soon as it had begun, for the ever-growing shadow of the war had reached them. The couple had only been together a short time when, in the early months of 1943, Louis was shipped out to North Africa. He was to help the US armed forces drive the Axis powers out of the Mediterranean. Teary-eyed, Mary-Jane and Louis said their goodbyes, expecting, hoping, to see one another again soon.

During the months that followed, the tides of war had turned in the Allied forces' favor. Hitler's success had begun to stall and American troops were steadily taking back control of the Mediterranean, inching their way up the southernmost tip of Italy. Meanwhile, back in the States, Mary-Jane had recently learned that she was, as the people of that time would have said. "with child." She busied herself with various jobs, trying to make ends meet and get everything ready for welcoming a new life into the world. Thus, in August, 1943, she gave birth to a baby boy and Louis, unbeknownst to him, became a father. Mary-Jane couldn't wait to surprise her husband with the news whenever he returned home. But fate, cunning and cruel, had other plans.

On September 9th, 1943, just three weeks after the birth of his son, Louis' troop had been captured off the coast of Italy by the Nazi German army. Louis was officially announced Missing In Action. Eventually, he was presumed dead. And somewhere on the other side of the world, his widow, as she rocked the baby in her arms to sleep, was weeping.

(to be continued...)

Waffles, Tiramisu, and More

Right now I'm sitting at the AIB while some of my classmates have their differential equations lecture and the TA's, also known as minions, are grading assignments.  I apologize if this blog entry isn't as exciting as you were expecting it to be. There's so much to write about, yet my mind can't seem to remember it all the moment I sit down at the computer.

So it's been a little over two weeks since arriving in Bonn, but it feels much longer than that. I've gotten used to a routine since being here. Although, last night as I was watching Netflix(don't worry Mom and Dad, I still get school work done) I thought, "Wow, I'm in Germany right now." Even though I'm getting used used to being here, I still have those aforementioned moments.  Just today we received our visas for Germany.  I'm a citizen of Bonn... in Germany.. what.  I'm a citizen in a town outside of the US.

This past weekend, some friends and I went to Belgium. We went to Belgium! I never thought that I would be in Belgium, ever. As soon as we got off the train in Brussels, I realized that I know even less French than I do German. I didn't even know how to ask if anyone spoke English in French.

What did we do in Brussels, Belgium? Well, all of the tourist-y things, of course: we ate waffles and fries, and we saw the little peeing boy(Manneken Pis). Not sure why it's such an attraction, but we all agreed that we must see the little peeing boy. It was a great weekend and only one of the many foreign cities that I will get the chance to see.

Last night I got to practice German with my host family, eat tiramisu that my host mom's Italian friend made, and talk with my Belarusian host sister. Last night was really great, I was up till 11 doing all of these things.  I got to know more about the girl who lives just across the hallway from me and we had a great conversation that ranged from the German language to what it's like in her home country of Belarus.  It really challenged my mind to consider all the different walks of life people come from.

I've enjoyed getting to learn more about the different cultures from around the world, not just in Germany, and I'm excited to see what more there is to experience during my time in Europe.

Cathedrals and Waffles and "Ducks," Oh My

Week Two! I'm liking this whole Europe thing. Everything is so close together and old (in a good way) and there is bread everywhere! On Friday we visited Aachen, Germany and learned about their cathedral and Charlemagne. Being in places like that is sort of surreal to me because I'll remember things from history classes and it's like, oh yeah, that happened right where you're standing. I was never super excited about history but being in the physical locations where stuff went down is pretty neat. After the tours we went to enmodes and this guy Ralf told us about the oxygenator design project in a very deep voice. Honestly I may have missed some of it because he was so calming, but it sounds like it will be a pretty interesting (and probably stressful) semester. I get the feeling I'm going to hate bubbles by the end of it.

After Aachen, I went on my first out-of-Germany trip to Brussels, Belgium. I absolutely love Belgium, and here's why: for breakfast on Saturday I had a waffle with three layers of chocolate and strawberries and whipped cream, for lunch I had fries (just fries), and after dinner I had another waffle. That weekend was probably the most intense concentration of carbohydrates I have ever consumed. It was the best. My favorite place was the Waffle Factory, where they play rap music to enjoy with your waffles and the guy behind the counter sings along. There were also a ton of chocolate shops, and I got a souvenir for my sisters but I don't know if it will last four months...I could talk about food forever but I'll wrap it up. Also the old buildings were pretty.

Yesterday we went to Cologne and saw another cathedral and got to walk on the roof, which was pretty cool (figuratively and literally). The views were great and we got a free meal, which I'm always excited about. Today I got to spend some time with my host family. They told me we were going to "feed the ducks," but we ended up chucking bread at a swarm of ravenous seagulls. It was slightly terrifying, but then we walked along the Rhine and around Bonn for a while and it was all good. I taught them the word "seagull" for future reference.

Thanks for the mems, Amsterdam!

{Amster}dam it was fun

      This past weekend a group of eight of us traveled to Amsterdam for our first big trip since we have been in Germany, and let me tell you... It is a whole different world over there. The entire town smells like weed... It is insane. Aside from the smell, the town was beautiful. It seemed like every street ran along a canal. The streets were lined with amazing little houses with so much character. While in Amsterdam, we went to see the Anne Frank House, the Van Gogh Museum, Red Light District and an Ice Bar. Let me go through each place and talk a little about what we saw.

The Anne Frank House: Seeing this house was a very humbling experience. The thought of living with seven other people in that tiny apartment in constant fear of being found is so sad... I cannot even imagine how they felt. I feel lucky to have gotten to read the words of Anne Frank and see her actual diary. I left the house feeling thankful for the life I live and the freedom I have.

The Van Gogh Museum: I am not a big art person, but I enjoyed this museum! It was interesting to see his works in person rather than a photo copy of them. I think I enjoyed learning about his life even more than I enjoyed his paintings! Van Gogh was a very interesting and talented man thats for sure!

The Red Light District: If you had asked me a week ago, I would have told you that you would never catch me on Red Light District... And that would've been a lie, because I was drug there Saturday night. I have got to admit, it is kind of saddening knowing that those women sell themselves. Overall the experience made me kind of sad and I don't think I will be going back any time soon!

The Ice Bar: This place was super cool! (no pun intended) We got to put on big coats and go into a bar made of ice... It was -9.4 degrees Celsius and I dang near lost my finger tips, but it was worth it. 

      Over all I think my favorite part of the trip was just getting to know everyone better! There are some truly awesome people on this trip and I cannot wait to spend the rest of the semester with them. Until next time blog...

Casual Weekend Trip to the Netherlands and Other Babbling

This past weekend we took a little trip to Maastricht, Netherlands and my oh my was it pretty! Before going to we made a trip to Aachen where we got to tour Charlemagne's Cathedral and meet representatives from Enmodes to learn what our design project will be! The cathedral was absolutely beautiful and our project sounds like it is going to be a lot of fun. School fun? Absolutely. One of the things I miss most about home is being able to do research in a lab. I have found that research is my favorite way to learn, because it teaches you so much more than classes are able to. I guess that's one of the reasons why I chose to study abroad, because of the unique learning opportunity that is so different from the traditional classroom.This design project will be very similar to the beginning steps of a research project, so I am excited to get started and work on some ideas!

Earlier today we made our way to Cologne to take a city tour and walk up the cathedral. I had the most amazing nutella banana crepe with chocolate and vanilla ice cream, which I compensated for by walking up a ton of stairs to get to the 70 meter high tower of the cathedral. (By the way I have been having lots of trouble with stairs this trip and have successfully eaten it 4 times on them.) We made it to the top just around sunset: it was absolutely breathtaking. I definitely want to go back to Cologne to visit the chocolate museum and see the works of Picasso and Warhol, and maybe even return with someone I love to put a lock on the bridge together!

School is starting to set in now that we have the device design project, and I'm realizing that all of the free time I have during the weeks is going to have to be used to work and read ahead. That is something that I think a lot of students on study abroad don't figure out fast enough: that you really have to use time to work ahead and you can't just study the week before. The latter is my preferred method of casual learning and then an influx of super detailed knowledge the week of the exam. However, I'm realizing that with all of the weekend trips we are planning and excursions, that there will be times I go about 2 weeks without a class! Thats another thing they don't tell you, planning trips takes a lot of time and organization! I can't even tell you how many hours I've spent looking for lodging and transportation. It's totally worth it though.

So far I like it here, but I'm really excited to travel and explore. I definitely miss things though. For one: Pandora. Who knew that you can listen to "Of Monsters and Men" radio while studying in Europe. It's kind of killing me a little inside. Secondly: Hulu. I'm totally going to miss out on Grey's and the Bachelor this semester, but that just means more episode binging in the summer. Third: my people. Every time I see the fun snapchats and posts from my friends back home, I always get a little fomo and wish I could be there with them. I also really miss my Grandma. This woman is seriously my best friend and if she was with me on the trip I know she'd have an amazing time looking at all the Christian history and exploring. I hope I'm as cool as her at 70. Just so my mom doesn't get jealous, I definitely miss her too. She's been awesome at being my travel agent and honestly I really miss having my own personal photographer to follow me around, even if I say its annoying when she takes 5000000000000000 pictures of me. And of course there are other special people I hold near and oh so dear to my heart that I miss like crazy and can't wait to get back to, you know who you are. Even though I miss all of these things and amazing people, I am excited for the adventures that are to come!

It Has Only Been 2 Weeks???

This has been the longest two weeks (or not even actually two full weeks) of my life, but in a good way. I have been doing things non stop since I got off the plane, with the exception of the first Sunday that was recover from jet lag day. I have already been to several different cities, a few with the program and one on the side, seen several beautiful old churches/cathedrals, gone on a hike, tried new food, started classes, and picked up on a tiny bit of the German language. It has been a lot for the short amount of time we have been here! It has been exhausting, but well worth it. The two excursions I went on with the program were fun because I got to experience a little more of Germany, and I have a few trips planned to other parts of Germany in the near future. I enjoy seeing different German cities and towns because it allows me to get a better feel for what this beautiful country contains and it helps me to immerse myself in the culture better. 

Classes started up this past week, and I am still trying to get myself back into the routine of doing homework and studying rather than devoting all my time to planning fun trips. Our trip to Aachen last week included a visit to Enmodes, and it was exciting to hear from a representative of an actual company, giving us an actual real-life problem to solve. I am significantly more excited for this semester project compared to last semester since this one has a real world application. I also like the fact that our class schedule is not the same every week, it keeps things more interesting and breaks up the time better. 

I took my first non-program trip this past weekend to Amsterdam. It is a really cool city. It was interesting to see how it differed from Germany, despite the fact that the two countries are so close together. I bought a key chain to start my key ring of adventures that I want to fill up by the end of the trip! The canals and buildings were beautiful, and I got to see little pieces of history in the Anne Frank house and the Van Gogh museum. It started out a little frustrating when we missed our connection train by a matter of seconds, but it fortunately that bad luck did not carry on throughout the weekend. When we got back to Bonn on Sunday night it felt like I was coming home, like this is just how life is now, and it felt good to be back. I feel comfortable and settled in here now, and I am looking forward to what other adventures semester might bring! 

The Netherlands has More Than one City

We've finally started to do school work on this study abroad trip and let me tell you, I did not think that was going to happen. The first week was fine and the classes seemed manageable but I'm thinking that was just because it was syllabus week. The only class that I do not enjoy attending is the Math 308 course. I know that everything is getting settled with the webcam and figuring out the teacher's tendencies since he's only a couple thousand miles away, but it really feels like I'm going to have to teach my self in that class. The tutor has helped but I'm still reluctant.

Friday, we went to Aachen. The cathedral was beautiful. I had no idea how much Charlemagne still meant to the people of Europe and Aachen in general. I remember in school going over him but I just thought of him as another historic figure, nothing of super great importance. Boy was I wrong. The shrines and relics that the treasury and cathedral had were breath taking. The fact that Charlemagne's throne could have been made out of the floor that Jesus walked on blew my mind. This trip still doesn't seem real to me. It feels like one day I'm just going to wake up and not be in Germany anymore. I really am enjoying it here.

After the Cathedral, we went to Enmodes to meet with the device design people. The project that we are going to be working on is very impressive, but what was even more impressive was that guy's voice. I have never heard anyone talk that deep before. It was like a scene from Jack and the Beanstalk. But back to the project, it sounds like its going to take a lot of work but I feel like it will be worth the hard work and dedication that I'm about to pour into it.

After the end of the meeting with Enmodes came my first excursion of many yet to come: Maastricht, Netherlands. Who knew that Amsterdam wasn't the only thing that the Netherlands had? The main attractions we went to see were the Fort of St Peter and the caves. The fort was pretty cool but the only time it was ever used in battle, it was taken over. I thought that was pretty funny. The caves were super dark and they were created during the mid-evil times. In the 1600's, the miners began to hire artists to come decorate the caves to turn it into a tourist attraction. We ate a lot of good food. If anyone ever is in Maastricht and they want to know where to eat, I would tell them Cafe Sjiek. We waited for 2 hours to get a table but hell it was worth it.

Side note: since Rahil and I were the only guy on the trip and the main thing to do in Maastricht is to go shopping, Rahil and I burned off a couple thousand calories by walking around the city for about 3 hours. So you will never be lost in Maastricht with Rahil or I.

Time to commence week 3.

Living the life of the Bonners

So I have currently been living in Bonn, Germany for about two weeks now. I have for the most part, mastered the bus system. This is very nice because that is how I get from home to school, and the city to home again. I have overcome my fears of traveling around the city by myself, especially at night. I have come to find out that Bonn is a very safe, and friendly place to live. The people are all very nice and helpful for the most part. 

I got to take my first train this weekend, while traveling to Amsterdam. It wasn't as pleasant as my bus rides have been though. After boarding our first train at the Bonn central station, we reached the Cologne central station. As we ran to our next train because we had approximately 4 minutes to get from one platform to the other, we come up the final stairs to turn a corner and touch our train as it leaves. We then go down to the information desk to find out that there is another train that we can catch, but it comes about 2 hours later. So we then sit and wait. When the train finally gets there, we get on, and ride to our final destination, Amsterdam. We leave the train station, having know idea of where we are headed. We are definitely the "typical tourists" with our maps out as we walk through this very crazy and packed city. After being 'almost' hit by not one, but multiple bikes and trams, we finally make our way to the Anne Frank museum. This had to be the most interesting place that I have ever been, and that says a lot because I have no been twice! I think I probably liked it even more the second time than I did the first. We then headed to our hotel which was about a 25-30 minutes walk out of the city center. We get there, check in, and head to our rooms to relax our feet. We then headed to dinner, and then to see where the night led us. This isn't even the most interesting part. Sunday as we get ready to leave, we head to the train station to see if there is any way that we could catch an earlier train. We find out that we can take a train two hours earlier than our original. We board the train, then make our first change about an hour later in Eindhoven. We then make our way from this platform to the next. After leaving Eindhoven we make our second switch in Venlo. We move platforms then board our next to Dusseldorf. When we reach Dusseldorf, we run to the ticket machines to see if there is any earlier train that we can catch. We find one that leaves in approximately 10 minutes. So instead of waiting two hours for our next train, we buy a ticket, and run to the next platform and board the train. When we are reaching Cologne central station, the ticket man tells us that this is the final stop for this train. With so much confusion we run to the information desk, and they tell us to run and get on the next train at platform 7 that leaves in 5 minutes. We run through the station to the platform and board the train. We then ride peacefully to Bonn central station. I then head to my bus stop to catch my bus, and finally make it home around 21:30. After taking 6 trains this weekend, I have decided that I am going to stay in Bonn this next weekend. I am "trained out"! 

Classes are going great so far! Physiology is really interesting, and the project seems like it is going to be pretty neat. The guys at enmodes really informed us on a lot about the project when we went to Aachen Friday. Everything seems to be very manageable for now, hopefully it stays that way. My German is coming along actually. I'm not saying I'm going to be fluent by the time I leave, but I think I'll at least have the gist of it. 

Everyone is very nice, and I've already made some pretty good friends. These next four months are going to fly by, and honestly that's both sad and relieving. All the fears that I had before I left for Germany have now faded, and excitement is all that is left! I can't wait to see what else there is to do in this next months. Well, Tschüss für heute!!

Official Temporary Bonner

After experiencing my first "free" weekend in Europe, I'm happy to inform you, I did made it back to Germany to start yet another week of classes! This weekend was nice, freedom was good. I traveled to Amsterdam for the weekend with a pretty sweet group of friends. Wow, not a sentence I thought I'd every say in my life. It seemed to flow out so casually, "Yeah, I went to Amsterdam for the weekend."

Anyways, I must say, it was another culture shock for me. Amsterdam is definitely not like Germany nor like America. It wasn't like any city I've ever been to. Arriving in Amsterdam, I quickly felt the unfamiliarity of the city as people were now speaking Dutch. (Which by the way, I find to be a much more strange language than German.) Amsterdam was also much larger than Bonn, which I also wasn't quite prepared for. The streets were packed with people, bikes, and trams. The bike riders were a little overwhelming for me as I found out they have the right-of-way over pedestrians are they aren't afraid to ring their bell and nearly run you over. But I enjoyed my time spent visiting the Anne Frank house; touring the Rijksmuseum; roaming the streets; and eating pastries, cheese, and pancakes. You know, touristing type things. Overall, the trip was good and Amsterdam was a sight to see! 

Upon leaving Amsterdam I was forced to master public transportation yet again as I successfully switched trains four times in two different languages (Dutch and German). Who knew riding a train could be so stressful. I must say, hearing the German across the intercom once I crossed the country's border and hopped on the second to last train was so nice. It kinda felt like I was home again. I did receive my official temporary Bonn resident paperwork today, so I suppose it is home, for now. 

Okay, I'm off to read physiology. Tschüß! 

Settling In

During one of our orientation meetings last semester, we were told that we would probably experience a honeymoon phase when we first got to Bonn, where everything was new and fun and exciting. After that, we were told a homesickness phase would set in. However, it was the other way around for me. I honestly felt homesick the moment I stepped onto the plane leaving Houston and realized that I wouldn't see the people I had grown up knowing my whole life for 4 months. So after only about a week and a half of living here in Bonn, it surprises me that I already feel very much at home here. My host mom has been so great and of course it helps that I've been able to keep in close contact with my family and friends back home through video calls and text.

Although I still don't know much of the language, I've gotten so used to hearing the German language all around me when I'm just walking in the streets, standing in line at a bakery, or eating at a cafe or restaurant. Even when I returned to Bonn from Maastricht this past weekend, I felt a sense of relief that I was back in a place that I had grown to know and love. I've also actually adjusted to the cold weather much better than I thought I would! It's been in the 20s-low 40s up until this past weekend, so when I saw that today's weather was going to be in the 50s (which I would've considered freezing in Texas) I thought, "Finally, warm weather!"

The days right after our arrival included a tour of the city, a tour of Mayschoss vineyard followed by a wine-tasting, a long hike up to the Kreuzbergkirche (literally more hiking than I had ever done in my entire life), a visit to a post-war German history museum, and a day trip to Aachen. Having lived in Houston my whole life, I'm used to driving everywhere because the city is so large and spread out. So you can imagine how much I appreciate the public transportation system here in Bonn! But for the most part, I try to walk to places as much as I can because I love seeing all the intricate architecture. I'll never get tired of walking by the Bonner Münster or the Altes Rathaus (Old City Hall) on my way to and from school or going out to eat. After the first few days of just wandering around and getting to know the city (and getting lost a lot),  I almost forgot that I was here in Germany for school! I'm only taking 12 hours though, so hopefully I can manage to balance all my classwork with the traveling I hope to do.

Tschüss für heute!

So Far, All is Gut!

When I first arrived Germany I felt like I started my whole life over. I didn’t know much of anything, I could barely read and communicate. But I have learned! What a concept for “study” abroad. Learning.

The first week was difficult. Like I said I couldn’t read the signs or anything and I couldn’t even tell people that I was lost and clueless. Now, I feel like I have finally mastered some things. For example, I now mostly know when the buses arrive and which bus to take to be on time. This was actually a huge problem my first day. My bus was running very late and I missed the meeting point. Thankfully my host mom was with me and took me to where I needed to be. I also, kind of know sort of where I am in the city. I’m still not very certain at times. Also, I have found that reading signs usually helps when I’m trying to get places.

I’ve also picked up a few German words and I really mean a few. Erdbeere is strawberry, Brot is bread, and Berliner is a wonderfully delicious jelly donut. I realize my vocabulary mostly relates to food, because the food here is so amazing! It seems that everything tastes better here. An amazing thing about Germany is that food is always nearby. Literally, wherever you are in Germany you are probably a short walk away from food, usually a bakery. (Note: I wrote this before I had dinner)

I feel like my adventure here has just started and I don’t want it to end. Even though, I will be honest, the first night I did cry for my mom, but food made it better. Despite my love of food, I feel like I have actually lost some weight, mostly because I have to walk, a lot. My feet have never hurt so badly! I normally don’t really mind walking but after a long day, sitting down is an amazing feeling.

So far I’ve survived Germany. Soon I will find out if I can survive my classes.