Job Skill-less

Over the past few days I've been attending events put on by the University of London (UoL) Careers Centre.  Despite the fact that I'm not looking for a job after I graduate, why not take full advantage of the [free] services offered by the School and uni?  I'll need to find work someday.  Additionally, it's always good to get tips on making applications, writing CVs, interviewing and simply seeing what the employment market is like (and what it takes to do well while trying to de-mystify and stay in it!).

Firstly, it sucks not being an EU/EEA citizen.  Visas for the UK are on based around a points-based system (PBS).  Even though I'd be able to qualify for a special type of work visa that allows UK grads to stay in the UK and apply what we've learned, it's still difficult to qualify for the required number of points that are needed to work and live here (i.e. you need points that are derived from your current "maintenance funds", isn't that what you are trying to earn through your job?!?!?!!).  It's understandable that a country looks after the needs of its own citizens first (the US is no saint, and is just as guilty!), but it's intimidating.  The student visa was hard enough to secure!

Secondly, UoL career fairs stink.  Yes, it is extremely important to "network" with possible employers to find out what they are looking for in possible employees.  However, why are there never any fairs that are actually accepting CVs to HIRE people (or at least give them internships)?  C'mon, UoL.  This is the second time that you've done this.  The recession is over (barely, though, for the UK...), and health workers are ALWAYS needed!  Furthermore, not everyone wants to work in the developed world 100% of their time.  How about brining in some organisations that work (at least primarily) in Africa, UoL?  Latin America or Asia are just as good as well!

Those are only a few more reasons why going to med school looks better and better each day!    

Some good news, though.  I got a 4 out of 5 on my Health Policy, Processes & Power end-of-term essay (mind you that there are no partial points given!).  Too bad the mark didn't count.  It's nice to know that I can completely BS something and still get a kick-ass grade.  Sorry, I needed to brag and prove to some of you skeptics (i.e. Kate Bruder) that I am actually studying and not just taking [too many] holidays. :)

The Past Week-ish

Last week was a good week, and this week has a similar outlook.  Here's why:

1.  I didn't leave my residence hall the entire weekend (with the exception of Friday night).  It was one of those times when doing ABSOLUTELY nothing was EXACTLY what you need to maintain your sanity.  I watched movies ALL Saturday with some hall mates.  I actually did schoolwork on Sunday, so the weekend wasn't an entire write-off.

2.  Monday night was "Whiskey Night".  Enough said.  :)

3.  Tuesday and Wednesday were a blur.  It wasn't because of Monday, but due to the sheer nothing notable-ness of the days' events.

4.  I met with my tutor on Thursday.  He returned to me the essay that I wrote for him at the last term.  He's an expert on sexually transmitted infections (STI) and HIV, so I was extremely nervous about his opinions on my summary of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) and HIV co-infection (this is his specialty).  Needless to say, my worries were pretty much base-less.  In an academic culture that rarely gives "A's" or their equivalent, I was pleasantly surprised, and pleased, to receive a "B+"!  The grade didn't count, but it was important that I did well because I hope to work under his supervision (or that of one of his well-established colleague's) for my summer project.  We discussed further some project possibilities on the HSV-2/HIV-1 topic, so clearly the efforts on my essay paid off (it was really difficult doing the research because my tutor was an author on most of the sources that I used!).  It appears as if the most likely candidate for my study location will be Jo-burg, SA!!!!  It would be great to go back to South Africa (I wish it was Cape Town, though!), but only time will tell...

5.  The weekend was a blast.  I was with good friends the majority of the time.  Friday and Saturday night were "social outings" with my course mates and hall mates, respectively.  The fun didn't stop there; the weekend wasn't over yet!  Four of my LSHTM friends and I went to Cambridge on Sunday.  It was only an hour train ride away, so it was a perfect destination for a day-trip.  All we did was walk around the city, ducking in and out of the different colleges, and stroll along the River Cam (Cam+bridge, get it?!).  My course mates who graduated from the university told us to go punting on the river (it's a similar concept to a gondola ride in Venice, but the boats are wider), but it was rather cold and the punting docks were closed.  Boo.  We still had a good time, and were able to make it back to another one of our mate's house for a dinner in honour of Robert Burns (probably THE most famous Scottish poet).  Happy Robert Burns Night (yesterday!).  Grahame fixed traditional Scottish haggis!  I ate the vegetarian version, which was pig intestine-casing- and sheep organ-free.  

I also was able to Skype with my really good friends, Joye and Jim, on Sunday evening!  AWESOME!!!!  Haha.  

6.  The fun weekend, despite not getting a lot of sleep over the past few days, gave me a boost for tackling this week.  It should be just an average week, but it's always nice to have a reason to be happy when it starts!  Have a good week, friends!                               

The Upcoming Term

Week one of the second term was a success.  As always, it was hard to get back into being in class and having readings to complete after a lazy holiday.  However, my classes seem interesting and useful.

I have two classes for the next four weeks (so, five in total).  Primary Health Care (PHC) is Monday through Wednesday afternoon and Design and Analysis of Epidemiological Studies (DAnES) is Wednesday afternoon through Friday.  PHC is more theory-based, and touches on topics that include health equity, determinants of health, etc.  The social scientist in me will be placated rather nicely from this course.  On the other hand, DAnES is more skills-based.  The course should equip me with a better understanding and know-how of epidemiology through both lectures and practicals.  I'd say that I picked a nice balance for this half of the term.

Turkey Day(s), in January?!

Notwithstanding my fervent vegetarianism (well, pescetarianism...), I was sad that I missed Thanksgiving (a.k.a. Turkey Day) in the States.  Family, friends and the food that brings us together is what really matters!  I figured what better way to placate my sadness than with satisfying my appetite for travel instead?  I chose Turkey.  Gobble, gobble.  Haha.  In keeping with the togetherness of the spirit of the holiday, I was able to go with one of my coursemates and friends, Andrew.  It was nice to have a like-minded travel buddy who moved at a pace that was fast enough to see the many sights of the city and its environs, but not too eager to move on to the next attraction at the expense of viewing fully or enjoying what was being explored.

Andrew and I decided to only stay in Istanbul because of the limited time (and £$€) that we had.  It was a good decision.  We had about 4 days in which we were able to see all of the major sites of the city, as well as a few other less-visited/well-known places.  We would have needed to start exploring beyond greater Istanbul to make the most out of our visit if we had any more time.

The adventure began on arrival.  The budget airlines fly into the lesser known, less traveled to and far away from your actual/final destination airports.  This time the airport was on a different continent, Asia.  I wanted to get to the European side of Istanbul (the city spans both Europe and Asia, with the Bosporus Strait as the divider), so I had to take a bus and a ferry to get to my hostel and the main tourist attractions.    I had no idea which bus to take (I am cheap/poor, so I always take the public transportation versus shuttle busses or taxis where applicable), and spoke no Turkish.  However, a gentleman was kind enough to tell me which bus to take.  Furthermore, I had too big of bills from the ATM to pay for the bus.  An extremely nice woman paid for me with her bus pass!  What a great introduction to Turkish hospitality!  I did pay for the ferry, though--1,5 Turkish lira (TL) ≈ $1 ≈ £0.60.  I was expecting it to be really expensive, but I learned another lesson: public transport in Turkey is dirt cheap.  :)  Not only was the ride easy on my pocketbook, but it also was easy on the eyes; I was able to see the picturesque skyline of Istanbul, with its mosques/minarets, towers, skyscrapers, bridges, lighthouses and palaces.  Too bad it was a cloudy, cold day!

When Andrew arrived the next morning, we began exploring the city.  We started out with one of the most famous landmarks: the Sultan Ahmed/Blue Mosque.  It was the prettiest mosque that I've ever seen, as well as one of the biggest.  The light grey marble facade with smoky, bluish-grey domes were a captivating sight on the looming building.  The best part was getting to go inside!  I've never been in a mosque before and I thought that non-Muslims weren't allowed in them.  I was wrong!  It was gorgeous--the architecture was stunning, with many stained-glass windows and painted stone.  After that, Andrew and I went to the Hagia Sophia.  This was a former Byzantine cathedral that was turned into a mosque.  It wasn't as impressive, albeit it was bigger than the Blue Mosque and had beautiful mosaics of Christian figures.  It was a bit darker inside and there was scaffolding covering about a quarter of the inside.  (We also entered and viewed the Suleymaniye Mosque, but on a later date).  Once we finished with the Hagia Sophia, we went to the Basilica Cistern that was across the street.  It was quite mysterious.  The underground space was another relic of the Byzantine Empire, and was held up by many lit columns.  The dampness from the water that filled the floor of the space made it an eerily interesting.  It was surprising to see huge, koi-like fish swimming below the bridges on which you were walking.   Lastly, in the evening, we went to the Grand Bazaar.  It was an enclosed network of passageways that were lined by touristy stalls/shops.  I was surprised that the vendors weren't as forceful as Morocco to try and get you to come into their stall to rip you off on some trinket or knock-off clothes.

Over the next few days we saw quite a bit more of the city on both of the European and Asian sides.  We were able to visit the Topkapı and Dolmabahçe Palaces.  Each were palaces for the Ottoman sultans, the latter being the newer and more ornate.  Both were quite impressive and took several hours to fully visit and explore the palace and the surrounding grounds.  There also was the Rumeli Fortress, which, although gutted, made for an almost equally spectacular tour. 

No visit to a city is complete without a stop to a museum or two.  Istanbul had plenty, the most notable being the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art.  It was a great way to be introduced to the extensive history of Turkey and its peoples.

Several places around the city allow for spectacular panoramic views of the city.  Andrew and I went up the Galata Tower and the Pine Hill to fully grasp what the city looked like and how large it actually was.  Impressive!

The trip to Istanbul was phenomenal.  At first, I was sceptical about having a good time because I was tired from being in a place where I didn't know the language and culture (Germany).  However, once I saw the city from the ferry, I was captivated by the colourful sights and rich history of the city.  Touring it only made me enjoy it even more.  It was astonishing to be in a city that has long been an extremely important place in empires, countries and continents.  The city was surprisingly cosmopolitan as well (at least the European side), and had a great feeling of culture; although the Turkey is predominantly Muslim and there were mosques EVERYWHERE (the call of the muezzin reminded you five times daily), the secular tradition of the country only adds to the city and country's appeal to all peoples.  Regardless, I was glad to return to London to resume my studies in the new term!

Christmas+ in Cologne

As many of you all know, I did not return to the States for the holiday season.  I figured that since I planned on being in London for only a year and long distance holiday travel is neither simple nor inexpensive, it made the most sense to stay in Europe.  Furthermore, my good friend, Lea, who I've known since my final year of high school, said that it would be fine if I spent Christmas and the New Year with her, her family and her friends at her home in her native Cologne, Germany.  Retrospectively, I would have decided to return home for the break if I wasn't able to be around people who I enjoy and familiar faces.  Although I had such a great time, I realised that the question isn't about chaotic travel or money or if I am able to survive long periods abroad, but the holiday season is about family and friends; no matter where I am in my schooling, career or life, it's going to be Stateside for Christmas (at least).

The Christmas tradition in Germany is very similar to that in the States.  Both Lea's family and mine our Catholic, so I'd say that is probably a big reason why I experienced no surprises.  Although everything was in German, I "understood" much of the Christmas [Eve] Mass because it was carried out in a similar fashion as it is in the States and several of the songs, prayers, etc. were the same.  However, gift giving was a bit different (it may depend on family tradition, or not): in Germany it is common to get a gift for someone (no need for the extravagance of spending ridiculous amounts of money on a countless number of presents!), which is given on the evening of the 24th (not the morning of the 25th) and family arrives later in the day on the 25th for coffee and cakes, followed by gift-giving, dinner and time for socialising afterward.  There was a Church service on the 26th as well (which is optional...).  The holiday season continues until 6 January, the day of the three kings.  

Lea and her friends had an additional tradition, which is definitely befitting of the Christmas season. They sing carols at the local hospital, where Lea's mom works, for those who are unable to be at home.  What better way to get into the Christmas spirit than to share it with others, especially those who are ill?  Again, it was difficult because I didn't know German.  Luckily I was able to remember the different sounds that letter combinations make from my previous visit to Köln, so hopefully I didn't sound too bad...

Regardless of event or tradition, I felt extremely welcome.  Lea's parents, family and friends (Lea, too, of course!!!!!) are such genuinely nice people.  It was a bit frustrating that I wasn't able to speak any German, though.   However, everyone treated me as if I was a regular part of the family and friend unit.  There's nothing like German hospitality!  That's what Christmas is truly about!

The New Year's celebration was similar to that of pretty much everywhere: PARTY and ring in the New Year with a bang!  New Year's Eve is known as "Silvester" in Germany, and I spent it at Lea's boyfriend's flat in downtown Cologne.  The Kölch (regional beer of Cologne) added the quintessential German element to the fest.  Haha.

To all my family and friends I wish you a wonderfully prosperous, enjoyable and successful 2010!  Prost!

Overall, despite the fact that I missed my Stateside family and friends, I had a great holiday in Germany. There were many dinners, cakes+coffees and family/friend rendez-vous, with a few lazy do-nothing days thrown in for sanity.  I was even able to get out of Cologne as well.  Lea's dad needed to do business in Heidelberg, so we were able to spend an afternoon there (too bad the weather was extremely wet!).  I can see why it is popular with tourists--it looks very German, castle and all!

See everyone in 2010!
  

Rush, Rush, Wait

The past week and its end was like taking a trip: I rushed to get my assignments finished for a successful end to the term as one would rush to compile all of his/her required belongings for a pleasant holiday;  I rushed to participate in last-minute School- and non-School-sponsored events as one would rush to try and get to and through the airport; and I waited to pass the weekend for my upcoming holiday break in Germany as one would wait to board the airplane and for it to actually takeoff.  Everything turned out well, but nothing was necessarily that fun or intriguing.  It was nice that I had time to run some errands in preparation for the holidays, but it is amazing how quickly I get bored when I don't have school or work to occupy the majority of my time.

I must suffer through one more day of boredom, though.  I 'rush, rush, wait'-ed this morning because I was planning on going to Germany to spend my holiday with a good friend, Lea, and her family.  Too bad it didn't happen as planned.  As per usual when I'm taking a budget airline somewhere, I need to get up at 1-2a so I can catch the night bus to the train station for a quick ride to make my 6-7a flight.  When I got to Gatwick this morning, the check-in monitors told me to "see my airline".  All I could think was "oh, shit."  In searching for the easyJet desk, I pass by a woman who is calling out cancelled flights.  Once again, "oh, shit."  When the woman said, "Cologne," I thought, "oh, 'f' my life."  Apparently, these "airlines" don't try to rebook you.  You are "recommended" to go home and rebook at no extra cost.  Making things better, the woman who announced the cancellation was saying how basically all of the flights FROM LONDON (yes, all flights from all 5 airports) were booked because of the holiday season and the recent bout of bad weather.  After queuing for about 2 hours, I was able to find one of the rare ticket desks and booked a ticket to Cologne for tomorrow morning.  This time it's with a real airline, Lufthansa, which [hopefully] won't leave you in the dark if something happens (hopefully).          

Crazy Week

'Finals' week!  Although I have no 'finals' by name, this week is the last week of the term.  I do have "end of the term assessments," though: two essays and two exams.  All the assignments don't count toward my final marks for my Master's degree.  I don't know how I feel about that.  I am still stressing over the quality of the work because I do care about the opinions of the reviewers of my assessments, as well as my tutor.  Additionally, the short amount of time within which I must complete everything is a bit overwhelming as well.  It also would be nice to have other marks count to my final degree besides the papers that I write in June!  I'm sure I'll get through the week (and everything) just fine.

I am getting excited for the holidays.  Sadly, I am not going back to the States for the break.  I figured that I will only be gone for a year, and that I will be with friends and familiar faces; I will be spending the holidays in Cologne, Germany with my friend, Lea, and her family.  Hopefully it snows there because I really miss it!!!!  The holiday season just isn't the same with cold and rain. 

Top o' the Mornin' to Ya!

Ryanair did it to me again.  I couldn't resist a £25 roundtrip flight to Dublin for the weekend (a one-way ticket would have cost me 2p, with taxes included!).  I was originally supposed to go with a couple of my course mates and meet a friend (a co-worker at Rockets this summer who studies in Poland) there, but I ended up going alone because everyone cancelled for one reason or another.  I had a good time, though.  It was nice to walk around the city and pop in a museum or castle when I felt it to be appropriate.  I saw St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin Castle, the Guinness Distillery, the National Museum of Ireland, etc.  When I was up and about in the morning--i.e. when I arrived in the city at 7.30 and passed through passport control--I had to restrain myself from saying "top o' the mornin' to ya!".  One of my mates at the School is from Northern Ireland, and he said that it wouldn't be appreciated.  Graham also said that I would probably get a full-body cavity search at immigration as a response.  Haha.

Now the fun begins at school.  The next two weeks are packed with deadlines and last minute get-togethers before we leave for the winter break.  I have two essays and two exams to do.  Each of which is not counted for my final grade (which is both good and bad stress- and urgency-wise), but I still would like to do well!  Some things never change in that I REALLY want to do good work!

I hope everyone is enjoying their last few weeks of school before the holidays!  I am jealous that Michigan has snow and London has rain.  It's hard to get into the holiday spirit without the white-stuff on the ground!  Hopefully Germany will have it when I go there to visit Lea and her family for Christmas!         

Happy World AIDS Day!

Happy World AIDS Day, everyone!  This year's World AIDS Day was probably one of the best that I've had: there was some good news from UNAIDS, which published its annual report outlining the current global situation of HIV/AIDS (i.e. more people have access to life-ameliorating antiretroviral drugs than ever before); my School hosted many informative lunchtime seminars on different efforts to combat the virus and had academic conference-style booths that were sponsored by the HIV/AIDS-related research collaborations at LSHTM (it's wonderful to be around people who are, for the most part, interested in major global health events like health awareness days); and governments like South Africa, which have had a bad leadership in its efforts to fight HIV/AIDS, have announced that they are making greater efforts to curb the impact of the virus.

Furthermore, I had a meeting with my academic tutor today.  We discussed many things, most notably possible topics for my summer project.  There is a great chance that I will be going back to sub-Saharan Africa!  YES!  I will most likely be doing the MSc summer project on HIV and herpes simplex virus, type 2 ("genital herpes", or HSV-2) co-infection.  I am becoming increasingly interested in sexually transmitted infections (STI) and their role in HIV acquisition.  The exact research topic within the HIV/HSV-2 field is TBD, but it will probably be investigating the availability and/or accessibility of HIV/HSV-2/STI treatment.  Depending on what I decide to do and what opportunities there are, I will be going to either Burkina Faso, Ghana or South Africa!

Saturday at a Royal Society

One of the perks about the LSHTM is that it is well-connected to the many different global health and medical societies of London, the UK and even the world.  The Royal Society of Medicine and the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (RSTM&H) are just two examples.  Not only are the School's students eligible for membership in these organisations, but we are able to attend the different meetings and conferences sponsored by them.  Today's meeting on neglected tropical diseases (NTD) was no exception.

Although it was a Saturday and I had to get up @ 7.30 to make the 9 meeting, the meeting was worth it.  The participants were treated to fascinating lectures on schistosomiasis, leprosy, lymphatic filariasis, etc.  The presenters were world-class as well; many of the speakers were World Health Organisation programme or office directors and staff, university professors who were the leaders in their respective fields and leaders in other global health organisations.  Attendees also were able to receive free membership to the RSTM&H!  Jealous?

Unfortunately, though, my parents left this morning to return to the States.  That put a damper on the day.  I had such a good time with them, as well as with my sister when I went to Spain to visit them all.  Hopefully they had a good time too!