While I have enjoyed traveling since I was very young (my grandmother took me to upstate New York with her every summer in the early 1980s) the study abroad program in Europe this summer was my first experience traveling alone. I felt nervous flying and taking trains across the country by myself, and perhaps rightfully so. Between experiencing rerouted flights, lost luggage, and trains with technical difficulties all in a country where I didn't speak the language, I pretty much feel like a travel mishap expert now.
But the pinnacle of my solo travel adventures definitely took place on the island of Norderney. Because I am no cyclist, I was left to wander the island on my own while the rest of the group took a bicycle tour. Although I felt a little nervous about being lost and alone in a place I'd never been before, those few hours by myself on the island left me feeling more independent and secure than I have ever felt before.
Although finding my way across a tiny island with a map and a shoreline to follow was not so difficult a task, it prepared me for navigating the streets of Amsterdam all on my own. And independently exploring Amsterdam left me feeling ready to find my way around Basel when I arrived three hours before the rest of the group.
Overall, this trip was so good for me. Not only do I feel like a more seasoned traveler, but I got to experience many cities, culture, and history in a way I could not have on a normal vacation. Add on top of the educational experiences my free time at WGT and visiting Oktober in Amsterdam, and the study abroad program was one hell of a trip. I would sign up to go again next year in a heart beat, if the school would let me. :)
Friday, July 30, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Reflections
22/07/2010
Oh, how I love Germany! I thoroughly enjoyed the trip and I am so thankful for my decision to apply for a spot. I had completed the application process immediately and did my best to stay updated on the trip details and make myself prepared for the journey, while working my way through my first year of veterinary school. A month has passed since I left Europe and it is nice to be home, but I very much look forward to going back to Germany someday. The great thing about Germany is not the good food or the comfortable weather, but rather the amazing people I encountered on this journey. Everyone had a very upbeat and positive attitude and I believe that is why Dr. Wasser fits in so well, as well as the main reason behind my opinion of the country as a whole. Only one old lady yelled at me during my whole time in Germany, and it was obvious that nobody seemed to like her anyway. A train conductor had given up his personal quarters and bed for me, the veterinarian at the Berlin Zoo had taken the time to give us a personal tour, we were allowed to physically greet elephants at the Cologne Zoo, and a man had shared personal stories regarding the Berlin Wall and his brother’s death. In contrast, I was fined fifty euros on a train in Italy when the ticket stamp machines were broken, and during a quick pass through Austria the man who checks tickets on the train charged us additional fines for not having purchased tickets ahead of time, even though we had never stopped in Austria, so it would have been impossible. In Berlin, Jule had invited me to hangout and meet some of her family and the surgery resident had reviewed equine case rounds in English so we could understand. In Hannover, Simon was an amazing host student and made sure I had everything I could want, another host student gave me a whole spool of thread so I could repair my ripped jeans, while another host student, Johanna, has recently sent me a card for my birthday. Everyone we met in Germany was always nice, helpful, and gave good directions. Olaf the program director assured we were always doing well, even after the trip had ended and we were traveling in Italy.
I remain in contact with the friends I have made and I have developed a great interest in Germany. I cheered for the German soccer team throughout the World Cup and I am planning to continue to learn to speak German. I really enjoy telling my friends about the great experiences I had in Germany and I would love to return there to study someday, such as for a residency. Knowing that I have great friends in Germany to visit, I look forward to returning to Germany the next chance that I get. I have also learned a great deal of techniques and skills that I hope to apply in practice in the future. A greater understanding of the holocaust and the lasting effects on Germans today is another thing I have gained from this whole trip. Germany may have great food and nice weather, but the main reason I am so eager to return is to visit the great people and my great friends!
-Knut
(a blog by Greg Hoyt)
Oh, how I love Germany! I thoroughly enjoyed the trip and I am so thankful for my decision to apply for a spot. I had completed the application process immediately and did my best to stay updated on the trip details and make myself prepared for the journey, while working my way through my first year of veterinary school. A month has passed since I left Europe and it is nice to be home, but I very much look forward to going back to Germany someday. The great thing about Germany is not the good food or the comfortable weather, but rather the amazing people I encountered on this journey. Everyone had a very upbeat and positive attitude and I believe that is why Dr. Wasser fits in so well, as well as the main reason behind my opinion of the country as a whole. Only one old lady yelled at me during my whole time in Germany, and it was obvious that nobody seemed to like her anyway. A train conductor had given up his personal quarters and bed for me, the veterinarian at the Berlin Zoo had taken the time to give us a personal tour, we were allowed to physically greet elephants at the Cologne Zoo, and a man had shared personal stories regarding the Berlin Wall and his brother’s death. In contrast, I was fined fifty euros on a train in Italy when the ticket stamp machines were broken, and during a quick pass through Austria the man who checks tickets on the train charged us additional fines for not having purchased tickets ahead of time, even though we had never stopped in Austria, so it would have been impossible. In Berlin, Jule had invited me to hangout and meet some of her family and the surgery resident had reviewed equine case rounds in English so we could understand. In Hannover, Simon was an amazing host student and made sure I had everything I could want, another host student gave me a whole spool of thread so I could repair my ripped jeans, while another host student, Johanna, has recently sent me a card for my birthday. Everyone we met in Germany was always nice, helpful, and gave good directions. Olaf the program director assured we were always doing well, even after the trip had ended and we were traveling in Italy.
I remain in contact with the friends I have made and I have developed a great interest in Germany. I cheered for the German soccer team throughout the World Cup and I am planning to continue to learn to speak German. I really enjoy telling my friends about the great experiences I had in Germany and I would love to return there to study someday, such as for a residency. Knowing that I have great friends in Germany to visit, I look forward to returning to Germany the next chance that I get. I have also learned a great deal of techniques and skills that I hope to apply in practice in the future. A greater understanding of the holocaust and the lasting effects on Germans today is another thing I have gained from this whole trip. Germany may have great food and nice weather, but the main reason I am so eager to return is to visit the great people and my great friends!
-Knut
(a blog by Greg Hoyt)
Monday, July 26, 2010
A Trip In Review
July 26, 2010
It has been about one month since I got home from this trip, and I’ve had some time to reflect on the experience. During this trip I had the opportunity to learn and observe how veterinary schools in Europe teach students, how veterinarians in European zoos and wildlife centers practice medicine, and how important events in Germany’s history have shaped the country. The most valuable part of the program for me was the time we spent with fellow veterinary students. For the first time in my life, I had the opportunity to make connections and form friendships with people in other countries. What I learned and saw about veterinary medicine during this trip gave me new ideas that I will be able to use throughout my career, and I hope that I will continue to have opportunities to work with people from other countries in the future.
To be honest, there were a few things about life in Europe that I found difficult to get used to. The bathrooms are weird. Paying to enter public restrooms was very weird. No free ketchup packets or drink refills made eating in restaurants a little weird. Constantly relying on public transportation was also weird. Having spent my entire life in Texas, this trip to Europe was my first ever experience with riding trains, buses, and subways all day long everyday. While I appreciate the environmental benefits, I did not find it more convenient or pleasant than driving my own car. On the contrary, I found the lack of freedom hard to deal with. One can only travel from one place to the next at certain times by certain routes, and the trip takes a certain amount of time. I much prefer the freedom my car gives me to go wherever I want whenever I want, even if it means paying for gas. However, the benefits of experiencing a new and different culture far outweigh my little bit of culture shock.
Looking back on the entire program, I think this was a great way for me to get my feet wet. Before I went on this trip, I definitely would not have felt comfortable traveling in Europe and could not even have imagined it was a possibility for me. This program has made one of my dreams a reality, and I cannot wait to go back to Europe again! I love Germany!
It has been about one month since I got home from this trip, and I’ve had some time to reflect on the experience. During this trip I had the opportunity to learn and observe how veterinary schools in Europe teach students, how veterinarians in European zoos and wildlife centers practice medicine, and how important events in Germany’s history have shaped the country. The most valuable part of the program for me was the time we spent with fellow veterinary students. For the first time in my life, I had the opportunity to make connections and form friendships with people in other countries. What I learned and saw about veterinary medicine during this trip gave me new ideas that I will be able to use throughout my career, and I hope that I will continue to have opportunities to work with people from other countries in the future.
To be honest, there were a few things about life in Europe that I found difficult to get used to. The bathrooms are weird. Paying to enter public restrooms was very weird. No free ketchup packets or drink refills made eating in restaurants a little weird. Constantly relying on public transportation was also weird. Having spent my entire life in Texas, this trip to Europe was my first ever experience with riding trains, buses, and subways all day long everyday. While I appreciate the environmental benefits, I did not find it more convenient or pleasant than driving my own car. On the contrary, I found the lack of freedom hard to deal with. One can only travel from one place to the next at certain times by certain routes, and the trip takes a certain amount of time. I much prefer the freedom my car gives me to go wherever I want whenever I want, even if it means paying for gas. However, the benefits of experiencing a new and different culture far outweigh my little bit of culture shock.
Looking back on the entire program, I think this was a great way for me to get my feet wet. Before I went on this trip, I definitely would not have felt comfortable traveling in Europe and could not even have imagined it was a possibility for me. This program has made one of my dreams a reality, and I cannot wait to go back to Europe again! I love Germany!
Italy
June 18, 2010
After the program officially ended Greg and I stayed another day in Berlin before flying to Italy. While we were still in Berlin, we visited the Checkpoint Charlie Museum and the Berlin Aquarium. I thought the Checkpoint Charlie Museum was incredible! It was filled with inventions that people from East Berlin had used to escape through the Berlin Wall into West Berlin, and all of the walls were completely covered with news articles—plus English and French translations—on escapees and other historical events. The Berlin Aquarium is separate from the zoo and has three floors, including reptiles, amphibians, insects, and arachnids in addition to all the fish. We went through the whole entire building; the size of some of the tanks and the diversity of the animals made it a pretty impressive aquarium!
Our trip through Italy began in Rome, where we saw the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Vatican Museum. The Colosseum looks amazing when it is lit up at night, but during the day one can plainly see that years of pollution have turned the stone black. We could also see where visitors had carved names and messages into the stone over the years. I really enjoyed our visit to the Vatican, however, because I was able to see the Sistine Chapel. Next we traveled by train to Pisa, where we saw the leaning tower. Although Pisa is a small town, getting from the train station to our hostel turned out to be quite difficult due to unreliable buses and confusing directions. I liked Pisa though, and after climbing the tower’s slippery, uneven stairs I decided the view from the top was well worth the effort. Our last stop was Venice, where we got lost wandering through the incredibly narrow unmarked streets, each one reaching an inevitable dead-end at a canal. This was entertaining for awhile, but after spending an entire day lost in this maze, which is spread out over multiple islands, I had had enough. Our experience with the transportation system in Venice was no better than in Pisa. On our train-ride back to mainland Venice and the hotel, we were fined fifty euros for not having stamped our tickets due to a machine malfunction. The tickets were worth one euro each.
Overall, I felt that the atmosphere in Italy was surprisingly different from that of Germany, for several reasons. First, everything I had heard about Italy made me think the scenery would be breathtakingly beautiful, but I was disappointed. For me, Rome felt too big, too hectic, and too dirty to really be enjoyable. I think the city in general, including such historical sites as the Colosseum, could be better cared for. I also believe the trains and buses in Italy were not as well run as those in Germany and the other countries we visited. Most of the people we met in Italy seemed tired of dealing with tourists, which is understandable. The places we visited were all swarming with tourists like us, confused and unable to speak Italian. Looking back at the past month, I had a better time in Germany than I did in Italy, but this could be because of the particular places in Italy I saw. There are many other sites in Italy I have yet to see, and I hope I will get the chance to return someday.
After the program officially ended Greg and I stayed another day in Berlin before flying to Italy. While we were still in Berlin, we visited the Checkpoint Charlie Museum and the Berlin Aquarium. I thought the Checkpoint Charlie Museum was incredible! It was filled with inventions that people from East Berlin had used to escape through the Berlin Wall into West Berlin, and all of the walls were completely covered with news articles—plus English and French translations—on escapees and other historical events. The Berlin Aquarium is separate from the zoo and has three floors, including reptiles, amphibians, insects, and arachnids in addition to all the fish. We went through the whole entire building; the size of some of the tanks and the diversity of the animals made it a pretty impressive aquarium!
Our trip through Italy began in Rome, where we saw the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Vatican Museum. The Colosseum looks amazing when it is lit up at night, but during the day one can plainly see that years of pollution have turned the stone black. We could also see where visitors had carved names and messages into the stone over the years. I really enjoyed our visit to the Vatican, however, because I was able to see the Sistine Chapel. Next we traveled by train to Pisa, where we saw the leaning tower. Although Pisa is a small town, getting from the train station to our hostel turned out to be quite difficult due to unreliable buses and confusing directions. I liked Pisa though, and after climbing the tower’s slippery, uneven stairs I decided the view from the top was well worth the effort. Our last stop was Venice, where we got lost wandering through the incredibly narrow unmarked streets, each one reaching an inevitable dead-end at a canal. This was entertaining for awhile, but after spending an entire day lost in this maze, which is spread out over multiple islands, I had had enough. Our experience with the transportation system in Venice was no better than in Pisa. On our train-ride back to mainland Venice and the hotel, we were fined fifty euros for not having stamped our tickets due to a machine malfunction. The tickets were worth one euro each.
Overall, I felt that the atmosphere in Italy was surprisingly different from that of Germany, for several reasons. First, everything I had heard about Italy made me think the scenery would be breathtakingly beautiful, but I was disappointed. For me, Rome felt too big, too hectic, and too dirty to really be enjoyable. I think the city in general, including such historical sites as the Colosseum, could be better cared for. I also believe the trains and buses in Italy were not as well run as those in Germany and the other countries we visited. Most of the people we met in Italy seemed tired of dealing with tourists, which is understandable. The places we visited were all swarming with tourists like us, confused and unable to speak Italian. Looking back at the past month, I had a better time in Germany than I did in Italy, but this could be because of the particular places in Italy I saw. There are many other sites in Italy I have yet to see, and I hope I will get the chance to return someday.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Italy – Free Time
15/06/2010
We headed to Hannover by train and arrived at Simon’s apartment in time to enjoy a cookout. It was great to just relax in the company of great friends. Early the next morning we got back on the train and boarded the plane to Rome. After a short flight and a train to the central station, we walked in search of our hostel. The address we had was correct, but the building was unmarked and check-in was held at another hotel that was several blocks away. The luggage had become quite heavy by this time of the trip. We enjoyed our first real Italian meal and settled down for the night. The following afternoon we set out on an audio guided bus tour of the city. We traveled to the Colosseum that evening to view this massive structure and appreciate the Roman architecture against the night sky. The following day included a detailed tour of the Colosseum. I was shocked to find it was dirty and vandalized with engraved graffiti. Before leaving Rome, we visited the Vatican Museum.
Pisa was a smaller town, but the famous Leaning Tower was an enjoyable sight. The tower was visible from our room window. As we ascended the spiral stairs of the tower, the lean was quite obvious. We wrapped up our trip with a visit to Venice and the surrounding islands. The ancient buildings were separated by narrow alleyways and boats traveled its many waterways.
On our way back to the Bonn Airport, we stopped at the Munich Train Station where we watched the television as the German World Cup soccer team won with four goals. The excitement displayed within the train station was truly amazing and I was jealous that I had never observed that much excitement in the United States regarding a soccer game. After our arrival in Bonn we met up with Dr. Wasser and Olaf for lunch by the Rhine River. We spent the afternoon searching for a few more souvenirs. We stayed in the AIB student dormitory that last night. We were both ready to return home by this point, for even as much as we enjoyed Germany, I was looking forward to my own bed and seeing my pets.
-Knut
(a blog by Greg Hoyt)
We headed to Hannover by train and arrived at Simon’s apartment in time to enjoy a cookout. It was great to just relax in the company of great friends. Early the next morning we got back on the train and boarded the plane to Rome. After a short flight and a train to the central station, we walked in search of our hostel. The address we had was correct, but the building was unmarked and check-in was held at another hotel that was several blocks away. The luggage had become quite heavy by this time of the trip. We enjoyed our first real Italian meal and settled down for the night. The following afternoon we set out on an audio guided bus tour of the city. We traveled to the Colosseum that evening to view this massive structure and appreciate the Roman architecture against the night sky. The following day included a detailed tour of the Colosseum. I was shocked to find it was dirty and vandalized with engraved graffiti. Before leaving Rome, we visited the Vatican Museum.
Pisa was a smaller town, but the famous Leaning Tower was an enjoyable sight. The tower was visible from our room window. As we ascended the spiral stairs of the tower, the lean was quite obvious. We wrapped up our trip with a visit to Venice and the surrounding islands. The ancient buildings were separated by narrow alleyways and boats traveled its many waterways.
On our way back to the Bonn Airport, we stopped at the Munich Train Station where we watched the television as the German World Cup soccer team won with four goals. The excitement displayed within the train station was truly amazing and I was jealous that I had never observed that much excitement in the United States regarding a soccer game. After our arrival in Bonn we met up with Dr. Wasser and Olaf for lunch by the Rhine River. We spent the afternoon searching for a few more souvenirs. We stayed in the AIB student dormitory that last night. We were both ready to return home by this point, for even as much as we enjoyed Germany, I was looking forward to my own bed and seeing my pets.
-Knut
(a blog by Greg Hoyt)
Friday, July 23, 2010
Berlin
June 5, 2010
Berlin is an amazing city and one of my favorite places out of the whole trip! There is so much to see and do, and I never expected to learn as much history while staying here as I have. At the veterinary school our group split up, and I chose to join the group visiting the equine clinic. Our tour was a little confusing, but I enjoyed it. Our student guide took us to the equine surgical rounds, which was all in German, but the radiographs were pretty self-explanatory. Next, we toured the barns and watched a surgery—a bilateral neurectomy for a case of chronic incurable lameness. Their facilities looked like they were old but still in good working order. I was disturbed, though, when I observed several breaks in sterile technique during the surgical prep and procedure. We ate lunch with the students, and then instead of going on the bike tour I went with Kat to “Museum Island,” a group of several museums all together in one convenient location. We started with the Neues Museum and did not have time to see everything—the place was huge, and it was just one of the museums there! We saw most of their Egyptian collection, however, and the best part was the bust of Nefertiti. It is amazing that something so old is still in such good condition.
The tour of Sachsenhausen, a former concentration camp, was a very powerful experience for me. I had never visited a concentration camp before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect or how to react. During our tour, we learned that this camp was an early one that served as a model for later, bigger camps and was used mostly for political prisoners. After the war, it was used by the Soviets for their political prisoners. People were kept there for long periods of time and forced to work. There is a sign across the entrance that reads, “Arbeit Macht Frei” which in English means, “work will set you free.” Our guide told us that prisoners thought if they worked hard enough for long enough, they could actually earn their freedom. After seeing the conditions in which prisoners lived and the way they were treated, I left wondering how anyone could subject another human being to that kind of treatment.
I also learned more about the Berlin Wall and what life was like for people when the city was divided. For the first time, I stopped to really think about how long the Wall stood and how recently it was taken down. We went up inside one of the towers and saw a piece that has been left standing as a memorial, but I think what really moved me were all the stories we heard about people who tried to escape through it. People came up with all kinds of inventive schemes to get through the Wall from East Berlin to West Berlin, many of which were successful.
That afternoon we had some free time, so I went back to “Museum Island” to see some more museums. I went with Greg to the Pergamon Museum to see the Pergamon Alter and the Ishtar Gate. I was amazed to find these massive structures built into the rooms of the museum!
On the last day of the program we visited the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research. We toured their facilities where they showed us their amazing CT, which is incredibly fast and powerful, and taught us to use a blowgun dart. We also learned about one of their current projects, preserving Sumatran Rhinos. Later that afternoon we finally got to see the Berlin zoo! During our tour we saw the zoo’s veterinary facilities and Knut the world-famous polar bear, and we were even allowed to feed the hippos. That evening we all had a wonderful dinner together at a Moroccan restaurant. It was a great ending to a great program!
Berlin is an amazing city and one of my favorite places out of the whole trip! There is so much to see and do, and I never expected to learn as much history while staying here as I have. At the veterinary school our group split up, and I chose to join the group visiting the equine clinic. Our tour was a little confusing, but I enjoyed it. Our student guide took us to the equine surgical rounds, which was all in German, but the radiographs were pretty self-explanatory. Next, we toured the barns and watched a surgery—a bilateral neurectomy for a case of chronic incurable lameness. Their facilities looked like they were old but still in good working order. I was disturbed, though, when I observed several breaks in sterile technique during the surgical prep and procedure. We ate lunch with the students, and then instead of going on the bike tour I went with Kat to “Museum Island,” a group of several museums all together in one convenient location. We started with the Neues Museum and did not have time to see everything—the place was huge, and it was just one of the museums there! We saw most of their Egyptian collection, however, and the best part was the bust of Nefertiti. It is amazing that something so old is still in such good condition.
The tour of Sachsenhausen, a former concentration camp, was a very powerful experience for me. I had never visited a concentration camp before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect or how to react. During our tour, we learned that this camp was an early one that served as a model for later, bigger camps and was used mostly for political prisoners. After the war, it was used by the Soviets for their political prisoners. People were kept there for long periods of time and forced to work. There is a sign across the entrance that reads, “Arbeit Macht Frei” which in English means, “work will set you free.” Our guide told us that prisoners thought if they worked hard enough for long enough, they could actually earn their freedom. After seeing the conditions in which prisoners lived and the way they were treated, I left wondering how anyone could subject another human being to that kind of treatment.
I also learned more about the Berlin Wall and what life was like for people when the city was divided. For the first time, I stopped to really think about how long the Wall stood and how recently it was taken down. We went up inside one of the towers and saw a piece that has been left standing as a memorial, but I think what really moved me were all the stories we heard about people who tried to escape through it. People came up with all kinds of inventive schemes to get through the Wall from East Berlin to West Berlin, many of which were successful.
That afternoon we had some free time, so I went back to “Museum Island” to see some more museums. I went with Greg to the Pergamon Museum to see the Pergamon Alter and the Ishtar Gate. I was amazed to find these massive structures built into the rooms of the museum!
On the last day of the program we visited the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research. We toured their facilities where they showed us their amazing CT, which is incredibly fast and powerful, and taught us to use a blowgun dart. We also learned about one of their current projects, preserving Sumatran Rhinos. Later that afternoon we finally got to see the Berlin zoo! During our tour we saw the zoo’s veterinary facilities and Knut the world-famous polar bear, and we were even allowed to feed the hippos. That evening we all had a wonderful dinner together at a Moroccan restaurant. It was a great ending to a great program!
Berlin
05/06/2010
The plane flight to Berlin began with a bad start. I was required to pay 22 euros for an extra bag, because the maximum size restrictions for a carry-on bag are smaller than in the United States. Things quickly became much better that evening when we arrived at a very nice yet simple hotel.
The next day we met Jule, a veterinarian who recently graduated from Berlin and had visited Texas A&M on a previous exchange trip. We split into two groups and I elected to go on the equine option. We had some time to speak with the students that were in the clinics while their professors were in a meeting. Some German veterinary students start veterinary school in Budapest, Hungary for their first few years. Morning rounds were conducted in German, but I really enjoyed looking at the radiographs. After rounds we were taken to some cases by the surgery resident who spoke to us and the German students in English. He then invited us to observe a bilateral neurectomy. I learned through conversation that some residencies are accepted in both the United States and Europe, but that a European residency in surgery for example is not recognized in the United States. I hope this changes with time. We need to work together to maximize progress. Berlin has much culture and diversity and I would love to study here! I was told that I must learn to speak German first. I ate lunch with several of the veterinary students. That evening we took a pleasant bicycle tour of the city.
The next day we toured a museum that is a former concentration camp. I was flooded with emotions during the visit. We reunited with our tour guide from the previous evening to visit a few more sites. The concept of the Berlin Wall is almost hard to believe. We then headed to “Museum Island” where admission was free for the last few hours. I was very impressed by the architecture I witnessed inside. We had hopes of visiting the Reichstage before it closed for the evening, but the waiting line was very long when we arrived and in short we were informed that there would not be enough time for us to enter.
The Zoo & Wildlife Research Institute we visited the following day was very exciting. The researchers work hard to help study and preserve endangered species. I would love to work there someday. We all had one turn to shoot a blowgun dart, which was awesome. I’m a huge fan of tranquilizer guns. After a quick lunch we headed to the Berlin Zoo. It was great to have the zoo veterinarian show us all around! We also met Knut the polar bear, from a distance of course. The scheduled trip ended with a delicious dinner at a Moroccan restaurant, compliments of Dr. Wasser. I could hardly believe how quickly the last three weeks had passed. I went out that night with a fellow student, Jule, her sister and cousin. It’s great to hang out with friends from another country.
While the trip was now officially over, I still had some more time before I was ready to leave. My friend Sarah and I had booked our return flight so that we would have some more time in Europe. Wanting to see Italy, we scheduled an inexpensive flight from Hannover to Rome. We decided to first visit the Checkpoint Charlie Museum and the Berlin Aquarium before boarding a train back to Hannover. At the Checkpoint Charlie Museum it was interesting to sell all of the different ways that people had escaped from East Berlin. The risks that escapees took emphasize how extreme the situation had been. The Berlin Aquarium was quite a different site. A different collection of organisms was housed on each of three different levels including insects, amphibians and reptiles, and fish and marine-life.
-Knut
(a blog by Greg Hoyt)
The plane flight to Berlin began with a bad start. I was required to pay 22 euros for an extra bag, because the maximum size restrictions for a carry-on bag are smaller than in the United States. Things quickly became much better that evening when we arrived at a very nice yet simple hotel.
The next day we met Jule, a veterinarian who recently graduated from Berlin and had visited Texas A&M on a previous exchange trip. We split into two groups and I elected to go on the equine option. We had some time to speak with the students that were in the clinics while their professors were in a meeting. Some German veterinary students start veterinary school in Budapest, Hungary for their first few years. Morning rounds were conducted in German, but I really enjoyed looking at the radiographs. After rounds we were taken to some cases by the surgery resident who spoke to us and the German students in English. He then invited us to observe a bilateral neurectomy. I learned through conversation that some residencies are accepted in both the United States and Europe, but that a European residency in surgery for example is not recognized in the United States. I hope this changes with time. We need to work together to maximize progress. Berlin has much culture and diversity and I would love to study here! I was told that I must learn to speak German first. I ate lunch with several of the veterinary students. That evening we took a pleasant bicycle tour of the city.
The next day we toured a museum that is a former concentration camp. I was flooded with emotions during the visit. We reunited with our tour guide from the previous evening to visit a few more sites. The concept of the Berlin Wall is almost hard to believe. We then headed to “Museum Island” where admission was free for the last few hours. I was very impressed by the architecture I witnessed inside. We had hopes of visiting the Reichstage before it closed for the evening, but the waiting line was very long when we arrived and in short we were informed that there would not be enough time for us to enter.
The Zoo & Wildlife Research Institute we visited the following day was very exciting. The researchers work hard to help study and preserve endangered species. I would love to work there someday. We all had one turn to shoot a blowgun dart, which was awesome. I’m a huge fan of tranquilizer guns. After a quick lunch we headed to the Berlin Zoo. It was great to have the zoo veterinarian show us all around! We also met Knut the polar bear, from a distance of course. The scheduled trip ended with a delicious dinner at a Moroccan restaurant, compliments of Dr. Wasser. I could hardly believe how quickly the last three weeks had passed. I went out that night with a fellow student, Jule, her sister and cousin. It’s great to hang out with friends from another country.
While the trip was now officially over, I still had some more time before I was ready to leave. My friend Sarah and I had booked our return flight so that we would have some more time in Europe. Wanting to see Italy, we scheduled an inexpensive flight from Hannover to Rome. We decided to first visit the Checkpoint Charlie Museum and the Berlin Aquarium before boarding a train back to Hannover. At the Checkpoint Charlie Museum it was interesting to sell all of the different ways that people had escaped from East Berlin. The risks that escapees took emphasize how extreme the situation had been. The Berlin Aquarium was quite a different site. A different collection of organisms was housed on each of three different levels including insects, amphibians and reptiles, and fish and marine-life.
-Knut
(a blog by Greg Hoyt)
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Basel
June 5, 2010
For most of our stay in Basel, I was in the hospital. I had been sick all weekend, so when I arrived in Basel Sunday night Dr. Wasser sent me to the emergency room. At this point I knew something was wrong, and when the results from my blood work came back I understood why I had been feeling so tired. In addition to acute gastroenteritis, I was moderately anemic. My pancreatic enzymes were also elevated, meaning my gastroenteritis might actually be a symptom of underlying pancreatitis. It was interesting to observe the differences between Swiss medicine and American medicine. In my experience, many of the doctors I have seen in America tend to prescribe antibiotics first and run tests later, only if the antibiotic does not solve the problem. Doctors here, on the other hand, seem much less willing to prescribe antibiotics. In my case, they wanted to rule out pancreatitis first, which meant more blood tests for pancreatic enzymes, abdominal ultrasound, and tests for various bacteria and protozoa to determine the causative agent. However, an antibiotic would have interfered with enough of these tests to keep the doctors from being able to definitively rule pancreatitis in or out. Not only that, but, obviously, if I had no infection then antibiotics would be unnecessary. It was late at night, though, and I explained that I would only be in Basel until Tuesday afternoon, so I was given an antibiotic under the condition that I come back in the morning to have my pancreatic enzymes rechecked.
Monday morning, while the rest of the group toured Novartis, the program director Olaf and I went back to the hospital. After another round of blood samples were taken, we saw that my pancreatic enzymes were lower but still too high, and the antibiotic in my system prevented the doctors from running any further tests. Still hoping someone would get to the bottom of this, they sent me away with instructions to see a doctor as soon as I finished my antibiotic and also a letter describing my medical problems and outlining their diagnostic testing plan—in German—for that doctor. I found it ironic that for the first time in my life I had doctors who are actually trying to figure out what was wrong with me instead of blinding giving me drugs, and I didn’t have time to let them work.
Although I missed the tour of Novartis because of all this, I was still able to attend the city tour the next day. I really enjoyed this tour—it was a nice day and Basel is a beautiful city! I loved all the fountains, and I was amazed to learn that all the water from them is safe to drink!
For most of our stay in Basel, I was in the hospital. I had been sick all weekend, so when I arrived in Basel Sunday night Dr. Wasser sent me to the emergency room. At this point I knew something was wrong, and when the results from my blood work came back I understood why I had been feeling so tired. In addition to acute gastroenteritis, I was moderately anemic. My pancreatic enzymes were also elevated, meaning my gastroenteritis might actually be a symptom of underlying pancreatitis. It was interesting to observe the differences between Swiss medicine and American medicine. In my experience, many of the doctors I have seen in America tend to prescribe antibiotics first and run tests later, only if the antibiotic does not solve the problem. Doctors here, on the other hand, seem much less willing to prescribe antibiotics. In my case, they wanted to rule out pancreatitis first, which meant more blood tests for pancreatic enzymes, abdominal ultrasound, and tests for various bacteria and protozoa to determine the causative agent. However, an antibiotic would have interfered with enough of these tests to keep the doctors from being able to definitively rule pancreatitis in or out. Not only that, but, obviously, if I had no infection then antibiotics would be unnecessary. It was late at night, though, and I explained that I would only be in Basel until Tuesday afternoon, so I was given an antibiotic under the condition that I come back in the morning to have my pancreatic enzymes rechecked.
Monday morning, while the rest of the group toured Novartis, the program director Olaf and I went back to the hospital. After another round of blood samples were taken, we saw that my pancreatic enzymes were lower but still too high, and the antibiotic in my system prevented the doctors from running any further tests. Still hoping someone would get to the bottom of this, they sent me away with instructions to see a doctor as soon as I finished my antibiotic and also a letter describing my medical problems and outlining their diagnostic testing plan—in German—for that doctor. I found it ironic that for the first time in my life I had doctors who are actually trying to figure out what was wrong with me instead of blinding giving me drugs, and I didn’t have time to let them work.
Although I missed the tour of Novartis because of all this, I was still able to attend the city tour the next day. I really enjoyed this tour—it was a nice day and Basel is a beautiful city! I loved all the fountains, and I was amazed to learn that all the water from them is safe to drink!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Based in Basel, Switzerland
01/06/2010
We arrived by train in Basel, Switzerland. We checked in to a very nice Ramada Hotel, which we later learned from our tour guide is the tallest building in all of Switzerland.
In the morning we walked to the headquarters of Novartis, a pharmaceutical company which makes many drugs and CIBA contact lenses. I like how they have their own strict rules, so they do not have to worry about laws when introducing products to new countries. The building had very nice laboratory facilities and we learned about the process of drug development and marketing. We then boarded a large van and traveled an hour to their research station. After a lovely lunch that included a local pastry dish, we took a tour of their parasite breeding facilities, animal housing, and research rooms. I was very impressed. There is an artificial cat that was developed to raise fleas, which are needed to test flea protection products. This is a great substitute to replace the need for a live cat in the rearing of fleas.
We began the next day with a tour of Basel. It was great to have the opportunity to observe another culture. When the tour ended, my classmate Kat and I visited a natural history museum which contained Roman and Egyptian remains. I had never seen an actual preserved mummy before and it was very exciting.
-Knut
(a blog by Greg Hoyt)
We arrived by train in Basel, Switzerland. We checked in to a very nice Ramada Hotel, which we later learned from our tour guide is the tallest building in all of Switzerland.
In the morning we walked to the headquarters of Novartis, a pharmaceutical company which makes many drugs and CIBA contact lenses. I like how they have their own strict rules, so they do not have to worry about laws when introducing products to new countries. The building had very nice laboratory facilities and we learned about the process of drug development and marketing. We then boarded a large van and traveled an hour to their research station. After a lovely lunch that included a local pastry dish, we took a tour of their parasite breeding facilities, animal housing, and research rooms. I was very impressed. There is an artificial cat that was developed to raise fleas, which are needed to test flea protection products. This is a great substitute to replace the need for a live cat in the rearing of fleas.
We began the next day with a tour of Basel. It was great to have the opportunity to observe another culture. When the tour ended, my classmate Kat and I visited a natural history museum which contained Roman and Egyptian remains. I had never seen an actual preserved mummy before and it was very exciting.
-Knut
(a blog by Greg Hoyt)
Norderney
May 31, 2010
Norderney surprised me. It started off just like the rest of the trip so far. We visited the seal center in Nordeich where were taken behind the scenes to see their veterinary facilities and learned about some new veterinary products being used there, including a portable machine for blood work. We also visited the Walloseum, which contained a skeleton of a huge whale. Then we geared up for our hike to Norderney, the part of the trip that really caught me off guard. It was not exactly what I had in mind when I signed up for this study abroad trip, but it was truly an amazing experience. Norderney is one of several small islands just a few miles off the coast of Germany and the Netherlands. At low tide, the water between the mainland and the islands is completely receded and people can walk through the mud to the islands before the tide comes back in. This is assuming they are in good shape, however. Having spent the past two weeks running around Europe carrying my luggage, I already knew I was not in very good shape. Veterinary school forced me to study instead of work out, and I had not been feeling one hundred percent since I got sick in Hannover, so I really wasn’t sure I would make it. It was also very cold and windy, and I hate the cold. However, our guide showed us many different plants and animals that I had never seen before, and after just a few minutes into our trek I quit thinking about the cold wind. The mud was the deepest, stickiest stuff I have ever tried to walk through, with “tried” being the key word. It was like quicksand, and I fell flat on my face a few times. We got to “shore” tired and covered in mud, but there were still several miles between us and the bus to our hostel. We had to walk through the uninhabited region of the island, and at that point I was feeling sick to my stomach and could not keep up with our guide. I made it to the bus but not in time to clean up at all. Then our bus dropped us off at the wrong hostel, so after we finally made it to the hostel I took medicine, got cleaned up, and went to sleep.
Next morning, I rode a bike for the first time in probably ten years! I felt alright in the parking lot, but shortly after starting the bike tour of the island, I wished I hadn’t. We had the same guide who took us across from the mainland, and I really enjoyed hearing about the wildlife on the island. However, I still was not feeling back to normal and without dinner the night before or breakfast that morning the bike was just too much work, especially through the hills with the blustery wind blowing me back and forth across the path. I did eventually make it to the ferry in time and in one piece, and it was incredible to be riding a ship through the ocean over top of where we had walked across the day before! I had fun, but I definitely would have enjoyed it more if I had been feeling like my usual self.
Norderney surprised me. It started off just like the rest of the trip so far. We visited the seal center in Nordeich where were taken behind the scenes to see their veterinary facilities and learned about some new veterinary products being used there, including a portable machine for blood work. We also visited the Walloseum, which contained a skeleton of a huge whale. Then we geared up for our hike to Norderney, the part of the trip that really caught me off guard. It was not exactly what I had in mind when I signed up for this study abroad trip, but it was truly an amazing experience. Norderney is one of several small islands just a few miles off the coast of Germany and the Netherlands. At low tide, the water between the mainland and the islands is completely receded and people can walk through the mud to the islands before the tide comes back in. This is assuming they are in good shape, however. Having spent the past two weeks running around Europe carrying my luggage, I already knew I was not in very good shape. Veterinary school forced me to study instead of work out, and I had not been feeling one hundred percent since I got sick in Hannover, so I really wasn’t sure I would make it. It was also very cold and windy, and I hate the cold. However, our guide showed us many different plants and animals that I had never seen before, and after just a few minutes into our trek I quit thinking about the cold wind. The mud was the deepest, stickiest stuff I have ever tried to walk through, with “tried” being the key word. It was like quicksand, and I fell flat on my face a few times. We got to “shore” tired and covered in mud, but there were still several miles between us and the bus to our hostel. We had to walk through the uninhabited region of the island, and at that point I was feeling sick to my stomach and could not keep up with our guide. I made it to the bus but not in time to clean up at all. Then our bus dropped us off at the wrong hostel, so after we finally made it to the hostel I took medicine, got cleaned up, and went to sleep.
Next morning, I rode a bike for the first time in probably ten years! I felt alright in the parking lot, but shortly after starting the bike tour of the island, I wished I hadn’t. We had the same guide who took us across from the mainland, and I really enjoyed hearing about the wildlife on the island. However, I still was not feeling back to normal and without dinner the night before or breakfast that morning the bike was just too much work, especially through the hills with the blustery wind blowing me back and forth across the path. I did eventually make it to the ferry in time and in one piece, and it was incredible to be riding a ship through the ocean over top of where we had walked across the day before! I had fun, but I definitely would have enjoyed it more if I had been feeling like my usual self.
Genevea – Free Time
30/05/2010
Another weekend and more free-time! I made arrangement to stay in Genevea with a classmate where we were originally planning to do a little hiking and some sight-seeing. Unfortunately my fellow classmate had become sick. We booked beds on a night train, but some man had decided to spread his belongings over the beds we had reserved. This upset the conductor who said a few choice words to the man, but then unlocked his own private room on the train for us. There were two freshly made beds, plenty of room for all of our belongings, and a door that locked. I slept quite well!
When we arrived in the early morning, we decided to go back to bed. After sleeping in late, we made a trip to the grocery store and I cooked some fresh linguini. We then went for a pleasant walk along the water. A huge fountain sprayed water high into the air as several swans graced the water’s surface. We stopped for ice cream on the way back and washed our laundry before bed.
In the morning we caught up on more sleep and visited a pharmacy to purchase some medicine. That afternoon we made it back to the train station and boarded a train to Basel to meet the rest of the group.
-Knut
(a blog by Greg Hoyt)
Another weekend and more free-time! I made arrangement to stay in Genevea with a classmate where we were originally planning to do a little hiking and some sight-seeing. Unfortunately my fellow classmate had become sick. We booked beds on a night train, but some man had decided to spread his belongings over the beds we had reserved. This upset the conductor who said a few choice words to the man, but then unlocked his own private room on the train for us. There were two freshly made beds, plenty of room for all of our belongings, and a door that locked. I slept quite well!
When we arrived in the early morning, we decided to go back to bed. After sleeping in late, we made a trip to the grocery store and I cooked some fresh linguini. We then went for a pleasant walk along the water. A huge fountain sprayed water high into the air as several swans graced the water’s surface. We stopped for ice cream on the way back and washed our laundry before bed.
In the morning we caught up on more sleep and visited a pharmacy to purchase some medicine. That afternoon we made it back to the train station and boarded a train to Basel to meet the rest of the group.
-Knut
(a blog by Greg Hoyt)
Moin Moin Norderney
28/05/2010
Early in the morning we boarded a train. I slept the whole way. We eventually arrived at the Sealcenter in Norddeich to find an employee feeding the seals and speaking a lot of German, which I did not understand. The facility rehabilitates stranded seals. We had a detailed tour of the whole facility. We then continued the tour at the nearby Walloseum where an assembled whale skeleton rested in a center room. For lunch we visited a seafood restaurant where I ordered a variety platter of fish. The raspberry cream dessert was delicious!
The afternoon was quite a surprise! After meeting our tour guide, we then proceeded to walk into the intertidal zone. I figured this would be just like walking on the beach during the low-tide, but I was quite mistaken. We headed straight out on a cement wall covered with marine snails. I carefully tried to step on as few as possible. When we reached the end of this structure, we then stepped down into a plain of thick mud. This was quite difficult to walk through and before long it seemed as if we were walking in circles. It was very fun to pick up the sea life we found and listen to the guide give a brief explanation of its lifestyle. To make things more interesting the guide decided it would be enjoyable for a few of us to wear blindfolds. With a blindfold on, I did in fact walk in a circle. We finally reached the island where we found rabbit bones scattered everywhere. After much more walking on the island, we began to see live rabbits running around. We finally made it to the bus, but were told to sit on the floor because we were all covered with mud. The bus then dropped us off at the wrong hostel so we waited for some taxis to take us to the correct destination.
The next morning we all received bicycles and again met up with our tour guide. The bicycle tour covered much of the island. I stayed near the rear of the group so that a fellow student would not get left behind, but we both were left behind anyways. Luckily Olaf, the program guide, decided to pedal back and find us. After some more biking and some cold rain, we arrived at a nice restaurant to have lunch. We ate outside and the food was delicious! After lunch we had another long bicycle ride back and we boarded the ferry to return to the mainland. We were all very glad to not have to walk through the mud again!
-Knut
(a blog by Greg Hoyt)
Early in the morning we boarded a train. I slept the whole way. We eventually arrived at the Sealcenter in Norddeich to find an employee feeding the seals and speaking a lot of German, which I did not understand. The facility rehabilitates stranded seals. We had a detailed tour of the whole facility. We then continued the tour at the nearby Walloseum where an assembled whale skeleton rested in a center room. For lunch we visited a seafood restaurant where I ordered a variety platter of fish. The raspberry cream dessert was delicious!
The afternoon was quite a surprise! After meeting our tour guide, we then proceeded to walk into the intertidal zone. I figured this would be just like walking on the beach during the low-tide, but I was quite mistaken. We headed straight out on a cement wall covered with marine snails. I carefully tried to step on as few as possible. When we reached the end of this structure, we then stepped down into a plain of thick mud. This was quite difficult to walk through and before long it seemed as if we were walking in circles. It was very fun to pick up the sea life we found and listen to the guide give a brief explanation of its lifestyle. To make things more interesting the guide decided it would be enjoyable for a few of us to wear blindfolds. With a blindfold on, I did in fact walk in a circle. We finally reached the island where we found rabbit bones scattered everywhere. After much more walking on the island, we began to see live rabbits running around. We finally made it to the bus, but were told to sit on the floor because we were all covered with mud. The bus then dropped us off at the wrong hostel so we waited for some taxis to take us to the correct destination.
The next morning we all received bicycles and again met up with our tour guide. The bicycle tour covered much of the island. I stayed near the rear of the group so that a fellow student would not get left behind, but we both were left behind anyways. Luckily Olaf, the program guide, decided to pedal back and find us. After some more biking and some cold rain, we arrived at a nice restaurant to have lunch. We ate outside and the food was delicious! After lunch we had another long bicycle ride back and we boarded the ferry to return to the mainland. We were all very glad to not have to walk through the mud again!
-Knut
(a blog by Greg Hoyt)
Monday, July 19, 2010
Hannover
May 30, 2010
After the long weekend which I spent in Amsterdam, I met my host student Johanna at the train station in Hannover, along with the rest of our group. Johanna and I quickly got separated from the group in the crowded station, but this just gave us more time to talk. We made it to the restaurant on our own eventually. I really liked staying at her place while we were in Hannover; she took really good care of me. I’m not just saying this either: I actually did get sick while I was there and she nursed me back to health! We also had more free time than usual, most of which I spent hanging out with Johanna. I think it gave me an excellent opportunity to experience life in Hannover, an opportunity that I would not have gotten if I had stayed in a hotel or hostel.
Tuesday we were given a tour of the veterinary school’s small animal and farm animal clinics and visited the school’s teaching and research farm. Their small animal clinic is huge and very nice. My favorite part of the tour was seeing their pack of beagles, which they use as teaching dogs for their students. I had a beagle growing up, and they are some of my favorite dogs! I think I enjoyed seeing the research farm more than the farm animal clinic, which surprised me, but then again there wasn’t much happening that day at the clinic. At the research farm, not only did we see the way livestock are raised on commercial operations, but Dr. Surie also explained the rationale behind these practices. For instance, laying hens are kept in very close quarters in an effort to keep them from having enough room to fight and kill each other. When hens are given more space but still kept in large groups, they are actually more violent and have enough room to cause serious damage. I was not aware of this and had always assumed that chickens were packed together so tightly for economical reasons alone. We also learned more about the differences in how livestock are raised in Europe versus the U.S. For example, in Europe alternatives to castration are being developed, since this practice is considered inhumane and unnecessary. My favorite part was definitely the ingenious milking machine, which is fully automated and eliminates the need for workers to be present for any portion of the milking routine. Each of the cows, which are loose in the paddock, wears a collar containing a chip that the machine reads to determine how often she should be milked. The cows approach the milking area freely when they feel like they need to be milked, and the machine reads the collar to determine whether or not it is time for her to be milked. The machine cleans the cow before and after, attaches itself and then detaches from each quarter as it empties. It even takes milk samples and records somatic cell counts to monitor for mastitis. I milked dairy goats by hand twice a day everyday all through high school, so I am in awe of this machine and would love to see a goat-sized version someday!
Later that afternoon, a group of us went out with our hosts to see some of the city. The Hannover students took us up to the top of the capitol building, where we could see the whole city. It was such a beautiful day, and the view was great, but it was very windy! The interesting part, though, is the elevator, which runs right up the side of the building’s domed roof. This means it runs at an angle instead of straight up and down, and the floor never feels level. By the time Johanna and I got back to her apartment I was feeling very sick, so I stayed home and went to bed early, missing the barbecue the students had for us.
Wednesday we were able to get some hands-on experience with some of the veterinary school’s teaching cows, performing rectal palpations and collecting eggs. I had not palpated a cow since before I started veterinary school, so this was a good refresher for me but more than a little humbling. I had never successfully located an ovary before, so having someone walk me through it was an invaluable experience. I watched as a couple of my classmates succeeded in collecting eggs from one of the cows. Afterwards, we visited a stud farm full of beautiful well-groomed stallions. I was surprised to see all of the training facilities, but we soon learned that the stallions kept here undergo a lot of training, especially in dressage. We watched while they collected a stallion and then went through the whole process with us of preparing the final product.
I spent the rest of the day with my host and a few others from our group touring the city. That night the Hannover students had a party, and even though I stayed out way too late again, it was worth it.
After the long weekend which I spent in Amsterdam, I met my host student Johanna at the train station in Hannover, along with the rest of our group. Johanna and I quickly got separated from the group in the crowded station, but this just gave us more time to talk. We made it to the restaurant on our own eventually. I really liked staying at her place while we were in Hannover; she took really good care of me. I’m not just saying this either: I actually did get sick while I was there and she nursed me back to health! We also had more free time than usual, most of which I spent hanging out with Johanna. I think it gave me an excellent opportunity to experience life in Hannover, an opportunity that I would not have gotten if I had stayed in a hotel or hostel.
Tuesday we were given a tour of the veterinary school’s small animal and farm animal clinics and visited the school’s teaching and research farm. Their small animal clinic is huge and very nice. My favorite part of the tour was seeing their pack of beagles, which they use as teaching dogs for their students. I had a beagle growing up, and they are some of my favorite dogs! I think I enjoyed seeing the research farm more than the farm animal clinic, which surprised me, but then again there wasn’t much happening that day at the clinic. At the research farm, not only did we see the way livestock are raised on commercial operations, but Dr. Surie also explained the rationale behind these practices. For instance, laying hens are kept in very close quarters in an effort to keep them from having enough room to fight and kill each other. When hens are given more space but still kept in large groups, they are actually more violent and have enough room to cause serious damage. I was not aware of this and had always assumed that chickens were packed together so tightly for economical reasons alone. We also learned more about the differences in how livestock are raised in Europe versus the U.S. For example, in Europe alternatives to castration are being developed, since this practice is considered inhumane and unnecessary. My favorite part was definitely the ingenious milking machine, which is fully automated and eliminates the need for workers to be present for any portion of the milking routine. Each of the cows, which are loose in the paddock, wears a collar containing a chip that the machine reads to determine how often she should be milked. The cows approach the milking area freely when they feel like they need to be milked, and the machine reads the collar to determine whether or not it is time for her to be milked. The machine cleans the cow before and after, attaches itself and then detaches from each quarter as it empties. It even takes milk samples and records somatic cell counts to monitor for mastitis. I milked dairy goats by hand twice a day everyday all through high school, so I am in awe of this machine and would love to see a goat-sized version someday!
Later that afternoon, a group of us went out with our hosts to see some of the city. The Hannover students took us up to the top of the capitol building, where we could see the whole city. It was such a beautiful day, and the view was great, but it was very windy! The interesting part, though, is the elevator, which runs right up the side of the building’s domed roof. This means it runs at an angle instead of straight up and down, and the floor never feels level. By the time Johanna and I got back to her apartment I was feeling very sick, so I stayed home and went to bed early, missing the barbecue the students had for us.
Wednesday we were able to get some hands-on experience with some of the veterinary school’s teaching cows, performing rectal palpations and collecting eggs. I had not palpated a cow since before I started veterinary school, so this was a good refresher for me but more than a little humbling. I had never successfully located an ovary before, so having someone walk me through it was an invaluable experience. I watched as a couple of my classmates succeeded in collecting eggs from one of the cows. Afterwards, we visited a stud farm full of beautiful well-groomed stallions. I was surprised to see all of the training facilities, but we soon learned that the stallions kept here undergo a lot of training, especially in dressage. We watched while they collected a stallion and then went through the whole process with us of preparing the final product.
I spent the rest of the day with my host and a few others from our group touring the city. That night the Hannover students had a party, and even though I stayed out way too late again, it was worth it.
Hands-In in Hannover
26/05/2010
We arrive in Hannover by train and meet our host students. I am very excited to start seeing German veterinary facilities. Simon, my host student, seems very nice and we retire to his place for night.
After a tour of the new small animal hospital which was very nice, we took a tour of the cattle clinic, where many dairy cows were being treated. Lunch at a student café was great, the food was delicious and the cost was very low. We then visited a teaching and research farm. There was a very nice automatic milker as well as pigs, cage-free chickens, and large scale chicken and turkey facilities. The poultry facilities were very nice and clean. The day ended with a barbeque at the veterinary fraternity house.
The next day we visited the new equine hospital. The clinicians reviewed their cases in English so that we could follow along, which was very exciting. The facilities were beautiful! We then met with the veterinarian in charge of cattle reproduction where our “hands-on” experience was actually a “hands-in” experience. We first administered lumbosacral epidurals to two cows, which we then rectally palpated. We were allowed as much time as needed and then used some amazing equipment to extract eggs from the ovaries. Lunch was a bit rushed, but at the student cafeteria the food was good and the prices were low. That afternoon we visited one of the largest stud collection facilities for horses. The whole process of collecting and shipping semen was explained to us in great detail. It was helpful to observe the preparation of the semen for shipping. In the evening, I played two soccer games with the members of the veterinary fraternity at Sports Fest. I really enjoyed the opportunity to play soccer in Europe!
-Knut
(a blog by Greg Hoyt)
We arrive in Hannover by train and meet our host students. I am very excited to start seeing German veterinary facilities. Simon, my host student, seems very nice and we retire to his place for night.
After a tour of the new small animal hospital which was very nice, we took a tour of the cattle clinic, where many dairy cows were being treated. Lunch at a student café was great, the food was delicious and the cost was very low. We then visited a teaching and research farm. There was a very nice automatic milker as well as pigs, cage-free chickens, and large scale chicken and turkey facilities. The poultry facilities were very nice and clean. The day ended with a barbeque at the veterinary fraternity house.
The next day we visited the new equine hospital. The clinicians reviewed their cases in English so that we could follow along, which was very exciting. The facilities were beautiful! We then met with the veterinarian in charge of cattle reproduction where our “hands-on” experience was actually a “hands-in” experience. We first administered lumbosacral epidurals to two cows, which we then rectally palpated. We were allowed as much time as needed and then used some amazing equipment to extract eggs from the ovaries. Lunch was a bit rushed, but at the student cafeteria the food was good and the prices were low. That afternoon we visited one of the largest stud collection facilities for horses. The whole process of collecting and shipping semen was explained to us in great detail. It was helpful to observe the preparation of the semen for shipping. In the evening, I played two soccer games with the members of the veterinary fraternity at Sports Fest. I really enjoyed the opportunity to play soccer in Europe!
-Knut
(a blog by Greg Hoyt)
Amsterdam – Free Time
23/05/2010
It is our first weekend and our first real free-time. I am headed to Amsterdam with most of the other students on the trip. I figure that while I’m still adjusting to traveling in Europe that it’s best that I stay with a group. After sleeping in late, we took a boat tour of Amsterdam, which was not worth our euros. We visited the Anne Frank House which I found very touching. I appreciated that the goal of the museum to combat discrimination still applies today and that active attempts towards that goal are displayed in an interactive room before the exit. I am very curious as to what changed between Anne Frank’s initial draft and her partial rewrite of her diary.
The next day we visited a small town with a wooden shoe factory. It was very pleasant. Later that day I visited the Van Gogh Museum with a fellow student. The museum was very nice and I really enjoyed Van Gogh’s landscapes. We then enjoyed a leisurely walk in a very nice park on the way back to the hostel.
-Knut
(a blog by Greg Hoyt)
It is our first weekend and our first real free-time. I am headed to Amsterdam with most of the other students on the trip. I figure that while I’m still adjusting to traveling in Europe that it’s best that I stay with a group. After sleeping in late, we took a boat tour of Amsterdam, which was not worth our euros. We visited the Anne Frank House which I found very touching. I appreciated that the goal of the museum to combat discrimination still applies today and that active attempts towards that goal are displayed in an interactive room before the exit. I am very curious as to what changed between Anne Frank’s initial draft and her partial rewrite of her diary.
The next day we visited a small town with a wooden shoe factory. It was very pleasant. Later that day I visited the Van Gogh Museum with a fellow student. The museum was very nice and I really enjoyed Van Gogh’s landscapes. We then enjoyed a leisurely walk in a very nice park on the way back to the hostel.
-Knut
(a blog by Greg Hoyt)
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Looking Back...
It has been almost a month since I have returned from Europe and already I am ready to go back. It was interesting to come home and take back up with regular life as if I had never left. Being away I missed home but now that I am back I miss Germany. As daily life returned back to normal, I noticed that it seemed as if I had never been away except for the occasional movie I saw that had something from Germany in it like Frankfurt and other city names, a situation in which I would think of talking in Deutch rather than English, and other scenarios that reminded me of my fond time in Germany. It feels as if it was all a dream. Looking back, there is no comparison in the beauty of the landscape in Europe versus in the States. Never have I seen so much history in one small place nor can I just see gorgeous castles on the Rhine while riding in a train here because we don't really use trains. I have been putting together my scrapbooks and it's amazing how fast I forget things such as names of people and places and the order of events. I am definitely happy to be back home among familiar faces but I will absolutely have to go back very soon to Germany!!
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