Ready,Set....Respi

This week officially marks the start of my clinical years and i'm starting with the respiratory system.Day 1 was filled with mix feelings.The anxiety came as my tutor had expectations of us to clerk as least a patient a day and advised us to spend at least 30 hours a week in the wards.I seriously wonder if i can keep my motivation up for the next 7 weeks but i know i have to in order obtain at least a B under my tutors assesment.Had 5 other British students in my group, they all seem pretty nice but i've felt awkward moments when i find it difficult to understand what they were saying.It's english alright but tainted with the scottish slang and jokes which makes it much harder.I've just resorted to being quiet..i bet they must be thinking this chinese girl doesn't really like to talk much.I seriously need to learn to relax and speak like myself rather then trying to fit it cos i'm getting on my own nerves.Nevertheless,the anatomy lectures in the afternoon did provide some comfort as i was in familiar turfs despite the delivery in the manner of a speeding bullet.Pathology lectures were even more hilarious, it was only 1 and a half pages long,less then 30minutes.I used to do that in 3 lectures back in IMU and we had at least 4 pages each.Self motivation to read up again.Coolest part was we had cut up cadavers for Anatomy to end the day.The smell is a real turn off...embalming fluid is funky smelling.The weather here makes the models feel cold and squishy.It's a totally new method of learning but undoubtedly bringing me nearer to my goal.Funny part was, a few of us went straight to the table for the anatomy spot test even before we attempted the normal models.(obviously we didn't know)Got sarcastically told off for that.

I was more excited for the today (Day 2) because it was thoracic surgery.Even slept early for it,something very rare.The weather decided to be funny this morning and it drizzled accompanied by strong winds when i went out half pass seven.Great kan?As with any hospital, the first group of people always gets left out because no one ever knows we are going to be there.Took an hour and a half before surgery started.Half the time,i only saw the surgeon making holes,pushing in a camera and making more incisions.Only when she was waiting for the sampel results were we filled in with what was happening.It was like enlightement but not the very bright kind.Couldn't understand what she was saying again,muffled by the face mask and all.The trick is to smile and nod.It gets you through everything.

Clerked my first patient today.Nicest guy on earth if i would say,he was really patient with me and made me felt welcome knowing that i was new in the hospital.Aww..i like him.Will probably go back to visit and maybe get more history as well as physical examination done.Fingers cross that productivity kicks in tomorrow.

Today's Martha Stewart moment

Honey Glazed Chicken..oven baked,nearly triggered fire alarm.Hehe

Shopping Sunday

As usual, Sunday has always been my day off from sports.It was no different this weekend.Felt bad for dissappointing some of my new friends who had been half expecting me to prancing around to play sports due to my highly packed week.Sometimes i feel as if i went to sports school more then medical school.

Nevertheless,my first agenda was to go spend some money with my newly activated debit card.Haha.I so didn't intend to splurge on unnecessary stuff at all.I was going to get a phoneline but fate had it that my credit history failed.Duh..cos i never used the card before.There was really nothing else to do but some serious shopping.My shopping mood came back as i discovered that Edin does have at least a half decent shopping mall called St James.My prayers came true.Self control was duely practice though...i know Glasgow is waiting.

On the way back, The Castleand some buildings gleaming on one of those days we actually have sunshine
At the end of the day,I was hungry.Together with Han Ying,we decided to grab a snack.Since we're paying for food might as well try something new.We went looking for Haggis and fried Mars Bar.

Found a shop that sold Haggis.While i was paying,i asked the guy where i could find Fried Mars Bars.He had the most concentrated look, as if he was trying his best to recall before he told me "Here.In this store." I felt confused because i didn't see it in the menu outside but apparently it was stated quite obviously inside.I felt damn shy.

There are apparently many ways to serve Haggis.This one with fries is called a Haggis Supper.

Made up off sheep liver,heart and lungs minced with other stuff..but yea..internals.The taste was not too bad though.I had half expected a fried pate taste but this was palatable.The chips were the best i've had in Edin though,vinegar added.
The Fried Mars Bar.Looks smaller compared to the one i last had in Bondi Beach but equally yummy.

Potluck Dinner

Well well,after 3 weeks of arriving in Edinburgh we had our first Potluck dinner on saturday.What's so special?After we arrived in Kincaid's court, we had to split into two groups for our dinner to minimise cooking time.Thus, being able to eat together is something really rare.This time there were 10 of us minus 1.Ben had to go to somewhere more important.Hehe.But we had prasad joining us though.

And he made us the yummiest pork curry.Thanks Pwassy, remember yea after 3 months of patent, i want recipie. Sarah's delicious Apple Crumble

Khek Jian's fried rice
Calvin's spinach (you can never get healthier then this)Unclaimed vege..Ivy's sandwichesMy potato saladRed Bean DessertThe parade.Very obvious we couldn't finish all of it

Our 10 minus 1 potluck dinner

That day was personally the best day i've ever had in Edin.I had the opportunity to play tennis,badminton and volleyball with time between to cook and have dinner with friends.Not to mention after dinner activity cos we felt guilty for eating so much.Han Ying and i decided to Wii again.

My very own MiiThe Wii didn't help much cos Ven Gee supplied us with these while playing.

Dinner Diary

Due to high inflation prices and also killer convertion rates.I,myself as a sensible malaysian will do what we do best,cook our own food and be stingy.Here are some of the dishes Han Ying,Khek Jian and I have experimented on.All i can say is so far so good but cooking time is still much to long to be desired.

Max-ed Out Weekend

The Weekend,probably the most waited days of the week for me.It was suppose to be my personal time plus a lil sports but in just a blink of an eye,it became a festivity.It started off friday itself when i finally got to play tennis for the week and started getting fond of the Nintendo Wii Fitness.Felt a little competitive spirit going on as Han Ying and myself went up against Darren's long trail of excellent records.Seriously that was the most fun i've ever had with a controller game.I've discovered i have a talent for balancing under the pretence of the Wii Yoga.Maybe i might just take up some real yoga classes.

Saturday

About 8 hours after that, we had our first dose of Saturday morning tennis.Note to self, never play tennis right out of bed and without prior brekkie.Enjoyed the game till the max and felt every muscle in my body ache.Good sign.Before we could even get a break or some food,we had to do zooming fast shopping for sushi material then head on for shopping in Livingston with Ven Gee.Nearly gone hypoglycaemia when we got there.Han Ying and i look like drained corpse.Nevertheless,i reenergised with my first fish and chips ever since i've been in the UK at As all girls would have done, Han Ying and i decided to ditch sushi plans with the guys in her flat for more shopping time.Hehe.Despite it being a designer outlet, my expectations were simply crushed.The only thing i felt was worth our 45 minutes journey was cheap Cadbury Chocolates.

Sunday

My one and only day to sleep in.But felt really guilty when i missed the chance to talk to my dad.Huhu.It wasn't a total lost as my lil sis and mummy was around.I'm so waiting for the day my debit card would clear so i can get a proper phone line.Things here are freaking expensive thanks to the credit crisis going on.Need to save.

Went to check out the gym as it was the last day for fresher's to enter for free.I don't know what came upon me but i just introduced myself to some people playing volleyball and tried out for the volleyball team in jeans and ballerina shoes!!Pretty intimidating to play around unknown people, service took a while to get over the net.Damn malu but things warmed up pretty fast when i got encouragement from others. I can't say if i got in or not cos i dun even know but they did invite me to play again on saturday.It's pretty amazing just to train with them,they were on a totally new level unknown to me, even the girls can serve and spike taking the guys out just like that.

Finally we did manage to carry out our plan of making sushi for the guys during sunday dinner.Everything in Kincaid's court were finally toning down, very much dependent on the fact that the academic year officially starts on monday

Teaching Theo and Max to make sushi was super fun.Max is like a sushi wrapping prodigy.I didn't even get it right the first time.First and probably the last time we'll ever catch the guys sitting down nicely to have a meal without footballs flying,music blasting,cigarette smoke or alcohol.

Fairy Tale?

Anyone remember the story about King Arthur?If you do,good for you.Not much relevance to what i'm blogging about but the name probably derived from the story.Last last weekend,we effectively made our way up to Arthur's Seat.Despite the threating signs of rain,the sky cleared up for us to make it to the peak.It's supposedly a 30minutes easy hike but with the amount of cameras snapping it took pretty long.

The Magestic Arthur's Seat,formed by an extinct volcano

That's Salisbury Crag,the plateau kawanPollocks Hall,where most of the 1st year students resideOn our merry way upGolf course !!

We made our journey up through the easiest route pass Dunsapie Loch (for ur infomation,Loch is the scottish way of saying lake) The loch was home to the ducks and the swansNever thought that if would happen but halfway up the hill,i was sweatingWhen we arrived,i was given the honour to wave the malaysian flag,only to be told later that this isn't the peak.This people is the real peak,the difference was only 1 meter with this one standing at 252m

Group photo..Malaysia BolehThe view from aboveOoo..spot the anomalityNasopharynx and macrophageThe beautiful lalangsHad a pretty nice suprise later that evening..my flatmates made me spagetti bolognaise