Hey there!
So, as you might be able to guess from the title, this was a pretty dang good week. It's kinda funny, because I wasn't really looking forward to this week at all. I was assigned to shadow palliative care, which I have no interest in, I was jealous of the person who got to shadow surgery, and I was worried that at the end of the week I wouldn't get good/enough hours in the scheduling meeting. Needless to say, I shouldn't have worried. :P
Last week, I e-mailed Alba and Diego, our coordinators here, to see if I could shadow surgery for even one day this week. They said they'd ask, but by Monday I still hadn't heard anything. Turns out that they asked the chief of surgery that day, and he said I could shadow not one, but TWO days!! Cue happiness. :) Plus, shadowing on Monday wasn't even that bad. I was supposed to be in Palliative care and Megan was supposed to be in Oncology, but I think we inadvertently switched doctors, so I ended up going on rounds with the Oncology residents. Super interesting. :)
Tuesday was hair as interesting, although there were a couple of patients that were clearly nearing the end of their life, so that was hard to see. Like I said on Facebook that day though, I know they're going to a better place, and will have a chance to be resurrected and live again without all that pain and suffering. :) Tuesday was also awesome because in the afternoon I got an e-mail from my professor for Neuro 205, saying that a TA position had opened up. I'd been trying to figure out how on earth I was going to fulfil the leadership experience requirement for med school, so this kinda felt like an answer to prayers. :)
Wednesday was just amazing!!! Every week we have a full day excursion, and this time we went to the Cies Islands. Soooo pretty!! Apparently one of the beaches was named 'best beach in the world' a few years ago. :) I loved it- the water was gorgeous (although quite cold), the views were spectacular... I just wish we could've had more time!!!
Thursday was probably my favorite day this week, except maybe Wednesday... I think they may tie. :P anyway- I woke up around 7:00, and quickly got ready to head to the hospital with Alice (the person in surgery this week). We got there and got to be in a meeting where the doctors reviewed all the surgical patients, and then we each got asks fend a doctor to follow. I got to follow Reuben, and watch a tumor resection. The tumor had invaded a kidney, the adrenal glands, and a few other structures- and was massive! I wish I could post the pictures I took... (But I won't. :D ). Anyway- it was awesome. Then, when I got back, I saw an email from the Neuro 205 professor saying that he had narrowed the list down to seven people and wanted some additional information. I responded to that, and about two hours later got an email saying that he thought I was the best one for the position. So happy!!! Then, we had an amazing group dinner. :) overall, it was just an amazing day!!! :D
Friday was cool too.. I got to watch a surgery where they removed part of the large intestine that was infected with diverticulitis, then watch a thyroidectomy, and catch the last end of a hernia repair. :) That night we had dinner at a DELICIOUS Italian restaurant close to the hotel. So good!!! :)
Not much to tell from yesterday... I mostly just relaxed. :) I also had my scheduling meeting, and ended up getting perfect shifts, :) Now I just need to get them covered for next week... :P anyway- this week was awesome! This afternoon we get to visit Allariz, and I'm super excited. :) I'll probably post about that next week once I get back. :) I can't believe I only have one more week left' :'( the time has gone by so fast! I'll miss Europe/Spain, but I'm excited to start classes again!
Until next time!
Sunday, August 28, 2016
A Perfect Week
Hey there!
So, as you might be able to guess from the title, this was a pretty dang good week. It's kinda funny, because I wasn't really looking forward to this week at all. I was assigned to shadow palliative care, which I have no interest in, I was jealous of the person who got to shadow surgery, and I was worried that at the end of the week I wouldn't get good/enough hours in the scheduling meeting. Needless to say, I shouldn't have worried. :P
Last week, I e-mailed Alba and Diego, our coordinators here, to see if I could shadow surgery for even one day this week. They said they'd ask, but by Monday I still hadn't heard anything. Turns out that they asked the chief of surgery that day, and he said I could shadow not one, but TWO days!! Cue happiness. :) Plus, shadowing on Monday wasn't even that bad. I was supposed to be in Palliative care and Megan was supposed to be in Oncology, but I think we inadvertently switched doctors, so I ended up going on rounds with the Oncology residents. Super interesting. :)
Tuesday was hair as interesting, although there were a couple of patients that were clearly nearing the end of their life, so that was hard to see. Like I said on Facebook that day though, I know they're going to a better place, and will have a chance to be resurrected and live again without all that pain and suffering. :) Tuesday was also awesome because in the afternoon I got an e-mail from my professor for Neuro 205, saying that a TA position had opened up. I'd been trying to figure out how on earth I was going to fulfil the leadership experience requirement for med school, so this kinda felt like an answer to prayers. :)
Wednesday was just amazing!!! Every week we have a full day excursion, and this time we went to the Cies Islands. Soooo pretty!! Apparently one of the beaches was named 'best beach in the world' a few years ago. :) I loved it- the water was gorgeous (although quite cold), the views were spectacular... I just wish we could've had more time!!!
Thursday was probably my favorite day this week, except maybe Wednesday... I think they may tie. :P anyway- I woke up around 7:00, and quickly got ready to head to the hospital with Alice (the person in surgery this week). We got there and got to be in a meeting where the doctors reviewed all the surgical patients, and then we each got asks fend a doctor to follow. I got to follow Reuben, and watch a tumor resection. The tumor had invaded a kidney, the adrenal glands, and a few other structures- and was massive! I wish I could post the pictures I took... (But I won't. :D ). Anyway- it was awesome. Then, when I got back, I saw an email from the Neuro 205 professor saying that he had narrowed the list down to seven people and wanted some additional information. I responded to that, and about two hours later got an email saying that he thought I was the best one for the position. So happy!!! Then, we had an amazing group dinner. :) overall, it was just an amazing day!!! :D
Friday was cool too.. I got to watch a surgery where they removed part of the large intestine that was infected with diverticulitis, then watch a thyroidectomy, and catch the last end of a hernia repair. :) That night we had dinner at a DELICIOUS Italian restaurant close to the hotel. So good!!! :)
Not much to tell from yesterday... I mostly just relaxed. :) I also had my scheduling meeting, and ended up getting perfect shifts, :) Now I just need to get them covered for next week... :P anyway- this week was awesome! This afternoon we get to visit Allariz, and I'm super excited. :) I'll probably post about that next week once I get back. :) I can't believe I only have one more week left' :'( the time has gone by so fast! I'll miss Europe/Spain, but I'm excited to start classes again!
Until next time!
So, as you might be able to guess from the title, this was a pretty dang good week. It's kinda funny, because I wasn't really looking forward to this week at all. I was assigned to shadow palliative care, which I have no interest in, I was jealous of the person who got to shadow surgery, and I was worried that at the end of the week I wouldn't get good/enough hours in the scheduling meeting. Needless to say, I shouldn't have worried. :P
Last week, I e-mailed Alba and Diego, our coordinators here, to see if I could shadow surgery for even one day this week. They said they'd ask, but by Monday I still hadn't heard anything. Turns out that they asked the chief of surgery that day, and he said I could shadow not one, but TWO days!! Cue happiness. :) Plus, shadowing on Monday wasn't even that bad. I was supposed to be in Palliative care and Megan was supposed to be in Oncology, but I think we inadvertently switched doctors, so I ended up going on rounds with the Oncology residents. Super interesting. :)
Tuesday was hair as interesting, although there were a couple of patients that were clearly nearing the end of their life, so that was hard to see. Like I said on Facebook that day though, I know they're going to a better place, and will have a chance to be resurrected and live again without all that pain and suffering. :) Tuesday was also awesome because in the afternoon I got an e-mail from my professor for Neuro 205, saying that a TA position had opened up. I'd been trying to figure out how on earth I was going to fulfil the leadership experience requirement for med school, so this kinda felt like an answer to prayers. :)
Wednesday was just amazing!!! Every week we have a full day excursion, and this time we went to the Cies Islands. Soooo pretty!! Apparently one of the beaches was named 'best beach in the world' a few years ago. :) I loved it- the water was gorgeous (although quite cold), the views were spectacular... I just wish we could've had more time!!!
Thursday was probably my favorite day this week, except maybe Wednesday... I think they may tie. :P anyway- I woke up around 7:00, and quickly got ready to head to the hospital with Alice (the person in surgery this week). We got there and got to be in a meeting where the doctors reviewed all the surgical patients, and then we each got asks fend a doctor to follow. I got to follow Reuben, and watch a tumor resection. The tumor had invaded a kidney, the adrenal glands, and a few other structures- and was massive! I wish I could post the pictures I took... (But I won't. :D ). Anyway- it was awesome. Then, when I got back, I saw an email from the Neuro 205 professor saying that he had narrowed the list down to seven people and wanted some additional information. I responded to that, and about two hours later got an email saying that he thought I was the best one for the position. So happy!!! Then, we had an amazing group dinner. :) overall, it was just an amazing day!!! :D
Friday was cool too.. I got to watch a surgery where they removed part of the large intestine that was infected with diverticulitis, then watch a thyroidectomy, and catch the last end of a hernia repair. :) That night we had dinner at a DELICIOUS Italian restaurant close to the hotel. So good!!! :)
Not much to tell from yesterday... I mostly just relaxed. :) I also had my scheduling meeting, and ended up getting perfect shifts, :) Now I just need to get them covered for next week... :P anyway- this week was awesome! This afternoon we get to visit Allariz, and I'm super excited. :) I'll probably post about that next week once I get back. :) I can't believe I only have one more week left' :'( the time has gone by so fast! I'll miss Europe/Spain, but I'm excited to start classes again!
Until next time!
A Perfect Week
Hey there!
So, as you might be able to guess from the title, this was a pretty dang good week. It's kinda funny, because I wasn't really looking forward to this week at all. I was assigned to shadow palliative care, which I have no interest in, I was jealous of the person who got to shadow surgery, and I was worried that at the end of the week I wouldn't get good/enough hours in the scheduling meeting. Needless to say, I shouldn't have worried. :P
Last week, I e-mailed Alba and Diego, our coordinators here, to see if I could shadow surgery for even one day this week. They said they'd ask, but by Monday I still hadn't heard anything. Turns out that they asked the chief of surgery that day, and he said I could shadow not one, but TWO days!! Cue happiness. :) Plus, shadowing on Monday wasn't even that bad. I was supposed to be in Palliative care and Megan was supposed to be in Oncology, but I think we inadvertently switched doctors, so I ended up going on rounds with the Oncology residents. Super interesting. :)
Tuesday was hair as interesting, although there were a couple of patients that were clearly nearing the end of their life, so that was hard to see. Like I said on Facebook that day though, I know they're going to a better place, and will have a chance to be resurrected and live again without all that pain and suffering. :) Tuesday was also awesome because in the afternoon I got an e-mail from my professor for Neuro 205, saying that a TA position had opened up. I'd been trying to figure out how on earth I was going to fulfil the leadership experience requirement for med school, so this kinda felt like an answer to prayers. :)
Wednesday was just amazing!!! Every week we have a full day excursion, and this time we went to the Cies Islands. Soooo pretty!! Apparently one of the beaches was named 'best beach in the world' a few years ago. :) I loved it- the water was gorgeous (although quite cold), the views were spectacular... I just wish we could've had more time!!!
Thursday was probably my favorite day this week, except maybe Wednesday... I think they may tie. :P anyway- I woke up around 7:00, and quickly got ready to head to the hospital with Alice (the person in surgery this week). We got there and got to be in a meeting where the doctors reviewed all the surgical patients, and then we each got asks fend a doctor to follow. I got to follow Reuben, and watch a tumor resection. The tumor had invaded a kidney, the adrenal glands, and a few other structures- and was massive! I wish I could post the pictures I took... (But I won't. :D ). Anyway- it was awesome. Then, when I got back, I saw an email from the Neuro 205 professor saying that he had narrowed the list down to seven people and wanted some additional information. I responded to that, and about two hours later got an email saying that he thought I was the best one for the position. So happy!!! Then, we had an amazing group dinner. :) overall, it was just an amazing day!!! :D
Friday was cool too.. I got to watch a surgery where they removed part of the large intestine that was infected with diverticulitis, then watch a thyroidectomy, and catch the last end of a hernia repair. :) That night we had dinner at a DELICIOUS Italian restaurant close to the hotel. So good!!! :)
Not much to tell from yesterday... I mostly just relaxed. :) I also had my scheduling meeting, and ended up getting perfect shifts, :) Now I just need to get them covered for next week... :P anyway- this week was awesome! This afternoon we get to visit Allariz, and I'm super excited. :) I'll probably post about that next week once I get back. :) I can't believe I only have one more week left' :'( the time has gone by so fast! I'll miss Europe/Spain, but I'm excited to start classes again!
Until next time!
So, as you might be able to guess from the title, this was a pretty dang good week. It's kinda funny, because I wasn't really looking forward to this week at all. I was assigned to shadow palliative care, which I have no interest in, I was jealous of the person who got to shadow surgery, and I was worried that at the end of the week I wouldn't get good/enough hours in the scheduling meeting. Needless to say, I shouldn't have worried. :P
Last week, I e-mailed Alba and Diego, our coordinators here, to see if I could shadow surgery for even one day this week. They said they'd ask, but by Monday I still hadn't heard anything. Turns out that they asked the chief of surgery that day, and he said I could shadow not one, but TWO days!! Cue happiness. :) Plus, shadowing on Monday wasn't even that bad. I was supposed to be in Palliative care and Megan was supposed to be in Oncology, but I think we inadvertently switched doctors, so I ended up going on rounds with the Oncology residents. Super interesting. :)
Tuesday was hair as interesting, although there were a couple of patients that were clearly nearing the end of their life, so that was hard to see. Like I said on Facebook that day though, I know they're going to a better place, and will have a chance to be resurrected and live again without all that pain and suffering. :) Tuesday was also awesome because in the afternoon I got an e-mail from my professor for Neuro 205, saying that a TA position had opened up. I'd been trying to figure out how on earth I was going to fulfil the leadership experience requirement for med school, so this kinda felt like an answer to prayers. :)
Wednesday was just amazing!!! Every week we have a full day excursion, and this time we went to the Cies Islands. Soooo pretty!! Apparently one of the beaches was named 'best beach in the world' a few years ago. :) I loved it- the water was gorgeous (although quite cold), the views were spectacular... I just wish we could've had more time!!!
Thursday was probably my favorite day this week, except maybe Wednesday... I think they may tie. :P anyway- I woke up around 7:00, and quickly got ready to head to the hospital with Alice (the person in surgery this week). We got there and got to be in a meeting where the doctors reviewed all the surgical patients, and then we each got asks fend a doctor to follow. I got to follow Reuben, and watch a tumor resection. The tumor had invaded a kidney, the adrenal glands, and a few other structures- and was massive! I wish I could post the pictures I took... (But I won't. :D ). Anyway- it was awesome. Then, when I got back, I saw an email from the Neuro 205 professor saying that he had narrowed the list down to seven people and wanted some additional information. I responded to that, and about two hours later got an email saying that he thought I was the best one for the position. So happy!!! Then, we had an amazing group dinner. :) overall, it was just an amazing day!!! :D
Friday was cool too.. I got to watch a surgery where they removed part of the large intestine that was infected with diverticulitis, then watch a thyroidectomy, and catch the last end of a hernia repair. :) That night we had dinner at a DELICIOUS Italian restaurant close to the hotel. So good!!! :)
Not much to tell from yesterday... I mostly just relaxed. :) I also had my scheduling meeting, and ended up getting perfect shifts, :) Now I just need to get them covered for next week... :P anyway- this week was awesome! This afternoon we get to visit Allariz, and I'm super excited. :) I'll probably post about that next week once I get back. :) I can't believe I only have one more week left' :'( the time has gone by so fast! I'll miss Europe/Spain, but I'm excited to start classes again!
Until next time!
A Perfect Week
Hey there!
So, as you might be able to guess from the title, this was a pretty dang good week. It's kinda funny, because I wasn't really looking forward to this week at all. I was assigned to shadow palliative care, which I have no interest in, I was jealous of the person who got to shadow surgery, and I was worried that at the end of the week I wouldn't get good/enough hours in the scheduling meeting. Needless to say, I shouldn't have worried. :P
Last week, I e-mailed Alba and Diego, our coordinators here, to see if I could shadow surgery for even one day this week. They said they'd ask, but by Monday I still hadn't heard anything. Turns out that they asked the chief of surgery that day, and he said I could shadow not one, but TWO days!! Cue happiness. :) Plus, shadowing on Monday wasn't even that bad. I was supposed to be in Palliative care and Megan was supposed to be in Oncology, but I think we inadvertently switched doctors, so I ended up going on rounds with the Oncology residents. Super interesting. :)
Tuesday was hair as interesting, although there were a couple of patients that were clearly nearing the end of their life, so that was hard to see. Like I said on Facebook that day though, I know they're going to a better place, and will have a chance to be resurrected and live again without all that pain and suffering. :) Tuesday was also awesome because in the afternoon I got an e-mail from my professor for Neuro 205, saying that a TA position had opened up. I'd been trying to figure out how on earth I was going to fulfil the leadership experience requirement for med school, so this kinda felt like an answer to prayers. :)
Wednesday was just amazing!!! Every week we have a full day excursion, and this time we went to the Cies Islands. Soooo pretty!! Apparently one of the beaches was named 'best beach in the world' a few years ago. :) I loved it- the water was gorgeous (although quite cold), the views were spectacular... I just wish we could've had more time!!!
Thursday was probably my favorite day this week, except maybe Wednesday... I think they may tie. :P anyway- I woke up around 7:00, and quickly got ready to head to the hospital with Alice (the person in surgery this week). We got there and got to be in a meeting where the doctors reviewed all the surgical patients, and then we each got asks fend a doctor to follow. I got to follow Reuben, and watch a tumor resection. The tumor had invaded a kidney, the adrenal glands, and a few other structures- and was massive! I wish I could post the pictures I took... (But I won't. :D ). Anyway- it was awesome. Then, when I got back, I saw an email from the Neuro 205 professor saying that he had narrowed the list down to seven people and wanted some additional information. I responded to that, and about two hours later got an email saying that he thought I was the best one for the position. So happy!!! Then, we had an amazing group dinner. :) overall, it was just an amazing day!!! :D
Friday was cool too.. I got to watch a surgery where they removed part of the large intestine that was infected with diverticulitis, then watch a thyroidectomy, and catch the last end of a hernia repair. :) That night we had dinner at a DELICIOUS Italian restaurant close to the hotel. So good!!! :)
Not much to tell from yesterday... I mostly just relaxed. :) I also had my scheduling meeting, and ended up getting perfect shifts, :) Now I just need to get them covered for next week... :P anyway- this week was awesome! This afternoon we get to visit Allariz, and I'm super excited. :) I'll probably post about that next week once I get back. :) I can't believe I only have one more week left' :'( the time has gone by so fast! I'll miss Europe/Spain, but I'm excited to start classes again!
Until next time!
So, as you might be able to guess from the title, this was a pretty dang good week. It's kinda funny, because I wasn't really looking forward to this week at all. I was assigned to shadow palliative care, which I have no interest in, I was jealous of the person who got to shadow surgery, and I was worried that at the end of the week I wouldn't get good/enough hours in the scheduling meeting. Needless to say, I shouldn't have worried. :P
Last week, I e-mailed Alba and Diego, our coordinators here, to see if I could shadow surgery for even one day this week. They said they'd ask, but by Monday I still hadn't heard anything. Turns out that they asked the chief of surgery that day, and he said I could shadow not one, but TWO days!! Cue happiness. :) Plus, shadowing on Monday wasn't even that bad. I was supposed to be in Palliative care and Megan was supposed to be in Oncology, but I think we inadvertently switched doctors, so I ended up going on rounds with the Oncology residents. Super interesting. :)
Tuesday was hair as interesting, although there were a couple of patients that were clearly nearing the end of their life, so that was hard to see. Like I said on Facebook that day though, I know they're going to a better place, and will have a chance to be resurrected and live again without all that pain and suffering. :) Tuesday was also awesome because in the afternoon I got an e-mail from my professor for Neuro 205, saying that a TA position had opened up. I'd been trying to figure out how on earth I was going to fulfil the leadership experience requirement for med school, so this kinda felt like an answer to prayers. :)
Wednesday was just amazing!!! Every week we have a full day excursion, and this time we went to the Cies Islands. Soooo pretty!! Apparently one of the beaches was named 'best beach in the world' a few years ago. :) I loved it- the water was gorgeous (although quite cold), the views were spectacular... I just wish we could've had more time!!!
Thursday was probably my favorite day this week, except maybe Wednesday... I think they may tie. :P anyway- I woke up around 7:00, and quickly got ready to head to the hospital with Alice (the person in surgery this week). We got there and got to be in a meeting where the doctors reviewed all the surgical patients, and then we each got asks fend a doctor to follow. I got to follow Reuben, and watch a tumor resection. The tumor had invaded a kidney, the adrenal glands, and a few other structures- and was massive! I wish I could post the pictures I took... (But I won't. :D ). Anyway- it was awesome. Then, when I got back, I saw an email from the Neuro 205 professor saying that he had narrowed the list down to seven people and wanted some additional information. I responded to that, and about two hours later got an email saying that he thought I was the best one for the position. So happy!!! Then, we had an amazing group dinner. :) overall, it was just an amazing day!!! :D
Friday was cool too.. I got to watch a surgery where they removed part of the large intestine that was infected with diverticulitis, then watch a thyroidectomy, and catch the last end of a hernia repair. :) That night we had dinner at a DELICIOUS Italian restaurant close to the hotel. So good!!! :)
Not much to tell from yesterday... I mostly just relaxed. :) I also had my scheduling meeting, and ended up getting perfect shifts, :) Now I just need to get them covered for next week... :P anyway- this week was awesome! This afternoon we get to visit Allariz, and I'm super excited. :) I'll probably post about that next week once I get back. :) I can't believe I only have one more week left' :'( the time has gone by so fast! I'll miss Europe/Spain, but I'm excited to start classes again!
Until next time!
Saturday, August 20, 2016
Urology: A Hidden Gem
Hey there!
So my dad just e-mailed me telling me that he can't wait til my next blog post, so I decided to take the hint and write a new one. :P
This week has been amazing! I got to Madrid late Wednesday night/early Thursday morning, and immediately went to sleep once I got to my hostel. In the morning, I took advantage of the free breakfast/maps they provide, and started to plan my day. They offer a free tour in Madrid, so I headed out, with the goal of making it to the 2:00pm one. I had about two hours, so I took the long way around, and saw some super cool stuff! Madrid doesn't have as many obvious attractions as places such as Italy or London, but it was still awesome. My favorite is probably a tie between the El Prado museum and Parque del Retiro. The next day I got up and went back to the airport to wait for the Atlantis Project representative (the hotel we stayed at was a ways away from the Madrid city center, so the Atlantis Project coordinator said that that would be the easiest/cheapest way to find my way to the hotel). Three other girls (Lucy, Maycee, and Sarah) arrived at the same time I did, and we had a fun time getting to know each other on the right to Hotel Alcala Plaza.
Once we got to the hotel, we dropped our things off, and headed out to see Madrid. Another girl, Christina, who got there around the same time also joined us. We had a fun time wandering around -- mostly to places I'd seen the day before. Once we got back, we relaxed, and didn't do much the rest of the night. I also met my roommate, Alice. She goes to UCLA, and is pretty cool. :) The next day we had orientation - it was super fun!! We all found out where we're shadowing - -I got Urology, Palliative Care, and Intensive Care. It wasn't exactly what I was hoping for, but they all sound super interesting.
After orientation we had lunch, and then some people went out to Madrid, while I stayed at the hotel. The next day we had a few hours before our train left, so we explored Alcala de Henares, the suburb of madrid where our hotel was. When we got back, we took a bus to the train station, and then took a train to Ourense. :) It's sooooo beautiful here!!! I was expecting a small town with little to do, but it's amazing - -I love the architecture, and we're right in the middle of the city center so we're close to everything. We got to Ourense pretty late, so we checked into our hotel (a different one than where we are now, because this one was sold out that first night), and called it a night. The next day we had a tour of Ourense, and moved our stuff to the hotel that we'll be in for the rest of the three nights. It's pretty nice, and I was one of about half of us who gets an individual room. :D I love it!
Tuesday was our first day shadowing. I wasn't sure what to expect with Urology, but was definitely excited when Alba (our local coordinator) told me and Sarah (who was also on Urology this week) that we'd be going straight to the OR. That first day we saw two bladder tumor resections. Super cool! They do it endoscopically, so we were able to see everything they did up on a screen. After that, we had lunch, and then went back to the hospital so Alba could show us where volunteering is -- all of us volunteer twice during these three weeks in the children's area of the hospital -- basically we just play with any of the kids who come in. My first day was supposed to be Wednesday, but our group activity got moved to that afternoon, so I just stayed Tuesday and volunteered with Sophie and Alice. We didn't have any kids come in, but we were able to talk with the other volunteer, and the volunteer coordinator - it was super fun!
After that we went to dinner...there are so many amazing places to eat here! We've found an Italian place, a place with great octopus (which Galicia, the province where Ourense is, is known for), etc. I love the food here! Anyway -- we ate dinner, and then went to bed. (Dinner here is at like 8:30-9:00, so we don't get back til around 10:30 and we have to get up early so we don't usually do much after dinner). The next day we got to go back to the OR, and we saw four Botox injections in the urinary sphincter (meant to help with urinary incontinence), and 4 prostate biopsies. It was super cool! It was nice to see so many of the same procedures, because we got to see what aspects stayed the same and what were different. Later that afternoon we went to the hot springs -- sooooo awesome!!! I think we're all planning to go back some time -- probably to different ones (Ourense has a lot of hot springs), but wherever we go it should be awesome.
Thursday we saw four more bladder tumor resections...it was cool to see how each was different. Not too much else to mention from Thursday...we did have a great group dinner though. :) I love our group - -we all get along really well, and have lots of fun together. Friday was probably my favorite day so far -- we got to watch a laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. It was amazing!! The other tumors we've seen have involved little blood and have been minimally invasive, so this was my first 'intense' surgery. They made five small incisions; one had a camera in it, and the others had devices with holes through which different instruments could be inserted. It was so cool! we got to see the intestine (at least that's what I think it was) and adipose tissue as they found their way to the prostate. It was a lot bigger than I expected, and I actually originally thought it was the bladder. :P Once they found it, they started the process of identifying the bladder neck, and then started removing the prostate. After the prostate was removed, they started what I think was the coolest part of the procedure -- performing a urethral anastomosis (they took two parts of the urethra, and sutured them together). It was amazing!!! After the surgery was over, we had a bit of a break, and then watched part of a catheter change before heading back to the hotel. Later, Sierra and I went back to the hospital for volunteering. It was super fun!!! After that we had dinner, and went to sleep.
Today's been a pretty relaxing day....we had a late breakfast, and then went to the mall here in Ourense (one way you can tell that we're an all girl group -- we were all excited to find out that there's a nice mall here. :P ) Two of the girls went to Barcelona for the weekend and left last night; the other 8 of us stayed here, and right now 6 went to watch the start of a cycling race. :) Once they get back we'll probably have dinner at the hotel, and call it a day. :)
So yeah - -this week has been awesome. Urology turned out to be a hidden gem. I wasn't sure how I felt about shadowing an area that focuses mostly on the urinary system/male reproductive system, but it's been awesome! I'm sad to leave it, but am looking forward to palliative care next week.
Also, while my laptop was working long enough to write this, it unfortunately didn't work enough for me to post pictures. :/ maybe soon though! :)
So my dad just e-mailed me telling me that he can't wait til my next blog post, so I decided to take the hint and write a new one. :P
This week has been amazing! I got to Madrid late Wednesday night/early Thursday morning, and immediately went to sleep once I got to my hostel. In the morning, I took advantage of the free breakfast/maps they provide, and started to plan my day. They offer a free tour in Madrid, so I headed out, with the goal of making it to the 2:00pm one. I had about two hours, so I took the long way around, and saw some super cool stuff! Madrid doesn't have as many obvious attractions as places such as Italy or London, but it was still awesome. My favorite is probably a tie between the El Prado museum and Parque del Retiro. The next day I got up and went back to the airport to wait for the Atlantis Project representative (the hotel we stayed at was a ways away from the Madrid city center, so the Atlantis Project coordinator said that that would be the easiest/cheapest way to find my way to the hotel). Three other girls (Lucy, Maycee, and Sarah) arrived at the same time I did, and we had a fun time getting to know each other on the right to Hotel Alcala Plaza.
Once we got to the hotel, we dropped our things off, and headed out to see Madrid. Another girl, Christina, who got there around the same time also joined us. We had a fun time wandering around -- mostly to places I'd seen the day before. Once we got back, we relaxed, and didn't do much the rest of the night. I also met my roommate, Alice. She goes to UCLA, and is pretty cool. :) The next day we had orientation - it was super fun!! We all found out where we're shadowing - -I got Urology, Palliative Care, and Intensive Care. It wasn't exactly what I was hoping for, but they all sound super interesting.
After orientation we had lunch, and then some people went out to Madrid, while I stayed at the hotel. The next day we had a few hours before our train left, so we explored Alcala de Henares, the suburb of madrid where our hotel was. When we got back, we took a bus to the train station, and then took a train to Ourense. :) It's sooooo beautiful here!!! I was expecting a small town with little to do, but it's amazing - -I love the architecture, and we're right in the middle of the city center so we're close to everything. We got to Ourense pretty late, so we checked into our hotel (a different one than where we are now, because this one was sold out that first night), and called it a night. The next day we had a tour of Ourense, and moved our stuff to the hotel that we'll be in for the rest of the three nights. It's pretty nice, and I was one of about half of us who gets an individual room. :D I love it!
Tuesday was our first day shadowing. I wasn't sure what to expect with Urology, but was definitely excited when Alba (our local coordinator) told me and Sarah (who was also on Urology this week) that we'd be going straight to the OR. That first day we saw two bladder tumor resections. Super cool! They do it endoscopically, so we were able to see everything they did up on a screen. After that, we had lunch, and then went back to the hospital so Alba could show us where volunteering is -- all of us volunteer twice during these three weeks in the children's area of the hospital -- basically we just play with any of the kids who come in. My first day was supposed to be Wednesday, but our group activity got moved to that afternoon, so I just stayed Tuesday and volunteered with Sophie and Alice. We didn't have any kids come in, but we were able to talk with the other volunteer, and the volunteer coordinator - it was super fun!
After that we went to dinner...there are so many amazing places to eat here! We've found an Italian place, a place with great octopus (which Galicia, the province where Ourense is, is known for), etc. I love the food here! Anyway -- we ate dinner, and then went to bed. (Dinner here is at like 8:30-9:00, so we don't get back til around 10:30 and we have to get up early so we don't usually do much after dinner). The next day we got to go back to the OR, and we saw four Botox injections in the urinary sphincter (meant to help with urinary incontinence), and 4 prostate biopsies. It was super cool! It was nice to see so many of the same procedures, because we got to see what aspects stayed the same and what were different. Later that afternoon we went to the hot springs -- sooooo awesome!!! I think we're all planning to go back some time -- probably to different ones (Ourense has a lot of hot springs), but wherever we go it should be awesome.
Thursday we saw four more bladder tumor resections...it was cool to see how each was different. Not too much else to mention from Thursday...we did have a great group dinner though. :) I love our group - -we all get along really well, and have lots of fun together. Friday was probably my favorite day so far -- we got to watch a laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. It was amazing!! The other tumors we've seen have involved little blood and have been minimally invasive, so this was my first 'intense' surgery. They made five small incisions; one had a camera in it, and the others had devices with holes through which different instruments could be inserted. It was so cool! we got to see the intestine (at least that's what I think it was) and adipose tissue as they found their way to the prostate. It was a lot bigger than I expected, and I actually originally thought it was the bladder. :P Once they found it, they started the process of identifying the bladder neck, and then started removing the prostate. After the prostate was removed, they started what I think was the coolest part of the procedure -- performing a urethral anastomosis (they took two parts of the urethra, and sutured them together). It was amazing!!! After the surgery was over, we had a bit of a break, and then watched part of a catheter change before heading back to the hotel. Later, Sierra and I went back to the hospital for volunteering. It was super fun!!! After that we had dinner, and went to sleep.
Today's been a pretty relaxing day....we had a late breakfast, and then went to the mall here in Ourense (one way you can tell that we're an all girl group -- we were all excited to find out that there's a nice mall here. :P ) Two of the girls went to Barcelona for the weekend and left last night; the other 8 of us stayed here, and right now 6 went to watch the start of a cycling race. :) Once they get back we'll probably have dinner at the hotel, and call it a day. :)
So yeah - -this week has been awesome. Urology turned out to be a hidden gem. I wasn't sure how I felt about shadowing an area that focuses mostly on the urinary system/male reproductive system, but it's been awesome! I'm sad to leave it, but am looking forward to palliative care next week.
Also, while my laptop was working long enough to write this, it unfortunately didn't work enough for me to post pictures. :/ maybe soon though! :)
Wednesday, August 10, 2016
The Real Reason
Hey there!
Today, like the last time I wrote, I'm sitting in an airport. :) Last time I was sitting in one of the two airports in Kiev, getting ready for two weeks of exploring Europe with some of the best girls in the world - Paige, little Paige, and Genesis. I could probably make a whole new blog just to talk about travel and how much fun we had and advice, etc. But I don't really have the time, so here are some of my favorite things/recommendations for each place.
LONDON
London was one of my favorite places, second only to Rome. Thanks to my time there, I'm seriously considering applying to medical schools there. Here are my top five recommendations:
1. Buy an Oyster card for the Underground, not a day pass. It'll be cheaper. We never actually figured out how the Oyster cards work, but it seems like everyone but us had one, and saved money that way.
2. Take a free walking tour- there are lots to choose from - from traditional sight seeing tours to Harry Potter tours to Jack the Ripper tours.
3. If you're a Harry Potter nerd, like me, visit the Harry Potter store at King's Cross Station. :)
4. See Big Ben and Westminster Abbey.
5. Walk along the Thames.
DUBLIN
1. In Dublin it would probably be wise to invest in a bus pass- otherwise you'll do lots of walking. Or find a place that has a bike your size (I unfortunately didn't have luck in that area.)
2. Check the weather and go to Phoenix Park when it's not raining. The park is beautiful, and I'm really sad that I wasn't able to see more of it. :/
3. Check out Trinity College. We only saw the entrance to campus on our walking tour, but it looks awesome! And the library there is also the Hogwarts library. :P
4. Go to St. Patrick's Cathedral and Christ's Church cathedral.
5. Check out the museums! Dublin has some amazing museums and I'm sad we didn't get to see more. :/
BERLIN
1. Try curry wurst. It's cheap snd super delicious!
2. Go to museum Island! Even if you just want to look at the museums from the outside, you won't regret it!
3. Check out the TV tower. We only saw it from a distance, but Paige's friend says that you can go to the top and see a great view of the city
4. Visit the East Side Gallery. It's the longest remaining piece of the Berlin Wall
5. Check out the world clock in... One of the squares. It shows the time in every time zone. :)
Rome
I don't know if I can pick just five things to suggest, but here goes:
1. Buy a water bottle and take it with you everywhere. The water in Rome is the best I've ever tasted and there are free fountains everywhere with surprisingly cold water. You can even fill it up at the Trevi fountain or at the base of the Spanish steps.
2. GO TO THE VATICAN MUSEUMS!!! Yes the lines are long, but it's totally worth it!!! Take your time going through though. I went through fairly quickly because I wanted to see the Sistine Chapel, but I wish I'd gone through a bit slower.
3. Try some authentic Italian pizza or pasta. I opted for pizza, but I know Genesis enjoyed her pasta. And don't forget gelato for dessert!
5. Visit as many of the Piazza's as you can! Piazza Navona was probably my favorite. Also, near Piazza del Popolo, there's a place called Villa Medici - it's a bit of a climb to get there, but the views are worth it!
Speaking of views- one more: go to all the typical sightseeing spots- Colosseum, Pantheon, Roman Forum- they're all worth it. :)
GREECE
We didn't spend too much time in Greece, so I'm combining my tips for Athens and Santorini into one.
1. Rent ATV's in Santorini! They're so fun, and an easy/cheap way to get around.
2. Go to the red beaches in Santorini- but make sure you only take a small bag, since it's a bit of a hike, first up, then down to the beach. And put on lots of sunscreen!!!!!!
3. Check out the white houses in Oia. You know- the one's Lena rides a donkey through in Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. They're pretty, and are right next to a beautiful ocean view.
4. Try an authentic Greek gyro
5. In Athens, go to the Acropolis!!
There's a whole lot more to see/do in each place, but these are a must. :)
Now, on to the title of the post, and why I'm once again in an airport. I'm on my way to Spain!!! Right now I'm sitting in the Warsaw airport, waiting to catch my flight to Madrid. :) I can't wait to have a chance to shadow doctors in Madrid. Expect lots of blog posts, since that's the real reason I started this blog. Talking about Ukraine and teaching and traveling has been fun, but I started this blog as a way to catalog my adventures as a female pre-med student. Speaking of, I've finally started my MCAT studies too, so expect a post where I talk study strategies. :)
Until next time!
Today, like the last time I wrote, I'm sitting in an airport. :) Last time I was sitting in one of the two airports in Kiev, getting ready for two weeks of exploring Europe with some of the best girls in the world - Paige, little Paige, and Genesis. I could probably make a whole new blog just to talk about travel and how much fun we had and advice, etc. But I don't really have the time, so here are some of my favorite things/recommendations for each place.
LONDON
London was one of my favorite places, second only to Rome. Thanks to my time there, I'm seriously considering applying to medical schools there. Here are my top five recommendations:
1. Buy an Oyster card for the Underground, not a day pass. It'll be cheaper. We never actually figured out how the Oyster cards work, but it seems like everyone but us had one, and saved money that way.
2. Take a free walking tour- there are lots to choose from - from traditional sight seeing tours to Harry Potter tours to Jack the Ripper tours.
3. If you're a Harry Potter nerd, like me, visit the Harry Potter store at King's Cross Station. :)
4. See Big Ben and Westminster Abbey.
5. Walk along the Thames.
DUBLIN
1. In Dublin it would probably be wise to invest in a bus pass- otherwise you'll do lots of walking. Or find a place that has a bike your size (I unfortunately didn't have luck in that area.)
2. Check the weather and go to Phoenix Park when it's not raining. The park is beautiful, and I'm really sad that I wasn't able to see more of it. :/
3. Check out Trinity College. We only saw the entrance to campus on our walking tour, but it looks awesome! And the library there is also the Hogwarts library. :P
4. Go to St. Patrick's Cathedral and Christ's Church cathedral.
5. Check out the museums! Dublin has some amazing museums and I'm sad we didn't get to see more. :/
BERLIN
1. Try curry wurst. It's cheap snd super delicious!
2. Go to museum Island! Even if you just want to look at the museums from the outside, you won't regret it!
3. Check out the TV tower. We only saw it from a distance, but Paige's friend says that you can go to the top and see a great view of the city
4. Visit the East Side Gallery. It's the longest remaining piece of the Berlin Wall
5. Check out the world clock in... One of the squares. It shows the time in every time zone. :)
Rome
I don't know if I can pick just five things to suggest, but here goes:
1. Buy a water bottle and take it with you everywhere. The water in Rome is the best I've ever tasted and there are free fountains everywhere with surprisingly cold water. You can even fill it up at the Trevi fountain or at the base of the Spanish steps.
2. GO TO THE VATICAN MUSEUMS!!! Yes the lines are long, but it's totally worth it!!! Take your time going through though. I went through fairly quickly because I wanted to see the Sistine Chapel, but I wish I'd gone through a bit slower.
3. Try some authentic Italian pizza or pasta. I opted for pizza, but I know Genesis enjoyed her pasta. And don't forget gelato for dessert!
5. Visit as many of the Piazza's as you can! Piazza Navona was probably my favorite. Also, near Piazza del Popolo, there's a place called Villa Medici - it's a bit of a climb to get there, but the views are worth it!
Speaking of views- one more: go to all the typical sightseeing spots- Colosseum, Pantheon, Roman Forum- they're all worth it. :)
GREECE
We didn't spend too much time in Greece, so I'm combining my tips for Athens and Santorini into one.
1. Rent ATV's in Santorini! They're so fun, and an easy/cheap way to get around.
2. Go to the red beaches in Santorini- but make sure you only take a small bag, since it's a bit of a hike, first up, then down to the beach. And put on lots of sunscreen!!!!!!
3. Check out the white houses in Oia. You know- the one's Lena rides a donkey through in Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. They're pretty, and are right next to a beautiful ocean view.
4. Try an authentic Greek gyro
5. In Athens, go to the Acropolis!!
There's a whole lot more to see/do in each place, but these are a must. :)
Now, on to the title of the post, and why I'm once again in an airport. I'm on my way to Spain!!! Right now I'm sitting in the Warsaw airport, waiting to catch my flight to Madrid. :) I can't wait to have a chance to shadow doctors in Madrid. Expect lots of blog posts, since that's the real reason I started this blog. Talking about Ukraine and teaching and traveling has been fun, but I started this blog as a way to catalog my adventures as a female pre-med student. Speaking of, I've finally started my MCAT studies too, so expect a post where I talk study strategies. :)
Until next time!
Friday, July 8, 2016
Looking Back
Hey!
So yesterday was my last day of teaching! It was a bittersweet experience.... I won't miss planning lessons, but I'm definitely going to miss teaching and interacting with so many kids every day. :) Coming to Ukraine was the best decision I ever made. I know I probably would have enjoyed myself if I'd ended up going to Romania like I originally planned, but I wouldn't change my decision for the world.
There were definitely difficult times- kids were crazy and not listening, people had different opinions, making everything work for our vacation was difficult- but I can count them on one hand, and the other 99.99999% of the time was so amazing! I learned so much from these kids- maybe even more than I was able to teach them. I learned unconditional love. I learned patience. I learned how awesome it is to watch people come out of their shell. I learned things about me by watching them. I could go on, but... You get the point. :)
When I first made the decision to come to Ukraine, I was terrified. I didn't know anyone I'd be teaching with, I didn't even know if I COULD teach, I only had three weeks and had to take my finals nearly a week early, I still had to figure out a way to raise the last bit of money so I could make Ukarine and Spain work, etc. But from the moment I made that call to ILP saying I'd switch countries... Miracles started happening. I received several generous donations. My teachers had no problem with me taking finals early, I did well on all of them, I had the best head teacher ever, I taught with amazing teachers at Obolon, I had an amazing host grandma, etc, etc. :)
Sometimes things might not go according to plan. But if we follow the Spirit, and make the most of it, things will always work out for the best. :) I'll never forget all the amazing experiences I've had here. :) Now, I'm off to enjoy our hard-earned two week vacation. :P
So yesterday was my last day of teaching! It was a bittersweet experience.... I won't miss planning lessons, but I'm definitely going to miss teaching and interacting with so many kids every day. :) Coming to Ukraine was the best decision I ever made. I know I probably would have enjoyed myself if I'd ended up going to Romania like I originally planned, but I wouldn't change my decision for the world.
There were definitely difficult times- kids were crazy and not listening, people had different opinions, making everything work for our vacation was difficult- but I can count them on one hand, and the other 99.99999% of the time was so amazing! I learned so much from these kids- maybe even more than I was able to teach them. I learned unconditional love. I learned patience. I learned how awesome it is to watch people come out of their shell. I learned things about me by watching them. I could go on, but... You get the point. :)
When I first made the decision to come to Ukraine, I was terrified. I didn't know anyone I'd be teaching with, I didn't even know if I COULD teach, I only had three weeks and had to take my finals nearly a week early, I still had to figure out a way to raise the last bit of money so I could make Ukarine and Spain work, etc. But from the moment I made that call to ILP saying I'd switch countries... Miracles started happening. I received several generous donations. My teachers had no problem with me taking finals early, I did well on all of them, I had the best head teacher ever, I taught with amazing teachers at Obolon, I had an amazing host grandma, etc, etc. :)
Sometimes things might not go according to plan. But if we follow the Spirit, and make the most of it, things will always work out for the best. :) I'll never forget all the amazing experiences I've had here. :) Now, I'm off to enjoy our hard-earned two week vacation. :P
Looking Back
Hey!
So yesterday was my last day of teaching! It was a bittersweet experience.... I won't miss planning lessons, but I'm definitely going to miss teaching and interacting with so many kids every day. :) Coming to Ukraine was the best decision I ever made. I know I probably would have enjoyed myself if I'd ended up going to Romania like I originally planned, but I wouldn't change my decision for the world.
There were definitely difficult times- kids were crazy and not listening, people had different opinions, making everything work for our vacation was difficult- but it was all so worth it!! I learned so much from these kids- maybe even more than I was able to teach them. I learned unconditional love. I learned patience. I learned how awesome it is to watch people come out of their shell. I learned things about me by watching them. I could go on, but... You get the point. :)
When I first made the decision to come to Ukraine, I was terrified. I didn't know anyone I'd be teaching with, I didn't even know if I COULD teach, I only had three weeks and had to take my finals nearly a week early, I still had to figure out a way to raise the last bit of money so I could make Ukarine and Spain work, etc. But from the moment I made that call to ILP saying I'd switch countries... Miracles started happening. I received several generous donations. My teachers had no problem with me taking finals early, I did well on all of them, I had the best head teacher ever, I taught with amazing teachers at Obolon, I had an amazing host grandma, etc, etc. :)
Sometimes things might not go according to plan. But if we follow the Spirit, and make the most of it, things will always work out for the best. :) I'll never forget all the amazing experiences I've had here. :) Now, I'm off to enjoy our hard-earned two week vacation. :P
So yesterday was my last day of teaching! It was a bittersweet experience.... I won't miss planning lessons, but I'm definitely going to miss teaching and interacting with so many kids every day. :) Coming to Ukraine was the best decision I ever made. I know I probably would have enjoyed myself if I'd ended up going to Romania like I originally planned, but I wouldn't change my decision for the world.
There were definitely difficult times- kids were crazy and not listening, people had different opinions, making everything work for our vacation was difficult- but it was all so worth it!! I learned so much from these kids- maybe even more than I was able to teach them. I learned unconditional love. I learned patience. I learned how awesome it is to watch people come out of their shell. I learned things about me by watching them. I could go on, but... You get the point. :)
When I first made the decision to come to Ukraine, I was terrified. I didn't know anyone I'd be teaching with, I didn't even know if I COULD teach, I only had three weeks and had to take my finals nearly a week early, I still had to figure out a way to raise the last bit of money so I could make Ukarine and Spain work, etc. But from the moment I made that call to ILP saying I'd switch countries... Miracles started happening. I received several generous donations. My teachers had no problem with me taking finals early, I did well on all of them, I had the best head teacher ever, I taught with amazing teachers at Obolon, I had an amazing host grandma, etc, etc. :)
Sometimes things might not go according to plan. But if we follow the Spirit, and make the most of it, things will always work out for the best. :) I'll never forget all the amazing experiences I've had here. :) Now, I'm off to enjoy our hard-earned two week vacation. :P
Friday, July 1, 2016
Home Stretch
Hey there!
I know, I know. It's been forever since I've posted anything. Sorry! Summer camp has been crazy! Crazy fun, but also crazy.
Anyway... First off, it's a lot different from the first half of the program. Instead of teaching little kids, I've been teaching kids that are anywhere from 10-17 years old. Sometimes it's difficult trying to plan a lesson for such a broad range of English knowledge, but I love it! I thoroughly enjoyed teaching the younger kids, but I think I enjoy teaching true older kids more. They're knowledge of English makes it a lot easier to communicate with them.
There's one kid, Lyova, who was here last session, and is here again. Oh my goodness. He's so smart! During one of the lessons, I had the kids design something using only paper, tape, and string, that was strong enough to support my MCAT flashcards. With the oldest group, that turned into 'quiz miss Tia for the first 10 minutes.' Now despite my best intentions, I haven't studied as much as I thought I would, so I struggled a bit. However, I was amazed at Lyova's knowledge- especially in chemistry. A couple of kids pulled gen chem questions, and, despite the terms being in another language, he almost immediately knew the correct definition. And he's 15!!!!!
There's another girl, Margo, who's an amazing dancer! She won the dance off in the first session, and also won miss of the camp. There's also a girl named Dasha. She's also super smart! She was in my group last session, and was our candidate for camp president. She's a lot of fun. Then there's Max. he was camp president last year, and is... Quite the character. i don't really know how to describe him, except as a younger version of Alex Cole(my best friend) during our freshman year in college. :P he's a total spaz.
Sorry I can't post any pics right now... I promise I'll try to add them soon though! I've been having some technology problems - my computer decided that it no longer likes functioning, and I didn't get internet on my phone until a couple of days ago. :P but oh well- I have it now, and life is good. :)
I absolutely love teaching the kids here at camp, and am so sad that I only have one more week teaching! The time has flown by! This time next week I'll be packing everything up for our big vacation, and then I'll be back in Kiev for two weeks before spending my last three weeks abroad shadowing doctors in Spain. I know I still have over a month here after ILP ends, but it still feels like the home stretch. I love these kids, these teachers, these people, and this country so much! I'm definitely making a trip back someday!
Paca! (bye)!
I know, I know. It's been forever since I've posted anything. Sorry! Summer camp has been crazy! Crazy fun, but also crazy.
Anyway... First off, it's a lot different from the first half of the program. Instead of teaching little kids, I've been teaching kids that are anywhere from 10-17 years old. Sometimes it's difficult trying to plan a lesson for such a broad range of English knowledge, but I love it! I thoroughly enjoyed teaching the younger kids, but I think I enjoy teaching true older kids more. They're knowledge of English makes it a lot easier to communicate with them.
There's one kid, Lyova, who was here last session, and is here again. Oh my goodness. He's so smart! During one of the lessons, I had the kids design something using only paper, tape, and string, that was strong enough to support my MCAT flashcards. With the oldest group, that turned into 'quiz miss Tia for the first 10 minutes.' Now despite my best intentions, I haven't studied as much as I thought I would, so I struggled a bit. However, I was amazed at Lyova's knowledge- especially in chemistry. A couple of kids pulled gen chem questions, and, despite the terms being in another language, he almost immediately knew the correct definition. And he's 15!!!!!
There's another girl, Margo, who's an amazing dancer! She won the dance off in the first session, and also won miss of the camp. There's also a girl named Dasha. She's also super smart! She was in my group last session, and was our candidate for camp president. She's a lot of fun. Then there's Max. he was camp president last year, and is... Quite the character. i don't really know how to describe him, except as a younger version of Alex Cole(my best friend) during our freshman year in college. :P he's a total spaz.
Sorry I can't post any pics right now... I promise I'll try to add them soon though! I've been having some technology problems - my computer decided that it no longer likes functioning, and I didn't get internet on my phone until a couple of days ago. :P but oh well- I have it now, and life is good. :)
I absolutely love teaching the kids here at camp, and am so sad that I only have one more week teaching! The time has flown by! This time next week I'll be packing everything up for our big vacation, and then I'll be back in Kiev for two weeks before spending my last three weeks abroad shadowing doctors in Spain. I know I still have over a month here after ILP ends, but it still feels like the home stretch. I love these kids, these teachers, these people, and this country so much! I'm definitely making a trip back someday!
Paca! (bye)!
Friday, June 3, 2016
Summer Camp!
Hey there!
Sorry I haven't posted anything for a couple of weeks! A lot has gone on since I last posted!
First...We went to Odessa! It was fantastic!!! We spent most of the time at the beach, and I definitely got sunburned! I also got to hold a jellyfish! It was awesome! :D :D I have lots of pics. :D
This is from the fountain in front of the opera house. :) I thought i had a good pic from the front, but maybe not. :)
I don't remember the significance, but it's cool, and you can see the black sea if you go closer. :)
kitty!!
I climbed a tree. :P
Black sea!!
Once we got back from Odessa, we spent the week getting ready for the end-of school parties. It was super fun! We made great decorations!
Katya coloring. She's one of the preschoolers I taught. :)
On Tuesday (I think....) we went to the botanical gardens. :)
Thursday I was going to go to the temple, but plans changed so I organized our supply cupboard. :)
Party with the Follow-Up 3 kids!!
Misha and Sofia. They're so great! They're in my group at summer camp right now, and I'm so excited!
Party on Friday with the KG and Follow-Up 1 kids. :D
Duck duck goose. :) Aka "pencil, banana, socks, macaroni princess, etc, goose. " But hey - as long as they're building vocabulary, anything's fine by me. :)
On our last outing with Kate, we went to Souvenir Street, and saw St. Andrew's Cathedral. We couldn't go in, but we got some great pics!
The theme of Landscape alley seemed to be Alice in Wonderland...so I got a pic with the Cheshire cat. :P
On Sunday some of the senior missionaries invited us over for dinner. We took the opportunity to take a group photo. Minus Raisy , Genesis, and Skylor. :P (Left to right, back to front: Kate, Cathryn, Annie, Camilla, Danielle, Danica, Lauren, Paige, Paige, Alexis, me; yes there are two Paiges).
Sunday, May 15, 2016
One Month
Hey there!
So exactly one month ago I arrived in Ukraine. I'd been traveling for over 24 hours, and was so excited to finally get here! So much has happened since then...I don't even know where to start. :P
This month has been full of adventures, and new experiences. I figured out how to handle it if I miss a flight. I learned how to ride the metro and busses by myself. Even though I was nervous about teaching at first, I think I've slowly gotten better, though it's still hard to keep the kids attention for 30 minutes. And yesterday, I faced my fear of fire and both lit a candle and then carried it in my hand for about fifteen minutes as we walked through the catacombs in the Lavra (a super cool cathedral.).
I can't believe I've been here one month already. In just two short weeks we'll leave Kiev and go teach at a summer camp in Boyarka for the rest of our time here. Even on my mission, I don't think time has ever gone so fast. :) We've done so much...we've gone to Poland, to Lviv...seen several cathedrals...next week we go to Odessa, and then the week after, Boyarka.
I hope the rest of my time here doesn't go by so fast...I want to enjoy my time in Europe as much as I can. This month has been one of the best of my life -- I love all the girls I volunteer with; the kids are amazing, Luda's amazing, and Ukraine is better than I ever could've imagined. I love the people in our branch too! Today we all had lunch at Sister Murri's house -- her husband is in the branch presidency, and works at the US embassy...or something to do with the government. :P She made us all spaghetti and jello and chocolate chip cookies. So good!!! I think we were all ready for a little taste of America.
Anyway -- time for pictures now. :P The lavra was amazing! We went up to the bell tower and I got some amazing pics. :) There's a whole bunch of like little churches too, and a cemetery... and several lookouts that let you get an amazing view of Kiev. :)
Hope you all liked the pictures! I promise I'll update things faster in the future.
Thanks for reading!
So exactly one month ago I arrived in Ukraine. I'd been traveling for over 24 hours, and was so excited to finally get here! So much has happened since then...I don't even know where to start. :P
This month has been full of adventures, and new experiences. I figured out how to handle it if I miss a flight. I learned how to ride the metro and busses by myself. Even though I was nervous about teaching at first, I think I've slowly gotten better, though it's still hard to keep the kids attention for 30 minutes. And yesterday, I faced my fear of fire and both lit a candle and then carried it in my hand for about fifteen minutes as we walked through the catacombs in the Lavra (a super cool cathedral.).
I can't believe I've been here one month already. In just two short weeks we'll leave Kiev and go teach at a summer camp in Boyarka for the rest of our time here. Even on my mission, I don't think time has ever gone so fast. :) We've done so much...we've gone to Poland, to Lviv...seen several cathedrals...next week we go to Odessa, and then the week after, Boyarka.
I hope the rest of my time here doesn't go by so fast...I want to enjoy my time in Europe as much as I can. This month has been one of the best of my life -- I love all the girls I volunteer with; the kids are amazing, Luda's amazing, and Ukraine is better than I ever could've imagined. I love the people in our branch too! Today we all had lunch at Sister Murri's house -- her husband is in the branch presidency, and works at the US embassy...or something to do with the government. :P She made us all spaghetti and jello and chocolate chip cookies. So good!!! I think we were all ready for a little taste of America.
Anyway -- time for pictures now. :P The lavra was amazing! We went up to the bell tower and I got some amazing pics. :) There's a whole bunch of like little churches too, and a cemetery... and several lookouts that let you get an amazing view of Kiev. :)
Hope you all liked the pictures! I promise I'll update things faster in the future.
Thanks for reading!
Friday, May 6, 2016
Weeks 2 and 3
Hey there!!
I know it's been a couple of weeks since I last updated -- the last two weeks have been crazy!!! Jessi and the other girls from last semester left a little less than two weeks ago; it's been weird living with Luda by myself. It's been fun though! Luda and I have the best conversations! She's told me about her family, about her friends, about some of her life philosophies, etc. It's been super great. :)
Me and Luda. :)
Luda speaks really good English, but there's still a bit of a language barrier. Sometimes she'll say a wrong word, realize it, and then just start to laugh. She has the most adorable laugh. :P
Teaching the kids has also been super fun! They can be a handful some times, but they're so adorable!! I teach three age groups -- PL (preschool), KG (kindergarten), and FUP 1/3 (Follow Up). I haven't gotten a picture with all of them, but I'll post pics as I get them.
Diana. :)
Diana and Lera #2
Darina
The girls are adorable! There are also a couple of boys...they range from super quiet (Lev and Roma) to bouncing off the walls (Misha). The KG girls can also get kinda crazy, especially Darina, but I love them to death. :)
Thursday, April 21, 2016
Week 1
Hey there!
So I've been in Kiev for a week!! It's gone by soon fast! We've done so much every day that it kinda all blends together. :P
I guess I should start with last Thursday. :P I packed up Wednesday night, then got up at about 4:30, and headed to the airport at 5:30. My flight left about two hours later, and I got to Houston around 12:00. I had about a 4 hour layover, so I got lunch and Panda Express, and watched some shows on Netflix. :) Around...4ish my flight to Frankfurt left. :) About an hour before landing, I realized that we'd probably get to Frankfurt late, and so I figured I'd have to hurry to make it on time for my flight to Kiev. Unfortunately, I underestimated the....adventure...that is the....
FRANKFURT AIRPORT(AKA Adventure #1)
So I got off the plane, and expected to be in Terminal 1 at an A or B gate (my ticket said Lufthansa flights tend to arrive/depart from one of those). I got off the plane and saw a Z, and just a sign for ABCDE gates. I looked for the closest screens that listed the gate for Kiev, and tried to get there as soon as possible. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that the Frankfurt Airpot is a MAZE. You go right then left then left then right then up then down...and repeat it several times. Finally I made it to the tram from A gates to the B gates, and discovered that I had to go through security (security is weird -- it's done in groups of about five gates -- so you find the group that your gate is in, go through security, and then go to your gate. :) Of course by the time I found the gate, the plane was long gone. :P I found a service desk, got a ticket for a new flight, found where my new gate was, and then ate at Burger King. :P It was delicious!! They had this awesome sauce that looks like ketchup but was waaay better! :) A few hours later, I got on the plane, and we landed in Kiev around 5:30-6:00. :)
KIEV
Once I got to Kiev, "Big Tania" (There's two Tanias -- Big Tania that's over all the ILP programs in Kiev, and Little Tania that just supervises the school that I teach at). and her husband picked me up, and took me to my host grandmas apartment (While some girls stay with families, I'm with an older-ish woman named Luda). Luda's amazing!!! After I got there, she showed me around, and then when Jessica (Jessi for short) got there we had dinner. Jessi's a girl who's been in Kiev since January...she leaves on Sunday. It's been soooooo nice having her here! She knows how to get pretty much everywhere, and is so nice! She actually got her mission call to Ukraine, and reports to the MTC on August 3. :)
Anyway -- right after dinner, I went to sleep. The next day, I had training at noon. :) We went to the Obolon school, which is where I teach. :) I got to meet the other three girls that got to Kiev the same time as me -- Cathryn, Lauren, and Raisy. They're all awesome!!! That day we had training, and then went to the Lviv Chocolate factory. Oh. My. Goodness! It's soooo good!!! They serve melted chocolate in a cup with whipped cream, and also have this amazing rose petal tea. Oh -- that's another thing. In Ukraine they drink tea with pretty much every meal - -don't worry, it's herbal. :) So yeah -- the chocolate was delicious!! I mean I love American chocolate, but....Ukrainian chocolate is better. :) After chocolate, we went home, and had dinner, then went to sleep. :)
On Sunday we went to church; the chapel is right next to the Kiev temple!!! We would've gone to the temple today, but the only times were either early or right before we needed to be at our schools. :/ We go to an English speaking branch, and it's amazing! The mission president and his wife are in our ward; I really only got introduced to them, but they seem nice! After church, we had another day of training, this time at Central school.
On Monday we had our last day of training at Pozniaky school. We also got to go to Maidan, aka Independence Square, which is where all the protests happened back in 2013-2014. It's super cool! I took lots of pictures. :)
This is a cool tower -- not sure what it's called. :P
This is the Saturn building that got burned during the protests -- it looks good now, but they just put up a facade - the building itself hasn't been repaired.
Cool structure! Apparently during the protests they made the women and kids stand on the steps and around the pillars to keep them safe.
This is the view from higher up. :)
Cool house! I think this is the Governor's mansion.
Selfie!! #TiaandLauren
Tuesday morning we went to "Big Mama" -- aka Ancestral Mother -- a huge statue in Kiev. It's right above the WWII museum, which is amazing!!! I wasn't able to take pictures, because they charge you for pictures that aren't in the main hall of the museum, but I got some. :)
Truck!! And yes, I climbed on it. :P Because I could. :) We all had fun taking pictures, and taking advantage of the relaxed rules here. :P
Statue!
This is part of the Lavra -- a cathedral near "Big Mama". We haven't gone yet, but will soon!
There's a tunnel as you walk to Big Mama, that has lots of carvings like this. :)
"Big Mama"
This is in the front entrance of the museum. The museum was suuuper interesting! Kinda depressing, but interesting. There's a room where they have thousands of pictures of people who died in the war. It's sad, but also an impressive sight.
These two are in the last part of the museum; it's right under the Big Mama statue. The pillars have about 12,000 names engraved on them, all of people who died in WWII.
After we saw the museum, it was about time for our first day teaching, so we went to the metro station, and went our separate ways. I rode with Lauren and Cathryn most of the way to the school, then switched lines at Ploshcha Lva Tolsoho, and rode to the Minska station. The metro here is super intuitive -- they announce each spot before hand; it's very obvious which side of the platform you need to be on, and we've ridden it so much these last few days that I feel like a pro. :P Once I got to Minska, Jessi met me, and we went to school. :)
I was a little nervous about my first day, but it went super well! I love all the kids so much!! I work with three groups of kids each day -- PL, which are preschool age, KG, which are 5-6 year olds, and FUP (follow up), which are older, more advanced kids. :) I love my FUP 3 class on Tuesdays/Thursdays!! One of them, Masha, is a genius, I'm sure of it. :p She apparently speaks like 5 languages, and is a master at art and music. We talked about King Tut, and then she drew this picture:
The other kids are great too! I have the cutest KG class - -mostly girls, and they're adorable!! I'll have to take pictures one of these days. :)
Anyway...sorry for the long post. I'll try to post updates more often, so future posts won't be that long. Das vidanya!! :D
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