At University
My second month of the summer semester in Bonn has been extremely busy with classes and practical activities at the hospital. I am grateful for all the opportunities that I get and for the kindness of the doctors and the hospital staff. I have had the chance to attend surgical suturing workshops, laparoscopic training and learn knot-tying techniques. Also, this month I have officially started a German language course twice a week at the university, which will take place up until the end of July.
Short trips
On the weekends I take the time off to rest, study and go for hikes or visit cities nearby. One of the places that I have managed to visit was the stunning city of Muenster. It had a beautiful old town and even though the weather was quite unpredictable that day, I still really enjoyed the trip. My other destination was Burg Eltz, in the neighboring region called Rheinland-Pfalz. On the way there visiting Koblenz was a must, and I have to say that it was definitely worth it. The city was not too big, but it surely had a charm. When it comes to the castle (Burg Eltz) itself, reaching it required quite a hike, but the area was spectacular, green and perfect for a weekend getaway.
Spending time outside
Hiking and spending time in nature feels like a luxury during the pandemic, it is another reason why I really like the region of Nordrhein-Westfalen and the neighboring areas – there are many cities but also many hills, parks and forests to visit. Especially during corona times, I appreciate it even more, since in Bonn everything has been closed up until May 22nd 2021, so even drinking coffee in an outdoor garden was impossible, therefore being busy with other activities helped me with occupying my time and finding the motivation to search for further interesting things to do.
Looking forward to normality
I cannot wait to see what the future months will have to offer and what they will bring. I cannot hide the fact that I am very excited about facilities slowly opening back up in Bonn – with a negative fast covid test one can now go shopping for clothes and sit outdoors at restaurants and bars. I hope that the situation will only improve, and it will be incredible to experience more things while I am still here in Germany.