Goodness, where to begin?
The last month of school was a whirlwind—mixed with twinges of regret
and bursts of excitement. I believe the
last time I talked was around Easter time, so I would like to resume
documenting my study abroad adventures discussing the key points of the
following week.
Although we had Monday off thanks to Easter break, somehow
students managed to turn this gift of scheduling into a problem due to a Signals and Systems quiz on Tuesday.
Instead of taking responsibility for the simplified work we have been
given both in amount and difficulty, it was common throughout the semester for
students to complain that they did not have enough time to complete tasks or
that assignments were too hard. Perhaps I did this at times as well, so I can't completely count myself out, though I tried very hard to not partake in this habit. If we
were back in College Station with well-known and highly esteemed professors,
would students try to minimize the professors’ agenda to fit their lifestyle? Probably not.
It should not have been any different here. But, alas, I digress. The quiz was manageable despite
the apprehensions and we completed our other classes that week as usual, ending the
week with the Museum of Anesthesia. Of
all the museums we traveled to, this was one of my favorites. I realized after the many museums this trip
exposed up to, that I preferred museums that demonstrate technique and
development more than those which discuss people. I felt like the Museum of Anesthesia was
applicable to us as young medical professionals as well as aspiring engineers,
as it showed the progression of machinery while Dr. Wasser and Dr. Fajt taught
us the scientific reasoning for why such changes occurred. It was also very convenient to travel to.
Saturday was a rewarding, long and very BIG day! Why?
International Big Event at AIB! I
will say, I think it’s pretty cool that Penn State and LMU students were able
to join us as we spread throughout Bonn to serve. My group went to a retirement village to
remove weeds and other unwanted brush from several garden areas, so that
elderly people could easily observe and enjoy a lively landscape during
summer. I love being able use my hands
to help other people—especially in cases like these when their hands and bodies
are too weak. So we got down in the dirt
and worked for about five and a half hours (with a delicious German lunch on
the patio about midway through) and then said goodbye to the cute, old German
gardener ladies, who were very pleased with our work. While I felt like my role in Big Event was
useful, others did not agree. Both in
College Station and Bonn, an issue with Big Event is ensure that the students’
work is not only legitimately helpful but also efficiently executed. Wherever Big Event is held, the leaders for
the day should really search for individuals and companies that need and would
greatly benefit from our help. Further,
they should double check to make sure the service task is being done most
efficiently. For example, why allow
individuals to work for hours on a task that could be easier accomplished in
minutes with the right tools? Then each
group could potentially complete many of the proposed service projects and we
could truly make a difference in the area instead of simply saying we gave up
our time because it’s the thing to do on Big Event day. Anyway, that’s enough of that. On to the next week!
Main program events for the next week included a Bioethics
talk, a brief trip to Bingen, and (optionally) the Bonn Marathon.
Thoughts:
Bioethics talk would have been
better if the speaker informed us of both sides of modern ethical
dilemmas. I.e., what are the arguments
for and against genetic modification in babies?
What groups/people are for extreme modification? Only modification for disease
prevention? None at all? These are the facts we need to know if we are
to make informed decisions that shape the future of medicine and ethics. We have been told we will need to be the
leaders for this rising controversial topic.
Those with experience and knowledge should start to tell us how.
The trip to Bingen was not entirely
necessary in my mind. I would have
enjoyed learning more about what the plants of the garden were believed to do
and what they actually do than spend a great deal of time discussing Hildegard,
who can be thoroughly discussing in a lecture alone.
Sadly,
though I was not able to run in the Bonn Marathon, I ran my own relay in the
morning as the sun rose and just asked everyone else how they did and how it
was later lol. This relaxing and healthy
weekend was a great set up for the week ahead—FRANCE.
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