A non-retrospective non-literary non-Germany final non-blog video post

Retrospective and Final Videos || August 18, 2018

It’s been nearly three months since I left Europe and somehow it feels as if no time has passed while also feeling like it’s been years. I loved my semester abroad and had so many new experiences that I never would’ve imagined—from randomly stumbling across a palace while taking a bus to an amusement park, to having my host parents lie about my age to get me into a museum for free in Vienna, to getting lost in a parking garage during a fire alarm, to taking a final exam whilst on a river cruise. So many experiences, yet my favorite thing to come out of my semester abroad is the friendships I have made. I’ve already seen a lot of Germany people since coming back and I am constantly reminded how wonderful it is to have such adventurous friends. I look forward to seeing everyone else who still have not returned to College Station and to having good friends to rely on in the years to come.

The biggest thing that sets apart this program from others is the real sense of community you get. From the second we touched down in Germany we had so much support. We had a home with our host parents (thank you to the Plachetkas for opening your beautiful house and garden to me) , a city willing to welcome us (thank you Bonn for being so friendly toward our clueless American ways), endless support and advice—from everyone at AIB (thank you Nick and Sarah, Hilde, and all of the student workers)—and from everyone at Texas A&M (thank you to Romi, Harrison and Alexa, and our study abroad advisor Kerri Vance), and lastly an experienced professor who seemed to know absolutely everything about absolutely anything (thank you so much Dr. Wasser for dedicating so much of your time to create this program in the first place and again for always being there for your students). 

I don’t feel as if I’ve changed that much. Studying abroad is something I’ve been eager to do since early high school, so I think I was very much ready to take on all of the challenges that came with it whether that be finding funding or combating a language barrier. That being said, I am definitely more confident in myself and my own capabilities than I used to be. Travelling alone doesn’t scare me anymore, and that was the one thing I wasn’t sure I’d be able to do beforehand. I also feel especially adaptable now. When I went on my second study abroad program, I’d already adjusted to European life but none of the other students had—it was so funny to see what things surprised them and to be reminded that not long ago those things weren’t “normal” to me either.

Another thing I learned is that although school is the main focus of my life right now, it doesn’t have to be my only focus. There’s still plenty of time for friends and travel and new experiences in between the classes and the schoolwork. My biggest piece of advice to anyone going on this program in the future is to spend your money on as many experiences as possible. I went to 12 countries in my 5 months abroad, and in Germany alone I went to three concerts and two different amusement parks. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and you should make the most of it—travel as much as you can and try everything.

To get a look at what a semester abroad in Bonn looked like for me and what it could look like for you, here are links to my google calendars. This first shows my weekend travels and the second gives a look into the class schedule as it changed week to week.

Weekend Travels--

https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=lexiesmith98%40gmail.com&ctz=Europe%2FBerlin

Class and Assignment Schedule--

https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=1uav81lub7ibu2ski503f3jf5o%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=Europe%2FBerlin

A Retrospective

I miss eating gelato like every day.

This study abroad was amazing and life changing in so many different ways. I learned about so many different cultures and got to try so many delicious foods. My host family taught me so much about Germany and its culture. During the study abroad, I missed my family but when I came home, I began to miss my host family back in Germany. It’s a weird feeling that I assume most people felt.

I would have never thought that in one semester I would visit: Germany, France, Austria, Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. I grew as an individual after living and traveling around Europe for 4 months. The experiences I had with working on the biomedical engineering project, visiting museums, and all the school trips were invaluable to me. Dr. Wasser is an amazing professor and mentor. He is always helpful and always there for you. Dr. Wasser talked about a “hero’s journey” that everyone will go through in life. At first I did not understand what he meant but now, after the trip is over, I truly understand what he meant.

After coming back to Texas, I graduated (WHOOP!) then began studying for my DAT (which was super lame and boring) and it really made me appreciate this study abroad even more. I am going to leave to Beijing at the end of August to work there for a year and continue my hero’s journey.

I almost decided to not go on this study abroad because of the steep costs. Thankfully, I was blessed with scholarships and grants that allowed me to pay for this trip. I am glad I decided to take the chance. Otherwise, I would not have made so many new friends and amazing memories.

I totally forgot to hit publish on this. Thanks Whitney for reminding me. Better late than never.

ALMANIA

ALMANIA: its the end

WOW OH WOW, I wake up every morning confused of where I am. I wish every day that I could swim across the ocean. To go back in time and do it all over again, I would. I feel like my heart has been broken since being back. I look at my social media and realize my life may never be that cool again. But I am now determined to change that and be more spontaneous. I am currently looking to study abroad again in a new place. I signed a 5-month lease in college station in hopes that I can just go. I have always been a really free spirit. But traveling every weekend is exactly what I need.

 The wandering of the unknown and unfamiliar is what I crave.

After the program officially ended I met my parents in Milan Italy where we traveled around Italy for two weeks. I got lost for many hours and spent a day by myself solo traveling to Milan without a cell phone. Talk about a crazy adventure. Once I met up with my parents It truly started to set in that I truly left Bonn.

What I have learned traveling with my parents.

Nothing is as good as America.

What do you mean they don’t have ICE?

Can you turn on the A/c?

Why is everyone so rude?

ALL the rental cars suck.

         But at the end it truly was a great trip, well needed family time and so much joy. I ended up getting to the USA with 5 days then going to camp without a phone for ten weeks. It is now seven weeks into camp and I still dream of going back. I’ve had a lot of time to process my months abroad.  I’ve hung out with a few people from the program and it was weird. People that I had no clue existed in college station then met in Germany, then to hang out with them in college station was surreal. I may not be able to take my host family to college station, the German food, or Germany, but I can take the friends I have made. I am so grateful for all that I have learned and can’t literally express it all. Once in a life time experience and the overarching word to encompass it all is ALMANIA!!

So here are some highlights:

Quoting bridesmaids

The lady who pooped next to me in the train station

Thinking I broke the window

No cream for you

Harrison chicken dance moves

Countries visited:

Monaco

France

Italy

Luxemborg

Hungray

Swizterland

Germany

Belgium

Austria

Spain

Portugal

But my favorite country of all time is Germany. Which if you know me that wouldn't be your first guess. I went on this program for all the shadowing of surgeons, medical experience and etc. But I think being able to live in Germany like a real german was my favorite part.  Some would say I have GONE GERMAN!! I know that one day I will return to the beautiful city of BONN. But until that day....

BONUS camp Pic: One of my fav campers Nathan and I

peace out that is all

XOXO,

GONE GERMAN

Retrospective / / T E X A S

Ich liebe Deutschland und Ich bin nicht bereit nach zu gehen (I love Germany and I am not ready to go home). I am so grateful I got to come on this hero's journey. Over this semester, I have learnt so much about myself and what I want to do for my future. The experience with working with a biomedical engineering company (Enmodes) and shadowing doctors at the Uniklinik here in Bonn has confirmed for me that a career in medicine is absolutely what I want. I have developed a sense of independence and I can say with certainty that I have matured over this semester. I have learnt with great emphasis the importance of balancing work and play. Play, in the sense of enjoying nature and spending quality time with friends. Here, I got to meet a lot of wonderful people that go to A&M that I get to call my friends. Each one of them has taught things that I will carry on with me beyond this experience. Regardless of the talk about this being all formality, to me this wasn't at all, and I am looking forward to spending more time with them when I get back to college station.

I have learnt so much history here than I have ever learnt in the past. Europe , Germany, in particular is filled with so much history on every corner and it is amazing to be able to see and hear about the stories that has shaped this country. With this being said, were mistakes made? Absolutely, I made so many and I wish I could have a redo, but I can't. However, I can avoid these mistakes moving forward. Without any form of exaggeration, this semester has been one of the best semesters I have ever had in college. The highs were incredibly high and the lows were incredibly low, but the highs definitely makes up for the lows. I have visited about 7 countries, exploring about 2 to 3 cities within some of the countries, wow what an adventure this was. Definitely will come back again to Europe and see more countries as well as revisit the ones I have seen. Before I end this, I would like to give a quick shoutout to my roomie Lexie for being an awesome roommate, a good big sister and a sweet friend. Also, another shout out to my host parents for being excellent hosts and to everyone in the AIB for welcoming us to Germany with open hands and answering our questions and helping us navigate life here with smiles on their faces.

To you reading, thank you for coming on this adventure with me, I hope you enjoyed reading my blogs as much as I enjoyed writing them. Bye for now.

Dankeschön, Bis spater Bonn! 

Retrospective

Two months later:

Wow. Germany feels like a while ago. These past couple months have flown by; I’ve been quite busy catching up with family and friends and traveling and moving to start my summer program. It’s been fun being able to share stories and photos from the semester with different people. As I mention that I studied abroad the past semester, people tended to ask me either what my favorite part was or what cultural differences I noticed.

The favorite part question really stumps me because there isn’t one specific part that I loved about the trip. There’s no way to describe the people I met, the places I visited, the views I took in during a single conversation. I liked the novelty of each new place, but I also loved that Bonn felt comfortable and homey by the end. I could talk about my host mom and how she both talked a ton and cooked a ton of food. Her blunt comments kept me on my toes. She made sure we were well supplied with snacks and tea if we had any studying to do. I appreciated Regina's effort to make Lois and I feel at ease and at home. She did everything she could to make our time in Bonn something we would think fondly of. It was also nice to meet and get to know all of her kids when they visited. There's tons of funny stories about living in that house: from the overwhelming amount of food at dinner and the fun that comes from figuring out how other families operate. 

Traveling made the semester feel even more like a giant adventure. In total, I went to eight different countries, and I fulfilled my wish to see a castle many, many times. Traveling between the European countries revealed some of the differences between the cultures. I find it fascinating that there can be such differences in such geographically close regions – especially compared to the U.S. I gained a sense of Europe and European history that I could not have any other way. Traveling has been a cool way to connect with people who have visited or in some cases grew up near places I visited.

Friends made the semester so fun. I got to visit some old exchange student friends from high school, something we had talked about, but never really knew if it would materialize. I loved getting to see a glimpse of their daily lives and friends and just catching up in general. It’s extra fun to get a tour of a foreign city by a local and a friend. My new aggie friends were definitely a highlight as well. We made a ton of memories and really balanced each other out well. I appreciate that I have the next two years to spend with the new friends I made this past semester.

The second question about Germany/European culture was an easier one. Especially as I took some time to reflect and compare things back in the U.S., I was able to articulate what differences I noticed. Germans seem to take life a bit slower; they have less of a need to stay busy. My host mom commented on our (or Americans in general) tendency to always have some sort of work to be doing. I think the fact that stores closed on Sundays really epitomizes this aspect. Sundays were a time to spend with family outside and to enjoy what the city has to offer; even on the cold days, people would be outside hiking together. Another thing is that Germans are courteous and respectful. They keep their public areas nice; people always kept the busses free of trash and would talk quietly on public transportation.

Looking back on the enmodes project, I am starting to appreciate even more. I’m working in a research lab this summer, and I started off googling, reading papers, and looking for FDA documents the same as it was for enmodes. Also, I am really glad the device design class was this past semester; it’s been so helpful at work. In just three weeks, we’ve already talked about design inputs, FMEA, the IRB, and 510Ks… It’s nice to know that classwork is relevant to things I could be doing in the future!

Personally out of the trip, I think I gained boldness and a sense of confidence that I can sort through any situation and figure it out. All of the problems that we worked through while traveling put new problems in perspective -- if I can navigate new cities in a foreign language, figuring out my way around Boston in English certainly can’t be that hard.

Studying abroad never scared or intimidated me; it always seemed like a fun and exciting step outside of my comfort zone. In that way especially, it met my expectations. In January, I stepped on a plane with modest expectations and no picture of how the semester would play out; in May, I left with treasured friendships, many exciting stories, and excitement for what will be next! I do hope that I make it back to Germany soon. It’s weird and a bit saddening that if I do go back, it will likely be for less time than the four months this past semester.

Random Takeaways

Still have not decided if I love or hate public transportation; it can be really convenient except when it’s not (behind schedule and crowded and such).

Hopefully, I’ll end up living in a city with a river.

There are some Korean students in my summer research program abroad for the first time, and it’s been nice to better understand what they’re experiencing.

I miss cheap Gelato shops.

I enjoy living places where water and bathrooms are free.

Born in the USA

Born in the USA

So I have been back in the U.S. for just over 8 weeks now, and it feels like it to me. My time in Bonn and travelling around Europe feels so far away to me, but I think I have taken on a good mentality about it, but I’ll get to that. Since I have been back, I have fallen back into my relationship smoothly, started a summer internship position and obtained some promising data, and been reacquainted with my childhood home in Albuquerque. I have spent lots of time with friends and family also.

So what changed?

I asked my parents a week or two after I got back if I seemed any different from before I left and they replied no. Their answer actually took me by surprise because I felt completely different. It is difficult for me to describe how I changed because I acknowledge that my physical appearance didn’t change and the only “recorded” knowledge I can point to is my transcript, but I will attempt it. Before I left for Germany, I felt like something about me wasn’t quite the way it should be. Somehow, I lacked a quality I couldn’t exactly explain, something I felt like my peers and friends all understood that I didn't. One of the first times I noticed the lack, I saw that a friend of mine had cooked meals for herself at a house as she housesat and she brought breakfast to the house. Every time I had housesat in the past, I would show up to feed the pets, water the plants, and sleep, but would really only fulfill the requirements and not much more. I never would have even considered providing for myself or living outside the tight boxes I set for myself. I left for Germany aware of this "absence" but unsure how to pinpoint it or alleviate it. However, when I went to Germany, I was pushed out of my comfort zone many times. First, I didn't speak the language at all, and while almost all Germans I interacted with did, a couple did not. Once I found myself alone and lost about a 40 minute tram ride from Bonn looking for an ATM. I asked a woman for directions where the nearest ATM was, first in English, then in broken German when it became clear that her vacant confused expression meant she didn't know English. She relayed directions to me, rather quickly in German, and I took the pieces that I understood and successfully found an ATM. I felt so accomplished in that moment. In another instance, I managed to remain cheerful and upbeat as I watched my friends run races I was unable to due to injuries. Every day abroad I was prompted to make decisions about where to eat, when to go home, how to organize my time, when to travel and to where, etc. My time officially became my own. I was responsible for myself and I slowly began to see the constricting box I had placed myself in and was able to start expanding it to include new experiences I wouldn't have imagined before. On one weekend, my friends and I decided to go traveling despite some large projects looming over us. We finished them on the trip there and back, stopping in McDonald's and Starbucks to use wifi and submit the required materials. As a poor summary, you could say that studying abroad in Germany allowed me to see more possibilities without immediately dismissing them as "impossible" or using excuses like "I'm too busy" or "that just wouldn't work". I became more independent and self-reliant. 

Additionally, while abroad I noticed that I have just as great of a repertoire of problem solving skills as most people. At TAMU I am able to call my parents if I had a bad day or needed help solving some problem that popped up. Also, I could google map anything, anywhere, anytime. In Germany, due to the time zone differences and my lack of data, I did not have that luxury. Instead, when a problem came up, like me getting onto the wrong train when embarking on a trip to Munich, I had to solve it myself with any resources I could find. I had friends around me, google translate in many cases, friendly German people, my host mom, etc. but I had to be the one to reach out. In most cases, I got good at context clues, like when the bus would announce something in German I didn't understand and I would pay attention to the reaction of the passengers around me to discover whether or not it was an ad, a small hickup, or if I needed to immediately get off. I relied on friends more and made deep friendships with many of the people in program and some German natives as well. 

I learned how to have more fun by improving my time management and allowing myself to travel and go out and experience what life has to offer. This fostered my love for city life and seeing the difference between cities. I discovered that I want to attend grad school and/or start my career in a much larger city that College Station with more things to do. I found that there is so much to do in the world that I should go out and experience all I can. Along those lines, I found a love for traveling and seeing the world. I discovered that I want to see a lot of new places. In the past, I had strong attraction to places where things had gone well for me and I had fond memories, but I discovered how much there is to see and all the things I want to do. My mentality changed to become almost the opposite; rather than wanting to return to my happy places, I want to see new places and experience as many new things as I can because I won't know if I love them more without trying them. Don't misunderstand me, I want to cherish the memories that I have made and will make and honor the places that I have been, but I now plan to do that by enjoying my time while I'm there rather than planning to return and do everything that I missed. 

So moving forward...

I hope to continue the growth that I experienced while in Germany by improving my time management skills even more so I am able to explore and do more fun things. I want to keep having new experiences, go to new bars, clubs, hangouts and even cities. I plan to continue to make new friends and extend my reach so I can meet as many different people as I possible can and understand the world better through their eyes. Overall, I want to continue to search out the uncomfortable until I can make any situation enjoyable.

My time in Germany was invaluable for me and I gained more than I hoped to. I set out not really knowing what to expect or what my goals were, and I gained so many tools to mend "broken" pieces of myself. I am infinitely grateful for my time spent there and I want to continue exploring.

On my list of places to see next are:

Backpacking across alps

Spain and Catalonia

Chile

Italy

England

Argentina

Australia

Retrospective Post

Hello (one last time),

In this blog I am supposed to reflect on the 4 months I lived in Bonn, Germany. I will try my best to put in words how much this one decision has impacted my life.

First of all, I never imagined myself studying abroad. I first heard of this trip when one of my friends came back from Germany and encouraged me to look into it. I began researching scholarships for studying abroad, telling my friends and family, and constantly thinking of the "pros" that greatly outweighed the "cons". This crazy impulse of mine was becoming a reality.

I met a lot of people (and a cat named Trixie). I met Katja, Ralph, Larissa, Timo, and Martin. They welcomed me to their home and were so curious to learn about my Mexican roots. They cooked me amazing food and got me to stop being such a picky eater. They took me to German orchestra concerts, Sunday brunches, and Bonn flea markets. I met Dr. Wasser and the rest of the History of Medicine students.

I got to see a lot of cool places. I traveled to 9 different countries and experienced so many different cultures. I traveled with some of the coolest people I have ever met to some of the most amazing places. I will always remember the laughs made I had with my friends in the mean streets of Europe. Coming back to the US and realizing I couldn't just book a train ticket for a weekend trip was depressing.

Lastly, I made memories that will last a lifetime. I still remember walking an hour to class in the snow because my bus could not go up the hill to my neighborhood. I got to see the Paris lights from the top of the Eiffel Tower. I participated in the Bonn marathon in a relay team (I still don't know how I made it through that one).

I am a firm believer that things happen for a reason. Although it was not always easy, studying abroad was the best decision I have ever made. I am now at end of my Hero's journey and I honestly can not wait for my next call to action.

To Dr. Wasser:
Thank you for being there for students and for offering this amazing opportunity. You are so appreciated!

Tschüss <3

Retrospective Post

I started 2018 over 5000 miles away from home, and the first four months of the year brought memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

I always knew I wanted to study abroad. It just seemed like a great idea to me. You get to travel and see the world, all while taking classes so you don’t get behind in school. My mom encouraged me to branch out and go on this adventure, no matter how scary it may have seemed at first.

When people found out I was going to Germany, they would ask if I was going with anyone that I knew. I’d tell them no and they would be surprised. You see, I was a very shy child growing up. I would barely talk to family. So people were dumbfounded when they learned that I was going to Europe with complete strangers. Was I nervous? You bet! But I am so glad that I didn’t know anyone because I was forced to get out of my comfort zone and meet new people. And through this study abroad experience, I met some of the greatest people and forged some amazing friendships.

Now that I am back in the States, people are constantly asking how my trip was. I tell them that it was amazing that I loved every second of it. I gladly tell them that I traveled to 8 different countries. I assure them that I really was taking classes and not just traveling. I tell them how much I love Germany and Bonn and how I cannot wait to go back. They ask me what my favorite part was and I honestly have not figured out the answer to that question yet. The whole semester was so amazing, from the time spent in Bonn to the time traveling to the wonderful people.

Of course I miss Bonn and Germany so much. I miss the convenience of public transportation, even though it could be a pain sometimes. I miss all the walking I did while we were over there. I miss the traveling. It was so easy to go to another country for the weekend. It also didn’t cost that much. I looked into flights to go to an away football game and it was crazy! So I definitely miss the cheap flights.

As soon as I got home, my parents and I went straight to a Mexican food restaurant. I'm a big fan of all the food my host family made and the other traditional German foods, but I really did miss the Mexican food. But more than that, I missed my parents and being home. It was really great to be back in my own room surrounded by familiar things. I also finally got to meet the puppy my mother got while I was gone. She is not 6 months old and she is a little maniac, but she's super cute so it's ok.

If anyone tells you there is no such thing as reverse culture shock, they are lying. I experienced this firsthand when my parents and I went shopping at Sam's Club. I just couldn’t get over how everything was sold in industrial size packages. I don't see why anyone needs that much of anything. It probably took me a solid week to get over it.

Things are getting back to normal now. I started working again right after I got back, which has helped me get back into the swing of things. It was nice to have a semester of not working, but I definitely missed it. It keeps me busy, which is what I need.

Looking back, I know that this experience has changed me. I look at everything differently now. I am more appreciative of the free water and free bathrooms. I am glad to have my car again and to be able to drive wherever I want, whenever I want. I also look for more adventure in my daily life now. I may not be able to take a bus to Belgium, but I can still enjoy the outdoors or explore a town I haven't explored before. I have definitely learned to be more open to trying new things. When you can't speak the language or know enough vocabulary, you really can't be picky, so I opened up to many more foods I probably never would've tried before. I am also less shy, because being thrown together with 30 strangers forces you to open up and make friends.

I am so glad to be home, but I am also so glad that I went on this study abroad experience. Everyone I speak to, I highly, highly advise them to study abroad during their college years. It is so worth it!