France Excursion

     I love France. I love the language. I love the lifestyle. I Love the food. I love the Louvre

Although some Frenchies hate it when you don't understand French and must switch to English I love hearing the language while I am walking around France. I so badly wish I could converse. The jay-walking lifestyle fits my impatience and I felt right at home. Paris has lovely food. But. Lyon. Lyon is on a different planet. The best food I have ever had. It was perfect.

Endpoints.

Go to France.

Experience the history.

Try and use some French.

Jaywalk

If a car pulls out in front of you when you have the right of way... Kick it

Drink coffee at every meal

Don't miss out on a bouchon.

Week 11: March 20-26

 Another week, another strike… or two. Thankfully, I have the best host parents who drive me to school every time there is a strike so I don’t have to take the bus two hours early. On Monday, we had pharmacology, history of medicine, physiology, and German. Tuesday consisted of a pharmacology workshop, physiology lab, and physiology. We were supposed to have an enmodes session, but that didn’t happen. So instead, we all went to Theo’s and worked on homework. On Wednesday, we had pharmacology, history of medicine, and an intercultural workshop, where we learned about the Democratic Republic of Germany (East Germany). Thursday was the first day this week that I didn’t have to be at the aib by 10:15am, which was nice. We had physiology and an enmodes session. On Friday, we had physiology and history of medicine. After class, Elizabeth, Erin, and I got wine at a new truck in the market, went shopping, and ate a German dinner. On Saturday, we had the surprise excursion. We met Dr. Schnabel and Lakka in Graurheindorf to learn about plague history and the history of the town. We went across the river to Mondorf for lunch and to see a Jewish cemetery. Afterwards, Elizabeth and I went over to Erin’s house, where we ordered pizza and watched Crazy Rich Asians. On Sunday, I had family breakfast and then went to the aib all afternoon to work on homework. Overall, it was a good but pretty average week. I was tired all week, and it was hard for me to focus most days. But I also got to call a lot of my friends and catch up, which was good. Next week, we head to France!

spring break

    My family flew into Frankfurt and met me in Bonn. Seconds into the embrace between my mom and I tears flooded both of us. Family is so important to me so seeing them on this adventure with me made it all the much better. We traveled to Köln where we had traditional German Cuisine. Most of my family outings revolve around food, we love food, food makes us happy. We headed to Amsterdam the next morning to visit the Anne Frank museum, so much history in such a small place. The tragedy contained in the house gave perspective that you could only get from being there. We spent the night out of town amongst the flower fields, windmill and water pathways made it all the more beautiful.

    The next morning we went to Haarlem where we saw the Corrie Ten Boom museum I deeply emotional experience for my mom as since she stumbled upon her story has been fascinated and moved. A more intimate experience that the Anne Frank museum there was more I learned there in Haarlem.

After Holland our family went to experience almost all of what Belgium had to offer. We visited Antwerpen, Bruges, Brussels and even stayed in our very own castle for the night. Bruges was definitely the most spectacular but Brussels has a special place in my heart.

Once we conquered Belgium we were of to Paris, my favorite European city. All that Paris is hyped up to be and talked about in movies I totally experienced. I fell in love. History. Architecture. Fashion. Food. Coffee. Language. The city of lights did not disappoint.

Week 11- School

 This week heavily involved school (BMEN 211). In other news, we fund out that the entire BMEN undergraduate curriculum is being change. It has been frustrating to know this is happening but it took awhile for our advisor to send us the recording of the information session. I have since watched the video and know that the change will be for the better, it just sucks that we're in the transition. I am also frustrated because I just had an advising meeting where we fixed up my degree plan and now I'm back at square one. 

On Friday I went shopping and got dinner with Elizabeth and Kat. It was definitely a fun way to end the week and I'm going to miss going on new adventures in Bonn with them! I finally got Elizabeth to try the chicken pizza from the place my host mom always orders from which was fun.

Week 10- Spring break

 My sister and cousin came to visit me for spring break. We went to Italy and had a blast!! It was a little frustrating because we had so much we wanted to do but we kept getting exhausted. We finally got to the point where we had to take afternoon naps daily. I think we had gelato every day, which was a win for me. Overall the week was really fun but I needed some good rest by the time I got home (and three loads of laundry). 

Week 11

This week started off bad, and just progressively got worse. Luckily, Amanda and Victoria were my rocks this week and I have never been more grateful. School went by fairly fast, and the content we were learning this week was very interesting. I always love listening to Dr. Wasser lecture because it's amazing to see how intelligent he really is. Thursday, I met with Rike and Reagan to talk about Paris and the gluten free options there. It made me excited to go but also a little nervous. Nonetheless, I had a good time talking with them, I have never realized how funny the both of them are until that conversation. On Friday, Dr. Wasser gave a lecture regarding women and their roles in medicine in History of Medicine. This was by far one of my favorite lectures he has given, and I think for obvious reasons. It's interesting to see how society was back then and how it has changed over time for women. On Saturday, Dr. Wasser had a day planned for us! We walked around in the city Dr. Wasser lives in and got to learn about the history there! I think my favorite story was the history of magic, and getting to see the building where it was founded. I thought it was very interesting! We headed to the ferry to take us to another area Wasser wanted to show us, and we grabbed lunch! This place had really good food and it was nice being able to relax for a bit. After lunch, we made a couple more stops and then headed home. I had no idea how exhausted I was until I got home and laid in bed. Amanda and I ended up making dinner and then just crashing. On Sunday, we headed to Starbucks to get some homework done and then just relaxed for the rest of the day. 

This weekend made up for the crappy week. 37 days until we are home! ◡̈ 

Week 11!!!

 This was a pretty normal week. It was our last full week of school which is crazy! We had two transportation strikes which was frustrating. I really hope these end soon, it is such a hassle. I went to class a lot this week and did some schoolwork in the afternoons. On Saturday, Dr. Wasser took us on a fun excursion to make up for his absence in Vienna. It was really fun and a nice break from school. Today (Sunday), I am doing some homework so I will not have anything to do in France. I am so excited about our trip next week!

Week 11 - Tacos finally perfected

 

               This was an interesting week. School was slow and honestly long in terms of how the days felt. Nothing really special happened on that front but my life has changed a lot since. I think I’ve had to do a lot of growing this week in a short amount of time and I am confused as to how I am supposed to proceed. Thankfully, I have friends and family that can give me advice and help me with some of those things.

              Saturday, we went on an excursion with Doctor Wasser and when we pulled up in the bus and he was dressed like a plague doctor, I almost died laughing because he looked fantastic and strangely built. Laka was just sitting there like nothing was happening and it was a normal Saturday that took me off guard since my dogs would be freaking out the second I put the mask on. The excursion was great and we were able to walk along the river and learn about Bonn and the presentation we were supposed to have in Vienna. The food at the end of the road was great and I have never been more happy to see a steak with butter in my life especially when I don’t eat steak here because of the price of it, so, thank you Dr. Wasser.

              Apart from that, I was able to cook some tacos and I was finally able to do the cheese thing with the correct pan which was great. Jackson has officially become part Mexican with his guac creation which has honestly surprised me, but what can I say? There is a reason he is my Pinche. I was able to have good talks with everyone and found out that Bonnsch bottles beer here so those were awesome. Overall, I’m glad that my week ended well and I hope that things will get better soon. ON TO PARIS!

Week 11

 This week we were back in bonn for class. My older sister was with me Saturday to Tuesday night. It was nice seeing her. She thought my study abroad program was very cute and enjoyed the lectures she went to. She is now in  Austria. 

On a good note Ted Lasso Season 3 episodes are coming out every Wednesday and I'm so excited! It is my favorite show and I've been waiting for season 3 for over a year. The first 2 episodes have been really good and for anyone reading this who hasn't seen the show, you should watch. 

Genetics class this week was a struggle. We had lots of technology issues and I am tired of zoom. Peri and I have been working hard in that class and it doesn't really seem to matter too much but we will keep trying. I like the subject more than I thought I would. 

After a nonstop traveling week with Spring break, it was nice to come back to the quietness of Bonn. It was nice to go to the gym again and drink herbal tea. I'm all traveled out, but I'm going to be able to rally for Paris and France for sure. I haven't finished planning what I'm going to do that weekend but I'm not worried. I'll figure it out. 

Living with an old person has made me more thankful for small things in life. Yesterday it rained on us on our walking tour and I was just thinking about how my host mom couldn't even do this walking tour because she would tire out too quickly and she wouldn't go out anyway because she wouldn't want to be caught in the rain. I was just thankful that I could do that so easily and honestly it was nice. 

The walking tour on Saturday was very nice. I really appreciated Dr.Wasser's commitment to the bit and Lakka was fun to see. I liked seeing the area and learning about the history as well. Lunch was delicious. That place was really nice and my dish was delicious. 10/10 would do again. 

When I got home my host mom was playing cards with her daughter and friends. I was invited to join so I played with them and ate dinner and then went to my room and called my sisters. It was nice playing card games but they all spoke German the whole time so it can be very difficult for me to contribute or interact with them. 

Week 11: Monotony

     Oy vey, I had to really focus on classes this week. I felt like my head was in the clouds after getting back from Italy. After being around all of the incredible sights and seeing Olivia again, classes kind of lost their appeal. Especially since I know that we're facing down Paris, Lyon, and the Black Forest. Spring Break was definitely a much needed break for everyone though. You can tell that the mood has shifted after people had such an extended break away from Germany. Getting away from the group of people that have been a constant over the past three months changed perspectives. Seeing friends and family back home reminded us what we have waiting back in the states and what we will return to in a few weeks. 

    Paris is looming on the horizon too. I'm really not all that excited to go to Paris this next week, I feel almost indifferent. The city has never been very high on my list to travel to but of course I'm not going to turn down a trip (even though it is required that's besides the point). I think a lot of my feelings stem from the fact that I'm still tired after traveling so much over Spring Break. Once we get back from this next week Erin and I have to get serious about studying for genetics. We need to really understand our stuff on this next exam and need to read through all of the chapters. Oh well, that's next week Peri's problem. 

Wk 10; Cele in Spain

week 10/16 of my study abroad!

My program abroad, like most schools in the United States, had spring break from March 14 to March 17. In this case, many people decided to travel, and I was not going to be an exception while abroad.

Therefore... I planed a week trip to Spain!💃☺
My spring break began in the beautiful southern Spanish city of Alicante, where I was greeted by warm weather and turquoise-colored beaches💙. During my stay, I was able to see many cute "plazas," as well as some tourist attractions like El Castillo de Santa Barbara, Playa San Juan, and Mushroom Street. as well as I had the opportunity to visit the two municipalities of Alicante, Benidorm and Murcia, both of which I highly recommend visiting if you are in Alicante.💋
Alicante was not my only destination and on Thursday morning💃💃 I was heading  to Sevilla. 
When I first arrived, I was astounded by its infrastructure, buildings are so close from each other that the streets are so narrow that makes it hard to believe cars could drive between them.  Sadly, I was only able to spend three days in Sevilla, although I was amazed by its culture and traditions. As part of my experience I tried paella for the first time, a traditional Spanish dish, and witnessed a flamenco performance in "Plaza España.". while there i was able to appreciate the Cathedral of Sevilla, El Palacio de la Condesa, and enjoyed Sevilla's night view at "Las Zetas." Sevilla is definitely a magical city but i would say that "los Sevillanos" bring the life and cheerfulness to that city, i was surprised by how happy the people were in Sevilla, and its is very common to see people singing flamenco inside restaurants, which makes your stay much pleasant. 😋💞💃

Finally, on my way back from Spain, my plane landed in Charleroi,🙅😕 Belgium, which in comparison to the cities that I was for the past days this city felt like I was in a scene from "The Walking Dead" or a ghost town. Unfortunately, from there, I traveled to Brussels, where my train to Cologne was leaving, so I had time to wander around and eat some delicious and traditional Belgian food. 👅😇

Thanks for reading my blog and don't forget to subscribe! :DGig'em!

Week 10: March 12-19

Spring Break!! 

This week was so much fun! It was so great to get to see Wyatt again, and we had the absolute best week together. We got into Barcelona late Saturday night, so we just went straight to our Airbnb and went to bed. An American living in the apartment building actually had to help us open the main door, which was kind of funny. Our Airbnb was right around the corner from La Sagrada Familia. It was the perfect location and setup for us.

On Sunday, we went to the Barcelona Cathedral, where we had views of the whole city from the roof, and the Diocesan Museum. Then, we walked around the Gothic Quarter, explored Parc de la Ciutadella, and saw the Arc de Triomf.

On Monday, we walked around Park Güell for a few hours. We got there before the huge crowds and before it got too warm and sunny, so it was really nice. Gaudí’s ceramic tiling work was beautiful. Afterwards, we went to the Banksy exhibition, and then we did the night experience at La Pedrera-Casa Milà. The rooftop view of Passeig de Gràcia at night was really cool. For dinner, we found a really good empanada shop around the corner from our Airbnb.

On Tuesday, we did the FC Barcelona player experience tour of Camp Nou and the FCB museum. We got to see where players sign their contracts, all of the press rooms, and both locker rooms, and we got to walk along the edge of the field. It was so fun! Then, we went inside La Sagrada Familia. Before coming to Barcelona, I imagined La Sagrada Familia to be more of a gothic cathedral, but it is definitely not. It has Gaudí’s unique style with incredible stained-glass windows. It’s also not finished yet, which I didn’t know. We went up into one of the towers on the Passion façade. It was neat to see the tops of some of the towers up close and the city views were great. The intense wind, however, didn’t help my fear of heights. For dinner, we discovered our new favorite restaurant – La Taquería – a Mexican street food place. We ate there two more times during the week.

On Wednesday, we toured Casa Batlló, visited the Picasso Museum, and toured Palau Güell. It’s amazing how different each of the places Gaudí designed are.

On Thursday, we took a tour of Montserrat and the Oller del Mas winery in Manresa. After the bus ride out to Montserrat, we took a train to the top of the mountain, where we explored the cathedral, monastery, and cheese & honey market. Wyatt and I also hiked out to an overlook where we could see all of Montserrat and the valley below. We then took a bus to the winery, where we had tapas and tried three different Spanish wines. I’m not much of a red wine person, but the two we tried were actually really good. It was fun doing an organized tour because we got to meet other people. There were two girls our age from Arizona, another girl on a work trip from the Netherlands, and a couple visiting from Canada.

On Friday, we spent the day on Montjuïc. We started by taking the cable car up to the top of the mountain – super fun! Then we explored the castle, watched some guys play archery, hiked a bit, and had a picnic lunch. We walked around the botanical gardens for a while, saw the Olympic stadium, went to the Olympic Sports Museum. We finished our day at the Joan Miro Foundation. We had wanted to see the magic fountain show at the end of the night, but unfortunately, it wasn’t running because of a need to conserve water.

On Saturday, we went to the beach at Barceloneta and walked along the coast. Then, we took the port cable car across the harbor. That one wasn’t as fun as the Montjuïc cable car, though, because they packed like 20+ people in a tiny cable car.

On Sunday, we both had early morning flights. We left for the airport around 5am. Unfortunately, we were flying out of different terminals, so I had to say goodbye to Wyatt on the Metro. It was hard to leave, but there are only 6 more weeks until I see him again. Once back home in Bonn, I unpacked and relaxed the rest of the day.

Week 9 (6th Marsch - 12th Marsch)

The week before spring break. It was fast but slow. Relaxing but stressful. 

The first few days ended up merging. There was snow once again, and I woke up early just to see it before it melted. Peri, Erin, and I failed to finish watching Gladiator, but it really is a great movie. Friday consisted of drinks and donating to Colby's charity house. Pat, Emi, and I decided to go to Colby's house to ride together to the airport for our 6am flight to Sevilla. The flight was good enough for the price. Our first day in Sevilla was us being tired but pushing through to walk around the city. On Sunday, we went to a garden palace, a bullfighting ring, and the Plaza of España. On the way home, we stopped by a pharmacy, and I came out with ibuprofen and a new piercing on my right ear.

Overall, I have enjoyed Sevilla, and I hope that I get the same feeling from Madrid and Barcelona.

Just before going on spring break, I thought of the break that I (and everyone) needs. But then leaving was reminiscent of that feeling of going back home from college. Part of me feels that I will feel slightly homesick while away. There have only been a couple of days where it has been unpleasant, and while I do miss my family and friends, I am blessed to have this opportunity to travel at a young age surrounded by great people.

Week 10! (spring break)

This week was so amazing! It was amazing being able to see my parents again after 9 weeks and we were all able to get together - my host family and my real family - all got together for a meal on Sunday. 

Monday I showed my parents and my family friend around Bonn and Cologne, unfortunately I forgot that all the museums are closed on Monday so the haus der geschichte was not an option for us. 

Tuesday morning we left for Rome, it was warm and sunny and we stayed right next to the Colosseum. Dinner was in a cute little café with amazing food and wine. 

Wednesday started with tours - we went complete tourists and walked around with radios and all - but going into the coliseum was super cool and also walking around the roman forum (I ran into Amanda inside the coliseum which was super funny). One thing that was crazy was that women were deemed the problem during these events and banished up to the very top of the amphitheater with the slaves. Then we walked around the city to see what we could see. 

Thursday was our tour of the Vatican City and the Sistine Chappell - it was absolutely stunning but there were so. many. people. it kind of made it suffocating for me instead of being able to appreciate the beauty and art. Then later that day we went to see the catacombs and the aqueducts which I thought were the coolest being an engineer. Then that night being our last in Rome we came across a fancier place and we were European-dining - we stayed for 3 hours until 11pm and I loved every minute of it. It was relaxed, there was great food, great wine, and it was such a nice atmosphere. 

Friday was our last day in Rome so we made sure we did the things left that we wanted to do - we went to see a museum of sculptures, saw the city from a look out point, and eat gelato of course. We then headed home to Frankfurt and then waited for a delayed train (of course).

Saturday I said goodbye to my parents at the train station (after a cancelled train - thanks DB) and then headed home for a lazy weekend to recover.

Week 10!

 Spring Break!!! 

Immediately after the enmodes projects Victoria and I went to the airport in order to make our flight. It ended up getting delayed by 2 hours so we didn't need to rush. I got into Barcelona at 9:30 and went to see my sisters. It was really good to see them. We spent a couple days in Barcelona, one in Madrid, one in Porto, and 3 in Lisbon. 

Barcelona was very busy. It reminded me of Dallas a lot. The weather was great and I could see myself living there for a little bit. I'm not sure I could live there forever but I definitely could for a couple of years. We went and tried to see the university but it was unfortunately closed so I walked around the outside and looked at some pictures on google. It seemed really beautiful. 

Madrid was a fever dream. My twin sister wasn't feeling well for the first half of the day so we gave her some meds and she was able to rally. Luckily my older sister and I didn't get sick from her. Then that night we were supposed to meet up with Kassy, Pat, Colby, and Emi at a market but as we left the hostel my older sister fell down the stairs and we had to take her to the hospital. It would have been over 400 euros for her to get seen so we went home and luckily she was fine, justa. bruised knee. We then had to catch a 6:30am flight so we didn't really sleep. 

Porto was amazing. It was a small town and moved slowly. We went to a winery called Sandeman and it was very cool. We learned how Port wines are made and why they are different from other wines. The wines were so sweet and had a 20% alcohol content so 3 small glasses of them were enough. I thought the wine was alright but it was more like drinking syrup. 

Lisbon was so fun. We went surfing and took a portuguese cooking class. We surfed in the morning and let me tell you it was a workout. I was so sore the next day and even standing up on the board was so difficult. Even not getting drowned was a challenge, but I would do it again. The cooking class was also great. We made an appetizer, a main meal, and a dessert. The dishes were also vegan and gluten free because the group was full of dietary restrictions. Our last night there we went on a bar crawl with a bunch of people we met in the hostel and it was fun getting to know a bunch of different people who came from all over the world. I even met 2 german students (very cool). 

We returned to Germany on Saturday and on Sunday I took my sister around Köln. She really liked it and it was fun showing her around the area. We then went to Bonn and she met my host mom. It has been very fun having her in Germany with me. 

The entire spring break we stayed in hostels. This was definitely an experience as I like my privacy. It wasn't convenient having to lock your stuff up every time you left the room and it wasn't fun sleeping in a room full of strangers who sometimes snored or smelled, but it made me more thankful to have my little room in Bonn and definitely helped me realize how lucky and fortunate I am. Now I get to relax for a bit before we go to Paris. I'm looking forward to not traveling for one week. 

Week 9

 Exams. 

It was a long week full of studying. That's honestly all I can say about it. I got to the Aib early and stayed late with Peri in order to prepare for my exams. I've struggled with migraines with week but not much can really be done about it. It is the first time I've had bad migraines in a while so that is good, but frustrating. The genetics exam was very difficult but the physiology exam I think went alright. 

 Spring break is starting this weekend so it is tough to stay focused. I'm very excited to see my sisters. Traveling with them might be tough but overall I think we will have a good time. We are going to Spain and Portugal. I am very excited to go to Barcelona because I'm considering a Master's degree there. 

We also presented our ideas to Austen for Enmodes. I think they went really well and am looking forward to see who we get grouped with.  I am also excited to see where our final projects go. 

It snowed this week which was surprising because we were told that after Karnival the weather would get better. I'm still waiting for it to get warm (although I don't mind the weather too much). 

Week 10!!!

Yay spring break!!!

Continuing from week 9, my mom and I took a day trip to Rothenburg. Our tour guide was so funny. It took us about 2 hours to get there. We were able to walk around the city for a while and explore on our own. On the way back, we stopped in Wurzburg. This small town reminded me of Bonn, it was so cute. When we got back to the hotel, we used Wolt to have our dinner delivered to our hotel room since we were so tired. Then all of the sudden, the flight that my brother, boyfriend, and 2 friends were supposed to take got delayed by 3 hours so the new departure time was 1:30 AM. Their flight was going to London and then they were going to have a connection to Rome. But now, they were going to miss their connection. My mom and I got so worried and made some calls. It was stressful but eventually, we were able to get them a later flight. On Tuesday, my mom and I headed to FRA so we could catch our flights. It was kind of a mess because your flights are in different terminals but it worked out. I hated saying bye to my mom again but I knew I would see her soon. I then boarded my flight to Rome. It was only 2 hours so it went by quickly. It was my first flight alone. I took a taxi to our hotel and waited for my company to join me. The taxis drive so crazy in Rome. Finally, at 1AM, my friends were here!! I was so happy to see them. We went to sleep after talking for a bit and then woke up early on Tuesday. We went to a little bakery and enjoyed a nice breakfast outside. We then had a long tour of the Colosseum and it was so interesting. I ran into Elizabeth there which was funny. After, we enjoyed a nice lunch at a restaurant our tour guide recommended to us. I tried my first Aperol Spritz and it was alright. We all got pizza (including gluten-free for JC) and it was SO GOOD. After, we walked back to the hotel and had nap time since my friends were jetlagged. In the evening, Madi, Brooke, JC, and I went to a beautiful park to watch the sunset. It overlooked the city so we had the best view, it could not have been better. For dinner, we met my cousin and his girlfriend in the neighborhood my cousin lives in. he is also currently studying abroad, so it was fun to talk to him about that. The food we ate was so good, the pasta in Rome is unbelievable. We got gelato after and then my friends and I went to a bar and shared some wine. It was fun and then we headed home. On Thursday, we woke up a bit later and had a slow morning, We got breakfast near the hotel. After, we took the tram to the Vatican. We had a tour there of the galleries, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica. I was just so amazed at everything I saw, especially the Sistine Chapel. I am so glad I got to go and see all of the art with my own eyes. After the tour, we made our way back to the area near our hotel. We were so hungry because we did not eat lunch so we ordered a lot of food. It was all so good. We got different kinds of bruschetta, calzones, pizzas, pastas, and desserts. It was a very fun and needed meal. On Friday, we went to the Trevi Fountain early in the morning which was a good choice because it was not as crowded. We went to a bakery near the fountain and it was not very good.. and JC got glutened! it was so unfortunate. We went to some shops near the fountain and eventually got on a bus near the Spanish steps. We went all around Rome and since we were sitting on the second floor of the bus, I was able to see so much. We stopped for lunch and then got gelato, again. We went to the Pantheon and then did some more shopping. By the time we got to the hotel, we were so tired. We did not want to leave the hotel so instead, we ordered food to the hotel and watched Batman. it was very fun. We woke up early Saturday morning to meet our tour. We all got on a bus and headed to Tuscany. First, we went to the city of Montepulciano. It was beautiful, I cannot believe people live there. Then, we headed to a family-owned restaurant and vineyard. Everyone was so nice there. We had a wine tasting and a 3-course lunch. It was all so good. We got back on the bus and went to Pienza. It was the prettiest town I have ever been to. We got MORE gelato and then did some shopping. The weather could not be more perfect. We got back on the bus and I think we all fell asleep. We got back into Rome around 19:30 and then walked around to find a place for dinner. I know I say this about every meal, but this meal was so good. It was so nice to have one last dinner together. We got gelato one more time and then headed back to the hotel. JC and I talked for a bit before our early wake-up of 5:45. Sunday morning, we packed all my things. I started to get so sad. I hate leaving JC and although I am so glad I got to see him, it is hard to say goodbye again. And then I said goodbye to my 2 best friends and brother. At 7AM, I was in an uber to the airport and already crying. I navigated my way through Rome FCO and cried again in the airport, and again when I got back home in Siegburg. I love my time in Germany, but it is so hard to be without the people I love and who love me most. I know this is a transformative experience, but today is hard and one of those days when I just want to go home. But I only have 6 more weeks here, which is good and bad. 

Week 10: I Felt like a Gladiator

     Oh my god, Italy was absolutely incredible. We started out in Venice and there is nowhere else like it. All of the canals between the buildings and the thin streets between the buildings made for a charming little city. We were able to go on a gondola ride and ended up sharing it with a Hispanic couple that talked to Olivia in Spanish. They could not have been sweeter and it was interesting getting to talk to them about where they were from and where all they had been on their family vacation. 

    After Venice we traveled to Florence. Florence was an interesting city but it was very art oriented which is not really my cup of tea. We went on this three hour tour around the city and through the art museum with Michelangelo's huge David statue. It was interesting but I just was as invested with the history as I was with the tour in Venice. We did find some great leather shops to visit there though. Spent way more than I should have but I had to have both of the leather jackets I bought and honestly when will I be back in Italy to buy Italian leather jackets? Not soon. 

    After Florence we visited Rome. When I tell you I felt like a nerd the entire trip I really mean it. All of the ancient Roman architecture and history was right up my alley. Our first tour was a vespa tour at night so Olivia and I were able to see important monuments without all of the crowds around them. The city was gorgeous at night with all of the landmarks lit up. The Colosseum/Roman Forum tour was by far my favorite (surprise surprise). Being on the ground level made me imagine what it must have been like to be a gladiator in the games performing for huge crowds. The food that I had was honestly nothing special, but I don't like pasta or pizza, so it's not like my bar was set very high.

    I had an absolute ball, but by the end of the week, I was glad to be back in Germany. I kinda missed seeing all of the German writing and being able to understand some of what was around me. I also really missed Erin and Kass. I spend so much of my time with them that they have become a constant in my life. It's going to be hard not being around them all of the time come the end of the program. That is several weeks away, however, so I'm just going to fully enjoy the time I have left.

Midterms, Spring Break and Travelling

Since I missed last week's entry this one will be longer than usual. As I am writing this I am sitting in Dusseldorf airport at midnight. My flight from Spain was delayed due to technical difficulties so I didn't land until nearly midnight. Instead of taking a train with at least one layover in the middle of the night I'm electing to sleep here for a few hours and get an early train back to Bonn. 

Anyway, last week we had three midterms. One of them was German which was perfectly fine. The only problem was that the others were really loud during the test and I had to leave the room for a few minutes. They probably weren't being much louder than usual but my anxiety always seems to be worse when I'm tired. The next was the signals and systems test which I may or may not have passed. I don't really want to think about it. The physiology retake was just after that and I managed to earn a ninety three which is my highest grade ever on a physiology exam. Then on Friday we had an extra long Enmodes session which Austin attended. Next session we are dividing up into larger groups to focus in on a few key ideas. Basically the project is kicking into high gear. 

That night I headed off to Dusseldorf airport. It was snowing quite hard as I walked to the bus stop. I took the last direct train to the airport and arrived after eleven. My flight was at 6:50 in the morning and despite my best efforts I wasn't able to get any sleep that night. I did, however, manage to fall asleep before takeoff on the plane and didn't wake up until about ten minutes before landing. So about two hours sleep total. In Alicante I waited around for a few more hours for the others to turn up then we all got in the taxi to the villa. The others were two Norwegians called Lena and Rolph, an Italian called Ricardo, Liz from England and Julie also from England. Another pair of Englishmen, Andy and Zach were just there for the weekend. Our guides/instructors/hosts were Trevor and Des. 

We started climbing on Sunday and it quickly became apparent that my indoor experience does not translate well to sport climbing. I struggled to make it up 4s and 5s for the first couple of days. It turns out that my technique is extremely poor. I rely on big footholds, trail my back leg and pull up on my arms. The problem is climbing gyms typically encourage this sort of behavior because the only way to make a route harder is to space out the holds and force the climber into awkward positions. On a rock wall there are an infinite number of footholds (in theory and of course some are better than others). This means that it should be possible to keep your feet under your body and move them up incrementally without taking huge steps that waste energy. In short climbing up a rock wall should be similar to climbing a ladder. Once I got this idea through my head I started doing a bit better. I had to put more faith in small footholds than I usually like to but my arms had much less work to do as they were basically acting as stabilizers instead of my main source of upwards force. Most of the week I spent top roping but I did manage to lead four routes total. The first was on Tuesday, I think it was a 3; very slabbed with a lot of ledges but it was a fairly long route. The next three were a 3 and two 4s at Alkalali on Friday; these were not slabbed but did have a lot of ledges and easy holds. I think I did fairly well on them considering my history with leading. The closest I came to a real panic attack was on the second Alkalali route where I looked up at the fourth quickdraw and it looked more than two meters away. In truth I think it only took three moves to get there but it looked like a big distance. I finished the week by top-roping a 6a with some pretty neat footwork in it. The best moment was a heel hook practically at shoulder level. The less than ideal hand holds meant I really had to rely on the feet to lift myself up to the next block. Unfortunately no one photographed me doing this which is another reason for me to write it down now. It was a pretty cool move though most readers may not appreciate it as much as I did. Anyway I managed to top rope a few 6as this week and I am very happy with that.

On Saturday we all took a taxi to the airport early in the morning. My flight was at 17:10 so I waited in a coffee shop for most of the day. That flight was pretty empty and I had the entire row to myself. We landed in Mallorca and I was hurrying to find the check in desks as I needed to get back through security in an hour. In the end I shouldn't have worried. The flight boarded more than half an hour late and then, about three minutes after I sat down the pilot announced that we had to disembark and go to a new aircraft due to technical issues. Forty five minutes later I was boarding my third plane of the day. When I finally made it to Dusseldorf it was after midnight. Since I didn't think that trying to get a train back for 3:00am and then hoping for a taxi back to the house was a good idea, I stayed at the airport for a few hours and then got an early train back to Bonn. 

Week 10 - Spring Break

To start off Spring Break, my mom and I headed to Dublin, Ireland! We didn't get to spend too long there, but we fell in LOVE with the city. The first day we were there we walked around Dublin for a bit, and then headed to this restaurant that had gluten free Fish n Chips! It was the best Fish n Chips that I have ever had, they had this garlic sauce that we could use too and it just made it even better. Afterwards, we headed back to the hotel and just relaxed for the evening. Monday morning we got up fairly early and went to the center of Dublin!! We got loads of coffee, and walked around some of the shops they had open. We ended up finding the Disney store and my mom got something for her friend that was sold out in the States. We headed to the Guinness Storehouse and did a tour of the facility. Even though I can't actually drink any beer, the factory itself and the process of how they make Guinness was so fascinating. There is surprisingly a good amount of history behind it, mainly that thee founders wife played a HUGE role in his success. After the tour, we headed to this restaurant called Luigis and had the best burgers that we have ever had in our lives! The staff was amazing, actually came to sit with us and talked with us for a bit. There ended up being a random rain storm that came out of nowhere and we got DRENCHED which was hilarious, but also freezing cold. Dublin was very relaxing, and I loved just spending time with my mom. My mom ended up leaving to go back to the states March 16th and I headed to meet up with a few other students in Barcelona! Barcelona was beautiful and had some of the best food that I have had while in Europe, specifically the tacos! I loved seeing some of my friends, and getting to spend a few days with them outside of Germany and school. We went to see the most beautiful cathedral there and it was amazing. Spring Break went by so fast, but I'm also glad it did, I missed Victoria and Amanda. 

Back from Spain!

 

            Finally got back from Spain and I have to catch up on the blogging which I can say I am not a fan of them. I wouldn’t say that they are awful but feeling like I need to write them sucks. I enjoy writing and would say that it is something I do from time to time but writing these has been like being put in a classroom in elementary and told to write your morning thoughts, which I hated after the first 3 days.

              Anyway, Spain was great. I got back today on a flight with Peyton and I can say that Ryanair is officially not a flying coffin. They are not the greatest landings I have experienced since these guys think they are landing the damn plane on an aircraft carrier but I can say that we made it back safely and Peyton even got some more leg room which made me jealous since my knees were rubbing the seat in front the entire flight. Maybe I should’ve splurged the extra 4 euro to get the extra leg room. The wakeup for the morning flight which was at 7 am but we had to be there by 5:45 was horrid. Like usual, I had a really tough time waking up and had to get out faster since Peyton was ready and I was taking decades to put my shoes on. Luckily the guy was super nice and I spent the entire time talking with him as he drove us to the airport. He has had a very interesting life and the generational gap was shown greatly and I feel bad for people like him, an artisan of sorts, being pushed out by technology. Hopefully, he will be able to retire soon and accomplish his dreams of moving to the Pyrenees.

              Barcelona was a beautiful city, and I enjoyed the gothic part of the town. However, the best part was the people I got to go with. Everyone on that trip was a great addition and I loved spending time with them, especially when they took me to the first club I have ever gone to. It was interesting and I feel like you have to enjoy dancing or be absolutely plastered to love doing it every night like some friends of mine. In any case, my friends made it a lot better, and it was quite an experience. Unfortunately, while we were there, we had to go to Camp Nou and see that place. If you don’t know, Camp Nou is FC Barcelona’s stadium and as a Real Madrid fan I cannot stand it. However, my family is from there and I had to go take pictures, some good and some bad to send to them.

              Overall, I had a great time and was glad that Peyton could fly into the city and took a chance on coming to Spain, which not many friends would have done, especially with the price of the flights. However, I think that we were able to make her feel welcome and show her the wonders of Spain and the Spanish language which as I have tried to convince her, is much better than the Italian language. I’m glad that I have surrounded myself with good people who are able to make me happy especially on trips like this one.

Week 5

This week was a special one. We had a normal class day on Monday very relaxing yet excited due to the upcoming trip to Vienna we were going to have the next day. Something really hilarious occurred that Monday. I was very tired due to the heavy load of work we had, and as soon as I got home, I was knocked out on the bed. The thing was that as soon as I woke up, I saw that the clock said 6:30. My heart dropped as soon as I saw the time, and I quickly began to get my stuff to get to the train station and catch up with my group on the train. I then came to the realization that it was 6:30 pm, and I felt so relieved by this. After this, I went downstairs and had dinner with my host dad and laughed about what just occurred. As I finished packing and not really getting enough sleep since we had to be at the five guys at 3 am, I made my way to the meeting point. Once everyone got to the meeting point, we headed to take the designated trains and made our way to Vienna. Although it was a very long way of traveling, we finally got to Vienna at 5pm that evening. We went and left our stuff at the hotel and we headed to this church that had the remains of the Hamburg royal family underground. We then saw the gates right in front of the church and took a lot of pictures. We then got to the hotel and had a well-deserved rest for the next day. The following day, we visited multiple places in this beautiful city such as the royal palace near the center of the city, which had a lot of beautiful gardens and was simply massive. After this, we went to the museum of the druggists of Vienna, which was one of the most interesting places we attended as I learned a lot about the pharmaceutical field and its roots in the Austrian region. After this, we visited the Belvedere museum, where we were able to see the iconic piece of art by Gustav Klimt, "The Kiss". Although I am not a big art fan, I certainly enjoyed my time there as I was able to appreciate the details and the great amount of work the painters had done to develop their masterpieces. The next day, we had a trip around Vienna and although Dr.Wasser was not able to be physically there with us, he made sure we had a very nice experience exploring the city of Vienna and all the references to the history of medicine in Europe. After this, we had a very nice experience at a church since we attended a classical music concert. This was a very iconic experience as it made me appreciate the fact that I was in a concert in the classical music capital of the world. The following day we visited a museum of physiology, where we learned a lot about the human body and the prisoners they had there as that facility used to be a prison as well. We finished our trip in Vienna by attending the natural science museum there where my friend Colby and I had a very nice conversation about Christianity and the differences and similarities it has with catholicism. After wrapping everything up, the program headed to Prague, where we spend the weekend visiting the most iconic parts of the city and finished our trip by getting back to Bonn on Sunday. In a conclusion, it was one of the best weeks of my life as I traveled to new places with an amazing group of people and experienced new cultures in the process. 

Week 9!!!

 This week was SO busy. 

On Monday I had an exam review for my BMEN 211 class which was good. I then had some classes and finished the day with my German midterm. It was harder than I thought but luckily Peyton and I could work together. On Tuesday, I had more classes and then a second review for my physiology test. I was anxious and tired at this point and it was only Tuesday. My mom also flew in this day so it was killing me to not be able to see her. On Wednesday, I had 2 tests. My signals test started at 9:30 and lasted for over 2 hours. Then later that afternoon, I had my physiology retake. I did much better this time and only missed one question. Right after, I walked to Stadhaus and took the 66 to my mom's hotel room. I was so excited to see her. We talked for a bit before going to dinner. Our dinner was so nice, it was at a cute Italian place I had never been to before. I spent the night at her hotel which was needed. I missed the comfort of her presence. On Thursday morning, I took her to BackWerk where she was finally able to try the breakfast I eat every day. Then she walked me to school which was cute, having my mom walk me, as a 20 year old, to my school in Germany. We had a pharmacology workshop in the morning with the new teacher that came in. It was very interesting and engaging. I had some more classes in the afternoon then headed home. On Friday, I had one class in the morning and then we had a meeting with Austen from Enmodes for the rest of the day. After, I went straight to my mom's hotel. I was so relieved to be on spring break now and spend time with her. We went to starbucks and sat by the window, which was a good seat because we were able to people-watch. We went to a "Mexican" place for dinner and had some good drinks and food. On Saturday, I took her around Bonn. We found a spot for breakfast I had never been to and it was so good! I also made her try a Doner and she loved it. We ended the night with netflix in the hotel room. I love watching shows with my mom and I have missed that so it was good to have that time with her. On Sunday, we packed up and took the 66 to Siegburg. We took the ICE sprinter to Frankfurt HBF. We then walked to our hotel and almost got hit by a bus! We got stuck in between 3 buses and it was honestly so scary. Luckily, we were fine. After checking into the hotel, we went to a burger place and it was so good. We wandered around Frankfurt for a bit and then returned to the hotel for a nap. After, we tried 3 different restaurants before one finally let us sit down, I do not like having to have reservations for restaurants in Europe. On to week 10 :)  

OFF TO SPAIN AND BDAY WEEK

 

              Got to Sevilla this week and I cannot say that I was disappointed. The city has to be one of the most beautiful cities I have ever been to and it reminded me of a stereotypical Spanish town. The building were colorful and open, the streets were cobblestone lined with orange trees, the architecture was beautiful and grand in their stance. It was something that I never expected and I thank my mom for telling me to go to Sevilla instead of Valencia. Apart from it being beautiful, the food was amazing and cheap as all hell. On our first day there, we spent maybe 14 euro a person for food and beer. The local beer there is something called Cruzcampo and it was phenomenal. Something that I was not expecting to compete with the German and Belgian beers but something that in the end made my top 10, maybe even top 5.

              Sevilla was also the first city where I finally got to try tapas and “authentic” Paella, my grandfathers favorite food as well as experience the Spanish culture of eating outside at 8-10 pm. This was amazing for me since it brought back memories of home and comforted me a lot. The weather also helped a lot since I was forced to buy some clothes considering that most of my shirts were henleys and the weather was in the 60s to 70s. But, in all fairness I was going to buy new clothes anyway, so I cannot complain especially since I was waiting to buy these shirts in Spain for the past 6 months since they apparently don’t sell them anywhere else. In short term, Sevilla was the most beautiful city I’ve been to and I learned that Peyton was going to be dropping in for Barcelona which is awesome. Another friend is coming to Spain!

              When we got to Madrid, I was automatically happy. It was the capital of Spain and most importantly it was the home to my beautiful team, REAL MADRID! Since I had champions league tickets and it has been my dream to sing HALA MADRID in the Bernabeu since I became a Real Madrid fan alongside my cousins. Therefore, I was ready to sing my heart out and enjoy all the things that Madrid had including food, history, palace, churches, basilicas, and most importantly the 6.99 all you can eat Domino’s. This was something that Emi had told me about and said that it is only in Spain and therefore we had to eat there at least twice, which we plan on doing. I’m hoping that we do well in the game and considering we have a 5-2 aggregate against Liverpool, I think we are going to crush them to pieces. There was a bunch of Liverpool fans in La Plaza de España singing and the cops began to show up in case things got rowdy which they never did but it was funny to see how many people were worried about the hooligans.

              Oh and forgot that this week on the 9^th was my birthday. I had a great time hanging out with some friends and got to drink some pitchers of Guinness which is always a great way to spend my 21^st. Once again, I am surprised with how close I have grown to this group of people. There are always some small challenges in life, but in the end the people who stick near you and are ready to hype you up when you need it are the ones who really care about you. Glad those people are the ones near me! Thank you to all of y’all if you ever read this and thanks for making this day one hell of a day and one that I will remember for the rest of my life.!

Week 9

 This week was crazy busy and a tad stressful. Monday we had our German midterm that I felt very unprepared for, but we got a lot of help from the professor and we could ask our desk neighbors. The rest of the week went by fairly fast except for Friday. We had to give a presentation to Austen for enmodes and I was so nervous. I hate speaking in front of people and dislike presenting even more. On top of the presentation, my mom was arriving in Frankfurt and she was so anxious about the travelling to Bonn that I was texting with her a lot of the time and stressing out myself even more. My mom has never been to Europe so it was her first time here and first time really taking public transportation. My mom finally made it to Bonn around 2PM, so as soon as we were done with Austen, I basically ran out the door and headed to the hotel to meet my mom. Seeing her was amazing, and actually being able to hug her made us both cry. Once we relaxed for a bit, we headed to get dinner at Burgermanufaktur! She loved it as much as I do, and afterwards we headed to a coffee shop and got some coffee. Saturday morning we woke up, got some coffee, and spent the day in Cologne. I took her to the Cathedral and we went to tour the inside. She constantly was talking about how beautiful it was and how excited she was to be able to see it. After the cathedral, I took her to Isabella's Gluten Free Bakery and we got a lot of pastries to try! My mom and I liked a good amount of them, and then others were not our cup of tea so to speak. After the day in Cologne, we headed back to Bonn and got dinner at Bono! Mom wasn't the biggest fan but she didn't mind the food. Later that night we just relaxed in the hotel room and packed to leave for Ireland! On Sunday we had our flight at 6 AM to Ireland, so we left very early to get to the airport and head out! 

Excited to see what Dublin holds!

Week 9: March 6-11

 This week was very busy. It felt like we were in class all day every day, and when I wasn’t in class, I was studying for a test. On Monday, I had a full class day – 10:15am to 5:00pm. The morning consisted of physiology and history of medicine, and the afternoon was pharmacology and German. Dr. Fajt is in Germany now, so it was nice to have fully in-person class for pharmacology. We had our German midterm exam, which was more difficult than I anticipated, particularly the section where we had to write questions. But thankfully, that class is pretty laid back and we were able to work through it. I stayed late at the aib to rewatch a physiology lecture, and the Elizabeth and I went shopping for Erin’s birthday present. That night, I did not have the energy to study after so much class, so I watched Gilmore Girls with Wyatt and went to bed early.

On Tuesday, it was Erin’s birthday! I got to the aib early to start studying for physiology. Then, we had enmodes and physiology lab. Dr. Wasser led physiology lab since it was about turtle hearts. After class, I stayed at the aib to continue studying. Around 6pm, I took a study break and played Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza with Elizabeth, Jackson, and Milo. I only got mildly injured during the game, but that has happened every other time I’ve played that game too, so nothing new. Around 8pm, Elizabeth and I met Erin and her host mom, sister & Switzerland friend for a birthday dinner at Tacos. It was really fun getting to meet her host family and enjoy dinner together! By the time I got home, it was 11pm, so I went straight to bed.

On Wednesday, it was another early morning studying at the aib, except it was snowing! Crazy! We had history of medicine, pharmacology, and the review for our physiology test. After the phys review, we had student evaluations with Dr. Wasser. On Thursday, it was Pat’s birthday. Pat and Erin both got their birthday cakes from the aib, and we sang Happy Birthday to Erin in English and to Pat in Spanish. I ate way too much sugar between the cakes and the brownies from Pat’s mom. We had a pharmacology workshop and an enmodes session before the physiology test. I didn’t feel the best after the phys test, but it all turned out okay, so I guess that’s good. Afterwards, I met with one of my research advisors over Zoom, and then went to TK Maxx to buy a new suitcase. At home, we had family dinner and talked for a couple of hours, which was really fun.

On Friday, we had pharmacology, and then Austen came to hear our preliminary enmodes project ideas. I was a little disappointed that our idea didn’t pan out like we were thinking, but once we get the bigger groups after Spring Break, we’ll just go from there. After class, Elizabeth and I went to Bӧnnsch for a glass of wine and then got dinner at Bono. It was really nice to relax and have fun after a busy and stressful week. Throughout the day, though, the weather went from 50 and sunny to sub-freezing and snowing, so my walk home was very unpleasant (especially because I dressed for the morning weather, not the evening weather). I am very ready for winter to be over in Germany. Once home, I packed for my spring break trip to Barcelona.

On Saturday, I had breakfast with Daryna and got to catch up with her. Then, I finished packing and headed into Bonn to have lunch with Elizabeth. We tried a new Italian restaurant called Tuscolo, and we almost made it all the way through lunch without having to ask the waiter to speak English. After lunch, I headed to the airport and flew to Barcelona. I am now sitting in the Barcelona airport waiting for Wyatt’s flight to land! Stay tuned to hear about our spring break adventures in Spain!

Week 9: Three Exams in a Week Should Be Illegal

     Oh sweet mother of pearl was this week ridiculous. The amount of time that I spent getting ready for all of the exams we had this week and preparing for Spring Break is something I'm not really wanting to admit. The German midterm went perfectly fine but the other two exams were a different story. The genetics exam was very detailed oriented and it made me realize that I need to spend more time on the textbook going forward. The physiology exam was fine and I honestly wasn't too worried about it anyhow. I really understand the material so I don't feel like I walk into the exams knowing nothing. 

    I can't wait to go to Italy over this break. I love being in Germany and being around the people that I've become good friends with, but I think everyone needs a break. We've been around each other constantly for the past nine weeks and I think some time apart will give people new perspectives on things. I'm also so so excited to see Olivia. She's one of my best friends and we have such similar interests when it comes to traveling. I know that we're going to explore everything Italy has to offer. Italy here we come!

Week 7 and 8

 Week 7:

This was a super boring week that was awful - I was sick. Super boring because all I did was sit in bed :(

Week 8:

Thankfully this week I was healthy again and ready to get back to everything. My brother and his wife came to visit from America! I was so happy to see them - and even though I missed the trip to Belgium with them that I was supposed to take but I was able to see them and that's all I need after missing them for 2 months. Then the week was spent getting back to normal - like making up exams that I missed and taking new ones. Then for the weekend a small group of us decided to go to Berlin to explore the city. We got a super cheap public transportation pass and were able to get everywhere which was very nice. We ate at a great mexican place, saw some cool buildings, and stayed at a really nice hostel. Overall I just cant wait for spring break.

Week 6

 Week 6:

This week was the week of Karneval and a trip to Croatia! Karneval was very fun and I was very glad to be a part of the parade within Beuel. Hearing so many people yell at you for candy in german is crazy but it was super fun. For the weekend we decided that we would go to Croatia for the 3 day weekend instead of staying in the Karneval area of Bonn and Cologne - even though it is fun I don't think I could have partied as hard as they do. 

Croatia was super fun and absolutely stunning - it so great to be able to go on these weekend trips and see new things. I never would have been this spontaneous in America but it is amazing to be able to do that here. We explored around old ruins and made it to the national park that was absolutely stunning. 

I am still settling into my host family - but they are so amazing it is easy to do, around Karneval lots of the family was around and there were pastries everywhere you looked. 

Week 8

 This past week has been pretty chill. Most of my time was spent working on school and studying. More train strikes have been occurring and my host mom had to drive me to school on Friday. She's super sweet and was basically driving everyone in the house around that day. Over the weekend, we went to Berlin. We stayed in a hostel (granted it was definitely a nicer one). We had the whole room to ourselves which was nice until they didn't have any towels to rent us. Drying off with my dirty shirt was pretty interesting after my shower. My stomach also was hurting pretty bad that night so the hostel wasn't the best experience. Berlin as a whole was really fun, I think we made the most out of our 23 hours. I think my favorite thing was going into the Reichstag. It was pretty cold but we saw a good view of the city. 

Next week is going to be a lot- my sister is getting into Frankfurt on Monday and I will go spend the night in Frankfurt with her (and the German midterm). Tuesday is my birthday, then we have a 211 exam and physio retake on Wednesday. Austin is visiting from Enmodes on Friday so it will be nice to finally ask him the questions we've had for a long time. Spring break will be after that, so we're almost half way done with the program (scary). Time is going by really fast for sure.

Week 8

 The Lizzo concert was amazing! She has amazing vocals, very strong stage presence, and interacted with the audience so naturally. I was so happy that I went. Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday were all a little boring. I was trying to get reviews completed for my exams and that was pretty much it. Friday however was packed full. After class Kassy, Peri, and I left for Dortmund and went to the Dortmund soccer game. I had such a good time and I really want to go to another one. Some guys in the stands next to us were weird but other than that 10/10 experience. Then we took a 2:15am night train to Amsterdam. I woke up pretty much every hour and had wished I changed into more comfortable clothes (I was in jeans and doc martens) but I would do it again. It was better than a night train so I'm interested in taking more and seeing how they are. 

Amsterdam was super cool. I want to go back during tulip season. It is very pretty and overall people are very nice there. You have to be careful of bikes though. I almost got hit by one (it was my fault) but the biker also saw me and decided to get as close as possible for a laugh. It was funny but I was careful about where I walked from then on. Amsterdam has these little dolls called Miffy and I got one, they are so cute. 

 I'm nervous about next week and the workload because I have 3 exams and enmodes but ultimately it will be ok. Looking forward to spring break with my sisters a lot. 

Week 8

Starting off week 8 was very chill. We had classes, and I only had one exam. I have gotten used to the workload and study time here, and now I am less stressed than I have been. I'm still lacking in sleep, but hopefully with spring break around the corner I will be able to catch up. There was another transportation strike on Monday and Friday. Getting to the AiB was a blast. Amanda and I had to bus over to Bonn, it took over an hour and a half. We decided to uber home that evening. On Saturday, we got up early and headed to Amsterdam! I have always wanted to move to Amsterdam, so my hopes for this trip were really high and I was not disappointed at all. When we first got there, we immediately headed to the hotel and relaxed for a bit. After while, I headed to Bunami Ink to get a tattoo. I had been DREAMING of this for so many years, and I was fangirling so much when I actually got there. Alina was the kindest soul and it was so fun getting to talk with her about things I am passionate about. It was also one of the best, if not the best, tattoo experiences that I have ever had. Afterwards, I met up with the other girls on Ninth Street, and we just walked around Amsterdam. Erin and I ended up finding a dedicated gluten free bakery called "Sue". They had the best blueberry banana bread that I have ever had. We also got a few other desserts while we were there. After this, we headed to the Canal where we did a wine and cheese boat cruise. The cheese was 10/10 and the wine was not for me. I am most definitely not a wine girl. While on the boat, we found there was a lot of other Americans as well, most were from Louisiana. The cruise was a lot of fun, we also got to see Kass watching F1 while drinking the wine and experienced Vic taking a bottle of wine. After the cruise we headed to this traditional Dutch restaurant. We didn't end up actually eating there because Peri had to go to the ER. That was an experience in itself. Erin ended up staying with Peri at the ER since all of us couldn't stay, and the rest of us went to a Mexican restaurant for dinner. Afterwards, we headed back to the hotel and crashed. On Sunday, we headed to the Pancake Bakery! They had a lot of gluten free and the pancakes were so good! After we ate, we headed to the Van Gogh Museum! It was so pretty and they had a lot of souvenirs which was really nice. They had the cutest little bears and if you bought them, they donated the funds to women with disabilities. After Van Gogh we headed to the FlixBus and then headed home. 

Amsterdam was my most favorite city that we have visited so far. I loved every minute of it and I wish that we could have stayed a lot longer than we did. I am already missing it and wanting to go back. 

Week 8!!!

 On Monday, we started off by having zoom school again because there was another transportation strike. Although I do not like school on zoom, it was nice to have school on zoom this day because it meant I could relax more throughout the day and could wear my pjs. Tuesday we worked on our Enmodes project a bit and then had some more classes. I also was able to watch the sunset from our house since the sun is starting to set later. Then on Wednesday, I had my first physiology 2 test. It was definitely harder than I thought it was going to be, but luckily Dr. Wasser is letting us retake it next week. I had some more classes the rest of the day and then was able to go home pretty early. Thursday consisted of more classes and my physiology 2 review for my test retake. On Friday, there was a transportation strike again, however, we were still expected to come to school. It took Peyton and me an hour and a half to get to school which was exhausting. I had some other complications which made the day somewhat frustrating - one of those days where I wish I could just be at home and lay in my bed. But, that is the beauty of this trip, to learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Peyton and I decided to uber home so that way we could get home quicker instead of waiting an hour to then travel an hour home. I did a lot of schoolwork when I got home because I am overwhelmed by the amount I have to do. Saturday started at 5:00. Peyton and I made our way to Siegburg station and took a train to Koln Airport. There, we met up with Victoria and took a Flixbus to Amsterdam. I loved the Flixbus, it was cheap and had no delays. When we got to Amsterdam, we met up with Erin, Peri, and Kassy and went to get brunch. After, we walked around the city to different shops and sights. At 17:00, we went on a boat cruise through Amsterdam that had unlimited wine and cheese. That was so fun and a great way to see a lot of the city in a small amount of time. We walked to dinner after to eat at an authentic dutch restaurant but then quickly had to leave and instead go to the ER. That was an experience. The ER was not very helpful and did not let any of us sit in their empty waiting room which was annoying. They told us to come back at 22:45 so Victoria, Peyton, Kassy, and I went to dinner while Erin and Peri went back to the hotel for a bit before returning. Luckily, everything should be okay. Sunday morning we went to the Pancake Bakery which was so yummy. We went to the Van Gogh museum for a bit before leaving Amsterdam. The ride back was very nice, we got back to Koln earlier than we thought and the whole ride was very scenic. Peyton and I were home by 16:30 which was nice. I worked on homework for a while before heading to sleep. This week is going to be a lot. 3 tests, my mom coming, and the start of spring break. I am excited!

Week 8: Concert, Football Game, and a trip to the ER

     I know I keep saying the weeks are starting to become a blur but they truly are. Time is such a concept here. I feel like I keep looking up and all of the sudden the week is over and I've already done these incredible things. Monday started off with another transportation strike relegating us to Zoom classes. Erin and I also had a Lizzo concert in Cologne that we were going to that night. We had to navigate the nonexistent buses and Bolts to get her to Bonn hbf (well she did, I just provided emotional support over FaceTime). We ended up making it on time and had a ball. Totally worth all of the euros and trouble. Classes after that were normal but still just as enjoyable.

    Friday night saw Erin, Kass, and me in Dortmund to watch a Dortmund football game. I'll be honest and say that I have never been to a real game and didn't really know what to expect. I definitely didn't expect for beer to go flying after the first goal. The energy of the fans and fact that Erin and Kass were practically vibrating with excitement made sure that I had an incredible time. After the game was over and Dortmund barely won, we had a couple of hours to kill before our 2:15am bus to Amsterdam. Ended up wandering around the area close to the train station. 

    Amsterdam had a city feel that I've never experienced before. The bike culture was huge and all of the traffic just from the bike riders was an adjustment. The canals made for a confusing maze of water ways and identical looking bridges. We wandered all around the center of the city and got to see the many things it had to offer. We did have our dinner plans change when I ended up needing to go to the hospital after a concerning sign. We all loaded up into the Uber and waited around the hospital while I finally got in contact with someone that could help me. They were only letting one person in with me and Erin was sweet enough to stay while we told everyone else to go and get dinner while we went back to the hotel to wait the two hours for my appointment. She was prepared to handle the situation and made me feel a lot more at ease about all of it. Let me tell you, I did not think I would end up at the ER on this trip but there we were sitting in the waiting room at 10:45pm. I ended up getting the best new I could get given the circumstances and was given a game plan for the next few days. I swear I can't go on a single trip without ending up at the doctors' office or hospital. The next morning we had breakfast and went to the Van Gogh museum. The museum was a little underwhelming, to be honest, but it was still an interesting side trip. I also didn't have time to find a hoodie before our train so Kass got me taken care of and picked one up for me before she left later that day. Thanks bestie.

    

Week 8: February 27-March 5

We’re halfway done with the semester! That’s crazy. It really doesn’t feel like I’ve been here for eight weeks, but if the next eight go by even half as fast as the first eight, I’m going to be heading home before I know it. It’s kind of sad to think about, though, because I’m feeling very comfortable here and have adjusted to living a pretty normal day-to-day life. Anyways, that’s something to think about eight weeks from now. About this past week…

On Monday, there was another transportation strike… go figure. We had Zoom classes – history of medicine and physiology. After class, I went for a walk around my neighborhood. It was very cold, but the sun was out, and I was able to catch up with my parents. This week has been annoyingly cold, with temperatures below freezing in the mornings. I thought we were done with that. Hopefully, it’ll warm up for good soon.

On Tuesday, we had to be at the AiB early for our midterm evaluation survey. Then we had enmodes and physiology lab. Also, Jackson, Colby, Erin, Elizabeth, and I decided to go to Berlin this weekend. On Wednesday, we had history of medicine and physiology. After class, Erin, Elizabeth, Amy, and I went to Salvator. We got a bottle of the white wine Elizabeth had last time she was there, enjoyed the delicious apple strudel, and talked for a couple hours. It was really fun!

On Thursday, we only had physiology. Erin & Elizabeth brought me back spaghetti Bolognese for lunch. Even though I only had one class, I stayed at the AiB until about 5:30 working on homework. I got a lot of homework done and studied for the MCAT for a while. My plan to get up early and study hasn’t gone as well as I had hoped, but I have been able to study a bit every day, which is good. Next week, we have a physiology test, so I’ll probably have to put the MCAT studying on hold for the week.

On Friday, there was a transportation strike yet again. My host dad drove me and Erin to the AiB, but we ended up being a couple of minutes late because the main road from Bad Godesberg into Bonn was closed off for a demonstration. We had physiology lab, enmodes, and pharmacology. In enmodes, we were able to flesh out a few more details about our idea, and we started putting together our PowerPoint presentation for Austen next Friday. Next week, Dr. Fajt will be here, so we will start having pharmacology in person, which is exciting. Once home, I started packing for my weekend trip to Berlin.

On Saturday, I left my house at 6:50am to catch the S16 to Cologne. I didn’t see Jackson’s text that he was in the back car, so I got on the front car and then had to run to switch cars at one of the stops. Thankfully, I made it and wasn’t left behind. Anyways, we met up with Colby, Erin, and Elizabeth at Bonn hbf. In Cologne, departure was delayed by about 30 minutes, and then we had to kick a bunch of soccer fans out of our reserved seats. They finally moved, but for a minute, we thought they were going to stand in the aisle the whole time and drink. The wifi wasn’t working on the train, so we solved Rubik’s cubes the whole time. Once in Berlin, we ate at a very popular burger place in Potsdamer Platz. Then, we walked through the Memorial to the Murdered Jews, saw the Brandenburg Gate, reserved tickets to enter the Reichstag on Sunday, and then saw Checkpoint Charlie. We rode the tram to Museum Island, where we saw the Berlin Cathedral, city hall, and the phone tower. We ate dinner at a taco bar that was very good, but the atmosphere was a bit overwhelming. It was in a very busy food hall, so there were no empty tables, and there was barely any room to walk around. Then, we checked into the hostel and went down to the bar to get our free drinks. We got invited to go out with some Canadians, but we opted to go to bed instead.

On Sunday, we found a café to eat breakfast, went souvenir shopping, and then went inside the Reichstag. My fear of heights was definitely activated by the glass dome and ramp going up to the top. But it was worth it for the view. We tried to go to the Pergamon Museum, but they didn’t have openings until after we had to leave. We walked through an art market while it was snowing, which was cool, made a quick stop at the Französischer Dom, passed the Ritter Sport store (which was unfortunately closed until June), and then went to the hauptbahnhof to catch our train home.

I wish we had more time to explore Berlin, but I feel like we did a lot for only having 24 hours. We could’ve stayed a few more hours, but with a busy test week coming up, Elizabeth, Erin, and I opted to get home earlier and get sleep. Only one more week until I get to see Wyatt for spring break!