Auf wiedersehen Deutschland

Well, it has been another wonderful three weeks of Summer University in Osnabruck at the Hochschule. We have all learned a lot about different groups of people view health, family, food, culture, and we have also learned a lot about ourselves. I truly enjoy watching the students grow and mature over time they spend studying abroad. Many thanks to the wonderful faculty (Prof. Dr. Griese, Prof. Dr. Omar) and staff (Ms. Anne Rullert, and her team) for all they have done to make this possible. Also many thanks to colleagues at USI who made this possible (Dr. Bennett, Mrs. Gregori-Gahan, Dr. Coudret, Dr. Valadares, and especially Dr. Rochon for making the scholarships available). Of course, I will leave you with pictures of my last dinner(s) in Osnabruck at my favorite restaurant the Rampendahl which is a local brewpub that has a home deep in my heart and stomach.

Namaste
Brandon

Last Week of ISU 2011

For the last week of ISU 2011, we are having our students give presentations about their specfic speciality whether their own public health system or their own marketing brand. Students will also share about their experiences working with individuals from other countries and cultures on Thursday (international cultural compentence). The farewell evening is Wednesday which will be a well deserved dinner and evening out in the city after taking their final exams during the day on Wednesday. I took the students from USI-Evansville out for dinner on Monday as a way to celebrate our time together and a good time was had by all. I truly have had a wonderful group to teach and watch grow here in Germany. I have also enjoyed teach many staff and students yoga each morning. Its been a good trip.

Week 2 Days 10-14

For the second week we dug deeper into course material in both respective courses. Specifically we examined more closely issues that a variety of governments are facing in terms of the economics of public health and what the possible solutions are as government budgets continue to shrink over time. The general consensus is that systems must become more efficient and that more efforts on prevention must be a part of the solution in order for individuals to use fewer expensive services over the course of their lifetime. We also had the chance to learn about international careers with a wonderful bbq on the lake on Tuesday and on Thursday the students visited the Meyer-Craft ship building yard where 2500 employees build customized, giant cruise ships. Its a family owned company and the students enjoyed the animated tour guide who has the energy of an 18 year old, but has been retired for many years from the company. Last, the students prepared for their visit to Paris (6 of the USI students plan to go, while 2 will stay in Germany and see Hamburg or Hannover).
I will be in Hamburg, which is the Harbor city and Germany´s second largest city overall behind Berlin.
Time is going quickly as we can see our time ending soon as we prepare for the final week and days of ISU 2011.
Namaste
Brandon

Weekend in Berlin

We had a great weekend in Berlin getting a chance to visit the Charite Hospital which is the largest hospital in Germany. Additionally we got a great lecture on the German Healthcare System from a colleague at The Berlin University School of Public Health. We also had a chance to see the Berlin Wall, Tv Tower, the Brandeberg Gate, and many museums. Berlin is a very great seen with many parks, trees, and has a lively progressive spirit. This was envibed by our tour of the Bundestag or the Parliament-Congress of the German Federal government. We also had the chance to see the Bears of Tolerance and Peace which lined the streets of Berlin. We had a photo contest to see who could take the most unique photo. I won as my colleagues from Scotland and Germany said, "I cannot beat the man who stands on his head." Off to enjoy week 2.

Days 4-6

Days 4-6 have see the students spend time cooking together in the evening (a wonderful meal); students getting lost in the Bermuda Triangle in the City Center; visiting one of the local public hospitals; and even the begging of ISU 2011 yoga classes (I particularly enjoy the Slovenian student who brings his coffee cup to yoga class; he takes sips in between poses). Students are not actively engaged in their courses (international public health or marketing; plus their German language and culture courses). Specifically, in my course we are examining strategies for dealing with future public healthcare strategies and how both the public and private sectors can work together to find a solution to these challenges. Enjoy the pics.
And food is even better this year here.

-Brandon

Europe 2011

Days 1-3 of the International Summer University in Osnabrueck, DE

The first few days of ISU 2011 included a wonderful welcome reception, nightwatchman tour of Osnabrueck, team building activities, and the beginning of lectures in International Public Health or International Marketing, Germany culture, and German language. The nightwatchman tour was particularly interesting learning about the 800 year history of Osnabrueck. A bonus for the night, was that the tour ended at 11:30pm in the city center, where the Wine festival was finishing. So students (and faculty) had the option to grab a snack or try some regional wine. Day 2 involved team building activities teaching students how to work together in groups with students from other countries. Day 3 began the first day of lecture for all courses and my lecture was off to a good start exploring public health in Germany and reviewing core concepts of public health.

Vacation

I took a week of vacation before I went to teach in Germany and traveled around Amsterdam and Barcelona with my friend Ken. We had a great time eating the local food, seeing the sights, walking for 15 miles a day, and enjoying the local night life. Especially nice was the go-car we rented in Barcelona. It's basically a three-wheeled scooter with two seats. It was crazy and I've got video to prove it.