Who all's going to Europe before Medschool '07?

[yabbadabbadoo]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I think I heard a lot of others were also. I plan to be living it up mid May to mid June.. places to visit.. prague, munich, amsterdam.. ? Where's everyone else hitting up?

 

[DropkickMurphy]

I think I heard a lot of others were also. I plan to be living it up mid May to mid June.. places to visit.. prague, munich, amsterdam.. ? Where's everyone else hitting up?

I'm not going for the "last free summer" reason, but I'm going to Paris in August 2007 for a conference.

 

[BrianUM]

I am, most likely Germany, Italy, and Austria for a couple of weeks or so...have fun while you can....

 

[MadHopsMD]

I think I heard a lot of others were also. I plan to be living it up mid May to mid June.. places to visit.. prague, munich, amsterdam.. ? Where's everyone else hitting up?

me too...the plan is spain, italy, france, germany and amsterdam! mid-may to mid-june too. maybe we will run into each other lol

 

[hayden]

i haven't gotten an acceptance yet (multiple interviews though), but I already have plans to tour Europe, my sister is graduating from med school in May in Krakow, Poland, so i'm starting there, up to Germany and then down to Turkey/Greece for a while. Having friends in Europe rules.

 

[musiclink213]

I'm going to Madrid, Barcelona, French Riviera, Monaco, Florence, Rome, Berlin, Prague, Budapest, Vienna, Krakow, and Warsaw. And I'm gone for 4 weeks. I already have my flights adn everything booked, so I'm stoked. Last year, as a graduation gift, me and my sister, who had just finished a Master's program went to London, Paris, Lucerne, Munich, Verona, Pisa, Venice, Florence, and Rome. This year, it's going to the places I really want to go but couldn't go to last year.

I'll be in Europe May 24-June 22. Can't wiat.

 

[SuperHiro]

I'm gonna try to save up all my money for a trip to the UK. Hopefully it goes as planned

 

[cbenedic]

I am! Already got plans to go to Italy (florence, rome, venice) and greece(athens, olympia, delphi) in june i'd like to make it to london too but we'll see

 

[Mr. McDuck]

No acceptance yet either, and it isn't Europe, but I might go to Egypt before I start (knock on wood).

 

[IUHoosier21]

Headed to spain for 10 days...nothing like enjoying the beautiful beaches before I head off to the cold that is Milwaukee for the next 4 years...

 

[iwannagomed]

this is off topic, but i think it relates...

i am also planning to travel this summer...

but do we have to take care of the finances (tuition payment/loans) before we leave?

if we come back about a week or two before orientations, is it too late to do that?

 

[govikings10]

Wish I had the money to...

 

[dasacohen]

ill be going to london, norway, germany, switzerland, and mayyybe italy

 

[photo_girl07]

Italy and Greece...I hear the men are hot! And I wanna take some pics...relax...and bask in the sun

 

[kypdurron5]

I hitched an opportunity for a month in Paris this past June....I would highly recommend a nice European vacation before locking yourself into the next 8+ years of your life >)

 

[EazyE]

I am going to EUROPE!! I am going to Amsterdam, Prague, Warsaw, Bratislava, and Budapest...doing the whole Eastern Europe thing (plus Amsterdam)

 

[melissainsd]

I hate you all. I will be moving (wherever I end up). I love being a mom but I wish we had some grandparents we could dump the baby on for a few weeks.

 

[Hednej]

I would if my parents had the dough. Hopefully my kids will be able to go before their med school (or whatever grad school) starts

 

[kypdurron5]

I hate you all. I will be moving (wherever I end up). I love being a mom but I wish we had some grandparents we could dump the baby on for a few weeks.

Lol, make sure you keep that quote for your baby book! >)

 

[OncDoc19]

I don't apply until June but I took the MCAT in January (yes I was one of the "affected") and now I'm getting ready to enjoy my European vacation! Went last year for 3 weeks to Munich, Berlin and Dresden. This year I am going back in early May for a week and a half to Munich and then two weeks in Guntzburg to shadow an orthopedic surgeon. Signed up to retake the MCAT (if I have to due to AAMC's gross negligence) May 11 in Munich - really hoping I don't have to do that!

 

[novawildcat]

amsterdam
florence
venice
rome
barcelona
madrid


may 25- jun. 10

 

[musiclink213]

A lot of people going to Amsterdam. Wonder what ya'll will be doing there Just remember not to bring your luggage with you into the cafes, or you'll encounter the same problem this guy I met when I was coming from Paris had. He had been in Amsterdam, took his backpack, and the drug sniffing dogs in JFK smelled it nad he got pulled aside, questioned, all that. I saw him later, and asked what happened. He said he had traces of the pot on his backpack which the dog detected.

 

[TexasFool]

Why not visit somplace in the USA that you've never been to before.
1. cheaper
2. help our own economy
3. I wouldn't pay more than a dollar for a Euro, so enjoy an over priced vacation at 1.3 dollar per Euro
4. Europeans hate and disrespect americans

I've been to europe 6 times in my life and prague is the nicest city in case you go to EU anyway.

 

[gotmeds?]

You know, if you changed the title of this thread to: "Who's got rich parents?" you'd get pretty much the same responses.

 

[Instatewaiter]

go to cinque terre. You will be happy you did.

 

[Gabujabu]

How much does it cost to be in Europe for, say, 3 weeks if you're going the cheapest way possible?

 

[NoktorNoL]

starting in amsterdam, going to sienna, rome, naples, copenhagen, all around scandinavia to oslo and back to amsterdam mid-june to mid-july.

 

[deleted103730]

You know, if you changed the title of this thread to: "Who's got rich parents?" you'd get pretty much the same responses.

i know, i wish i was still suckling on my parents' money teat. oh well, gotta grow up some day.

 

[MahlerROCKS]

FYI people, Greece is unbelievably unpleasant in July (unless you're on an island), as is Italy, which is also more crowded/polluted, although Athens has its fare share of pollution

 

[ExKitty Doctor]

Wow, I am so broke right now with this expensive application process... I can't believe you are all spending even more money! For all of you planning trips..where are the funds coming from??

If I were a rich man.. hm hm hm hm

 

[SuperHiro]

Wow, I am so broke right now with this expensive application process... I can't believe you are all spending even more money! For all of you planning trips..where are the funds coming from??

If I were a rich man.. hm hm hm hm

Yeah I'm totally broke too. I spent just about all my last summer job money on my applications (~5k). I figure I didn't get to do anything exciting this whole year, or even my whole life so I'm gonna buy me one sky diving lesson and a plane ticket to the UK while I'm still young and healthy.

 

[dsh]

I'm moving to Spain for a few months of R&R, should be good times.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Prague is the nicest city in case you go to EU anyway

Yup. Agreed, but then again I'm kind of partial because one of my ancestors once controlled that city with an iron fist to the point where Czech partisans assassinated him for it.

4. Europeans hate and disrespect Americans

Only if you go around with a chip on your shoulder because you're an American. I've spent copious amounts of time in Europe (8 different countries including France) and I've never had a bit of trouble with anyone being disrespectful because I'm an American. Actually once they realize you have a functioning brain in your skull and don't think your **** don't stink because of your status as an US citizen, they tend to warm up very quickly. Even the French......except Parisians....but they are the European version of New Yorkers so what can you do?

You know, if you changed the title of this thread to: "Who's got rich parents?" you'd get pretty much the same responses.

Not all of us have rich parents......

 

[PugMD]

Yup. Agreed, but then again I'm kind of partial because one of my ancestors once controlled that city with an iron fist to the point where Czech partisans assassinated him for it.

Badass

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Badass

Anyone who is best known as "The Blond Beast", "Der Henker" ('hangman' in German) or "The Butcher of Prague" and gets eulogized by Hitler as having "a heart of iron" is a pretty cold and calculating SOB in my book.

 

[VandyXGirl]

Well, I saved up enough miles from all my interviews and earned points from all my apps to get a free ticket to South America. So excited to hit up the beaches in March since it has been freezing the past month. I may have no money but I am resourceful! If I'm going to be spending ~$2,000 on app fees, I'm at least going to get mile rewards points for them at the same time.

 

[musiclink213]

You know, if you changed the title of this thread to: "Who's got rich parents?" you'd get pretty much the same responses.

Honestly, I kind of resent htis. There are some of us out there that have jobs that pay fairly well. Other than allowing me to live at home now, my parents haven't given me one cent. All my spending money, application fees, my trip, it all comes from money I make working, tutoring after work, holidays, and birthday's. Yes my parents for my and my sister's trip last year since they saw it as a graduation gift since we were both finishing at hte same time and they thought it would be nice for us to go together. But they made it very clear that for this trip, I was on my own. Don't be so quick to assume all of us are still in college working minimum wage jobs for a couple hours a week.

And the way I see it, I'm going to be taking out so much in loans, if I have to take out an extra $3500, which is how much my trip costs, so be it. When you're borrowing $100,000, $3500 isn't such a big deal.

 

[Doctor~Detroit]

Honestly, I kind of resent htis. There are some of us out there that have jobs that pay fairly well. Other than allowing me to live at home now, my parents haven't given me one cent . . . Yes my parents for my and my sister's trip last year since they saw it as a graduation gift since we were both finishing at hte same time and they thought it would be nice for us to go together. But they made it very clear that for this trip, I was on my own.

is this some kind of mockumentary-style joke? otherwise, you're helping him make his point.

 

[musiclink213]

is this some kind of mockumentary-style joke? otherwise, you're helping him make his point.

Last year, I'm not going to lie and say my parents didn't pay for the trip. That was last year. Granted, spending money was my own. And it wasn't a luxury trip either. I think for 3 and a half weeks, for the 2 of us, it was $5000 for airfare, hotels/hostels, and transportation. Also, neihter of us got anything for birthday or holiday that year. So I guess it was a culmunation of birthday/New Year's/graduation for us.

This year, things changed. And I'm saying it is possible to pay for it on your own. Your parents dont' have to pay for it in order to go. And believe me, my family is far from being wealthy. They just thought it would be nice for us to go and cut back in other places. However, if you read my post, I said that this year, I had to pay for all the application stuff, anything I want to spend money on, and my trip in entirety. And I'm just saying other people may have jobs that they can afford to go without needing to get it from parents. And it is possible to do Europe at a pretty affordable price. You just gotta know how to do it.

 

[PeripateticMD]

I already bought the ticket. May 14-June 9th. Not sure where I'm going yet, just traveling by the seat of my pants... we'll see where I end up.

 

[PBandJ]

FYI people, Greece is unbelievably unpleasant in July (unless you're on an island), as is Italy, which is also more crowded/polluted, although Athens has its fare share of pollution

rhodes is gorgeous. i highly recommend it.

i also highly recommend (if you are short on funds, or even if you aren't) going to visit friends from school who are doing study abroad. i did that two years ago, and it was awesome. i stayed with my friends, which was really nice, and since they had already been there for 3 months (dresden), they knew all the great places to show me around.

also, if you want to travel around from city to city or country to country in Europe but don't want to spend a fortune, look into either a Eurorail pass (they have a 14-day pass I believe for around $400...it's great b/c you can go almost anywhere, and the trains are so nice) or use one of the discount airlines (Ryanair or EasyJet). I flew from London (Stansted) to Berlin for about $60 round trip. The only pain is actually getting to the Stansted airport in London...that will set you back about $35 each way

as far as any vacation i'm doing...i'm definitely playing it by ear at this point. i'd like to go to Spain again...I have a friend in Barcelona and also one in Madrid.

 

[GAdoc]

My wife and I leave for a week in Paris next Saturday.

 

[gotmeds?]

Honestly, I kind of resent htis. There are some of us out there that have jobs that pay fairly well. Other than allowing me to live at home now, my parents haven't given me one cent. All my spending money, application fees, my trip, it all comes from money I make working, tutoring after work, holidays, and birthday's. Yes my parents for my and my sister's trip last year since they saw it as a graduation gift since we were both finishing at hte same time and they thought it would be nice for us to go together. But they made it very clear that for this trip, I was on my own. Don't be so quick to assume all of us are still in college working minimum wage jobs for a couple hours a week.

And the way I see it, I'm going to be taking out so much in loans, if I have to take out an extra $3500, which is how much my trip costs, so be it. When you're borrowing $100,000, $3500 isn't such a big deal.

is this some kind of mockumentary-style joke? otherwise, you're helping him make his point.

Oh god, that was good!

 

[stiffany]

You know, if you changed the title of this thread to: "Who's got rich parents?" you'd get pretty much the same responses.

Well, except for those of us who've been on our own since we were 18...Not every premed is a spoiled, rotten brat (although there certainly is a large contingency).

Since I WORK full-time, I'll be using some saved up money for a six week trip through Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Germany, France, and Spain. Airfare/bus fare for everything in the $1000 range and then skimping by on $20 or so a night hostels as much as I can.

Also woot to VandyGirl for her free miles and such - I switched to a free miles card AFTER the app cycle - whoops! So silly! I have enough miles on two airlines to go to Europe, but I'm hoping for a few more to tip the scales for a Southeast Asia trip during med school (When free trips will really be necessary if I want to travel much at all).

 

[musiclink213]

Also woot to VandyGirl for her free miles and such - I switched to a free miles card AFTER the app cycle - whoops! So silly! I have enough miles on two airlines to go to Europe, but I'm hoping for a few more to tip the scales for a Southeast Asia trip during med school (When free trips will really be necessary if I want to travel much at all).

Asia is supposed to be nice. I have a friend studying in Japan right now, and he's been going all around Asia. Said anywhere you want to go is really cheap. Yes, the flight is more, but once you're there, it's a lot cheaper. I was considering going there this summer ot see him, but he'll be gone by then, and nobody else really wanted to go and I didn't want to go on my own, so Europe instead.

 

[polofanPKP]

4. Europeans hate and disrespect americans

I've been to europe 6 times in my life and prague is the nicest city in case you go to EU anyway.

I really can't stand when people say this, I was in Europe for 3 months last summer, including Paris. Before I went I was told by many that I should avoid Paris because they hate Americans. I am so happy that I paid these idiots no mind. Paris was filled with the most friendly and helpful people of all the countries and cities that I visited. The reason that this idea of the "stuck-up frenchman" continues to exist is because of the way that many American tourists act when they are in Europe. I am from Ohio, if someone were to walk right up to me and start speaking spanish, expecting that since spanish is almost a second language in the US that I should pander to them and answer in spanish, it would anger me. People walk into french places of business and start conversations in english, that is what pisses them off, its disrespectful, you don't have to be fluent, I wasn't, but I tried. I stumbled through asking for directions and when people saw that I was having trouble they would give me the directions in english, it was important to them that I at least tried to speak french, I respected the country and their language, and they were great to me. This "we're americans, speak english to us" idea is propagated by clueless *****s who go over and make a complete idiot of themselves because they put no effort into respecting where they are.

However, he is right about prague, it's amazing. Go there, get a 4 course meal for like 10 bucks american, get hammered for under 5, and try to smuggle home a bottle of Absinthe.

 

[Doc Martins]

You know, if you changed the title of this thread to: "Who's got rich parents?" you'd get pretty much the same responses.

Can't speak for anyone else, but my fiancee and I are paying for our entire wedding and honeymoon, and I'm sure many of the people here are fully independent from their parents at this point in their lives.

 

[stiffany]

Asia is supposed to be nice. I have a friend studying in Japan right now, and he's been going all around Asia. Said anywhere you want to go is really cheap. Yes, the flight is more, but once you're there, it's a lot cheaper. I was considering going there this summer ot see him, but he'll be gone by then, and nobody else really wanted to go and I didn't want to go on my own, so Europe instead.

Yea, Japan in general is really expensive, but China, Thailand, the Phillippines, et cetera are cheap. I was in Beijing for a week a few years ago and got by living like a queen for ~$35 a day (probably could have done much better than that had I tried - admission fees are cheap and as long as you stay away from the Western chain restaurants, food is really really cheap). The flight over was almost a thousand dollars, but it was a fairly last minute booking. Periodically www.travelzoo.com has rates to Japan and other Asian countries from NY or Chicago for like $600 roundtrip if your dates are flexible.

 

[JennyB]

My fiance and I are getting married in Germany this summer. Then I promised him we'd go to Spain for a few days, and hopefully we can go to Africa for a little bit too!

 

[VandyXGirl]

Also woot to VandyGirl for her free miles and such - I switched to a free miles card AFTER the app cycle - whoops! So silly! I have enough miles on two airlines to go to Europe, but I'm hoping for a few more to tip the scales for a Southeast Asia trip during med school (When free trips will really be necessary if I want to travel much at all).

thanks for the w00t! I was pretty psyched and even my mom, the queen of frequent flier miles, was impressed with my ability to get a free ticket so quickly. I'm excited since my family is in Uruguay and it will be nice to see them, since it has been almost 4 years since they last time I made it down there.

I also want to go to SE Asia. My friend is in China and she says it is amazing. In my mind it is worth spending more on a plane ticket to go visit where everything is significantly less expensive once you get there (South America, most of Asia excluding Japan, Eastern Europe/newly added Euro countries, Africa).

I'm going to hold off on Europe until I've earned enough money to do it right! I figured as a physician I'll be able to afford to do some travelling I was in Ireland for a summer and the Euro definitely killed me, plus travelling in Europe during the summer is annoying since everything is so crowded (lots of tourists) and hot (temperature-wise). Europe can definitely be done inexpensively. www.hostelworld.com is amazing you can book rooms in advance for only 10% of the cost and then pay the rest once you arrive. If you are going in the summer I would highly recommend booking beforehand since hostels can get pretty full. When travelling to barcelona for a weekend my friends and I had a really hard time finding a decent hostel (in the end our place was not decent, it was gross and I can handle most places) To all those travelling have fun!