Dzień Dobry

Dzień dobry-hello in what will be my new main language for the years to come. Follow me as my life changes again. Well, not really as I'm still working myself toward the same goal of getting a medical degree. However, little would I have guessed that I would spend the last few years fulfilling this goal in Poland. So, here I am, with a Polish vocabulary that doesn't help me when ordering food. Although, I can say Dziękuję (thank you). That, my friend, is gold worth!

Thursday, January 07, 2010

YES is a magic word…

Yes in Polish is tak, which looks and sounds similar to tack—the Swedish word for thank you. When I first came to Warsaw I thought the Poles were incredibly polite, saying thank you all the time. This isn’t necessarily true. It wasn’t until I actually questioned their frequent use of this word that I realized tak means yes. The meaning of the word still doesn’t change the fact that you here it all the time in Poland. Why is that? I can’t give you clear answer quite yet as I’ll have to dig further into the language as a whole once I become fluent but most likely it has a linguistic explanation.

I’ve replayed scenarios in my head of a variety of conversations in the languages I know. In Poland, it is not uncommon to hear tak as many as five times in a 30 second conversation between a barista and customer. In Sweden and the US I’d say this number is down to two, and in Italy I’d say maybe three. When considering conversations between people in the stores, people that know each other, as well as conversations on the phone, tak is as frequently used as in the coffee shop situations. Although in these latter cases it’s not that the word shows up in every other sentence, but rather that once it shows up, it’s in a multiple form—tak, tak, tak. Hearing a repetition of ja (Swedish word for yes), or yes usually means that someone is upset. Once again, I’d say Italians are in between in their usage of the word.

To continue on the comparison of “the international yes,” I want to bring your attention to the length of the word in different languages as well as to how easy it is to let it slip off your tongue in any given language (tak, yes, si, etc) once you’ve learned it. There’s an international simplicity in this word and at the same time it is one of the most powerful words there is.

The psychology of yes was discussed as recently as last week in our behavioral science class. It was the topic of patient-physician relationship and it was demonstrated through a role play how a single question from a physician that guarantees a yes as the answer from the patient, will release most of the tension in a patient and facilitate the patient-physician cooperation. This is certainly not the only case in which “yes-psychology” will work as efficiently. Think about salesmen and their persuasion skills. Once a person has answered yes to one question, he is more likely to keep answering yes to the questions following. Sales people simply ask this given yes question and are with that one step closer to a deal.

Why that much power in such a tiny word? As with so many things, our psyches and early childhood plays a role. Yes simply feels good because we’ve learnt that it is supposed to make us feel god. At an early age we associate yes with having our will acknowledged and a positive energy becomes affiliated with the word. Is it then a coincidence that we usually pose questions such that the wanted answer is yes and not no...?

Our professor also kindly suggested us to use this psychology in our relationships, a tip I now pass forward to you…

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Dobra Makes Doctors.


By now I think it has become obvious that I spend the major part of my life here studying. The weekends are no exceptions. Saturdays and Sundays can be tough because of the many hours spent at home studying. What I've found to be the best solution to this is the Univeristy of Warsaw's library, where I go every weekend.

This library is by far one of the better ones I've been to. Not necessarily because of the books as I can't read Polish yet, but because of the ambience, and also because of the convenience of the variety of services available within the building. Having been built about ten years ago, it's an extremely modern structure, as far as you can get from the many communist buildings in this city. It's equipped with all modern conveniences and there are multiple silent study rooms, with my favourite being a large one with a glass wall and a glass roof, allowing a lot of natural light. Within the building, there's also multiple cafes, lunch places, a sport court, newspaper stands, old/used book sale, a garden on the roof, and as most of the buildings here in Poland it also has a coat check at the entrance. This latter is a convenience that I've come to like although I have to say I don't use it all the time. Hanging your coat once you enter a building brings on a welcoming feeling. In addition to all this, there are columns and walls with inscriptions of famous qoutes and texts in different languages, enhancing the academic feeling.

Although this library does not belong to the Medical University of Warsaw, many medical students use it for studying and every time I go there I see many familiar faces. In fact, because of the many hours we spend there as medical students, we've come up with an expression: "Dobra makes doctors" (Dobra is the street where the library is located). Although I've just started and have a few years left, I know that when I'm done I will be forever greatful to the University of Warsaw and it's library for all it offers and I WILL miss this place...


/Anna

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Autobus 175 replaces Henrietta

For those of you who intend to visit me here in Warsaw, I can guarantee you that you will find bus 175 helpful. So helpful indeed, that if there were no other busses or trams, I would not notice a difference. This bus takes me everywhere I could possibly imagine. A thirty minutes ride through Warsaw and past the stops and places necessary for my well being.

Starting at Fryderyk Chopin Airport, then heading north on ulica Żwirki i Wigury toward the city center. Ten minutes and you're at "my stop", the intersection between previously mentioned street and ulica Raclawicka, visible from my bedroom window. If you stay on the bus you'll get to my school's main campus--Centrum Dydaktyczne. Close by, also along the route of bus 175, is the school's main teaching hospital, and another 15 minutes takes you to the place where I spend most of my time nowadays--the Anatomicum. As you might already suspect, this is where Anatomy classes take place.

Now, I don't want to bore you with details such as street names and bus stops that won't mean anything to you. Instead, I will conclude by saying that bus 175 also takes me to the central station, the Centrum, Polish class, Nowy Swiat, the Warsaw University library, and the adorable old town. These places together allow for shopping, socializing, studying, errand running, people watching, and coffee/beer drinking. What more can one ask for!?

When I'm done, I just jump back on to bus one seven five and it will take me all the way home!!

Although I've come to like my new "ride," there are three warnings I'd like to mention before YOU jump onboard. The first is due to the black reputation the bus has because of frequent pick pocketing. Hence, you'd better hold on to your wallet! I would also like to advice you to ALWAYS have a ticket as ticket controllers are as frequent as pickpocketers on this route due to the airport connection. And last, but not least, do NOT get on this bus in any direction between 3 and 6pm. Mornings are fine, as well as mid day, but the minute you think you're going to run a quick afternoon errand downtown, you're stuck...for hours...

Many of you know about my dear Henrietta that I had to leave behind in CA. Henrietta was my 1993 Saturn that took me EVERYWHERE for almost five years. Sure, "we" had problems but if you ever heard me talking about her, you know I love that car! Therefore, I'd like to dedicate this post to her and conclude by saying that no bus, actually, no other means of transportation, can ever replace Henrietta...

Enjoy your next ride, wherever...

/A

Thursday, October 29, 2009

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

Saturday, October 17, 2009

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


Wednesday, October 14, 2009

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!

Saturday, October 03, 2009

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