Another week down. As much as I love Cardiology, after the first week I sadly came to the realization that it is not the field for me. Crossing Cardio off the list. And since then I've had a bit of trouble being excited about being at the hospital. Love the part when I'm actually with patients, but for the rest...sigh.
Ever since we started having the Latin doctors as instructors back in 3rd semester, I quickly learned I had to pay attention when a name was called as I'm not always called Christy. My middle name is included on the student list to the doctors, and as Mexicans have four names sometimes more the Latin doctors go through a guessing game with their international students as to what name to pick. They pronounce Marie as Mari. I don't correct them anymore and just make sure I answer when I think I'm supposed too. I normally get either Mari or Christy Mari, sometimes it's just the Christy, but for the first time one of my Cardio doctors from day one has called me Mari Christy.
I can tell my fingers are getting used to typing in Spanish. The left pinky goes down for the ctrl when I need to add accents, and now when I need to capitalize I'm messing up a lot because my pinky over-reaches the shift and hits the ctrl instead. I'm getting annoyed by it and have started to just leave the accents off alot to get my finger out of the habit. I figure all the Mexicans leave the accents off so it won't really hurt anything. I'll just be considered more Mexican writing incorrect Spanish.
I finally took the time to write down names of my original classmates that are in 5th semester with me. There are just 29 of us, fewer than I had originally guessed. Of that 29, 15 of us have taken and passed the USMLE step 1 and will be continuing on to 6th. There are a few that are going to try to retake the step quickly and see if a few strings can be pulled to allow them to continue on, and one more of us just took his step this past week so hopefully he'll make us 16. But currently there will be 15 of my original class starting 6th semester in January. 15 of an original 119 that started 1st semester July of 2008. I wonder how big our class will be in January. There's about 100 upper semesters that are with us in 5th right now so they could potentially make us a large class. It's just sad to me that in 6th semester, students that are actually originally supposed to be 6th semesters will be very much a minority of the class.
I'm staying in GDL this weekend. Praying I can be as productive as possible!
Hasta!
Friday, September 24, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
Yo estoy marchando.
5 days in Ixtlan, incredibly laid back. Enjoyed it so much that of course I didn't want to come back to reality. And while there, Mexico's Bicentenial celebration of their Independence from Spain came and went. I went to sleep Wednesday the 15th at about the time El Grito was being sounded from each Governor's Palace across the country. Talking to a few that did attend El Grito in GDL they said it was so packed you could barely move. I think I made the right choice to spend the holiday in Ixtlan. Following are some pictures and videos from the Independence Day parade.
This first picture is of our school, Colegio de las Americas de Ixtlan. I missed them the first time the parade passed me so I and Claudia & Maggie Gonzalez took a few shortcuts to another street and caught the parade again from the very begining. These kids march, and march, and march...
This isn't of the parade but I couldn't help taking a few of this cutie. This is Caleb, Matt & Ruth Gerber's little guy. His aunt Maria is holding him. He was walking alongside his daddy, but stopped for a bit when they came upon us.
This first video is of a random primaria school.
This second video is of a secundaria. Jessica Rocke is playing the drum in the first row walking right in front of the camera. She looks at the camera right before Maria showers her with confetti. She attends church regularly and her education is being paid for by the mission.
This last video is of the prepatoria (high school). Sister Lupita Sibaja is marching next to the flag on the side closest to us. The bangs you hear in the video are random fireworks being set off. You'll notice that the prepa does not have trumpets and drums. They have never been large enough to have one. Education is not highly valued and a high school education is either too expensive or seems excessive to the majority. This year is one of the largest incoming classes the prepa has ever had.
In the US, candy is thrown from the parade into the crowds. In Mexico, confetti is thrown from the crowds into the parade. I'm sure you caught it a few times in the videos. I was doused with some leftover confetti and was still finding random pieces the next day that had managed to hide. After the parade would pass the streets were covered with a colorful blanket.
Hasta!
This first picture is of our school, Colegio de las Americas de Ixtlan. I missed them the first time the parade passed me so I and Claudia & Maggie Gonzalez took a few shortcuts to another street and caught the parade again from the very begining. These kids march, and march, and march...
This isn't of the parade but I couldn't help taking a few of this cutie. This is Caleb, Matt & Ruth Gerber's little guy. His aunt Maria is holding him. He was walking alongside his daddy, but stopped for a bit when they came upon us.
This first video is of a random primaria school.
This second video is of a secundaria. Jessica Rocke is playing the drum in the first row walking right in front of the camera. She looks at the camera right before Maria showers her with confetti. She attends church regularly and her education is being paid for by the mission.
This last video is of the prepatoria (high school). Sister Lupita Sibaja is marching next to the flag on the side closest to us. The bangs you hear in the video are random fireworks being set off. You'll notice that the prepa does not have trumpets and drums. They have never been large enough to have one. Education is not highly valued and a high school education is either too expensive or seems excessive to the majority. This year is one of the largest incoming classes the prepa has ever had.
In the US, candy is thrown from the parade into the crowds. In Mexico, confetti is thrown from the crowds into the parade. I'm sure you caught it a few times in the videos. I was doused with some leftover confetti and was still finding random pieces the next day that had managed to hide. After the parade would pass the streets were covered with a colorful blanket.
Hasta!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Yo estoy emocionada por la vacacion.
Today is a Friday-Tuesday. It's Tuesday, but it's also a Friday because leaving each session today at the hospital the Doctor or Doctora would say bye and see you on Monday! Thursday is Mexico's Independence Day and as this year is the Bicentennial it's to be an even grander affair than normal. As a result we have Wednesday and Friday off in addition to Thursday. I'll be headed to Ixtlan tomorrow morning, early enough to miss holiday traffic I hope, and plan on spending the holiday and the weekend there coming back to GDL just in time for an exam on Monday morning 7am. (That's not going to be a fun one!)
Good Morning Guadalajara! Sun finally coming up over the mountains. This is a view from the Sala de Descanso (Lounge).
I quickly took a video from Club Medico today. I did it quickly as it was after our break and everyone was heading back downstairs for our last class. So it didn't come out like I was hoping it would. The city of GDL is seen much better from a stationary viewpoint, but at least you'll get the general idea. The actual hospital is seen at the begining, painted red.
Hasta!
Good Morning Guadalajara! Sun finally coming up over the mountains. This is a view from the Sala de Descanso (Lounge).
I quickly took a video from Club Medico today. I did it quickly as it was after our break and everyone was heading back downstairs for our last class. So it didn't come out like I was hoping it would. The city of GDL is seen much better from a stationary viewpoint, but at least you'll get the general idea. The actual hospital is seen at the begining, painted red.
Hasta!
Friday, September 10, 2010
Yo estoy sanada
My immune system kicked that cold in the tooshie, and by the next morning it was out the door and well on it's way to Timbuktu. Thanks be to the healing power of Jesus and to all the prayers. God bless.
Cardio is proving to be time spent less efficiently for many of us during our 7 hours at the hospital campus. Dutch Blitz to the rescue!! I tell you, if Jesus could catch on as quickly as something as simple as a card game like Dutch Blitz.....perhaps World peace wouldn't be considered such an unrealistic idea.
On the top floor of the administrative tower is Club Medico, I guess it's sort of like the student lounge. I want to take a video from there to show you the view, but haven't yet as it's been gray and rainy all week. So, Lord willing, one of these few weeks to come I'll get a video taken.
Bible study this past Wednesday went well. Thank you for the prayers. Turned out that Hector choose Satan as his topic. Our discussion ranged from free will to Hell to Catholism vs. Christianity and many many tangents in between. We went on for a couple of hours only stopping in the end knowing that we are all running a circular track for the time being. Throughout the night the Holy Spirit provided me with a supply of verses for whatever need the current tangent had us on, and afterwards I almost congratulated myself for feeling like I knew something. At that moment I realized I needed to go to Ixtlan and have a discussion with Jan and Marshall. Talking with them on matters spiritual I'm always drastically reminded that compared to them what I think I know is actually quite minuscule. For the past 10 years I've always held in awe my older brothers and sisters thinking, for some odd reason, that 10 years of the Christian walk was "the milestone to hit." I hit that year marker this past June and just as I was reaching out to grab the milestone Jesus picked it up and heaved it far into my future. Honestly I can't even see where it landed.
In the meantime...a friend sent me this variation of the Footprints poem recently, and I absolutely loved it
FOOTPRINTS...A New Version
Imagine you and the Lord Jesus are walking down the road together. For much of the way, the Lord's footprints go along steadily, consistently, rarely varying the pace.
But your footprints are a disorganized stream of zigzags, starts, stops, turnarounds, circles, departures, and returns.
For much of the way, it seems to go like this, but gradually your footprints come more in line with the Lord's, soon paralleling, His consistently...
You and Jesus are walking as true friends!
This seems perfect, but then an interesting thing happens: Your footprints that once etched the sand next to Jesus' are now walking precisely in His steps.
Inside His larger footprints are your smaller ones, you and Jesus are becoming one.
This goes on for many miles, but gradually you notice another change. The footprints inside the large footprints seem to grow larger.
Eventually they disappear altogether. There is only one set of footprints. They have become one.
This goes on for a long time, but suddenly the second set of footprints is back. This time it seems even worse! Zigzags all over the place. Stops. Starts. Gashes in the sand. A variable mess of prints.
You are amazed and shocked. Your dream ends. Now you pray: 'Lord, I understand the first scene, with zigzags and fits. I was a new Christian; I was just learning. But You walked on through the storm and helped me learn to walk with You.'
'That is correct.'
'And when the smaller footprints were inside of Yours, I was actually learning to walk in Your steps, following You very closely.
'Very good. You have understood everything so far.'
When the smaller footprints grew and filled in Yours, I suppose that I was becoming like You in every way.'
'Precisely.'
'So, Lord, was there a regression or something? The footprints separated, and this time it was worse than at first.'
There is a pause as the Lord answers, with a smile in His voice.
'You didn't know? It was then that we danced!'
This brings a huge smile to my face. With the Joy received by not walking for ourselves how is it possible to continue on merely walking? We must dance!
Hasta & Keep Dancing!
Cardio is proving to be time spent less efficiently for many of us during our 7 hours at the hospital campus. Dutch Blitz to the rescue!! I tell you, if Jesus could catch on as quickly as something as simple as a card game like Dutch Blitz.....perhaps World peace wouldn't be considered such an unrealistic idea.
On the top floor of the administrative tower is Club Medico, I guess it's sort of like the student lounge. I want to take a video from there to show you the view, but haven't yet as it's been gray and rainy all week. So, Lord willing, one of these few weeks to come I'll get a video taken.
Bible study this past Wednesday went well. Thank you for the prayers. Turned out that Hector choose Satan as his topic. Our discussion ranged from free will to Hell to Catholism vs. Christianity and many many tangents in between. We went on for a couple of hours only stopping in the end knowing that we are all running a circular track for the time being. Throughout the night the Holy Spirit provided me with a supply of verses for whatever need the current tangent had us on, and afterwards I almost congratulated myself for feeling like I knew something. At that moment I realized I needed to go to Ixtlan and have a discussion with Jan and Marshall. Talking with them on matters spiritual I'm always drastically reminded that compared to them what I think I know is actually quite minuscule. For the past 10 years I've always held in awe my older brothers and sisters thinking, for some odd reason, that 10 years of the Christian walk was "the milestone to hit." I hit that year marker this past June and just as I was reaching out to grab the milestone Jesus picked it up and heaved it far into my future. Honestly I can't even see where it landed.
In the meantime...a friend sent me this variation of the Footprints poem recently, and I absolutely loved it
FOOTPRINTS...A New Version
Imagine you and the Lord Jesus are walking down the road together. For much of the way, the Lord's footprints go along steadily, consistently, rarely varying the pace.
But your footprints are a disorganized stream of zigzags, starts, stops, turnarounds, circles, departures, and returns.
For much of the way, it seems to go like this, but gradually your footprints come more in line with the Lord's, soon paralleling, His consistently...
You and Jesus are walking as true friends!
This seems perfect, but then an interesting thing happens: Your footprints that once etched the sand next to Jesus' are now walking precisely in His steps.
Inside His larger footprints are your smaller ones, you and Jesus are becoming one.
This goes on for many miles, but gradually you notice another change. The footprints inside the large footprints seem to grow larger.
Eventually they disappear altogether. There is only one set of footprints. They have become one.
This goes on for a long time, but suddenly the second set of footprints is back. This time it seems even worse! Zigzags all over the place. Stops. Starts. Gashes in the sand. A variable mess of prints.
You are amazed and shocked. Your dream ends. Now you pray: 'Lord, I understand the first scene, with zigzags and fits. I was a new Christian; I was just learning. But You walked on through the storm and helped me learn to walk with You.'
'That is correct.'
'And when the smaller footprints were inside of Yours, I was actually learning to walk in Your steps, following You very closely.
'Very good. You have understood everything so far.'
When the smaller footprints grew and filled in Yours, I suppose that I was becoming like You in every way.'
'Precisely.'
'So, Lord, was there a regression or something? The footprints separated, and this time it was worse than at first.'
There is a pause as the Lord answers, with a smile in His voice.
'You didn't know? It was then that we danced!'
This brings a huge smile to my face. With the Joy received by not walking for ourselves how is it possible to continue on merely walking? We must dance!
Hasta & Keep Dancing!
Monday, September 6, 2010
Yo estoy enferma.
I'm sick. muaaaaaw! (I don't know what kind of sound that was supposed to be.) It started as a sore throat and tongue last Friday. Easily ignorable, but over the weekend I noticed it begining to progress to something not so ignorable to the point where last night I finally had to admit that I was sick. Mom, I blame the frozen chicken you had me put on my foot for exacerbating my cold to leaky faucet nastiness. But at the same time at least my stab wound isn't paining me anymore. (A knife was dropped on my foot, blade down, this past weekend.)
Fifth semester started with Cardiology this semester. I know I complained about Gastro being confusing, but now looking at my Cardio schedule, Gastro appears more like a cakewalk. I'm at the hospital from 7 to 2 now. Running around trying to figure out where we were supposed to be today found us in some interesting hallways and corners. It also didn't help much today that my brain was fuzzy from my cold; wasn't really thinking straight to start with. It'll take another day or so to get used to our new schedule.
I had a blessed weekend in Ixtlan this past weekend. Many visitors for the testimonies and baptisms so that all the beds in the guesthouse and at Jan & Marshall's were filled so I got to stay with the Sibajas this time. In addition to getting to enjoy fellowship with my brothers and sisters, for the first time in years I was able to partake in communion Sunday evening. Finally in the right place at the right time again. It was an emotional weekend were tears were shed out of heartache, out of joy, out of shame and saddness, and most importantly out of love. An overwhelming love that we experience for our Savior who became man for us. A love that we share as a family in Christ making it a bond stronger than blood. A singing and bonfire was to follow communion Sunday evening, but I got to be useful instead and gave a ride to a couple from Silverton, Oregon to the airport. Jan sent me on my way with a bag of leftover chicken in one hand and a bag of cookies in the other. :)
Last week during Bible study I had jokingly brought up the idea of everyone doing presentations as our lives at the time seemed to be one presentation after another. However, what started as a joke was resuggested seriously, and in the end one of the regulars volunteered give Bible study this week. Though we are working through the book of Judges now we gave him free riegn to present on what he would like. Please pray for Hector as he prepares for and then gives Bible study this week. Please pray that no matter what turns discussion takes Jesus could be first and foremost glorifed.
One more tidbit of info that I just recently realized. Having now lived in this apartment for 1 1/2 years it is the longest that I've lived in one place since I first moved out of home 5 years ago.
Hasta!
Fifth semester started with Cardiology this semester. I know I complained about Gastro being confusing, but now looking at my Cardio schedule, Gastro appears more like a cakewalk. I'm at the hospital from 7 to 2 now. Running around trying to figure out where we were supposed to be today found us in some interesting hallways and corners. It also didn't help much today that my brain was fuzzy from my cold; wasn't really thinking straight to start with. It'll take another day or so to get used to our new schedule.
I had a blessed weekend in Ixtlan this past weekend. Many visitors for the testimonies and baptisms so that all the beds in the guesthouse and at Jan & Marshall's were filled so I got to stay with the Sibajas this time. In addition to getting to enjoy fellowship with my brothers and sisters, for the first time in years I was able to partake in communion Sunday evening. Finally in the right place at the right time again. It was an emotional weekend were tears were shed out of heartache, out of joy, out of shame and saddness, and most importantly out of love. An overwhelming love that we experience for our Savior who became man for us. A love that we share as a family in Christ making it a bond stronger than blood. A singing and bonfire was to follow communion Sunday evening, but I got to be useful instead and gave a ride to a couple from Silverton, Oregon to the airport. Jan sent me on my way with a bag of leftover chicken in one hand and a bag of cookies in the other. :)
Last week during Bible study I had jokingly brought up the idea of everyone doing presentations as our lives at the time seemed to be one presentation after another. However, what started as a joke was resuggested seriously, and in the end one of the regulars volunteered give Bible study this week. Though we are working through the book of Judges now we gave him free riegn to present on what he would like. Please pray for Hector as he prepares for and then gives Bible study this week. Please pray that no matter what turns discussion takes Jesus could be first and foremost glorifed.
One more tidbit of info that I just recently realized. Having now lived in this apartment for 1 1/2 years it is the longest that I've lived in one place since I first moved out of home 5 years ago.
Hasta!
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Yo estoy legal otra vez.
It's been a busy week. We finished Gastroenterology. I was sad to say goodbye to some of the doctoras. One of my favorites has an incredibly foul mouth and is strick with us as students as to what level we should be performing at to the point where people are scared of her. On the other hand though, she really knows Gastro; she would answer any question and in detail. One could learn a lot from her. I am not sad to say goodbye to the biscuit burner, even when she gave out candies on our last day with her.
I have a file on my computer entitled "no name class" because honestly none of use could really come up with a good reason why we were there. On Thursday we were given an exam in the class that I don't know of anyone who actually studied for it. When you don't really see a point to something it's hard to be motivated, and so I went into that exam with an attitude "Go on...Test me...I dare you!"
After my test on Friday I vroomed off to take a whack at ending my waiting game with immigration. I picked up a friend and we got downtown as soon as I could. Found the right government building, 4th floor, and took a number at 11:30 am. I was 87....currently it was 29. The waiting room for immigration was standing room only and no air conditioning so we picked a spot on the floor in the area outside the room and periodically checked the number progression through the windows. The office closes at 3 but at 1 they stop taking people...doors are locked. So at 1 all of us that had set up camp outside the waiting room were herded inside and the door locked behind us. To cut a long waiting story short, after 3 hours, at 2:30 my number was finally called. Walking away with my new FM3 my friend made fun of me cause I kept staring at it kind of like in awe as in it was a prize that I'd worked hard for and was finally rewarded..."Wow! I waited three hours for this! AMAZING!!!! Whoa! and then she admitted she'd done the same when she'd finally gotten hers! Technically with an expired FM3 this past month I was illegally going to school. UAG could have not allowed me to attend the hospital. but.....This Is Mexico. All said and done...I won that waiting game! :)
After immigration my friend and I commenced cooking. We made egg rolls, sweet and sour sauce, sesame chicken, fried rice, and brownies. All was homemade from scratch (well I guess we bought the egg roll wraps and the brownies were from a box.) It took us an hour longer than projected, but guests arrived 1 - 1 1/2 hours late so it worked out perfectly. We really had to improvise at times because, for example, we couldn't find oyster sauce, but everything was really good and very very edible. It was a lot of fun to experiment. :)
Veronica and I: las cooks! :)
Hasta!
I have a file on my computer entitled "no name class" because honestly none of use could really come up with a good reason why we were there. On Thursday we were given an exam in the class that I don't know of anyone who actually studied for it. When you don't really see a point to something it's hard to be motivated, and so I went into that exam with an attitude "Go on...Test me...I dare you!"
After my test on Friday I vroomed off to take a whack at ending my waiting game with immigration. I picked up a friend and we got downtown as soon as I could. Found the right government building, 4th floor, and took a number at 11:30 am. I was 87....currently it was 29. The waiting room for immigration was standing room only and no air conditioning so we picked a spot on the floor in the area outside the room and periodically checked the number progression through the windows. The office closes at 3 but at 1 they stop taking people...doors are locked. So at 1 all of us that had set up camp outside the waiting room were herded inside and the door locked behind us. To cut a long waiting story short, after 3 hours, at 2:30 my number was finally called. Walking away with my new FM3 my friend made fun of me cause I kept staring at it kind of like in awe as in it was a prize that I'd worked hard for and was finally rewarded..."Wow! I waited three hours for this! AMAZING!!!! Whoa! and then she admitted she'd done the same when she'd finally gotten hers! Technically with an expired FM3 this past month I was illegally going to school. UAG could have not allowed me to attend the hospital. but.....This Is Mexico. All said and done...I won that waiting game! :)
After immigration my friend and I commenced cooking. We made egg rolls, sweet and sour sauce, sesame chicken, fried rice, and brownies. All was homemade from scratch (well I guess we bought the egg roll wraps and the brownies were from a box.) It took us an hour longer than projected, but guests arrived 1 - 1 1/2 hours late so it worked out perfectly. We really had to improvise at times because, for example, we couldn't find oyster sauce, but everything was really good and very very edible. It was a lot of fun to experiment. :)
Veronica and I: las cooks! :)
Hasta!
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