What IS Europe?

I think it's safe to say that most Americans have a preconceived idea of what Europe, broadly speaking, looks like. The typical image someone may have is of a street with old buildings or houses with antique architecture and wooden floors. The streets are small, cobblestone, and flooded with bicycles and smart cars. Most houses have small gardens in front of them, but some might just be on a street, like an apartment building.

This is at least what my idea of Europe was. Until about 3 days ago.

I've been to Europe before so I thought I had a pretty good grasp of what it looked like, and it was pretty in line with my preconceived notion from above. I went to Strasbourg in the summer of 2015 and that's what I saw. When we went to the more metropolitan areas, of course, it was much more modern. The buildings were glass and metal instead of wooden. The streets were far more busy and included trams and buses. However, it still didn't seem all that different. It was still Europe.

Heidelberg fit into this mindset as well. The streets are small, our apartment is on a street, bicycles and compact cars fill the streets. Most of the houses are made of wood and some are even in the traditional half-timber style. The side of town we live on is considerably different from the others, but they still all have that authentic, German feel. The old town part of Heidelberg is... Well... Old. It has mostly cobblestone streets, and that's where the castle and old churches are. The newer part of town where SRH Heidelberg Hochschule is located is more modern with metal and glass buildings. There are more businesses, clinics, and schools over there as well.

Based on these locations I felt like I had a pretty good idea of what Europe (again broadly speaking) looks like. But our trip to Frankfurt changed this idea.

Europe, like everywhere else on this planet, does not all look the same. London doesn't look like Venice, Venice doesn't look like Amsterdam, Amsterdam doesn't look like Heidelberg, and Heidelberg doesn't look like Frankfurt. AT ALL.

Frankfurt is a metropolitan area, comparable to Atlanta or Nashville. Knowing this, I figured that it would still have the older style buildings amidst the newer ones. There definitely were a few, such as the Dom/Romer area with St. Bartholomew's Cathedral and several other half-timbered buildings. But for whatever reason I was surprised at the infrequency of the older "European" styled buildings. There were times where we would be walking down the street and I felt like I was in America. It was strange. "I'm in Europe," I thought to myself, "I should feel as though I'm in Europe!!!!" There were these huge skyscrapers across the skyline, graffiti along the tunnels, and public transport around every corner (that's actually a lie, sometimes you have to walk a mile before you find the nearest tram stop). This was the furthest thing from what I thought I would expect from a European city.

I began to question why it was that way. Frankfurt surely had a history longer than Heidelberg. Why weren't the buildings the same? Why did I feel more European in Heidelberg? It didn't hit me until I saw a postcard in a shop window. It showed the Cathedral in pieces. The one we had just visited wasn't the one on that postcard. That's when I realized that Frankfurt had been serious damaged during World War II by bombing. Much of what was before then was no longer. The city had shed that era of turmoil and loss when they rebuilt the city to what it is now.

My mind was blown. If you had told me that a month ago when I was in America that I would have been like, "Oh, right! That makes sense. Of course different areas of Europe are different..." But for whatever reason, actually being in Frankfurt, Germany, walking along the streets, and actually SEEING the difference from Heidelberg was a totally new experience. I got to see and understand the diversity and change a country goes through due to war, growth, or just industrial developments.

It was a strange revelation that many people might never think of but one that changed my entire perception of Europe.

Wait a second... I'm in Germany!

This has kind of been my mantra on this trip. Never in a million years did I think I'd study abroad. It always seemed expensive and time consuming, and irrelevant to music therapy. I can distinctly remember the day my friends and I decided to go on this trip, so I have to periodically remind myself what I've gotten myself into.

I've needed this reminder more frequently this week, and it took until today for me to realize why-- I've gotten used to it here. After just two short weeks, I'm noticing the German text less. My reaction to German speech is faster ("Do you speak English?") and I'm picking up more common phrases (Hallo, bitte, danke). I can read the bus maps and street names, and can understand bike laws and signals. My functioning level has increased and I'm doing things I never thought I'd be able to do, like taking the train to Munich or finding my way around unfamiliar cities.

As for this trip's relevance, I'm learning so much! My favorite class this week was our percussion seminar-- the professor that taught us had so much useful insight into playing percussion, constructing rhythms, and using our bodies. It was such a welcome challenge and a much needed opportunity for nonverbal communication amongst our group. For me personally, it built onto what I learned in my percussion class last semester: there is so much history and technique behind hand drumming alone and I would love to invrsy the time to really learn it. Unfortunately that is just not possible in one semester, let alone one seminar.

It's funny how the two weeks we've been here have seemed so long, but the two weeks until we leave seem so short. I'll definitely continue to seek new experiences and relish the time with this wonderful group!

There is always more to learn

I've learned so much and so many different perspectives about music therapy this past week. Every class we had let me understand the different ways of music therapy. In our Wednesday class, we had a  psychosomatic seminar with German students. We talked about the eating disorders and German students showed the symptoms of eating disorders in class. When I discussed with my partner Emily, I didn't know how to apply music therapy activities to people with eating disorders and I had never thought about music therapy for eating disorders. But after hearing the opinions form students and the instructor, I learned many good thoughts and concepts about music therapy and eating disorders. Then German students showed us a mock music therapy session for people with eating disorders.
At first, I didn't really understand the purpose of the singing bowls activity and the interaction between music therapist and clients. But I was impressed by how the non-verbal communication works and how important the connection is. After we discussed in class, I learned a lot from the group discussion about the mock session and many concepts I hadn't thought before. I learned these different perspectives from music therapy in Germany and this provides me to think more about the definition of music therapy.

Every class we had these two weeks makes me think more about the definition and different perspectives of music therapy. There is always new challenge and new encouragement in music therapy and I can't wait to explore more about music therapy in Germany!

The Power of the Music Experience

Y'ALL. 

This past week was a big one. It was full of highs and lows, laughter and some tears, but here I am, at the end of it. And guess what? I am better because of getting through it. We will get to the good stuff but I am going to quickly run through some of the hardships. 

This may be sharing too much and I am not looking for pity or extra attention, but I am diagnosed with mental illnesses- General Anxiety Disorder and Clinical Depression. Now, those two tend to go hand in hand because they feed off each other rather well. In order to cope with this, I filled my school year with multiple responsibilities. I exhausted myself and then proceeded to fly to Germany 2 days after finals were over for this study abroad program. So to say, I hit a wall on Wednesday and I could feel it coming but I chose to ignore it. That wall will find you. You have to know when to take a breather. That day came with many frustrations as well: arriving somewhere to film but the group was nowhere near it; then attending a wonderfully informative seminar on eating disorders but leaving very self-conscious and aware of my extra weight; the day continued to be the longest academic day we have had on this trip so far; and then realizing that maybe I haven't quite done enough work for my independent study course and that I need to get on it. I got through that day though. It was hard but I did it. Then Thursday, I woke up and proceeded to try to run through this metaphorical wall. I couldn't. I barely got through class and tried to put myself out there so I could start work on my independent study. No success. I chose to come back to the apartment and go to bed. That is what I did and I could not have made a better choice. I proceeded to spend the next 6 hours or so in my bed sleeping and texting my fiance. I was having that moment when you wonder if you can get through this experience. I am supposed to be here learning and having fun. Then finally he told me to let go (I know...go ahead and sing the song from Frozen), and I realized something about myself. I don't know what I was holding onto exactly but it was like I was waiting for something to go wrong. If you look for it, something will go wrong. So finally, I did. I let it go (again. go ahead. sing.). When I opened up and got myself together, everything immediately felt better. I could look back on the time here more appreciatively and I can see gains that I have made. 

Now, here's the good stuff. Most of my education happened outside the classroom, BUT there have been some amazing discussions and experiences within classrooms as well. I have realized this week that music therapy can be so many things, depending on the situation and each individual. I think I was trying to put a specific view on it that isn't necessary. We saw an activity in the seminar on Wednesday, which involved using singing bowls placed on the clients' bodies. This bowls vibrate on a single pitch when struck. In this activity, the bowl was usually placed on the ankles, then just above the knee, and then the stomach. While this was happening, the co-therapist was playing a vibraphone in the background in a key inclusive of the pitches that rang from the singing bowls. Aside from never seeing this done before, it made me realize how multi-functional one music experience can be. I am not sure of the exact goal behind the activity, but I saw the grounding effects of this activity and its meditative-like quality. 

Going from that learning experience on Wednesday, I had a powerful and wonderful night seeing a music experience meaning different things to different people all under the same roof, and I was included in this. Every year, Heidelberg hosts an event called the Queer Festival. Now, this isn't like a pride event in the United States. It is broken up over weeks of different events and venues highlighting LGBTQ+ artists from all genres (literature, dance, music, etc.). Well, I had the exciting pleasure of attending a performance from Cakes Da Killa (google him) and an after party in the same place hosted by him. There aren't gay bars or clubs here, so this was a whole new level of exciting for me. This entire event was put on by people of the LGBTQ+ community, from the bartenders to the tech crew. It was comfortable and I didn't know a single soul there, but by the end of the night, we were all swept up in the music and the positive vibes. So much love happened. Hugs and holding hands and dancing together all happened. Now, I left still not knowing anyone's name but that didn't matter. That wasn't the point. This music urged everyone to dance, relax, feel free, let their feelings flow. We were all in a safe space, and everyone dance out feelings to the music. In some kind of way, isn't music therapy based off this idea? These people were kind and happy to share a space with their community. It was wonderful. 

Another Week in Germany

                Each day in Heidelberg has brought new insights into the city and German culture.  From visiting the castle to touring the shops to visiting small towns outside the city, I have woken up each day excited for what new Heidelberg-ian experiences we will have.  This weekend, Haley Sue and I went to Munich.  We explored Marienplatz and the other Old Town sights in the center of the city.  Munich is larger than the mountain-nestled city of Heidelberg but each is beautiful in its own way.  It was fascinating to see another side to Germany.  I love quaint Heidelberg but I appreciated seeing the unique elements of another city that was just a few hours away.  I feel like our trip to Munich gave me a slightly larger view of Germany, its people, and its culture.

                Another learning experience has been hearing from the SRH students and professors about their approaches to and perspectives on music therapy.  We observed a mock session that two SRH music therapy students lead earlier this week.  It was enlightening to observe the similarities and differences between this session versus the sessions I have observed and lead back in the U.S.  In the session, the therapists used singing bowls and an improvisation activity with three students role-acting as clients with eating disorders.  The vibrations from the singing bowls seemed to be a way for the clients to increase the awareness of their body.  After, the improvisation activity seemed to be a way to increase self-expression, increase confidence, and increase receptivity.  The structure of the session was different from what I have experienced before.  However, the experience was very enlightening and I will definitely be referring back to my notes from the session when I get back to Georgia.

What is Health?

What is Health? It seemed like such an easy thing to define, but what is it? The dictionary defines it as "the condition of being sound in body, mind, or spirit; especially: freedom from physical disease or pain... The general condition of the body." This week we got into a detailed discussion on health. It made me really think about it. 

The conclusion we came up with is that is is so difficult to define health. There are so many factors involved. It is all based on the person.  Some factors include how they were raised, their culture, the way they think, their religious practices, etc. Health can mean something different based on the person trying to define it. 

An example we really discussed in detail was with people diagnosed with eating disorders. These disorders are anerxia, binge eating, and bulimia. What the therapist may define as health for them is way different from what they will think. The therapist may define health as positive body image, self acceptance, appropriate BMI, and apprpritate eating habits. However, the person withy tehe eating disorder may have a distorted view of health. If they are not self aware of their disorder they may see healthy as getting the body image they want, control, perfection, and some other unattainable and unrealistic goals. It got me thinking about people's personal views of health as opposed to an overall definition. 

Some other examples of views of health comes in looking at cultures. In some cultures, a bigger weight off size may be healthier than what another culture thinks. In many cultures, the family is more important than the individual so people are greatly influenced in their beliefs by the family. It is so interesting to think about health in so many perspectives.

This has taught me another important aspect to think about when practicing music therapy in tehe future. I need to be aware of the health beliefs of different cultures and different people. Being more aware of this could help me help them. 

SO MUCH LEARNING.

It's hard to sum up what I've learned this past week in a blog post. It's hard to even pinpoint one thing among the myriad of information and new experiences that have been thrown at me this week. But I will try my best.

I've learned to go exploring. Even if you don't have a specific goal or destination in mind at first, you'll find one. On Friday Connor, Katie, and I went exploring on the Philosopher's Walk just to see where it would take us. We ended up finding this path up the mountain and following these signs. We didn't know where it would take us, but it was exciting not knowing what we would see at the end of our journey. During the hike up the mountain, our curiosity kept building until we finally got to the top. We found a HUGE well, tower ruins and the remains of castle, a Nazi amphitheater, and an old monastery. It was such a rewarding experience.

I've also learned a TON about music therapy on this trip. Since I'm not pursuing a music therapy degree at the moment, this experience has been SO informative. I've tried to soak up as much information as possible every chance I get. I keep taking notes on everything I learn and everything people tell me so I won't forget anything.

One of my favorite discussions this week was during Friday's class. We were split into groups and we had to define health from the viewpoint of the therapist and the client. We started really analyzing what it means to be healthy; does it have to do with physical health, mental health, emotional health, social health...etc.? I've never really thought how being healthy is so incredibly subjective. It depends on what you view as healthy and the context you have around the word. This past semester I took a course called Introduction to Mental Health as a Profession, and we discussed a lot of the fine tuned details of being therapists, including health. However, we never talked in depth about the different definitions of health. We defined it, and mentioned the importance of considering all the facets of health, but we didn't talk about it from the view of the client vs. the view of the therapist.

Another interesting learning experience was watching the mock music therapy session on Wednesday. I've only seen one music therapy session so far in my education, so it was really exciting and interesting seeing one performed. Thanks to contributions from our group, I noticed the differences in the way they conducted the session from the way an "American" music therapy session would have gone. It was helpful to watch them perform and gave me a lot of insight into this profession. Before this trip I don't think I knew there were so many variables and differences in how to conduct a music therapy session. Now I see the depth of this field and it makes me so excited to study it in the future

Learning Experience

This past week had many adventures did Brought fun and fastinating stories. One search experience was when i attended a short seminar percussion. During this seminar, a new way of approaching how you use your body percussion methods such as tapping a foot or patting a knee. These techniques were used to "activate" the four appendages that are used when playing percussive instruments, your arms and legs. We patted/tapped a steady beat on ourselves while alternating which appendage and how many appendages were being used. We gradually added more timbers in that would emphasize dufferent strong and weak beats. Using this technique of starting from the very basic form and building up one level at a time gave me a new way of practicing percussion instruments and a new way of teaching percussion instruments.

The possibilities for music therapy seem endless!

This week I learned something from everything I experienced in the music therapy classes. Overall, this week has taught me to view music therapy in a new way.

The discussions provided different perspectives of music therapy, and different ways to break down what we do, such as the definition, the sessions, the levels of experience, and our goals as music therapists. Breaking down the definition day to day helps me better structure my definition, and be prepared for the different ways to explain music therapy to others. Viewing a music therapy session through the lens of levels of experience helps me analyze all the contributions to a musical experience, what is or is not musical.

In the classes with the German students and professors, I learned new ideas for future sessions, such as using the singing bowl and thinking about the structure of a music therapy session in a new way. In the mock sessions, I appreciated the use of a singing bowl to feel the vibrations of the instrument. It was a very creative activity. Although we do not know the exact intentions of the therapy students, there were many possibilities that would benefit this population. The singing bowl activity seemed to also prepare the clients musically for the second activity, which I thought was very well planned out. I appreciate the order of the music therapy sessions here and being aware of this as a possibility could benefit populations I work with in the future. I plan on trying it out when I get home. In the percussion class, I learned new possibilities for future activities with clients using only rhythms. This exact activity could be used for different clients with slight modification. I also worked on complex rhythms, which I hardly ever do, but helps me improve as a musician.

I am sure there are many more things that I learned, but it is hard to think of all of it. It was a great week and I am looking forward to these last two weeks.

Curious and inspired.

This week, I have been feeling a large dosage of inspiration. Being in Germany, I have the urge to practice my musician skills much more when compared to being back home in Miami.

I'm not sure if it's because German music therapy students and how often they practice or if the realization that I am in the same country where the majority of my favorite composers were born, studied, and composed their works.

I have also been considering possibly doing my Master's here in Germany. This thought has been in my head since observing the Master's students mock session on eating disorders on Wednesday. I was incredibly interested on how a session is conducted and questions were formed on how they are organized and planned.

Coming from an NMT background (Neurologic Music Therapy) there isn’t much exposure to the psychotherapy approach. Of course we take the generic Abnormal Psychology class, Music in Psychotherapy, and experiences in practicum.

Based on this observation on the mock session, there is speculation that German music therapy has a psychodynamic approach, working with the mental health population. However, I feel that it resembles my school, where you are taught one method of music therapy and apply it with any population you encounter.

This leads me to wonder if it’s possible to combine different “School’s of Thoughts” in music therapy so the client can work with a variety of clients with different approaches and educational background.

I am interested on hearing the German music therapy students on Tuesday for their view on music therapy, how they plan their sessions, and what brought them to this interesting field.  

When Alone Is Not Always Lonely

So like Casey in her latest post, I realized that I did not introduce myself last time.  My name is Jillian Wallace and I will be going into my senior year at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio.  I play the saxophone and love reading, writing, and listening to music of all genres and decades. This is my fifth time traveling to Germany (depending on how you count being born here). Each time I have been over seas, I have learned several concepts and ideas. Being that this is the first time I am traveling for academics, this is a unique expirence compared to previous travels.

In class this past week, we talked about how a music therapist helps the client. There are many ways that a music therapist helps the client(s). One thing that we covered when talking about this concept was on how the therapist needs to help themselves before being able to help their client(s) (meaning self care). Although this seems like common sense, it is easy to overlook it even when it is right in your face. I always knew that this was a true statement but I did not really think about it until today.

It is a known fact to my friends that I like to be busy and be on the go.  It is also a fact that although I enjoy being busy, I also am a person who needs alone time in order to recharge and de-stress.  While on this trip, I have (as well as everyone else) been constantly doing something whether it be class, hiking or going on group trips to explore Heidleberg and its' neighboring towns. There has been a lot of opportunities to keep busy but not many for personal time especially when you are sharing an apartment with three to four other individuals.  Since arriving to Heidleberg, I had zero alone time minus when I would be in the bathroom.  I did not realize how that was effecting me until today. After doing some shopping with friends, we arrived at the apartments.  Nearly everyone was planning on going on a hike almost as soon as we arrived at the apartments. Normally I would have wanted to join because I hate missing group outings and also because the scenery is gorgeous here.  Surprisingly, I declined; my feet were hurting and I just wanted to sit down for a few minutes.  After everyone left, I sat at the table in my room and just went on my iPad and started watching some YouTube videos. I also took time to call my boyfriend who I have not been able to talk to that much since arriving.  Before I knew it, it had already been a little over 4 hours before everyone returned form the hike. I noticed that I was mentally in a better place than prior.  It was amazing with what just a few hours of solitude could do to my well being.

This can be translated back to music therapy.  As mentioned in class, self care is crucial.  If you are not in a good place, you can not give your client what they need from you to help them. I am glad I realized this now because life is only going to get busier. I was fortunate to realize this at a time where my main concern is one class for a few weeks in the summer.   In the future when I am working, I am going to have several of priorities such as paying bills, buying groceries, being married and having children and the stress and responsibilities that all brings as well as having and working with clients.  Self care is going to be extremely important during that time so I and any other music therapist can help clients improve their quality of life which is what we are meant to do.

The big take away from all of this is that although there will be times where you want to go on that group hike or you really want to spend an extra 2 hours studying for a test, you need to give yourself some time for self care whether that's coloring, going on a run, or simply laying down and listening to your favorite song on repeat. You will be so much happier and you will thank yourself later.

All good things in my first week of Germany!

Germany has been a great experience so far. In this first week, the memorable moments have been the music therapy program at SRH and the culture I have observed thus far.

            The music therapy program at SRH seems to be a very good one. The motto for the school includes the words “practice” and “research”, which are two things that I definitely observed in the program. The school has a clinical available on site where the students can practice their training. They also have a well-equipped research lab, which is more than I have ever seen or heard of in other schools. Research for music therapy is something that is emphasized as a student, and this is the most impressionable research site for music therapy I have seen yet.

            The apartments and living has been very nice. Taking the bicycles to the school has been a good exercise to start the day. We should have that in the States. I think it would be very good for all of us. The air here feels fresh and clean, compared to back home, and although this is a busier city, Heidelberg gives me a more relaxed feeling overall. This may be because of my limited responsibilities while I am here compared to how things are back home, or it may be the culture.

            I am looking forward to what else I can learn about the program and culture, and to see how the culture influences music therapy here in Germany.

Thinking Reflexively

Since I didn't introduce myself in my last post, I suppose now is as good a time as any!  My name is Casey and I'm a music therapy student who will be going into my senior year at Baldwin Wallace University in the fall.  Favorite things of mine include Chex Mix, playing trombone, bands such as Snarky Puppy and The Black Keys, and (obviously) doing a bit of traveling to places such as Germany!

In addition to some sightseeing, the past two weeks of this trip have been amazing for learning about music therapy in Germany and new ways of thinking about music therapy in general.  I've also been able to meet so many fantastic people, both within the group of students on this study abroad experience and the students and professors at the University of Heidelberg.

In our International Topics in Music Therapy class, we've had many experiences that have made me really think, but there's one specific experience that stuck out to me.  This was during one class where we talked the whole time about the concept of reflexivity.  Reflexivity is being able to think critically about what you as a therapist are doing and being mindful of how you (and the client) are working together to meet the client's needs.  It's an idea that's very focused on the therapist-client relationship and making sure that you as the therapist are always doing your best work.

During an activity that demonstrated the idea of reflexivity, four volunteers (including me) stood in a circle in front of the class and were asked to make some kind of body percussion sound.  One member of the group started a basic rhythm, and the rest of us then came in layering different rhythms.  After a moment of hesitation, the group really started to make consistent eye contact and began grooving.  That was the moment when I stopped thinking hard about what I was doing and paid more attention to the rhythms that were going on around me. A few moments after that,  we were all able to stop our rhythms together as a cohesive group.

This led then to an interesting discussion about the need for being aware and thinking critically about your therapeutic presence and actions during music therapy sessions while also being present and aware of the client's experience.  We also discussed the need for us be able to "groove" and adapt to situations, just like how in the body percussion group, we found that we were the most cohesive when we were all making eye contact and thinking about what everyone else was doing in addition to ourselves.

Then, as I have often found in my career as a stressed out (but passionate) student music therapist, I was able to connect what I learned in class to my life overall.  In this case, I easily connected this class experience to my overall experience being here in Germany.

When you're in a different country, especially when you don't speak the language, being hyper aware of your surroundings and how you interact with the people around you becomes even more important.  This includes being able to adapt to situations and keeping your cool even if you're frustrated or stressed out by the difficulties of being in a different culture.  Being able to do this requires a lot of skills we talked about during this class, like a good sense of self-awareness and being mindful of your reactions, as well as being aware of the diversity in experiences of the wonderful people around you.

We all feel differently.

When I think back to all the different classes and class discussions I had this week, one learning experience really comes to my mind. It was the day in class when we focused on reflexivity. This term focuses on the relationship between the music therapist and the client. From my understanding, reflexivity is being aware of one's self as a therapist and also being aware of the client. It is also important to be able to figure out what is the best action to do in that moment that will be helpful to the client.

During this particular class, we were asked to volunteer to participate in a learning exercise. I decided to volunteer and I was excited to see how things were going to play out. Four people, including me, walked to the front of the classroom and positioned ourselves in a circle. We were given the instructions to make percussive sounds using our body. We also were given instructions to listen and be aware of ourselves and then bring ourselves to being aware of the people around us. Two people, Connor and Katie, started some beats and interesting sounds and then I layered another sound and another student, Casey, added one more sound. For me, it was a little nerve wracking trying to focus on myself when there were multiple sounds and rhythms happening around me. I would find myself forgetting that I was making a sound. Once I was able to be aware of myself, it was hard to be aware of others at the same time. I found the best feeling was when I just didn't think too hard of either and simply be in the moment, and that's when I started to get the feeling that we were all one as a group.

After the exercise, we all discussed our individual experiences in the exercise. What was interesting to me was that Casey said that she noticed the "groove" the whole group had and that it didn't feel like there was a leader. Connor differed and said that it was hard trying to figure out who was leading the group. That was the moment that I realized that people do not feel, think, and experience the same thing. Of course, I have always known this and I have said multiple times that a person can never truly understand what another person is going through because they are not that person, but sometimes I can have a feeling so strongly that I think that everyone else MUST be feeling the same thing!

After this realization, it made me think about music therapy. I thought about how I sometimes struggle with being able to balance my awareness of myself and the clients in the session. It also made me think about how I should never assume how a client is feeling. Not only am I going to apply it to music therapy, but it will help me in my everyday life as well. I'm very glad we had that exercise in class that day because it was very helpful for me.

Emily

Hill: using what I learned

A meaningful learning experience I had this week occurred in the percussion lab of Thomas Keemss.
What caught my attention: Although I have taught percussion techniques to elementary and middle school students for years, took an undergraduate class in percussion way back in 1980, and have helped lead a drum circle more recently, I learned concepts that I had not considered before. Our teacher taught us a concept of notating using all four limbs, as well as how to notate two handed drumming. He also showed us how to start with one hand and slowly add limbs to create an intricate pattern without instruments and eventually adding vocals.

What I learned as a result: I learned several things that I can use in future drum circles, as well as sessions with clients. First, I had never been taught the proper way to play a conga or djembe: tilting away from the body so the bottom is open. Second I learned a simple drum pattern using different parts of the drum head for different sounds. He also showed us different ways to use the hands, using the finger joints as landmarks, always starting very simply and slowly building to more complicated rhythms and patterns.

How this learning experience affected my understanding of music therapy: our textbook speaks of using sensory stimulation provided by improvising as bringing “physical gratification, pleasure, and a welcome release of physical energy” ( page 142). I now feel more confident in my ability to use percussion instruments with my clients, no matter their age or diagnosis. Although our instructor apologized often for his “poor English skills”, I feel he communicated many new ideas along with a certain joyousness for using percussion instruments.

My First Time in Germany

Hello! My name is Taffy Su and I am from Taiwan. I will be a junior music therapy major this upcoming fall at the University of Georgia.

Before this trip, I was worry and nervous about everything. I've never been to different country with a group of people I don't really know very well and I don't know how to speak German. I contacted my aunt in Frankfurt and she told me about many things in Germany, weather, people, culture,etc. But I still don't really know anything about this country. What I think about Germany before this trip are beers, sausage, sauerkraut, lederhosen.However, after my first week in Heidelberg, every thing opens my eyes.

People in Germany are environmentally friendly and they have a lifestyle that are better for the environment. Most people ride bicycle, walk or take public transportation instead of driving cars.They recycle just about everything that you can see there are many different trash cans on the streets. I also found that it's hard to get plastic bags in the store and people usually bring their own bags when they are shopping. I remember when I first went to McDonalds here I was surprised to learn that I had to pay for Ketchup packets. I think they do this so that people only pay for what they will need instead of taking a million free packets and then throwing them away to create more waste. It is a very different experience to see how important the environment is to the people in Germany.

After my first week in Heidelberg, I am very impressed about how people take care of their environment and how environmentally friendly this country is.

Overwhelmed

The most prominent emotion I've experienced on this trip is the being overwhelmed. I realize that the initial connotation of this word might be bad, but for me I've been overwhelmed in good and bad ways. Allow me to explain.

Before leaving for this trip, I had the sudden realization that I didn't know anyone. Nobody on my trip is from UCA, let alone Arkansas. The thought that I was going to be some 5,000 miles away from home with a bunch of strangers was extremely overwhelming. I knew I was going to make great friends and memories, but I was going to be in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people. It was both scary and exciting. 

Along these lines, I've been overwhelmed by the acceptance and generosity of the other people on this trip. I feel as though we have all quickly accepted each other and formed lasting friendships. I could not have imagined any greater acceptance or inclusion from a group of strangers. This has quickly eased my anxieties about being with a group of strangers in an unknown country. So in this way, being overwhelmed was certainly a good thing. 

I've also been overwhelmed by the amount of beauty in Heidelberg. This city is breathtakingly gorgeous. From the Neckar River to the Philosopher's Walk, from warm, sunny days to stormy, cloudy days, I've been mesmerized by the beauty that surrounds this city. Even in the man made buildings like the castle, the architecture and design surpasses so many buildings in the United States. 

However I've also been overwhelmed by being constantly busy. I have a really horrible habit of taking every opportunity available to me that I forget when to stop and rest. The past couple of days I've noticed that I'm filled to my brim with knowledge, people, and experiences. I become exhausted and, well, overwhelmed. I love learning about this town and experiencing its culture, but I extend myself so far that I can't handle anything else. This is something I'm acknowledging and wanting to change within the next few months. 

To quote 10 Things I Hate About You:

"I know you can be overwhelmed, and you can be underwhelmed, but can you ever just be whelmed? 

I think you can in Europe." 

I haven't quite felt just "whelmed" yet, and I certainly haven't felt underwhelmed, but I'm hoping I can start to regulate my experiences and get into a healthy, normal routine.

Anna Laura McAfee

Hello from the other side...of the Atlantic

Well, I have been here a week and finally feel like I am starting to settle in here. Honestly, it has been a hard week. It took much longer than I thought it would to settle into the time difference and the daily endeavors. I did not expect this, but I am much more homesick than I expected. I miss the expected and I miss my fiance. We knew this would be hard, but the time difference has made speaking difficult. I admire those who maintain relationships when their significant others are abroad.

Anyway...Heidelberg is amazing! The scenery is gorgeous, and it's history is absolutely rich. Heidelberg has been here for well over 1100 years and that is preserved, rather than destroyed for new developments. There is an energy in the town that you feel. You can almost feel its history in the air. Plus, the people here are quite lovely. Most speak some level of English and like to help when they can. Also, Americans are loud. SO LOUD. Germans here speak at a quiet level that really is respectful of all other conversations. 

On the educational front, expanding my perspectives on music therapy has been quite attainable already. When speaking to students and professors, their approach is quite different. Each semester is broken down into essentially 5 week blocks, and there is an academic focus and a musical focus in each one. Plus, when speaking to the students and professors, their view and approach on music therapy does differ from those of us from the US. There is a focus on improvisation here that is refreshing. It is taught in multiple blocks and regarded as a primary therapeutic technique. This is different in the US where improvisation is a technique that is discovered more within the clinical experience. Here, all academic core is taken care of during public school before attending college. The benefit to this is that the student can focus entirely into their major of choice. This also allows educators to teach more expansively on different aspects of the upcoming career. 

Settling in has been a struggle but I am looking forward to the next few weeks in Germany and what they have to hold. 

Happy Accidents

My name is Haley Sue Long and I'm going into my senior year as a music therapy student at the University of Georgia.

While I wouldn't call ending up in Germany an accident, it certainly feels that way sometimes. I never planned on studying abroad while I was in college-- it was a spur-of-the-moment decision between friends last fall that led me on the plane, across the ocean, and to a new country.

Sometimes one accident can lead to another.

It was day 2 when I got lost for the first time. Of course I don't speak the language, but I was lucky enough to be with two other students. We jumped the gun getting off the tram and ended up walking in the general direction of the apartment. That doesn't really sound like fun and it was definitely an accident, but on this walk we found the cutest little music store. It had music equipment, like guitars and pianos, but it also had music souvenirs that I'd never seen in stores back home, like umbrellas and scrapbook covers. So despite accidentally getting off the tram too early, I am the happy owner of a musical teacup set.

On day 5 it was supposed to rain, so when it didn't, we took a walk across the Old Bridge to check out the shops in that part of town. It was great seeing the river from a new perspective and taking pictures of everything and each other. However, right when we got to the other side, the rain finally made its appearance in the form of a huge, crashing thunderstorm. Our group of 11 scattered with plans to meet at the cathedral at the end of the road. When my group's first shelter ended up too crowded, we ran across the street to an open restaurant. Once we got in and settled at a table, we realized it was actually a gelato shop-- something we'd been looking for for a few days. We all ordered and I came to the conclusion that the best possible place to be during a thunderstorm is an open-face gelato shop in Germany.

During week 1 I've definitely learned that some of the best experiences happen when things don't go the way you planned.

Getting Lost in Heidelberg

                Traveling around the city of Heidelberg has been an adventure.  On the train ride to Heidelberg on the first day, a fellow passenger began talking to me.  He showed so much interest in music therapy and why I had come halfway across the world to learn more about it.  It was a welcoming first conversation to have with someone from Germany on the day I arrived. 

Since then I have taken the trams and the buses back and forth from the apartments to class every day, usually with one or two of the other students on the trip.  In our first days here, there were two times that we were somewhat fiercely yelled at by people on the trams, which is unnerving enough without adding in the fact that the yelling was in German.  The first time, the shock of someone speaking angrily to me in a language I didn’t understand was enough to make me at a loss of words and unable to think of how to respond.  Then second time, it turned out the man from several feet away was simply yelling so I could hear him and was actually trying to be helpful.  Despite these two occurrences, I’ve found that the people here are just as wonderful as the beautiful city of Heidelberg.  Almost every other person I have come across has been friendly and helpful, showing patience with the language barrier.

One of the best parts about traveling around Heidelberg has been getting lost (no, really!).  There have already been an embarrassingly number of times when those with me and myself have had to walk a long ways because we have gotten off at the wrong tram stop.  I’ve found that each time this has happened we have discovered a small gem of the city and explored parts that we wouldn’t have had otherwise.  On Tuesday, we found a neat music store with of course music books and instruments, but also cute musical coffee mugs and other items that music stores back home don’t have.  Another time, we found a bookstore tucked away down an unfamiliar street.  The same street had a store where we finally found some Kinder eggs and much needed delicious chocolate.  These unplanned excursions have yielded some of the best discoveries yet of this beautiful city and I’m excited for more to come.

First Time For Everything

Hello there! My name is Nicole Camejo and I am originally from Miami, FL. I will be a senior the upcoming Fall 2016 semester at the University of Miami (UM) where I study music therapy, specifically neurologic music therapy (NMT).

I arrived on Monday, May 6^th, at Frankfurt and felt quite nervous during my long, nine hour flight, reasons being that this was my second flight in my entire life and second time leaving Miami, and my first time leaving America to another country, along with flying without a friend or family member. On Sunday, a few hours before my flight, I remembered being so nervous that I decided to organize all of my sheet music, since 2008 until now, in a large binder while celebrating mother’s day. This was after brunch of course and greeting my grandmother and mother, wishing them a happy day.

I thought I would be a nervous wreck upon my arrival, finding it difficult to adjust since I had never met any of the other students or Dr. Keith. So many thoughts were running through my mind of how I won’t fit in or adjust well, but I was proven wrong. Since meeting the students and my professor at the Frankfurt airport, I have never grown so comfortable and felt welcomed by a group of individuals in a short amount of time. 

I adjusted quite rapidly, feeling the nerves and anxieties dissipating.  

From the airport, we made our way to Heidelberg, where we took the tram to our apartments for the next three and a half weeks. While on the way there, we came across the most beautiful scene I thought I would never see in my lifetime. I often dreamt how it would look to see them in person and could only imagine based on movies or TV shows, but there were mountain ranges before me, and I could feel stunned by the sight of their majesty.

 Now, keep in mind, Miami is below sea level, incredibly flat, and palm trees to your left and right. But when I saw this view, all I could think of was "Oh. My. God. There are mountains."

The scenery, the people, everything about Heidelberg made me think that this is all a dream. I would think "There is no way that I am actually here," and a few falls from my bicycle later, has me currently saying "Yup, I'm totally here."

From meeting the faculty of the University of Heidelberg, interacting with German music therapy students, going on small trips, popping several cherries (LIKE HIKING UP A MOUNTAIN!) and making new friendships during my first week has made my experience worthwhile, so far. I cannot wait for the next few weeks and continue to learn more about German Music Therapy and the history of Heidelberg, along with the many travels I hope to experience in Europe.

Snapshots of My Travels (So Far)

The Airplane

I always get nervous when the airplane takes off.  No matter how many planes I've been on or will be on, the thrill and nervousness from take off will always be there.  As the plane climbs into the sky, I look around and realize this is the first time I've travelled without friends or family.  Although I brace myself for a wave of anxiety and panic, I find that I am surprisingly calm.  As someone in a perpetual state of anxiousness, this comes as a pleasant surprise.

I  am already imagining the old, beautiful city streets and the rivers and new and exciting sights and sounds...and the delicious food too.  I settle in to my cramped seat, accidentally elbowing my neighbor.  I apologize furiously before finally closing my eyes, visions of bratwurst and schnitzel already dancing in my head.


The Train

The train pulls away from the station. I look out the window and wave goodbye to my relatives and in a flash, I am alone in a foreign country where my knowledge of the language is as simplistic as being able to say "Guten Tag" or "Danke".

There is a businessman seated across from me, typing away on his laptop.  In another moment, a woman comes up to me and says something in German that I interpret as "Is this seat taken?".  I smile and gesture to the seat next to me and the woman sits down.  I silently hope that that's all I need to be able to communicate without revealing my lack of knowledge of the German language.  I resume looking out of the window.

I sit forward and realize that all of the muscles in my back and neck are tense.  No one is here to help translate, and I hope that I remember when to get off the train...but what if I get off at the wrong stop and what happens if someone tries to speak to me and I don't understand them and oh god I'm going to end up getting lost forever....why am I here...this whole trip was a bad idea...

I stretch my neck for a few moments.  My constant stream of thoughts is interrupted by a train worker looking at tickets.  She looks at my ticket and speaks a quick stream of foreign words.  I tense up again as I have to explain that I don't speak the language.  In English she explains that I didn't give her the right ticket.  I hurriedly dig around in my bag and hand her her the correct one.  She punches it, gives it back to me, and moves on without missing a beat.  I let out a silent sigh of relief.

The Bike

Cars and pedestrians and bikers are around me in a swirl of movement.  I feel myself jump a little and pedal a little faster and pray a lot harder.  Behind me, I hear what sounds like a bike hitting the pavement.  Once I safely get across the complex mess of German streets and sidewalks and crosswalks, I look back to the other side to see my biking partner struggling to get her bike upright.  Once the light turns green again, she pedals across and the journey continues.

Being someone who self identifies as "directionally challenged" it is surprising that I decided to try to figure out my way back from the university to the apartment via a different route.  In a fit of (foolish) courage, I declared I could get back to the apartments down an alternate path.  Only one other brave soul took up the challenge.

We find we are lost (of course) and consider using the maps (almost) as we wander around an increasingly unfamiliar area.

"We should go toward the river."

The streets start looking a little more familiar (maybe) and we strategize the best way to get back to the apartment ("what street is it on again?").

"Oh!  I know where we are!"

We pass by several shops I remember looking in...cross another busy road...take another wrong turn.

"We went too far"

We cross the last street and proudly pedal our bikes up to the door to our apartment, just as the others in our group who took the other path pedal up and we begin to dramatically recall our personal tale of mishap and triumph.

The Pros and Cons of Getting Lost in an Unfamiliar City

It is not a complete unknown fact that I do not always have the best sense of direction. By the time I was in Heidelberg for not even 48 hours, I managed to get lost 4-5 times. Here is what I learned in the times I found myself lost. If you get lost by yourself because of a tram or bus stop confusion, do NOT panic. It can be really easy to panic when you are in an unfamiliar setting but the best thing to do is it stay calm and keep your wits about you. If you accidentally get off at the wrong stop, either stay at the stop you get off of (more likely then not, another tram will be heading where you want to go in 2-10 minutes) or, if you are feeling a little more adventurous, walk around and see what your surroundings are. If you choose to walk around, go into a store to ask for directions, most likely someone in the store will speak enough English to help point you in the right direction. If there are no stores around, or they are super busy, if you see someone in a business suit or more of a professional dress they are most likely also going to know a tiny bit of English to help you. In order to not get lost, make sure you know what stop is the closest to your living accommodations and what stop is the one that you were traveling from. Also another helpful tip in case you do not remember the name of the stop you are trying to get back to or go to is to remember the name of a store, park, or another building/landmark that can help someone point you in the right direction.  On the first say here I accidentally got off about three stops early because I thought I had already passed my stop. Of course as soon as I got off of the tram and started walking a bit, I realized how far away I was from where I actually wanted to go. Luckily I remembered the name of a store that was across the street from the tram stop that was right by where I am staying. I found a very nice young man dressed in a suit and asked if he knew any English.  To my luck he knew a little bit. I told him about where I was trying to go to (I gave him the name of the store I remembered) and he helped point in the right direction. I learned that by staying calm, I was able to get home quicker than had I panicked. It can be very scary/unnerving when you get lost somewhere that is new to you and there is a language barrier as well. However, if I can somehow negvigate my way and get back okay, anyone can as long as they stay calm and think rationally.

I am Connor Dugosh, a senior music therapy major attending GCSUs summer abroad program in Germany.

I stepped off of the plane into a whole new world. Many parts of the environment were similar to home, yet, they were different. The roads were still made ​​of asphalt yet they were thinner. The signs advertise goods available for sale but were in a foreign language. 

On the way to the apartments, one of the most noticable differences for me was the quantity of bikes on the roads. Bike racks were packed with bikes whose owners were at work, shopping or attending class. The sidewalks were even divided in some places to allow easier travel for bicyclists.  

After getting settled, my group and I began to leave to go get bikes of our own. As we rode back on what would be our vehicles for the next several weeks, we were able to see how stressful riding a bike in traffic could be. The streets were filled with cars, I can only guess it was the evening rush. When there were no bike lanes, cars would be inches away from your handlebars going at decent speeds.

As nerve racking as the first ride was, the bike rides that followed became easier and easier. I began to learn my way around the city and felt confident in my ability to reach my destinations via bike. This first week has been amazing. I cannot wait to see what the rest of the adventure has in store for the group and me.

Language Barriers

Hello, my name is Katie Lyle and I am a Senior Music Therapy student at Georgia College. Currently, I am studying abroad in Heidelberg, Germany. It has been a great experience so far and I know there is more to come. In just under a week I have learned so much. We have traveled so many places and biked everywhere. It has been fun seeing new places and learning about a new culture. One thing that has greatly stood out to me personally is the language barrier.

It has been strange to be in a place that I do not speak the language. I can't understand what people are saying. I can't even read the menu to order food without help. I do not understand what the signs are saying. It has been a new experience that has put many things into perspective. It has been frustrating at times but also a learning experience. I have found that I can figure out to read some words. I have picked up on a couple of phrases. I am already learning in such a short time.

It makes me think of what I do in music therapy. Sometimes there are people music therapists work with that are nonverbal or low functioning. They cannot read or they have trouble talking. But talking and reading are not the only ways to communicate. Communication can be many things. It can be a smile to the person helping you at the store. It can be nodding when you do not otherwise know how to say yes or no. I have found that pointing to what I need can be helpful. These are things that people I could work with may have to do as well.

People in Germany are patient and helpful when you do not know their language. I have gotten help from many people and made a few friends where communication was difficult. Just because it is difficult to communicate does not mean it is impossible.  I should be this way as well. Patience can go a long way and with it you can eventually understand what someone is trying to tell you. I cannot wait to see what else I learn on this trip and how much of the language I can pick up. 

I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT! (I'm in Germany.)

Hallo! My name is Emily Beggs and I am a music therapy student at Georgia College and State University. I am in my third year and my primary instrument is piano. I have been loving my experience of learning about music therapy and I have been blessed with the opportunity to further my knowledge by studying in Heidelberg, Germany!

One thing I've found myself saying a lot is, "I can do whatever I want! I'm in Germany!" Of course, I know this should not be taken literally, but between the breathtaking scenery, undiscovered places, and new experiences - I honestly have the feeling of freedom and spontaneity!

The first impression I got from Heidelberg, Germany was the absolutely gorgeous scenery. When all of students and I took a train to Heidelberg, I was completely ecstatic at the green and yellow fields. If it wasn't for the young German lady sitting by the window, I probably would have pressed my face against the glass like a little kid marveling at ice cream. (That's a lie. I'm not an ANIMAL.) Anyways, when we first entered Heidelberg, my eyes were wide and my mouth was open the entire time. Seeing all the older buildings close together... it kind of reminded me of San Francisco... except much cooler.

Some of the girls and I waiting to ride the train to Heidelberg!

 I truly took in the scenery when we had our first bike ride back to the apartments. We first rode down some fields and I could see the city of Heidelberg in the distance. The combination of the sun shining, the wind blowing in my face, smell of fresh air, and taking in the new scenery before me gave me a surge of energy and feeling of "being able to do whatever I want." When I say that phrase, I am thinking of the feeling of new possibilities and exciting adventures. Of course, I also said that phrase when I bought myself some chocolate in Germany, but hey - chocolate is definitely an exciting adventure.

About to ride the bikes!

Not only has the scenery of Heidelberg, Germany given me the feeling of excitement, but just experiencing new things in new places does it for me as well. When everyone got moved into the apartments, my friend, Sabrina, and I decided to go walking for a little bit. We found a little park near our apartment and I became instantly happy. We decided to try out the swings which were AMAZING. I haven't swung on a swing in a long time, and getting to swing as high as I could in GERMANY made me feel like a kid with no worries.

Lastly, I must mention the people here in Germany. A lot of times, people will say that everyone hates Americans. However, I have come across many people who are German and have only shown kindness. The German students that go to SRH Heidelberg University have been very sweet and welcoming. I also recently went to the bank and the lady was super understanding and friendly.

Everything so far has been perfect and I look forward for what else is to come.