Study Abroad
UF in Europe: Medicine, Microbiology, and Health 2024
The UF in Europe: Medicine, Microbiology, and Health study abroad program included visits to Hungary, the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and France, from May 7th to May 27th . This trip was one of the most amazing opportunities I've had, and my travel journey is documented below!
Hungary
Budapest
Days 1 -4: May 7th - May 10th
I arrived in Budapest on May 7th and began my trip by exploring the city with some other students. The study abroad program officially began on May 8th with a walking tour of the historical town of Buda, including views of Buda Castle, the Hungarian Parliament Building, and the Matthias Church. We crossed the Széchenyi Chain Bridge from the “Buda” side of the Danube River to the “Pest” side. We also toured the Hospital in a Rock Nuclear Bunker Museum. It was very interesting to learn about the history of the hospital and how its functions evolved during different time periods. We began the 3rd day with guest lectures at Semmelweis University. We then explored the Great Market Hall, where I had fresh lemonade and stuffed cabbage with a side of pickled cabbage for lunch. We attended a fermentation workshop, during which we made our own sauerkraut and tasted fermented foods that had been prepared for us. We finished off the day with a welcome dinner of goulash, pork with tomato sauce, and apple strudel. A visit to Budapest by the Chinese delegation prevented us from attending some of our activities the morning of the 4th day, but all was well! We visited the House of Unicum, where we tasted Unicum, a liqueur made of 40 herbs and spices (very strong!). I also got to try a chimney cake, a spiral of cinnamon-sugar-coated fried dough, filled with tiramisu gelato. I then chose to go to an art museum with a group of students, and we came across an Indian-Hungarian wedding procession that went from a park to a castle! We finished our time in Budapest with dinner and a walk around the city at night.
Czech Republic
Brno
Day 5: May 11th
On our way to Austria, we stopped in Brno, Czech Republic, to visit the Medicinal Herbs Center and the Mendel Museum. At the Medicinal Herbs Center, where they have over 800 plants, we learned about the medicinal and toxic properties of different plants. We were also treated to bread with ham and cheese; chocolate muffins topped with mint and strawberries; tea; and elderberry and mint water at the center. A group of us stopped at a small café, and I tried a lavender tart. At the Mendel Museum, we saw Gregor Mendel’s bedroom and learned about his life and research. Some of Mendel’s items were on display, including his microscope, books, photographs, and notes.
Austria
Vienna, Melk, Krems, Salzburg
Days 6-9: May 12th - May 15th
Vienna was our 1st stop in Austria, and we began with a walking tour, seeing St. Stephen’s Cathedral, The Vienna Plague Column, The Capuchin Church, Hofburg Palace, Volksgarten, and the University of Vienna. We then visited the Sigmund Freud Museum and the Museum of Abortion and Contraception. I tried wiener schnitzel with Viennese potato salad for lunch. I then returned to St. Stephen’s Cathedral with a group of students and Dr. Oli to climb the 343 steps to the top of the southern tower of the church. The views of the city at the top were amazing! We finished day 1 with a classical music concert in the St. Anne Church. On our 2nd day in Austria, we visited the Melk Abbey, which has some of the most well-preserved buildings I have ever seen. The library contains books over 500 years old and has a fresco on the ceiling that is in such perfect condition, it has never been restored. The Melk Abbey church is the most intricately decorated church I have seen and was one of my favorite places we visited. After, we traveled to Krems, a small medieval town in a region known for apricots. We also visited the Winzer Krems winery, where we learned about the process of growing grapes and making wine. We got to taste 3 wines, and my favorite was the Grüner Veltliner. At night, I tried Sachertorte, a traditional Viennese dessert, and visited the Prater amusement park. The next day, we watched a horse-riding practice at the Spanish Riding School. Later, another student and I explored the Imperial Crypt, the burial vault of the Habsburg family, underneath the Capuchin Church. On our final day in Austria, we visited Salzburg. I saw the house where Mozart was born and climbed up to the Hohensalzburg Fortress with some other students. I ended my time in Austria by purchasing a painting from a local artist and eating elderberry gelato.
Germany
Munich, Andechs, Seefeld, Bad Wörishofen, Tegelberg
Days 10-13: May 16th - May 19th
We started our trip to Germany in Munich, attending a mycology lecture and touring microbiology labs at the Ludwig Maximilian University. We stopped by the Viktualienmarkt farmers’ market, where I bought a unique selection of honey. Then we had a walking tour of Munich, during which we saw the famous Rathaus-Glockenspiel, New Town Hall, and Residenz München. The next day, we went to the Max Planck Institute for a presentation by a PhD candidate and former UF student, and we also got to see the inner workings of a Cryo-EM electron microscope. We then visited Kloster Andechs, where we tried beer and traditional Bavarian snacks. After, we hiked to the Seefeld Castle and had a group dinner of braised beef with mushrooms, gravy, a bread dumpling, and blaukraut and a chocolate cake for dessert. The following day was a free day, and a group of students and I decided to visit the Dachau Concentration Camp. Although it was a difficult place to see, I think it is important to take opportunities to learn more about historical events to gain a deeper understanding of the experiences other people have gone through. We later walked around the city center and went to the English Gardens. I finished the day by eating a pretzel-crusted red snapper in a local restaurant. On our final day in Germany, we went to Bad Wörishofen for a Kneipping experience, hiking barefoot over gravel, mud, stones, pinecones, mulch, and grass. We then went to the Tegleberg mountain, where we saw the Neuschwanstein Castle from afar. We ascended the mountain in a cable car, had lunch with mountain views in the background, and then hiked further up. The views were some of the most incredible I’ve seen! At a rest stop on the way to Switzerland from Germany, I found fresh cheese bread, one of my favorite foods—a great way to end the German portion of the trip!
Switzerland
Zurich, Kandersteg, Lausanne, Geneva
Days 14-19: May 20th - May 25th
We began our 1st day in Zurich with a tour and explanation of the farming process at the Biogarten Lieli organic farm. The farmers prepared lunch for us with fresh bread, cakes, and vegetables from their farm. We also got to see the cows and try fresh milk at a neighboring farm. A trip to the Vitaparcours fitness trail was next. Later, A group of students and I went shopping in the ShopVille mall under the Zurich Hauptbahnhof, where I bought Swiss chocolate—a very important souvenir. The next day, we visited the University of Zurich, where we learned about their Microbiology and Immunology (MIM) PhD program and the research being conducted in their labs. Later, we participated in a baking workshop at the Il Pane di una Volta bakery, where we made strawberry tiramisu, chapati bread, and pizza. I was part of the tiramisu group, and we received a packet of sourdough starter named Granny as a prize for winning the baking competition. On our 3rd day in Switzerland, we visited a local cheese factory where we got to taste an array of cheeses and take a quiz to find out what type of cheese we are—I got Ämmechäsli. We then went to Kandersteg to visit the Ricola Show Garden and explore fields of wildflowers surrounded by mountains. From Lausanne, we visited the BioArk facilities and the Nestlé Alimentarium. I got to try a Gruyère pastry and see artichoke (my favorite vegetable) plants growing outside for the first time! We also saw the Lavaux Vineyard Terraces, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Our last city in Switzerland was Geneva, where we did a walking tour of the Old Town, visited the World Health Organization, toured the International Red Cross Museum, and attended a lecture by Dr. Kenneth Timmis. I finished my time in Switzerland by going to a karaoke bar with some other students!
France
Annecy, Chamonix
Day 20: May 26th
The final country we traveled to was France. We visited Annecy, also known as the Venice of the Alps, where we rode a pedal boat on Lake Annecy and walked through the street market. A group of us went to a bakery, where I ate the best croissant I’ve had. We then made our way to Chamonix, where we took a cable car up Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Western Europe. Unexpectedly, the mountain was covered in snow! I had never seen more than an inch of snow on the ground before this experience. We climbed further up the mountain, encountering interesting kinds of lichen on the rocks. Mont Blanc had some of the most breathtaking views of the trip. We had our farewell dinner at Le Monchu, where we got to cook meat and vegetables on a hot stone and had a blueberry tart for dessert. Our French excursion was a great way to end the trip of a lifetime!