What a week! Monday we went to the Bayer facility in Munich. It was really nice, we were wined and dined and toured the research facilites. There was a lot of time for chatting with representatives of the company, and it is kind flattering to be so actively recruited. The research cats are ridiculously friendly! As soon as they saw us, they ran to the front of the cage and started meowing for attention.
That evening we moved to Hannover and got to meet the host students we were working with. We spent a few days in Hannover trying to see everything we could, but there was no way. We did get to see the State Stud, which was really interesting. We got to have a few lectures at the vet school, and all of us were very impressed with how clearly the lecturer explained BVD, which completely confused all of the first years in lecture a month ago. We went to the Museum of Veterinary History, the only one in existence. I hadn't properly appreciated how recent a profession it was. The vet school was having a sport day, so we got to see some soccer.
That evening I wandered around the baergarden, which was surprisingly huge and full of beautiful flowering plants. I was amused by the greenhouse full of cacti. Later that evening I got a little bit of Texas as a street musician played Johny Cash. Thursday morning a group of us went to the Hannover Zoo. It was a very impressive zoo, I was amazed at how close we were able to get to the animals. We got to pet a pelican, see a day old gorilla baby and a 2 week old elephant baby, and got a tour by one of the host students who just happened to be a zoo tour guide! Thursday evening and afternoon were nonstop travelling until about 10, but when we got to Basel, we were surprised to find that we each had our own really nice room. I met a nice exchange student on the train, and we chatted for quite a while. I'm determined to look at train time as an opportunity instead of a waste of time. That night, though, I was extremely glad to get a chance to spread all my stuff out and repack before Switzerland.
Friday we took a marathon tour of Novartis, both the product testing labs in Basel and the animal research facilities in St. Aubin. I couldn't believe how close they let us get to the research animals, a little closer than I really wanted to get to to the biting flies ;-) We also got to see the sheep, cows, rabbits, gerbils, dogs, and cats. Last night we hopped a late bus to Interlaken, a touristy town at the foot of the Alps. Today I went up to the Jungfrau, which was incredibly gorgeous and amazing right up to the cloud line. Past that point it was white. There was a little museum of ice sculptures on the top, and some sled dogs that were VERY interested in the breakfast bars in my bag. I also got to walk around the towns in the foothills some. I have a new appreciation for their fitness, the houses were several hundred feet apart and on a rather steep slope. I got to see some cattle, sheep, and goats that I was only familiar with from the Breeds exam last year. The top third of the train ride was inside the mountain, but my nose was glued to the glass for the rest of it, the scenery was so spectacular!
Tomorrow is an all day train ride to Berlin. I have to admit I'm kind of looking forward to eight hours of not having to do anything. I'm also very much looking forward to being in one place for a while. I also have to admit that I'm missing Texas, and looking forward to seeing everyone, both two and four legged.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
The Business of Vet Med...
Visiting Novartis was almost like being treated like royalty, but more realistically like a proffesional. It was the first visit that gave us an overview appropriate for our level of training and actually gave us knowledge that we could apply to our practice. For the first time, I feel like I actually appreciate what it takes to make a pharmaceutical, from start to finish, and the time and effort that is taken into listening to what the customer wants and what the animal needs. I also found it exciting to see how benificial a training in business and veterinary medicine could be. Many of the questions I asked dealt with marketing issues and were not scientific at all and in fact I think this is a major problem in veterinary medicine. If veterinarians do not understand business then they also cannot understand the companies who make their practices run. They cannot understand how an increase in Ethanol use, means there is a shortage in corn, which means there is an increase in the demand for corn and the price goes up. This impacts the ranchers and producers who feed the corn, and also companies like Hill's who use corn as a product in their pet food. It's small examples like that driving the industries involving Vet Med, and inadvertantly, they affect the practice of veterinary medicine. Knowing more about why the profit margin on the pet food sold in the clinic is decreasing, or why the pork production facility no longer wants the same treatment plan but instead wants a cheaper option, is important to the success of a practice.
Hannover
What a great experience...
It was great to see life as a vet student at Hannover...staying with the host students was a brilliant idea to get a glimpse of what life would be like going to a German university. I also got the extra experience of what it might be like to go to professional school as a mother....and to that I say "no thanks." :) Kudos to my host Kat for being so great.
As far as the program went...the lectures were pretty interesting but to be put back to back to back was a bit exhausting. I guess I've fallen out of "vet school" mode so it was difficult to sit in a classroom for that long.
I guess for me, I would have liked to have toured the school itself more and seen the clinics. Just like what we show the German students at our school, I wish we could have done the same here. I know Professor Breeves said that clinics are all the same, but I personally think it would have benefitted our students to see this type of thing here in Germany. Perhaps it was there way of enticing us to come back to see more.
Hannover itself was such a welcoming, easy-to-navigate city that I definitely see myself coming back. I would actually really like to come back during a winter break sometime for maybe a 2-3 week stint and really get into being a German vet student.
From what I can see...it seems to be a little more lax here in Europe i.e. all the class skipping that I saw and the Wednesday night dance parties :P
Until then I will have to work on my German.
It was great to see life as a vet student at Hannover...staying with the host students was a brilliant idea to get a glimpse of what life would be like going to a German university. I also got the extra experience of what it might be like to go to professional school as a mother....and to that I say "no thanks." :) Kudos to my host Kat for being so great.
As far as the program went...the lectures were pretty interesting but to be put back to back to back was a bit exhausting. I guess I've fallen out of "vet school" mode so it was difficult to sit in a classroom for that long.
I guess for me, I would have liked to have toured the school itself more and seen the clinics. Just like what we show the German students at our school, I wish we could have done the same here. I know Professor Breeves said that clinics are all the same, but I personally think it would have benefitted our students to see this type of thing here in Germany. Perhaps it was there way of enticing us to come back to see more.
Hannover itself was such a welcoming, easy-to-navigate city that I definitely see myself coming back. I would actually really like to come back during a winter break sometime for maybe a 2-3 week stint and really get into being a German vet student.
From what I can see...it seems to be a little more lax here in Europe i.e. all the class skipping that I saw and the Wednesday night dance parties :P
Until then I will have to work on my German.
Hannovarians....
Hannover vet school is quite different and was a pleasure to see. The campus is gorgeous and seeped in history. The school itself is only two years younger than our own country, yet still time and time again, it was obvious how the degree does not stand up to that of american training. This realization came from listening to people in industry and from the comparison of the cirriculum to our own. Most of this I commented on the video blogg, but one important thing I left out was the Veterinary History Museum. I was surprised to see how little funding and care was given by the university to this treasure trove of history. The museum housed important instruments and technology throughout the ages, of which some were still used to day. This museum also illustrated the changing face of veterinary medicine throughout the ages, as the use of animals evolved in the society. It made me sit back in awe as our guide took us through the museum and recounted everything he knew. The subject base and his knowledge was so impressive that all I could do was wonder how anyone would know any of this after this man was gone. He alone keeps the museum going, and he alone knows what the museum is all about. I hope that further generations learn to appreciate it for the value it has to the proffession, and hope something similar could be established in the US.
Industrial Vet Medicine
This week has given me a peek into the "alternative" jobs that veterinarians can hold outside of practicing in a clinic. I thought that the Bayer trip was pretty interesting although the length of the lectures were a little long for me. The animals were nice to see. I was a little comforted by the fact that the research animals were so well taken care of. The kennels were really clean and large...much larger than any I've seen in American shelters. It still doesn't make sense to me that animals that are used in research are bred for that sole purpose. I think the last thing the world needs is more dogs that take the homes of shelter dogs. I mean I guess they are bred with a job to do but I don't really agree.
The Novartis trip was fantastic. I really enjoyed seeing the labs in the pharmaceutical department and animals in the research center. The way they explained to us how many steps it takes to research and develop a drug really made me appreciate what it takes for a drug to make it to the market. I like how the company makes it a goal to improve animal health and integrate into their work everyday. The animals though perhaps a little less clean than Bayer seemed real...that is to say I felt that was a working real lab. I remember in my days working with my mice labs...the labs were messy here and there because people did a lot of work there.
I'd have to say after the trip to Novartis, I could definitely see myself going into industry if I ever tired of practicing in a clinic...especially for them!
The Novartis trip was fantastic. I really enjoyed seeing the labs in the pharmaceutical department and animals in the research center. The way they explained to us how many steps it takes to research and develop a drug really made me appreciate what it takes for a drug to make it to the market. I like how the company makes it a goal to improve animal health and integrate into their work everyday. The animals though perhaps a little less clean than Bayer seemed real...that is to say I felt that was a working real lab. I remember in my days working with my mice labs...the labs were messy here and there because people did a lot of work there.
I'd have to say after the trip to Novartis, I could definitely see myself going into industry if I ever tired of practicing in a clinic...especially for them!
Friday, May 30, 2008
Party like its 1989
When I went to sleep last night I thought that I would wake up this morning in Prague. Instead, I woke up this morning in Frankfurt, and not even Frankfurt's main train station. Sometime in the middle of the night the train came to a stop here and hasn't moved since. It's been 11 hours so far and they just tacked another hour on to our wait time. Luckily last night we were bunked with a physicist (I kid you not) and he has been both helpful and interesting to talk to.
So, since I woke up this morning, unshowered and gross from running through Basel's station at 100 mph yesterday trying to catch this particular train, I have taken the scenic, 5-minute tour of Frankfurt Sud, eaten two pretzels and browsed the Internet. Others are stretching their legs outside the station, families with children are trying to keep busy and no one knows when we will get to leave.
I feel like it's my own private version of Germany in 1989. No one can go East and no one can come West. We are trapped here indefinitely but there is always a little hope it will be soon. We have to pay for the hotel room no matter what tonight, so we're just waiting, and watching and hoping the wall will come down and we will be free to go East.
And here I thought that we would have the best weather this weekend than back in Switzerland. Oh, the best laid plans.
So, since I woke up this morning, unshowered and gross from running through Basel's station at 100 mph yesterday trying to catch this particular train, I have taken the scenic, 5-minute tour of Frankfurt Sud, eaten two pretzels and browsed the Internet. Others are stretching their legs outside the station, families with children are trying to keep busy and no one knows when we will get to leave.
I feel like it's my own private version of Germany in 1989. No one can go East and no one can come West. We are trapped here indefinitely but there is always a little hope it will be soon. We have to pay for the hotel room no matter what tonight, so we're just waiting, and watching and hoping the wall will come down and we will be free to go East.
And here I thought that we would have the best weather this weekend than back in Switzerland. Oh, the best laid plans.
a glimpse of Switzerland
Yesterday evening we got to Switzerland, in time to have some great Greek food. Today we got to see the Novartis facilities. What I got to see was quite impressive. Unfortunately i had to leave early to catch my train to Prauge.
It was quite interesting to see the difference in business strategies of Bayer and Novartis. Bayer is a research company, and has conciously made the decision to stay that way and not produce geerics. While Novartis has taken on production of generic medicines.
It was also very intresting to see the difference in animal care. Both companies seemed to treat their animals well and genuinely care about their wellfare. But Bayer kept animals for 2 years and adopted them out while Novartis kept their reseach dogs for their entire lifespan of about 10 years. For both situations i think the companies are doing what is best for their research animals.
It was really interesting to see the formulation aspect of drug development. While i am in no way interested i that feild as a career, it is quite impressive to see what all goes into making a drug into a useable form. I think the climate rooms were the most interesting part of that tour. they had rooms with 4 different environments simulated inside to tests the drugs for stability. Each drug is evaluated over a 5 year period. I knew this had to be tested but i never guessed it was for that long.
It was quite interesting to see the difference in business strategies of Bayer and Novartis. Bayer is a research company, and has conciously made the decision to stay that way and not produce geerics. While Novartis has taken on production of generic medicines.
It was also very intresting to see the difference in animal care. Both companies seemed to treat their animals well and genuinely care about their wellfare. But Bayer kept animals for 2 years and adopted them out while Novartis kept their reseach dogs for their entire lifespan of about 10 years. For both situations i think the companies are doing what is best for their research animals.
It was really interesting to see the formulation aspect of drug development. While i am in no way interested i that feild as a career, it is quite impressive to see what all goes into making a drug into a useable form. I think the climate rooms were the most interesting part of that tour. they had rooms with 4 different environments simulated inside to tests the drugs for stability. Each drug is evaluated over a 5 year period. I knew this had to be tested but i never guessed it was for that long.
week 2
Hannover was an amazing city. I didn't see much of the buildings, but the forest all around and the Tiho and the vet students there made me like it all the same. I already miss my host student, Fredi, and last night seemed strange as I went to bed in a single hotel room with a private bath - no cats running around like crazy, no people watching TV in a nearby room, no homey comforts reminded me once again I am 5000 miles from home. Staying with a host student has been my favorite part of the trip so far. I am pretty sure that Fredi is simply the German version of myself, and that if the roles had been reversed I don't think things would have been much different. We had so many conversations about all kinds of topics ranging from animal welfare to our annoying classmates to the Turkish immigrant issue in Germany. It was my best 3 nights and they seemed to go the fastest.
Now we are in Switzerland which looks like the life size version of an idyllic, picturesque farm from a fairy tale of old. There are deep trenching valleys, rolling hills with little brown and white cows grazing and cottages dotted here and there with flowers and ivy. Even though industrialization is very present here, it is well dispersed and disguised. Instead of scarring the landscape, the freeways flow with it and trees protect the quiet farms beyond.
Novartis was amazing. It made me feel a lot better using one of their products on all of my dogs, because after meeting their scientists, pharmacists and chemists, I realize how much careful, creative and caring work goes in to making something for veterinary use. I still get the impression (just like the one I got from Bayer) that the best thing to do is first go in to practice, then move in to industry so you can develop that technical feel for product need and usage a non-clinician scientist might not understand. Certainly industry veterinary work is very appealing to me, as is public health, but I want to be a clinician first to develop those unique skills and experience that aspect of my field first before I lose everything I learned in 4th year. I guess I kind of feel like if you start off in industry, you can change to being a clinician later because those technical skills will be lost without practice and development early on.
Tonight Cynthia and I travel by overnight train to Prague, which ought to be quite an adventure. I hope it is as beautiful as they say.
Now we are in Switzerland which looks like the life size version of an idyllic, picturesque farm from a fairy tale of old. There are deep trenching valleys, rolling hills with little brown and white cows grazing and cottages dotted here and there with flowers and ivy. Even though industrialization is very present here, it is well dispersed and disguised. Instead of scarring the landscape, the freeways flow with it and trees protect the quiet farms beyond.
Novartis was amazing. It made me feel a lot better using one of their products on all of my dogs, because after meeting their scientists, pharmacists and chemists, I realize how much careful, creative and caring work goes in to making something for veterinary use. I still get the impression (just like the one I got from Bayer) that the best thing to do is first go in to practice, then move in to industry so you can develop that technical feel for product need and usage a non-clinician scientist might not understand. Certainly industry veterinary work is very appealing to me, as is public health, but I want to be a clinician first to develop those unique skills and experience that aspect of my field first before I lose everything I learned in 4th year. I guess I kind of feel like if you start off in industry, you can change to being a clinician later because those technical skills will be lost without practice and development early on.
Tonight Cynthia and I travel by overnight train to Prague, which ought to be quite an adventure. I hope it is as beautiful as they say.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Basel bound!
Well we are currently on our way to Basel, switzerland. I am looking forward to this trip. I like most of the others will be spending the weekend in Interlaken. Hannover was a really neat city. My host students, Janina and Claudia were really sweet girls. The vet school was impressive. I was shocked to lknow how many students they had,a lot more than us. I really enjoyed Celle. It is a beautiful German town with a great history. I hope to return there oneday. Hannover zoo was the coolest zoo I have ever been in. The arrangment made it seem more life like and less like a captive zoo. All in all hannover has a lot to offer. I would have loved to have spent more time there, and definately think that should be worked in for next years trip. Well I am going to sleep now. There's nothing like riding a train through Germany listening to George Strait!
Basel bound!
Well we are currently on our way to Basel, switzerland. I am looking forward to this trip. I like most of the others will be spending the weekend in Interlaken. Hannover was a really neat city. My host students, Janina and Claudia were really sweet girls. The vet school was impressive. I was shocked to lknow how many students they had,a lot more than us. I really enjoyed Celle. It is a beautiful German town with a great history. I hope to return there oneday. Hannover zoo was the coolest zoo I have ever been in. The arrangment made it seem more life like and less like a captive zoo. All in all hannover has a lot to offer. I would have loved to have spent more time there, and definately think that should be worked in for next years trip. Well I am going to sleep now. There's nothing like riding a train through Germany listening to George Strait!
Hannover
We are just now leaving Hannover and I am very sad to go. My host, Anna was amazing and was a lot of fun to talk to! Today she took Shana, Meredith, Megan, and me around the city and showed us the town hall, Hannover Lake and various other places. Overall, I really enjoyed the experience I had in Hannover. I wish we could have toured the clinics because it was obvious by passing by that they look different then ours. I really enjoyed touring the vet museum and seeing what doctors had to use way back in the day. Some of the tools they used looked realy painful! My favorite part of Hannover was meeting the vet students and seeing how there days are organized and hearing about their lives. I will miss Hannover, but at least I'll always remember beating that german guy in our dance off!
hannover!
Man, coley can sleep anywhere! So we're on the train to basel from hannover! I'm pretty excited bcz I have a friend meeting us in basel :) but about hannover, etc...
I really enjoyed hannover in general- my host was great, the old part of the city is beautiful, it was fun to see all the german vet students and their sports fest thing! I kinda wish we had gotten to see more of the school/clinics or maybe sat in on an actual class though. The lectures were interesting but itd be nice to see a class with the german students in it.
Also, I think a hannover city tour wouldve been cool- I thought it was a really pretty city but that was just walking around by myself/a few others who didn't go to the zoo. But I guess we had a shortened trip bcz of the novartis invite- we'll see how that is tomorrow!
I really enjoyed hannover in general- my host was great, the old part of the city is beautiful, it was fun to see all the german vet students and their sports fest thing! I kinda wish we had gotten to see more of the school/clinics or maybe sat in on an actual class though. The lectures were interesting but itd be nice to see a class with the german students in it.
Also, I think a hannover city tour wouldve been cool- I thought it was a really pretty city but that was just walking around by myself/a few others who didn't go to the zoo. But I guess we had a shortened trip bcz of the novartis invite- we'll see how that is tomorrow!
Bayer and Hannover
We just got on the train headed to Switzerland! I am looking forward to the 5 hour train ride so I can get some much needed sleep. This week has been so busy that i have had no time to blog. So much has happened too!
Monday we went to Bayer research facilities. The research animals were quite impresssive. Normal when you think research animals you think sad animals in cages all day, but not here. All the cats would clamor to the front of the cages for attention, and tje dogs would be howling and wagging their tails happy to see a new face.
Hannover was fun but again much to short. It was great to stay with a host student. Mine, Louise, was a sweetheart, her little flat was so cute and decked out in IKEA(pronounced E-K-ah).
I am very impressed with the size of the school, I am sure they have more acreage than our school does. They also have 200 people per class! That is quite impressive considering A&M has the 2nd largest class size of any US school at 132.
The first day in Hannover we went to the state Hannoverian stud farm, where they train and evaluate Hannoverian colts, as well as some collection. The horses were absolutely stunning and the facilities were impressive as well. They have automatic feeder so all the horses in a barn get fed at once to stop horses from getting impatient. Then we toured a great little town called Celle. It was the ideal little German town, very small, clean and beautiful.
Then on wed we listened to 3 presentations by the proffesors of TIHo they were very interesting presentaions, from a very different prospective. We also toured their musem on the history of vet medicine. I never really thought about the development of this profession so this collection was quite interesting. It is very impressive to see the developments we have made.
This morning we had free to see the sights, but many of us went to the Hannover zoo. This was a very very cool zoo. It made me wish i was 10 again, because not only were the exhibits very cool but there were awesome little playgrounds everywhere.
Monday we went to Bayer research facilities. The research animals were quite impresssive. Normal when you think research animals you think sad animals in cages all day, but not here. All the cats would clamor to the front of the cages for attention, and tje dogs would be howling and wagging their tails happy to see a new face.
Hannover was fun but again much to short. It was great to stay with a host student. Mine, Louise, was a sweetheart, her little flat was so cute and decked out in IKEA(pronounced E-K-ah).
I am very impressed with the size of the school, I am sure they have more acreage than our school does. They also have 200 people per class! That is quite impressive considering A&M has the 2nd largest class size of any US school at 132.
The first day in Hannover we went to the state Hannoverian stud farm, where they train and evaluate Hannoverian colts, as well as some collection. The horses were absolutely stunning and the facilities were impressive as well. They have automatic feeder so all the horses in a barn get fed at once to stop horses from getting impatient. Then we toured a great little town called Celle. It was the ideal little German town, very small, clean and beautiful.
Then on wed we listened to 3 presentations by the proffesors of TIHo they were very interesting presentaions, from a very different prospective. We also toured their musem on the history of vet medicine. I never really thought about the development of this profession so this collection was quite interesting. It is very impressive to see the developments we have made.
This morning we had free to see the sights, but many of us went to the Hannover zoo. This was a very very cool zoo. It made me wish i was 10 again, because not only were the exhibits very cool but there were awesome little playgrounds everywhere.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
2nd week almost done...
Well its been awhile since I last posted but quite a bit has happened since then. This past weekend I went to amsterdam with most of the group and I did like the experience minus a few things. Unfortunately, I had an ear infection that was painful the whole weekend. Not many people realize this but its very difficult for someone like me to wear only one hearing aid and be able to "function" normally. I had a hard time understanding some people but overall it wasn't all that bad. I also had the misfortune of losing my debit card some how. I wish I could say I forgot it or was pickpocketed but I wasn't. I truly cannot remember how I lost my debit card since I didn't use it in amsterdam. Either way, I was still able to pull out some money for the rest of the trip.
We've been in Hannover this past week and I must say it was a much different week than last. I was able to meet and stay at my host student and he's a pretty cool guy. He belongs to a fraternity that is exclusive to primarily male vet students but there are some med students. He was nice enough to have me at the frat house where I got to chill at the garden and drink a few beers. The rest of the time was spent either at the vet school or something related to the school. The school itself really surprised me because I was not expecting such a large campus for veterinary medicine. I was given a tour by another student, Martin, and he was kind enough to show me around. On Tuesday we went to the stud farm where it was pretty damn cold but a cool experience....then we went to the small, but quite beautiful, town of Celle. There, we were given a tour around the city in which we learned about the castle and houses.
Tomorrow is the last day and I am going to go to the zoo and then we're off to Switzerland. Until next time....
We've been in Hannover this past week and I must say it was a much different week than last. I was able to meet and stay at my host student and he's a pretty cool guy. He belongs to a fraternity that is exclusive to primarily male vet students but there are some med students. He was nice enough to have me at the frat house where I got to chill at the garden and drink a few beers. The rest of the time was spent either at the vet school or something related to the school. The school itself really surprised me because I was not expecting such a large campus for veterinary medicine. I was given a tour by another student, Martin, and he was kind enough to show me around. On Tuesday we went to the stud farm where it was pretty damn cold but a cool experience....then we went to the small, but quite beautiful, town of Celle. There, we were given a tour around the city in which we learned about the castle and houses.
Tomorrow is the last day and I am going to go to the zoo and then we're off to Switzerland. Until next time....
Monday, May 26, 2008
I miss my dog
As anyone on this trip knows by now, I talk about my dog an excessive amount. Beau is the most important thing to me in my life and most who have talked to me know this and have seen my extensive collections of photos of him sleeping, yawning, looking adoringly at me and other cute photos along those lines. We are very well matched and very attached to one another, and today's visit to the animal facilties at Bayer in Monheim did not help one bit in my not missing him a great deal.
This may seem strange to some whose pets came from breeders or even an animal shelter back in Texas - but seeing those research beagles tugged at my heart strings because Beau was also a research dog. And although he's been living with me for over a year, he's still very "damaged," very shy and nervous and dedicated to me - the one human he truly trusts (although this may change after my sudden abandonment of him at my parents house for this trip). There were two beagles in the newer part of the facility, whose soulful mournful browns eyes, nervous shaking and quick frightened movements reminded me exactly of Beau's first days with me, and it broke my heart all over again.
The amazing thing about Germany (and many other European countries) is that they have such strict laws concerning animal welfare. The dogs in Bayer's facility receive amazing care - large runs, daily outings outside, and all the barking they can handle. Other than those two with the petrified eyes, they all seemed happy and fat. They only live in the facilities for about a year and then they go to great homes. Beau was in the university's facility for three years, in a kennel 1/3rd the size of the Bayer dogs'. He was not socialized as a puppy and he never got the care and attention those Bayer dogs do.
It makes me wish that we had better animal protection laws in the states. But then again, that sort of legislation is just an invitation for over interpretation by zealous organizations who confuse animal welfare with animal rights. It makes even the veterinary profession more difficult in the event you are sued because animals take on a more-than-just-property status. It makes for a lot of extra paper work and it probably trickles down to higher taxes and tuition.
But still, I often find myself wishing things were better for dogs like Beau - even for dogs like those at Bayer. All I can do I guess is give my pup the best life possible. And take more research dogs into my home. Which I am doing. As soon as I get home.
This may seem strange to some whose pets came from breeders or even an animal shelter back in Texas - but seeing those research beagles tugged at my heart strings because Beau was also a research dog. And although he's been living with me for over a year, he's still very "damaged," very shy and nervous and dedicated to me - the one human he truly trusts (although this may change after my sudden abandonment of him at my parents house for this trip). There were two beagles in the newer part of the facility, whose soulful mournful browns eyes, nervous shaking and quick frightened movements reminded me exactly of Beau's first days with me, and it broke my heart all over again.
The amazing thing about Germany (and many other European countries) is that they have such strict laws concerning animal welfare. The dogs in Bayer's facility receive amazing care - large runs, daily outings outside, and all the barking they can handle. Other than those two with the petrified eyes, they all seemed happy and fat. They only live in the facilities for about a year and then they go to great homes. Beau was in the university's facility for three years, in a kennel 1/3rd the size of the Bayer dogs'. He was not socialized as a puppy and he never got the care and attention those Bayer dogs do.
It makes me wish that we had better animal protection laws in the states. But then again, that sort of legislation is just an invitation for over interpretation by zealous organizations who confuse animal welfare with animal rights. It makes even the veterinary profession more difficult in the event you are sued because animals take on a more-than-just-property status. It makes for a lot of extra paper work and it probably trickles down to higher taxes and tuition.
But still, I often find myself wishing things were better for dogs like Beau - even for dogs like those at Bayer. All I can do I guess is give my pup the best life possible. And take more research dogs into my home. Which I am doing. As soon as I get home.
weekend 1
So we finally made it back from amsterdam this weekend! There were serious train problems/reroutings and it took about 6 hrs and 3 trains instead of the usual 2+ hour direct train...but we made it! The weekend was great, there are so many museums and tours and things to see in amsterdamn! It was a very different city...and the thing I was most surprised about was that there were SO many people!! Overall though, great city and I'd highly recommend it- just be careful as it's not exactly the safest city.
We just had our bayer visit which was good, very long, but good. Unfortunately the conference room was reaaaally warm so staying awake after lunch was difficult. But the best part was by far the tour- the cats were so cute! I wish they had let us pet them, haha. Anyway, tonight we get to meet our host students in hannover which I'm really excited about! Hope she's friendly :)
We just had our bayer visit which was good, very long, but good. Unfortunately the conference room was reaaaally warm so staying awake after lunch was difficult. But the best part was by far the tour- the cats were so cute! I wish they had let us pet them, haha. Anyway, tonight we get to meet our host students in hannover which I'm really excited about! Hope she's friendly :)
Sunday, May 25, 2008
first week
Well I finally got a gmail account so I can pull up blogger on my phone. So far the trip has been amazing. Dusseldorf was fun but I like amsterdam better! It's a little more scary in Amsterdam but more people speak english!!! Amsterdam is also full of interesting culture which is much different than the stereotype of the town. My favorite part was just walking around with megan today untill we found an interesting store or an interesting statue/building.
I of course enjoyed the Cologne Zoo! It was so exciting to pet the giraffe and the baby elephant! It was interesting to learn about the habitat of all the animals and learn about the zoo keepers duties. I also enjoyed learning about how science diet is made and shipped out to doctors/customers. Hills helps so much with our school and their food is used a lot when helping patients, so now I have a better respect and understanding for it!
Next stop is Hannover and I'm interested to see what it has to offer!
I of course enjoyed the Cologne Zoo! It was so exciting to pet the giraffe and the baby elephant! It was interesting to learn about the habitat of all the animals and learn about the zoo keepers duties. I also enjoyed learning about how science diet is made and shipped out to doctors/customers. Hills helps so much with our school and their food is used a lot when helping patients, so now I have a better respect and understanding for it!
Next stop is Hannover and I'm interested to see what it has to offer!
Ready for week 2?
It's quite a relief to get back to Dusseldorf on time, there was construction, so there was only one train from Amsterdam to Dusseldorf today, and it pulled in to the station at 9:50. Talk about cutting it close! Backing up, Friday we went to the Hills plant. I'm always a bit humbled by the enormous equipment. The plant is so automated that only 25 people have to be working at the plant to produce several tons of dog food each day! It was very interesting to hear about all the checks they do, too. The manager of the plant didn't know what I was talking about when I asked him about the huge pet food recalls in the States last year. I guess they weren't affected at all. I really thought that they would have been, at least to the point of shipping food to the US to replace what was recalled. Friday afternoon I took off on my own for Delft, a small town south of Amsterdam. I wandered around the city center all afternoon, and picked up a few gifts for people back home. Saturday, I hopped a train to Den Haag, and saw Little Holland and the beach. They have a gorgeous beach, with lots of people out enjoying the beautiful weather. Little Holland is a mineature of 1:25 scale of a lot of the major buildings in Holland. It was incredibly detailed, to the point of having figures of tour groups walking around. The highlight of the day, though, came when I wandered off the beaten path. I found a local (very local) museum of local history. My ticket included a drink at the bar where a dozen elderly locals were thrilled to see a tourist who was interested in them and their lives and town. I saw first hand how proud they were to have the Queen in residence. I heard stories from a gentleman whose father was a fisherman. I got a private tour full of personal anecdotes throughout the entire museum. Amsterdam couldn't compare when I stopped through for a few hours this afternoon.
a weekend in a'dam
Wow. That is the best description of this weekend. The only conclsion i have made so far, is the only place we are staying long enough is possibly Berlin, no other city is near long enough.
I was very lucky to know a family that lives outside of Amsterdam so I stayed there for the weekend. From there we went to Amsterdam on sat. The city was quite overwhelming, but I still enjoyed it immensley. One day was not nearly enough time to see all that A'dam had to offer. Today we drove to Der Haag. It was rainy and there was a marathon and a huge market and festival so it was veey busy as well and we only saw the city from the car. The little part of Holland I have seen has made me fall in love with the country. I love all the green, with grazing animals.
Luckily we decided to get to the train station early, because the line to get tickets was outrageous. (It turned out that the gentleman pointing us in the right direction put us in the wrong line) and this weekend only the trains back to Duessledorf are routed out of a different station! The last train of the night is the only one leaving from Amsterdam Centraal, so that is the one we get to take. We will get back later than expected but all is well :). Another week begins and so does another European adventure!
I was very lucky to know a family that lives outside of Amsterdam so I stayed there for the weekend. From there we went to Amsterdam on sat. The city was quite overwhelming, but I still enjoyed it immensley. One day was not nearly enough time to see all that A'dam had to offer. Today we drove to Der Haag. It was rainy and there was a marathon and a huge market and festival so it was veey busy as well and we only saw the city from the car. The little part of Holland I have seen has made me fall in love with the country. I love all the green, with grazing animals.
Luckily we decided to get to the train station early, because the line to get tickets was outrageous. (It turned out that the gentleman pointing us in the right direction put us in the wrong line) and this weekend only the trains back to Duessledorf are routed out of a different station! The last train of the night is the only one leaving from Amsterdam Centraal, so that is the one we get to take. We will get back later than expected but all is well :). Another week begins and so does another European adventure!
Saturday, May 24, 2008
where has this week gone!?!
It is hard to believe that the first week of the program has flown by!
On fri we went to see the Hill's manufacturing plant in Ettn-Leur. The entire process was quite interesting. Nutrition is such an important part of a pets life, but it is so easy to take for granted the high quality food that are available for our pets. While this plant was purely manufacturing not research, there is a lot of work and qualty control. As the jr Hill's rep, I get to visit the main Hill's plant in Topeka,Ka. After the trip fri I am looking forward to that trip to compare the 2 plants.
On fri we went to see the Hill's manufacturing plant in Ettn-Leur. The entire process was quite interesting. Nutrition is such an important part of a pets life, but it is so easy to take for granted the high quality food that are available for our pets. While this plant was purely manufacturing not research, there is a lot of work and qualty control. As the jr Hill's rep, I get to visit the main Hill's plant in Topeka,Ka. After the trip fri I am looking forward to that trip to compare the 2 plants.
Amsterdam!!!
Well Amsterdam is not what I expected for the most part. I think I had this simplistic idea of windmills, tulips, wooden shoes, and farms. While that is only a small taste of Holland, Amsterdam has so much more to offer...if you like it! I really do not think I ever fully grasped the reality of what the Red Light District really was until I saw it for myself. What a culture shock for a small town country girl! Needless, to say I don't think it is my kind of crowd, but Christine and I still found some great things to do in the day. We went to the Sex Museum, which turned out to be a very nice art gallery :) of the history of sex. Then we went to the Anne Frank House which was priceless. I never thought in my whole life that I would get to experience that, and if that was the only thing I did then my trip would be made. Lastly, we took a 1 hour boat cruise of the canals and the town. That was beautiful. I am glad that tomorrow we are heading back to Germany. I have had enough of this touristy city!
Amsterdam on the weekend
Europeans are a lot more accustomed to being in close proximity not only with one another but in how they live as well, it seems. Even more so here in The Netherlands where space is tight and so many want to be right in the middle of everything that is going on. Cynthia and I arrived yesterday and stayed the night with some friends of hers in a small city/suburb outside of Leiden called Katwijk. It was ideal to me - although cramped, everyone had little balconies or gardens, everyone was out biking or walking (seeningly all night long) and they escape to the North Sea beaches in the warmer months to stretch their legs. Not so in Amsterdam.
Here, everything is busy, frantic, packed with tourists speaking a hundred languages I've never heard and walking or biking every which-way. I'm not good in places like these, I don't like being hot and tired and being bumped into constantly by strangers. The houses lean in to one another here and even the canals that make me think this city is the Venice of The Netherlands and packed with boats and house boats and paddle boats and every other sort of watercraft. I even saw one boat shaped like the famous Dutch wooden shoe.
Compared to Dusseldorf, which is seeming more and more idyllic by the minute, this place is racousy, full of noise and confusion. Maybe because it is Saturday, maybe because I felt lost and confused a lot while walking around.
We we went to the Van Gogh museum, something I wanted to do because my mother is an artist and Van Gogh is her favorite. We also took a canal cruise, sitting in the back and letting the breeze blow on our faces as we saw 100 Amsterdam sights in 1 hour.
I am writing now from the train and the way back to Leiden, because I wanted to capture the frightening enormity of that city in my mind before I forget it. I am ready to spend tonight much like the last - in the cool evening air on someone's porch in the warmth of Dutch hospitality and food. I imagine my classmates are doing better than me than I am at the moment - I'm not feeling very brave or travel-worthy at the moment.
Tomorrow I hope to see the Hague before returning to Dusseldorf. My father has been there a lot (he works for the Dutch company Shell) and he always talks about how much he likes it. He said too, however, that he also liked Amsterdam, so I shall see how that goes. Most of all I am looking forward to going back to Germany. I feel secure there and comfortable and I am looking forward to getting back to the land of my ancestors.
Here, everything is busy, frantic, packed with tourists speaking a hundred languages I've never heard and walking or biking every which-way. I'm not good in places like these, I don't like being hot and tired and being bumped into constantly by strangers. The houses lean in to one another here and even the canals that make me think this city is the Venice of The Netherlands and packed with boats and house boats and paddle boats and every other sort of watercraft. I even saw one boat shaped like the famous Dutch wooden shoe.
Compared to Dusseldorf, which is seeming more and more idyllic by the minute, this place is racousy, full of noise and confusion. Maybe because it is Saturday, maybe because I felt lost and confused a lot while walking around.
We we went to the Van Gogh museum, something I wanted to do because my mother is an artist and Van Gogh is her favorite. We also took a canal cruise, sitting in the back and letting the breeze blow on our faces as we saw 100 Amsterdam sights in 1 hour.
I am writing now from the train and the way back to Leiden, because I wanted to capture the frightening enormity of that city in my mind before I forget it. I am ready to spend tonight much like the last - in the cool evening air on someone's porch in the warmth of Dutch hospitality and food. I imagine my classmates are doing better than me than I am at the moment - I'm not feeling very brave or travel-worthy at the moment.
Tomorrow I hope to see the Hague before returning to Dusseldorf. My father has been there a lot (he works for the Dutch company Shell) and he always talks about how much he likes it. He said too, however, that he also liked Amsterdam, so I shall see how that goes. Most of all I am looking forward to going back to Germany. I feel secure there and comfortable and I am looking forward to getting back to the land of my ancestors.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Hasta luego Dusseldorf...
The week is almost over and it has been one hell of a week. I came here to Germany not sure what to expect and already I'm loving my time here. There is so much to see and so much to do that its almost overwhelming. The first day or two was confusing and tiring because it took time to get used to the city, area, and country. The city of Dusseldorf is very nice and a fun place to visit. The city tour took us around to many of the places that are popular such as the old town and the rhine tower. I enjoyed walking down the river and taking a bunch of pictures of buildings, people, and the landscape. One of the things that surprised me about this city is how similar it is to my city of birth, Mexico City. I remember from my times visiting Mexico City quite vividly and there are certain things that I have seen here that remind me of my home town. For example, transportation around town is quite accessible and easy to use and Mexico City also has a tremendous public transport city. Riding the subway again brought back memories of the times I would take the subway to go to see my extended family in Mexico. The food is another big plus that I have grown to like so far. There is one particular food, the donner, that is very good for being a "street vendor" food. The way the cooks prepare the meal is also similar to one of my favorite foods in Mexico. The meat rotates on a rod and is slow cooked. In mexico, there is a dish called tacos al pastor that is also cooked the same way. I have also tried a variety of foods in the past few days from italian, to thai, to gourmet, to japanese. Today's meal included a delicious salmon and salad and then for dinner I ate at a japanese restaurant for the first time. I also learned, courtesy of Alice, how to use chopsticks....I didn't think I could ever learn after failing the past few tries. I will be forever thankful for that...so thanks Alice! Not much else to notice other than I love being here. I have been taking tons of pictures and so hopefully this summer I can have some of those pics printed. Its getting late now and we have an early day tomorrow for Amsterdam. This trip is going to tire me but definitely will be exciting. Until next time...
So far, so good...
Howdy folks,
Trisha Takanawa reporting live from Dusseldorf...(sorry for the inside joke,3rd yrs)
Anyway, I've been having a blast here in Europe. Everything has been so exciting and I can't take enough pictures. Austria was amazing to travel in before the trip started. As far as after the trip start, I have to say that yesterday was the best day I've had in Germany so far. I was completely surprised on our trip to the Dom in Koln. I had no idea we were going to be able to see such amazing religious relics. I couldn't believe it was right there in front of me. Then of course there was the El-De House. The tour by Marcus was fantastic. I really got the feeling of what happened in that building and what was going on in Germany in that time. It's amazing to think that it wasn't even that long ago and that Germany has come so far since then. Seeing the little drawings in the prison cell of the El-De House for me really brought WWII to life. You could almost imagine what the paranoid and fearful atmosphere must have been like. The Koln Zoo was absolutely amazing as well. I know I've said amazing a lot in the blog but being that close to a bear truly was amazing!! I loved the little elephant Marla as well. Her along with all the other zoo babies were so cute. Topping off the night with the soccer, or better football game at the pub was a truly European experience. That type of intense atmosphere could only be witnessed in Europe. After that most exciting game, I have to say that I am a bonafide Manchester United fan. Until next time, Glory, glory Man United!!!!!!
Trisha Takanawa reporting live from Dusseldorf...(sorry for the inside joke,3rd yrs)
Anyway, I've been having a blast here in Europe. Everything has been so exciting and I can't take enough pictures. Austria was amazing to travel in before the trip started. As far as after the trip start, I have to say that yesterday was the best day I've had in Germany so far. I was completely surprised on our trip to the Dom in Koln. I had no idea we were going to be able to see such amazing religious relics. I couldn't believe it was right there in front of me. Then of course there was the El-De House. The tour by Marcus was fantastic. I really got the feeling of what happened in that building and what was going on in Germany in that time. It's amazing to think that it wasn't even that long ago and that Germany has come so far since then. Seeing the little drawings in the prison cell of the El-De House for me really brought WWII to life. You could almost imagine what the paranoid and fearful atmosphere must have been like. The Koln Zoo was absolutely amazing as well. I know I've said amazing a lot in the blog but being that close to a bear truly was amazing!! I loved the little elephant Marla as well. Her along with all the other zoo babies were so cute. Topping off the night with the soccer, or better football game at the pub was a truly European experience. That type of intense atmosphere could only be witnessed in Europe. After that most exciting game, I have to say that I am a bonafide Manchester United fan. Until next time, Glory, glory Man United!!!!!!
So long Dusseldorf...
I'm truly enjoying my time here in Germany! I've enjoyed the local atmosphere and the differences in culture. Things such as the attitude towards dogs and there intensity toward football (soccer) have amazed me, and I'm excited I was able to be a part of it! The most frustrating thing to me, however, is the language! I wish I could speak or understand German better just to communicate with the people I meet and learn even more. It doesn't act as a barrier, or at least, it hasn't so far! I met a nice local man on the tram two days ago who shared his experiences in the United States with me, and I was able to share my experiences in Europe thus far with him. It's interesting the different perspectives we had on the states, which flipped places on Europe. He thought the states were a very safe place and picked up on the state rivalries that existed. I thought it was interesting that they had similar rivalries, like that between Dusseldorf and Cologne. The difference that exists between North and South Germany reminds me a lot of that between the northern and southern US. Another thing I found different, was the number of vet schools here, 5 throughout the total country is quite a lot, considering Germany is the size of Montana. The accessibility of the entire country and surrounding still amazes me and continues to do so as I head to The Netherlands tomorrow!
Dusseldorf to the Netherlands
Only four days into the program, and it seems like we've taken in months of sights and experiences! We have been staying in Dusseldorf, which in itself is a very fun and interesting city, (despite what the people of Cologne might say). We have also been to Cologne where we toured the Cologne Cathedral, the ElDe House, and the Cologne zoo. The zoo so far has been my favorite part of the trip. There we had the opportunity to have a behind the scenes tour where we got to pet/touch giraffes and baby elephants. It was absolutely amazing! Today we went to Koenigswiner were we climbed to see the castle ruins. The hike was intense, but the view was incredible! Tomorrow we leave for the Netherlands to tour Hills Pet Nutrition. The trip so far has been a ton of fun and I can't wait to see what the rest of the trip has in store!
a whirlwind tour of Duesseldorf
Wow so much has happened in such little time. We have mostly done touristy things sine we have been here, tomorrow starts more of the veterinary aspect of the program. The first day we toured the city of Duesseldorf. It amazes me how you can be surrounded by huge modern buildings and then a moment later be walking down a cobble stone road with building that belong in a quaint old town. We got to go up the Rhine tower to taken in the view 168 meters above the city, we could alost see Cologne from there.
The next day, wed, we went to Cologe and got a tour of the city and their cathedal. When we first walked out of the hauptbanhof (train station) the cathedral loomed in the skyline. At first glance it looked like a hollywood fascade because of the stark contrast between the cathedral and the blue and almost cloudless sky.we also toured the former headquarters for the natzi's, it is hard to describe thw emotion a place like that conjours up even in men some one who is not german abd the natzi reign was beforwe i was born.
The best part of Cologne would have to be the zoo. There is not one like it in the states. You were so close to all the animals. (One exhibit was of a racoon!) we gt to go behind the scenes of a few exhibits, i was less than 5 ft away from a grizzly, and got to touch a giraffe and baby elephant.
Then today we climb up to some ruins. The ruins themself weren't to spectacular but the climb had so breath taking views!
Just talking about everything makes me feel tired! We have dome a lot of walking, but i am getting more and more used to it. I should be in good shape by the time this trip is done! More later tomorrow is an extremely early morning
The next day, wed, we went to Cologe and got a tour of the city and their cathedal. When we first walked out of the hauptbanhof (train station) the cathedral loomed in the skyline. At first glance it looked like a hollywood fascade because of the stark contrast between the cathedral and the blue and almost cloudless sky.we also toured the former headquarters for the natzi's, it is hard to describe thw emotion a place like that conjours up even in men some one who is not german abd the natzi reign was beforwe i was born.
The best part of Cologne would have to be the zoo. There is not one like it in the states. You were so close to all the animals. (One exhibit was of a racoon!) we gt to go behind the scenes of a few exhibits, i was less than 5 ft away from a grizzly, and got to touch a giraffe and baby elephant.
Then today we climb up to some ruins. The ruins themself weren't to spectacular but the climb had so breath taking views!
Just talking about everything makes me feel tired! We have dome a lot of walking, but i am getting more and more used to it. I should be in good shape by the time this trip is done! More later tomorrow is an extremely early morning
Leaving Dusseldorf already?
I'm taking advantage of one last night with a convient next door to the hotel internet cafe to post. It's onlz been a couple of days since my last post, but they have been completely packed! Tuesday evening I walked back through Dusseldorf to the hotel, a good walk, and almost got lost. I don't mind getting lost midday, but at 8:30 it's a bit different. Fortunately, it stays light until almost 10 PM here.
Wednesday we visited Cologne, or Kohn, as the locals call it. Dusseldorf and Cologne have a major rivalry going on. Think A&M vs UT. but even more intense (yes, it is possible) Cologne was founded in 34 BC as the furthest outpost of the Roman Empire, so they have some majorly old and majorly cool Roman artifacts, including a tile floor that's in better shape than some I've seen in houses today. And it was over 200 years old! Cologne got bombed basically to rubble in WW2, but they rebuilt some of it in the old style. It's really weird to think that we the US and the other Allies were the ones that destroyed all those ancient and irreplaceable sites, but we can't really be sorry. Fortunately the Cathedral survived. It's really old, started building in the 1200s but not finished until the 1800s. It's absolutely magnificant, beautifully breathtaking, and whatever other superlatives you can imagine. It contains the remains of the three wise men. It also contains what is probably the only modern art stain glass in a cathedral. It is made of hundreds of little colored squares. The Cologners seem very proud of it.
In the afternoon, we went to the Cologne Zoo. We got a guided tour, and the poor lady didn't know what to do with a group of vet students that wanted to know if rhinos were hindgut fermenters! We still learned a lot, and got to get up close and personal with several of the animals. We talked to the bear keeper, and got within a couple of feet of an enormous brown bear. We got to touch the giraffes, and see a baby that was only a week or two old! We even got to go behind the scenes with the elephants. One of the babies came over and touched all our hands with his trunk. We got to see lots of other animals, including Okapi, monkeys, owls, rhinos, cheetahs, and the amazingly rare and cool animal, the raccoon. Yes, the Cologne zoo has an exhibit of raccoons. Several of us offered to ship them ours!
In the evening we went to an Irish pub and watched a football (sorry, soccer) game. It was a very exciting, evenly matched game that went into double overtime then a kickoff. I don't follow soccer, but I got to sit with a German lady who kindly answered some of my questions about Germany. I'm curious about the nontouristy things, like if German children get eggs from the Easter bunny and if people tend to stay in the same town their entire lives. The pub got rowdy and a bit smoky, and the men ended up singing by the end of the game. We finally left around midnight.
Today we slept in and then went to Bonn and some town I can't pronounce to take a cruise down the river then hike up a (small) mountain to see a castle and some ruins. It was a paved road we walked up, but it was about a mile of a 30 degree incline. I suspect there will be some sore legs tomorrow! The view at the top was absolutely breathtaking, though, and the ruins came with a story of some hero of a musical slaying a dragon there. There was a dragon marionette that would tell the story for a Euro, in German. Actually, I just assume that's what he was saying. The castle was beautiful, but under reconstruction so we couldn't see most of it. There was a museum about wildlife conservation on the grounds that was quite informative. The whole area seemed to be a very popular day trip for German familys, there were a lot of familys complete with pet dogs making the climb along with us. It was humbling to see the older people having less trouble with the hike than us, The castle was relatively new, built in the 1850s, and bombed in WW2. After a long hike back down the mountain, we were all ready to go back to the hotel and pack up to leave for the Netherlands tomorrow.
This post was probably way too long, but I wanted to write it all down so I can remember. Til next time!
Wednesday we visited Cologne, or Kohn, as the locals call it. Dusseldorf and Cologne have a major rivalry going on. Think A&M vs UT. but even more intense (yes, it is possible) Cologne was founded in 34 BC as the furthest outpost of the Roman Empire, so they have some majorly old and majorly cool Roman artifacts, including a tile floor that's in better shape than some I've seen in houses today. And it was over 200 years old! Cologne got bombed basically to rubble in WW2, but they rebuilt some of it in the old style. It's really weird to think that we the US and the other Allies were the ones that destroyed all those ancient and irreplaceable sites, but we can't really be sorry. Fortunately the Cathedral survived. It's really old, started building in the 1200s but not finished until the 1800s. It's absolutely magnificant, beautifully breathtaking, and whatever other superlatives you can imagine. It contains the remains of the three wise men. It also contains what is probably the only modern art stain glass in a cathedral. It is made of hundreds of little colored squares. The Cologners seem very proud of it.
In the afternoon, we went to the Cologne Zoo. We got a guided tour, and the poor lady didn't know what to do with a group of vet students that wanted to know if rhinos were hindgut fermenters! We still learned a lot, and got to get up close and personal with several of the animals. We talked to the bear keeper, and got within a couple of feet of an enormous brown bear. We got to touch the giraffes, and see a baby that was only a week or two old! We even got to go behind the scenes with the elephants. One of the babies came over and touched all our hands with his trunk. We got to see lots of other animals, including Okapi, monkeys, owls, rhinos, cheetahs, and the amazingly rare and cool animal, the raccoon. Yes, the Cologne zoo has an exhibit of raccoons. Several of us offered to ship them ours!
In the evening we went to an Irish pub and watched a football (sorry, soccer) game. It was a very exciting, evenly matched game that went into double overtime then a kickoff. I don't follow soccer, but I got to sit with a German lady who kindly answered some of my questions about Germany. I'm curious about the nontouristy things, like if German children get eggs from the Easter bunny and if people tend to stay in the same town their entire lives. The pub got rowdy and a bit smoky, and the men ended up singing by the end of the game. We finally left around midnight.
Today we slept in and then went to Bonn and some town I can't pronounce to take a cruise down the river then hike up a (small) mountain to see a castle and some ruins. It was a paved road we walked up, but it was about a mile of a 30 degree incline. I suspect there will be some sore legs tomorrow! The view at the top was absolutely breathtaking, though, and the ruins came with a story of some hero of a musical slaying a dragon there. There was a dragon marionette that would tell the story for a Euro, in German. Actually, I just assume that's what he was saying. The castle was beautiful, but under reconstruction so we couldn't see most of it. There was a museum about wildlife conservation on the grounds that was quite informative. The whole area seemed to be a very popular day trip for German familys, there were a lot of familys complete with pet dogs making the climb along with us. It was humbling to see the older people having less trouble with the hike than us, The castle was relatively new, built in the 1850s, and bombed in WW2. After a long hike back down the mountain, we were all ready to go back to the hotel and pack up to leave for the Netherlands tomorrow.
This post was probably way too long, but I wanted to write it all down so I can remember. Til next time!
soooo tired!
Wow so we just hiked up the steepest hill in germany...or at least that's what I'm calling it! It was definitely an adventure and konigswinter is beautiful. I really like the quaintness of it :) the ferry ride was really nice too. We've lucked out with weather really- hopefully that'll continue!
So far we've done the koln zoo and tour/castle and all the dusseldorf stuff. It's been tiring but great! Right now we're on the train back to dusseldorf to pack up and head to the netherlands tomorrow...
So far we've done the koln zoo and tour/castle and all the dusseldorf stuff. It's been tiring but great! Right now we're on the train back to dusseldorf to pack up and head to the netherlands tomorrow...
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Cologne
Today we went to Cologne to see the city, the cathedral, the EL-DE house and the zoo. Coming out of the hauptbahnhoff in Cologne, the cathedral seemed utterly surreal against the very clear, very blue sky. It almost looked like a Hollywood background, staged and cut out. I was suprised at how dirty it was on the outside, although we learned it is almost continually being reconstructed and cleaned.
The city itself was very beautiful, and although larger than Dusseldorf, it felt very small in the cathedral square. Personally, I like Dusseldorf better, but it may just be because I finally have some bearings around here.
The best part of the day was for sure the zoo. I have never been behind the scenes at a zoo before, and I am always fascinated by animals (probably why I am becoming a vet). I cannot believe how soft the giraffe was, nor how smart and ingenious elephants can be. My favorite was of course the bears, because I love bears and they remind me of big lumbering veggie-eating dogs. I will say that my heart was definitely racing when that brown bear was about 2 feet from my face - even if she was behind bars.
The most interesting animal in the zoo however, was the "waschbaer" or plain old racoon. I just saw one of those clever but grubby animals last week at Lake Sommerville and I certainly never expected to see one at a German zoo.
Well, that is all for now. Typing on the blackberry presents certain challenges and my thumbs are getting very tired. Also, I need to rest up for our hiking excursion to Drachenfels tomorrow.
The city itself was very beautiful, and although larger than Dusseldorf, it felt very small in the cathedral square. Personally, I like Dusseldorf better, but it may just be because I finally have some bearings around here.
The best part of the day was for sure the zoo. I have never been behind the scenes at a zoo before, and I am always fascinated by animals (probably why I am becoming a vet). I cannot believe how soft the giraffe was, nor how smart and ingenious elephants can be. My favorite was of course the bears, because I love bears and they remind me of big lumbering veggie-eating dogs. I will say that my heart was definitely racing when that brown bear was about 2 feet from my face - even if she was behind bars.
The most interesting animal in the zoo however, was the "waschbaer" or plain old racoon. I just saw one of those clever but grubby animals last week at Lake Sommerville and I certainly never expected to see one at a German zoo.
Well, that is all for now. Typing on the blackberry presents certain challenges and my thumbs are getting very tired. Also, I need to rest up for our hiking excursion to Drachenfels tomorrow.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Here already...
Well, the trip has been chock full already! My adventures started before I even reached Germany. I was laid over and bored in Chicago, so I started talking to some fellow travellers: a music major that just graduated from UT, a Mexican couple, and a lady going to join her husband in the United Arab Republic(?). Ten minutes later I had an email address and an invitation to go visit her in Awagabee(?) We got to Germany yesterday and spent the day getting acclimated. We learned how to use the transportation system and got our hotel rooms. Last night we took the Ubahn to an Italian restaurant. On the way we were greeted by a tipsy, expansively friendly German man who welcomed us to Germany and ended up hugging me and kissing the top of my head. Now that's a cultural experience. After a very long night's sleep, I felt much better. Today we walked all around Dusseldorf. There's artwork everywhere, from lion statues with the noses rubbed shiny from where the locals touch them for good luck, to ultra realistic statues of people, to very modern architecture in the buildings around the AIB. We went up a very tall tower and saw an overview of Dusseldorf. This afternoon I took off on my own. After wandering through residential areas for a while, I found a really cute park and watched the kids play. I went into a corner store and was amazed at the different fresh produce and fruits and meats there. I bought ice cream by pointing and smiling, and just generally wandered around looking at Dusseldorf, a bit away from major touristy areas. It was really great. This evening we had a welcome dinner at the AIB with the other group from the United States. Now, I'm looking forward to a good night's sleep and seeing Cologne tomorrow. I've heard that it's beautiful, and the cathedral and chocolate museum are very much worth seeing.
in the beginning... ("pre"blog)
alright sooo my post a little late because (as i think everyone has learned) i don't ever check my neo email account, ha! oops...anyway!
so this is actually my fourth trip to europe but my first time to any of the places we're going so i'm very excited! i think the biggest difference for me this time will be the language barrier. all of the other places i've been, i didn't really have a problem because either myself or someone i was traveling with spoke the language fluently so this is kind of a first for me. but i have my trusty little pocket guide to german that seems pretty helpful, so i'm trying. two of my personal goals are to 1) attempt to speak some german, and 2) attempt to not look american...today i failed with that second one! oh well...
so as far as what i'm expecting, culture-wise i feel like i'm fairly well prepared having been to europe a few times, but i have heard that germans tend to be very prompt, law-abiding, clean citizens so we'll see if that's accurate. i'm sure there will be plenty of museums and cathedrals as will other parts of europe, but i don't quite know what to expect with the company tours (bayer, novartis, etc).
i'm pretty excited to get to travel to new countries and for the challenge of trying to speak a new language! i'm especially excited to get to see germany because i feel like i have a connection to the heritage being part german, myself. and i know this doesnt have to do with the program itself, but my parents are coming over at the end which should be really fun and interesting because my dad used to live in germany when he was little! anyway, hope all goes well with the trip!!! here goes nothing...
so this is actually my fourth trip to europe but my first time to any of the places we're going so i'm very excited! i think the biggest difference for me this time will be the language barrier. all of the other places i've been, i didn't really have a problem because either myself or someone i was traveling with spoke the language fluently so this is kind of a first for me. but i have my trusty little pocket guide to german that seems pretty helpful, so i'm trying. two of my personal goals are to 1) attempt to speak some german, and 2) attempt to not look american...today i failed with that second one! oh well...
so as far as what i'm expecting, culture-wise i feel like i'm fairly well prepared having been to europe a few times, but i have heard that germans tend to be very prompt, law-abiding, clean citizens so we'll see if that's accurate. i'm sure there will be plenty of museums and cathedrals as will other parts of europe, but i don't quite know what to expect with the company tours (bayer, novartis, etc).
i'm pretty excited to get to travel to new countries and for the challenge of trying to speak a new language! i'm especially excited to get to see germany because i feel like i have a connection to the heritage being part german, myself. and i know this doesnt have to do with the program itself, but my parents are coming over at the end which should be really fun and interesting because my dad used to live in germany when he was little! anyway, hope all goes well with the trip!!! here goes nothing...
Monday, May 19, 2008
6 dazs and so many adventures!!
So the program starts today but i cant believe here for 6 days already. France was unbelieveable So green and so pretty. You can read many books and watch all the movies you want, but nothing can prepare you for how small you feel next to the eiffel tower. or for the exquiste detail of every building you pass, especially Catherdrals. It is indescribable how beautiful they are.
Berlin was fantastic too. Since I will be going there for a week through the program we saw things I dont think we will see on the program. I did see the wall, but I still cant imagine the emotions that it holds for Germans. After it came down they made a point to build in the dead zone to show they were moving forward, so it is hard to feel the barrenness that was the east side of the wall. None the less it left a great impression on me. We went to a small castle outside of town it was beautiful. Kind frederick built the gardens as a place of solitude where he could read his poems and practice his art. You could get lost in there! every corner we turned had a new surprise and new buildings to explore.
that is it for now, time to start the program!!!
Berlin was fantastic too. Since I will be going there for a week through the program we saw things I dont think we will see on the program. I did see the wall, but I still cant imagine the emotions that it holds for Germans. After it came down they made a point to build in the dead zone to show they were moving forward, so it is hard to feel the barrenness that was the east side of the wall. None the less it left a great impression on me. We went to a small castle outside of town it was beautiful. Kind frederick built the gardens as a place of solitude where he could read his poems and practice his art. You could get lost in there! every corner we turned had a new surprise and new buildings to explore.
that is it for now, time to start the program!!!
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Tomorrow!!!
Well its less than 24 hrs away! I just got done checking in online for my flight so its feeling more and more real! I actually got all my packing done the other night...okay actually I made my dad do it because he's an amazing packer. I'm sure my bags too big compared to everyone elses, but my family is lazy and no one saw little ole me carrying my clothes on my back. haha!! I'm really looking forward to the whole trip-- keeping my mind open that everything is going to be equally awesome. As everyone else said, I'm also looking forward to becoming closer friends with the group and meeting other vet students from Germany! I'm sad to say that I wont be making it on the bike trip... apparently I was born with out the "bike riding gene". For those of you who are going to ask, YES I tried my hardest, and it just didn't work out. ( i think being scared when i was little made me think all these years it was impossible- so now i have some weird block in my head). So yall will have to take lots of pics for me on that part of the trip! :O( Well off to spend some time with my family and puppy before tomorrow!! See everyone soon!
About to leave...
Well we are about to leave for Germany and I'm not sure what to expect. I'm excited but I'm also a little nervous about this trip. I also don't know what to expect from this trip but a couple things I am looking forward to is meeting new people and seeing new things. I do expect the people to be really nice and friendly and I also expect the overall trip to be really fun. I am most looking forward to seeing the cities and getting the chance to talk to the people at the school. I'm not sure what else to write about so this is it for me.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
2 days until Germany!!
I'm not leaving until Saturday, but the packing panic has started. I have never crammed so much stuff into compression packs and my backpack. Like everyone else I'm worried that I'm forgetting to pack things. I'm really excited about the group that's going and all the exciting things that are planned for us. I have been to Italy and Rome, but Germany will be new to me! I can't wait to learn about the culture and meet our veterinary host students! I really think this is going to be an amazing learning experience as well as a bunch of fun! Good luck with packing to everyone..a few people left today for the trip so best wishes to them! I can't wait to see all of you in a few days!!
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
I'm leavin, on a jet plane...
I can't beleive I leave tomorrow! While I have been to Europe before, it's always been with groups and a detailed schedule to fall back on and I'm just praying all the planning I've done falls into place. Right now, what concerns me most is getting to Dusseldorf with my luggage because of the quick connecting flight I'm going to have to make, but I'm just going to have faith that it'll get there.
Right after we land, I'm headed to Salzburg and I even rewatched the Sound of Music yesterday to prep myself for it! Of all things though, I cannot think of one thing I'm most excited about, every weekend is shaping out to be a grand adventure and every week looks to be just the same. I think the friendships and memories created by being there with my fellow students will be the most exciting! I'm off to get some last minute items so I'm ready to jet off tomorrow, see everyone in Europe!
Right after we land, I'm headed to Salzburg and I even rewatched the Sound of Music yesterday to prep myself for it! Of all things though, I cannot think of one thing I'm most excited about, every weekend is shaping out to be a grand adventure and every week looks to be just the same. I think the friendships and memories created by being there with my fellow students will be the most exciting! I'm off to get some last minute items so I'm ready to jet off tomorrow, see everyone in Europe!
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Are We There Yet?!
Well, considering that we are less than a week away from leaving you would think that I would feel more prepared, but unfortunately I do not! However, I will pull it all together quickly I hope! I recently had one of my returning flights cancelled which really put me into an anxiety attack! I sat on the phone with the airlines for 2 hours! But fortunately now have a flight home. Anyway. I am looking forward to this excursion. I have never travelled to Europe, and while I am a little nervous, I am also very excited. I am most ready to not only experience new cultures of three different countries, but also to see what veterinary medicine is like in those different countries. I am also looking forward to the historical sites that we will see. One of the most important ones to me will be seeing Anne Frank's hideout during WWII. I have always loved that era of time, and I can not believe that I will get to see a huge part of that history. I am also looking forward to meeting up with some of the Germany students that came to Texas. They were a great bunch of people with a world of knowledge.
Anyway...I guess I better go...I am actually going shopping today for some clothes for the trip. Shopping is always a great stress reliever! See all of you very soon!
Anyway...I guess I better go...I am actually going shopping today for some clothes for the trip. Shopping is always a great stress reliever! See all of you very soon!
Still packing....
Hey everyone,
I'm super excited about heading out for Europe but also getting a little anxious that I'm forgetting something or overpacking etc. What I expect the experience to be like is just like any other school excursion I've been on...and that is a fun exciting, experience where I get to learn about other cultures and see what life is like outside my Texan blinders. I am most looking forward to all the new people that we will meet overseas. I've been lucky to have always had good travels and met many amazing people while doing so. I expect to this trip to be no different. I can't wait to see all the sites and sounds of Europe since this is my first trip. It's exciting to me that I'm starting in Germany where most other folks start in London or Paris or another more toured area. It seems rich with history and being the history/museum junkie that I am I can't wait! Though I think Amsterdam's museums (i.e. sex or torture museum etc.) may just beat out history. Check it out: http://www.sexmuseumamsterdam.nl/index2.html
http://www.torturemuseum.com/content.html
Crazy!
Gotta keep packing!
See you all soon!
I'm super excited about heading out for Europe but also getting a little anxious that I'm forgetting something or overpacking etc. What I expect the experience to be like is just like any other school excursion I've been on...and that is a fun exciting, experience where I get to learn about other cultures and see what life is like outside my Texan blinders. I am most looking forward to all the new people that we will meet overseas. I've been lucky to have always had good travels and met many amazing people while doing so. I expect to this trip to be no different. I can't wait to see all the sites and sounds of Europe since this is my first trip. It's exciting to me that I'm starting in Germany where most other folks start in London or Paris or another more toured area. It seems rich with history and being the history/museum junkie that I am I can't wait! Though I think Amsterdam's museums (i.e. sex or torture museum etc.) may just beat out history. Check it out: http://www.sexmuseumamsterdam.nl/index2.html
http://www.torturemuseum.com/content.html
Crazy!
Gotta keep packing!
See you all soon!
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Almost time for Germany!
Howdy, everyone!
I'm looking forward to leaving on the trip this Sunday! It's been a bit hectic getting things put together to go, but I'm really looking forward to the trip. I love travelling to new places, and can't wait to see new things and meet new people, as well as get to know some of my classmates better. I am very excited about all the different things we are going to see. Here's to Germany!
Kimberly
I'm looking forward to leaving on the trip this Sunday! It's been a bit hectic getting things put together to go, but I'm really looking forward to the trip. I love travelling to new places, and can't wait to see new things and meet new people, as well as get to know some of my classmates better. I am very excited about all the different things we are going to see. Here's to Germany!
Kimberly
Leaving in just a few days!
I can't believe I am leaving in 2 days! Before the program starts I am going to Paris to do a quick tour and am getting unbelievably excited for the whole thing. I am already packed and ready to go.... at least I think so. I guess I will find out what I missed when I get over there.
I don't know what to expect when I get over there, or what I want to see the most. I hope to learn about the culture of Germany and the progression of veterinary medicine both in Europe and America. I can't wait to learn about how they take class and the similarities and differences between our schooling. We are so lucky they are going to teach us in English. I can't wait to learn some of their language, but I don't think I will be able to learn much in the short time I am over there. (new languages are not my specialty). I think I am most excited to meet the people. I love architecture, and history, but I think my favorite part about other countries are the people. If you get to know them, you learn a lot more about a country than by touring their famous landmarks.
This is it for now. wish me luck!
I don't know what to expect when I get over there, or what I want to see the most. I hope to learn about the culture of Germany and the progression of veterinary medicine both in Europe and America. I can't wait to learn about how they take class and the similarities and differences between our schooling. We are so lucky they are going to teach us in English. I can't wait to learn some of their language, but I don't think I will be able to learn much in the short time I am over there. (new languages are not my specialty). I think I am most excited to meet the people. I love architecture, and history, but I think my favorite part about other countries are the people. If you get to know them, you learn a lot more about a country than by touring their famous landmarks.
This is it for now. wish me luck!
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Before I go...
I will admit that my trip to Germany is the last thing on my mind right now. First Year is over and I'm busier, more tired and thinking about more things now than I did during finals week. I'm moving tomorrow, so I have to post today, and the next time I will have internet access will likely be after my flight has landed me in Europe.
I'm not sure yet what I expect my experience in Germany to be like. This will be my second time studying abroad, although my last excursion was to Costa Rica for 10 weeks on my own and for an internship. This isn't my first time in Europe, but it will be a first visit for me to all the countries we are traveling to. I expect it to be fun, I expect to learn a lot, and I expect to be tired by the time it's over after rushing madly about the country for three weeks. I just try and keep an open mind, and be easy going - something I'm much more prepared to do after my first study abroad experience.
I am most looking forward to going to Hanover. Not necessarily because of the horses, but rather for the countryside. I have it in my head that of all the places we are going to, it will be the best mix of a city with things to do and yet still wide-open spaces. I'm not a big-city type of person, I like hills and mountains and space between me and the people nearby. In the same way I am looking forward to visiting Switzerland - it's idyllic setting ingrained in my head from reading Heidi as a child - it too seems to be an open, green place. I think by the time we get back to Texas everything will be brown from the heat of summer, so I'm planning on soaking up enough green countryside to last me until next spring.
I am excited about visiting the country of my ancestors, about moving around in a society that prides itself on being punctual and organized like myself and learning yet another culture's view on animal medicine and care.
I'm not sure yet what I expect my experience in Germany to be like. This will be my second time studying abroad, although my last excursion was to Costa Rica for 10 weeks on my own and for an internship. This isn't my first time in Europe, but it will be a first visit for me to all the countries we are traveling to. I expect it to be fun, I expect to learn a lot, and I expect to be tired by the time it's over after rushing madly about the country for three weeks. I just try and keep an open mind, and be easy going - something I'm much more prepared to do after my first study abroad experience.
I am most looking forward to going to Hanover. Not necessarily because of the horses, but rather for the countryside. I have it in my head that of all the places we are going to, it will be the best mix of a city with things to do and yet still wide-open spaces. I'm not a big-city type of person, I like hills and mountains and space between me and the people nearby. In the same way I am looking forward to visiting Switzerland - it's idyllic setting ingrained in my head from reading Heidi as a child - it too seems to be an open, green place. I think by the time we get back to Texas everything will be brown from the heat of summer, so I'm planning on soaking up enough green countryside to last me until next spring.
I am excited about visiting the country of my ancestors, about moving around in a society that prides itself on being punctual and organized like myself and learning yet another culture's view on animal medicine and care.
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