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!