Day Twenty One: Sunday, June 3
Today completely centered around travel. I woke up at 3:07 in the morning to pack up the last of my things and head out the door. We were picked up by a van, and crammed ourselves 3-deep in each row of the van. We arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare, so I grabbed my first and last leberkasesemmel for breakfast. We boarded the plane and went on our way to Paris. Our time in Paris was very limited. Likely due to sleep deprivation, I had not gotten a boarding pass for the flight from Paris to Atlanta, so I had to get one at the customer service desk. In front of me was a customer who was being rather obstinate, so it was a solid 35-40 minutes before I was able to come to the desk. Luckily, I was able to get a boarding pass before the flight departed, but the hassle was not over yet. I'm unsure why, but French airport security is quite strict. I had to answer specific questions about what I had done while in Europe, who had used my electronics, have my bags inspected, and so on. Finally, I was able to board the plane, where I spent almost all of my time either eating or watching a movie. Without movies on overseas flights, I might go insane, because I seem to have difficulty sleeping while in the air. When we finally landed in Atlanta, I was thrilled to be back in the U.S. No more inability to understand the language, ease of communication, and bathrooms that were all free. After making it through airport security/customs, several of us went to Buffalo Wild Wings, where I was finally reunited with southern-style fried chicken. Schnitzel is good, but southerners are superior when it comes to making chicken. Soon after we boarded the plane to Little Rock. This flight went by very quickly, and I was ecstatic to see my family and head back home.
The whole day, I had home on my mind, but I was also reminiscing on the experiences I had and things I saw while on the trip, and thinking of how I might be changed or live differently when I got back home. So far, I have been seeing the small details in ways that I hadn't before. I am seeing the beauty in things that I might have ignored before. I have been so appreciative for the things which I did not have while abroad, and will be more grateful for them. While I do miss Austria, it is great to be home.

Day Twenty: Saturday, June 2
Since today is my last day in Austria, it is appropriate to reflect on what I experienced here, and how those experiences affected me. I will miss beautiful sights, culture, the incredible history, and delicious foods of Austria. I will miss mountains, rolling hills, trees, abundant music, and ornate architecture. Although I will miss these things, I am looking forward to coming back home. I miss the feeling I get when I take a walk through the woods. I miss sunrises that break through the trees or cut across the long grass of the fields. I miss my family, friends, and pets, and I miss all of the things that make Arkansas my home. When I get back home, though, my outlook and perceptions of things will be different. After seeing things from a different perspective in Austria, I know I will grow to appreciate the small details of home, and the importance of little things that I had not paid much attention to before. Seeing the beauty in things, such as centuries-old architecture, the awe-inspiring alps, and the incredible culture that surrounded me at all times will alter my outlook on experiences, places, and things back home for the better. I am so grateful that I was able to see such beauty and have such incredible experiences in Austria, Hungary, and Munich. Budapest, Vienna, Munich, Dorfgastein, Hallstatt, and Salzburg are all places I will never forget. Being able to climb the mountain in Dorfgastein, as well as in Hallstatt were unforgettable experiences. I will never forget Hallstatt and its majestic lake and mountains, as well as its unique salt mine. The most amazing experience, although it may have seemed simple to some, was to climb to the top of the mountain in Dorfgastein. Amongst the snowy peaks and clouds, I felt the presence of God to a degree that I have felt few times before. Although I feel His presence every day, on the mountaintop, He was all around me. In everything I saw, from giant green trees on the mountainside to delicate, vibrant blue flowers growing at the peak, the snowy mountaintops that surrounded me, or wispy clouds rolling through at eye level, God was there. I can't quite describe the feeling I had in words, but I was overwhelmed with a sense of peace.
My experiences in Austria will help me to celebrate and value others' differences. Austrians are so tolerant and accepting of others who differ from them, and I believe this is a mindset that all Americans could learn from. My experiences will also help me to see the beauty in everyday things. Austria has taught me to step back and really see my surroundings. So many times in life, I have overlooked the small details. After this trip, I will grow to appreciate more the little elements in life that make it truly special.
Regarding my future career as a doctor, this trip has helped me to see a different perspective and way of viewing health. I have learned the importance of leisure and of relaxation to personal health, which will do me well to apply to my own life, and to advise patients to apply to theirs. Also, from my experiences at Krems, I learned of different methods of doing things, as well as different ways of thinking in regards to medicine. I feel that I will be able to better show empathy toward my patients after learning about/seeing those in need of assistance on the Shades Tour. I will have a greater appreciation for nurses and physicians' assistants and the help that they will provide me every day in my career. I do not know how I would be able to perform my job without their assistance -- they are critical, and worthy of praise.
Overall, my study abroad experience was one I will never forget. The things I gained, things I learned, and ways in which I was changed were invaluable, and I will be forever grateful for it all.

Day Nineteen: Friday, June 1
Upon deregistering, I felt a mix of emotions. I felt a definite sense of finality, and also of peace in knowing that the last of my responsibilities in Austria was taken care of. I have been a bit homesick the past few days, and deregistering seemed to make me feel like I was closer to getting back home. Studying abroad has been an incredible experience, however there are many things at home which I am eager to get back to. While on this trip, I have felt a bit like the "other," but feel like I was always the same ol' guy, just in a different place. Austria did seem to bring out my senses of independence and adventurousness, in addition to willingness to try new things and the eagerness to learn and experience new things. My heightened sense of adventure is the main way, if any, in which I felt like the "other." At home, I generally am familiar with my surroundings, and there is not much I have not explored. However, in Austria, new experiences awaited around every corner, so to really get the most out of the trip, an adventurous spirit was must. If I were to try to sum up my study abroad experience in words, I do not think I would be able to fully capture it. The best choice, though, is "wonderment." During moments such as exiting a train into a new country, climbing a staircase and then seeing some amazing view at the top, or standing on the mountaintop in Dorfgastein, I was filled with an overwhelming sense of wonder. The enormity of my surroundings simply left me feeling awestruck in many circumstances. These experiences are the ones I will never forget. Upon returning home, I hope to be able to step back and really take in my surroundings as I was able to do abroad. There is beauty in so much of my home state, and I hope to see it in the way that I saw Europe.

Day Eighteen: Thursday, May 31

Today was a very laid back day for me. I slept in late, explored around the Weidlingau/Hutteldorf area for a couple of hours, and then went out for pizza. This decision was the best of the whole day. I ordered a pizza “diavolo,” and it very well might have been the best pizza I have ever eaten. After this, I went back to Barb’s house to play fetch with their dog, Max and get a short workout. After cleansing myself of the combination of sweat and dog slobber, I got ready to go to an orchestra performance at Schonbrunn palace. This was a unique experience, as I was on a hillside with hundreds of others. We had plenty of time to converse and get situated before the music started. Once the music did start, something truly special happened. All of the hundreds of people in the audience suddenly went silent. Judging from how far away we were from the stage, I expected the sound of the orchestra to be drowned out by conversation. However, this was not the case. I was able to hear the players quite clearly. Later on into the show, an opera singer came out, and similarly to that of the players in the orchestra, her performance was spectacular. The show was complete with colorful lights, both pointing into the air and illuminating the palace. Every piece played was flawless, and the overall experience was very pleasant. After the concert ended, though, getting out of the park was challenging and a bit chaotic, but we made it back to the train station. After getting back to Barb’s house, I tried to get to sleep soon, as the next day was going to be a very early one.

Day Seventeen: Wednesday, May 30

Today was an all-around good day. I was able to go for a run this morning, covering a little over two miles near my host family’s neighborhood. After this, I was able to make it to the train station with plenty of time to spare for a tour of Liechtenstein castle later in the day. Liechtenstein was a very neat experience, and was different from other castles/palaces that I had previously seen. It was built with light stones (hence the name) that were large and appeared quite heavy. The first thing I noticed upon walking up to the front doors were several bee boxes. Inside the doors, bees roamed the courtyard, finding plenty of flowers to pollinate. Once we entered the castle, the feel was much different than anything else we had seen. It was cool inside and dimly lit, with very little decoration. The only decorations were elk antlers adorning the walls in the first few areas of the castle. There was a room containing weapons and armor from the 15^th century, a hunting room full of taxidermy and hunting dress, a knight’s room, sleeping quarters, and a room for the lord and lady of the castle complete with a balcony. The last room we visited in the castle was a very small cathedral. Overall, the castle was decorated more plainly by far than the palaces of Vienna. There was some wall art, but it was mostly scarce. Small forms of art, such as decorative tiles or ceiling beams were present, but not in the excessive style that might be seen in Vienna. It was interesting to see the stark contrast between Medieval style and the Baroque styles that I had been seeing throughout Vienna. After the castle tour, I intended to go to a ballet, but was turned away because my clothing was not formal enough. I decided to try to look for a pair of pants that would be more suitable at a cheap price, so I went in an H&M. I was not able to find a single pair that wasn’t horridly tight. Every pair I tried bordered on the obscene in my opinion. Due to this, I decided to forego the ballet and explore Vienna a bit. I walked several miles, and found a majestic fountain, a gorgeous park (Stadtpark), and several statues or works of art spread out across the capital. I also finally tried Nordsee, which is sort of the Austrian equivalent of a Captain D’s, except MUCH nicer. Once I had basically made a circle, I hopped on a train to go back home, but changed my mind. I decided instead to go to Westbahnhof and explore that area a bit more, and took a later train. After I had satisfied my need for exploration, I went back home to get some rest.

Day Sixteen: Tuesday, May 29

Spending the day at Krems's Karl-Landsteiner campus was a valuable experience. Here I was able to learn about various aspects of Austrian healthcare, as well as speak with medical students from Austria. We began learning about general healthcare practices and how Austria provides public healthcare to its citizens. We learned differences between public and private healthcare, as well as the pros and cons of each. In some ways, the Austrian system is similar to Medicaid in America. Since I have an interest in becoming an Emergency Medicine Doctor, the part of the presentation where (can't remember her name) mentioned those with public healthcare "clogging" emergency rooms stuck with me. This is much the case back home among those on Medicaid. Many do not seek a general practitioner when they have very minor health issues, and instead go to an emergency room and weigh down the ER as a whole. Next, we listened to an American nurse currently working in Austria, who described her work experiences and compared them to those of the U.S. We learned differences between expectations and responsibilities of both German and Austrian nurses, and compared them to those of nurses in the U.S. I was surprised to learn how little nurses in Germany and Austria actually do. Many of the duties associated with nurses back home were absent. In my opinion, this would put unnecessary strain on doctors, as they would have to perform more basic tasks that nurses should be able to easily handle. Thus, patient load would have to be decreased, which would be inefficient for the hospital.

After learning basic information about systems of healthcare in Austria in addition to comparison/contrast info between medical positions between the U.S and Austria, we were able to have lunch with the Austrian medical students. This was a great opportunity, since it allowed me to really gather personal opinions on the system, as well as learn factual information about the medical field in Austria and the duties/responsibilities of its professionals. I was able to learn about variations in health professions due to regional differences, and the effects of lesser populated areas on preference for doctors. Besides providing an opportunity for learning more about the healthcare field in Austria, conversation with the Austrian students allowed a pleasant time to have intelligent conversation with like-minded individuals. Though we come from different countries, medical students from Austria and Pre-Med students from the U.S. have many things in common. After this, we listened to lectures from the wonderful Lisa Ray and Albert Uhl from Karl-Landsteiner on addictions and control of substances in both countries. After lectures were concluded for the day, we went down to the Danube for a couple of hours with Bernie, a second-year Austrian medical student. After we had some leisurely time at the Danube, we then came back to the campus to attend a “House vs. Prof” session to finish the day. Here, we watched an episode of the popular TV series House and received detail from the professor, a radiologist, on the various afflictions or conditions addressed in the episode. Overall, our day at Krems was a great experience. It was rich in both educational opportunities as well as social ones, and I am grateful for the opportunity to attend.