week 3 recap

 This week recap starts with the weekend in Switzerland. I was really happy I went. The view from the kayak was amazing and I enjoyed the kayaking as well. The train rides there and back really weren't that bad although I am not the biggest fan of night trains. The worst parts of the trip was finding out that one of my favorite chocolate candies is in fact not gluten free. Truly crushing. 

The week in Bonn was fairly slow. I've been going to the gym with Peri in the morning which has been really nice. It's a very nice gym and I've missed workout out more than I realized. Other than that the week was uneventful (yay) and I have enjoyed my classes. On Friday a bunch of us in the program went out together. It's been really nice getting to know everyone better. 

On Saturday a bunch of us met up at Starbucks to get some of the physiology labs (ew, sorry matt) done. Starbucks has a padlocked bathroom?? You have to ask the barista for the code which is crazy. Bathrooms in Europe is one of the few things that I can't get behind. Like you're really going to charge people to go to the bathroom for no reason. I don't think anyone really makes a large profit off of it so it's just inconvenient. I also got a Doner box at haus of doner. It was amazing and I'm sure I'll get more. 

I spent all of Sunday with my host mom. She very clearly doesn't like my haircut because she styled my hair for me, gave me something that I could style my hair with from here on out, and offered for me to get a haircut to make my hair more of a straight rather than layered cut. I was like um ok thanks I'll let you know. Sometimes I have to remind myself that she is just old and wants to pass her wisdom onto me. Then after all that we went to a bakery and picked out some cakes to bring to her daughter and granddaughter. We spent a lot of time there. The daughter was having a playdate when we arrived. Her granddaughter has so much energy and the daughter was obviously very tired. Raising kids seems so difficult. My host mom, her daughter, and her daughter's friend spoke lots of german and would occasionally switch the conversation to english so I could participate. I didn't ever think I would feel relief when listening to American pop music through the radio but I did. When we left it felt so good to hear something familiar and understand what the songs were saying. 

I also discovered that public transportation is a gift and a curse. You can't just get in your car and leave. You have to plan your route out and sometimes that means you'll be really early. It takes the mental load off from driving everywhere but also my bus had a route at 11:36pm and again at 5:40am so a little inconvenient. 

The enmodes project so far has been very interesting. My group has a couple of ideas going so far but everything we come up with seems a little far fetched so far. I think things will come together but its still frustrating knowing that the ideas we have now will change so much over the course of the semester. 

Week 3 (23/01-29/01)

Dr. Wasser truly is a stream of knowledge, and it impresses me how much he knows about several topics. His History of Medicine lectures are aimed towards deep rooted medical history and why those were fundamental for the evolution of medicine. This class is definitely my favorite one.

Adjusting to a different lifestyle has not been too hard, but fitting in is a different story. Even when I try to order food in German, they immediately know to respond in English. A few people tend to stare when they can hear your American accent (or mediocre German). Nonetheless, I have had many pleasant experiences so far, so I cannot complain.

Some days seem to end in a split second while others seem to be ever-lasting. I guess I can classify them as such: the good days and the bad days. The good days consist of getting enough sleep, spending time with friends here, and being productive. The bad days consist of missing my family/friends back home, lacking motivation for homework, and being home for too long. 

I absolutely adore my host family, but my limited German vocabulary causes me to feel excluded when they communicate with each other. I think that speaking Spanish here helps me deal with that as well as when I miss my family. Why can’t America implement a school plan similar to theirs (children start to learn two languages at a very young age) ?

Other than Tai chi, my highlights of this week were going out together Friday night, wine night Saturday night, and a zoom presentation Sunday night. Also, my host mum gave me a house key, so no more being stuck outside in the cold!

Week 2 + 3: Going with the flow

 Week 2 started and I was feeling pretty homesick, the good thing was we had lots to do with a history tour around Bonn, a trip to Cologne, and then a big weekend trip to Switzerland! I was pretty scared to do this traveling due to the fact that it was a long, long, train ride to Switzerland with a lay over in the middle of the night and trying my best to sleep on the train, however when we got there it was great. Switzerland is beautiful and I am glad that I took the chance, even though it was uncomfortable, and went. 

Week 3 included lots of moving around to figure out my living situation, and living a normal school week in Bonn. I am starting to settle in with doing school work and timing my classes, although it is still a bit of an adjustment. A lot of this week was coming to terms with the fact that I was not compatible with my host family and I needed to move. Thankfully everyone at the AiB has been very supportive and helpful getting me to where I needed to be. On Sunday I officially moved out of my host families house and into a new one. Everyone has been wonderful and inviting and I think it will be a good change. I am not the best person at going with the flow, however I am learning that you need to take things as they come to you and it is ok to not know what to do. There are wonderful people around who only want the best for you.

Time has been a weird concept ever since I got to Germany, sometimes I plan the weeks in the future and feel like time is flying by, and other times I feel like the days and the weeks are as slow as a sloth. I am trying to live by the quote of "Live in the moment before it becomes a memory" but this is a lot harder than it sounds. Either way, I am doing my best to settle in here and I hope that soon, I will feel comfortable in my new house and do my best to live in the moment.

Week 3 (1/23-1/29)

 Week 3 in Germany was pretty chill. I'm starting to get the hang of life and classes here in Bonn. I have continued to bond with my host mom (yes, she have me more chocolate last night). I think the most interesting thing that happened this week was a birthday gathering at my host house. My host mom has a friend, Prisca, who is from Switzerland and lives with us most of the time. She is here in Germany to work (and has been for the past 8 years) but she will be returning to Switzerland for good in April. Anyways, her birthday was last Thursday and we had a birthday dinner for her. I made sure to get home early that night as to not interrupt any plans but guests didn't start arriving until 7 PM. Let me tell you, sitting at a dinner table with 8 people you don't know that are also speaking a language you don't know is a less than fun experience. Nonetheless, I sat there eating dinner keeping to myself. Finally, my savior, Alessa, came downstairs with her friend and invited me to sit on the couch and eat with them. I had already talked to Alessa and we seem to get along very well. Her friend was also super extroverted so we had no time making conversation. Overall, it was a very humbling experience and I think I'm truely grasping the idea of being 'The Other' like Dr. Wasser talks about. 

In regards to school, I think things are going fairly well (besides BMEN 211 because that class gives me nightmares). We had our first enmodes group meeting last Friday and I think my group has some pretty solid ideas to work off of. I'm really excited to see the development of our project throughout this semester. 

Week 3!!!

 This week has been full of school. I enjoy all of my classes (all 15 hours!). Some are a lot harder than others, but that is expected.

I had the experience of going to the doctor this week, which is very different than America. I did not have to pay which was so weird, and the doctor sat me down in an office-type room before she did any kind of exam on me. She diagnosed me with BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo), so that's super fun. I am seeing a neurologist next week so hopefully, they can fix it...

I successfully got my first amazon package. It took a few tries but it finally worked, I now have an iron for my clothes. 

This week has been SO cold. I am freezing. I am not used to this kind of weather at all. 

The weekend was fun, right after class on Friday we all went to El Salvatore and then to Belini and ended up at the Irish pub. We played a few games and got to know each other more which is always fun. After half of us went to 5 Guys and the other half went to McDonald's...very American of us. However, the burger I had was so amazing I do not regret that at all. On Saturday, Peyton and I searched all of Bonn for a place to study just to end up at Starbucks. We really wanted to study at the University library, but the staff was not very friendly. After some time at Starbucks, we realized we could get into the AiB, so we headed there to finish our schoolwork. Then, some of us went to Bono for dinner. We had to sit outside but we were all very close together so we were warm. Then, Peyton and I headed home and finally got to sleep in a little the next morning. We went to AiB again to study for a bit then came home and called some of our friends to plan our trip to the south of France after our group trip to Paris. I am spending a lot of money here, but when will I ever be in Europe at 20 years old again? Plus, you have to spend your savings at some point :) 

I am starting to feel more comfortable here, less like a tourist and more like a resident, which is pretty cool. 

Week 3: Getting into the Swing of Things

    This week has been fairly uneventful, which tells me that I am finally settling into a good routine. I have figured out the trains, where the places I frequent are, and how to effectively grocery shop. Erin and I have started going to the gym together pretty much every morning during the week. It's been a gratifying way to start my day and it's nice to be able to talk about whatever before we have to dive back into classes. It helps me to feel more prepared for the classes I have that day. The one day that we didn't go to the gym left me feeling like I had too much energy to spare. Getting the gym membership was absolutely a good decision. As for classes, I'm honestly enjoying learning about the material that is being taught in all of them. The science that Physiology and Genetics have covered thus far has been based on a lot of biology, which is my bread and butter. I find that I am able to quickly understand what is being taught and retain the information better because I am interested in what is being lectured on. I will say however, that the 7:45pm genetics lecture can be a pain to listen to. After a long day here in Germany, it is somewhat hard to have to log on to listen to an hour and 15 minute lecture. 

    At the end of this week, a large group of us went out to get drinks to unwind and continue to get to know each other. We ended up at the Irish pub that has started to become the go-to for our group and were able to get a table in a private room. I've liked getting to know some of the people in our group and enjoy getting to go out on Friday nights with them. A lot of us are able to get on pretty well and we balance each other out. Erin, Kassy, and I also got together on Saturday night to watch a movie. It was a strange experience having to be quiet in someone else's house when I have grown so used to having my own space and inviting friends over without a care. Would I do it again though? Without a doubt. I love spending time with them and sitting down to just talk and relax was a nice change of pace after our long week. 

    This next week has us spending a lot of time working on our respective projects. I have to say this project really is not my thing but that doesn't mean that I won't give it my all. Having to do research like this and solve a problem that doesn't have a clear answer is going to take some getting used to. I know at the end of the semester when we can present our potential solution it will all be worth it. Looking forward to what this week has in store for me.

Week 3: January 23-29

This week has been mainly focused on school. We didn’t have any day trips or excursions planned for the program, so it was really just classes and homework all week. Physiology is still really fun! It is nice having already taken biochemistry I and II with Dr. Pozzi because it’s making a lot of the physiology concepts easier to understand so far. For example, we talked about the blood buffer system in physiology, which we extensively discussed in Dr. Pozzi’s class in the hemoglobin unit. We also talked about membrane transport, which was discussed in even greater detail in biochemistry I. And of course, glycolysis, the TCA cycle, and the ETC/oxidative phosphorylation were covered in extreme depth in biochemistry II. Thankfully, we don’t have to know those pathways in quite as much detail in physiology. But having a solid foundation will definitely be helpful. Physiology lab, on the other hand, is going to be a test. Labs are never fun and always seem unnecessarily difficult to me, but this one is particularly challenging given that we can’t do many of the experiments here in Germany. History of Medicine is still very interesting, and tai chi is relaxing (even though studio 4 is always so cold). We had our first pharmacology lecture, which was really good! I think that will be very engaging, and I’m excited for the discussions we’ll get to have in class. German class is always hilarious. Kirsten makes learning the language and culture so much fun. In medical terminology, I got ahead on my weekly assignments and quizzes, and I made some progress on my medical school application. 

Outside of school, I met my original host family in person for the first time. Bernward picked me up at my house and drove me to their house, where Gabriele had prepared a delicious chicken and mushroom pasta. They are the sweetest couple, and I could tell that they were sad that they couldn’t host me this semester. We had great conversation over dinner. I loved hearing about their time living in the States and about the relationships they still have with former host students. I know we’ll keep in touch throughout this semester, and hopefully we can still get to know each other even though I’m not living with them.

On Saturday, I went to Düsseldorf with Erin and Elizabeth. We ate delicious crepes and waffles, visited two churches, listened to organ music, shopped on Königsallee (think Rodeo Drive), and had some gelato before heading home. Düsseldorf felt like more of a big city compared to Bonn. I got a little overwhelmed once the crowds came out in the afternoon, but I enjoyed experiencing a new city. It was the perfect day trip to balance travel, rest, and homework over the weekend. Once I was home, I had a nice family dinner with my host parents. Stefan was home for the day from the federal police academy, where he’s doing continuing education, so it was nice to get to know him better. That was only the second time I’ve seen him since moving here. His training ends after next week, though, so he’ll be home consistently after that.  

Overall, it was a good week. I have decided that I need to go to bed earlier so I can wake up earlier and study at the AiB. I also just need more sleep in general. I realized that though we’ve only been here for three weeks so far, the remaining 13 are going to go by extremely fast, so I need to make the most of every minute. As Elizabeth says, enjoy the moments before they are memories.

Week 3- Change of Pace

 Week 3 has come and gone, and while it certainly won't go down as one of the most notable weeks of this semester abroad in terms of Kodak moments, it has certainly served its purpose. After a lovely trip to Interlaken, Switzerland this past weekend, I spent this week resting and recuperating. School is now fully in the swing of things- I've enjoyed my classes so far this semester, especially the flexibility that taking a reasonable courseload brings. I've already learned a lot about myself in these three weeks abroad:

- Burdening myself with my school schedule cost me significant growth and time, especially in relationships, last fall. Now that I see the other side of the spectrum, my priorities have been significantly realigned, even if my life course ever so slightly alters.

- Substituting busyness, even physical wellbeing, for quiet time is the perpetual temptation that will continually leave me weaker, unfilled, and exhausted.

- Time spent walking, waiting, and riding (trams) is some of the most valuable time of each day- I just have to prioritize it as such

- I miss College Station & my people even more than anticipated.

- I am weakest when I am busiest and/or past the point of exhaustion. I'm getting better, but these are the moments in which I must cling to the cross and the heart of the gospel. It's not always the easiest option, but love is always the answer.

- Taking photos & journaling >>>

- Different worldviews exist for a reason. Too often, we allow ourselves to dismiss the beliefs and actions of others without first placing ourselves in a position to truly feel empathy towards the person or people. Comfort, while having its purpose, hinders greater understanding. Far too often, I find myself asking "what" instead of "why".

- Sabbath exists for a reason- I am revitalized when I spend my days in worship, in the Word, and in reflection. My life's rhythm is derailed without proper Sabbath.

As I look forward to another week spent entirely within Bonn, I anticipate, or at the very least, hope, that this week will look a little bit more structured and rooted on my end. These are some of the very best days of my life- what an incredible setting to wake up to every day. May I not lose this perspective, that I will one day look back on these days as such.

Colby Wilkens

01/29/23

Physiology, Labradors and Star Trek

 This week was fairly uneventful. In a way that was a good thing because I had a lot of work to catch up on after the trip to Switzerland. I've been home alone this week since my host family is in south Germany. This was fine since I'm used to living on my own in college station. Food was no trouble since Ariane made me enough food to last the week so all I had to do was assemble dinner every night. 

 Classes are interesting. I'm still not following half of what's going on in signals and systems but otherwise everything is going really well. History of medicine is really interesting. This week we discussed to roman empire and the middle ages. It really is terrifying how far backwards western Europe went after the collapse of the west roman empire. For centuries people accepted Galen's work as law and ignored overwhelming evidence that he was wrong. There was very little innovation  until the renaissance. In physiology we are still discussing the cardiovascular system. We wrapped up the chapter on the heart and are about to start the chapter about blood vessels. I still need to finish the textbook reading for this chapter. Calculus has been pretty easy so far but I'm sure its only a matter of time. We still have the tutorials once or twice a week which haven't been helpful yet but probably will be when the math gets harder. Medical device design is not particularly interesting at the moment. On the other hand its pretty easy which is nice. I've made some progress on the solidworks course. It took a while to get started due to technical difficulties. The bluetooth mouse I bought refused to connect to my computer while it was in Windows mode. This has done nothing to improve my low opinion of Windows. I also need to start the research project for that class but I still have plenty of time. I haven't done my signals and systems homework for this week because I don't understand it at all. This is a little concerning because we have our first exam next Monday. On Friday Lacca joined us in class which was a lot of fun. It does make a lecture more interesting if you have to pause every few minutes because a labrador has jumped onto someone's desk or stolen rubbish out of the bin.

On Tuesday I had a meeting with an academic coach. This is part of my required fresh start orientation after the disaster that was last semester. The meeting was fairly straight forward; a basic overview of what went wrong last semester and how I can improve my study habits now. My main issues are procrastination and time management. She suggested a calendar and to do lists to help me stay focused. It was nothing I didn't already know but the hard part will be applying it and sticking with it.

On Friday evening after classes we met at a bar called Salvator where we had some food and a beer. Then some of the others wanted to do shots so we sat outside a different bar while they had a few shots. After that we ended up at an Irish pub. They put us in a small room on the first floor. It was really crowded and loud so I left not long after. When I got home I did some physiology reading and watched Star Trek.

This weekend was also uneventful. On Saturday I had planned to go to the university library to study. On the way there I ran into Amanda and Peyton who told me that you need a card to get into the library. We headed to a Starbucks where we met a few of the others. We were there for about an hour then Friederike gave us the access code to the AiB building so we can study there. I finished my math, BMEN 211 homework 1 and made some progress on solidworks. Today (Sunday) I did more physiology reading and wrote this. I need to finish my application to the USRG as well but that may have to wait until next weekend.

Week 3

    This week was not the best week, I started it off fairly sick. The experience going to the doctor was extremely nice. It felt much more efficient than going to the doctor back home. The staff were great, the doctor was extremely nice, and the office itself seemed much more cleaner than your average doctor office back home. 

    In terms of school, classes really just started to pick up and I am really starting to enjoy the subjects more. In Physiology one, we started speaking more on cell physiology and how it works. Physiology two was even more interesting because we were talking about blood vessels and blood pressure. Learning about how each vessel functions, and what happens when it doesn't was fascinating. As the semester progresses, I am hoping I will still be able to handle the workload or study load the way needed to be successful while here in Germany. In physiology one we have lab, and I am not the biggest fan of labs. This is honestly my least favorite class. Labs have always been more difficult for me and having one here honestly is not my cup of tea. 

    Exploring this week wasn't too busy. I think this week was much more chill and studious, we mainly just tried new restaurants and coffee shops. One of my favorite new places is definitely Lighthouse Cafe. They had gluten free bread, so I was able to get these toasts with nutella and bananas for breakfast. Amanda and I also were able to get a vanilla latte which was so good. Friday night we went to a few bars as a group and it was a lot of fun. Before coming on this trip, I was really nervous about making friends and being alone. Now, I can say that I enjoy going out and hanging out with some of the people here. A few people here never fail to put a smile on my face and it honestly has been a blast so far. Saturday night, Amanda, Victoria, and I got some people to try one of our 'go to' places called "Bono Fresh and Tasty". I think they all enjoyed it, Emiliano and Pat wouldn't shut up about the chicken strips while we were there, I'd take that as a win. Bono has been just our thing, it was nice sharing it with other people and seeing them like it as much as we do. 

Classes, Köln and Switzerland

 This week classes really kicked off. We had Diff. Eq. over zoom for the first time. On Thursday the professor forgot to start the zoom meeting which meant that the four of us just spent the class period doing homework. I'm still not following most of what is going on in signals and systems but otherwise classes are interesting. I have to take a solidworks course for BMEN 253 which shouldn't be difficult just time consuming. On the other hand, knowing solidworks is bound to come in useful in the future. We were organized into our project groups but haven't done any work yet. 

 On Wednesday we went to Cologne and saw the cathedral. It's the second tallest in the world, Notre Dame being the first. It took 600 years to build. Frankly, I think there are better things people could do with their time and money but the resulting architecture is very impressive. The thing that always amazes me about these structures is that they were built centuries before Newton. They say that engineering is applied physics but engineers were doing pretty amazing work while physicists knew virtually nothing. Admittedly at that time most of the architects and engineers were probably physicists as well. Interestingly, while most of Cologne was destroyed by the Allies during World War II, the cathedral and bridge directly in front of it were not. Pilots used the towers as navigation points so couldn't risk bringing them down by dropping bombs on them. The bridge in question now carries trains into the main station and was destroyed by the germans to slow the Allies' advance. 

 Outside the cathedral we met our tour guide who showed us around Cologne and taught us about the history of the city. Later at lunch I had schnitzel for the first time. Basically it's chicken fried pork. I was not a fan. After that we went to the El De Haus; this is an old Gestapo prison. We learned about the history of the gestapo in Cologne from the 1930s to the end of WWII. We went to the basement to see the cells. Inside there are messages on the walls left by the prisoners. Some of the stories of survivors are surreal to think about. 

 Thursday and Friday meant classes as usual. On Friday evening nine of us at met at the station to head to Switzerland. I had bought tickets in advance but somehow managed to book them for the wrong days. So a hundred and fifty euros later I had a new set of tickets to Interlaken. We took a train to Basel and arrived at about 2:30am. Then we had to sit in a freezing waiting room for a couple of hours until our train to Interlaken. I didn't get much sleep that night. We arrived in Interlaken at 7:00am and went to the coffee shop across the street from the station. The weather there was, in a word, bracing. It was about negative five celsius and with a nice breeze to boot. I had a cup of coffee and then went back to the station to get the train to Lauterbrunnen. My plan was to take a series of cable cars up to the summit of the Schilthorn. I took the first cable car to Grütschalp then a train to Mürren. Mürren is a collection of chalets, restaurants and rental shops. There I found the finish line of a downhill race called the Inferno. It starts at the summit and goes right down to the bottom. Apparently its an annual event and anyone can participate. This year about 1800 people raced. I've added it to my bucket list. I took a second cable car to the Birg. It was still below the clouds so the views were spectacular. My phone did not appreciate the sub-freezing weather and the battery dropped to 5% in about ten minutes. That didn't matter much because it was so cold I couldn't take my gloves off to use my phone. The last cable car took me to the summit where it was negative twelve degrees before wind chill. Unfortunately I couldn't see much as the top was in the clouds. I wandered around for a while then took the cable cars back to Mürren. I decided to walk to Grütschalp instead of the train and then headed back to Interlaken. Once there I found the others and we made pasta and chicken for dinner. The next day Matt, Elizabeth, Errin and I built a snowman and explored the town until our train back to Cologne. We made it back to Bonn a little after ten and that was the end of the week.

The First Week in Germany

 The jet lag was not much fun but it wore off fairly quickly. We started by applying for our german visa's. It was fairly quick, just filling out some paperwork and handing it to the AIB staff. The next thing was a lecture about how to behave with our host families. A few important points about how German culture may differ from American. That afternoon Professor Wasser took us to the House of History which is a museum of german history covering 1945 to 2000. On Wednesday we went on a hike up the Drachenfells. This is one of the hills in the Siebengebirge, the seven hills outside Bonn. The dragon reference comes from an old legend of a warrior that killed the dragon living in the hills and bathed in it's blood. Similarly to the Achilles myth, this made him invulnerable except for one weak point that eventually killed him. After the hike a group of us went to lunch and then met up with another group at a bar. This was my first taste of german beer. On Thursday we started classes; discussion of the project, signals and systems (aka hell on earth) and german. The german teacher seems really nice but we spent most of the class period introducing ourselves rather than learning anything. Friday we went to Aachen to meet the people from enmodes company. We also visited the cathedral which was quite impressive.

Our project is thermoregulation of patients undergoing ECMO treatment. During the treatment the patient's blood is brought out of the body to be oxygenated at which point it loses a substantial amount of heat. We need a method of keeping the blood warm during oxygenation that does not involve heating the patient's skin or warming the room as these are either uncomfortable or impractical.

The weekend was uneventful. I spent most Saturday studying and then in the evening we went out to a bar. I didn't like it much; it was crowded and loud. I bailed early, 10:15, and went home. On Sunday I ran in the morning and then headed into Bonn in the afternoon. I walked along the Rhine for a while then went home. Sunday dinner at the neighbor's house, I met a couple of other American students from Pennsylvania. 

That's about it for the first week.

Waiting at the Airport

 Anyone at all experienced in traveling will tell you to arrive at the airport two or three hours before your flight. This is an excellent idea because if anything goes wrong you have plenty of time to sort it out. However, if everything goes smoothly and it takes you about half an hour to check in and go through security, then you have a lot of time to kill. You could eat overpriced food at a loud and cramped food-joint, shop for duty free merchandise, or just wander around until your flight is boarding. 

I have chosen to spend my time writing this and watching the Hobbit (part 1). I did walk all the way around the airport, at Austin that doesn't take very long, but I didn't bother buying food since I'll get dinner on the flight. The only point of concern is that I can't seem to find my flight on the departures board. There is a flight to London listed at the correct time but incorrect flight number and airline. I did find the gate that shows the right information so I'm not too worried.

The plan is to fly to London Heathrow tonight; arriving midmorning on Saturday. From there I'll check in at the airport hotel, drop off my bags, and go to meet my aunt and uncle who live in the city. I'll spend the afternoon with them and get back to the hotel early because my flight from London to Frankfurt leaves at ten past seven the next morning. This unfortunately means that I will have to arrive at the airport at about four thirty. Combined with jet lag from the previous day that is sure to be excruciating. On the plus side I know a great breakfast spot in London airport called the Giraffe. My family has been there a few times and the food is always great and it is usually pretty fast as well. 

Then all I need to do is find the bus at the airport in Frankfurt and the real adventure begins.

Week 2- Switzerland (1/20-1/22)

     This weekend we went to Switzerland and witnessed our first chaotic mess of the train system. We got to Cologne from Bonn ok but once we got on the train from Cologne to Bassel we started to have issues. The train as a whole got delayed 2 hours because we had to be re-routed. It ended up being ok because our 4-hour layover in Bassel became only 2 hours. It was still miserable and cold despite having to be in the Bassel train station for less time. We found a small room to sit in but there were no more chairs so we had to sit against the cold window. Needless to say, I did not get very much sleep during those 4 hours. I think the most interesting thing was the group of guys rolling joints in that room. Some stranger ended up yelling at the group because they were being too loud so they just left and stood right outside the room. All in all, I have no idea how they had so much energy at 2 AM. We finally got onto our next train and had the whole thing to ourselves so I scoped out a good spot and got some sleep. 

    Once we were in Switzerland we mainly just went on hikes. It was really fun to wander around without having a set-in-stone plan. After our hike, we went to a restaurant that was horrendously bad, 0/10. As sucky as it was (and expensive) it was still food and fun to joke about how terrible it was. The rest of the day we just wandered around the shops. The next day we went on another hike but it was really foggy so we couldn't see very much. We did make a snowman which was fun- I've never done that before (his name was squishy and he had hyperthyroidism). 

       On the way back home we had minor train issues but nothing that severely messed with our plans. It was weird when we got back to Bonn because I was comforted by being back in the train station I actually knew. I think I'm finally starting to see Germany/Bonn as home which is ~fun~. 

Week 2

     I had an amazing during my second week here in Bonn. We started the week with the first set of classes for this semester. I learned some interesting things about the early medical practices of ancient Mesopotamia in our History of Medicine in Europe and learned in depth about homeostasis and its important role in our body. In addition to this, we started learning German through our German class. Although I do not speak the language at all, I expect to at least learn most of the keywords needed to maintain a conversation in German.

     The weekend before the second week started, we all as a group explored Bonn's culture by visiting multiple bars across the downtown area and had a really nice time with one another. I think is amazing that we got to know the bars of Bonn as it allows us to be embedded with the local culture and know more about the places that make this city unique. 

    Throughout the week, we learned more about physiology, more specifically about homeostasis and how it is the basis of biological balance within the human body. I also found it fascinating how homeostasis depends on negative feedback loops for the organism to metabolize and balance itself chemically. I also spent this week bonding more with my host parents. They are amazing people and they have welcomed me and my other roommate Brady into their home in a lovely manner. 

    In addition to this, we had the opportunity to visit the beautiful city of Koln, where we had a tour of historical sites that surrounded the incredibly tall and gothic-style cathedral. We also visited the underground sites that had remains of the ancient Roman civilization which I found fascinating to see as it made me reflect on how humanity has advanced abruptly throughout time. This second week was simply fascinating, I enjoyed my time in Koln and I am definitely planning on visiting that beautiful city during my stay here. 

Week 2: January 16-22

This week has been full of ups and downs, learning, adventures, and new experiences.  So far, school has been really good. I absolutely love physiology! Learning about how the body functions is the coolest thing to me. And history of medicine is so interesting. It amazes me how much information Dr. Wasser knows on the subject. On Thursday, I had a very productive night and got all my homework done, and I finally applied to grad school. Despite my unusual nighttime productivity burst (I usually work best in the mornings), I started to feel a bit stressed and overwhelmed. Now that school is kicking into gear, I’m realizing that it’s going to be a challenge to balance a full workload, traveling on the weekends, and finding time to rest.

The train/tram system has given me quite the headache this week. On Monday, Erin and I decided to take a different route than usual (which we’ll never do again). We thought we were going the wrong direction just to switch directions and realize we were right the first time. Then, we decided to ditch the tram and take the train, but we had to take a round-about way to get across the tracks and just barely made it on to the train, completely out of breath from running down the streets of Bad Godesberg. On Tuesday, the tram I planned on taking didn’t come, and the next one wasn’t for 15 minutes, which would cut it super close to the start of class. Then, the tram drove as slow as possible, and I had to get off one stop early and speed walk to class. I made it with 30 seconds to spare. And then Dr. Wasser canceled class. On Friday/Saturday, we took an overnight train to Interlaken, Switzerland. This train, however, had a 4-hour layover from 1am to 5am in Basel that I was less than thrilled about. Fortunately and unfortunately, there were trespassers on the tracks and an accident occurred that diverted the route and caused a 90-minute delay. So, we ended up only spending 2.5 hours in Basel. And then to cap it all off, on Sunday, our first train from Interlaken was supposed to stop in Mannheim, but due to railroad construction, terminated in Basel. So, we had to get on our second train in Basel instead of in Mannheim. And then the train was super crowded because of all of the changes to routes going into Cologne. Then, the RB26 back to Bonn was canceled so we had to take STR16 all the way home. But we made it!

Spending the weekend in Interlaken, though, was an incredible experience! Switzerland is without a doubt the most beautiful place I have ever been. Interlaken is set in the valley of the Swiss Alps, and its small-town feel, crystal blue lakes, and powdery snow made it just magical. A few of us found a hiking trail that highlighted an event venue, multiple outlooks, an old wooden bridge, and a gazebo that all looked out over the towns below. It was about 11°F when we got off the train Saturday morning, and it probably rose to about 25°F by the afternoon. So, it was very cold. But thankfully, the sun was out for most of the hike, and when it did start to snow, it was so pretty. I don’t think I’ll ever think snow is cool anywhere else anymore after experiencing the snow in Switzerland. On Sunday, I went kayaking on Lake Brienz. Everyone thought we were crazy for planning to kayak on a lake in sub-zero temperatures. And we probably were, but it was such a cool experience! It was snowing, the church bells were ringing in the background, and there was no one else out on the lake. It was so serene and a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Week 2 (16th Januar-22nd Januar)

On Montag, we had our visa meeting, and it went by very smoothly. During lunch, a group of us went to get a membership at a gym suggested to us by Dr. Wasser. The location and actual gym are great minus the very public showers. We had our first German lesson, and the teacher is wunderbar, but since it was the first class, it was mainly just introductions. After class, we started planning our first trips for the weekend. I was team Switzerland until Patricio and Jackson convinced me to go to Brussels. Planning was so stressful, so I left AiB feeling drained. That did not stop me from going to Aldi and being the slowest bagger Germany has ever seen. By the time I got home, I got to my room and crashed. Dienstag was more productive, and I got to meet my host brother. He seems a bit shy or maybe he just hates speaking English. Mittwoch was Köln. As soon as we exited the Köln station, I was mesmerized. The Cologne Cathedral was towering over the whole station, and we all tilted our head as far back as we could to try and glimpse the highest point. Inside, it was so beautiful, and it was filled with stained glass that I could stare at forever. I did a small prayer for my family, then we headed out for lunch. The schnitzel I had was fantastisch. It almost reminded me of milanesa empanizada. After the program ended, a few of us stayed to go to the Lindt Chocolate Museum, and it was fun to get to see the process it takes. Later, we met up with a few others at Früh, and that was the best beer I had tried so far. We enjoyed a couple of beers and then, we returned back to Bonn. Donnerstag morning, IT WAS SNOWING. Even though it wasn’t that much, I still thought it looked very nice. On Freitag, I had no classes, but to be productive, I still went to AiB to look over online material. After Peri got out of class, we went to look for a small bag, which was a success. On our way to the Hauptbahnhof, we ran into Amanda, who invited us for a beer, and I tagged along. Peyton, Victoria, Amanda, and I also went to dinner at Burgermanufaktur, which was soooo good. When I got back, I talked to my host mum about baking, Christmas, etc. It was such a nice conversation, and she offered me kartoffektorte, and that was amazing too! She even gave me the recipe. When I got to my room, I started packing for Brussels and slept as soon as I could because we had an early morning. 

At this point, I think I’m accustomed to having a weird schedule because my 4:30am alarm did not bother me. The plan was that Emi, Pat, Jack, Vic, and I were to meet at Bonn Hbf at 5:45am to leave on a tram to Köln at 6:05am and get there with 40 mins before our ICE. Emi and Vic were there before me. It was 5:55am and still no sign of Pat and Jack. We called Pat, and he said that their tram had gotten cancelled or something, but they were close. We looked at the time chart, and we saw that the tram to Köln was getting to Hbf before their tram by one minute, and the next Köln one wasn’t for another 35 minutes. We were so nervous because it would be cutting it close to the ICE in Köln if we waited for them. Then, in the last minute, the trams switched on the chart. As soon as Pat and Jack got out of the tram, the Köln tram arrived. 

We met up with Peyton and Amanda, and we got to Brussels somehow. It was incredibly fun. Beer Capital is a must. I found my favorite beer ever (Liefmans Fruitesse On the Rocks). The fries, chocolate, and waffles were unreal. The basilique was heavenly. The Grand Palace was beautiful, especially at night. The chocolate museum was very informative. Did I mention that the chocolate was so good? Our train back got cancelled, so we all ended up leaving on the same train. We got back safely, and I was ready for bed, but my front door had other plans. It took me two hours and a half to open the door with my fingerprint. I got in at 2:30am. Other than that minor inconvenience, I really enjoyed this weekend, and I would do it again. Now, I’m ready to annoy Peri and Erin again.

Week 2 - Brussels

 

            The week has been very slow, yet very tiring. Nothing going on in school that is interesting yet but I have been getting to know my classmates well. I think that I have made a good impression and I don’t dislike anyone so that’s always a good thing for long trips like these where you are with the same group of people for long periods of time. Hopefully, these relations will get better as we continue through the coming months.

              Apart from that, I have been going to the gym with Jackson in the afternoon and it has been nice to get back to some sort of activity, where I can focus on bettering myself both mentally and physically. I am hoping for an Arnold body by the end of this trip!

              Something interesting happened with the “planned-trip” to Interlachen and that interesting thing is that we decided to not go. After Matt, our TA, had done the pricing and given us the total, it seemed like too much money to spend on one trip to go kayaking and hiking. Now, that is not to say that it wouldn’t have been awesome to visit Interlachen, but I would rather go to a cheaper city that has more history. That new city happened to be Brussels and so with a group of the girls we decided to head over there for our first week out of the country.

              In the end of the planning we ended up finding a hotel that was close to the center for 30 euro a person a night and 79 euro for the roundtrip on the train from Cologne. Once adding the cost of food and souvenirs, we assumed we would end up spending about 200 euro total. This estimate was actually pretty close to the money we would spend while over there which ended up being around 180 euro. However, while over there, we figured out that we could cut the cost of travel by about half if we bought an EURAIL pass which would be 15 days of travel in 2 months for 400 euro, which at first sight seems like a lot but after doing some quick calculations, we would spend that much in the first 6 train rides. So, that is an option we are looking at as of now – still need to talk to Rike.

              Brussels was beautiful and is probably one of my favorite cities so far. The people were wonderful, the beer was amazing – more on this in a little, the food was great, and the architecture was out of this world. It was like seeing a very, very, very small Paris in terms of the city being setup very nicely and pedestrian friendly. On the note of it being architecturally beautiful is the amazing gilded buildings in the center. The buildings were beautiful in the morning but at night, it was something completely different. The way that the light would shine on the building was amazing and it made me want to sketch it right there.

              On the term of the beer, we had an interesting time with that. Nothing bad happened and it was the opposite. The beer was amazing! None of the beer that I tried was bad except for the gluten-free ones that I tried – no clue how Peyton does it. On the Saturday that we showed up, we ended the day with a total of 23 new beers tried which was awesome to add to the beer list in my notebook. Now, this is not saying that I myself drank 23 beers getting to a total of more than 4L. What we did was buy flights of beer and then split those between 4 or 5 of us each trying the beers meaning that it wasn’t that expensive.

              As a whole, this week was probably the most fun I have had and I can’t even begin to imagine all the fun adventures I will have with this group of friends and even some of the other friends I have made in class.

Week 2 (1/15-1/21)

  Our first week of classes were really laid back which I know we all appreciated! We went to Cologne on Wednesday as a student trip & it was so cute (and very cold). We tried a glass of their regional beer during lunch, but I feel like it tasted like Frito’s… The other beer we tried after dinner was actually good though! It’s nice to have a bigger city pretty close to Bonn. I definitely think I’ll go shop there if I need clothes as the weather changes. I also tried schnitzel for the first time and it was pretty good! I had it with a mushroom and onion sauce with a side of roasted potatoes. I really think this will be a great semester because I really enjoy Dr. Wasser’s teaching style & I feel a lot more focused during lecture.

Week 1 (1/8-1/14)

  I’ve never been more thankful for melatonin than I was on the plane from Houston to Frankfurt. I barely slept the night before the flight so I was really tired during the flight and I knew I needed to sleep on it to beat the jet lag. There were toddlers screaming on the plane while they were playing and the parents wouldn’t do anything about it (despite the looks from everyone around them). The rest of the girls I flew with didn’t get to sleep at all because of this, but luckily, I had melatonin gummies and a sleeping eye-covering mask. Flying with the other girls from the program made me feel so much better than flying alone! After a full day of travel, I met my host family and they are literally picture perfect and incredibly kind! Antonia and Emilia have the same dynamic as my brother and I which is so funny to see every day. Emilia loves to tease Antonia and they’re both adorable. We had meetings and tours every day during the first week of our stay in Germany. Even though I was tired and trying to fix my sleeping schedule, I think it was good because it gave us a routine and time to interact with our program group. 

woche drie

    Seven of us took a trip to Brussels, Belgium this was the first excursion weekend of the semester and it was the second European country I have visited. It was quite remarkable, and I didn't expect it to be as great as it was. The city is beautiful, although this isn't the city you would want to go to if nature was your main source of awe, Brussels is architecturally stunning. The cobblestone pavings to the gold plated furnishings in the grand palace, this city was filled with old artwork that I am not accustomed to back in Texas. The smells walking through the city were amazing, as you walked by various stores you could almost close your eyes and know whats coming, the chocolate aroma, the warm waffle scent, everything was so enticing. The metro was super convenient and clean, its been the best metro system I've ever used. I ran into many english speaks as well as most shop owners spoke great english, I also love hearing the French language being spoken around it's just a beautiful language. I enjoyed the famous Brussels flea market where there was tons of random old pieces of history just laying about. We went to National Basilica of the Sacred Heart where we caught a french catholic service, as they began to sing their voices filled the church and it was acoustically spectacular. From my experience it's always quiet but to hear how it was meant to be used was really cool. Brussels is definitely my new favorite city in the World we'll see how long that holds as I will be exploring a lot more this semester!

Week 2!!!

This week was very fun and actually included some studying. To start, Monday was a typical day of class with a fun German lesson where we learned how to conjugate some verbs. Tuesday, we had class at 10:15 but it ended up being canceled so instead we booked our trip to Brussels this weekend. Next, we had BMEN 400, lunch, and then Dr. Wasser gave us a historical walking tour of Bonn in the afternoon which was very interesting. Then I headed back to the AiB for my first MATH 308 lecture that I watch live from College Station. After, Peyton and I headed home. On Wednesday, we had a study trip to Köln. We left at 9:45 and headed to the main station, which is right next to the cathedral (the 2nd tallest in the world). The cathedral was absolutely stunning. We had a walking tour of Köln to learn about its history. Next, we had a group lunch at a Brauhaus where we were allowed to try Kölsch (Köln's local beer). Next, we headed to a tour of the old Gestapo Headquarters (DE-EL Haus). It was truly terrifying and eye-opening. After we were free to do whatever we wanted so Peyton and I went to the gluten-free bakery and then headed back to Siegburg. Thursday I woke up and I was SO. DIZZY> I do not know what happened but my vertigo was awful. This morning, it was snowing and our neighborhood looked so pretty, however, ice + my dizziness lead me to fall on my way to the tram station... unfortunate. Luckily Peyton walked me everywhere. I had 3 classes, and after Peyton and I went to MediaMarkt to get another charger. We had a weird encounter with an American man (he recognized our American English). It was a good reminder that we need to always look out for each other and be aware of our surroundings, especially being in a foreign country. Then after we headed to our tram, and right when we got to the doors, they would not open and the people inside were trying to open the doors but they never opened, so we watched our tram leave. Sad. But it's okay, we caught the next one 10 minutes later. Friday was a pretty easy day, I had 2 classes but one of them was only 20 minutes long. After, I did some schoolwork at AiB and then met up with Peyton, Victoria, and Kassy at CraftBier. Next, we went to Hollister (I did not bring enough clothes) and I got 1 pair of jeans and 2 sweaters. After, we went to Burgermanufaktur and got some amazing burgers and fries. Then we headed home to pack and sleep before we left for Brussels. I woke up at 5:15 on Saturday, and Peyton and I got on the tram at 6:30 to head to Köln. Once we arrived at Köln Hbf, we got on our ICE train to Brussels at 7:42. The train was super nice and the views along the way were amazing. Although somewhere in Brussels, they had to tell everyone to get off and board another train because the one we were on had "technical issues". We then made it to Brussels-Midi station and took an Uber to our hotel. Our Uber driver was so nice and he knew Italian so since we know some Spanish, we were able to communicate. At the hotel, we dropped off our bags and then headed inward to the city. We took public transportation which was busier than Bonn’s. We went to brunch which was so good and then walked around Brussels. We met some other students who are studying abroad in Germany which was super random but fun. I loved Brussels, very fun city with lots to see.

Week 2

     Starting off our first full week of school, Monday was the first day we had actually gotten up when the sun was rising and it was beautiful. It was a little chilly, but the weather overall was really nice.After classes, we ended up going to the market square for lunch and I got food at a food truck called "A Taste of India". This was my first time trying Indian food, and it definitely won't be my last. Later in the evening, Amanda and I went to get her a Doner, and she really enjoyed it. On Tuesday we had our first official History of Medicine lecture and it was really cool. I am really looking forward to learning more about the history, I think it is interesting how far we have come in the health field, and how far we still have to go in discovering more. For lunch, I just made a sandwich and it was perfect. After lunch, we had a Historical Tour of Bonn with Dr. Wasser. This was a lot of fun, I find it so interesting that Dr. Wasser is so intelligent and knows so much information. On Wednesday, we went to Cologne. We had a tour around Cologne with a guide and he was really nice. I think it is really cool that Cologne has its own style of beer and that they have a chocolate factory. After the tour, we ended up going to the same gluten free bakery, and I got more of my snacks. Afterwards, we went to another museum and this once was not as fun. Germany is very rich in History, but not all of it is great. In this museum, we learned about a prison and how it was for the victims inside. Listening to our guide speak about it was depressing in itself, but then seeing the scripts written on the walls was even more heartbreaking. I love learning about the History of Germany, I just never fully realized the treatment of the people here and how devastating it was. When we got home that night, I crashed so early into the night. On Thursday, I had three classes and they all went really well. So far the workload isn't too bad, but this only the second week here. During lunch, Victoria and I went to "Cafe il Barista" and I got a Chai. It was so good, and it felt like I was back home for a minute. I do miss going and getting coffee with my mom, but getting coffee with my friends here has been really nice. On Friday, Amanda and I were going to eat breakfast at "Cream Company" but they weren't open and we wanted to get to the AiB to do some homework. Instead, we went to get coffee somewhere and just got a pastry for breakfast. I only had one class, and it was physiology lab. The weekend was a blast! A few of us went to Brussels and it was the most beautiful place I have ever seen. I got to try a Belgium Waffle, and some crepes! I even got a tattoo while over there. 

week 2 in Germany!

The second week was less chaotic, and I'm starting to get the hang of things; for example, I didn't end up lost in the tram system this time. 

Something that has stood out to me and that has been brought to my attention by multiple sources is that Bonn is a city with a high concentration of foreign students, in relation to that This week I went to check out Bonn's nightlife, and while out I met a few exchange students from various parts of the world, and the opportunity to interact with people from so many different backgrounds has made me feel even more at home here. 

this week, my group and I had also the opportunity to visit Cologne. I personally was blown away by the cathedral and its history! Before going to Cologne, I had different notions about it because I had heard it was a major city; for some reason, I imagined it as a city in the United States or perhaps Mexico, with a lot of tall buildings, but it wasn't. I'm guessing since the city predates American cities, made me appreciate it even more because walking around historical landmarks like cologne's cathedral is an opportunity that not everyone gets to experience. 

Week 1 in Germany!

My first week in Germany might be summed up in one word: chaotic (in a good way, of course).

Even while I respect the Germans for their innovative recycling program, I had a hard time figuring out where to place certain things that weren't made of plastic or paper. Another highlight of my week as well as my whole stay here is that my wonderful host mom does not speak English, so it is a little difficult for us to communicate. 

Definitely the most "chaotic" event of this week was taking the incorrect tram multiple times, and spending 1 hour in the central station because I couldn't figure out which tram was the one taking me home:'v. So far I've had a great time here!!! It's incredibly different from  Mexico and the United States, but I genuinely enjoy and value every distinction. 

Week 2: First trip away

    At the end of week two, I feel as if I've started to settle into life here in Bonn. There are still new things I learn everyday, of course, but it isn't as daunting as the first week here. I'm able to navigate the transportation system a lot more readily since I know what to look for. I did, however, have to learn the hard way that the last train from Rheinbach at night is not in service even though it might show up as scheduled. I got on this train with several people and somehow missed everyone getting off before it left the station. Long story short, I got stuck on this train with the conductor that didn't speak English until we went back to Bonn Hauptbahnhof to have that train connected to another one. Not my finest moment let me tell you. Mistakes aside, I had a good first week of classes and thoroughly enjoyed our study trip to Cologne. The cathedral was stunning and it was difficult to wrap my head around the fact that it took over 600 years to complete. 

    I also took my first weekend trip to Interlaken, Switzerland with a group of us. Matt, Erin, and I had an incredible experience kayaking on Brienzersee lake and pausing to hike up to a castle that was on the cliff face. Sure it was cold, but the view more than made up for it. The water was a clear, aquamarine color and the clouds held off just long enough for us to allow us to see the Swiss Alps while we crossed the lake. Snow was falling softly as we kayaked back to the beach and really picked up after we went to wait at the bus stop. Switzerland was an beautiful country and I would relish the chance to return to it some time during the summer one day.

woche eins schlecht

 There are a few things about Germany that I have come across that I don't particularly agree with and or enjoy. This is a terribly informal quick list of my opinions about Germany and could quickly and easily change before the end of this trip. The first is in German tax documents you must declare religion and you can be taxed based on your response. Lutheran or Catholic declared citizens pay a tax that is considerable for a low-mid classes household, this tax unfortunately as I have been informed by the community stays at the top and doesn't really improve local churches in particular they would just contribute to the millions of dollars it takes to upkeep the Dom for instance. This is tax for some discourages people to be members in a church and I feel like this is a violation to what I have back in America, separation of church and state.

The second thing is a mass fear of global warming. Now this post is not a debate on the issue only an observation of what I have seen Germany doing. Germans are more aware than anyone in Texas about environmental pollutants, in the sample size I have talked to there are a lot of vegetarian/vegans, most recycle quite religiously, as well as, decrease consumption of energy through the conservation of water and electricity in their household, and there are others who will even give up driving cars. As noble as this act is, its quite counter to American consumerism. I don't love being self aware of my carbon footprint its quite frankly annoying to think about, but maybe this is the culture shock I didn't know I needed in order to be a better citizen of the earth.

Week 1 - arrival

              This was our first week in Bonn, and I can tell you that I can’t be more happy to have met up with Jackson and Emiliano after being alone in Cologne for 4 days. Seeing them was awesome and seeing all my classmates for the next 4 months was also very refreshing. I also got to meet my host mom and host brother and they were unbelievably nice and even more interesting, Welsh. It’s amazing to be living with someone from the UK in Bonn, Germany, but I can’t say that I’m not happy. Hopefully, with time, the relationship that I will be able to foster with both my host family and my classmates will make this adventure a whole lot more interesting and meaningful. Can’t wait till the first classes, and the first trips out of the country!

Week 1

 The first week here was one of the most unique experiences I have ever had in my life. Even though this is my third time visiting Europe, it is the first time I get to visit the beautiful lands of Germany. The trip to get here was good as we landed in Frankfurt, which is a city that I still have to fully explore. We then got Bonn through the bus and were picked up by my host dad Mario. He is an incredible person along with his wife Cristina. They have been more than polite with me and my other roommate Brady, who is also an exchange student who comes from Lafayette College. As I settled in what is going to be my home for the next couple of months, we began our week by having a tour around central Bonn. Here, I was able to see the beautiful city's landscapes from its downtown district to the Rhine river. It was amazing to fully explore this part of the city as it allowed me to adapt a bit more to the atmosphere and like it even more. 

The next day, I had the opportunity to visit a local bar that served traditional local beer from Bonn. The beer there was amazing as it gave me an insight into German culture at first glance. On Wednesday, we as a group all went hiking on the beautiful hill of Drachenfels, although it took us a while to get there and got pretty tired, Dr. Wasser shared information regarding the legend of that place and how much it meant for the people of Bonn as it holds a strong tradition. We also hiked all the way to the top and took some nice pictures of us and the beautiful landscape that we were able to perceive. 

As the day week went on, we went to Aachan, where we met members of the Enmodes corporation and attended their presentation that addressed the project we will participate in. This was an important meeting as we finally were told what we will be focusing on to optimize their external lung devices. After the meeting, we visited the historical museum of Charlamagne. Here, Dr. Wasser highlighted important historical factors about the medical procedures that involved the rise of the Holy Roman Empire by the leadership of Charlemagne. My first week here was amazing, I am so excited to participate in the Enmodes project and learn more about the Biomedical processes of the human body from an engineering perspective and I can't wait to visit more places like the ones we did that week!

Week 2!

 Week number two has been just as fun as week one was, albeit a bit smoother. I have settled in a bit more to domestic life, and we have been in Bonn every day but one this week, which has allowed me to become familiar with the city's layout and the structure of my typical day. For this week's blog, I'm going to focus on two things: our study trip to Köln and my early observances/takeaway about German life compared to life back in the States.

On Wednesday this week, our group embarked on a study trip to Köln, which is about a 30 minute train ride north of Bonn. When I walked out of the Hauptbahnhof in Köln, I was greeted by Germany's most visited landmark, the 515 ft. tall Cologne Cathedral. Words cannot possibly put into scale how magnificent this church is. For reference, I was unable to fit the entire structure within my camera lens from the plaza outside the entrance. It is the third tallest church of any kind in the world, and it's a human wonder that such a house of worship was constructed largely during the Middle Ages.  While in Köln, we also were led on an excellent tour of the city, ate at a nice restaurant for lunch (paid for!), and toured the only remaining fully intact Gestapo headquarters. Our tour guide was excellent, but there was certainly a solemn and eerie feeling when walking through the underground prison cells. Original drawings and messages were kept intact from the final years of the war, with many different European languages represented amongst the hundreds that spent many long days and nights in captivity. After the mandated portion of the day's events finished, we finished the night in Köln by eating dinner at Früh with friends. Overall, Köln is an impressively beautiful and historic city which understandably holds a special place in the hearts of many Germans, including my host mom. 

Germans certainly live their lives at at a different speed than Americans, but I agree with the common notion that Germany is one of the closest European equivalents to life back in the States. Just to touch on a few of the differences: Due to the unfortunate energy crisis throughout continental Europe, electricity is managed heavily. For example, my house is pitch black 24/7, except if the light is in use. I basically have to walk throughout the house with my phone flashlight to use the bathroom upstairs to avoid stubbing my toe. Many people here are switching to Vegan dieting, especially those in my generation. The Rhineland is home to some incredible local meat selections to choose from in schnitzel, döner, and currywurst, among many others. Water is often more expensive than beer and public bathrooms are not always free, which aligns with what I experienced in Denmark and Norway this past summer. There are dozens and dozens of bakeries in town; at any point in the city center there are probably at least 2 in your line of sight. The washing machines' heat setting is usually above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and it is very common for households to not own a dryer. The locals usually speak pretty good English, and they are very patient with my (very poor) German. Stores are open for fewer hours than in the States, which allows for more rest throughout the week instead of seemingly nonstop commercialization in the states. Of course I don't agree with every difference in European lifestyle from our life back home, it has certainly provided perspective in my life that I have not previously had.

Colby Wilkens

Week 2

This week we got our visas sorted (yay), learned more German, went to classes, and visited Cologne. 

    I've really liked my classes so far. Physiology and History of Medicine have both been very interesting. Going to Cologne was the highlight of my week though. The walking tour of Cologne, although freezing cold, was really interesting. The city has a complicated history and it was fun learning about its roman roots. The Cologne Cathedral was stunning and massive. It took centuries to build and so much money, but I think the end product was worth all the work put into it. For lunch we went to a german restaurant and I got mashed potatoes, sauerkraut, and sausage. It was really good, even if sauerkraut is an acquired taste. It makes me so sad that I can't drink beer here because I feel like it might actually be good. After lunch we went to the gestapo headquarters where we toured the the offices and prisons below. It helped me understand the power and control that the Nazi's had over the people and how scared the people were. Seeing the pencil marks on the cell walls really resonated with me because it looks like any other graffiti that you would see on a desk. 

    A bunch of us got gym memberships this week which I'm excited about because I've missed working out and the gym is really nice. They only have community showers which was a culture shock for me because in the US women's community showers still have stalls and curtains. It snowed this week which was fun but I'm hoping it doesn't happen very often because it slows all the public transportation down. I've looked into possible ideas for the enmodes project but haven't made any progress. 

    This weekend I'm going to Switzerland with a group. I'm excited about seeing Switzerland but am nervous that it'll be too cold to enjoy. It's also very expensive there so I'm planning on packing lunch. 

Week 1

     The first week of Germany was an adjustment. The first day my host mom wrote down the bus stop I needed to go to and the bus stop I needed to get off on. After being on the bus for over 20 minutes I got nervous and had to show someone the piece of paper and he, although didn't speak english, was able to communicate to me that I still had a while to go on the bus. Navigation was very difficult at first because I didn't have a german sim card yet so I couldn't use maps. 

    We had a walking tour of Bonn. I really enjoyed seeing Bonn and seeing how pretty it was. I also found a food truck that served indian food that was gluten free which was nice. We also hiked up to the ruins of Drachenfels. I enjoyed the view even if the hike almost killed me. I also enjoyed hearing about the history of Drachenfels. We only had one day of class last week which was nice. The history of medicine lecture was very interesting and I had never really thought about the concept of "the other". 

    On Friday we went to Aachen. The museum tour was so interesting and I found a lot of the reliquary very interesting and beautiful. My favorite one was the one with Charlemagne's femur bone in it.  It's such a strange concept to me that people draw divine favor through the supposed divinely blessed. The Aachen Cathedral was also so beautiful. The stained glass windows and mosaics were so amazing. It is a wonder that it was built so long ago. Aachen had a really good gluten free bakery. I got a raspberry cheesecake and a quiche (they were really good and I'll go back at some point to the one in cologne). 

    On Saturday my host mom took Katherine and me to the birkenstock outlet where we both got some birkenstocks and socks. One of the hardest adjustments I've had to Germany is that I have to dress for the cold every single day. I only brought one big suitcase so I don't have that many clothes and I was a little unprepared for the cold every single day. It has rained most days which I don't mind because I like the rain but I do miss the sun a little bit. 

Week 1 Jan 8 - Jan 15

 The first day I arrived I was exhausted and hungry and not loving the whole travel thing. The first few days I was the most uncomfortable I have ever been. It is definitely hard to fit into a new family and be in a brand new place where I don't know the language or where I am going, or anything. My host family lives very differently than I am used to but they are wonderful people who I think will make a positive impact on my experience here. 

We have done a lot of fun things here such as taking tours around Bonn and hiking up to drachenfells. I am definitely missing home but I hope that I will settle in and really be able to enjoy the moments here before they are memories. 

Elizabeth Butchko

Week 1

Having settled into life abroad, I'm now at the point where each of my days, especially typical class days at AIB here in Bonn, has become somewhat rhythmic. Each morning I wake up somewhere around 3-4 hours before class, pack my backpack for the day ahead, and begin my walk to the tram station, which is about 10 minutes from my house. Once in the main commercial center of Bonn, I go to the gym for a bit and then head to AIB for the day's classes, with room to socialize with friends or work on homework in between. After class, I usually finish up the day's work and head home to make dinner on time. However, every day in Bonn is certainly not the typical class day.

Over the first week in Bonn, we've been able to see a museum that highlights post-WWII German history, went for a hike at Drachenfalls, where we saw many ruins of castles and had a great view of the Rhine, and went for a day trip to Aachen, near Germany's border with Belgium and the Netherlands. Each of these experiences was enlightening in a different way, and I was able to write about and photograph much of the past seven days while still living in the moment. I feel like I've acclimated to life abroad quickly, and I cannot wait for the many experiences ahead.

Colby Wilkens

Week 1

     Starting with us arriving in Bonn on Sunday, I was exhausted and hungry. Once we got to the AiB, waiting for our host family made me slightly anxious. I kept thinking about whether or not they would be nice, if they would like Amanda and I, and what our home would look like for the next 4 months. When they picked us up, the drive to Siegburg wasn't bad at all. It felt super quick and we got to see a few pretty buildings on the way. Once we arrived home, we had to carry our luggage up so many stairs. That was an entire workout in itself. Where we are living is extremely nice, and I love that we are technically independent but live with a host family.  On Monday, we had orientation meetings and a housing meeting. Amanda and I went to Starbucks and just walked around Bonn for a bit. On Tuesday, we had to take COVID tests, and we ended up finding a gluten free restaurant called "Bono Fresh and Tasty". Amanda, Victoria, and I all went and the food was amazing. The waitress was also extremely nice and was very patient with us when we were trying to order. Bono is definitely still one of my favorite places here. Tuesday night, we found another restaurant that had gluten free food called "Casbah". I ended up getting a salmon burger, and the "buns" were actually sticky rice. The food was amazing, and the service was also extremely nice. On Wednesday, we ended up hiking Drachenfels with Dr. Wasser. That was the most I had worked out in maybe a year. My legs were screaming at one point, but the view was so worth it. It was amazing being able to see the clouds and being eye level with them. The view of the castle was also amazing. I also ate a pb&j while hiking because I was starving by the time we got to the top of the hill. Later that night, we found a burger joint called "Burger Manufaktur" and this was the best burger I have had in my entire life. It was so good, the fries were good, and the service was great again. It was also really nice because most of the girls went too, and this made for some good memories as well. After eating, Amanda and I ran to the grocery store to grab some groceries and we actually saw someone get arrested inside. I can say that was the first time I have ever seen someone get arrested in a grocery store. Thursday was our first actual day of school, and the weather was not fun. It was pouring and windy, so our umbrellas were quite literally trying to fly away. School itself was nice, I am honestly kind of nervous about the workload. I'm nervous that I won't be able to manage the work with all of the trips we are taking. Thursday went by fairly quickly. Friday was our first school trip and we went to Aachen! We had to get up so early and I ended up sleeping on the bus. The cathedral was amazing, it was so beautiful. The girls and I actually found a gluten free bakery nearby called "Isabella Glutenfreie Patisserie". I sent my mom so many photos of the treats in there and I just wanted to cry. Actually being able to find a dedicated gluten free bakery was amazing, and I got quite a bit of treats to try and I loved them all. After the bakery, we went to "Vapianos" and it was a pizza place. That was literally the best pizza I have ever had. It was seriously so good, and we had a good amount of the girls come too, so it was fun getting to know everyone more. On Saturday, the entire student group went out to a few bars and we all tried some pretty good drinks.

Week 1: January 8-15

We’ve been in Germany for a little over a week now, and honestly it feels like a lot longer than that! Fortunately, it didn’t take too long for me to adapt to my new home, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still plenty of culture shocks. I would describe my first week as chaotic. Not necessarily bad chaos, but chaos that takes some getting used to.

The week started with a flight that had me very nervous to live in a foreign country for four months whose language I don’t speak without my family and friends. I have traveled abroad before, but I don’t remember feeling nearly as tired and hungry as I felt on Sunday after we landed in Frankfurt. But I forced myself to stay awake until 9:30pm, and by the end of the week, I had fully adjusted to the time change.

My host family situation has been a bit of a roller coaster. So far, I’ve had three host families, and hopefully the one I’m with now is the last! My first host family – the Ohms – had a family emergency the week before I arrived and had to fly to NYC to tend to their son and his wife. Consequently, I had to stay with their neighbors – the Matzs – for the first couple of days. Upon arriving in Germany, I found out that the situation with the Ohms had escalated and that I would no longer be able to stay with them this semester. Additionally, the Matzs could not keep me because of prior plans for the spring. Thus, I ended up with my third host family – the Reifenbergs. There are certainly some adjustments in my host home (like sharing a tiny bathroom with three girls, not being able to stand up in the shower because of the slanted roof, and only having one plug in the room), but I’m getting used to it all now. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know my host mom, Claudia, and the Ukrainian girl, Daryna, who they’re also hosting. I instantly felt comfortable with them, and I know they’re going to help make my time in Germany so much fun!

As for the trips we’ve taken so far, I have to say that Aachen has been my favorite. I loved the quaint, small-town feel, and the stained glass in the cathedral was incredible. Not to mention, the printen was delicious! I am also really excited to work on the enmodes project this semester! My favorite part of Cologne was the cathedral: the architecture and enormity was just breathtaking. I also think it’s really cool that while the rest of the city was virtually destroyed during WWII, the cathedral was not bombed. Visiting the Gestapo headquarters was also really insightful. The museum is well curated, and the guide did a really good job of conveying the gravity of the crimes that were committed there.

In the greater Bonn area, I’d have to say my favorite thing so far was looking out over the city from the Drachenfels. The hike kicked my butt, but the view was so worth it. I also love the smell of all the bread and pastries as I walk to class every day. The cold and rain are not my favorite, but I’m getting used to it. I am definitely looking forward to more sunny days though. Or snowy… cold with some snow is okay.

The people in the program are great! It’s such a fun group, and we all seem to work really well together. I was honestly surprised at how quickly I became friends with a lot of them! I am looking forward to continuing to get to know them and making memories as we learn and travel together.

Next weekend, I’m going to Switzerland so stay tuned to read about that!

bis zum nächsten Mal.

Week 1 & 2

 My first week in Germany was pretty interesting. Overall, there was a lot more culture shock than I expected. The things that have stood out to me are mostly the trash and the amount of effort put into energy conservation. I think there are at least 6 different categories the trash can be sorted into and they *actually* recycle it (not like how on campus there are bins that say recycle but in reality go to the same bin as regular trash). Another thing I found interesting is how most households do not have a dryer and if they do, they just don't use it. My mom told me to only use the drying machine if its an emergency and I need something dried really quick. Living in someone else's house has really pushed me to grow. I've tried so many new foods that I've lost track of how many. Thankfully, I am getting along with my host mom really well and I look forward to coming home to talk to her. 

In regards to school, things have been going fairly well. I am a morning person so its weird to not have class until the late morning. The classes are also 75 minutes which seems a lot longer than the 50 minute classes I am used to taking. Despite this, I am still enjoying having less people in class and being here in general. Specifically, I am excited to work with Enmodes. I think this project will be an amazing learning opportunity for me as well as getting used to working with people that have different backgrounds than me. 

This weekend will be our first trip out of the country. I'm going to Switzerland with about half of the group (and yes, I am not mentally prepared for how cold it is going to be). The trip has been mostly planned by mamma duck matt and it has been interesting to let someone else do the planning. My sister and cousin are coming over here for spring break and I have been heavily involved in the planning for that trip. The train ride is really long to get there but I know I'll have fun once we're there. 

Week 1!!!

 Starting with Sunday, Sunday was terrible honestly. I was so jetlagged and exhausted and nauseous. Absolutely terrible. I literally fell asleep on the airport floor. When we got to the AiB, things started to feel a little more real. Ute and Dietmar picked Peyton and me up, they are so sweet. They drove us home and gave us a tour of our house. I love it. The outside is very colorful and the apartment for Peyton and I is super cute. The views are amazing with giant windows that open up. I love my room too and the view from there. After we set our stuff down, we changed and went to dinner at an Italian place. Thank God, I was so hungry. We talked and got to know them a little better. Then, we went to a gelato place that was right next to the restaurant and it was soo good. After we went home and I slept. Sleeping the first few nights was not easy. I would wake up at 2, 5, or 6, not very fun. On Monday, we met at Bonn Hbf at 9 am. We had a welcome meeting and housing meeting, both of which were good and not stressful, although my anxiety was pretty intense. We then went on a walking tour with one of the AiB student workers and stopped to get lunch in the market square. On Tuesday, we had a VISA meeting and Peyton and I were accidentally an hour late... we filled out a bunch of German forms that were very official. Then, we went on a House of History tour given to us by Dr.Wasser, which was very informative. On Wednesday, we went on a hike that was very intense at first but was super fun. It was raining the whole time and cold but the views were amazing. On Thursday, Peyton and I had to go to a bank to get our residency, then we headed to the AiB. Today was our first day of school, we had a lecture from Dr. Wasser about "The Hero's Journey", discussing the transformative experience we are experiencing. We then had lunch and after, I had my first BMEN 211 class which is taught by Blanche. I am very excited to learn from her since I have been working with her for some time now. Lastly, we had our first German lesson, although we did not learn much German. Friday, we traveled to Aachen. We had our first meeting with Enmodes and learned about the project we will be working on. I am very excited about the project since it is a very real-world problem that we will actually have an impact on. After that, we had a tour of Aachen Cathedral and the Treasury, which was very beautiful. Then, we went to a gluten-free bakery which was super cute, and then an Italian restaurant to eat lunch, which was good of course. When we arrived back in Bonn, a few of us girls went out to a bar to grab a drink

Woche eins gut

     Germany is a very interesting places, there is tons of culture and I am amazed that so many people here are comfortable with many different languages. There are some things I love about Germany and the lifestyle I've started here. First being how my circadian rhythm feels. I wake up before sunrise which is usually around 8:30 I take care of my morning routine and then start my short walk to the bus/train station. I love getting out early and getting my feet on the ground and sun in my eyes as I journey into Bonn. When I arrive in bonn I love going to the bakery for a quick schoko-croissant, through the days activities it tires me heavily and when I finally get back home for the night I am exhausted I quickly get ready for bed and I eager to start the cycle again. I feel like this is the cycle that is meant for my body and I've never felt so in-tune.

The people on this biosciences trip are great I have enjoyed getting to know each and every one of them and am eager to start to work on the enmodes project with them.

Food here is great, I've tried a bunch of different kinds, I will update this statement at a later date but right now my favorite food here that I have had is Döner.

In the next part of this post I will go into what I don't particularly enjoy about Germany, and just to preface I am being overcritical and some of these issues are just nit-picky and not really a detriment.

Week 1

This first week has been insightful for what is to come. 

Grocery stores are as frightening as I thought they would be. The privilege of having an HEB bagger waiting at the end of the line is overlooked. Learning German hasn’t been so easy. Planning trips can be very exhausting (omio and DM are your best friend). 

However, the public transportation is a blessing that I wish Americans could experience. This group is filled with caring, intelligent people, and a small part of me feels at home when I’m around them. My host parents have been very hospitable; they are the nicest people to exist. Our tour guide, Matt, has been extremely helpful. We don’t know what we would’ve done without him. I can’t wait to see which döner/currywurst place he’ll take us to next.

This weekend, a few of us have our first trip outside of Germany. Brussels. I’m excited, and I know we’ll have fun.

PRE-DEPARTURE POST

Despite having spent the previous six months preparing for this trip, I couldn't believe I was going to spend a whole semester in Europe. It was difficult to accept that I was going to spend my final semester of undergrad with my friends.

This may sound strange, but the reason I ended up here in Bonn Germany was because one random day during summer classes, I was having an existential crisis and I wanted to leave A&M and finish my Bachelors in Mexico therefore i decided to apply to this program, I wasn't really conscious of what I was doing. And accidentally a couple of months later, I committed to the program without knowing the “commit” option on my email was “THE” commit option. So… after losing $500, I had to tell my parents that I was going to spend a semester abroad. I honestly didn't believe they'd let me come because they wouldn't allow me to go to school in Seattle WA because I'd be "too far away," my parents were quite excited about me coming.

I've definitely had some identity issues, and not knowing what to do after graduation has been giving me anxiety. I honestly believe it was meant for me to come because everything seemed to be aligning in my favor, so by the end of this program I hope I have found myself. I am certainly scared and anxious to go out in boon because It's difficult to live in a nation where you don't comprehend anything, including the language and culture. Especially since you never know whether you're doing anything bad or incorrect (like walking on the bike side of the street) this is definitely going to be a journey but  I am looking forward to learning a lot about this country and its culture. A lot of people have asked me why I chose this program,I think it was one of the most equipped programs abroad as a pre med student. It gives you the opportunity to participate in research for ENMODES as well as the VTPP 411 class which has an amazing curriculum. I also hope I get to know and  learn a lot of Dr. Wasser as well as from and my host mom.

My best wishes to everyone in this program!!!