Auf Wiedersehen Texas, and Howdy Germany!

Hallo!

I am Sarah, one of the Texas A&M vet students about to study abroad in Germany! I'm a Texas Aggie at heart. I completed both my undergrad degree and my master's degree at this university, and I am thrilled to say I just completed my first year of vet school here as well!

I have been wanting to study abroad in Europe ever since I started taking French in high school (but I'm going to Germany?!). That experience, combined with having amazing history teachers really sparked an interest in Europe and history for me. When I heard about this trip during the first few weeks of vet school, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to combine learning about several of my favorite things; veterinary medicine, languages, and history.

The past few days have flown by. I am feeling mostly excited, but a little nervous as well. Between finishing finals, taking a short vacation, and trying to get ready for this trip I have been busy! I keep making lists and think I'm remembering everything I need, but of course I never do, which has made for quite a few trips to the store! I've been trying to pick up a few German words as well. Some of my favorites so far have been ausgezeichnet-excellent, and entschuldigung-excuse me.

This trip is going to be filled with amazing trips to zoos, vet schools, and cultural sites. I think that I am most excited for our internship day. Each of us gets placed in a clinic that practices the kind of veterinary medicine we are most interested in. I was placed in an equine clinic. I am very interested in seeing the European breeds of horses, how they are trained, and how their health care compares to that of the US (both the similarities and the differences).

I will be sad to say goodbye to my loved ones here in Texas, but I know how supportive they all are of this trip, and of making my dreams a reality. This study abroad will not only make me a better person through learning about different people and different cultures, but a better veterinarian as well.