Nurse in the City

Everywhere I go

2009-08-24T14:37:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoaTl7IcFs8#

A lot has gone on in my life since the last time I blogged. This song reflects my thoughts right now. I am confused about my own life, but I am constantly growing and adapting while trying to live in the present.
It seems like everywhere I go, the more I see the less I know. But I know one thing, that I love you.

Shamrocks

2009-03-17T17:48:00.002-05:00

In honor of Saint Patty's Day I am wearing a green shirt. Yes, that is all. But others seem to have more extravagant plans. While sitting on the porch with my housemate, a woman decked out in festive gear walked by on the phone, and we caught this snippet of her conversation:
"No one has any fucking corned beef."

That started us off on a tangent about how she should have done her Irish meal shopping earlier in the week:

The stores are probably also out of potatoes, Lucky Charms, and green food coloring.
Not to mention the banks would be out of gold coins, the liquor store out of Bailey's Irish Cream, and Irish Ale, the bars out of Irish Coffee, and the pet store is probably out of leprechauns.

Happy St. Patrick's Day. Next year do your shopping beforehand.

Under the Weather

2009-03-17T17:38:00.003-05:00

In the past 7 months alone I have had mono, a cold, a sinus infection, bronchitis, a form of gastroenteritis, and now I have an ear infection, and I didn't even name everything.

A result of working in nursing and the Emergency Department? Maybe so...but that doesn't explain this pattern throughout my life and the fact that my nursing friends are not sick nearly as much as I am. And really, who gets an ear infection after they are 2 years old? My immune system just is not up to par.

Relatively healthy mommies and babies...I can't wait. Now for finding a job in Labor and Delivery as a new grad. Rare, but as I've been told "there are always exceptions." Wish me luck.

Be Present

2009-03-11T19:03:00.004-05:00

Why can't people just take in and enjoy their surroundings? Walking on the sidewalk on a beautiful day, I almost run into too many people looking down sending text messages. If out for a walk, or just going from one thing to another, people find the need to call somebody just for conversation or distraction. What do you need to be distracted from? You can't tell me that the world itself is too boring. People walk around with headphones in their ears 24/7. What is wrong with the sound of life?

Observe, take it all in, enjoy it or criticize it, but live it. Be present.

Hope, Change, and all that Jazz

2009-03-10T18:40:00.003-05:00

It has been almost 2 months since President Barack Obama took his oath to office. It was a momentous occasion that I had the opportunity to attend.

A group of friends and I took Amtrak (booked back in the beginning of November) to D.C. January 19th. We stayed overnight at another friend's studio apartment (a tight fit) and then headed out at 7am to the National Mall. The goal was to fend off the other millions of people walking to the National Mall from various D.C. locations to get as close as we possible could to the Capitol building.We gauged our success at the number of screens back we were, and kept trying to make it to just the next screen up. Naturally, we weren't the only ones...it was a big mosh as we laughed with our neighbors that we were pushed up against. Eventually we settled in to wait the now 4 hours until the Inauguration ceremony was supposed to start.

The screens played the concert of the past weekend and the crowd sang along during our wait. Eventually the San Francisco choir began to sing and I could make out little red dots on the Capitol building. The ceremony commenced. The mob waived our flags, watched the ceremony on the screens, and laughed every time they said "You may now be seated."

As we waived our free American flags at some point I looked up to see the monumental Capitol building in front with a sea of bodies between me and the building and blue skies up above, and it hit me, what an amazing moment in history to share with all those around me.

Catching Up

2009-03-10T18:31:00.002-05:00

It's true, I've been MIA for awhile, and a lot has happened.
It is already Spring Break and graduation is right around the corner.

The next few posts will be catching up on my experiences, thoughts, and reflections.

Resolutions

2009-01-04T20:12:00.004-05:00

1. Exercise a little every day.
2. Give others the benefit of the doubt.
3. Remember to breathe.

"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There's no point in being a...fool about it."
-W.C. Fields

'Twas the season

2009-01-03T21:37:00.003-05:00

As the season goes we all get preoccupied. But now I have the time to record it.

The most relaxing part of my vacation, if you can believe it, was the time I spent in NYC. No school work to be done, no family to please, just three days to do whatever.

My NY Christmas gift was tickets to The Rockettes' Christmas Spectacular at the Radio City Music Hall. Turns out the very back row in the very highest balcony actually has a great view for getting the full effect of the formations and the flawless synchronization the Rockettes have to offer. However, my favorite part didn't even include the Rockettes. The set was complex, complete with an ice rink and skaters during a scene, and a 3-D animation of Santa's sleighride. A great way to get in the Christmas mood (despite the torrential rainstorm outside).

Between looking at stores' Christmas windows we decided to give the Wicked lottery another shot (my 4th try) just for kicks and giggles. We danced together to pass the time in the cold. It must have been good luck, because mine was the second name called! Two front row tickets to the most impressive show I've ever seen.

Arts and crafts, walking, baking, and lots of cuddling rounded at a Very Merry Pre-Christmas celebration.

Social Experiment

2008-11-11T16:14:00.005-05:00

Walking in Manhattan on the outside of Central Park, my boyfriend and I came up with an idea. Have rich families adopt homeless persons. At first it was a laughable concept, but really thinking about it, it would be a great program, and an interesting experiment. Mental illnesses are rampant in the homeless population. In some circumstances the illness results in homelessness in others, the conditions of homelessness cause a mental illness. While mental health can be treated/stabilized and maintained through medications and therapy, it is difficult to make any progress if someone's life is unstable. Not to mention the vicious cycle of "you can't get a job without an address, and you can't get an address without a job." The "adoption" would provide this stability and additional resources.

Sure, the interactions may be appallingly comical, and if this idea ever came to fruition in our society it would most likely be in the form of a reality T.V. show, but it would be an interesting social experiment. Just a thought...

Babies in the Water

2008-11-11T16:07:00.005-05:00

A man is walking alongside a river. He glances down to find babies in the water floating downstream. Instantly he jumps in the river and starts pulling babies out of the water. They continue to come, and he is frantically trying to save them all. A woman sitting nearby starts running upstream. "Where are you going?!" he exclaims "Get in here and help me save these babies!" She responds explaining "I am going upstream to see where these babies are coming from and who keeps on putting them in the water."

Upstream vs. Downstream thinking. We need both to function as a society. Which one are you?

For Dummies...

2008-11-06T20:03:00.002-05:00

While sitting in a comfy chair, studying in the bookstore, I glanced up. There was a guy standing awkwardly looking for a place to sit and read. The book he was holding: "Dating For Dummies." Adorable. Now that's the type of guy girls should want to date.

Penn students take to the streets

2008-11-05T13:56:00.001-05:00

A video of the excitement around Penn's campus and Philadelphia. Beautiful.

Hope

2008-11-05T13:19:00.006-05:00

I remained skeptical as the results were still coming in. Calling a state with only 20% of precincts reporting just made me uncomfortable. A friend and I left our house on the way to a bar to finish watching the incoming results, when apparently the election was called. Obama had exceeded the 270 electoral votes needed. We ran into a large group of Penn students on campus with posters and balloons shouting and screaming, and walking with a seeming mission. Inspired, we ran to catch up and joined this spontaneous parade around West Philadelphia. People came out onto their porches and leaned out their windows in the neighborhood cheering along with us. Such a diverse population with people from so many different cliques came together to celebrate. The parade ended on Locust walk as we gathered into a cluster jumping up and down and cheering. The guy next to me got up on his friends shoulders and announced "McCain just conceded!" The crowd went wild. We dispersed to watch Obama's speech.

I was close to tears. The part about how our "generation plagued with being called apathetic, turned out in huge numbers to make their voices heard" especially made me so proud. After the speech a friend and I lead a group down to City Hall to celebrate. We were not alone. We were met by honking passing cars, cheered with and high-fived random people. A group was gathered outside of City Hall in the streets celebrating.

It was such a great moment in history that I will tell my children about. It was just so beautiful to see so many strangers brought together. I can't remember an election in my time where people were so celebratory about the results. Not to mention an election without controversy and recounts. I know some of you are skeptical, but you have to trust and hope. There is nothing wrong with that. That is what as brought our nation as far as it has come. As my sister in Switzerland said " You know what's great? I am no longer embarrassed to admit that I'm an American." This result resonates with the rest of the world, and for that reason alone, America has such a chance to regain the respect we once had.

Free Falling

2008-11-02T22:47:00.002-05:00

Approximately 15,000 feet above the ground I squatted in the open doorway of a tiny plane. I crossed my arms, leaned my head back, and arched my back as instructed by the person strapped on my back. "1,2,3" and we were off. Leaving the plane in style with a back flip!

The whole experience was surreal. The extremity of what I was doing barely registered. Even as my tandem pro handed me the parachute straps, I mechanically did as told to make us spin. A nice smooth landing on our feet completed the smoothness of the entire jump.

Afterwards, my jumping friends and I could not wipe the huge smiles off our faces. It was a once in a lifetime experience...that I would most definitely do again.

What the future holds

2008-10-22T17:21:00.005-05:00

Okay, well, the future that I am talking about is next semester. I found out my clinical placement for my senior clinical practicum in New York City: Emergency Department at New York Presbyterian!

Let the fun, stressful, busy, first aid times roll!(Hopefully no patients will die in the waiting room under my watch.)

The Days Go By

2008-10-16T13:32:00.002-05:00

The other day in class I peered over to see my friend crossing off days in her planner. A smile crept over my face, finding joy in watching the days disappear. Closer to being done.

Then a thought occurred to me. How sick is that we are wishing our days to fly by, to be done with? What are we closer to being done with? Sure, school. But grass is always greener on the other side. Shouldn't we be enjoying each day to the best of our ability?

Media's Mixed Messages

2008-09-22T16:21:00.001-05:00

John Stewart humorously shows how the Media dictates the course of the election.

Megabus

2008-08-27T21:44:00.002-05:00

I'm now a big fan of Megabus over the Chinatown buses.

I paid $9.50 for a one-way ticket from NYC to Philly. If you book further in advance, the fares are even cheaper (They claim as low as $1). However, the fares don't ever get up much past $10.
Comparison: Megabus is just as cheap, if not cheaper than Chinatown buses

I picked the Megabus up outside of Penn Station in NYC, and was dropped off at 30th St. Station in Philly. They also had another stop option at 6th and Walnut in Philly.

Comparison: Megabus is much more convenient location-wise on both ends, and saves bus/trolley fares to and from Chinatown.

Megabuses were painted bold blue with the Megabus logo huge across the sides. There were official signs where Megabuses were allowed to park and load. The drivers were in uniform. The driver made an announcement at the beginning and end of the trip (where the bus was going, how long it would take, thanks for riding Megabus, etc). An employee helped load baggage underneath. We drove straight to Philly without any random stops.

Comparison: Megabus is a lot less sketchy than Chinatown buses

Birthday Bashing

2008-08-27T21:21:00.004-05:00

I had a fabulous birthday this week.

I spent the morning by myself, slept well, ate ice cream for breakfast, watched movies, and took a bath instead of a shower. Relaxing and enjoyable.

I met up with my wonderful boyfriend after he got off work, and we went to a Ellen's Stardust Diner, where the wait staff take turns performing songs. It was fun, and this is where I got my birthday candle. Stuck in a plate a whipped cream with an Oreo and Sprinkles, I got to make my birthday wish (which, of course, is a secret)!

After dinner we ventured to a very nice bar on Rivington and Essex Street, with mood-lighting and comfy seating. I ordered some kind of coconut rum-mango concoction. Yummy. First legal drink in the US. Didn't even get carded.

Drinks were followed by the Laugh Lounge Monday madness. It was a small crowd, being a Monday and all. They had a fun variety of stand-up comics. We were laughing hysterically by the end...although that may have something to do with splitting a bottle of Zinfandel wine...

It was a really enjoyable evening of festivities. Good company, good drinks, and good laughs.

HAIR!

2008-08-25T13:20:00.002-05:00

Finally got tickets to the free Public Theater performance of Hair in Central Park! Instead of waking up at 6am to wait in the line for free tickets that they give out at 1pm, I joined the "virtual line." After a week of trying, I finally got a pair of tickets!

I admit this Hippie love-rock-musical was way too long, and there wasn't much of a plot-line, but I had a good time. The actors maintained a high level of energy throughout, and the singing was great! Plus the rad costumes really set the scene. To finish it off - the curtain call turned into a giant dance party with the audience!

Let the sunshine in...

Mixing it up

2008-08-25T12:29:00.004-05:00

Tired of the same old vegetable stir fry with a meat and either pasta or rice for dinner we decided to experiment a little. An internet recipe idea search and a trip to Fairway Market later, we had a weekend full of delicious, relatively healthy meals.

Friday night: Meatloaf. Used ground turkey with the beef for a lighter dish. Mixed in sauteed onions, green bell pepper, spinach, and carrots to load up on vegetables. A honey-ketchup glaze. So flavorful I didn't even add extra ketchup!

Saturday night: Eggplant Parmesan. My all-time favorite. Dipped in egg and breadcrumbs and then baked instead of fried lightened this dish right up...minus all the Parmesan cheese...yum.
Sunday night: Teriyaki Burgers and Fries. Used the remainder ground turkey/beef mixture to make patties, and rubbed them in teriyaki sauce before cooking. Topped the burgers off with a sauteed mixture of mushrooms, onions, and spinach. A side of potatoes sliced and baked in the oven made for delicious homemade diner fare.

Surprise, Surprise

2008-08-22T12:09:00.002-05:00

"Welcome Susan!

Unfortunately, you did not receive tickets for tonight’s performance. Please try again soon. "

Story of my life...

Over-rated?

2008-08-18T11:58:00.001-05:00

The great thing about NYC: there is always something to do.

The downside: there are always millions of people who want to do those things.

Culture Shock

2008-08-18T10:35:00.002-05:00

They warned us about this. But it is impossible to prepare for. Re-integration into American society after being abroad for 5 months.

The fact that I decided to come to New York City almost as soon as I came back has heightened this feeling. The speed of life is incredible. I sat outside the Chase building downtown watching swarms of people speed walking to and from who knows where, dressed for business. I couldn't help but wonder "what's the point." You all spend ridiculous amounts of hours each week sitting in front of computers, punching numbers, and for what? What are you contributing? Society can still run if everyone takes a break for a day.

I then remember that I used to be much more high-strung and fast-paced. The simplest things, the speed that I eat and walk have slowed down noticeably.

My outlook has changed as well. Chatting about the Olympics, my friend brought up the Spanish team that had taken a photo stretching their eyes to imitate Asians'. Six months ago I would probably have agreed with her that it was very offensive and inappropriate. Now, I find it ridiculous that a silly picture was made into such a big deal, when the intention wasn't to be offensive. Why this change? Perhaps it was because I have witnessed real racism. This photo seems so minuscule in comparison.

I appreciate these changes in myself. I have realized the need to slow down and enjoy life. Which may be one of the reasons I am dreading returning to Penn in a week and a half. I don't want the intense studies and setting to change me back...

You know you are in Oregon when...

2008-07-16T02:38:00.002-05:00

The graffiti on the bathroom stall walls say:

1) "Come on everyone, love your bros, give peace a chance."

2) "Live every day as if it were your last. No regrets."

3) "Hugs, not drugs."

Oh Philly

2008-07-12T22:03:00.002-05:00

Today I saw:

A free performance of a bizarre interpretive dance company, Human Landscapes, at the Clark Park flea market.

A man riding a horse up the bike path on Spruce Street in front of WaWa.

Greek Escape

2008-07-02T20:48:00.003-05:00

I left technology (besides a camera) behind for a month and set out for a vacation, a reunion after 4 months apart. A real vacation. Too often we get caught up in doing and seeing as many things as possible in the time allotted. But honestly, how many tourists actually care about the history behind a building, or remember it the next week? The draw of Greece is not its history, it is its scenery. And so we took it all in.

CAUTION: I would never recommend anyone to go to the Greek Islands - at least Crete and Santorini - if you are not traveling as a couple. There are so many young couples everywhere. I couldn't help but think how depressed I would be if I were not in a pair myself.

Here is a "brief" outline of my romantic, picturesque escape:

--Successfully met in Athens airport after my flight was delayed 4 hours and there was no way of getting that message across.
--Acropolis, walked up random hill with great view and listened to a band rehearse for a show that night at the hill-top amphitheater

--Went to Pireaus port in hopes of catching a ferry to Santorini - there were none that day, so we caught an overnight to Crete (Kreta) instead, because, well...why not?
--Arrived at Chania port at 5:30am. Sat along the Venetian harbor drinking wine/Fanta combo and eating crackers for breakfast, watching the sunrise.
--Camped at Chania Campground for a few days, explored the coastline, lay on the beach
--Hiked Samaria Gorge - beautiful. About a 5 hour hike. Gorge goes as narrow as 3 meters at one point, with a crystal clear stream running down alongside the trail. Although it is full of tourists, and they relocated a settlement in the gorge when Greece made it a national park - not okay in my eyes -still worth a visit.
--Unimpressed by Rethmyno - its Venetian Harbor is not as beautiful as Chania's, however students get into the fortress for free.
--Got bedbugs in Iraklio hostel. Miserable for the next couple of days from all the itching.
--Took a ferry to Thira, Santorini with GA Ferries - cheaper rates.
--Set up camp at campground 200m outside of the main town of Thira.
--Spent the next week bumming around Santorini...a volcano that erupted and collapsed creating a lake in the middle that merges with the Mediterranean Sea. Villas and towns are built on the top of the cliffs that drop off into the lake. Breathtaking.
--Went to a black sand beach, a red beach, and a rock beach. Not the most comfortable beaches for relaxing.
--Walked to Oia for the sunset over the Sea. Drank wine sitting on a rock while watching the sun descend. (Fyi- Oia is not really a safe walk, or in walking distance at all from Thira).
--Saw a local "walk" his dog by driving his car holding the leash with the dog running beside him outside.
--Don't waste your money getting dinner at one of the restaurants on the cliff with an amazing view - just order coffee and an appetizer and slowly enjoy the view...they don't kick you out.

--Set out on our journey to Venice Italy. Took ferry back to Pireaus, train to Patras, got molested at a park in Patras by a group of about 5 year old boys...embarked on ferry to Venice, set up our tent on the deck for the 2-night 36hr journey.
--Highly recommend this. The ferry was like a cruiseship, so even though we got the cheap deck tickets we could use all its facilities, showers, restaurant, bar, casino, discotech, pools...impressive for a ferry boat.
--Arrived in Venice. Spent next 2 days wandering around and getting lost in the neighborhoods. Neat place. We forgoed the 100 Euro gondola ride for a 13Euro ride on the bus boat. Crowded, but a nice view at night.

--Took train to Lugano, Switzerland where we were met by my sister - we were based here for the last week of our trip.
--Went to Lucerne for a yodeling festival. Not what you would expect. They were more yodeling choirs.
--Paddle boated on Lake Lugano and ate lots of gelato, and chocolate.
--Hiked up tall hill - Monte San Salvatore - basically 2 hours of stairs for a Panoramic view
--Trip to Bellinzona to see castles. Went on a Sunday, the town was pretty much deserted, so we relaxed on top of the castle playing cards.
--Eurocup final - go Spain!

--Back to Philadelphia. First time in the States in 5 months.

Interesting tidbits:
-Greeks don't seem to be the most attractive people we've ever encountered, nor the skinniest.
-Outside of the tourist areas Greece is a dump. Trash and graffiti absolutely everywhere.
-Everyone apparently speaks English. Extremely helpful, somewhat sad.
-Italians are always late.

I think I've caught the travel bug.

Home

2008-07-02T20:27:00.003-05:00

As I was sitting at a table on Locust Walk eating my dinner from Beijing a flash of light caught my eye. A lightening bug was on the tree next to me. I glanced up and off in the distance were several more lightening bugs flying about. When I was little these were what I looked forward to in summer visits to Pennsylvania. A smile came to my face. I am home.

That's all folks

2008-06-01T18:01:00.006-05:00

My semester in Israel has come to an end. It is a bitter sweet ending. I will miss my roommate terribly, and the freedom that goes with studying abroad. It will be culture shock in the Fall at Penn when I can't negotiate class and test times, and when suggesting a weekend hike or beach trip would be a joke.

Of course there are positive and negatives to every experience. But I want to remember the happy stuff when I look back on this. It is hard to remember what I found different about Israel at the beginning, because I am so used to it now. But I will try to end this segment of life with little tidbits about Israel.

1) Cats are Israel's equivalent to squirrels in the US
2) Your bag will be checked whenever you enter a building
3) Soldiers with guns are everywhere
4) All toilets have a half flush and a full flush - way to conserve water!
5) Sheruts - shared taxis
6) Should negotiate a price before you get in a cab
7) Speaking Hebrew at the shuk will get you lower prices
8) Marzipan rugula is the best ooey gooey pastry ever
9) Jerusalem lives to pray
10) Tel Aviv lives to play
11) You can easily barter down to 1/2 and less of the asking price at the Arab shuk
12) Lines don't exist
13) Pushing is perfectly acceptable
14) The dollar declining in value makes Israel pretty expensive

and finally:

15) Toilet paper comes in bulk - and is used for everything

Next stop for me: a month in Greece! I leave tomorrow!

Cable Car?

2008-06-01T13:14:00.007-05:00

We don't need no stinking Cable Car. Actually, we really didn't want to pay for one. You are allowed to hike up Masada before 10am, however the first bus did not get us there until 10:30. People were still on their way up the path when we bypassed the ticket booth and went to the trail head. Nope, there was a guard. They would not let us hike up the desert mountain because it was "too hot." Well...through a little complaining and stating that we don't have money for the cable car, the manager quickly decided to give us free passes for the cable car. Score. We would have still rather hiked it, but if we can't, we'll take it.

We spent a good 2.5 hours on top of Masada, walking to the different breathtaking view points, the echo point where we sang "I like fishes cause they are so delicious," and meandered through the fortress.We hiked down the path to the bottom where a plethora of snack/drink stands awaited our business. We passed by the 20 shekel drinks to a booth with a bored teenage boy, who decided that he would give us free iced coffees. Fabulous.

Caught a bus to the Ein Gedi Spa at the Dead Sea near by. This was going to be our reward for a semester of hard work. The staff must have thought we were a part of one of the many tour groups, because they let us walk right through without paying. Perfect. I mean really, all we did was use their spot on the beach. Salty float, natural mud, and sulfur pool plunge later, and we were on our way back to Jerusalem.
While we were waiting for the bus, a sherut (a 15 seat shared taxi) pulled up and we were able to barter with the driver down to 25 shekels each - cheaper than the bus! What an amazing, lucky, day. All we had to pay for was transportation.

The Zoo

2008-06-01T06:39:00.003-05:00

I forgot to mention my trip to the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo a couple of weeks ago. It is by far the best zoo I have ever been to. The scenery was gorgeous, the animals happy, active, playful, and came right up to us.My favorite part was the big open safari area where the giraffes, zebras, ostriches, and rhinoceroses roamed together next to a lake overlooking the mountains in the distance. As my friend remarked "If the big giraffes can live with the little zebras happily, why can't we all live in harmony?

Frolicking in Gardens...or not

2008-06-01T00:45:00.010-05:00

Last week in Israel, I needed to see everything I hadn't yet. This being impossible, we chose to go to Haifa, Israel one of the days, to visit the Baha'i Gardens. This is a very interesting religion, who claim to believe in all religions. Which in reality means they believe in all of the different prophets of the religions. The have a shrine/temple in Haifa with gardens that encompass an entire hillside, with over 200 gardeners to keep it beautiful.

We got off the bus at the bottom of the hill:We were only able to climb to the first gate before we had to come back down. All after my friend had to layer on her sweats, because her tank top and shorts were to scandalous for a holy place. We were hoping to be able to climb the steps all the way up, but instead we had to take a bus to the top to another viewpoint.
This was torturous. We could look down at the gardens, but were not allowed to go in them. The guards smiled at us as they unlocked the gate for select other people. Denied. All I wanted to do was to skip around and frolic in the gardens.

We walked down the hill (along a side road) to the middle, shrine level, and came across a sculpture garden. We actually were able to play around and pose with the sculptures here.
The Gardens were built like the Champs de Elysses in Paris, so when you looked down, the main street leads to the Mediterranean Sea. We could easily walk there! So we did - but not so easily. The street lead to the Port. It was another hour or more walk to the beach. We finally got to a somewhat secluded beach and we passed out on the sand. Best nap ever - minus a little sunburn.

Baby Therapy

2008-05-13T14:52:00.004-05:00

Today I held a baby and attempted to feed him with a bottle. He was not a good feeder, and ended up just falling asleep in my arms. It was probably the highlight of my past week. It's been rough lately. Babies are amazing.

Red Sand

2008-05-10T14:29:00.008-05:00

Jordan. Red desert. Bedouins. Camels. Petra.
Such a wide away of amazing experiences.

Friday (May 2nd) morning we made the trek to Eilat to the border crossing, and into Jordan. We had a general plan of what we wanted to do, with advice from friends who had already ventured that way.

Our taxi driver was very friendly, but sketchily so. When we told him our plans he took that to mean that he would organize our trip for us. This created a lot of confusion, frustration, and distrust as he arranged for rides we didn't ask for, but had to pay for, etc.Anyhow, we asked to be taken to an authentic Bedouin Camp in the Wadi Rum Desert to spend the night. What we were told would be 5 Jordanian Dinar for the night, dinner, and breakfast, turned into 25 Dinar as we were taken to a tourist "Bedouin camp." While not exactly what we expected as our Bedouin experience, we made the most of it and had a great time. We sat and relaxed while drinking tea for the afternoon. I got to ride a camel - much like riding a horse. My camel was a rare white, wise, and gentle camel...while the others were feisty, and even kicked the boy leading us in the leg. While the boy recovered, we saw the sunset over the desert mountains.

Night gave way a huge party of dancing around the bonfire with Jordanian students. It should be noted that only the boys (and the 4 of us Americans) were dancing, putting on quite the show for the women. And man, they could shimmy 100 times better than I ever could. Dinner was taken out of the ground - chicken that had been cooking under the sand for 2 days. Who needs a grill when you are in the desert? de.li.cious. I then slept out under the stars after being maliciously attacked by bugs in the tent.
We headed to Petra bright and early the next morning. Honestly, it was everything I expected it to be. I heard stories, and saw pictures of little people in front of huge structures (note me sitting in the Monastery in the above picture). Nevertheless, it was beautiful. The red rocks that the buildings were carved into gave it a little extra something. The walkway was lined with souvenir stands - a little annoying if you ask me. Two of the group stopped to have tea with a couple of Bedouins, while the other two of us continued the long climb up to the Monastery. There was the option of taking a "taxi" (a mule) up, but we decided to use our feet. The view once we got there was amazing, and the shop at the cliff viewpoint was playing Bob Marley - which was amazing and obviously called for a dance session.

We hurried down the mountain, taking the obligatory silly photos, in order to catch a cab to cross the border before it closed. I never thought I would be so happy to be crossing back into Israel. It was a mix of amazing sites, and being taken advantage of as a tourist. But we enjoyed it, and made it back in time to see the sunset over the Red Sea in Eilat.

Yom HaShoah

2008-05-01T08:36:00.006-05:00

Today is Holocaust Memorial Day. I read an article about righteous gentiles to share with my class. It reminded me of a poem that hung on my Dad's office wall for as long as I can remember. I would sit there reading it over and over while I waited for computer pages to load. I find it extremely powerful, and it has influenced my beliefs today.

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out -

because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out -

because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out -

because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me - and there was no one left to speak for me.

Martin Niemoller

Free Food!

2008-04-26T05:43:00.002-05:00

Carob that I picked up from the sidewalk. Delicious and sweet once rinsed off. Just watch out of the seeds!

Chicken Bone?

2008-04-25T10:37:00.003-05:00

Tonight ends the week-long observance of Pesach (Passover). It started with the Seder. My roommate who is also studying abroad did not have a Seder to attend (read as - she did not want to go to her extended family's Seder), so we decided that we would have our own Seder. She told us the 5 things we needed for the Seder plate: Boiled egg, Maror, Parsley, Apples and Walnuts, and a Chicken bone. Each item is symbolic.

So two of us ventured to the shuk that morning to gather our supplies for dinner and the plate. Although this is a little embarrassing to admit, we didn't know exactly which herb was parsley, so we asked the man at the stand. Since we were there we asked him what Maror was, and he pointed to something that looked like the heart of a cabbage - so we got it. Neither of us wanted to carry around a chicken bone for the day, so we decided we would figure that out later. Oh, and we were told to get wine, since during the ceremony each person is supposed to drink 4 glasses of wine. So we got sweet white wine - the only kind either of us actually likes - and only one bottle, because we didn't want to pay for two.

When we brought back our supplies we got an hysterical laugh from my roommate. Apparently by Maror she meant horseradish sauce. How were we supposed to know? And the wine is supposed to be red, because it symbolizes blood. We decided that the wine could symbolize the platelets part of blood instead. While preparing the plate I realized that we never did figure out that chicken bone thing. So I grabbed a carrot, broke it in half, and decided that kind of resembled a chicken bone. We cooked the dinner and were ready to go.

We did the whole ceremony, except drinking 4 gulps of wine instead of the 4 glasses as to not run out. There was a moment during the reading of the Haggadah when everyone is supposed to look at the chicken bone - so we looked at the carrot.

After the proceedings there were songs that were put to popular tunes with lyrics specific to Passover. They were hilarious and we sang them loud and boisterously with our oh-so-beautiful voices. It was a great time, albeit it makeshift.

It should be noted that while writing this blog post I decided to look up Maror. Turns out we were right!

Sea to Sea: Survivor Style

2008-04-19T04:16:00.008-05:00

This past weekend started our two week vacation for Passover. We took advantage of the free hiking trip offered by Rothberg Office of Student Activities hiking club. Four days hiking from the Mediterranean Sea to the Sea of Galilee and camping out under the stars. It was as amazing as it sounds.
The experience was incredible. I had a fantastic time, despite some trying moments along the way:

The first day we came across an aquifer . Feeling adventurous a group of us decided to climb through the narrow opening into the mountain, wading through water with flashlights to see the source. Being afraid of water/drowning, this was not the best decision on my part. We got to a section where the ceiling of the cave was so low we had to crawl on our hands and knees with only our heads above water and inches between our heads and the cavernous roof. I had a little freak out and did not want to pass through this section - even though the ceiling got higher right after it. I wanted to head back...but they wouldn't let me. They wouldn't give me a flashlight. So there I was, having to decide between facing my fear or being left in a water-filled cave in the dark - alone. I don't know whether to call them encouraging, or just plain mean, but I got through and we eventually came to the source. Quiet, we could hear the water flow. As one of the Israelis exclaimed "that's the noise it makes right before it collapses." Thanks...a lot.
The third day, as my roommate calls it, was rock tobogganing. We were hiking cliffs, with a drop off on our right side, and a wall on our left, with about a 2 feet path in between. This "path" was composed of mostly boulders to climb/lunge up and down. Every once in a while we'd see a trail marker on some crazy high tower of boulders and just think "seriously?". One wrong step or slip could result in falling over a cliff. I found myself sliding down rocks on my butt to better navigate when foot holds were not evident. While I admit, I was scared at times - looking back on it now it was a lot of fun, like a puzzle.

My last personal trial was on the fourth and final day. They had a surprise in store for us: repelling! I was really excited, thought it would be so much fun. They had us stand on the edge of a cliff, lean back and back, and then start walking down the side of the cliff. I hated the whole way down. Maybe it was the lack of practice or direction. They had us jump right in. Of course I'm glad I did it, otherwise I would just wonder. I would even consider trying it again. But it was probably one of the scariest extended moments of my life - and I don't really even know why. These experiences are not what I am referring to when I say "survivor style." We were split up into 4 tribes. There was a challenge for all teams once a day, and then any team could challenge another team during the hike. Challenges included building the tallest structure using natural materials, who could pee the longest, trivia, crossing the "river", arm wrestling, wearing team hats and creating a team song. Some teams were competitive, some non-spirited, but it was a great idea, and I had a lot of fun with it. Go team Golani with red striped hats!

We came across a couple interesting groups of people. One was the Druze. A religious group in Northern Israel. Not much is known about their religion, as they will not talk about it with others. A big secret. They were barbecuing skews of meat and they gave us one to share as we passed by. All I can say was that it was the best thing I have ever eaten. The other, we refer to as the tree people. However, they refer to themselves as "The Greater Spirit." We found them literally hugging and singing to trees. The worship trees and found this area to be particularly spiritual. We heard their singing into the night as we woke for our fire-watching shifts. Interesting.I make the hike sound like this intense experience, but most of it was just hiking. Yes, up and down mountains and sometimes for 10 hours a day, but it was hiking. Outside, in nature, without technology, green, trees, natural springs, passing out on uncomfortable rocks during lunch breaks. A great way to relax and get to know new people and the country and culture of Israel. There was an amazing sense of accomplishment and pride as we made it to the top of the road for our first glimpse of the Sea of Galilee. The most amazing thing: I wasn't sore at all.

My Answer

2008-04-09T15:25:00.003-05:00

For about two months I have been caught off guard by the almost daily question "What are you? What do you believe?" I feel flustered that I have to define myself solely on the basis of religion. I have to define myself by something I am not, something that gives no insight into who I am. Therefore I have not expressed myself well in my reply.
I think I finally have come up with a good response:

I am human. I believe in today. I believe in this life, that we should embrace what we have and make the most of it. I believe in people. I believe in freedom. I believe in love.

Mud Rejuvenation

2008-04-07T12:41:00.004-05:00

About two or so weeks ago we had a day off of school. Needing a little pick-me-up, two of us decided to make a day trip to the Dead Sea.

Not exactly sure how to get there or where along the Dead Sea we were going, we hopped on a bus going in that general direction. After several conversations with the bus driver we departed at the free beach. Sunscreen in hand we ventured off into the intense "insta-tan" sun.

Having been there before my friend remembered Sulfur Pools being on the beach to use. We looked for them and eventually ended up at the tourist information center. Here we were told that the Sulfur Pools are only at the Ein Gedi Spa. Well, so much for that. We followed the exit sign of the little complex to find ourselves in the "Solarium," an enclosed area on the beach with naked purple leather people. Oops.

Back out on the real beach we waded into the water. The oily salty water insisted on lifting us up. Floating was effortless. We just lay there relaxing, naturally exfoliating our skin. Until...dun dun dun. My friend got water in her eye!!!! And by water I mean salt. To the rescue, I lead her blinded self up to safety and poured fresh water in her eyes.

With regained eyesight it was time to find some Dead Sea Mud to continue our natural skin treatment (and get the full Dead Sea experience). It was a little suspicious that no one else on the beach was covered in mud, but we were determined that there had to be some. All we saw was mounds and mounds of huge salt crystals. We finally resorted to asking the lifeguards where the mud was. "People like you came 20 years ago and took it all!" Um...right. So turns out the Ein Gedi Spa is the only place that it is naturally in the water. I see a pattern here. "But you can buy it at the market." Yes. We bought packaged Dead Sea mud at the Dead Sea. In our defense it was only 7.5 shekels each.

Lathered up in mud we were like aliens on the beach. People stared at us, 13-year-old boys wanted to take their pictures with us, but it was fun...and crusty. After washing the mud off it was time to hop on the bus back. This time with glowing skin and smiles.

Waiting On The World To Change

2008-03-30T08:41:00.001-05:00

Currently listening to this song and reflecting on life while writing a paper for my "Jewish Settlements in Israel pre-1948" class.

Going Gray

2008-03-27T16:21:00.004-05:00

Today as a friend was giving me a neck massage since I had a headache (yes, I know, I have amazing caring friends), she found something that did not belong. A gray hair, well, silver actually. Don't worry, it is no longer attached to my head. I still try to insist that it is because I am turning blond from the intense Middle-Eastern sun.

But, honestly, I am not that surprised. This place, coupled with nursing, has been the most emotionally stressful experience I have ever had. I don't even know how to adequately explain it, examples will have to suffice.

Example 1 - this place. This past Sunday the Penn nurses were on an Arab bus on our way to Old City to experience a Purim celebration with our professor. We were pulled over by a group of Israel Police Officers. Everyone had to produce a passport or ID (which by the way, you don't need to ride a bus). He took one man off of the bus. We waited while 3 officers searched, interrogated, and just took their precious time with this man. Eventually the man came back to the bus to get his little son. The police interrogated and stood around some more. Eventually the man told the bus driver to leave, and him and his son piled into the Police Car. Such disturbing pointless intimidation tactics. Such racism. Such hate. And all we could do was watch.

Example 2 - nursing. I saw my first death. It affected me so much more than I thought it would. Especially considering that she was not even my patient. I knew nothing about this little 4 year old girl other than her medical condition, which I will not share. I watched almost an entire resuscitation attempt. It was fine as long as we were discussing technical skills applied and the physiology of the girl's condition. Somehow 45 minutes into watching the trauma put on this tiny body it hit me, and I had to leave. 15 minutes later they called it. I get shivers just writing about it. I cried. I keep thinking about it. I know it is better, that she was in no state to live, but I was there while she died. And all I could do was watch.

Laughter is the Best Medicine

2008-03-20T15:17:00.004-05:00

Clowns. Some fear them, some love them, but few think to go to school to become one. Not to mention to become a specialized clown. But in countries outside of the United States, apparently that idea is not so far fetched. Medical clowns are a staple in the Pediatric Hospital of Hadassah (and I've been told most other countries). They go through a Medical Clown College of some sort to become certified, legit Medical Clowns. The work they do is truly amazing. A child's laughter is the most beautiful thing, and I've never seen a clown fail.

The Work had to begin eventually

2008-03-08T11:45:00.010-05:00

We have now completed 2 weeks of nursing classes. And I still have no idea what is going on. Our schedule is different day by day, week by week. Often I look at the schedule the night before so I know when and where I need to be the next day. It is too varied to keep track of, and too overwhelming to really look at. Taking Pediatrics and Obstetric courses simultaneously is enough to make anyone crazy, squeezing them into 2.5 months is something else. Not to mention an additional night class at Rothberg International School. One thing that seems to be consistent is a 6am wake up time. Our nursing classes and clinicals are an hour bus commute away from our dorms. I’m not quite sure who engineered that one.

My clinical this past week was at Alyn Pediatric Rehabilitation Hospital . This is truly an amazing facility. Each child has such individualized care. They design each kid a specific chair to mold to their body and provide the support they need, as well as corsets, braces, casts, and anything else. There is multidisciplinary care including occupational therapy, school, hydrotherapy, nutrition, and of course nursing care. Even the kids that have no hope in regaining function, they make sure to exercise the abilities they do have as not to lose them. Every faculty member knew every child. It truly appeared to be a cross-cultural family operation. Political and cultural views were put aside to work together for these children.

Next week my clinical will be at the PICU at Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem. We split into groups of 1 or 2 and do two days at each location. This has its benefits: we have very personalized attention and are able to gather a taste of different floors and facilities. However, the negative seems to outweigh the positive for this setup. We are not allowed to do anything. We are not with a specific clinical instructor, and therefore can't work under someone else's license. It is frustrating. We were thrown into our Medical-Surgical and Geriatric rotations last semester and gained so many skills, but are not able to practice or improve them.

The lectures on the other hand, are much better than at Penn. With a class of 5 students it is much more relaxed, personalized, and gives leeway for more interesting stories and information applicable to Israel. You also get to know your professors very well. Oh, and best of all, class pauses when you need a bathroom break.

The Best Laid Plans...

2008-03-01T05:46:00.004-05:00

February 21-23
…are no plans at all. We decided to make the most of our last free weekend before intense nursing classes began. What better way than to go to a warm sunny beach on the Red Sea. We found a hotel for cheap in Eilat the night before, made our reservations, got on the bus after our Hebrew Finals and were on our way. Five hours later, at 11pm we arrived at our hotel, only to find that we “misunderstood” the price, and in fact they were going to charge us double the amount they quoted to us on the phone. Through a little struggle and a phone call to the manager they finally agreed to cancel the reservation without charging the credit card the full amount.

So, here we were, 8 girls, 1 boy, wandering Eilat at 11pm without a place to sleep. Pretty comical really, but it gets better. We decided to go back to the bus station, because we saw a couple hostels around. While walking through the station we ran into a group of boys from Spain who also needed a place to stay. The group of us was wandering up toward the hostels when we were approached by a woman saying “place to stay, very cheap.” We bargained with her for a little bit just for fun, but after she became pushy we realized it was just a bit too sketchy. The Spanish boys went with another man in a Jeep. We continued on our way...

While we split up to inquire about different hostels about open beds and pricing, the woman drove by and honked, then she stopped up by the other group and started bargaining again. She was going to give us 10 shekels less per person for two nights. We had to convince our friend that $2.50 was not worth risking our lives.

We ended up finding a beautiful hostel. The man who owned it has traveled all over the world, is an architect/designer, and designed his hostel. He even has the “nicest house in Israel” to rent out, and he was not exaggerating. Nestled into our room we had an intense 2 hour conversation (that prompted my previous post) and called it a night.

The first day was very relaxed. We wondered around the beach shopping at different stands. It was gorgeous. A sea with the bluest water I have ever seen, surrounded by looming mountains. We meandered up the jetty to see if there were any boat rides on the Red Sea that seemed appealing. We were invited onto a man’s boat to explore. To our surprise to was a beautiful pirate ship (okay, some might call it a sailing ship)! The cruise left the next morning, so we signed right up! For 125 Shekels (about $35) we got a 4 hour cruise to the border of Israel/Egypt and Jordan/Sinai, delicious Israeli BBQ lunch, time to jump off the ship into the Sea with a rope swing, and relax or dance while music played. It was truly a vacation and an adventure. And of course it turned out so much better than if it was planned.

Words

2008-02-24T06:38:00.002-05:00

I now give you a break from our regularly scheduled broadcasting to bring you some thoughts on religion and politics. Studying abroad is not all fun and games (although a lot of it is). A lot of it is about meeting new people, and examining your own thoughts and beliefs. I have been challenged on all accounts here. Not only am I in the minority, as I have mentioned before, because I am not Jewish. I am in the minority, because I am not Christian, or religious at all for that matter. In fact, here, I am almost alone.

My Christian friends here consider themselves socially liberal. However, they exclude in this issues that they consider religious issues. These religious issues (gay marriage and abortion, for example) are very much ones that I would include as social issues. As it turns out a lot of these differences in opinions are simply a matter of twisting words. I consider it a vote "for the women's right to choose" whereas others consider it a vote "for abortion, for murder." I think of marriage as "legal rights granted to two people who love each other and want to spend the rest of their lives together" while others see it as "a union between a man and a women under God." It is all nit-picky definitions. I am not going to go extensively into my views and reasons now as it is emotionally wearing for me. Who can look at my two friends who are completely in love, and tell them they should not/cannot be together? or that it is a sin to love someone?

As far as foreign policies go, I have always been on the fence. Obviously genocides and oppression are never okay. But on less severe issues, I feel like a government is often reflective of a culture. Can we ever really tell a people to change a culture we do not understand?

Words are so important to any politician. They can make or break a campaign. The words "Yes We Can" have made all the difference for Borack Obama. And I'm not going to lie, they are extremely inspirational. Although he was not my first choice, nor my second for the democratic nomination, his speaking skills are phenomenal. This (apart from his politics) is one of the reasons I detest President George W. Bush. I believe a president should be a great speaker (even if it is just presenting speeches written for them). I personally want a President who can express himself eloquently, and much better than I can.
Despite the ambiguity of words, and being challenged on the beliefs I currently stand alone in, I have learned how passionately I feel about issues and people. To the point of tears. It is not easy to be alone. But if we don't have strength, what do we have?

Under the Desert Sun

2008-02-18T16:56:00.008-05:00

February 15-16, 2008
Large group trips really aren’t my thing, especially when the crowd resembles that of freshmen during New Student Orientation (NSO). That said, I can’t complain too much for another free trip, this time for a whole weekend to Mitzpe Ramon.

The original itinerary of a 4 hour hike was adjusted due to risk of floods in the desert. I for one was extremely disappointed, but I can’t say the same for most of the girls on the trip. Instead we rode the buses from site to site, got out, wandered around, listened to the tour guide say a few words, and got back into the bus. Enjoyable enough, just not what I had anticipated.

We checked into our ho stel (which by the way I was very impressed with for a hostel - Each bunk room had its own bathroom and shower). While most people went to Shabbat services a small group of us decided to explore. The town of Mitzpe Ramon is located right on the edge of the cliff of the crater. It is absolutely breathtaking. We climbed up a hill with a camel shaped viewing area on top and watched the sunset over the desert.

Saturday was much more enjoyable. We woke up bright and early to head off into the desert for archery. Not the typical archery, but a sport closely resembling Frisbee golf. It is actually quite ingenious. As the owner told us, he wanted to replace golf with this form of archery. It takes the same skill, concentration, and focus, but you can play on the natural terrain. Golf wastes so many resources solely trying to maintain the grass. Good luck actually making that happen. It was a great experience and we all had a blast briefly learning technique and then just trying over and over with different distanced targets hiking across the desert.

A bathroom break led us to discover that this archery place was a hidden gem. Inside the fence was an open air shelter with a kitchen, and an abundance of mattresses and blankets. Inside were students just sitting, smoking hookah, drinking tea, and playing the guitar. It costs 80 shekels to spend a night on the floor, which is a little expensive seeing how the hostel was 90, but the atmosphere was amazing. We sat and chatted for awhile before returning to our group to carve sandstone.

After lunch 2 of us decided to diverge from the group “hike” and go for a real hike of our own. The view from the top of the crater was amazing, but we wanted to find a way to get down into it. After a little exploration we found a trail leading down the cliff. Hands down this was the highlight of my weekend. Nothing compares to the desert. It is the most relaxing, serene experience. It was the sound of utter silence. A picture looks as if you cut out our heads and pasted it on a background. You feel insignificant as the cliff walls surround you and you are in the middle of a vast open crater. The joy and awe I felt at that moment is inexplicable.

Pinch Me

2008-02-09T13:34:00.000-05:00

February 7, 2008
Who does this? This is so unreal. Every once in awhile it hits me “I am here, in Jerusalem, traveling, seeing new things, and not at Penn spending all my time studying, doing the same old same old.” Granted we had 6 days of school this week rather than the usual 5, to make up for those snow days last week. But school is hardly a burden when you are done at 1:15pm and travel afterwards.

The Office of Student Activities organizes various free trips throughout the semester for international students to experience Israel. Today I went on the Caesarea trip where “archeology and history meets in one of the most romantic places in Israel Caesarea – Harbor, neighbor to the splendid Caesarea National Park learn about the periods, the places, and the people that have made Caesarea what it is today.” Sure, why not? I’ll go. And I was glad I did.

It was absolutely breathtaking. We took a walking tour through the ruins along the Mediterranean Sea, with the sun shining we didn’t even need coats. Normally I’m not a huge fan of guided tours, but this one was a wealth of interesting information. King Herod wanted a port where there wasn’t a bay, so somehow they constructed one. There was an amphitheater and hippodrome where there was free bloody entertainment for the male citizens of Caesarea, because, as King Herod figured, if they were happy and busy then they would not try to kill him. He had a fresh water pool where he poisoned his enemies and could pass it off as them drowning. He was so paranoid, in fact, that he killed his two sons so they would not steal his reign. When his wife was mad at him for this action, he killed her too. Then had an extravagant funeral for her, completed by covering her in honey. Yeah, no one really knows.

After the tour we were able to wander around on our own, and we caught the sunset over the Sea. While sharing coffee and conversation with a friend in a café overlooking the water at the end of the day, I realized why this place was considered romantic.

Mini NYC

2008-02-09T10:21:00.001-05:00

February 3, 2008
After class on Sunday we spent the evening in Tel Aviv, an hour bus ride, on Egged, from Jerusalem. It was a short trip, but long enough to let us know that we must go back. We met one of the Penn Nurses’ roommates at the bus station and we continued to walk around the city. Tel Aviv is known in

Israel

to be a miniature New York City. It attracts a much younger crowd than Jerusalem, and is more hip and modern.

We walked along, what I understood to be the first road in Israel. The walkway was wide and ran up the middle of the street with trees lining each side. It was beautiful. I love when nature and cities come together. Part A of our walk ended at Max Brenners, a chocolate café. There are now other locations across the world, but I was told it originated in Israel. We made the mistake of filling up on the dinner portion. It was delicious though. The side salads are not made with cheap ice-berg lettuce, and have an abundance of toppings. My friend tried the traditional Israeli dish, Shakshuka, for her main portion. We ordered hot chocolate in “Hug Mugs” for our drink; shaped like a raindrop you cup it in your hands and drink from the spout. Being at a chocolate café we convinced our stuffed selves that we needed to order a dessert to share. We decided on the ice cream with various chocolate toppings. Delicious.

Having officially become pregnant with food we felt the need to walk it off. Part B of our walk took us to the Mediterranean Sea. It was dark by now, but it was still beautiful and exhilarating to walk along the boardwalk next to the sand, even briefly. We hurried to catch the bus back to Jerusalem; after all, we had school in the morning.

The Outcasts

2008-02-02T10:50:00.001-05:00

February 1, 2008
Today we took a tour of Old City and the Jewish Quarter. We stood in the room where Jesus supposedly had his last supper. The tour ended at the Western Wall. It is divided into two gender sides with the much larger division being the men’s. I overheard other girls on our tour expressing their anger at how much smaller the women’s side was, but my friend turned to me and said they are lucky the women even have a side. Here Jews were praying, reading their Torah out loud, swaying up and down, burying their faces in their Torah, pressing themselves against the wall. There are pieces of paper stuck in the wall that have people’s prayers written on them. It was a really interesting place to observe and people watch. Old City is a historically significant place for many different religions; however, I feel like a lot of the meaning and history is lost on me as I am not religious.

Some people might refer to it as culture shock. I’m not sure if that is exactly what I am experiencing, but it is different being in Israel without being Jewish. They have such a strong community that everyone studying abroad here knows each other through someone somehow. All except our little group of Penn nurses. The topic comes up somehow in every conversation where I hesitantly admit, “no I am not Jewish”, and the response is usually something like “oh.” At least we have each other.

Being an outsider in this particular region is not necessarily a bad thing. We have a whole different perspective on the whole Arab-Israeli conflict. It is really quite disturbing the little derogatory comments we hear in everyday conversation. But we are having difficulty with what we can do with those comments. We are outsiders, so on one hand, do we even have a place to say “this is wrong”? But on the other hand we have a valuable unbiased perspective. Will our views impact any one person and make a difference? Or will we lose friends by opening our mouths? We feel like we have gone back prior to the Civil Rights Movement in America. It is a frustrating situation.

Symbolic Snowballs

2008-02-02T06:08:00.001-05:00

January 31, 2008
The second snow day finished off our first week of school with two days of Hebrew and 4 days off. The sun (shemesh!) came out today and I peered out my window to discover that I can see the Dead Sea and all the way to the hills of

Jordan

! We decided to go for a walk around the rim of campus.

Groups of kids and whole families drove out to the top of the hill to play in the snow. I’ve decided that the city of Jerusalem does not shut down because they can’t handle snow, but because they don’t find it necessary to continue on with daily life and business when there is snow. Especially since it is so rare, they might as well enjoy it when they have the chance. What a concept.

On our walk we met a group of 10-13 year old boys throwing snowballs at passing cars. The girls that crossed to walk on the other side of the street were left alone, while a friend and I who stayed on the same side got pelted with snowballs. But really, what did I expect? We threw some back in good fun and moved along. What I did not expect was to be followed by a few of these boys trying to put their arms around us and kiss us. Repetition of “No! Lo! La!” finally warded them off. My friend explained “American tourists/Israelis never interact with Arabs, and so there are no definite rules for that kind of interaction.” I will address this concept more in depth later.

We continued on our walk to pass by two older boys, I cringed as one walked toward me with a snowball in hand, anticipating being pummeled in the face. To my surprise and delight he just placed the snowball in my hands, as if it were a gift. This brightened my spirits and I decided to attribute the previous behavior simply to them being obnoxious 12 year old boys.

With every step around the rim we exclaimed “this is such a beautiful view” and stopped to take pictures. We threw some more snowballs with eager kids and adults, and were victims of a drive-by snowballing. One car that drove past had a mini snowman sitting on the top of the hood complete with a scarf while the driver had a huge grin behind the wheel. Once the fun turned into cold we headed back to the Student Village to warm up with some tea.

Sheleg!

2008-01-30T11:25:00.001-05:00

Snow in Jerusalem? What? This snow resulted in my first snow day since high school. Jerusalem is definitely not prepared for any amount of snow. Weather forecasts of a possible snow storm sent the city into chaos. My school kept sending us emails and SMS (text messages) warning us that class might be cancelled Wednesday and to make sure to stock up on groceries, because the whole city would shut down at the slightest sign of snow.

Doubting that there would actually be snow, yet still hopeful, we decided to go out to the Village Bar (on the first floor of the dorm next door) for Tuesday night karaoke and a girls’ night out. It was empty at first, but packed with other hopeful students in just a matter of time. We had a great time turning the bar into our own club, dancing and singing along to the music. I went up with a new friend and sang Ricky Martin’s “She Bangs” while our other friends and roommate sang “Lady Marmalade.” It was nothing short of hilarious.

As we left the bar the snow was coming down. Shouts of “sheleg, sheleg!” resounded across the student village as we skipped and jumped around in the falling snow.

An SMS this morning answered our hopes “Following the windy forecast there will be no classes today at the Hebrew University and in Rothberg International School.” A relaxing day of sleeping in, chatting in PJs and watching movies followed. Now we are just watching the snow hoping for no class tomorrow. What a hard life.

Hebrew…Go!

2008-01-30T11:15:00.001-05:00

Talk about returning to Kindergarten. Ulpan started on Monday, which means I am in Hebrew class 5 hours a day, speaking, reading, and writing nothing but Hebrew. It is actually pretty impressive how you can learn a language solely through pictures, gestures and repetition, and of course a patient friendly teacher. Having never even seen Hebrew before Monday, I was a bit overwhelmed. Completely different alphabet, different sounds, print and script writing, not to mention reading/writing from right to left. Wow. So here I am back to kindergarten sounding out words letter by letter. Sounding like I am coughing up mucus trying to get the correct pronunciation. Oh well, I am learning. It has only been two days after all, and who doesn’t wish they were still in Kindergarten?

First Shabbat

2008-01-29T09:16:00.001-05:00

January 25, 2008
Up and at it relatively early we spent the first half of the day at Mahane Yehuda (the Jewish shuk). This was an amazing experience. Mahane Yehuda is a huge outdoor market with so many vendors selling fresh produce, dried fruits, nuts, pasta, hand-made hummus, cheese, bread, and all sorts of miscellaneous household items. We walked around for about 3 hours listening to shouting vendors competing for consumers, maneuvering through the packed aisles, and stocking up on delicious Israeli foods. All of this in the morning of course, because this was Friday, Shabbat, where everything shuts down completely in the afternoon until Saturday at sunset.

After getting locked into campus after using the internet we wandered around trying to find an open gate. The campus beautiful and full of cats just like the US is full of squirrels. They are adorable and look well-fed. I am a little weary of petting them though. We finally got out and had to walk a round about way back to the Student Village (the new set of dorms). On our way we stood and overlooked a small Arab village with children playing soccer in the streets, clothes hanging on lines outside, and a horse hanging out in a backyard. With the campus up on a hill (Mount Scopus) we have great views all around.

I dragged myself out of bed from a nap (still recovering from jet lag) to make it to a free Shabbat dinner. This was put on in one of the dorms by a Jewish group on campus, who apparently are very welcoming at first but eventually want you to become more and more Jewish (according to a friend we met). It was an hilarious first Shabbat experience. It began with singing in Hebrew, then we all went to “wash” our hands. Traditionally you wash your hands before eating the bread by pouring water over each hand with a basin 3 times. Things started to get interesting when the Rabbi went around to each person pouring Vodka shots or mixes with cherry liquor, which quite frankly just tasted like cold syrup. Not to mention pouring some for himself. The food passed out was not very good quality, but gave me a general idea of the types of foods served. Although our table did not get much variety as they ran out of food before reaching us. At one point we had to “de-fishify” the table, discarding anything that touched fish. Throughout all of the eating the Rabbi was singing songs, banging on the table, and drinking vodka. At one point he attempted to make a speech, standing on his chair, cradling the empty bottle of vodka, and rambling on about the “metaphysical” and the “finite and infinite” claiming that “believe it or not, I am making sense right now.” I was assured multiple times that this was not a typical Shabbat dinner and that Rabbis usually hold their liquor a lot better.

The dinner was still a lot of fun, and we met 2 Israeli students who go to Hebrew University (this is rare since we are surrounded by other international students attending the Rothberg International School at Hebrew U. We invited them up to our apartment after dinner and ended up talking until late. They were fun and nice and we discussed our different cultures.

There is a lot that I do not yet understand. I still have so much to learn about Israel, Judaism and their respective traditions and cultures, and am looking forward to it!

No Sleep Allowed

2008-01-29T08:48:00.001-05:00

January 24, 2008
The pitting dread and sadness turned into excitement as we drove from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The scenery was beautiful, like I have only before seen in pictures and movies. This excitement quickly dissolved when we got to Hebrew University campus. We were shuttled like cattle from room to disorganized room waiting in line after line getting room assignments and filling out paperwork. All of this after an overnight flight landing at 7am. And so the sleep deprivation continued as we had to stay up for a mandatory Academic Orientation at 4pm, which was pointless because I kept drifting off and didn’t remember a single thing. We finally meandered back to our apartments at 6pm during which I apparently managed to fall asleep while still walking. Back at the apartment I showered, unpacked, almost had a sleep-deprived sad breakdown from looking at pictures, realized that things will be so much better after a good night’s sleep, and went to bed at 9pm. I could not have gotten through this day if I were not with my fellow nurses.

The Israel Chronicles Begin

2008-01-29T08:09:00.002-05:00

Disclaimer: I was without internet almost the first week in Israel, but I wrote journal entries that I am now posting.

January 23, 2008
After a brief bittersweet pit-stop in Philadelphia to say one last goodbye to people close to me I was on my way to

Israel

. I did not know what to make of it all as the 4 of us Penn Nursing students drove away from campus to catch our flight at Newark airport. The sleep deprivation due to very few hours of sleep the previous 3 nights wanting to make the most of my time left in the States may have had something to do with it.

El Al’s reputation of having the tightest security held true. We were questioned before checking in at the ticket counter. Then while waiting to board the plane they pulled aside what I assume were all of the non-Jews (determined by the prior questioning), did a complete search of our carry-on bags, and took shoe swabs. After we passed the test they escorted us one by one to the already boarded plane.

The 10.5 hour plane ride was not as bad as I had anticipated. We each had our own T.V. so I watched the new version of Hairspray (not as good as the original in my opinion) and Moulin Rouge, played Tetris, and slept. The food was yummy and the service great. As we descended into Tel Aviv I looked out the window and got a pitting feeling in my stomach “Wow, I am actually going to be spending the next 4 months of my life here.”

Shoes made out of snow?

2008-01-19T01:34:00.002-05:00

Well, not quite. But snowshoeing is a pretty good substitute.

I went with a friend and her mom. They rented snowshoes from Joe's (the store formerly known as GI Joe's) for just $11 per day per snowshoe set. I had no idea you could rent outdoor sporting equipment from Joe's, but it sure is a handy option if you enjoy outdoor sports but not to the point of investing in your own equipment. Poles were included with the rental, but we chose to forgo them. We set out driving East on Highway 22 toward Santiam Pass in the quest for snow. A stop at the Ranger Station pointed us toward McCoy CreekPark, a snow park popular for snowmobiles. After a stop in Detroit for a snow park pass we were ready to go.

We were the only ones in the park (one of the perks of being on winter break after everyone else is back at school and work). The trek was an unanticipated continuous uphill, but I got used to it after the first 15 minutes. The entire trail is supposedly 8 miles, but we just hiked for 2 hours. It was beautiful weather: blue skies and sun in the snowy forest. It was chilly, but it only took a little while for us to start stripping off layers. Once we got high enough up the mountain we had a spectacular view.

Snowshoeing is a great alternative form of exercising. It is enjoyable, yet I can still feel the soreness starting to set it...

The Land of Happy Cows

2008-01-16T01:28:00.000-05:00

I did in fact see cows during my trip to California this Winter break, though I could not judge their happiness due to a certain lack of recognizable facial expressions. What I can say with certainty is that NorCal is a great place to visit. A quick inexpensive Southwest Ding flight from Portland, OR to Oakland had me on my way. A special someone met me at the airport and we were stationed at his family's home in Clayton for the duration of my week. It is a cute modern version of the old western mining town it once was.

The day after my arrival we took BART into San Francisco. Here I retrieved my Israel Student Visa, met up with another friend, and then continued to wander around the city on foot. We made it to City Hall, the Financial District, Chinatown, and Fishermen's Wharf. Walking all day called for a few pit stops: lunch at a mall food court serving "gourmet" food on real dishes, coffee at Peet's Coffee & Tea, and for dinner hot fudge sundaes at Ghirardelli Square (of course). It was a wonderful day ended with a relaxing evening walking on the beach seeing the city lights reflected on the damp ground.

The next and longest stop was Truckee, a small mountain town filled with vacation homes and snowy forests. It provided serenity and an escape. Truckee's proximity to both Tahoe and Reno (both about a 35-45 minute drive away) provided for fun day trips. I had never before been to a casino, so quality all-you-can-eat sushi at Atlantis followed by a free trapeze show at Circus Circus made for an adventure. Not to mention the classic activity of bowling created a memorable Reno experience. On the way to Tahoe we stopped by Squaw Valley to walk around. This gave me a taste of the ski resort atmosphere without actually having to hit the slopes. Lake Tahoe itself was expansive and calm. A walk along the water's edge lead to a pathetic snow-angel making attempt (the snow was icy) and an impromptu snow fight.

Back in Clayton for the last day of my trip we hiked up Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve trail, where we hung out with grazing cows and admired a view down across the country (with wind turbines in the distance). The day was topped off with his little brother's basketball game (1st place in their league!) and a family game of Cranium.

If that wasn't an amazing vacation, I don't know what is. Although I am not going to lie: the company sure helped.

Semester in review

2007-12-24T02:59:00.000-05:00

A week ago I sat at a restaurant for lunch with a few close friends. Three of us were nursing students. Over the semester we have bonded on a level very different than our peers. As 20 year olds we have seen and had to deal with things that most people do not have to deal with in their entire lifetime: The emotions that come with lifelong and sudden illnesses, the damage a silly accident can cause, caring for people who can not care for themselves. It is a total immersion intense learning experience.

I felt the urge to remark about our semester together. Here is the gist of my summary:
This semester has been the hardest so far. It has been painful, intense, busy, but we learned a lot - and now it is over!

Fighting a silent battle

2007-12-22T20:43:00.000-05:00

No, this is not commendable like Ghandi. Instead I am referring to stabs using technology. Computers have killed our communication skills with each other and promoted passive aggressive behavior. In the past two months I have been frustrated, annoyed, hurt, and eventually humored by such trivial things as Instant Messenger away messages and Facebook statuses. Honestly...who would have thought? Whether it be painfully specific messages that I ask myself "why?" or impressively vague messages that my mind spins in the worst possible way, it is all in the shadows. You might not see anything going on face to face, smiles all around - but under the table there are these subtle stabs.

I have not done much better. While I chose not to "stoop to that level" I have successfully avoided confrontation. I excuse my behind the back talking to "getting it off my chest" and "venting" to friends that I trust. While this is necessary for emotional support and my own sanity, I'm not sure I can necessarily call it more mature. Here I am, again, talking about it - no matter how vague - online. One friend brightened my spirits by pointing out how humorous the situation really was. The passive aggressive behavior has pretty much subsided, as talk has passed from person to person, but it still bothers me. I do not even know if any of it was actually targeted at me. It is quite possible that I am just jealous and paranoid.

I am not proud of this.

Speaking of Judaism...

2007-12-18T04:44:00.000-05:00

Today I sent in my application for my student visa...for entry into Israel. I was accepted into the semester long study abroad program at Hebrew University awhile ago. It is a special program tightly knit with Penn Nursing, so that I get all of my clinical requirements in. I have my flight set, my housing set, my program set. Now, I just need that official document.

Why Israel, you ask? Well, quite frankly, why not? No, unlike a large population of Penn, I am not Jewish and have no family there. But like I said, there is a special Nursing program offered. Penn Nursing only offers two semester study abroad options. One in England, and one in Israel. The England program, despite their keenness to high tea, was not my cup of tea. As the application deadline for study abroad in Israel came near, I realized I would regret it if I did not go. Studying abroad is one of the opportunities you can only experience in college. Sure, there is a travel advisory warning to Israel, but I am not worried. This will be a completely different culture and experience than I could ever imagine. The adventure will begin at the end of January. The anticipation is enormous!

Community

2007-12-18T04:20:00.001-05:00

While shopping for our Secret Santa gifts in center city, a friend and I were intrigued by music playing in Rittenhouse Square. Naturally, we headed over to the park to see what was going on. As it turns out it was the second night of Chanukah. There was a tent designed as a dreidel, with traditional food being served out front. People gathered around to sing songs as the make-do electric menorah was lit. A Rabbi was present to say a blessing. Afterwards kids were invited into the dreidel tent to watch a video on Chanukah and play games. My friend and I stood a bit aback, taking all of this in, and neither of us could help but smile. While we are not Jewish, the sense of community shown at this very moment was moving.

It doesn't matter what you believe, community is extremely important to a person's well-being. My community is my friends. As we sat around the next day exchanging our Secret Santa gifts the same feeling came over me - but this community was my own. As we are all apart from our families in college, our friends become our family. Love was in the air. Friend love...the most important kind. With a genuine sense of caring for each other.

Man, I didn't mean to get sappy...

There is light at the end of the tunnel

2007-11-25T13:57:00.002-05:00

My last post is actually rather funny now that I look at it. Why? Let's see...I haven't blogged in a month, because I haven't had the time. They really push nursing students to the end. In my case, to the point of becoming sick. I have 3 exams and 3 papers due in the next 2 weeks, as well as a swing show to put on. I don't really know how it is all going to get done, especially while feeling miserable. But it will - because it has to.

Take Time

2007-10-26T01:35:00.000-05:00

About 3 weeks ago Whoopi Goldberg spoke at Penn as part of the SPEC lecture series. As soon as she walked on stage the crowd of mostly college students gave a standing ovation. We were star-struck. Whoopi was standing about 30 feet away. She covered a million different topics throughout her talk, but she left us with one piece of advice. Take time. It is proof alone that it took me 3 weeks to find time to write this post, that we don't do it enough. In the fast paced - stay up late and study - society that we live in we don't have the opportunity to take time. What exactly is the point of all the hustle and bustle, all the drive and work ethic, if we don't have time to sit back and enjoy it? Exactly, there isn't one.

This past week I have finally been able to take time. To enjoy my friends and give my brain a break. It does wonders for the mental health. The hardest course (I hope) of my nursing education (Medical/Surgical Nursing for the Young and Middle Aged Adult) is finished. I had multiple breakdowns throughout, as did the other students in the class, from all the pressure, information, and high expectations. They say what doesn't kill us, makes us stronger - but why should it even seem like a plausible outcome to die from the sheer amount of work and lack of free time? I have taken Whoopi's advice to heart. Now the challenge is putting it into practice.

Restaurant Week verdicts are in

2007-10-03T22:44:00.000-05:00

Restaurant Week is one of the best inventions of Philadelphia. The best restaurants in Philadelphia offer a special price fixed 3 or 4 course menu for the bargain price of $30 (more with tax and tip). This gives the more financially challenged people like myself a chance to sample the concoctions of these talented chefs. I got the chance to sample two of the numerous restaurants. One with friends and one with my parents.Tangerine: HUGE disappointment. This Steven Starr restaurant is over-hyped. The ambiance is beautiful and creates a romantic setting, however it is so loud you have to yell across the table. The food was mediocre.

Appetizer: Wild Mushroom Risotto - the highlight of the entire meal
Bread and Pitas served - looked like they came out of a
package, cut, and served
Entree: Bouillabaisse (a fish stew) - completely void of any flavor
Dessert: Panna Cotta with sorbet - also lacking any flavor

My friends and I sat at the table after finishing, completely unsatisfied and still hungry. It was painful to pay $38 dollars total for that meal.

Patou: A modern atmosphere serving French cuisine. Food was to die for. Absolutely DELICIOUS! I would highly recommend this restaurant. Their menu for restaurant week was much more extensive (most restaurants offer about 3 choices for each course). My parents and I each ordered a different option for each course and rotated. They were all good, but I liked my choices the best.

Appetizer: Fricasee (pan-roasted wild mushrooms)
Freshly baked warm rolls with a olive oil/pesto dip
Entree: Striped Bass (w/ carrot flan and green lentil ragout)
Dessert: Warmed Pear w/ Chocolate drizzle, whipped cream, and sorbet
Drink: Pear Sangria - I actually liked it, which is saying a lot

Lemon Grass: Admittedly not actually part of restaurant week, it is a cute little Thai restaurant just off of campus in West Philadelphia. More in my price-range than the restaurant week restaurants, and much better than Tangerine. The dishes had awesome names, which we each decided to take on as our own. I was the Vegetarian Lover. We also had the Evil Jungle Princess, the Tutti Fruity Duck, the Sensual Salmon, and the Young Girl on Fire. The flavors and spices were delicious, and it was a nice way to end the busy week catching up with friends and not thinking about work.

Get culture, and get out.

2007-09-26T20:45:00.000-05:00

Those are two things you need to do if you live in a city such as Philadelphia.

As I have mentioned in previous posts, Philadelphia is full of culture. However, I can narrow that down even more, and say that the University of Pennsylvania is full of culture. To a large extent Penn consists of an upper middle class population. But everyone has a heritage and background. This past weekend I went to see a friend perform in Penn's South Asia Society Mini-Cultural Show. Eleven groups each performed one piece. Music, dance, even drama groups centered around the Indian culture, which I completely admire. Several of the groups are renowned on and off campus. Dhamaka is an all male Indian dance group. You can never overestimate the attractiveness of a man who can dance. Penn Masala is an all male a-cappella group. They go on tours doing their own renditions of well-known songs - with beautiful voices. Each cultural group has so much to offer. This free show provided a wonderful taste of South Asian culture.

Getting out of the city is a necessary part of living in it. All those stresses and fumes of city life can really get to your head. This past Sunday my dorm organized a trip to Linvilla Orchards for apple picking. Breathing fresh air and walking through the rows of apple trees was so relaxing. Taking a bite out of a freshly picked apple brought back simplicity. It is a great field-trip for your mental health. After apple-picking we wandered over to their pumpkin land. Pony rides, hay rides, mazes, farm animals, and of course a gift shop and country store were available for exploration. Fall has arrived, and it sure is beautiful (and deliciously fresh).

Green is my favorite color

2007-09-13T21:21:00.000-05:00

With the start of a new school year, working as a Move-In Coordinator, and living in a dorm, I have had my share of interaction with freshmen. When asked what a freshman that she met was like, my friend responded simply with "he's so....green." I look at them - bright smiles of excitement and exploration, curiosity and bewilderment - and I wonder when I became so jaded. I am jealous of their naivety and their fresh start. It's sad really. I feel old saying "if I knew then what I know now..." but it is true. I have recently been talking to new people outside my "circle of friends" and I've realized that I can get along with a whole range of people. The friends we make freshmen year seem to be by chance. I see freshmen cling to each other just so that they are not alone. Little do they know that they will all make very good friends anyway. I guess my advice for future freshman is not to freak out about making new friends, meet as many people as possible, and see who you click with most. Good friends take time.

On another green note - a friend and I attended the Philly Green Fest this past Sunday on South Street. I was glad to see how many people were out checking out the various information booths on living green. I felt somewhat helpless living in a dorm and not having control over the environmental sustainability of my living situation. However, I took some comfort in the fact that I use Philly Car Share, they even have a large number of hybrid vehicles in their fleet. I highly recommend these car share deals. Flexcar is another option, and is operational nationwide. Solar Panels are also in my future. My super tall friend had fun dropping an egg on a spread of recycled tires used for playgrounds instead of bark dust. And we correctly answered three questions about littering/recycling to win a prize! A litterbug was walking around the festival for photo opportunities. One thing that disturbed me was a man making a food sculpture. It looked awesome, but it was such a waste of quality vegetables - potatoes, squash, carrots, eggplants. I couldn't help but think of the numerous homeless people I pass each day that would benefit from that food. It did not belong at the green fest.

At the Green Fest I also picked up a flyer for the Divine Bike Church. Awesome idea. Open Tues, Thurs, and Sundays from 6:30-9pm and Wednesday for women and transvestites only. They are located in the basement of St. Mary's Church right on Penn's campus. They mostly provide the tools to fix up your bikes, but they also sell used bikes and parts. I picked myself up a beautiful old bike with a basket named Sunshine (it is scratched on the frame) and they walked me through changing the brake cable, setting the gears, and changing a tire. A functioning bike - all from recycled parts - and all for $36.

Green is a beautiful thing.

Picture Perfect

2007-08-28T21:37:00.000-05:00

"Isn't this just great" my dad kept repeating. He was right. Somehow the family (the four of us) was all together again for the first time in a year. We were sitting outdoors of a restaurant right on the beach in Pacific City, OR . The Ocean looked like a lake, next to still. Haystack rock was standing alone in the water, watching over the inlet. The dunes that we had climbed prior to dinner were gleaming off to the side, framing the ocean view. We felt as if we were looking at a piece of art. Toast and enjoy the moment.

Pink- Dear Mr President - Live

2007-08-08T14:02:00.001-05:00

2007-08-08T12:58:00.000-05:00

You'd never take a walk with me, would you?

The lyrics sung by Pink in her song "Dear Mr. President" are so beautifully put. Very different from her more popular songs, in which she tends to sound angry and loud, "Mr. President" sounds genuine and soft. After hearing this song for the first time and multiple times thereafter in Europe, I couldn't help but wonder: Why have I not heard this song, out since December 2006, in the country whose administration it refers to?

After polling a few of my friends, I got one "I think I heard it once during spring break," one "I might have heard the concept of the song," and one response by a devil's advocate saying "it's an old song, why would it be playing now?" (By the way - I've only been hearing old songs on the radio lately - where is the new music?). The rest had never heard of it. And believe me, if my liberal group of friends has not heard this song, the vast majority of America has not either.

As I was snuggled all warm in my bed, visions of censorship danced in my head. I had to investigate...was this our government preventing the American population from hearing this song? Afraid it would put ideas of dislike of our president in the remaining 25% of people who still approve of him? Or is it just the patriotic loyalty through thick and thin causing Americans to not want to even hear the song?

I decided to email the program director of one of the local Portland, OR radio stations (105.1 The Buzz) and ask. I was pleased with the promptness and kindness of the response:

Thanks for your note. That's a good question because that's a good
song. I'm not sure if the music label might have had a different
marketing strategy for that song overseas than here, given the
difference in politics. Yours is the first request we've had for it, so
maybe other people will catch on to it and it'll become popular as time
goes on.

You may not be aware of this, but it is remarkably hard for us to just
pick music off of CDs and play it, hoping that it will become popular.
We certainly don't play what the record labels tell us to, but unless
the music labels are hyping music with videos on VH1, billboards and bus
signs, clips on "Grey's Anatomy" and etc, we have a hard time making a
song a hit if we are the only media outlet playing it. It's possible,
but harder than it would seem.

Anyway, please keep us in mind when you hear good music that we should
consider. I'll make sure that our music director knows that you like
that song!

Jeff McHugh
Program Director

I'm not sure why the music label would have different marketing strategies for different countries - or no marketing strategy for this one at all - but that is one world I know absolutely nothing about. I can only guess what is going on with Pink's brave practice of free speech (we all remember what happened to the Dixie Chicks when the spoke out against the president), but I really hope that people stand up for the rights that they still have.

Conclusion: Europe does a lot of things a lot better.

Back in the States

2007-08-03T02:13:00.000-05:00

After 3 full, and I mean full, weeks of traveling with my sister around Europe I am back home in Oregon. Great trip, but good to be home and rest a bit.

Here is the rest of trip briefly:

Day 9: July 20, 2007
-Slept in...what an amazing concept.
** Went pedal boating on lake Lugano and jumped in the lake.
-Ate gelati and relaxed
-Saw free outdoor concert (popular hits band) in the center.
Day 10: July 21, 2007
-Walked around Lugano
-Saw sister's school
-Shopped
Day 11: July 22, 2007
-Laundry day
-Day trip to Como, Italy
-Went to Volta museum (guy who invented batteries and conducted experiments on frogs)
-Visited the Duomo
-Went on a boat trip across Lake Como
-Saw WWII Memorial
Day 12: July 23, 2007
-Train to Firenze, Italy (Florence).
-Stayed at beautiful hostel Villa Camarata set away from the city in nature.
-Walked around the city seeing the colorful Duomo, Michaelangelo's house, and Pointe Vecchio.
-Ate a lot of gelati.
-Rubbed the boar's nose to ensure our return to Firenze.
** Had dinner at a restaurant with live Jazz music on the river, and got free drinks from the handsome flirty waiter.
Day 13: July 24, 2007
-Day trip to Pisa, Italy.
-Went to outdoor market and bought exotic dried fruits (made me feel sick) and nougat.
-Walked around the Duomo, old city walls and Leaning tower of Pisa.
**Climbed to the top of the leaning tower!!! Very trippy and scary experience, but well worth it.
-Returned to Firenze and toured the city some more - saw lots of statues.
Day 14: July 25, 2007
-Left Firenze early for train to Milano, Italy.
** Climbed on top of the roof of the Duomo and wandered around. Awesome view and way to see the cathedral. Beautiful.
-Ate Gelati (see a trend here).
-Went to the Galleria with lots of expensive stores and a McDonalds Cafe - so upscale.
-Kicked the bull in the balls and spun on them for good luck.
-Took train back to Lugano.
Day 15: July 26, 2007
-Walked around Lake Lugano.
-Ate the "best Swiss Turkish Kabob".
- Watched sailboat races.
-Ran errands
-Took train to Balsthal, Switzerland and stayed with sister's friend.
Day 16: July 27, 2007
-Drove past Interlachen to the Swiss Alps village Grindewald and the top of Europe.
-Took train halfway up to little tourist village in Alps.
-Ate Cheese fondue.
-Listened to the Alp Horn.
** Hiked around area. Breathtaking view and lots of cows and mountain goats.
-Drove back to Balsthal and went to random birthday dinner party for sister's friend's student.
Day 17: July 28, 2007
-Took train to Frankfurt, Germany.
-Picked up and taken to distant relatives (4th cousins) house.
-Hung out with cousin and his friends watching tv, movies, and playing poker (I won one hand! yay!). They had a "whiskey fetish" with at least 12 different kinds of whiskey out on the table.
Day 18: July 29, 2007
-Raining.
-Took a boat trip on the Rhine river.
** Hiked up to explore 2 different castles.
-Had Bratwurst and Saurkraut for lunch on the boat.
Day 19: July 30, 2007
-Sister's last day.
-Walked around Massenheim, Germany - where the cousins live.
-Went into Frankfurt in the evening with whole big extended family.
-Went to top of 2nd highest skyscraper in Frankfurt (very modern-day city) for a great view for miles.
-Had drinks in a tavern that opened in the 1470s.
-Walked across pedestrian bridge over river to see the city by night.
Day 20: July 31, 2007
-Took sister to train station for a tearful goodbye.
-Sight-seeing trip to Weisbaden with 2 cousins and other American guest.
-Had the "Best German Turkish kabob".
-Hiked up hill for a good view.
-Walked around the city and stopped for coffee in a cafe to chat with cousin.
Day 21: Aug 1, 2007
-Flew home to Salem, Oregon.
** Read Harry Potter on the plane!

** = My favorites

As my sister said, "This isn't vacation, this is travel."

The cradle of civilization - as one might call it

2007-07-20T08:28:00.000-05:00

I feel the need to jot down what I have done in Europe thus far - before I forget. It has been a busy busy first week.

Day 1: July 12, 2007
-Reunited with friend and sister.
-Walked aimlessly in Paris, France w/ sister, saw Arc de Triumph had coffee at a cafe, got lost, found our way again.
** Had dinner on the Eiffel tower. Amazing view, atmosphere, and company.
-Sat on steps outside Eiffel tower and watched fire dancers.
Day 2: July 13th, 2007
-Walked down Champs de Elysees to the Touilerees.
-Sat by the Seine.
-Went to Notre Dame - it is way too touristy and loud. I mean, I am not religious at all, but I can respect and be quiet in a cathedral.
-Got into the Louvre for free (under 26 after 6pm on fridays).
** Had dinner on Monmarte - very cute area. Sat on the hill overlooking Paris watching fireworks set off by boys in the street, as well as bigger ones all over the city.
-Walked to Moulin Rouge/Red light district.
-Had a drink in the lively Latin Quarter.
Day 3: July 14th, 2007
-Bastille Day! Woke up to watch the parade down the Champs de Elysees complete with the president, french army, music, and the air brigade. Mostly just saw bobbing heads through the crowd.
-Took train to Brussels, Belgium to stay with forementioned friend and his family.
Day 4: July 15th, 2007
-Saw Brussels, its Plaza, important buildings, Mantequin Pis (statue/fountain of a boy peeing), etc.
-Learned about the divisions of Belgium (French, Flemish, and German/ Catholic and atheist) and the 3 things that make it famous (chocolate, waffles, and lace).
Day 5: July 16th, 2007
-Took train to Brugge.
-Went on Canal trip through Brugge - cute town.
-Saw Harry Potter movie.
Day 6: July 17th, 2007
-Went to Museum of Musical Instruments in Brussels - most entertaining museum have been to in a while, because they give you headphones that play music when you stand in front of certain instruments.
** Walked around Brussels with sister being touristy, touched statue to give me good luck, had famous Belgian waffle and chocolate.
-Ate the famous mussels in Brussels at the famous Chez Leon restaurant.
-Drove to Waterloo to see the battlefields and mound.
Day 7: July 18th, 2007
** Left Brussels and friend for Amsterdam. I am going to live there, everyone was riding bikes with baskets all over the place.
-Took the hop on hop off canal boat trip to various sites.
-Walked through the Van Gogh museum.
-Saw outside of Anne Frank's house - difficult to determine what exactly was her house, because it all looked very modern, and the line was over an hour long to get inside (we couldn't wait, because we had a train to catch).
-Wandered around the city and saw cool buildings.
-Took the night train to Zurich, shared a sleeper car with 5 other people, one of who snored.
Day 8: July 19th, 2007
-Arrived in Zurich, Switzerland in the morning.
** Walked along the beautiful lake for hours.
-Ate the pretzels filled with meat.
-Went inside churches with stiking stained glass windows.
-Climbed up hill to park with good view, swang.
-Saw part of kindercircus show.
-Took train to Lugano, Switzerland, where sister currently lives.

Summary: having an amazing time!!!

"If we can find money to kill people, we can find money to help people."

2007-07-10T22:40:00.000-05:00

What a concept. People helping out other people. Healthcare should be a basic human right. What is freedom, if you aren't healthy to enjoy it. All the issues surrounding the United States healthcare system that are dear to my heart were exposed in Michael Moore's most recent documentary Sicko. I don't care that so many people thing he is over the top and one-sided, he is an excellent reporter that digs deep for information. He got into Cuba for heaven sakes.

This film needs to be watched by everyone in America. It made things I already knew about the healthcare industry and insurance companies real. It magnifies the stereotypical greed of Americans and the U.S. government. If it is not for a profit, then it is pointless. People's lives are not pointless.

I won't go into a whole rant, because I would just be reitterating the points made in the movie. But one thing I do want to add: as I was in the bathroom after the movie I head someone say "My doctor needs to see that movie." It is not the doctors. It is not the healthcare professionals (for the most part). It is the system. It is the insurance companies and politicians. The doctor's hands are tied. Some major reform needs to take place.

Part of me wants to practice nursing in another country where I can give the best care to every patient, while the other part of me wants to fight within the healthcare system here in the U.S. for reform.

For now though, I am off for a 3 week European vacation. To countries with socialized, free, unverisal healthcare. I am super excited to go exploring with my friend and my sister. Wish me a safe trip, and if not, at least I will be taken care of - no strings attached.

I'm seeing stars

2007-07-09T01:32:00.001-05:00

Quite a contrast to the light pollution of the city. I spent the past weekend camping by the North Santiam river with 4 friends. It was beautiful, peaceful, and fun-filled. We did the traditional cooking over the campfire with chicken and vegetable kabobs, followed later by banana boats and s'mores. Played cards and chatted by the fire until bed. The girls woke up early Saturday morning for a run, and we all continued to fill the day with a water fight, volleyball, kayaking, and a little hike while the boys went fishing. After dinner we all laid out on an open field looking at the stars. It was very striking. We could see the milky way and a million stars so that constellations no longer stood out. Apparently there were a few shooting stars too - but my gaze was never lucky enough to catch one. Although, I'm not quite sure what I would wish for at this point had I seen one. I am pretty darn happy. I am at home in nature. Even so I am jokingly called Sacajawea by my friends because of the way I kayak. While sitting around the campfire our last night - a friend looked over at me and commented that I looked very happy. All I was doing was staring off into space.

All you need to do is come to Oregon and see how beautiful it is, and you will understand why I am so passionate about the environment. Hug a tree.

Oregon is west, afterall

2007-07-05T19:28:00.001-05:00

Yee-haw! What better day to go to the St. Paul Rodeo than Independence Day? My family has done it three consecutive years now - so naturally, it is a tradition. My parents treated me and three of my "poor starving college student" friends to the afternoon rodeo show - so we were able to share our enthusiasm.

My favorite events include: bull riding, cow milking, and wild horse chase. In the latter, grown men are being dragged around by these wild horses. They chase after them, try to put a saddle on and ride them through the gate. Not too successful, but pretty darn hilarious.

Watching the cowboys made me long for the days when I rode horses. They really are beautiful creatures. I would give anything right now to be able to saddle one up (western style, of course) and ride off into the wilderness. Just me and my horse. Extremely peaceful...

Oh, and I wouldn't mind a cowboy either.

I am addicted to ice cream

2007-07-01T20:17:00.000-05:00

Funny how I've lived in Philly for 2 years now, and I have never done any touristy activities. I do love Philly for its rich history, but I have never really thought about exploring that aspect of it. For example, what is the big deal about the Liberty Bell anyway? It is a big bell. With a crack. The crack isn't even significant - it is from moving the bell. The bell itself doesn't really have a story behind it - it is simply a symbol. But, while walking by these historical monuments and centers with friends on our way from ethnic restaurant of the week night (The Banana Leaf - Malaysian..yum) to gospel and the Super Scooper at Penn's Landing (to benefit the Joshua Kahan Fund) we goofed off and acted a bit touristy. And you know what...it was fun. We made a pact to do one fun event every week next semester (easier said than done) - and maybe some of those events will be visiting these historic centers and buildings and learning more about the city we go to school in.In other news: I am back in Salem for a week. Let Phase 2 of my summer break begin. Went to the World Beat Festival with some friends. Danced to some Nigerian drumming. Realized how nerdy/cute my little city is. We really aren't very diverse - but we pride ourselves on having the "Best cultural heritage event" in Oregon. Delta just started flying 2 small planes a day into our small private airport, and I got to fly on one of them! Everyone was standing outside the gate while our plane pulled in and waved at us as we were stepping out of the plane onto the runway. Almost as if the president had arrived or something. It made me chuckle a bit. Even though Salem is the capital, it is still a small enough town were we can be nerdy - and that is just fine.

My childhood playground

2007-06-25T22:31:00.000-05:00

"Dirty Jersey," "The armpit of America." I could care less about the nicknames assigned to the state of New Jersey. To me Jersey is a place of wonderful childhood memories: carefree running around, beach sisters, huge holes dug in the sand, crepe-paper decorated bicycles, parades, ice cream trucks, sandcastles, mini-golf, moving tides, fishing, dance routines, surries, Indian poker, librarian, shell in hole, hammocks, and walks on the beach.
Now, over a decade after those annual summer days at the beach house I was able to return to my childhood playground. Wonderful is the word I would choose to describe it. It would seem that we packed a lot into a day, but it was all done in a leisurely style. I brought 6 friends along with me via Philly Car Share to experience the shore at Beach Haven, Long Beach Island. We laid out on the beach, built a sandcastle, buried one of us, swam in the ocean, played mini golf, BBQ'ed, and to top the day off we went to Show Place, a musical ice cream parlor where the waiters match the wallpaper (aka - the best place in the world).

Another thing I noticed while returning to my roots: these people, this environment really contributed to who I am today. This somewhat surprised me - being away for so long. But as we went around the dinner table answering questions that bordered the line between interview/curious and interrogation, I found that my beliefs very closely matched those of my parents' old friends. I am finding out more and more everyday why I am how I am.

On another note: BEACH!!!

It's like they know me...

2007-06-20T20:42:00.000-05:00

It all makes sense now. I just took the Myers-Briggs online type-indicator personality test. Turns out I am an INTJ. Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging. Man, whoever wrote that description knows me better than I know myself.

Also, my good friend who I love going on random walks and getaways to NYC with, who I always comment about how "we understand each other" is also an INTJ. So, of course we understand each other. The two of us help comprise the 1% of the population who are the "Mastermind" INTJs. Only 1 percent. Wow. We are a unique breed. I feel kind of special.

But it makes me wonder: maybe all of the people and their actions that I don't think make "sense" or consider irrational really aren't that off. Things that occur to me and bother me don't occur to other people. Sooo...am I the odd ball?

And for those who have to deal with me, here are some tips

I don't even have a mastercard...

2007-06-17T22:53:00.000-05:00

Round trip Chinatown bus ride from Philly to NYC: $25.00
Crashing at a friend's dorm room: $0
Nighttime walk around Central Park: $0
Horse carriage ride for 4 people: $40
Improv Comedy show with audience participation for 3: $20
Picture with the Naked Cowboy in Times Square: $0
Eating out at NY restaurants: $50
6 ride Metro Card: $10

"Spontaneous" weekend getaway to an alternate reality: priceless

I feel yummy

2007-06-14T22:18:00.000-05:00

Ethnic restaurant of the week was probably one of the best ideas we've ever had. This week we decided on Kabul, an Afghan BYOB. It was sooooo good. I called in advance and reserved the taqh - which is a raised area with Afghan rugs and pillows. We removed our shoes and lounged on the cushioned floor around our "table" of a cloth in front of us, picnic style. It was a great experience. Dimmed lighting, with Middle Eastern music and a mural painted on the wall behind us really set the seen. And the food. Oh my goodness, the food was delicious. As we all took our first bites it was a murmur of "mmmmmms." I am still so happy at the thought of the food. The lamb was so tender, the saffron rice so sweet, the spices perfect.

It was a beautiful walk to the restaurant as well. Situated in old city right by Penn's Landing, it was a bit of a trek. However the city really seems to come alive in the summer. So many people were bustling about, and greenery lined the streets, really bringing out Philly's beauty that was hidden all winter.

I probably shouldn't have eaten my whole meal. I am quite full right now. But my goodness, do I feel yummy. I can't wait until next week. I wonder where we'll decide to go - the options are endless.

"I wish I was black"

2007-06-10T18:51:00.000-05:00

I remember having this conversation with a good friend from home. When we were younger, reading the American Girl books, Addy's stories were our favorites. We hated white people for doing such terrible things to the blacks, to Addy and her family. We didn't want to be associated with those mean, racist people. We wanted to suffer along with Addy.

I was reminded of this idea today. My boss was talking about the Odunde festival , so I decided to pay it a visit on my way to the Italian market, where I get my produce each week. As soon as I hit the area where the streets were blocked off I was immersed in culture. It was a great feeling. While my friends are either too busy, or too boring (just kidding) I wandered around by myself. I probably stood out like a sore thumb, but I didn't feel unwelcome. The streets were filled with different booths selling African and Caribbean artistry. While I was seriously considering beginning the practice of incense burning, I was overwhelmed by the smell of fried food. Fried chicken, fried fish, fried shrimp, french fries and funnel cake was everywhere - I almost felt sick, and decided to continue on down the rows. Many women were dressed in traditional African clothing, which set the scene. African dancing to drums was taking place on the stage. Everyone was celebrating the culture, their heritage, everyone was a part of a greater community.

This is why I love Philly so much. There is such an array of ethnicities and cultures. Sometimes I wish I was a part of one, instead of just a Caucasian mix. Or that I knew more about my own heritage. African-Americans from all different parts of Africa and the Caribbean had such a bond, such a rich culture. But it works for me right now to just stand back and absorb it all. Take the spirit into my own heart. I plan to explore other parts of Philly. But, right now, I better start studying for that midterm tomorrow.

Summer in the city

2007-05-30T22:49:00.000-05:00

Simple things make me happy. The other day I was running through the cemetery, and the song "summer and the city" came on my ipod shuffle (I'm really not into technology, the only reason I have one is because my friend gave me her old one when she got a real ipod) and I just got so happy and went into a full out sprint. The sun was shining, and I was embarking on, exactly that, my summer in the city. By the way, the cemetery is a very nice place to run. It is very green, full of trees, peaceful, and there are deer wandering around. For me, a big-time environmentalist, it is a nice place to go to decompress from the hustle and bustle.

Another simple thing: wandering around and talking with a good friend. We hadn't really seen eachother much this summer, from previously mentioned busy conflicting schedules, but today we were able to spend some time together. We have the same thought process, so it is really nice to chat with someone who understands where you are coming from. Also, wandering off-campus is refreshing. It's a completely different world in the city neighborhoods. Seeing people of all different ages, not just college students and profesors makes me open my eyes a little wider. I realize that there is a whole world out there that I have become sheltered from in my college, study, work realm.

Oh, and I can't forget about dancing. Either jumping up and down crazily with friends in a dorm room while screaming lyrics to 80s and 90s songs, or going to a lindy and blues club and partner dancing with the lights dimmed, I don't think I stop smiling.

I think being pleased by simple things is best. I woke up today in a bad mood, I was tempted to rant on about this and that in my blog, but as the day went on, I cheered up rather quickly. Of course, the whole getting to cut rats brains with cool equipment and solutions for the first time this morning brightened my day...but it was topped off with good dinner and conversation with friends. Might as well enjoy the little things in life, because, well, you only live once, right? What's the sense in being angry?

On a separate note: I'm leaving for the weekend to go to my cousin's high school graduation. They grow up so fast! But it is extra exciting, because my mom is going to, so I'll get to see her, which is always nice. Nothing can ever replace a mom, no matter how independent you are.

Here we go

2007-05-29T11:58:00.000-05:00

Well, I did it. I created a blog. I was "inspired" by my friend who is a blogging fiend. I never really read her blog before this week, but going through her old posts, I realized that this is a nice way to get random thoughts down. And, if something interesting actually happens in my life I can write it here once, and have friends come here, instead of explaining it over and over again - which, by the way, gets on my nerves. I just finished my sophomore year of college, so that means summer! However, that doesn't mean quite the same thing as it used to. I am taking one course and I, as well as most of my friends, have to work in order to be able to pay for our higher education. I currently am working three jobs. They are all part-time, and I make my own hours more or less, so it's not too bad. At least I go from place to place doing different things, making it more interesting and less monotonous. Oh, and my one job is super interesting. I mean, I get to help do research on rats for hypoglycemia unawareness in Type I Diabetes. The researcher I work with did head surgery, and I actually got to suture up the opening. I am a working surgeon! In case you didn't know, I am a nursing student, so these things excite me. Sadly though, my schedule never seems to match up with my friends. I need to work on this, especially since I am only in Philly for another month. Tonight, however, I am going swing dancing with that crew. Haven't been in awhile - should be good times.