Merry Christmas!

Just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. I hope you have a relaxing, enjoyable and joyous holiday!

We did our traditional carolling adventure tonight! We basically are a convoy of cars, approximately 15 people, traveling to each of others' homes and carolling before being served loads of food and homemade drinks (tasted some great house wines tonight!). The tradition is that you have to sing to the host as a sign of gratitude for the food and also a way to wish the family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
It's definitely my favourite part of our Romanian holiday traditions: to have everyone in one house, gathered around food, singing and laughing!

We also opened presents tonight since my brother and his wife might be heading out early tomorrow to spend time with her family as well. Great way to end the night.

Tested out my new camera :) Here are some pictures from my night...

Find Diego!

My doggy got the best seat for opening presents but ended up swimming in wrapping paper and boxes by the end of the night.

Our Christmas Tree!

Ten.

Ten days!

Lists. Lists and more lists. I have always been a visual person, always writing things down on post it notes. Lately I find myself leaving notes for myself all over the place. I keep remembering small things while walking around the house. Things to pack, things to do.
So today I compiled all those notes into a never ending packing list. I don't know how I will fit everything in my 2 luggages... it WILL happen. (it's funny I'm always a light packer but this time it's a little different than a vacation.)

The holidays are here which means last week was my work holiday party. It was a fantastic night and made me realize what a great team I had to work with for the past 7 months. I know this sounds cheesy but it's really true. We all get along in a way that is outside of the work we do - our personalities just click. Anyways the party was a much needed night out full of food, drinks and moustaches! Our moustache theme came from the Movember fundraiser - we made fun of the creepy caterpillar one of our co-workers wore to raise money for prostate cancer so he thought we should all join in!

(Guys, I don't know how you do it but those things are uncomfortable and itchy! I ended up drinking some of the moustache fuzz along with my margarita. Not a great combo!)

I'm really looking forward to this week. Jam packed with visiting friends and hanging out with family just like the holidays should be :)

Before I go I wanted to share a happy holidays video we made at our work. Enjoy!

Seventeen.

Today started off amazing as the first thing I saw while commuting to work was an email from Saba housing. I finally received my dorm assignment and it was my first choice!! I am ecstatic; it has a kitchen, I am in a single room but have 3 roommates in the apartment - best of both worlds :)

On another note, I was flipping through the globe and mail today (my brother passed his CA and a list of names appears congratulating everyone so I wanted to clip it out!) and I saw an article about getting into medical school. It was about McMaster's Medical School innovative entry and interview approach. McMaster has a new way of choosing their future doctors, they don't simply focusing on grades but weigh it against the personality and character of the applicant. I think its great they are realizing that some of the students who have top marks may not have the most fitting personality to be a doctor - bedside manners are some of the top complaints by patients. According to the article 12 of Canada's 17 Medical schools have adopted the multiple mini interview strategy. I am looking forward for when this approach takes off in the states as well.

It's crazy how fast these days have been flying by...in 17 days I will be on a plane. But until then I have many plans to see friends and spend time with family. Definitely looking forward to the holidays!

Hoping everyone stays warm! (it's -20 here in Toronto)

the countdown begins...

So I'm back and apologize for not actually using this blog but my thoughts have been all over the place in the past couple of months!
Work has picked up tremendously as we launched 5 projects at once! yes, I know we are crazy, but passionate people who really love working with youth. We made it work with many long hours and weekends dedicated to public health :) but it was worth it. Today was the last session with my group of youth and I have to say that I was sad to say goodbye. I realized how attached I got to this project and working at Youth Voices. I can see myself now taking breaks from studying (IF those even exist in medical school!) and checking the youth4health website for blogging updates from the youth I was working with.

As for Saba, time is flying by and I actually started packing! crazy right? in 3 weeks I will be on an island, by myself, celebrating new years. (side note: saba is actually referred to as 'the rock'; it's very suiting as the only road on the island is called 'the road' and the village the campus is in is called 'the bottom'). A few days ago I went to go try on scrubs to check my size and that was surreal.... me + scrubs = actually on my way to becoming a doctor.

I'm still waiting for that split second where it will hit me that I am going to medical school. My guess is that it will be on the plane ride to St. Marten or during the actual orientation day!

We still haven't received our dorm assignments yet. It's making me anxious because one choice has a built-in kitchenette that you share with 3 other people and the other has NOTHING. I hope I get the kitchenette choice as cooking is one of my de-stressor activities and I really don't want to be living off of the instant chicken noodle soups where you just add water for the next 2 years!
I did get my class schedule in the mail though! Can  you guess it? class everyday 8-5pm. yep you read it right. My question is when do we get to study? or better yet when do we get to sleep?  I should probably catch up on my sleep during the holiday break. Speaking of sleep I should get going.

stay tuned for packing excitement, adventures and scrambles to fit my whole life in 100 pounds of luggage :)

First Blog Post!

Hello blog world! I have decided that it is time I start posting since I am coming to realize that I will be leaving in less than 3 months for medical school... Daunting, yet exciting.

I would have thought that my first post would be when I officially accepted admission to Saba University School of Medicine - that's when I first created this blog. But I haven't felt that need to post because the fact that I will be going to medical school didn't sink in until last week. So let me tell you that last Thursday I was in the TD Bank office with our amazing rep hearing that I got approved for an $180 000 loan! I couldn't stop smiling. I was excited and relieved. Those feeling are not typical of a person who is signing away the next 15 years of their life to living in debt. But for me it was amazing because I realized I actually have funding to pay my way through getting my MD. It's actually happening! ... Uprooting my comfortable life in Toronto and going to the Caribbean. Everyone says I am so lucky that I will be living on an island. To me it's medical school; I am going with the thought of studying 24/7 and eventually making time to eat and enjoy the warm air. Exciting. Anxious. Nervous. Fear?... My thoughts are all mixed up but I do know that whenever I say to someone that I am going to be a doctor I have a goofy smile on my face so that should be a sign... right?