First, Lena--you and I need to talk soon! Come live with me! :-)
Okay, now I can continue. :-) I wanted to write a quick note to fill you all in, as I'm limited on time and trying to pack up the last remnants of my apartment before moving Saturday. I recently decided to take the opportunity to get my Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) Certification and to continue my Spanish studies, and albeit a stressful organizing process, it seems my plans are coming together. I'm leaving September 3 for Buenos Aires, Argentina. I'm starting the TEFL program the following Monday and will be living in student housing for that month. After I get my certification, I'll hopefully find a room in a shared apartment and get a job quickly so I can teach while I do Spanish immersion classes and travel! My return date is scheduled for March 8; however, I will have some flexibility to change it if I decide I'd like to come home or stay longer (I foresee staying longer! Eeeek!). Either way, I'm anxious but very happy about my imminent adventure. I'm also extremely thankful that this has come together so well. Everyone is welcome to visit! Hope you all are doing wonderfully! I miss you all very much and would love it if you could let me know if you have Gmail or Skype webcam access so we can videochat and stay up-to-date with one another.
Love,
Nora XOXO
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Bastille Day
Went to a lovely party in the hotel courtyard near Cafe Campagne (must try when in Seattle) and then walked down to the waterfront to enjoy the picture perfect, cloudless evening. My colleagues and I coordinated vaguely French outfits:
Did any of you celebrate the day?
Did any of you celebrate the day?
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Racing in Victoria
While you reunited in Portland, I was up in Victoria BC with my crew team, racing at the BC Challenge West Regatta. A couple of my colleagues/friends came up to cheer me on, and we all stayed together in a hotel downtown. My races went well (4th in the final for my 8 and 3rd - out of 3 - in a quad). Rowing takes up a ton of time but I've been enjoying it thoroughly :) While there, I spotted my future dream car (see above).
Hope you're all having a good week!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Reunion On Sunday
Location: Chris Ritter's Place (1830 NW Riverscape St)
Date/Time: Sunday, July 11th, 1pm
The time has come! I'm wearing a cute sundress, but you can wear whatever you want. We will be playing some fun baby games (and an old classic), eating good food, and asking Taren all the questions not to ask someone who is pregnant... Just kidding. So sorry that Emily and Jessie will not be attending, you will be missed. Call Kim or I if you have any questions.
See you Sunday!
Date/Time: Sunday, July 11th, 1pm
The time has come! I'm wearing a cute sundress, but you can wear whatever you want. We will be playing some fun baby games (and an old classic), eating good food, and asking Taren all the questions not to ask someone who is pregnant... Just kidding. So sorry that Emily and Jessie will not be attending, you will be missed. Call Kim or I if you have any questions.
See you Sunday!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Rotations: Surgery
So don't laugh when a fresh new face walks into your room at the hospital/clinic/etc and introduces themselves as "Student Doctor ___" and PLEASE don't laugh if the only thing they mess up on is their name...it's hard to spit all that gibberish out, it's even harder to hear our name behind the title "doctor"...
And so I have begun the third year of medical school. I finished my boards three weeks ago, it was a hellascious experience to say the least. Our testing center had computer problems and we didn't get to start our 9 hr exam until close to 12:30...needless to say we got there when it was dark and we left when it was dark. We were just excited we actually got to take the exam, they were threatening that we might have to leave and reschedule. I'm sorry though, you don't study for 12 hrs every day for the last 5 weeks: eat, drink, and dream of medical shit for them to say "too bad guys, come back later" Talk about a moral killer. Brent had told me when we got out of bed the morning of our exam, "You know how good it's going to feel getting back in this bed with the exam behind us?" I REALLY didn't want that to not be true. Anyway, after the exams our parents flew in and helped us pack up all of our belongings, and then Brent and I started our roadtrip north. We had a great time camping at Big Sur, Redwood National Park, and Crater Lake. They were all places we had never seen before (with the exception of Crater Lake for me), but we definitely need more time in each place.
Then, last Monday I started my surgical rotation for the next month at Good Sam. The hours are early, but not always long, which is nice. Since I doubt I will go into surgery, it was probably the best place I could have chosen to do my rotation. I love it, love it, love it. The doctors are really down to earth and the residents aren't all trying to stab each other, and me, in the back. I'm learning a lot while also not having my confidence shot down at every turn. And believe me, there are plenty of times I SHOULD have been yelled at, and plenty of times in which I was being "pimped" and didn't know the answer, but no one seems to care...they are all about teaching. This, believe it or not, is a rarity. I'm exhausted though, but it's the kind of exhaustion that is exhilarating, I feel like every sec (literally) I'm learning new things, it's amazing.
With that said, it's almost nine and I need to read for the next 30 min before I fall asleep. Thinking of all your girls, can't wait to get together. Oh yeah, that's the other freaking awesome thing about my rotation, NO CALL and NO WKNDS!! Yay :)
Incorporating Taren's latest post. One thing to never ask a third year medical student: "So, what specialty are you thinking?" Umm, the only thing going through my head is, what profession are you so I don't insult you by not saying yours? Yeah, right now everyone wonders if I'll be another surgeon, I just keep saying "I'm not sure" to keep it simple. But seriously, we are just getting out into the real world, we really don't know what we like, we still have a year to decide, throw us a bone and stop asking us. We ask ourselves that same question about 1,000 times a day (probably more even)...
Okay, that's enough. Sorry my thoughts were so scattered this evening. Love you girls.
Ash
And so I have begun the third year of medical school. I finished my boards three weeks ago, it was a hellascious experience to say the least. Our testing center had computer problems and we didn't get to start our 9 hr exam until close to 12:30...needless to say we got there when it was dark and we left when it was dark. We were just excited we actually got to take the exam, they were threatening that we might have to leave and reschedule. I'm sorry though, you don't study for 12 hrs every day for the last 5 weeks: eat, drink, and dream of medical shit for them to say "too bad guys, come back later" Talk about a moral killer. Brent had told me when we got out of bed the morning of our exam, "You know how good it's going to feel getting back in this bed with the exam behind us?" I REALLY didn't want that to not be true. Anyway, after the exams our parents flew in and helped us pack up all of our belongings, and then Brent and I started our roadtrip north. We had a great time camping at Big Sur, Redwood National Park, and Crater Lake. They were all places we had never seen before (with the exception of Crater Lake for me), but we definitely need more time in each place.
Then, last Monday I started my surgical rotation for the next month at Good Sam. The hours are early, but not always long, which is nice. Since I doubt I will go into surgery, it was probably the best place I could have chosen to do my rotation. I love it, love it, love it. The doctors are really down to earth and the residents aren't all trying to stab each other, and me, in the back. I'm learning a lot while also not having my confidence shot down at every turn. And believe me, there are plenty of times I SHOULD have been yelled at, and plenty of times in which I was being "pimped" and didn't know the answer, but no one seems to care...they are all about teaching. This, believe it or not, is a rarity. I'm exhausted though, but it's the kind of exhaustion that is exhilarating, I feel like every sec (literally) I'm learning new things, it's amazing.
With that said, it's almost nine and I need to read for the next 30 min before I fall asleep. Thinking of all your girls, can't wait to get together. Oh yeah, that's the other freaking awesome thing about my rotation, NO CALL and NO WKNDS!! Yay :)
Incorporating Taren's latest post. One thing to never ask a third year medical student: "So, what specialty are you thinking?" Umm, the only thing going through my head is, what profession are you so I don't insult you by not saying yours? Yeah, right now everyone wonders if I'll be another surgeon, I just keep saying "I'm not sure" to keep it simple. But seriously, we are just getting out into the real world, we really don't know what we like, we still have a year to decide, throw us a bone and stop asking us. We ask ourselves that same question about 1,000 times a day (probably more even)...
Okay, that's enough. Sorry my thoughts were so scattered this evening. Love you girls.
Ash
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