Yo estoy la edad de 23.

One year older another year wiser. Okay not so sure about the wise part...can't figure out for the life of me why this thing is underlining everything I write. Oh well, just go with it Christy.

I had a blessed birthday. There was a cake and a rose sitting at my spot when I got to class in the morning! Shared the cake, but still have a piece sitting next to me right now for later. My friend Triffinie made the cake and got me the rose. Of course the class sang (well those who were actually in class at the time sang). Why you would pay a lot of money to not show up at class is beyond me. I guess many of my classmates just understand much more clearer than myself, or just like to waste money on medical school tuition...one of the two. My roommate Delta got me a personal cake too, Sanborns at that, the good stuff! Then some other friends took it upon themselves to help me celebrate and we spent the evening together keeping me out until midnight. No studying got done, but I am so thankful I had people here to help me celebrate being alive. Pamela as a joke had to "outdo" Triffinie's rose so bought me a sunflower off a street vendor for my gift. The fact that people actually gave me something kind of caught me off guard. I was really touched.

On the left you can see the piece of Triffinie's Devil's food cake with the Sanborns cake from Delta on top. The yellow rose and sunflower....well I hope those are obvious.

I just noticed it's not underlining anymore. Technology...sometimes I just don't know.

Turned in my absentee ballot today. All I can say is God help America!

Our futures as international students is so up in the air right now. My class is now being included in the lawsuit against the AMA. The UAG is trying to mess with our loans. And then trying to adhere to the requirements of two governments with their (especially Mexico) sometimes absolutely ridiculous requirements. For the first time I think maybe ever my future is grayer than ever before.

At least I'm learning a lot. And as long as I can I'll continue doing just that. One aspect that I love about being here in Mexico with an international class is the fact that half of what I'm learning has nothing to do with medicine but with people and life.

I've been dragging this post out because I've been waiting for a video to load, but it doesn't look like it's even close to being finished so I'll just explain it. Every day at about 4 in the afternoon the ice cream truck drives down my street spouting it's Cri Cri calling to all the little kids. I took a video (croutching behind my curtain so as not to be seen by the ice cream man) as the truck drove by one sunny afternoon. Just wanted to share a bit of Mexico with you all, but I guess no such luck.

Thanks for all of the emails, thoughts, and wishes I received on my birthday. They meant a lot.
God Bless you all,

Hasta!