To Fly or Not to Fly: That is the Question

17/05/2010

Two weeks of web searching and calling used auto parts businesses in Texas; two hour drive to the closest location that has the part that I need; eighty-five dollars for the matching part; three and a half hours of work; and finally a fender on my car that’s in excellent condition to replace the damaged one.

Now a month later, I have just completed my first year of veterinary school and I’m now on my way to the Bush International Houston Airport. I am very excited about my trip to Germany. The purpose of the trip is to allow students to look at veterinary medicine with a different perspective. By being immersed in a different culture with the same role as a student of veterinary medicine, I will be able to make many comparisons to the United States of America, including aspects of life as a student, education, clinic facilities, and the role of a veterinarian. I signed up for this course with the hopes to broaden my education, increase my contacts within my future profession, and to give myself an international perspective regarding veterinary medicine. I am looking forward to experiencing a different way of life, different views, techniques, and/or skills that may help me in my future career. I have also heard that the number two ranked veterinary school for large animal medicine, by international rankings, is in Germany.

Suddenly I hear a loud noise and my car is no longer steering well. I pull over to the side of the highway and realize that my front right tire has blown its outer tread, destroying the fender that I had just replaced. Additionally, there is some damage to my bumper, headlight, driver’s door, and some shredded electrical cables. The tire is still inflated, so I drive the car off of the highway and use AAA Roadside Assistance to tow me to the Firestone Tire down the road. I am forty minutes away from the airport and I need to check in for my flight in about forty minutes. An hour later I have four new tires on my car and the automotive mechanics were able to secure what was left of my fender to my car using a few wire coat hangers as best they could.

I arrive at the airport as my flight is leaving; I am too late to board the plane. I am first told that the earliest I can leave is two days from now, which means that I will miss the first two days of our trip. Under the guidance of Dr. Wasser, I speak with several different US Airways attendants until I finally find one that makes several phone calls and arranges for me to leave the next day, so only one day of the trip is lost. I could not thank her enough; I then slowly drive my car to a nearby hotel to spend the night.

The next day I checked in early for my flight and finally I was headed down the runway and on my way to Germany!

-Knut

(a blog by Greg Hoyt)