Survival

I remember the anticipation I felt sitting in room 201 during orientation. Of all the opportunities that people talked to us about, all the skits we watched, all the rules and procedures we were taught, the study abroad trip contributed the most to my growing excitement about vet school. I knew then that I wanted to go; touring vet schools and zoos in Europe for class credit sounded like the perfect way to combine my interest in travel with my passion for veterinary medicine.

But, this first year of vet school has been extremely rough. My grades were not what I wanted them to be, my stress levels were often out of control, and emotional meltdowns were not wholly uncommon. But even in the darkest of moments over this last year, each time I heard Dr. Wasser talk about Germany, or say something in German, I could feel my face light up as it did those first few days of orientation.

Now everything is set. My bags are packed, the hotels are booked, I have my Eurail pass, and I am looking forward to every aspect of this trip. In addition to the veterinary talks, the zoos, and the wine, I am especially excited about the mudflat hike in Norderney and meeting my host, Christina, in Hannover. I hope to learn more of the German language and practice speaking the tiny amount I do know. I look forward to the food, and I am just a little scared of attempting to learn to ride a bike for the bicycle tours.

Additionally, the dates of the trip just happen to overlap with Wave Gotik Treffen, the industrial music festival that took me to Germany the first time in 2005. Joseph is meeting me in Leipzig on Friday night, and although das bandlisten is not as exciting as years past, I simply could not be in Germany, with a free weekend, and not go. There are several bands that I do want to see, shopping in vendor room is always a dangerous source of fun, and Joseph has several friends from New Orleans who will also be at the festival. I look forward to discovering new music and dancing all of the stress of the last year away.

This trip is my reward, our reward, for surviving the first year of veterinary school.