by Grace Beshears| Summer 2024 |
Although I had been dreaming of joining the Global Healthcare in Leipzig 2024 program ever since I was a freshman in 2021, actually preparing for departure and flying to Germany was a little frightening. Before Leipzig, I had never been outside of the United States except for my first two years of life in China before I was adopted. Yet three days after getting married, my husband and I hopped on the plane to Germany.
The cultural shock was so real! The Germans rarely use air conditioning. They mostly walk everywhere or use public transport. German doctors also deliver healthcare differently, and their doctors follow a different training model than the U.S. While I was confused at first about all of these differences, I learned to respect the history and culture behind them. It turns out the Germans value recycling, preventing climate change, and universal healthcare, which I respect. Seeing the diversity in how different cultures solve problems was awesome.
On the academic side, Dr. Flanagan taught a great class with lots of group and hands-on learning. We read case studies regarding access to healthcare, debated the pros/cons of different healthcare systems, and discussed what happens when doctors encounter cultures wildly different from the American paradigm. We also visited Berlin, Weimar/Buchenwald, and Prague as a class, where we toured these cities and learned about their history. One of my favorite locations was the Charité Museum of Medical History in Berlin, where we examined the development of the medical profession. In Prague, the class also collectively agreed that the group dinner at U Pivrnce Hradčany was the best food we’d had in Europe.
While I was apprehensive about the free travel weekends where I was supposed to plan independent travel, my husband and I worked together to plan a day trip to Dresden and a fantastic honeymoon in Rome. We were able to see the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, the Parthenon, and the Roman catacombs. I’m so glad that ACU gives us the opportunity to travel on our own in Europe. They were also accommodating regarding married couples and gave my husband and me our own private rooms. However, due to the layout of the villa, we used communal bathrooms.
During this trip, I learned to trust in God for my safety, enjoy traveling, and think positively about the cultural differences between the U.S. and Europe. I will never forget my first experience abroad, and now I know there are so many more places I hope to visit if I ever return to Europe!
