Heidelberg

Week 6:

           

We had the pharmacology workshop this week. I enjoyed getting to learn a little bit more about how to conduct research with academic journal websites such as PubMed and Google Scholar. I’m sure this will become incredibly useful as I go forward in my academic and professional careers. Also, during the workshops, I learned how drugs are tested in bulk. First a disease is isolated or a test is created to see whether or not any drug will solve a given condition. This test is then rapidly performed using “high-throughput” testing and a small percentage of the initial drugs are determined to be matches for the condition. The next step is to test these drugs to determine whether or not they cause any further damage to the body. Interesting, we found out where the high-throughput lab at Texas A&M is. I did not enjoy the pharmacology workshops as much as I thought I would, but I do understand their importance as I work towards a possible career in biomedical research.

            Other than the workshop, the week was fairly typical with just classes. I am beginning to gear up to take a physiology test this following week. We also have a system and signals test next week. I am a little bit nervous but I have began making an overall study guide and attempting to determine the material I know and that I don’t. Hopefully once I finish the study guide, I will have time to review it and memorize all the material necessary.

            By far the best part of this week was my trip to Heidelberg. Camella, Darby, Deanna, and I all determined kind of last minute that we wanted to travel this weekend. We found cheap tickets and a place to stay so we headed up to Heidelberg. Luckily, we only had minor travel mishaps (like usual). When we arrived in Frankfurt on the Flixbus, we had to switch buses so we got off. However, we didn’t know that there are two stops in Frankfurt, so we got off by the airport but should have gotten off by main station, across the town. We had a large layover, so we were able to take a train across the city and arrive with plenty of time before we had to get on the Flixbus.

           

            Heidelberg was gorgeous! There was a wonderful castle there that we explored fully on Saturday. It was the first time I had seen a castle ruin in such good shape. Also at the castle, I got the see the world’s largest beer barrel and my new favorite museum, the museum of Pharmacology. I got to read about the evolution of medicine throughout history with a particular emphasis on the history of medicine in Germany during and after the Third Reich. Another highlight of the trip was the Philosopher’s walk up on a hill across the river from the castle. This walk had inspired many philosophers and writers who had strolled here to alleviate writers block or just enjoy an afternoon. One notable person who had walked here was Mark Twain. I found myself reflecting more and laughing more while on this walk. Part of this was due to the company I was with, partly because I was in such a beautiful place, and partly because I have had a growing interest in philosophy and theology while in Europe.  On Sunday, we went on this walk and went to a café where he had Spanish hot chocolate (a big cup of hot fudge that was a “drink” and came with a spoon) and explored the university and the botanical gardens. In addition to the Spanish hot chocolate, I ate another interesting food while in this city, a snowball of cookie dough dipped into chocolate with a cold fudge center. It was hard to eat because it was 4-5 inches in diameter and therefore hard to fit into your mouth to take a bite, but I always enjoy eating strange deserts!

            The way back was successful, except for one mishap on the Flixbus just outside of Frankfurt. I was seated towards the back of the bus, so I was confused and scared during the event. I’ll explain what I saw and understood at the time first then what really was happening.

            My perspective: We were driving normally along a highway until we forcefully braked and immediately pulled over to the side, at which point the driver and a passenger sprinted out of the bus and off into what looked like a forest. The lights were on in the Flixbus and people looked around alarmed. A minute or two later, someone came back into the bus and talked in German and ran out with some other people. I turned and asked someone what he had said so I was told he had come back an said, “Does anyone have a knife”. At this point, I was a little worried so I got all my stuff together and sat in my seat, fully ready to leave the bus at any moment. I asked a woman in front of me if she knew what was going on and she informed me, “The car is on fire”. So I was worried about the bus bursting into flames, which was why some people had sprinted out. I was very nervous. After five or so minutes, the people came back on and the bus started moving with no explanation whatsoever. I was nervous until we arrived in Frankfurt and changed onto our next Flixbus.

            The reality:  The car in front of the Flixbus spontaneously got engulfed in flames and pulled over on the highway so people on the bus rushed out to help the passengers of that car to safety. I hope everything turned out ok, but by the time I figured out the real story, the situation had long passed.

However, the rest of the return trip was quiet. Overall, this was a great week with some good stories and experiences packed in. Sometimes, I still can’t believe I get to have an experience like this in another country and travel all around and see all the things I do even while I’m so young and in college. There is so much left to see in the world.