Slight Night Shivers
I feel like I’ve been whining a lot lately, and I’m sick of it. And lord, I know y’all are sick of it too. I think a lot of it stems from fear. Fear of the future. Fear of the uncertainty.
Yes, this is my last semester at USC, yes I will be graduating in May, and yes, I have made some heavy life decisions recently.
The thing is… I don’t know if I’m making the right choices, but what I do know is that I am incredibly blessed. I have parents, although annoyingly naggy, who care enough to want to know my life choices, and friends who have been supportive of me and my pursuits (not to mention, incredibly patient with my excessive cat talks). AND… while I have a love-hate relationship with LA, I live in one of the most ridiculous, hectic, but amazing cities in the world. A morning run down by the beach. Seeing LA by foot (and by car). The ocean saltiness and squishing the sand in between my toes. Downtown beauty. Mountains to my right. It’s all mine (at least for another few months)!
Can you believe this?! :- )
Sometimes, I just really need these cheesy posts. Don’t hate! Have a fantastic month y’all!
Ramblings at 2 AM
I loved the idea of being a doctor. I just wanted to help people… but the medical industry has become such a money-making business. It’s become a turn-off, among other reasons. Hospitals are corporations and they are churning out health-care like it’s a fucking product. NO. I never thought about the actualities of universal health care.. but fuck, yeah, I’ve given it a hell of a lot more thought than before. Future doctors head into their residencies wanting to specialize because that’s where the money is… More operations, more technologically advanced “treatments,” more pay, more money. What does that do? It’s no longer about patient-doctor care. Doctors spend at the longest…12-15 minutes with a patient. How do you develop a rapport in 15 minutes? Can you? Instead of building a relationship, trust… society relies on these “quick fixes.” If I can pay this ridiculous price for health care, I expect it to do the job. But can a quick fix really do it?? Look at our freaking society. Look at the poorer people and even now those in the middle class with health insurance. They ignore health problems until they no longer can… Visit the ER, get hit with a huge ass medical bill. Hospitals encourage these expensive procedures, it’s money after all, right? But look at Grand Junction, CO… they spend the lowest on health care for a recipient a year… Roughly $6000. That’s amazing. Why can’t the rest of the freaking country do that? Do you know how much we fucking spend on healthcare that is not even the best in the world?!?! Other technologically advanced countries like Japan or Sweden don’t even spend half as much money on health care as we do… And it’s quite simple what the doctors do in Grand Junction… There are specialists, but there are many in internal medicine as well… And those in internal medicine focus on preventative care. Instead of going in straight for a nerve ending surgery for back pain, ease it through a simple exercise regime. Focus on tackling the symptoms before it becomes the issue. Obesity = epidemic?? Gastric bypass surgery does nothing if the patient does not choose to change his habits. Give patients the proper education. Help them change their lifestyle…gradually. Don’t wait until it is a problem! But in our world, nobody has the time or patience for this. It’s all about this quickie solution… it all stems back to this capitalistic mindset. It’s just…utter bullshit. What the hell is universal health care going to actually do, if our current health care system runs in this fashion? If universal health passed, how would doctors expect to pay off their ridiculously accrued med school loans? Sure, universal health would increase access to health care, which is a human right, but damn. There needs to be more incentives. Doctors shouldn’t be in this profession for the money ever, but medical school shouldn’t be so damn expensive either. And hospitals shouldn’t be profiting from these expensive procedures either. I just… I don’t even know where to begin… All I know is… we need a fucking health care transformation.
I’ve had one too many glasses of wine, and it’s time for me to go to bed.
Young & Bright-Eyed
Sanity for my mind
Hi WordPress,
It’s been awhile, huh? Fall semester is wrapping up FAST. Time keeps blowing by, and the question, “So.. what are you gonna do after you graduate?” becomes more and more common. My business friends put me to shame. They all have their job offers and life set in stone… The security is really nice, I won’t lie, haha. But I know that that life isn’t for me. I have a general jist, but I guess you can say that I am still figuring it out. I’m taking it as it comes. Keep a positive attitude and keep trekking!
This year has been all kinds of amazing: in S.A. and in the States! I can’t believe it’s been 5 months since I’ve left. It’s scary how quickly memories begin to blur… LA’s been real fun though. Downtown night life. Visitors every other weekend… Perks of being a young-20 something and a senior in college! My time management is pretty dece this year, and I try to plan little trips for myself every month or so. I went to San Diego over Labor Day, and I ran the Nike Women’s Half Marathon in San Francisco last month again. And right now, I’m in Austin, TX, exploring the city via food. From beef brisket to hearty burgers, my stomach is thoroughly enjoying itself! So heart-attack-inducing GOOD!!! Go big or go home!
Speaking of which, I drive up to Dallas on Tuesday for Thanksgiving. I can’t wait to see my cat, sleep in my bed, and veg the fuck out. As fun as this semester has been, I’m also burnt out from school, work and research. I’ve missed Texas so much, a nd I can’t FREAKING WAIT!!!
¡Vive el Verano!
School is back in session, and while I know the work load will pile up soon enough, the summer still lingers and I just. can’t. get. enough!!!
There’s a reason why I love summer so much. The smell of sun screen and the feel of the sun beating down on your skin. Chilled white wine and picnics. Summer concerts. Fireworks and BBQ. Sundresses and bathing suits. The scorching heat. The beach and the bronze of sun-kissed skin. Long summer days and the warm breeze as evening approaches. The first bite into a cold, juicy piece of fruit. The refreshing sip of iced tea. Driving on a road trip or driving with no aim or destination. Mix CD’s. Sleeping late and sleeping in. Catching up with old friends and making new ones. Camping and the great outdoors. Cracking open a new book. Me time : )
picnicking and wine tasting in Sonoma!
It’s all about the spontaneity and the magic. It’s carefreeness and pure joy.
And to have been blessed with two summers in 2011… I truly am a lucky girl. This year is turning out to be one that cannot be beat. Long live the summer, babies!
Life Inspiration
A man goes out on the beach and sees that it is covered with starfish that have washed up in the tide. A little boy is walking along, picking them up and throwing them back into the water.
“What are you doing, son?” the man asks. “You see how many starfish there are? You’ll never make a difference.”
The boy paused thoughtfully, and picked up another starfish and threw it into the ocean.
“It sure made a difference to that one,” he said.
-Hawaiian parable
The world needs more passionate people.
Moving Forward…
I don’t know who still reads this blog now… as my study abroad journeys have long ended.
There’s been a hodge-podge of emotions swirling through my brain these days. I know every study abroad kid is going through the same things… ‘Course it’s good to be back in the great USA, but missing Cape Town is inevitable. While I tell myself to stop living in the past and to embrace the experience and move on, it’s, well, a lot easier said than done. I feel like I’m trying to fill a void, and I can’t help if South Africa continues to pop into my head every day…
There are good days though. I can feel the productivity. Heading into my final undergraduate year is daunting, to say the least (more like TERRIFYING). My future plans are slowly, but surely becoming a little more concrete. There’s been a few things I’ve been reconsidering, and being abroad has helped better clarify things for me. But I still worry if I’m making the right decisions. Being surrounded by this “American” mindset is overwhelming. You know the one, where money drives society. Achievement stops nothing short of being the best. Happiness with one’s own life gets lost somewhere between the next promotion and the next social invite. Life becomes consumed with statuses and superficiality. Before you know it, you’re sitting at 40 years old in a corporate job you fucking hate, and your dreams have been long forgotten. I hope I never fall victim to that.
Then I have those days where I scare myself so much with my future, my brain shuts down and switches my body into this inactive mode. I’ve had far more “lazy days” since being back in the US than I usually do when I’m here. I usually like to keep myself busy, ya know? Trying to get out of this rut is proving a little harder because it’s periods like these when South Africa is most present on my mind.
It’s just this gnarly sine wave, hey (you bet, I just used a math reference). Honestly though, it is my final year, and there is more to look forward to. Just trying to keep my head up. : )
As for this blog, maybe an occasional update here and there… maybe I’ll take it in another direction (training blogs?) Whatever this becomes, don’t miss it : )
Kaapstad Forever ♥
How do you deal with leaving a place you’ve fallen so madly in love with? I was having lunch with a good friend from Joburg a few weeks ago who asked if I would cry when I said my farewells… Well, that time has finally come, and I can vouch for the tears that have already been shed and for the many more that I am sure will come on the plane ride to Asia and when I finally land back in the States… I can’t believe how quickly this semester flew by, and I definitely can’t wrap my brain around the fact that I am LEAVING this gorgeous country TOMORROW… I’ve thought of several, mostly illogical, schemes of how not to leave Cape Town, a lot of them revolved around freak accidents and missed flights… But don’t get me wrong, I do miss home a little bit, and there are some things I am looking forward to: COAL<3, my parents, summer, Texas, Mexican & Chinese food, drinking legally, and Disneyland… but there is a level of unease too… I’ve built such a grounded perspective while living out here, and I’m afraid how quickly I’m going to lose that when I get back to the nonsense that is LA…
Leaving this time around is much more bitter than sweet, and I don’t know if it’s going to be a permanent “Good bye” or a “See you later…” But I hope to freaking God it’s the latter… I just wish that time would stop for me, even if only for the slightest of seconds just so I could enjoy the very little time I have left with the people here and to relive upon the great times, the ridiculous ones, and even the uncomfortable ones… My life has been amazing here, and I’m just not ready for that to end…
Just some things I’m going to miss…
- Hearing minibuses whistling and honking for people who need rides – listening to “Mowbray Kaap!” or “Wynbeeeerg!” being shouted at you will never get old. And on top of that, some of the cheapest public transportation I will ever find. 5 rand from Mowbray to Town? 6 rand from Town to Camps? Does it get any better than that.
- Riding the sometimes (or oftentimes) unreliable, crowded Jammie UCT shuttle buses
- The train experience! Getting fined R40?! Almost getting locked up?! ‘Nuff said.
- Speaking Xhosa to people – I think people are always a little surprised that an American can speak it! & those CLICKS!!!
- Learning all the Cape Coloured Afrikaans I will ever need to know in life (aka all the curse words…)
- Actually, just the Cape Flats humour in general – all that kak praat nie (=bullshit)!!
- The view of Table Mountain from ANYWHERE in the peninsula!
- Cape Town’s diversity : )
- Cape Malay food………mmmmmmmm… the curry, the stews!! I’m dying just thinking about it.
- The sketch side of Long Street!!! (aka the side of the club Joburg!) – my friend got mugged right in front of it and we saw the bouncers Beat. The. Shit. Out of the thief. Belt lashings were included…
- Soccer and rugby mania – all day, everyday!
- Running around the Rondebosch Commons and passing the “love is life” graffiti makes me smile every time.
- The sometimes annoying, but overall entertaining interaction between my little host brother (14 y.o.) and I – thank you for being the kid brother I never had! : )
- Confusing S.Africans if I’m Asian or American… or maybe both?! – I was at passport control, and the guy didn’t understand that I could be a Chinese-American!!!
- Pick ‘N Pay grocery shopping!!! But definitely won’t be missing buying airtime for my cell phone every few weeks.
- Walking up the mountain every day at school… such a bitch, but my calves have that to thank for.
- Monsieur Price – only the classiest boutique in all of South Africa ; )
- Driving manual on the “wrong” side of the road!!! : )
- The South African accent & -isms! It’s so hectic, hey (hehe)
- And, most obviously, all the new friends I have made…
Craig & Hash!
aw, my favorite twins! - Klang & Nda
the original gang! - Boka, Siya, Mzi, and Kiki
Guardian Angel driver, Fatima!
Earl & Andrew
Serame & Mercy
LBG security guards! Dominique & Owen!
Roh, Philip, and Mercy!
Quinton! CIEE program director!
Ameil!
Mercy and I enjoying the sun set
Aniqah & Gheeta!
my host fam - Margot, Andrew, & the dogs!
~anime~ hahahhaha
Beautiful people and beautiful memories. Thank you, Cape Town, for the best semester of my entire life. I will miss you all. <3
See y’all in Asia.
Revision Blues
Hello, from Social Siberia. I’ve exiled myself for two weekends in a row to revise for my BIO papers…
A quick guide for y’all scholars:
- Revise = study; eg: OMG, revising for Verts is going nowhere!
- Write = take an exam; eg: When are you writing BIO? I write Monday morning at 8…
- Paper = exam – all essay formatted; eg. Man, that Verts prac paper was such a trainsmash…
While I know my classes are pass/fail, there is (1) a part of me that can’t let myself completely blow it off, and (2) no way I could spin crap outta my ass for science anyways…
Naturally, though, I am procrastinating. One of my more notable skills. So here are two webcam photos of me reppin’ SA and CPT (overly cheesy, I know)
Life’s good otherwise! Barca beat ManU, my MAVS are in the NBA finals again (can we say 2006 rematch??), and I’m done writing this Wednesday! It’ll be a happy and probably tiring day!
Until then though, back to Verts revision. Cheers, y’all!
Battling Sharks & Life
I’ve been putting off the blogging, partly because of school, but mostly because I don’t want to accept the fact that I have only a month left in a country that I have fell so madly in love with. But this is not the time for reminiscing or feeling sad; like I said, I still have one month left, and much can happen in a month! So onward we push…
Typical, but a lot has happened since the last time I updated…
I’ve been so busy. School has been a little ridiculous, and I’ve been volunteering a lot. I go to clinics in Khayelitsha, a township near Cape Town, Monday and Wednesday nights and shadow clinical students around. It’s an experience I would never get in the States because I get to do some of the examinations and diagnoses. And in the off time, I get to practice a little bit of my Xhosa. : )
A few weekends ago, I went to Bo Kaap (literally means above Cape Town), the Malay Quarter. I saw all the colorful houses that so distinguish the area. I had some seriously stomach-satisfying curry (NOM NOM!), while overlooking downtown Cape Town.
I visited my host family in Ocean View again. Tommy and Cindy (my host parents) took us to Soetwater, and they let me practice driving manual on the way back (ALWAYS, ALWAYS a plus!!) Tommy talks so much shit, but it’s always a great time, not to mention all the delicious food we had – they made curry potjie for us. NOM NOM!
L-R: me, Cindy, and my friend Ro
And saving the BEST for the last… I finally went SHARK CAGE DIVING last weekend at Gansbaai!!!!!!!!! The one thing I HAD to do in South Africa is finally crossed off my list!!! Sharks, hands down, are one of my favorite, favorite animals. I waited this long to do it because I heard the best season to do it was near winter, and thank goodness I did because we saw about 8 Great Whites!!! I was worried I would get sea sick on the boat ride out to Dyer Island, but nothing to worry about!
I'm BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
: ) Classes are almost over, and only my Xhosa oral and my Verts 20 page report is standing in my way (well, there are those 4 finals too……) But I’m excited to see what this last month has in store for me!
