This is the end-Last Day of Int Summer Univ

Well, our last day at the International Summer University was a grand day. The day began with our final yoga class. Later, students gave presentations about their experiences regarding international culture competence and revealed that many times stereotypes about people from foreign countries are not often true. Students enjoyed their afternoon away from school activities and enjoyed their last hours of daylight in Osnabruck (our football match was canceled, but I still got my ice (German for ice cream). For the evening, students and faculty traveled to the Artland Brahaus about 35km outside of Osnabruck. Students were given a tour the grounds which has and continues to be a family owned farm since 1773. Three years ago, a brewery began and has become a successful small business. After a final traditional German dinner of ham, gravy, potatoes, and cole slaw; an evening program began, which included a slide show of pictures/highlights of ISU; students were given their certificates from their specialization faculty; and a sing along program was enjoyed by all with Dr. Mayer on the accordion. After the evening, students and faculty began the long process of saying goodbye and many students reported tears being shed back at the hotel. The next morning (Saturday-Aug 14th) saw the departure of our five American students and one faculty. After nearly 18hrs of traveling we made it back to Indianapolis to go our separate ways...as changed individuals, ready to share our experience with others.

Namaste,
Dr. Brandon Eggleston

New Partnerships and a Trip to Essen-Day 19 and 20

Wednesday evening I had the opportunity to have dinner with a German colleague, Johannes Grundmann, at the local Brahaus (Restaurant/brewery). Dinner was outstanding (my second time there) as I enjoyed the pork loin with a mushroom gravy served with a German hash brown cake, and a delicious as well as hearty mixed veggie/pasta salad. My idea of a traditional German meal is to have pork (sometimes beef) with lots of gravy and potatoes (preferably fried). It's not healthy, but it rivals many of the best comfort meals in the United States. More importantly though, Johannes and I have discussed the possibility of him visiting to lecture in Evansville to USI Health Professions students (especially graduate students studying health administration). We are excited about the possibility of both faculty and student exchange between our universities regarding health administration/hospital management and public health. Indeed, the theme that I keep coming to as my time ends in Osnabruck is "We've only just begun" which describes the possibilities between USI and Univ. of Applied Sciences-Osnabruck. And mom, yes that is a band aid above my right eye, I bumped my head on a door as I was giving my final exam. Thirty-two and still clumsy after all these years. No worries though, mom, I'm fine.

Today, Thursday, we went to Essen and toured an old coal mine that previously was the area's economic powerhouse and is now a museum with shops, restaurants, and even...wait for it....a free swimming pool? Yes, I was surprised to see many young children swimming where coal was mined for a century. After another "traditional" German meal, which we all enjoyed and become a bit sleepy from, we were off to the University Hospital. The University Hospital in Essen was amazing. We first were greeted with caffeinated refreshment (much appreciated) and a short overview of the hospital's many treatment, teaching, and research programs. We then went a wonderful tour of the hospital campus and observed the many different buildings of specializations ranging from children's oncology, organ transplantation, neurosurgery, cardiovascular care, and other health services. Indeed the campus's facilities were first rate and we are truly understanding the strengths and challenges of the German Health Care System (too much for one blog post...you'll have to take my course next summer :)

Tomorrow we finish our last full day, which begins with a final yoga class, continues with intercultural competence, a farewell dinner at a different brewery restaurant, and our football rematch. As the students easily beat the faculty in our first match in Belgium (which was played in a small field at a rest stop on our way back from Paris). I feel ready as I was a bit rusty and had not played competitive football (soccer) since I was....seven years old. Now with 25 years of rust removed and local German ice cream on the line for the victor, I feel ready. I hope to enjoy the next couple days before I return to that Indiana heat and humidity.

Chews!!!
-Brandon

Hospital Visit-End of Specialization Days 17-19

For week three (the final week), students spent Monday through Wednesday finishing their course specialization (public health, marketing, or business), took their exams in their specialization, Germany in Europe, and German language. On Monday and Wednesday students had a chance to visit a local indoor pool/water park in the evening. Students were surprised at the quality of the facilities at the water park and were excited to return on Wednesday evening. The weather has been very fair in our time in Osnabruck (it rains every other day), but their is very little humid and the low temp is about 55F and the highs range from 63-75F.
On Tuesday, public health students had a chance to visit a local private hospital in Osnabruck. The facilities were very comparable to the USA without the excessive construction/rooms/amenities that many modern hospitals have, which explains partly why they are not having as much difficulty in managing health care costs. A private wing is available at the hospital for the wealthy who have private health insurance (about 10% of the German population).
Thursday we head to Essen, the culture capital of Germany, for a day trip. Friday we finish with international culture presentations and in the evening the farewell dinner/reception will be held at a nearby restaurant/brewery outside of Osnabruck. Saturday we depart early (7:45am) for the airport and return to Indy at 8:17pm local time (2:17am in Osnabruck).
But we still have a few days to finish our intercultural experience.

Namaste,
Brandon

Weekend in Paris-Days 14-16

This past weekend we went to Paris for our second study trip. We arrived in Montemarde on Friday evening and went out for a nightcap and enjoyed the beautiful view of Paris from Sacre Coeur. Saturday we had a wonderful guided bus tour of Paris followed by a wonderful lunch near the Arch de Triumphe. For the afternoon we spent one hour on cruise on the river Seine and soaked up some sunshine. The early evening was spent walking the streets of Paris to the Cathedral of Notre Dame ad we caught part of the Saturday evening mass. After a late dinner and shower back at the hotel, I returned to the Eiffel Tower late Saturday night with a few students. We went up to the second viewing deck, and saw why Paris is called "The City of Lights". The long Saturday was topped off with a delightful nutella and banana crepe or wonderful creamy ice cream... or both :) Sunday myself and eight students woke up early and went to the Louvre to get in line early. We were able to get their right as the museum opened and take a quick two hour stroll through the amazing halls of history of art and humanities. Alas by noon we were back on the bus, ready for our long drive back to Osnabruck and to begin our final week of study in Germany. An amazing weekend was had by all who learned a bit about one of the most famous cities in the world and perhaps a bit about themselves.

Students are doing well with their classes and keeping busy, and getting a crash course about time management; being flexible and independent; and perhaps appreciating the opportunities that they have in life.

-Brandon

Largest Ship Builder in Europe-End of Week 2

To finish week two's academic segment we visited one of the largest ship builders in the world in Papenburg Germany. We were able to take a tour of the facility and see their three areas of ship construction including a near completed 336 meter long Disney Mega Cruise Ship (3.5 football fields long!). The facilities were amazing and the tour was given by a delightful and jolly retired engineer whose energy and vigor were contagious. Later next week, public health students will view a local hospital and see first hand how the German health care system functions in a private hospital. It will be a wonderful end to our final week. But first we must travel to Paris for the weekend. "Que Sera, Sera...What ever will be, will be".

Off to Paris,
Au Revior

Academic Specialization-Days 10-11

Week 2 of the International Summer University is perhaps the most intense week for students regarding their individual course specialization (international marketing, business, or public health). All students participant in the international cultural competency and German language/culture course. However, the specialization requires the students to explore how different cultures must work and learn together (for each specialized area). Students do have a little free time this week to catch up on laundry, reading, and perhaps seeing Osnabruck. Tuesday faculty made dinner together (from scratch) at the home of Professor Griese (Kai). We enjoyed Käse Spätzle which is homemade pasta/dough (which we made) that is bolied for only a few minutes. Then it is placed in a large dish and combined in alternate layers with cheese and little butter. The three types of cheese were all of the "real" and carried a "strong" odor. In the end it was delicious dinner and a delightful evening to celebrate our halfway point for the International Summer University. This weekend we go to Paris to expand our knowledge and experience of a new international culture in Paris. However, Wednesday we visit the world's largest covered ship construction site where they build the world's largest cruise ships.

Berlin & Wolfsburg-Days 7-9

Friday, July 30th we took a bus to Wolfsburg to the Autostadt (auto city) where the Volkswagen plant is. This is a planned city that was constructed entirely around Europe's largest automobile factory (50,000+ employees, 2nd largest in the world). They produce over 3,000 vehicles a day. We had the opportunity to go on a guided tour of the exhibit halls and pavilions, and then went on a tour of the factory itself. It was fascinating to see how technology, science, and sociology could create this magnificent city. Afterward, we hopped back on the bus and drove the final three hours to Berlin where we had dinner and the went to the top of the TV Tower (around 70 stories) to observe the lights and sights of Berlin. Simply amazing. Prof. Griese (Kai) treated me to a Turkish delight, "Chicken Doner" after our evening in Berlin. A "doner" is a grilled pita bread stuffed with shaved/sliced chicken (like lamb on gyro) and then loaded with many Turkish favorites such as lettuce, tomato, cucumber, cabbage, onion, and your favorite yogurt sauce (See the pictures).
Saturday we went on a guided tour of Berlin and saw so many of the hundreds of wonders of this old city (780 years is something compared to the USA). After a relaxing lunch and trip back to "America" at the Hard Rock Cafe, we went on another guided tour of the German Parliament (Congress) building. Again, it was amazing to see the combination of old (original building with WWII Allies writing their names on the wall in paint-still easily to see) and the modern glass/steel reconstruction and magnificent eco-friendly open dome. A sight for historians, engineers, architects, environmental scientists, and tourists alike to enjoy and wonder at. For evening we went to the progressive area of the city, which felt as diverse as any area I have seen in Europe (lots of young people enjoying their Bohemian lifestyle and progressive ideologies). Dining outside truly has its advantages for conversation and people watching.
Today, (Sunday), we go on our own by bicycle to discover and explore Berlin.

"I'm a Berliner" now.
-Brandon

Dinner from around the world-made by the students-Day 6

Today was day two of lecture and overall things are going well. Students are perhaps a bit tired, but will have some time to rest this weekend as we leave at 6:45am on Friday for Berlin. We'll stop off in Wolfsburg at the Volkswagen plant/exposition in the late morning. However, after a day of classes, students spent nearly 2 hrs preparing a variety of dishes and items from countries around the world for dinner. It was fabulous as the pictures show and I believe every enjoyed the process. I truly see many new friendships being developed among the students and generally they seem comfortable with communicating with each other if they have any issues or challenges with each other. They are truly being challenging not only by their tasks, but also by persevering through long days of activities, but they all know this is an opportunity of a lifetime (faculty realize this too :)

Enjoy the pictures and I wish you could have joined us for dinner. The first week winds down tomorrow and it feels like we have been here for a month...we've been busy.

I was reminded today, to "Enjoy myself, it's later than you think."
Gute Nacht!
-Brandon

"Who needs yoga, we've got motown!"- evening of day 5

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For the evening of day five, we had a special presentation by two faculty who have studied and taught for extensive periods of time abroad in Thailand, China, Ghana, and South Korea. Afterward, we had a cookout with German Bratwurst, bake potatoes, and lots of veggies and fun sauces. We had our evening at a wonderful restaurant on a local lake and sat on their fantastic patio area. Students enjoyed the time to see some of Germany's wonderful nature scenes and enjoy the food/drink of our fine hosts. After a long 10hr day of lectures, yoga, team coaching, and guest speakers everyone was ready to relax. My colleagues Bill and Kai had a good evening exchanging Motown favorite hits on our car ride home. Especially when "My Girl" came on, and Bill had the quote of the trip discussing relaxation..."Who needs yoga, we've got Motown!". Perhaps I will combine some Motown now in my yoga classes to get Bill to come. Regardless, it was a wonderful evening and we continue to discuss collaborations between our universities. Two students have already expressed strong interest in getting their master's degree in Germany. I also discuss the possibility of hosting some of our German colleagues in January/August for USI's MHA program or November/May during Osnabruck's block week. Future collaborations and new friendships continue to develop in "The City of Peace."

Namaste...and goodnight.
-Brandon

Days 4 & 5-Yoganna Love the International Summer University

Day four began with the first optional yoga class. I'm not sure how this got added to a program geared toward intercultural competence and one course in a student's major area of study, but alas now most mornings at 8am I find myself teaching yoga to faculty, staff, and students from around the world and today specifically, how to get their back flat in a downward facing dog (thanks to Chris Crews) (See photos for pictures of baby/little children yoga). The first two days of yoga have went well and everyone who participates says it is a great way to start the day before a long day of lectures, special projects, team coaching (intercultural group work), and evenings spent learning about German businesses and food/music. Students also got a taste of German culture, history, and its present standing in Europe today. I worked on my lectures and met with German staff members to discuss a few minor details.
Day five was wonderful with yoga class today (Wednesday) and my first of three lectures in international public health. Our class size for public health is small (7), which allows us to more have a discussion or dialogue in class rather than a monologue-styled lecture. This afternoon Johannes Grundman gave an outstanding presentation on the German Healthcare System, which spurred a wonderful date that boiled down to the conclusion "What are individuals willing to give (or pay) to be a part of a country or society?". Whether it be time spent in military, social services, or taxes or other forms of sacrifice and service. I'm hoping Johannes can join us sometime in 2011 to teach USI's graduate students in health administration and perhaps lecture to advanced undergraduate students in the College of Nursing and Health Professions. This evening we have a BBQ at a local restaurant on a local lake ). Can you barbecue schnitzel and saur kraut?

It is sunny and 73F in Osnabruck and we are trying to enjoy every second of this wonderful city. I hope many more students, faculty, and my friends and family will be able to visit here soon.
We have so much to learn from each other including Jack Johnson songs as Kai has allowed me to borrow his live Jack Johnson record. Nice.

Bye for now,
Off to a Volkswagen Plant on Friday and then to Berlin for the weekend.
-Dr. Brandon

Day 3

As the days go by, the jet lag is getting better. However, I spent 1-3 am at my laptop unable to sleep. After a great run early this morning and a nice, yoga practice, Kai picked up myself, Bill (Business professor), and Susanne in his BMW crossover (like a big subaru outback). We met the students 30 minutes outside of Osnabruck at a retreat center where they stayed the night before. After coffee, we observed the students engaging in a variety of group physical challenges and tasks. Each task required the students to work together and everyone had to communicate with each other. Students also learned how to be leaders in group settings and get everyone to work together (Darius Rowser and Michelle Tibbs are enjoying the challenge). Darius did a great job in leading them with a 1-2 count to lower the stick to the ground while all students had one finger on each hand touching the stick. These team building exercises along with the intercultural competency (a focus of this 3 week program) meetings will allow the students the opportunity to learn how to meet new people who are have had somewhat different life experiences/cultures and still be successful in a brief period of time.
Lunch was a nice selection of meats (including the vegetarian loaf), cheeses breads, condiments, and veggies for sandwiches with a variety of fruity sodas and juices. We ate off of some wooden rectangles that looked like thick cutting boards with heavy traditional iron flatware. I felt like I was eating mid-evil times. This afternoon, I went for my daily stroll through the city center to purchase a mobile (cell phone) to use while I am here and one that other USI faculty/staff can use when they come to work in Osnabruck. And I bought some pastries to enjoy with my nutella at my apartment (I love the croissants with raisins...and a generous slap of nutella). More pics are posted and youtube videos are in the future.

Chews!!! (bye in German and spoken with a lot energy).
-Dr. Brandon

Day 1 & 2

Yesterday (Saturday July 24th, 2010) we arrived in Osnabruck, Germany. We all checked into our residences for the three week program. My apartment is wonderful and only five minutes from where I'll be teaching public health and yoga. I'm also only 5-10 minutes from three grocery stores and 10-15 minutes from the city center where most of the shops, restaurants, and pubs are. I met with Susanne from the University of Applied Sciences-Osnabruck and we had a good long talk over coffee and a tour of the facilities.

For the evening of Day 1 (Sat 7/24), we had an welcoming reception with wonderful German finger foods (awesome schitzel, potato salad, chicken skewers, fresh veggies, and lots of sparkling water over hours of conversation). Afterward, we went to a wine festival in the city center. The pictures above are of me (on the left) and of my German faculty colleague, Kai, and Marion (on the right). Kai is from Northern Germany and their beers are small whereas Marianne is from Southern Germany where the beers are Weissen and large. I met some wonderful new people and exchanged travel/life experiences. A highlight was learning of travels to Maui and how 50 people saw Jack Johnson at a small beach bar. I am enjoying my time with my colleagues (faculty/staff) in Germany and so thankful for the wonderful accommodations and support.

Today (Sunday/Day 2), we were able to take a tour of the campus and the city of the Osnabruck. The students all sounded like they enjoyed their first day and especially some, their night. The city is beautiful and I learned why it is called "The City of Peace." For dinner, I enjoyed one of my strange European favorite dishes of Hawaiian pizza (fresh pineapple, wonderful natural cheese (does not take like American mozarella) , and a sweet tomato sauce & crust that is similar to fresh pastry). Once again, I'm falling in love...with Europe.