The 'Shock'

Guten Tag Everyone!

The past week has been very interesting, with a mixture of some good and some not good. Last week went smoothly, but over the weekend I hit culture shock full throttle. I was warned that this would probably take place a few weeks after arrival, but things were going very well, and I thought it would pass me by. When you go abroad, everything is exciting and brand new at the very beginning, which was true for me. However, once you get into the swing of life, you might be hit with how truly different your new location is compared to your home country, thus going through culture shock. This hit me full on this past weekend. As you have read, my first few weeks have been busy with sight-seeing, meeting people, and learning about my new habitat. However, last week I started noticing, and getting upset about all of the differences, which did not seem as apparent or as big of a deal in the beginning. I was pretty depressed over the weekend. Fortunately, I got some good paperwork from Purdue College of Ag Study Abroad about culture shock, and how to handle it. Also, my good friend Katie let me borrow some DVDs, so I was able to relax over the weekend, and try not to ‘see and do everything’. This little ‘shock’ has definitely opened my eyes to what people can go through when they have to move, to another part of the country, or world.

In the middle of my ‘shocking’ weekend, I did decide to travel out with Yusuke and go to Lüneburg. It is a cute little town north of Hannover, close to Hamburg. We did not have any set agenda, but enjoyed walking around and looking at the historic district, which was huge! It seemed like the largest, and most historic, strip-mall I’ve ever been to. It was a crazy combination of old architecture and modern stores lining the walkways. Several beautiful churches were also scattered around the town. It was fun to see the lively market by the Town Hall with booths ranging from food to flowers to décor. We also ventured to the Salzmuseum which, believe it or not, was a museum about the salt mines of Lüneburg and how they supported the city. Apparently the mills operated for over 1000 years. It was a fun town to see.

Pics: http://www.pikiwiki.com/ews/editor.jsp?20BAeXPIdi-EEg8OlfcCG3Q

Several people have asked me about my classes over here and what they are like. For each class I only attend one lecture each week. The lectures last about 105 minutes. Here is my schedule:
Tuesday:
9:15-11:00 Phytomedicine – Basics
4:14-6:00 Plant Physiology

Wednesday:
8:15-10:00 Research Methodology for Horticultural Scientists
12:15-2:00 Genetics and Plant Breeding
2:15-4:00 Biotechnology and Plant Protection
4:15-6:00 Floriculture
6-7 German Language (not an official class for credit)

Thursday:
1:15-3:00 Fruit Science
3:15-5:00 Plant Protection and Environment (Risk Assessment)

The courses have been interesting so far, but the method of teaching and examination are slightly different when compared to Purdue and the courses I took there. Regarding teaching, there are few assignments given during class and the semester. In a few classes, such as Fruit Science and Floriculture, we are required to research and give a presentation on a specific topic, however weekly assignments are not given. When looking at exams, all courses have one final exam at the end of the semester (no mid-terms or quizzes). One exception is Genetics, which we have one mid-term exam and a final…and the mid-term is coming up next Wednesday…wah! Also, none of the courses have required labs that assist with the class material. It is interesting to learn how to learn in a different country, but so far so good!

Overall, I am feeling much better after this past weekend, and am ready to continue with this exciting journey. I’m also excited to see a good friend of mine, Jason, next week! He will be making his first trip over here next Thursday and staying for about one week. It will be great to see a familiar face…and to speak really fast English!

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!
Tschüs
Dustin