Thursday, September 29, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
Yo estoy latina.
New Monday. New rotation. New location....well it's an old one, but new for this semester. I'm back at HAL for a rotation in Infectology, Forensic Medicine, and the dreaded Applied Clinic which has never succeeded in being anything more than a waste of time. And I'm in for an extra special treat because I've got the same doctora for Applied Clinic that I had back in 5th semester who did not like me, not the biscuit-burner one...the other one. Oh Joy!!! I guess being a part of the latin program wasn't going to be challenging enough; God decided to throw in a few more curveballs.
Today wasn't particularly fun. I made the effort last week to make sure I was enrolled in the latin program for the rotation. Got my list number and everything, #157. Of course, 157 was nowhere to be found on any of the lists this morning. So I had to hunt down doctors and get put in sessions, and then of course I have to explain why 157 is together with #61-66, but not on the list. Annoying, but I just kept reminding myself that T.I.M. (This. Is. Mexico.) and by the end of the day, I'd have a full schedule. And I do.
I realized when I got home today, that I must have done an overly good job of keeping to myself...I couldn't really recall the faces of any of the 156 latin students that are currently my classmates, save a few. I knew a grand total of 1 person from the latin program. He introduced me to one of his friends. 2. and then in infectology there is another international girl who'll be with us. 3. Day 1 = 3 friends. Maybe I can double that for Day 2, but my fingers aren't crossed.
The group that I mentioned earlier, where I'm with #61-66, we didn't have patients today, so the doctor made conversation. Unfortunately, he spent a good portion of that conversation discussing medical training in the United States and the USMLE, indirectly talking about me. I know that he ment his comments to be taken as compliments, but I really wish he had just skipped the conversation. I am aware that even though it is unintentional on my part and a wrong assumption on the part of others, my tendency towards serious affect is often interpreted as stuck-up. It's hard to explain, but the way this doctor phrased his comments would only further fuel this misinterpretation. Not cool!
Hasta!
Today wasn't particularly fun. I made the effort last week to make sure I was enrolled in the latin program for the rotation. Got my list number and everything, #157. Of course, 157 was nowhere to be found on any of the lists this morning. So I had to hunt down doctors and get put in sessions, and then of course I have to explain why 157 is together with #61-66, but not on the list. Annoying, but I just kept reminding myself that T.I.M. (This. Is. Mexico.) and by the end of the day, I'd have a full schedule. And I do.
I realized when I got home today, that I must have done an overly good job of keeping to myself...I couldn't really recall the faces of any of the 156 latin students that are currently my classmates, save a few. I knew a grand total of 1 person from the latin program. He introduced me to one of his friends. 2. and then in infectology there is another international girl who'll be with us. 3. Day 1 = 3 friends. Maybe I can double that for Day 2, but my fingers aren't crossed.
The group that I mentioned earlier, where I'm with #61-66, we didn't have patients today, so the doctor made conversation. Unfortunately, he spent a good portion of that conversation discussing medical training in the United States and the USMLE, indirectly talking about me. I know that he ment his comments to be taken as compliments, but I really wish he had just skipped the conversation. I am aware that even though it is unintentional on my part and a wrong assumption on the part of others, my tendency towards serious affect is often interpreted as stuck-up. It's hard to explain, but the way this doctor phrased his comments would only further fuel this misinterpretation. Not cool!
Hasta!
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Yo estoy calinosa.
I can empathize with yahtzee dice now. I feel as if I've been picked up, shaken, and then spit back out. Whew! My weekend back home was a whirlwind and then all of a sudden I found myself rolling to a stop back where I started from.
Got two days of chilly fall weather. Honestly I was freezing half the time, but it was delicious to be able to snuggle under covers to sleep at night once again. Within 5 minutes of being back in GDL I was sweating, picking up right where I left off on Thursday; all nice and warm once again!
This year would have been four years without getting to experience Fall. Very sad when it's your favorite season. I think it's safe to say that with the help of my family, we collectively summarized Fall into two days. Walks outside in perfect hoodie-and-jeans weather, pumpkins, harvest (just beginning, but it still counts), roasting marshmellows over a campfire, celebrating my birthday with my family, football... And then add to that mom's cookin', piano playin', trivial pursuitin'; stir it all together with lots of laughin' and you've got a Fall weekend well spent! :)
Hasta!
Got two days of chilly fall weather. Honestly I was freezing half the time, but it was delicious to be able to snuggle under covers to sleep at night once again. Within 5 minutes of being back in GDL I was sweating, picking up right where I left off on Thursday; all nice and warm once again!
This year would have been four years without getting to experience Fall. Very sad when it's your favorite season. I think it's safe to say that with the help of my family, we collectively summarized Fall into two days. Walks outside in perfect hoodie-and-jeans weather, pumpkins, harvest (just beginning, but it still counts), roasting marshmellows over a campfire, celebrating my birthday with my family, football... And then add to that mom's cookin', piano playin', trivial pursuitin'; stir it all together with lots of laughin' and you've got a Fall weekend well spent! :)
Hasta!
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Yo estoy lista!! Papu en 12 horas y contando!!
Three and a half years and I'm finally making my first weekend trip home! My classmates have made such trips since first semester. I never could justify the plane ticket. But working on an application for my 5th year in New York I ran into a conundrum. I needed documents that I didn't have with me. I'm sure they're at home somewhere, but....I'm just not exactly sure where. This weekend is Mexico's Independence Day weekend (Friday, 16th). So after considering everything, I'm taking advantage of the extended weekend for a much needed break....and to find those documents. ;)
Praise God for spontaneous blessings!!
Hasta!
Praise God for spontaneous blessings!!
Hasta!
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Yo estoy orando.
After losing my camera at the beginning of the month, I found it again....on my desk...under a couple of the randomly flung papers that helped make up the cluttered mess that was my desk at the time. (hmm, sheepish grin)
Plus I got a few pictures from Jennifer that had been taken on her camera.
Jennifer and I happy after getting home from the race.
Our roommate Iveth (Ivy) was photographer and thought we needed close-up proof that we had just run.
We had a birthday in our house. We had a dinner for Celina with a bunch of our friends. So we finally got a roommate picture. This is all 5 of us. L to R: Me, Jennifer, Celina (birthday girl), Ivy, Josue
Then on the actual day of her birthday we celebrated again...on a much smaller level. Just us roomates (minus Josue), and Celina's husband. And a close friend that couldn't make the first dinner. L to R: Celina, Jennifer, Ivy, Me
Last week Sis. Claudia Gonzalez from Ixtlan was in GDL for an international nursing conference. She stayed with me while attending. Then on Saturday, the last day of the conference, I went with her. We only stayed for the first couple of sessiones and then skipped out and headed back to Ixtlan.
Hasta!
Plus I got a few pictures from Jennifer that had been taken on her camera.
Jennifer and I happy after getting home from the race.
Our roommate Iveth (Ivy) was photographer and thought we needed close-up proof that we had just run.
We had a birthday in our house. We had a dinner for Celina with a bunch of our friends. So we finally got a roommate picture. This is all 5 of us. L to R: Me, Jennifer, Celina (birthday girl), Ivy, Josue
Then on the actual day of her birthday we celebrated again...on a much smaller level. Just us roomates (minus Josue), and Celina's husband. And a close friend that couldn't make the first dinner. L to R: Celina, Jennifer, Ivy, Me
Last week Sis. Claudia Gonzalez from Ixtlan was in GDL for an international nursing conference. She stayed with me while attending. Then on Saturday, the last day of the conference, I went with her. We only stayed for the first couple of sessiones and then skipped out and headed back to Ixtlan.
Hasta!
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Yo estoy segura.
This past weekend in Ixtlan was a faith-building lesson. I got to witness mighty men in action. Not the mighty as defined by power, fear, guns or even money. But mighty as defined by complete and absolute surrender without hesitation.
With threat of death knocking at the door, not a single one of our brothers or sisters in Ixtlan were afraid. Precaution was taken, but fear was never given into.
The only time I saw Bro. Marshall lose composure was this morning when he told Jan that the Washington congregation had called for a 9:25 am prayer meeting, and even then it was but for a moment. A mighty man indeed humbled by his Spiritual family's response to a call for prayer.
Regg brought up the fact that over the past month and a half the Ixtlan church has received more prayer than it has in a really really long time. The question that raises is, What does God know, that we have yet to find out?
God Bless each of you for your thought in prayer, and I ask for your continued prayerful thoughts for those of Ixtlan. I love you all!
With threat of death knocking at the door, not a single one of our brothers or sisters in Ixtlan were afraid. Precaution was taken, but fear was never given into.
The only time I saw Bro. Marshall lose composure was this morning when he told Jan that the Washington congregation had called for a 9:25 am prayer meeting, and even then it was but for a moment. A mighty man indeed humbled by his Spiritual family's response to a call for prayer.
Regg brought up the fact that over the past month and a half the Ixtlan church has received more prayer than it has in a really really long time. The question that raises is, What does God know, that we have yet to find out?
God Bless each of you for your thought in prayer, and I ask for your continued prayerful thoughts for those of Ixtlan. I love you all!
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Yo estoy lista para estudiar de nuevo.
Mom you forgot to pray about stitches!!
I had the opportunity to run another race this morning! It was a half marathon this time. After the high I got from the 10K a month ago I wanted to keep going. So I signed up, and it wasn't 2 days later and I already regretted it. I knew that with my new Neuro schedule I wouldn't have the time to run/prep for a half, but I let my pride blind me. Plus, common sense doesn't come naturally to me, and was obviously lacking when I signed up. But ni modos, I had committed to it, so I was going to run it.
I was regretting the race, because as I've continued through my Neuro rotation, I've quickly discovered that for some reason I am having a really hard time with Neurological Spanish. For the most part the English to Spanish translation comes fairly easy in all other areas of Medicine, but to my frustration, Neurology....not so much. The Neurologists I'm working with have picked up on this (kind of hard to miss) and not so sutely encourage me to study. So this past week, while tying my shoes and stretching to go for a run I'd have to fight a small panic I could sense telling me that I SHOULD BE STUDYING!!! It was the first time I was ever putting running as a higher priority than studying, and I'm one of those students that actually needs to study or I fail. I suppose I could have just waited and gone out and run this morning with out preparing for it, but I wanted to actually enjoy the race.
But it's Sunday now, and the race is over. Back to studying!
I cannot find my camera at the moment. :( But my roommate Jenn, got one of us after the race on her camera so hopefully I'll be able to get it from her.
There were about 4500 runners this morning. I've never run with so many before. I spent about the first 3.5K weaving through people and trying not to trip others or be tripped. I was also advised to take advantage of the water/gatorade stations along the race, so I did. I stopped with the gatorade after a bit, because I actually didn't really like the sweetness while running. After taking a sip of gatorade you just drop the cup, and there was once that I dropped the cup, it landed and splashed all over the lady who had been running to my right. I motioned my apologizes and she just laughed. It's all part of the race. I really liked the water breaks though. I never really drank more than a sip of it, but it was really refreshing to fill my mouth and then spit it out, and the rest squirt all over my face. A couple of times it'd end up being squirted up my nose or in my eyes. Whoops!
Most awkward thing that happened to me this race happened close to the beginning. I heard "Mi reina! mi reina! una foto! una foto?" I looked over to my side and a man had run up beside me. He restated his question, "No quieres una foto?" and motioned to his friend who had a camera. I smiled and quickly ran away. The photographer herself had been running, as well as we, so I just hope between the two movements there was enough to produce nothing more than blurriness.
At another point a man paused beside me and gave me some advice on my running style. I thought that was pretty cool of him. That also sort of shows the common attitude during these races. Everyone is excited and encouraging everyone else. Whistling, clapping, shouting "Animo!!!" Another example, at the end, Jenn's running friends, who had finished about 1/2 hour before me, were telling me congratulations! Like I had been the one to do a superb job instead of them!
I didn't make my time goal this race, but I also ran from about 15K to 20K with a horrible stich in my side. So maybe I'll just blame that. But at the end it had let up and I could sprint the finish of my own motivation this time. And honestly, when all's said and done...I ran a half marathon!
After the race, Jenn was already talking about the PanAmerican Games Marathon in October! But as much as I'd like to keep going I'm not going to fall for it this time. Back to studying for me!
Hasta!
P.S. Mexicans have more names than us Americans, and so signing up a maternal last name was required. I got to run as Christy Stoller Kuntz!
I had the opportunity to run another race this morning! It was a half marathon this time. After the high I got from the 10K a month ago I wanted to keep going. So I signed up, and it wasn't 2 days later and I already regretted it. I knew that with my new Neuro schedule I wouldn't have the time to run/prep for a half, but I let my pride blind me. Plus, common sense doesn't come naturally to me, and was obviously lacking when I signed up. But ni modos, I had committed to it, so I was going to run it.
I was regretting the race, because as I've continued through my Neuro rotation, I've quickly discovered that for some reason I am having a really hard time with Neurological Spanish. For the most part the English to Spanish translation comes fairly easy in all other areas of Medicine, but to my frustration, Neurology....not so much. The Neurologists I'm working with have picked up on this (kind of hard to miss) and not so sutely encourage me to study. So this past week, while tying my shoes and stretching to go for a run I'd have to fight a small panic I could sense telling me that I SHOULD BE STUDYING!!! It was the first time I was ever putting running as a higher priority than studying, and I'm one of those students that actually needs to study or I fail. I suppose I could have just waited and gone out and run this morning with out preparing for it, but I wanted to actually enjoy the race.
But it's Sunday now, and the race is over. Back to studying!
I cannot find my camera at the moment. :( But my roommate Jenn, got one of us after the race on her camera so hopefully I'll be able to get it from her.
There were about 4500 runners this morning. I've never run with so many before. I spent about the first 3.5K weaving through people and trying not to trip others or be tripped. I was also advised to take advantage of the water/gatorade stations along the race, so I did. I stopped with the gatorade after a bit, because I actually didn't really like the sweetness while running. After taking a sip of gatorade you just drop the cup, and there was once that I dropped the cup, it landed and splashed all over the lady who had been running to my right. I motioned my apologizes and she just laughed. It's all part of the race. I really liked the water breaks though. I never really drank more than a sip of it, but it was really refreshing to fill my mouth and then spit it out, and the rest squirt all over my face. A couple of times it'd end up being squirted up my nose or in my eyes. Whoops!
Most awkward thing that happened to me this race happened close to the beginning. I heard "Mi reina! mi reina! una foto! una foto?" I looked over to my side and a man had run up beside me. He restated his question, "No quieres una foto?" and motioned to his friend who had a camera. I smiled and quickly ran away. The photographer herself had been running, as well as we, so I just hope between the two movements there was enough to produce nothing more than blurriness.
At another point a man paused beside me and gave me some advice on my running style. I thought that was pretty cool of him. That also sort of shows the common attitude during these races. Everyone is excited and encouraging everyone else. Whistling, clapping, shouting "Animo!!!" Another example, at the end, Jenn's running friends, who had finished about 1/2 hour before me, were telling me congratulations! Like I had been the one to do a superb job instead of them!
I didn't make my time goal this race, but I also ran from about 15K to 20K with a horrible stich in my side. So maybe I'll just blame that. But at the end it had let up and I could sprint the finish of my own motivation this time. And honestly, when all's said and done...I ran a half marathon!
After the race, Jenn was already talking about the PanAmerican Games Marathon in October! But as much as I'd like to keep going I'm not going to fall for it this time. Back to studying for me!
Hasta!
P.S. Mexicans have more names than us Americans, and so signing up a maternal last name was required. I got to run as Christy Stoller Kuntz!
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