My life is...

Last night I stepped in dog poo, it was a bad ending for a bad day. Earlier I had realized I'm not a robot but a human being with limits and emotions. Just a day before we were asked in our Behavioral Science class to describe physical sensations that come with different emotions; anxiety, anger, shame, joy, and much more. This week I've felt most of them but lets focus on the good ones...

On Monday I had my first test in Anatomy: what they call a credit that we need to pass in order to take the final exam in Anatomy. It was extremely stressful to prepare for this as with most "first time tests." Making it even worse was the start time of 5pm which meant I had the whole day to gradually increase the stress level from almost a zero in the morning, to something close to exploding by the time the test started. It consisted of two parts: a 40 min theoretical and a 10 minutes practical pin test (naming structures of the bones). Later that night I was relieved to know I passed both parts and will therefore not need to worry about a retake next week. Defenitely a good thing as the tests for the other classes are coming up, one after the other.

The most stressful of them will most likely be our first Histology exam in about two weeks. That too, will consist of a practical part (identifying different tissues and cell structures) and a theoretical part. I've spent the major part of today reading some of the material that will be on that test and have come to a conclusion. You can call me crazy or weird but I have to admit that I do think adipose tissue (fat tissue) is very beautiful to look at*. Yet it's this tissue that in so many ways and in so many eyes go against beauty when in excess. The obvious example is that of fashion and the "ideal beauty" its trying to create removing "excess" fat on photos as well as in real life. More importantly though, there's a physiological ugliness created by extreme excess of this tissue. Direct or indirect, many are the physiological consequences coming from obesity, or being overweight.

With this said, I'd like invite you to take a look for yourself. Isn't it pretty after all? And remember, while excess amounts are bad for you, we need enough of it for functioning...

/Anna



* For those of you that doesn't know what adipose tissue looks like, judge yourselves: http://www.med.upenn.edu/ins/images3/ahima_white_adipose_tissue.jpg

Anatomia, anatomia, anatomia!

I've told everyone that I only know about four Polish words--dzień dobry (good day), dziękuję (thank you), przepraszam (excuse me/I'm sorry), and prosze (please). While these words are helpful, the main, and most commonly used "new" word in my vocabulary nowadays is ANATOMIA. Although it is of latin origin, it is also in the polish dictionary and I can pride myself by saying it's the Polish word I can pronounce most accurately :) There's no real trick. Just try thinking, reading, hearing, and dreaming about it 24/7...

By now I can also FEEL what Anatomia feels like--blood, sweat and tears. I'm sure you get the point. Don't misunderstand me though, it is extremely interesting to learn about the structures of the human body from the inside and out, relating this to a variety of diseases and clinical conditions. At the same time it's exhausting. This week I've had altogether 10 hours of anatomy labs and lectures. In addition I've spent about 6 hours writing notes on the osteology of the lower limbs and head, 2 hours of studying general osteology flash cards, and 4 hours at the "bone library" studying "the real deal": 4+ hours--just the bones and I :)

Now, anatomy is certainly not the only class I have. Fortunately though, we've had a "soft start," with the other classes being Histology, Parasitology, Polish, Latin, Biophysics and Medical Biology. This coming week we also start Biochemistry, Behavioral Sciences, and Physiology. Needless to say, I need to pay some attention to all of those classes as well. I will get back to you about how that goes... In the meantime, keep your fingers crossed for my first anatomy exam on the 26th.

/Anna

The weather is ahead of me.

Today I've spent a day in snow, slash, and rain. Not exactly the October weather I had hoped for but when Sweden brings cold temperatures and winds on us, there's not much to do...

When I first came here about three weeks ago I could wear a dress daytime. Great, I thought since I hadn't brought much more than short sleeves and thin jackets. Well, a few days later the weather changed drastically and I managed to come down with a cold. Next step was to go to Sweden for the weekend to pick up some more stuff, including winter clothes that would have me covered until mid/late November. Sure enough, a few days and the snow arrived. Due to my trip home I had most covered though, except for shoes... I'd lie if I said I have NO shoes, I just don't have THE shoes. Off course, most of the shoes I've accumulated are for CA weather and streets, and they are defenitely not kind to the feet walking on cobblestoned streets, with slash everywhere. As a matter of fact, I barely owned any socks as of this past week.

Well, all this will defenitely change. First step will be to find comfortable rubber boots for the slashy period ahead. I'm guessing a size too large might be a good option as rubber boots themselves are not exactly warm. As for socks, maybe it's about time I face my fear of knitting socks larger than baby size. Regardless of how, I will defenitely make sure my feet stay warm from now on! I know that won't be a problem where I'm going now...zzzz....

Dobranoc!

Welcome to Warszawa...

...the city where the old town is really the new town, the most impressive building is a gift from Stalin, the beer is almost cheaper than water, the bureaucracy is the worst I've ever encountered, and where I'm freezing my butt off!!!!

It's been a very slow process getting to know Warsaw, the culture, and the people. Above experiences are defenitely the top of the iceberg, there's much more to come the years ahead. As opposed to a slow introduction to culture, geography, and language of the area, I have been thrown into a whirlwind of information concerning the school, classes, students, and much more... There's only one word: confusion.

Lucklily, I managed to find a place to live the day before orientation and it only took about half a day to clean, move furniture around, unpack my 23 kilos of packing, and add my "personal touch". Haha! With 23 kilos of personal belonging there's not much you can do and I have to admit my room looks quite grey.

Once orientation day came, the confusion was inevitable. I'm not sure what the people in the administrative offices at WUM (Warszawski Uniwersytet Medyczny or Medical University of Warsaw) are doing but it sure can't be working! However, I survived the day, got enough information for the following week, and most importantly; I met my fellow students! There are students from around the world at the school and the 20 something students in my class represent countries such as the US, Canada, Finland, Norway, Australia, Great Britain, Taiwan, and Saudi Arabia. About half of them have polish origin and thus speak the language, which helps a lot during times of confusion.

When classes started last Monday, I was happy to learn that the confusion stays within the walls of the administration. The professors and their assistants are extremely organized, professional, strict, but also friendly and approachable. Students from above years have tried to scare us a little bit by mentioning exactly how strict they can be and also how tough the 4-year program is (most people do the 6-year program). According to some, not a single 4-year student last year passed the final anatomy exam the first time but had to retake the exam. After a few comments like that I stopped listening. I'm defenitely not saying it's an easy class as I'm already drowning in readings after only a week. However, it would be suicide to let comments like that one haunt me. For what would be worse than walking into the exam room thinking I'm going to fail already before I take the pen into my hand...!?

Before school started, and before the books and readings piled up on my desk, I did have time to explore a bit of the nightlife. I went to the Tortilla Factory, the "school's" bar, where everyone goes. Interesting indeed, with a 100% chance of running into at least 100 people from WUM at any given Friday or Saturday. Yes, I did go there two nights in a row. I felt it was "my last chance" for a while. Second night was not quite as busy so we ended up going to a club, Opera. Here, they wouldn't let us in until they heard we spoke English (probably because foreigners spend more money), yet I'd hear some Polish guys inside that would curse Americans because of war etc. Who were those "Americans"? Well, a group consisting mainly of Swedish, British, Canadian and ONE US citizen... :)

That was last weekend. This weekend I've changed socializing at a cozy cafe, having drinks at the fun Tortilla Factory, and clubbing at Opera with having a quick, boosting, delicious cappuccino at Coffee Heaven (which by the way is MY new heaven), studying for hours at a beautiful library, and now, instead of clubbing on a Saturday night I'm sitting at home writing this blog...

This reminds me, it is unfortunately time to call it a night. I need my beauty sleep but most of all my brain cells need to rest.

So long!!

Love,

Anna