Post-trip perspectives

So I actually wrote this like a week and a half ago and forgot to post it! Welcome back crazy hectic vet school brain....it's been a while....

Every time I look back at a picture or think of my time in Europe, I can’t help but smile. I’ve been abroad before, but every experience has been different. When I went to Israel, it was all about immersing myself more into my culture and religion.  In South Africa, I felt like I gained an appreciation for wildlife and conservation that I couldn’t have gotten anywhere else. This trip, I came back with a revitalized view of my soon to be career in veterinary medicine.  I felt like this trip truly forced me out of my established comfort zone; I got experiences with animals I rarely work with (lots and lots of cows, poultry, and pigs) and I had to deal with people from completely different cultures.  Before this trip, I don’t think I realized just how independent I was capable of being.  I had never really traveled for an extensive period of time by myself but on this trip I spent 3 days completely by myself exploring in Paris. I also managed to get myself from Amsterdam to Paris, from Paris to Lisbon to meet up with my sister, from Barcelona to Frankfurt, and from Frankfurt home to Texas.  This did involve me nearly missing my train to Paris, being completely confused by the setup of the Paris airport, a delayed connecting flight, and finding my hotel in Frankfurt. I think if I had attempted to do this a few years ago, it wouldn’t have been possible…I’m pretty sure I would have completely broken down over the simplest thing!  All the traveling around Europe we did during the program definitely gave me the confidence do this on my own.

Being back in the U.S. has been a little bit of a culture shock.  I often catch myself thinking about how things were in Europe and how I’d like to go back a few months and experience it again!  I know that in most of my conversations this summer I have somehow managed to bring up Europe….”well in Germany they…” or “Did you know that in Europe….?” I just can’t help but miss all those beautiful cities and the awesome people I was privileged to meet.  I am already hoping that I will going back sometime soon and making a mental list of all the places I want to visit again/all the places I didn’t get to see yet.

I wouldn’t change this experience in any way. Everything worked out just the way it was supposed to, even the things that didn’t quite go perfectly as planned. 

Blast from the Past...Cheesy...I know.

Howdy all,

So apparently I am the only one still needing to do my returned to America blog.  Busy summer, even more busy school year but here she goes:

I think I want to live in Germany!  Holy moly, I loved every minute...ok a few minutes I really didn't like...but come one....I loved it!  The students (and everyone really) were super (pronounce it Supah!)!

Anyways,  I cannot wait to go abroad again and immerse myself in more cultures.  I miss spargel fresh from the fields, awkward cheese platters, and the beer.  Oh the beer.   I am officially a beer snob and it took a lot for me to drink a light beer made in the states when I got back.  I am now thinking about learning to brew my own (my bro-in-law does home brew).  My first brew shall be a Berliner Weissen.

Well, I really really really have to go study. Thanks Germany (and Europe) for hosting us and being so wonderful! I will return....soon!

Figments of my Imagination

This is the official reminiscing blog:

I apparently can not stop talking about The Europe Trip
It was the best thing i've ever done in my life!

The experiences that happened over there honestly changed me
As far as career, it helped me realize that I did really want to go into research
And i'm currently planning on going into Lab Animal Medicine


But really, the most important thing to me, is the relationships that we made while we were over there
Making new best friends, due to going through these experiences, was the best thing ever

It made me really happy that when we all came back, we were all so very close
We recently had a kickball game and we were all on a team together, Napoleon's Army

Reminiscing on the Summer

   Once the glow fades and the last bags are unpacked with their contents put away the realization sets in. The trip is over and normal life ensues. The experiences that we had start to become foggy to where only the big important ones are remembered. It was an indrecible experience that will never be forgotten and things were seen and done that would never have happened here, in the US.
   One of the biggest changes that took place was how my view of Veterinary Medicine has changed. What I once thought of as an exact science has developed into an open mind willing to accept multiple views on how Veterinary Medicine works. With this knowledge  I feel as though my education is no longer limited to that which I receive in the classroom or at clinics. 
   The experiences had and the friendships made cannot be described in a few paragraphs or even a few pages, it would take a whole book to document everything. By far it was an experience I will never forget and one that I would recommend to anyone that even might be entertaining the idea of going that they do as much as possible to try and go. I know many people are concerned about the cost but truly and honestly the debt or work required to make the money is well worth it. Plus with vet school being so expensive the extra expense really doesn't add up to being so much.
   Overall it was an eye-opening learning experience that I will cherish for the rest of my life. The time spent there was not even close to enough and the things we did are ones that I would have never dreamed of doing. It is something that I believe is almost necessary for our Veterinary education and will enhance our skills as Doctors considerably. In all it was a time period of my life I will never forget.

Looking Back.

It is hard to believe that it has only been three months since I was carrying my super heavy pack around Europe. Where did the time go. As soon as the trip ended, I felt strange..as if I should be going somewhere and doing something each day. It was hard to slow down at first, but as time passed, I had time to share my photos with friends and laugh about Nordeney. Which is still a bad word among some of my fellow vet students.

Unlike some of the other students, I only stopped in the states for 2 weks and then headed to Obihiro, Japan to study dairy cattle reproduction and medicine. Because of this, I really didn't have much time to reflect or to think about all of the wonderful experience and feelings that I had along the way.

Looking back and thinking now, it was wonderful, strange, hard, and beautiful all at the same time. I am a big believer in the fact that Americans do not go aboard often enough and that learning and experiencing other cultures is paramount to our growth as human beings as well as veterinarians.
I am thankful daily for the opportunity to take this trip and I hope that others will be able to continue to experience Germany as I have. Thank you Neils and Dr. Wasser for a wonderful experience that I will never forgot. Long live Spagel, Sausage, Black forest cake, and of course the large amount of German beer!!

Kris
Class of 2015
August 29th 2012

Reminiscing = More fun than studying parasitolgy

It's already been almost 3 months since I landed back in Houston, but I still find myself saying, "When I was in Germany..." at least a couple times a week. I'm sure people are sick of it, but oh well.

So there are a few major lasting effects this trip had on me, and they are as follows: First, the horseback riding on the beach in Nordeney gave me the little push I needed to start riding again once I got back to the states. I found an awesome dressage trainer and am so thankful we didn't cancel that riding trip due to a little rain. Or a lot of rain. But who cares if you slosh around in the saddle a bit? Not I. Second, I seem to have caught a little German language bug now...I'm trying to figure out the best way to start learning some more of the language. I still like the idea of Dr. Wasser teaching a little German language course, but he's probably too busy :p Third, I constantly find myself wanting to go back. My boyfriend and I have already decided to take a trip to Bonn/Cologne, the black forest region (CAKE!), and maybe Berlin in the next year or two at which time I will get to practice the German I will hopefully have learned, yay.

I definitely learned SO much on this trip, and I accomplished one of my major goals which was learning how to get around in Europe. I'm a whiz at using public transportation now! I can say that when I go back I will feel confident and at ease using the trains, trams, buses, and subways to get around. And of course I learned a lot about the veterinary profession and how it's different in Europe (they have a whole class on bee medicine apparently...).

So, in summary, I can't wait to go back! If you're thinking about going on this trip, DO IT. There is something for everyone, and you get to practice using a blow-dart gun, what could be better?

Back then lost the blog!

           Wow it is hard to believe that it has been so long since we went to Europe! There are still times that I think that I will turn around and we will all be following Nils like good little ducklings. I learned so much about the veterinary profession, our overseas colleagues, and the differences while there.  This trip opened my eyes to verity of facets within the veterinary profession that I hadn't even dreamed about. Also, the opportunity to see place steeped in history older than our country.  You hear about buildings, places, and objects in history books for centuries past but it is another think to walk into one of the building or bike through one of those cities or even touch some of those objects, was amazing. Here in the states we really don't have anything, at least to the scale of what is in Europe, that is man made and that old. Yes we do have the odd Native American stone structure but they all have an abandon feel while Europe's old structures are lived in and used.  There is so much that I enjoyed about this trip but I have already put off reading Radiology to long. This trip will make you catch the international travel bug, I did!

P.S. I promise group members the recipe for Pistachio Chicken.

Chicken breast, pounded flat
Pistachios chopped finely

Heat a small amount of olive oil in a skillet and pre-heat the oven to 300 F. Sprinkle a small amount of salt and pepper on each side of the chicken breasts. Coat the breast in chopped pistachios.  Place chicken in the skillet allowing it to cook for 5-7 minutes on both side (pistachios should brown).  Remove the chicken from the skillet and place in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and allow the chicken to finish cooking. Note: depending on how thin the chicken is you may not have to put it in the oven after it is cooked in the skillet.

Back to normal

Today was our first day back in class, and it has been weeks since I returned from Europe. I was able to stay an extra 10 days after the trip just to travel, and I'm glad I did. We wound up going to Ireland and London, which was neat because we saw all of the decorations up for the Olympics! However, being gone about 6 weeks was far too long, I missed my family and my pets, and while I loved the trip, I probably will never choose to be gone for that long again.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this study abroad trip. I thought we had a good variety in different types of medicine and facilities in Europe, and it was neat to see all of the differences between Europe and the United States (as well as similarities).

One of my favorite places that we went to was IZW, it sort of caused me to think more about changing the career path I have always thought about. Now, I am much more interested in wildlife research, and thanks to this trip giving me an introduction into that sort of work, I'm hoping to go on another study abroad next summer to further my experience in that field.

What a long, strange trip it's been.

Just got back into the states about a week ago, and for the first time in two and a half months, am in a country where I can actually speak the language.  Yay!  Trying to speak cobbled together Spanish (and downright broken German) gives perspective as to how frustrating it is for non-native English speakers to try and communicate here. 

I find it hard to write this post, as it's hard to encapsulate just how, or even if, the traveling has changed me, but I'll do my best. I'm going to put lessons learned from both Germany and Spain in this, even though they were two distinctive trips.

I guess more trust in others would probably be a big part of it.  It seems here in the US we're always told how everyone's out to get you in some form or another, be it to steal your identity, steal your possessions, manipulate you, or what have you.  However, you can actually put stock into trusting strangers because 99% of them are just like you, and really don't have any interest in taking someone else's things.  When in Germany it wasn't such a big deal, as I had others I already trusted with me in case I needed someone to watch something, but in Spain I was traveling on my own and had to rely on strangers quite a few times to watch something (granted it was never my debit card, or passport, or anything like that.  At a certain point it goes too far in the amount of trust you put in strangers, but my pack or something like that?  Sure.) for me and I was approached quite often to do the same for others.  So turning the paranoia that is drilled into you down a notch is an important lesson. 

This may be more of an issue with personality, but another lesson learned was how traveling alone isn't such a big deal, and perhaps is better at times.  Traveling with people you know is fun, but you kind of are insulated from the culture of the country because you can 'retreat' into the familiar.  When you're alone, it's all new and there's no where you can really go to be around something familiar, except to try and find someone who at least speak your language.    That's eventually what I ended up doing and ended up meeting and traveling with people from all over the world.  Spain, Germany, UK, France, Korea, Russia, New Zealand, India, and so on.  All walks of life from the extremely rich to the destitute and you had to figure out how to relate to them all.  So that was an important and rewarding lesson.

Anyhow, just to keep this short I think I'm going to end it there.  Traveling abroad was a huge experience for me, as it was the first time I've ever left the country as well as the first time traveling alone without anyone I knew with me (in Spain).  Very glad I did it and I learned a tremendous amount about a variety of countries and lifestyles.  If one can swing the time and money, it should definitely be high on one's list.  It does come with a hefty price tag though.  $1,000 to even begin your journey isn't very conducive to traveling.  But oh well, will just have to find a way to make it work in the future. 

Alas, the journey has ended...at least for now.

It has been many weeks since my travels in Europe and I've had some time to reflect. One thing is for sure, my 2012 summer adventures have lit the fuse on my desire to continue traveling. I've enjoyed looking back on the pictures I took and thinking back to the many interesting people I met along the way.

Currently in the United States, the press is focusing on the upcoming presidential election. There have been many outspoken young people discussing the status of the U.S. in comparison to the rest of the world. All of the things being discussed are things I experienced while overseas. I am privileged to live in the U.S., but we are a fairly pretentious nation. I was humbled by the viewpoints of the people I met, and their opinion of my home country.  I now can look at my own country through the eyes of people from other countries. I still love the U.S, but now I see more clearly our downfalls.

Besides this newfound viewpoint, I also attained plenty of chocolate, jewelry, and beer. I'm still enjoying my riches from afar, and my family was also very appreciative of my spoils! I still miss the quality of the food and drinks. I would kill for some good apfelschorle or some steamy, fresh pasta right now.

The last few days overseas, I made the decision to travel alone. Although it was very stressful, I feel a sense of pride that I would not have achieved otherwise. This trip was my first time out of the country, and to be able make my own way through a foreign country was a big step in developing my confidence and skills in travel. I met more people this way and these adventures impacted me more than any others.

I'm so glad I made the decision to travel this summer, no matter the cost. It was an eye opening experience and it's something that can't be recreated or fabricated in any way. I came back a more open person, a person more willing to try new and exciting things.

TiHo Teaching and Research Farm

Recently we had the pleasure of visiting TiHo Teaching and Research Farm Ruthe with Dr. Surie.  It's so interesting to see what is emphasized in the education system for veterinary students in Germany. They are required to spend two weeks on the teaching and research farm in order to study and actively participate  in the care of a variety of farm animals. They are responsible for the health and maintenance of the poultry, swine, and cattle during their time there. I think this is a great opportunity for the students who aren't familiar with agriculture to get some hands on experience. I feel like this would be extremely beneficial for students in the United States, because there is a giant disconnect between the processing of food and the consumer. The role of agriculture is the most basic and important aspect of a society, and it is vital for the everyone to understand not only the role they play, but how the entire process functions. 

In these last few weeks, we've learned that Germany's animal right laws are much more strict and modern than in the United States. For example, they aren't allowed to cage chickens anymore for egg production. Dr. Surie explained the difficult balance between the need for maximum production and animal welfare. Ultimately, caging hens is the most efficient method for egg production, but it is completely lacking in regards to welfare for the chicken. Because of the laws established for Germany, they are forced 

to buy eggs from other countries because the consumers don't want to pay the extra cost associated with the new production methods. This interaction has destroyed the egg production in Germany. Thus, the balance has favored animal welfare in this circumstance. 

On a lighter note, there were several things I enjoyed seeing on the research farm. They had a massive turkey production, which I haven't seen before. When 

Dr. Surie explained the efficiency of the poultry production at the farm, it was astounding. They are on such a tight schedule and it seems to run flawlessly. I guess I shouldn't be so surprised, since we are in Germany, haha. Even the pubic transportation is run by precise clockwork here. 

I was also amazed by the 'Robo-Milker'. Germany mainly has dairy cattle, and we've had the chance to visit several places with dairy cattle. But this facility was the only time we've seen technology this advanced. Cows are able to be milked whenever they please; the machine runs completely without human interaction. This way, the animals trust the system and freely go into the chute. The milker finds the teats with a camera, cleans them, and then milks each one. The machine calculates the milk production from each teat and can determine if the cow is allowed to milked based on time between milkings. It was a very impressive piece of equipment and I can see how this could help boost production and the general health of the cows. 

One thing that Dr. Surie discussed was also fairly interesting to me. He believes that companion animals are not useful to society and they actually are detrimental in some cases. He feels that all animals should have a practical purpose. I fully understand why he has this point of view, based on the condition of agriculture in today's society, but I also reminded myself that he is in the role of the farmer, not the veterinarian. From my point of view, both small and large animal medicine are important to my career. As an companion animal owner and veterinary student, I find this concept almost inconceivable. From ancient times, people have been domesticating animals not only for food and production, but also for companionship. Though it is more logical to maintain animals only for practical purposes, we will always be drawn to animals for other reasons and they will continue to serve us as companions. Of course, this is only my opinion and I respect his point of view as well. 

Overall, the TiHo Teaching and Research Farm Ruthe with Dr. Surie was a blast. We got to see a higher level of production and how the students experience farm agriculture in relation to veterinary medicine. I'll always remember Dr. Surie's fun disposition and his passion for farm animal production. 

Finally posting: Week 3

The third week of the program started in Hanover. We toured the cattle, sheep, goat, and swine portions of the vet school there, then got to spend the evening at a barbecue with some of the vet students. It was great to be able to talk to them and realize that they face the same challenges in class and have the same concerns about the future of the profession as we do. Also in Hanover we went to the agricultural center of the vet school where students live for two weeks to learn about farming, similar to the one in Leipzig, but much larger. There we saw an automatic milking machine that was able to sense when each quarter of the udder was empty, cleaned each teat before milking, and was available for the cows whenever they wanted it. The man that gave our tour was pushing for people to stop keeping house pets, such as dogs and cats, because they utilize food that could be given to starving people. While I understand his point, he wasn't exactly talking to the most receptive audience. The last stop we had in Hannover was at the Niedersaechsisches Landgestuet Celle where they train warmblood stallions for riding and stud purposes. They have students that live there to learn to ride and train the horses properly. We were able to see a few riders while there and went to their 90 acre riding area where they had cross-country jumps set up. It made me want to hop onto the next horse I saw and start jumping them all. I wish we could have stayed there a bit longer, but we had to get onto a bus to make it to the Norderney ferry on time.

In Norderney we got to visit with a husband and wife that are the veterinarians for the East Frisian islands. They had very interesting stories about working on the islands, about having to hop on a plane to get to emergency patients on other islands and carrying all of their equipment on their backs while riding a bicycle because a few of the islands do not have cars on them. It was clear that they live very unique lives, but of course the job is not without tragedy. One major downside to living on an island that is a slave to nature and the tides is that in the case of an emergency that needs higher technology unavailable on the island, such as a colic surgery, it is difficult to make it to a mainland veterinary hospital in time, after the ferry ride and the 3-4 hour drive. Despite those difficulties, it was clear that these veterinarians wouldn't change a thing. During our time on Norderney we got to experience these particular weather issues, on the first day with almost constant cold rain that we rode bikes in, walked on the mudflats in, and rode horses in, and then on the second day when we did a 5 mile bird watching hike in the sunshine with blasting wind. In spite of the poor weather, it was fun and an experience I'm glad to have had. 

After Norderney, we needed a break, so a few of us decided to go to Zurich and just relax. We took a night train, which was an adventure on its own. First the train was 45 minutes late, so we did not board the train until almost midnight, only to find out that our car, which was supposed to be full of reclining seats, was instead a sleeping car with six beds to a room. After about ten minutes of confusion and a brief consultation with the conductor, we found out that those were in fact our beds and we settled in for the night. We were nervous about the sleeping car because on the first weekend of the trip, one of the girls in our group had her phone and wallet stolen from a locked car while she was sleeping, so we were a bit on edge when we found out that we were not the only ones in the room. We ended up with a man in our room that was headed to Freiburg, talked to him for a minute, then went to sleep. Around 4:00 in the morning, I was woken up by a police officer (and at my vantage point, all I could see was her gun in her holster, which woke me up completely). The officer wanted to know where we had come from, and I quickly (despite Lexie shouting "Zurich" over and over in her sleep) told her Norderney, which she then confirmed that we had not come through Amsterdam at all. I can only assume she was looking for illegal substances, and found out later that that particular train car had originated in Amsterdam, so it made since. An hour and a half later, I was woken up again by the conductor telling me that the Freiburg stop was in 30 minutes, so I had to wake up the other man in our room. It was a bit awkward and I think I scared him a bit, but he left without issue and we made it to Zurich without any major problems.

Zurich was beautiful and all we really did was wander around, pick up some snacks for the next week, and walk along the river until we got to Lake Zurich. It was such a nice break from the crazy pace of the previous three weeks, despite how expensive it was there ($8 for a cup of coffee at Starbucks - I will no longer complain about their prices in the US).
 

Back in the states and finally posting: Week 2

I got tired of writing my blogs on an iPad that wouldn't format my blogs correctly, so I just saved them all for when I returned (then life caught up with me and I forgot).  So here we go:

The second week of our trip started in Leipzig, where we spent most of our time at the Leipzig veterinary school. I thoroughly enjoyed touring this school because I am seriously considering returning to Germany to study veterinary medicine and Leipzig is likely where I would study, if everything works out. We got to visit the university's collection of historical veterinary tools, which was very fascinating and we learned that the students are required to spend two weeks working on the farmland owned by the university to get a feel of how agriculture works, which is especially important for those students that have never worked on or near a farm.  The Leipzig vet school is currently Germany's most updated vet school and we were able to tour most of it to appreciate the campus. We got to go into the large animal clinic and go over some of the equine cases they had in the clinic (in between getting chased for a few seconds by a cow that escaped her stall - that was exciting) and our group was able to answer most of the questions about the cases; the professor was pretty impressed by our clinical knowledge as vet students that have only finished the first and second years. Also at the Leipzig vet school we got to join in on a surgical anatomy class where the students were learning the surgical approach for a hemilaminectomy, which we learned in neuro-anatomy ( in theory, not on an actual cadaver) so we were able to offer some help, which was fun. As a German speaker I also liked being able to hear the students interact in the dissection the same way we did in anatomy, such as deciding where exactly to cut and giving each other a (jokingly) hard time for cutting a bit wrong or not knowing what to do. We were taken on a tour of Leipzig that was very interesting. Leipzig is a city in eastern Germany, so during the Cold War, they were under Russian control. It was a good experience to walk through the streets and see the old buildings interspersed with modern ones as they continue to rebuild the city. There were also buildings used by Goethe and Bach that we passed and statues of each in the city.

After Leipzig, we moved on to Berlin. Berlin in a unique city - many parts have become very modern, but other buildings and monuments remain as constant reminders of the past, from WWII to the fall of the wall. We were able to go on a bicycle tour of the city where we went from the Brandenburg gate, past the Bundestag, and along the former wall boundaries. Berlin also has a veterinary school that we toured. Since our group is so large, they split us into two groups - one went to the small animal clinic and the other went to the equine clinic - so I ended up in the equine clinic. We toured their facilities for a bit and then the students came to take us around in smaller groups. My group ended up in a hernia repair surgery, which was really interesting for me because I had never seen any kind of equine surgery. Also at the school we got to sit in on a classroom case discussion about a neurological case (which unfortunately for the rest of the group was mostly in German). It was fun to see the similarities in the classroom setting and apply my neurological knowledge to the case. Of course the other appeal for our group in Berlin was the Berlin Zoo, where the famous polar bear (Eisbaer) Knut lived until his sudden and unexpected death. At the zoo we were led around by the head veterinarian and got to feed the hippos - from a safe distance above them - by using a powerful water hose to attract them over and to get them to open their mouths so we could throw bread in.
 
That weekend we decided to go to Prague, which was a unique experience. There were some pitfalls along the way and it was difficult navigating the city with the entire group. Despite that we managed to have a good time. We went to the Prague Castle, walked on the Charles Bridge, explored the old town square, tried to go to the Jewish Quarter (it was closed for a holiday), and went to the Museum of Medieval Torture Instruments (which was creepy, but interesting). We also decided to spend the majority of one day at the Theresienstadt concentration camp outside of Prague. It made the day a bit longer, but it was worth it for the experience. That particular camp was used for Nazi propaganda films showing opposing forces that the camps "were not that bad" and that they really were just relocation camps for the Jews. This camp was where many of the Jewish composers, playwrights, writers, and artists were sent, which helped keep up the image the propaganda films needed. The camp was mostly used as a "halfway camp" before sending the prisoners to the extermination camps in Poland; however more than 30,000 people still died there.

Chivalry is dead and tram doors killed it.

Finally, I get to post this goofy thing!  From Roncesvalles, Spain none the less, where I finally found a desktop computer.  
-------------------------------

As a self described southern gentleman (and 'self' being the only one to describe me as such) there's a touch of culture shock to traveling as I've found out in the past two weeks.  Oh, right, the past two weeks and how I've not been blogging about it.  Guess I should start with that.  

Well truth is it's hard titypepp in atabket (the corrected version of that is 'its hard to type on a tablet'), so my desire to constantly correct the auto correct and finagle with a virtual keyboard is next to nil.  But since Ive an hour train ride and a guilty conscience, guess what I'm doing?  So I guess thatd be the first thing.  Either bring a laptop or dont buy a Toshiba thrive if you plan on blogging extensively because even the simplest posts take upwards of an hour to type.  

Anyhow, the story so far:  we started in Bonn where we got used to the German life (drinking good beer for cheap), sampled the local foods (asparagus.  Lots and lots of asaragus), and got rained (hailed) on.  So that was fun.  Nice town with a good bit to keep you entertained.  Even climbed up to see the ruins of Drachenfels,  twice.  The views are worth it.  And just as I began to figure out the subway system and not ride around in circles for an hour, we left. 

Onwards to Leipzig where we spent a lot of time at the Leipzig veterinary school.  First, we saw their historical collection of veterinary implements which was very cool, though I've always been a fan of history so we don't have to repeat it.  Hand cranked centrifuges, while beautifully geared, are something I'd rather avoid.  After that we toured their campus and then broadened our horizons to the city tour.  I must say, I really enjoyed the city tour.  Learned a lot about a town I'd previously only heard of in passing.  We also did an anatomy session with a group of Leipzig students, which was interesting in i own regard because their are several differences between the two systems.  I really hate that I brought a tablet instead of a laptop because I can't expound upon things in any decent amount of time, so again: bring a laptop.  
We then saw the Leipzig zoo, which is a nice facility, though a bit small in my opinion.  Also learned that blowdarting animals will not be a valid fall back olan for me if the whole vet thing ends up not working.  

After Leipzig we went to berlin, which is a pretty amazing city and perhaps the largest I've ever been in.  On the first day we went to the Leibniz institute, which may be my favorite part of the trip so far, though I couldnt tell you exactly why.  Just an enjoyable facility as a whole.  It did, however, further reiterate that blow darting is not my cup of tea. 
After leibniz we went to the Berlin zoo, which is quite massive and well worth the visit.  We did typical zoo stuff their, so not a lot to say really.  

On the second day we hung out at the Berlin vet school where we split into groups.  I ended up in the large animal group (which is theolace to be when wearing flip flops) where we saw mostly equin cases.  We also got to attend a farrier class which was most excellent.  Learned a lot and got to see some techniques I'd not seen used over in the US.  Though take that with a grain because my farriering experience basically doubled in a one hour class period.  

On the third day we took a bike tour of the city which was nice, but somewhat nerve wracking as the cars expect you to be ok with them whizzing by just inches from your body.  I guess thats why health insurance is part of the program fees.  Oh and I lied to you.  Leibniz wasn't my favorite part of the trio.  The museum of natural history in Berlin gets that qualificatio thus far and I dont see anything thats likely to usurp it in the future.  That place was amazing and I could spend an entire day in there I'd wager.  Unfortunately w only got about 2 hours....


Anyhow, now we 're all caught up and I'm in a train to hannover.  So what's all this about chivalry?  Well, really not a while lot, just some weird bumps along the way for the southern gentleman.  My first encounter with this was on a bus in Bonn.  Now, back home, when a lady gets on the bus and you're sitting down, you stand up an offer her your seat.  Not so in Germany.  I did this to a young lady and got a rather curtling glare usually only seen from exes and Black Friday shoppers.  So what shouldve happened, as far as I can tell, is for me to remain seated and enjoy the millimeter thin cushioning.  Standing up to give someone your seat is reserved for the elderly and young (as in children) here, evidently.  

The other hiccups I've had are in regards to trams, buses, an subways.  The German and, to a lesser degree, Czech, public transport system is very efficient and theyre leaving the estation regardless of your proximity to the train.  So when you have the opportunity to get on a tram or what have you, you take it instead of waiting for the lady next to you to go ahead.  Elsewise, you're going to end up with the tram doors shutting literally on you as you are boarding.  Three times now and counting.  Or the more fun option:  closing in front of you after you let the little old lady get on in front of you and the train speeding away when you were about 2 cm from the door.  Oh well, there's usually another one coming down the line and the east side gallery ( very cool by the by) will still be there in a few minutes...

Oh and bring a laptop or at least a keyboard that will work with your tablet.  Took an hour and 15 minutes to type this whereas it should've taken only 15 minutes.  And watch out for tram doors, they're out to get you.

P.S.  another update since weve not had wifi for several days now.  We went to norderney which was nice, but very wet and rainy, so bring at the least a rain jacket since were talking  Soaked through to the bone kind of rainy.  On a similar item have plenty of changes of clothes on hand. 
The mudwalk was very cool though and if you've the option, you should most definitely do it barefoot.  As for hannover' we really didn't do to much there',  the most notable thing being the BBQ with the German vet stoudents.  Good food nd good compapny (plus beer) always makes for a good evening though.  Currently on the way to basel.  

P.P.S.  belgian waffles are amazing.

P.P.P.S.  this post just keeps getting longer and longer.  Lost the password to my blogger account so typing this in another document right now until I can recovdr out, and so I have to update as the days go by.  So, remember what your blogger credentials are...
Were in Utrecht now and just a few days short of the end of our trip.  Today we visited the utrecht vet school and played a friendly game of soccer against the visiting Israeli students.  The Fighten' Texas Aggies actually beat the Israel team at soccer 3-2.  That may be the only time you ever see that sentence.

P.P.P.P.S.  to come full circle, bring a laptop over a tablet, or at least not the Toshiba thrive.  Its ridiculous how much trouble I've had posting this.  I can't do it from my tablet because blogger evidently doesn't allow me to paste into the text field with this tablet, and I can't do it on a desktop because the hostel's are currently unavailable.  Its now the last day of the trip (departure day) and this goofy thing still remains unposted.  Maybe tonight will be the night...

Last day :(

Today is the last full day of the program...that is both a happy and a sad thing. On the one hand I can't wait to get back home to see my boyfriend and find a place to take riding lessons again; on the other hand, I'm going to miss Germany so much, and Texas is going to seem boring in comparison.

I'm kind of behind on the blogging thing so I need to catch up on some of the experiences I've had over the last couple weeks. I think Nordeney really needs to be discussed...I will remember those few days forever with a mixture of fondness and revulsion. It would have been great if not for the weather. I sincerely hope that next year's group of students is blessed with better weather because rain, wind, and cold are not conducive to an enjoyable bike tour, wattwanderung, or horse riding experience. I have no desire to ride a bike again for awhile after that. The wattwanderung was still a wonderful experience though despite the weather...walking barefoot over the mudflats was a liberating feeling. It made me feel like a kid again digging clams and worms out of the mud. And then there was the part with the knee deep mud :) I won't go into too much detail about that since I want it to be a surprise for next year's group. It was a ridiculously strenuous few days, and I really hope they ease up a little bit for the next group so they can enjoy it more!

I think the horseback riding on the beach was really one of the highlights of the trip for me. I used to be a really competitive jumper rider, but it had been over two years since I'd sat on a horse. I was really concerned that I would have forgotten everything and be back to bouncing around in the saddle like a beginner. It turned out that when I got in the saddle it was like being home again. It felt perfect. My pony was really wound up, but you could tell she had some dressage training :) This was just what I needed to push me into finding a trainer in college station to start taking lessons again. So that was one of those epiphany moments that trips like this are good for I guess.

Anyway, we're in Utrecht now, which I wasn't too sure about at first, but it's starting to grow on me. I got to play soccer with the Dutch and Israeli students! I haven't played soccer since I was in 5th grade, but most of us sucked so it turned out to be really fun. It's sad that I'm this sore after a game of soccer though...

Tomorrow is my last day here, and then it's back to Texas. It's been an amazing month and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat :) That's all for now!

It's almost over :(

I can’t believe the program is almost over! It has definitely been a busy four weeks, but I have loved every minute of it. I have really enjoyed learning how the veterinary world operates in Germany, and I can say that there have been many similarities and differences. I noticed one of the more distinct differences when we were at the small animal teaching hospital in Berlin. In the majority of vet clinics in the U.S., veterinarians are not comfortable with owners restraining their own cats and dogs. One reason for this is to avoid liability if the animal were to bite or scratch its owner during a procedure or examination. In Germany, however, it seems that this doesn’t cause as much concern because people here are not as likely as Americans to file a lawsuit. I found that interesting. In contrast, the experience working with German vet students in their anatomy lab showed me that there are many similarities between us. Watching them struggle to find certain structures and then subsequently getting excited because they figured it out looked just like us when we took anatomy.

We have also done many things that were not associated with a vet school or clinic. We visited an organic farm on the first day of the program, and I loved it! Everything there was so fresh and healthy, and I wish I could live that way at home! We have also visited several zoos, and we got behind-the-scenes experiences with elephants and hippos. At the Cologne Zoo, we arrived early in the morning and got to go to the area where the elephants are housed and talk with the handlers. They explained how they train them to cooperate for veterinary treatment and the general behavior of elephants. I have never been that close to elephants before, and it was amazing! At the Berlin Zoo we got to feed the hippos pieces of bread, which they really seemed to enjoy. We visited the polar bears at the Berlin Zoo as well, and that was a special experience for me. I had never seen one before in person, and they are one of my favorite animals!

                In addition to official program activities, we have traveled on the weekends outside of Germany. Several of us traveled to Rome for the first free weekend, and it was absolutely worth every penny of the airfare to get there! We saw the Colosseum, the Vatican, the Pantheon, the Spanish Steps, and the Trevi Fountain. We also ate authentic Italian food, and it was so good that it will be hard to eat it anywhere else now! We went to Prague for the second free weekend, and it was a very neat city. The architecture was beautiful and the culture was unlike any I have experienced. Finally, for the third weekend we visited Zurich, and the view of the Alps from across Lake Zurich was breath taking.

                So, it’s sad that the program is almost over. The good news is that it isn’t QUITE over yet, and we still have more to experience here in Utrecht, the Netherlands!

Hello again. I would like to report on my trip to Hannover veterinary college and the trip to Nordeney. I was really pleased that we had the opportunity to participate in a dehorning procedure. I had never done this procedure before, so it was very interesting for me. To explain, when Aaron cut through the horn and cut the cornual artery, the veterinary students showed us how to use toothpicks to stop the flow of blood. I would have never thought of that!! Also, the party in the evening with the veterinary students was fun and I got to see a German drinking game. I would have liked to have played, but I had already had to much to drink and I am currently fighting a cold.
Nordeney..what to say but cold, wet, windy, and fun!! The day began with a tour of the island with Niles and Dr. Wasser. Appartenly the island's fresh water supply comes from a freshwater pocket under the island, which also explains its yellow brown color. At midday, we all tied up our shoes and handed towards the mudflats to discover lugworms!! Alex convinced me to take off my shoes, which, due to the cold weather, was something that I didn't want to do. I am glad that I did because the feeling of the mud under my feet was incredible. The best parts for me were the feeling of the deep pudding like mud under my feet and the trying to walk towards a yellow pole blindfolded. Everyone told me that I first walked straight and then made a sharp left turn. I always knew that I had on sense of direction so it was no surprise to me that I couldn't find the pole. As the day wore on, the rain began to fall harder and the temperature became colder. Inspite of this, we all decided to go horseback riding along the beach. I love horseback riding and have been riding since I was 5 years-old so for me I was excited to go despite the weather. I was in the second group so we rode our bikes to the meeting point and met the other riders, During the choas of people getting on and off and trying to hold horses, I forgot to give my key to Dr. Wasser. I later discovered that he had to carry his bike half way back to the hostel because of my mistake. I felt really bad about it because I did not mean to forgot to give him the key. Inspite of that, I did really enjoy the ride and my horse whose name was Raven. I hope that Dr. Wasser continues to take students riding despite the choas of this first year. In the evening we got the opportunity to talk with a husband and wife team that is in chage of all of the veterinary work for Nordeney. It was very interesting to learn of their practice and the work that they do. I liked the idea that I female veterinarian can still work and have children and have a sucessful practice. If the opportunity came up later, I would very much like to return to Norendey and work with this veterinary team.
On our final day at Nordeney, we went bird watching in the morning. I enjoyed seeing the diural owl and the many many oyster catchers despite the song wind. In the afternon we went to the seal rescue center and poor Niles had to carry my heavy bag all the way to the center...Thank you Niles!! I enjoyed watching the 1 year-old common seals play and learning about the feeding, mating, and birthing habits of the seal. It was also interesting to note that the seal population declined rapidly in the late 1990s due to a virus that wiped out half of the population. I would like to learn more about this virus and why it was so deadly. I am heading to Basel a day early and will most likely find a chocolate shop and chow down. Until then, take care and I will Blogg soon.
Kris

Three weeks past...

Needless to say, I'm not so good at this blogging thing.  The program had been a whirlwind of sights, smells, adventure, beauty and humanity... everything considered, blogging is the last thing on my mind usually (sorry Dr. Wasser :)

Our last day in Hannover we visited a part of the veterinary school that housed the research dairy cattle.  At first, the facilities seemed to be your run-of-the-mill barn, with-run-of-mill cows, eating their run-of-the-mill feed.  Then we were introduced to "Robert".... or rather, the robot.  This fantastic robotic machine that milked each cow perfectly to her exact needs.  Everything about the milking process is automated with laser sensors, individual records of every cow and tracking mechanisms to determine how often each cow steps up to be milked.  The human element, and the stress on the cow, is completely eliminated.  When a cow wants to be milked, she steps up to the machine (the cows were literally waiting in line to visit the robot), it reads her tracking device and if it has been a sufficient amount of time since her last milking, it obliges her by lining up her udder with its ... milkers?... and goes to town.  The robot can determine when a particular quarter is finished and will detach that milker while still working on the others until the cow is completely and comfortably milked.  It is such a wonderful system that caters to the cows needs while decreasing stress.

I was exceedingly grateful for the warm welcome the students and professors at the veterinary school in Hannover gave us and enjoyed the time I spent there.

Well, we've been here three weeks now, and I'm struck by the oddity of Europe.  It's strange having so many languages and cultures in what is, for a Texan, such a small space.  The first weekend, we went to Rome, and I bought something at a small shop owned by an Asian woman, who was speaking something not Italian to her other employee.  She gave me my change, and I, out of habit, said, "danke," which is German for "thank you."  I stood there for a moment pondering the strange multicultural moment I'd just had: I, an American, was in Italy, speaking German to an Asian woman. 

Another thing I've enjoyed is the history and beauty around every corner here.  It seems Europe has an overabundance of those things.  For example, again in Rome, we turned a corner after we got off a bus and there was Trajan's column, just sitting out in the middle of everything, being all historical.  The first week, we visited an organic farm in Bonn, and our guide referred to a building on the property as "not that old, only from the early 1800s."  What?!  This farm had been in documented continuous use since the 700s AD.  And it's still there, being farmed, in the middle of the city, with everyone just going about their lives.  I still haven't gotten used to the weight of history here, and how people just take it in stride.

Trying it catch up on blogging...

Wow it has been a busy couple of weeks here. We're currently in Basel and I'm going to attempt to catch up on my blogs. Rome was most definitely the best weekend trip I could have imagined. We decided flying was the best option, since we had heard some stories about less than reliable Italian trains, and ended up flying with Air Berlin, which is my new favorite airline - too bad they don't fly in the US. They arranged everything we needed perfectly, such as seating our entire group on the plane together despite the fact that we had booked our tickets separately and making sure our luggage was placed in the plane last so it would be easier to transfer to our other plane during our layover. They even gave you a warm full size pretzel in flight and a piece of chocolate at the end of the flight.  After some internet research we found a website called monasterystays.com where you can stay at a functioning monastery or convent in Rome, so we decided to try it out. It was very reasonably priced and worth every penny. The nuns made us breakfast each morning with a specifically set table for each room (which was amusing for us because James had to sit at a separate table since he had to be in a separate room). We also got to bond with the nuns in a unique way when the shower in our bathroom overflowed on the first night and we spent about an hour mopping up the water that had flowed all the way out into the hallway. From the stories I had heard regarding Rome and theft, I was also relieved at how safe and secure I felt at the convent. We had a nightly curfew at 11pm, which was fine for us because we had no interest in partying all night, and the convent had a gate and door that you had to be buzzed into to get inside.  As for the city itself, we managed to pack a whirlwind tour into a less than 48 hour stay. We saw the Colosseum, the tomb of the unknown soldier, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, and many other ruins. We spent about 6 hours in Vatican City (I could have spent a week there, but with such a limited amount of time, 6 hours was significant). As a Catholic, being able to go to the Vatican was an amazing experience. While we were there, a mass was being celebrated in the Basilica and I was able to have about 20 minutes of prayer in the adoration chapel. It was so peaceful and meaningful for me to have that opportunity. The Sistine Chapel was beautiful, but I wish there had been less people in the chapel at one time and that the people in there had obeyed the no photography and no talking rules, because it was rather disrespectful to see so many people breaking those simple rules.  We finished off a great weekend with a family style dinner at a small Italian restaurant off the beaten path where the waiters barely spoke English and got to experience what we thought was a stereotypical Italian waiter that kept walking away every time we asked him for something. It was frustrating and hilarious at the same time.  Another unique Roman experience was figuring out the traffic and bus system. The traffic there was crazy, with vespas weaving through it hardly following any traffic rules and pedestrians going across roads whenever they wanted - we were sure that someone was going to get hit, but no one ever did. The buses were hard to figure out and did not seem to have any predictable schedule, unlike the very reliable German transport systems. We even asked a shopkeeper and he said, "oh, yeah, the bus you need comes around every twenty minutes or so, usually." It was quite different from what we had been used to in Bonn.  All in all our weekend in Rome was exhausting but worth every penny. I will never be able to eat pizza, pasta, pesto, gnocchi, or gelato in America again without remembering the superiority of these dishes in Rome and I can finally say that I have been to the Vatican, which was one of the top five places in the world I wanted to see. 

REFLECTIONS WEEK 2

Rome: Oh my gosh, ROME!!!!!! I think that Rome screamed history from the moment we set eyes on it.  Roman history is one of my all-time favorite time periods.  I read about it ALL the time (but maybe not as much as James ;) Even though we were only there for two days, we hit up most of the must see monuments.  I think my absolute favorite site was the Colosseum; there was just something about its amazing architecture and what went on there that sticks with you.  The fact that they were able to build something like the Colosseum so long ago astounds me.

One part of Rome I absolutely must comment about was where we chose to stay.  Rome is notorious for being “unsafe,” so the idea of staying in a hostel was not very appealing….instead we booked rooms at a convent! How crazy is that?  It was a great experience and we felt extremely safe with all of the hoops we had to jump through just to get into our rooms each time we returned.  The only hitch? We kind of flooded our room and the hallway with our faulty handicapped-accessible shower….oops!

Leipizig: Leipizig was our first European vet school experience.  I think what stuck with me the most was just how different the program was.  I especially enjoyed getting to practice performing a laminectomy in a clinical anatomy lab with second year students.  We talked about the procedure as well as about them.  I couldn’t believe how little experience in the veterinary world they had.  All of them went to vet school straight out of high school and had never worked with a veterinarian.  

Berlin: I loved, loved, loved Berlin!  It was definitely one of my favorite cities.  I think I really enjoyed experiencing the history of the city.  Even though I am definitely not a good bike rider, I thought the bike tour there was probably the best tour we got to take.  It gave you a great feel for the entire city instead of just certain areas.  I think the two sites that stick out in my mind were the Berlin wall and the Jewish holocaust memorial; the wall because of its historical significance and effect on Eastern Germany and the memorial because of what the holocaust means to me.

Prague: I thought Prague would be amazing based on all the praise it receives from other travelers, and although I thought it was beautiful, I did not love it.  It was a tourist city that was not exceedingly tourist friendly.  One thing I truly did like about Prague was its gorgeous architecture and its location on the river.   

While we were in Prague, we decided to take a bus out of town to Terezin, which was a ghetto/concentration camp.  It served as a half-way camp, a stop on the way to death camps for many people.  I have never been to any sort of concentration camp, so Terezin was definitely an eye opener.  Even though it wasn’t a death camp, death and suffering were rampant. 

Half way...

Its crazy to think that our program is now half over. We have done so much that I lose track of what day it is, when we've done what activities, how long ago we went to certain cities, etc. It just all runs together after a while since everything is so hectic.

Earlier last week, we visited the veterinary school in Leipzig, which was super nice. We were able to see a collection of old vet instruments as well as partake in an anatomy lab with some German vet students. It was pretty cool, especially since it was a clinical anatomy elective class where they were actually doing medical procedures instead of just memorizing body parts and functions. We also were able to visit the zoo, which was amazing. The animal exhibits, especially for some of the apes and monkeys, were very spacious and natural for the animals.

After Leipzig, we made our way to Berlin. The city as a whole was cool because of the history of it all, even though I'm not a big city person. I really enjoyed the bike tour, and even though it seemed dangerous at times, it was nice to have a break from walking. The zoo in Berlin was also my favorite zoo so far out of all that we have seen. The feline exhibit was outstanding. The outside areas opened into a cat house that you could walk through and see all of the cats hanging out in the air conditioning. I absolutely love all cats, and they definitely had the largest variety. I even got to see a sand cat! I've read about them and researched them in the past, but I'd never seen one in person until Berlin! We also visited the IZW Leibniz Institute, which opened my eyes to a new side of research. I never thought I'd be interested in research at all really, I wanted to do more clinical or even surgery type work, especially on exotics in zoos. But hearing about some of the projects going on at the institute and reading about others on printed posters throughout the facility made me extremely interested in some of their projects. Hopefully, if time allows, I'll be able to come back for an internship for some sort of feline research project!

My free weekend was spent in Prague with the rest of the group. It was a really pretty city, but honestly, I wasn't too impressed. Its definitely not a place I would recommend over any city we've been to in Germany. It was extremely touristy, and though most people seemed to know English, they weren't the nicest people to interact with. We did visit a concentration camp though, which was pretty cool.


We made it back yesterday to Hannover, and then had another busy day today. It was the most hands on day so far, we were able to pet several animals including a -very- adorable baby goat, and then we got to dehorn cattle! And we also were able to watch a basketball sized lesion get drained, so that was pretty awesome also.

Today I have decided to blogg about my experiences in Berlin as well as my weekend in Prague. My favorite part of Berlin was the behind the scences tour of the hippo exhibit. Looking down on the hippo enclosure and getting to feed the hippos was amazing. It was also interesting to learn how the newborn hippos are introduced into the group and that the zookeepers and veterinary staff are able to work so well with an untrained animal. Along the same lines, watching the seal trainer use simple commands such as to raise the seal's flipper or to wait were not all that impressive to the spectators, but were very important to the veterinary staff to draw blood and to examine the animal.
Also, I am a lover of history, so the bike tour of Berlin was also one of my favorite experiences. To explain, the story about the students from West Berlin sneaking people from East Berlin into West Berlin using tunnels was fascinating. Also, the stumbling stones in front of the houses in Berlin, even though contraversial, are a good reminder of the souls lost during one of the darkest times in human history. Even walking through Prague, I noticed several stones on the sidewalk next to buildings where Jewish families used to live. Prehaps the most uneasy feeling came while walking through the memorial to the murdered Jews of Europe. To me, the memorial represented the Nazi destruction of the Jews at the beginning of the war on the edges of the memorial, small and perhaps those from the outside would not notice. But as you walked into the middle of the memorial, into destruction, death, and hatred, I began to feel overwhemled, uneasy, and lost. There was no sence or understanding it, even from its core, and prehaps that is its meaning after all.
On Saturday and Sunday, I headed for Prague. I was not quite sure what to expect so I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered all the city had to offer. The Prague castle and the view from Charile's Bridge was beautiful especially at night. One of my favorite sights was the astrolabe and clock tower at the old town square. One of my good friends explained the history of the astrolabe and how it works, so it was impressive to see it first hand. On Sunday, I headed for Terezin concentration camp. This was a sombering experience to say the least. It has been said to be one of the nicer work camps but the conditions in which the prisoners lived was uphauling. Sometimes 600 to 900 prisoners lived together in one room and children and the elderly suffered the most. I also learned that most of the inhabitants died of disease or were sent to dead camps such as Ashiwtz. There was a large population of children at the camp so there were many children's drawings depicting life before the war and their longing for freedom. It was hard to see, but important I think to always remember so that we do not again repeat history. Prague, to me, was a very modern city with beautiful bulidings, cheap souvenir shops, and crazy night life. I hope someday to return and spend more time and hopefully learn some of the language.

Wait...the program is half over already?

Two weeks down! I probably should have blogged earlier, but this is the first night I haven't been too exhausted to do so. Where to start? I love Bonn. Out of Bonn, Cologne, Leipzig, Berlin, and Freiburg, I would definitely pick Bonn every time. I love how small and quiet it is compared to those other cities, and it's beautiful and historical and all that jazz. I shall return.

Just as a fun exercise, I'm going to make a quick list of the things that pop into my head about the trip so far, in order of popping: Döner. Red pandas. Bike tour! Sunburns. The little green and red crosswalk guys with hats. Delicious beer everywhere. Velociraptors and dodo birds. Black forest cake. Climbing up mountains. Sore feet. Americans are loud. Haribo=Yum. I love public transport except when it smells funny.

I think that pretty much somes everything up, but I'll write some more anyway.

Our first free weekend we spent in the black forest region of Germany in Freiburg. It's a touristy little city, but for good reason I suppose. It's gorgeous, the food and cake is fantastic, there's little rivers of water flowing through the streets, and you can take a cable car ride to the top of a mountain. What's not to like? I recommend it to anyone who wants a tasty, relaxing weekend. We're going to Prague early tomorrow morning, so if I'm not pickpocketed of all my belongings I will report back to you on that.

I feel like I've already learned so much about how to navigate around Europe and about the neat little cultural differences; I'm looking forward to learning more during the remaining two weeks of the program!

Super Zoom's Blog 2

So

The first week and the subsequent weekend were a whirlwind tour.  It was exhausting: usually on vacations I'm the one waking everyone up at 6 am so we can make it in time to the museum or bookstore, or some special event; I like to be organized and on time
(side note: I really like how today I said something about being obsessive and Rachel and James were like "duh")
anywho, that being said, even with my mad organization skillz, I walk too slow; it's becoming a problem

But I'd rather have painful walking experiences and see all the amazing things we've seen, as opposed to not seeing them

*Silent Fox*

So
I'm seriously considering coming back here next year to work at the Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research here in Berlin
right at this moment, I feel like I miss research: maybe I would like it better if it had to do with animals
I really think that all the things that made me get fed up with research would not be there in research focused on conservation
I'm SO excited! There were so many amazing project to work on
http://www.izw-berlin.de/en/izw/index.html

I keep wavering about what I think I'm going to end up doing as a DVM
I thought I knew, and then it changes, and then I'm sure again, and then it changes again
I have a lot of passion for a lot of things; But I know I want to be involved in several things, it's just a matter if it ends up being my primary job, or more of a hobby type thing

I have not been having enough caffeine for this trip
it's becoming a problem

The First Impression

It has been almost a week and a half since we arrived in Germnay. Most everything here is about what I anticipated or had experienced abroad before. The food however is exceptionally good wherever I have gone. (except on the train ride to Leipzig but that was more my own fault than anything).
So far we have visited an organic farm (which was quite interesting), taken multiple city tours, visited various research facilities (each one took care of things a little bit differently but everything was interesting), toured multiple zoos, and even toured a vet school.
Our first free weekend was split between Munich and Vienna. The first, Munich, was very pretty and we had an excellent time touring Cinderella's Castle and looking around the city for a bit. Our train left very late and we were pretty tired so we were very glad to have our sleeping cart all to ourselves. We arrived in Vienna after a not-so-fun train ride and once the morning issues were resolved and we were checked in to our hotel things started getting better. We visited the zoo, which was very interesting, and ate at a very nice restaurant. After not sleeping much on the train it was nice to sleep in warm cozy beds. The next day we left for Leipzig which took most of the day on a train but we made it without problems.
This week has been a bit more crazy because our schedules are much more dense with more activities taking place. However, I have really enjoyed being able to go on rounds, visit with other vet students, and see how certain things within the vet school work outside of the US. We travel to Prague tomorrow so hopefully it won't be as diffiicult of a ride as last weekend.

First Week

We just finished our first week in Bonn and Cologne and started on our second in Leipzig. I can't believe how fast our first week flew by! I had an amazing time in both Bonn and Cologne. Bonn is an amazing city, I really like all of the older buildings and walking down by the Rhine river. Our first day there we visited an organic farm in Bonn, which was really interesting because I have never been to an organic farm. I enjoyed learning about how everything worked, they also had sheep and chickens there as well as some horses that they board for other people. I also enjoyed going out to the dairy research center. I though that it was really interesting learning about the research they were doing out there and the area surrounding the farm was really pretty. In addition we did a walking tour of Bonn that I really enjoyed, despite the rain and hail that started about halfway through it. Later in the week we went to Cologne to visit the zoo and do a walking a tour in the afternoon. At the zoo we got a behind the scenes tour of the elephant house, which was really impressive. The house has a huge indoor part with individual pens for the elephants to eat and have the trainer work with them. We were able to watch some of the training and some of the medical treatments, which I enjoyed getting to watch. After that we took a tram back the main station, and got off there. When you walk out of the station the first thing you see is the Cologne cathedral which absolutely amazing. We got to see the inside as well and the inside is even more beautiful than the outside, I took lots of pictures but I don't think they will be able to do it justice. On Friday we left Bonn to visit Paris for the weekend. We saw the eiffel tower Friday night and walked the almost 700 steps to the second level (I learned then that I'm not in nearly as good of shape as I had thought :)). However it was well worth it getting to see the view of Paris from there! The next day we visited the Louvre in the morning, which I really enjoyed and then I went sat in the gardens close to it for a little bit and just enjoyed the weather and the scenery. After that we went to Notre Dame which was amazing! The inside of the church was indescribably beautiful, I'm so glad that we were able to visit. After that we went to the catacombs beneath Notre Dame and were able to see the ruins of the Roman city, which was really interesting to see. We finished off our weekend in Paris with a dinner cruise on the Seine river, we did it at night so we were able to see Paris all lit up, we also got an amazing view of the effiel tower all lit and lots of picutres.

1st Week in Germany

The first week in Germany was a world wind. We finally got all of the train situations figured out and survived some cold weather. A German spring felt like a medium Texas winter. My two favorite itinerary items was the lecture about homeopathy and touring the elephant enclosure at the Koln Zoo. Honestly I was rather skeptical about homeopathy having any effect on the animal at all. A simple demonstration of how different methods can be used to calm an aggressive or anxious dog cured me of my skepticism. I think it can be useful in allowing the owner to bond with the animal and making exams go more smoothly. It’s always better when a dog likes to come into a vet clinic. I also think it can be useful in managing chronic/progressive problems such as arthritis. The elephant enclosure at the Koln Zoo is by far the best one I’ve seen. I love that it was a large enclosure with the option to come inside when the elephants felt like it. The fencing allowed the public to be relatively close to the animals. I think the elephants enjoy having something more to look at than concrete walls.

Other highlight of the week is walking up a mountain to see Drachenfels Castle ruins. Walking up the mountain seemed to take forever and a day. My legs were not happy about it. Every time the road curved we thought we were almost there. The view was completely worth it. We got there right at sunset and spent about 30 min taking pictures and only walked down because we didn’t want to go down a mountain in the dark. I could see the top of the Koln Cathedral in the distance aka really far away.

Taylor's Blog Numero Uno

My first week in Germany, and let me just say that jet lag is killer. 7 hours ahead here means that even though my body told me it was 1 in the morning and I should be sleeping, the clock said 8 a.m. and time to start the day. So the first day was exhausting and I honestly remember very little of it. The program actually started on our second day there in Bonn. Bonn is a beautiful city that reminded me a lot of College Station in that it was definitely a college town. I felt comfortable and I think that this was the perfect place to start the program. With the program we were in Bonn for 4 nights with our last day, Friday, spent in Cologne. While in Bonn I got my first taste of real German food which I have to say is delicious. I haven’t had a bad meal yet.

We visited an organic farm in the middle of Bonn that was home to some adorable baby lambs. (And other things but obviously the baby animals were the best) We also got to visit with the vet that runs the animal research facilities at the Bonn medical school. We also got a lecture on alternative medicine and homeopathy which was interesting. The city tour of Bonn was…fun. We spent most of it huddled under a tree freezing, attempting not to get hailed on. For twenty minutes. Fun. Next was a dairy farm which was really cool since there aren’t too many smaller ones still in Texas. We also visited a history museum in Bonn which, considering German history, was extremely interesting if a little somber.

Our day in Cologne started with a behind the scenes tour of the Cologne Zoo. This included getting to go into the elephant enclosures and watch the trainers treat and practice training the elephants. (There were babies!) The zoo was a lot of fun. I learned that the people of Germany really like raccoons, they have them in the zoo since they’re not native to Germany though apparently they have a tendency to escape and end up on top of apartment buildings…go figure. We also got a guided tour of Cologne which included one of the impressive cathedrals that I have ever seen. It was massive and gorgeous and famous for holding the tombs/bones of the three wise men. Some of us walked up to the top of the cathedral. My legs protested the truly ridiculous amounts of stairs but it was worth it in the end.

So concludes my first week of the program.

The good and the bad

Our first week in Germany was pretty fast paced, exhausting, yet fun. Bonn was definitely my favorite town so far, it didn't feel as large and tourist-y as others such as Cologne, Munich, Vienna and Leipzig. It was easy going, beautiful, and a good town to help us adjust to the new culture. We visited an organic farm and a dairy farm, which were both pretty cool. A few summers ago, I studied abroad in Belize, where we also went to numerous organic farms as well as a dairy, and it was neat to see the differences between European facilities, American facilities, and facilities in a developing country. During the week, there was also a talk on holistic animal medicine. That was probably my least favorite learning experience thus far. I think acupuncture and the like has its benefits, but there are still so many things within the holistic and related medicine categories that I do not think are real or true and that have no scientific backing. I'm sure some methods work on some animals, but without an explanation why, its hard for me to take it seriously and think that it is a real method that will work on a large percentage of animals.

The real adventure for me actually began on our first weekend. Annamarie and I set off with just the two of us to Munich. We had to rush to trains, stress out, make changes, and hope that our trains weren't too delayed. All in all, we did pretty well and got to where we needed to go. We arrived after midnight in Munich, but managed to quickly find our hotel which was just across the street from the train station. We spent all day Friday at Neuschwanstein Castle in the Bavarian Alps. It was my first time to ever see mountains! I'm still working on fixing up images so I can upload them. The castle was also amazing, and we got to go on this small, super high bridge to get a better view. We left with a tour company from the main train station in Munich to get to the castle. It was nice because there were only 6 of us in our group, which normally has about 20 according to the tour guide. We were with a guy and his son from Israel (I think?) and an English couple. The couple was really nice, and we talked to them throughout the trip. Once we got back from the castle, we walked down one of the main walkways of Munich where they had all of their restaurants and bars and such. It was really cool because they had a bunch of decorations and screens up in the plaza areas since the big Munich-Chelsea soccer finals game was there the next day.

Our train departed from Munich to Vienna at about 11:40 at night. Our plan was to sleep on the train, which arrived in Vienna at 5:45am, then to go to the Vienna Zoo, hang out the rest of the day, then get some sleep. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned. On the train, we were sleeping in a locked cabin. I had my phone out to use as an alarm and my backpack was on the floor. We were both sleeping across the seats in the cabin with our heads by the window, my phone and backpack between our heads. Somehow, during the night, someone broke into our cabin, took my phone and my wallet out of my backpack, and got off the train. Later on, once I realized my things were gone, two girls came up and said that they saw two guys unlock our cabin, grab something and then get off at the next stop, but the whole story seemed weird. So then we finally got to Vienna with maybe 2 hours of sleep. We hiked over half the town looking for the US Embassy, then finally found it after getting directions from some cops. Unfortunately, the embassy was closed on Saturday. However, some guards were out in the station and connected us to some US Marines within the embassy. It was soooooo nice to hear voices speaking English without an accent. We wanted them to come down to the security stand where we were just so we could hug them haha. I tried using the phone in the security place to call my credit cards to cancel them, since I had copies of them with me, but we couldn't get through. The marine on the phone was finally able to connect me to my parents in the states, and they called my credit card and phone companies to get all of my stuff canceled. So far, all is well, except I have to call Wells Fargo in order to get a new debit card sent to me here in Germany. Luckily, my passport, Eurail pass, camera and computer were all left, so it was only an inconvenience and nothing too extremely serious. I just thank God that I didn't wake up, I don't know what I would've done, or what they would've done if we did wake up. I'm just glad that God was able to keep us safe and to only let a few things get taken.

After an exhausting day of running around town with little food and little sleep and hauling around 50+ pounds of luggage, we finally arrived at our hotel. We had booked a super nice 4 star hotel right across the street from the Vienna Zoo, and we were so extremely thankful that our nice hotel happened to be on the night that we needed it most. After checking in, we freshened up and, even though we were in a haze from being so exhausted, we managed to make it over to the zoo. It really was a nice zoo, and we got to see giant pandas!! They had three!! They were so cool! We hit the other important animals and made it a very quick visit, since we were unsure as to how long we could last. Not only that, but the zoo was probably one of the worst places thus far with people smoking cigarettes, and that whole aspect is my least favorite part about being here in Europe. I don't drink, but I can deal with people around me drinking. But smoking is something different, its not only killing you, but its killing everyone around you, and it baffles me as to why its so popular here even with all of our advanced medical knowledge. Oh well.

Once we returned to our hotel, I was finally able to skype with my fiancee, and it was nice to actually talk to him and see him. After a bit of a chat, we decided to head off to bed. We slept 13 hours in our super comfortable, dark, quiet, 4 star hotel room. It was so worth it. not only that, but when we woke up in the morning, our breakfast consisted of eggs, bacon, fruit, breads and juices. It was amazing, and made us feel so much better.

We arrived back in Leipzig after 9pm last night, and I was so glad to be back with the rest of our group, and I'm glad we're rarely going out with such a small number of people from here on out. Though the weekend was very nice, it was still extremely stressful. Hopefully everything else on the trip will be fun and easy in comparison to this excursion.

Angry Dairy cow from Kris's view

Today was a very interesting day. We were working at the large animal clinic at Lepzig university going over cases. As the professor was talking, I heard a man screaming and an angry female dairy cow came running towards my professor and our group of students. We were in a narrow hallway between the stalls so we really didn't have anywhere to run. Some of the students went into the horse stalls and other students ran into a closet. My professor and I ran into a room that we thought had a door...but there was no door. ;(
The cow ran towards my professor and I am pinned us in the narrow room. I was holding the cow by the neck as best as a could trying to push it back but I was having no luck. One of the other professors at Lepzig university screamed at my professor to get out and pulled him out of the narrow room. I was suck in the corner and couldn't move. I was just trying to hold on to the cow to prevent her from running me into the wall. She was very scared and just wanted to leave. Finally one of the other students grabbed the cow and together we were able to push it out of the narrow room. ;) I was a bit shaken for a while, but I knew that it was not the cow's fault. It could have injured me if it wanted too but it didn't. I was just glad that no one was hurt and that the cow is happy and safe.
As a side note, I am rediscovering hot tea because I have come to the conclusion it is a sin in Germany to put ice in tea.
Kris

Video blog: week 1

I'll probably type out a whole shebang soon; but until I have real time to do that, here's my video blog covering hilights of week one:

I want to add: I think one of my favorite moments of this weekend was our group hug in the Vatican

REFLECTION ON FIRST WEEK J

     We are one week into our program, and it feels like time is FLYING by.  I am having an absolutely amazing time exploring the magnificent architecture and interesting culture.  I hope to not only blog about what we are doing but also about what makes it so special.

Bonn: Just walking around Bonn, you get the feeling of a quiet small town.  For example, when we were told we were going to visit an organic farm, I totally thought we would be riding out of the city to some tiny little farm.  Instead, we ended up actually on a farm in Bonn itself.  I was completely surprised since that’s not really something one would see back home in Dallas, not to mention the fact that it was organic.  It was extremely cool to see all the animals and plants being raised so close to the city and unaltered by pesticides and drugs. 

      Everywhere you look in Bonn you see something breathtakingly beautiful, even while walking around while getting pelted by hail and torrential rain and being frozen by icy cold wind.  The cobbled streets, the very old cathedrals, and old architecture looks nothing like anywhere I have been before.  You really get a sense of history. 

     I think one of my favorite experiences in Bonn was climbing the mountain to see Drachenfels castle.  I really didn’t want to go, but my friends were dead set on it.  It ended up really showing me how much I can physically handle if I really push myself, and the long climb was absolutely worth it.  The view was spectacular and the castle ruins were really awe-inspiring considering how old they were.

Cologne:  Even though we only spent a day in Cologne, I felt like I got a great feel of the city.  I loved the cathedral, and it’s always impressive to see architecture like that.  I adored the zoo and was surprised by the vast number of animals they had.  The behind the scenes tour of the elephant house was probably my favorite part, as I don’t think I have ever been that close to an elephant (although I have been that close to a herd of angry rhinos); I can’t wait to see what the Berlin zoo has in store too! 

More to come on Rome and this coming week!