Dave and Suz are two of my closest friends here in Brisbane. They are just beautiful - just take a look at their picture perfect smiles! They have been the pillars of friendship, support and strength. That and they are some of the most fun people to be with! We always share huge, belly aching laughs, cook great food together, talk medical shop and have meaningful conversations (most of the time) and have had some pretty productive study parties. Not only that, but they are the best flatmates that anyone could ask for. :)
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Pillars of friendship
Dave and Suz are two of my closest friends here in Brisbane. They are just beautiful - just take a look at their picture perfect smiles! They have been the pillars of friendship, support and strength. That and they are some of the most fun people to be with! We always share huge, belly aching laughs, cook great food together, talk medical shop and have meaningful conversations (most of the time) and have had some pretty productive study parties. Not only that, but they are the best flatmates that anyone could ask for. :)
More beautiful people and Veevek
This is Annabelle, Kim (the lovely ladies of PBL 1) and Leanne (my partner-in-crime when it comes to be overdramatic and laughing in the aisles). Annabelle and I (along with Lou) are going to Delhi in November for our 4-week medical elective! Kim is just a superstar! Her smile is something that just takes my breath away. Leanne...is just special. :)This is Phil, myself and Paul. Phil is from London, Ontario and Paul (an MBBS IV) is from Sydney. Phil is the king when it comes to karoake and does a FANTASTIC Kramer impression that landed him a great role in the this year's Med Revue. He is a person that brings a smile to anyone that he talks to. He has this ability to make people laugh and forget their worries, even if it is for a split second. Paul - is gold. He is my tutor (along with 9 other students) that has been helping me to see how things are done when it comes to clinical exams and things like that.
He has become a mentor and a great friend. This is my very dear friend Lou. She looks much better without me trying to stick my fingers up her nostrils (which I do often). Lou is also going to Delhi with Annabelle and I. She is my partner-in-crime when it comes to development issues and human rights. Also, she made me a kick ass khaki man-skirt. I wore it today and got several catcalls and compliments on it. I was just beaming!
Don't worry...I didn't eat whatever that thing was
This is a photo of Leanne, myself & Cam. Leanne and I are THE hams when it comes to the camera. Her and I had several of these types of photos taken during the May Ball. Her and I are always making total asses of ourselves in lectures and whenever we are in public together. Cam, a fellow Calgarian, is known as "Smiley". Oddly enough, he isn't smiling in this photo. He has a heart of gold and his catch phrase is "Sweeeeeeeeet".
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
26?
It seems as if life has been moving at mach 3 for the past few weeks. I've started Week 26 of the 34 weeks of MBBS I. I've been having some motivational issues in terms of becoming hardcore in my studying and revising. This is not to say that I've not been doing anything...I've just not been doing enough. However, this past weekend was quite productive in terms of learning all the different drugs that we've learnt in the course thus far. Also, I'm trying to do some revising of past weeks but, as I wrote earlier, but the motivation is somewhat lacking.
In a week's time, I'll be turning 26. I've no qualms about it. Then again, perhaps I've been to busy to think about what this year's birthday represents. I know that this is the first time in a very long time that I've been able to celebrate my birthday in August. Being born near the tail of this month (at least in Canada) meant that my friends were on holidays and people were getting busy with going back to school and things like that. However, being on the under side of the world, uni is already in full swing and people aren't necessarily going to be going away for an extended period of time around now. I was talking to a friend and telling her how I really wanted a small dinner with maybe 15 or 20 people. She laughed and said, "Veevek, you want to repeat that sentence again?" I know that that sounds odd but its true! I've always had a problem in deciding who should come to these sort of things. I've made some fantastic friends (yes some are more fantastic than others...but fantastic nonetheless) and I want to share my birthday with all of them. I made a list of people that I would invite, that is if I had no constraints or anything, and the list came to about 80. What is a socialite to do? :)
Apart from that, I got a massive haircut. Yes, a haircut. Most people that know me have known me with fairly long and curly hair. After much thinking, I decided to get the locks cut off. The hair that was cut when towards a charity here in Brisbane that gets people to donate their hair to make wigs for children that are undergoing chemotherapy. It's kinda weird knowing that there will be kids in QLD that will have Veevek hair on their heads. They should only be so lucky! :) My hair is now about 4cm long, which is by far the shortest it has ever been since I was an infant. It looks damn good - or at least that is what people tell me.
Other than that, life here in Brisbane is moving forward, while I've been chilling, maxin' and relaxin'. After the holiday tomorrow, I need to get back into gear. Only 8 more weeks till the end of the year and I've so much shit to work left to do, let alone learning the new stuff that the next 8 weeks will bring. On that note...I should get going.
In a week's time, I'll be turning 26. I've no qualms about it. Then again, perhaps I've been to busy to think about what this year's birthday represents. I know that this is the first time in a very long time that I've been able to celebrate my birthday in August. Being born near the tail of this month (at least in Canada) meant that my friends were on holidays and people were getting busy with going back to school and things like that. However, being on the under side of the world, uni is already in full swing and people aren't necessarily going to be going away for an extended period of time around now. I was talking to a friend and telling her how I really wanted a small dinner with maybe 15 or 20 people. She laughed and said, "Veevek, you want to repeat that sentence again?" I know that that sounds odd but its true! I've always had a problem in deciding who should come to these sort of things. I've made some fantastic friends (yes some are more fantastic than others...but fantastic nonetheless) and I want to share my birthday with all of them. I made a list of people that I would invite, that is if I had no constraints or anything, and the list came to about 80. What is a socialite to do? :)
Apart from that, I got a massive haircut. Yes, a haircut. Most people that know me have known me with fairly long and curly hair. After much thinking, I decided to get the locks cut off. The hair that was cut when towards a charity here in Brisbane that gets people to donate their hair to make wigs for children that are undergoing chemotherapy. It's kinda weird knowing that there will be kids in QLD that will have Veevek hair on their heads. They should only be so lucky! :) My hair is now about 4cm long, which is by far the shortest it has ever been since I was an infant. It looks damn good - or at least that is what people tell me.
Other than that, life here in Brisbane is moving forward, while I've been chilling, maxin' and relaxin'. After the holiday tomorrow, I need to get back into gear. Only 8 more weeks till the end of the year and I've so much shit to work left to do, let alone learning the new stuff that the next 8 weeks will bring. On that note...I should get going.
Friday, August 05, 2005
Melbourne!
I'm in Melbourne! I'm at a computer terminal in the Baillieau Library at Uni of Melbourne. I'm down here with Dave as we are attending the Medical Association for the Prevention of War National Conference. Fortunately, it wasn't a hard week of learning - benign prostatic hyperplasia. I just need to make sure that I bump it up a notch next week.
I should get outta here...I don't want to be in a new city sitting in front of a computer all day. I wonder how hot a credit card can get. :)
I should get outta here...I don't want to be in a new city sitting in front of a computer all day. I wonder how hot a credit card can get. :)
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Another voyage...
Aside from all the things going on here in Brisbane, I've already planned my next major trip abroad. After my last final exam (October 26th), I'll be off to Delhi, India! I got accepted to do a 4-week medical student elective at St. Stephen's Hospital. I'll be starting on November 7th and going until December 2nd. I can't wait! The last time I was in Delhi was in 1994 and my experience was a bit jaded due to the run-around my family and I got from staying with some family friends.
Ever since my brother came back from living in Delhi, he had changed - for the better. He always had these stories, such that during dinner or drinks, he would tell me and other company about a particular storewalla or the traffic officer on the corner of the road that he lived on. As trivial as these stories may sound, they are a part of a bigger picture. What is that picture? That picture is knowing what makes my brother think, knowing what makes his heart beat - essentially, it's getting to know him. I know that that city has a very special place in his heart. A part of me thinks that by seeing what he has seen and to be in the same space that he was, will help me to see things how he has. We often don't see eye-to-eye on social issues but I guess that that is due to the fact of our experiences and how we understand the world (granted, his understanding puts mine to SHAME, albeit I would consider myself to be quite a learnt person in that regard).
Not only will this trip be good in terms of progressing my medical education but it will be the first time that I'm going to India without my parents being there. A cousin of mine will be getting married (one cannot go to India without going to a wedding) and the month of November is especially important because Diwali (Festival of Lights) will be going on. The last time I was in India for Diwali was in 1994 and I've so many fond memories of that time.
A number of other students from UQ will be going to the same hospital. It will be interesting to see how my fellow colleagues will react to the litmus test that India is so famous for. Most of them have been outside of Australia, but only to places like New Zealand and Western Europe. I'm going to have some sort of cross-cultural training workshop for them...as many of them are going to need to do a lot of mental preparation for what they are about to embark on.
Speaking of embarking on a journey, I need to traverse the dangerous passage of learning about cancer - and my midmorning coffee is ready.
Ever since my brother came back from living in Delhi, he had changed - for the better. He always had these stories, such that during dinner or drinks, he would tell me and other company about a particular storewalla or the traffic officer on the corner of the road that he lived on. As trivial as these stories may sound, they are a part of a bigger picture. What is that picture? That picture is knowing what makes my brother think, knowing what makes his heart beat - essentially, it's getting to know him. I know that that city has a very special place in his heart. A part of me thinks that by seeing what he has seen and to be in the same space that he was, will help me to see things how he has. We often don't see eye-to-eye on social issues but I guess that that is due to the fact of our experiences and how we understand the world (granted, his understanding puts mine to SHAME, albeit I would consider myself to be quite a learnt person in that regard).
Not only will this trip be good in terms of progressing my medical education but it will be the first time that I'm going to India without my parents being there. A cousin of mine will be getting married (one cannot go to India without going to a wedding) and the month of November is especially important because Diwali (Festival of Lights) will be going on. The last time I was in India for Diwali was in 1994 and I've so many fond memories of that time.
A number of other students from UQ will be going to the same hospital. It will be interesting to see how my fellow colleagues will react to the litmus test that India is so famous for. Most of them have been outside of Australia, but only to places like New Zealand and Western Europe. I'm going to have some sort of cross-cultural training workshop for them...as many of them are going to need to do a lot of mental preparation for what they are about to embark on.
Speaking of embarking on a journey, I need to traverse the dangerous passage of learning about cancer - and my midmorning coffee is ready.
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