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.