Chasing Atul Gawande

Dear friend,

I'm finishing this post that I started a week ago in Boston, from an office in The Gambia. I've arrived here safely, and have SO much to say, but for now I'll leave you with the last leg of my holiday in the U.S. As I'm still settling in, internet access etc has yet to be sorted, so it's been a bit hit and miss. Not to mention, they block Facebook use and even my blog access! :( So my sister has kindly agreed to be my go-between via email (Thank you, Kirsty!).

So I'll leave you with this for now, and an epic update on my crazy 30+hr journey to Africa to come!

Always,

-A

*****************************

Dear friend,

Since leaving Cape Cod (at five thirty on Monday morning!; an attempt to beat the early morning commuters' traffic) I've had some brilliant but admittedly nerdy fun. I remember back in May when a couple of the boys from Auckland were staying with me and had a day to kill before flying home, I asked them what they wanted to do/see. Their answer consisted of chasing down and potentially chatting to a couple of the (AWESOME, world-renown) Professors based in my town as well as, wait for it, the Anatomy Museum.

The past two days I fear I have been no better.

Despite our early start yesterday (Monday) I was keen to head out to wander around Cambridge, to reconnect with the place that's had a place in my heart these six years past. Unfortunately, it has started raining here -- and quite a lot! -- so it hasn't exactly been the movie-like reunion I had envisaged, juggling (very ungracefully) bag, umbrella and camera. I left my friend's place on foot, sans a map, reassuring myself my memory would be jogged in no time. I found my old dorm okay, took some pictures, then decided (foolishly on retrospect!) to veer down an unfamiliar path. One hour, two residential neighbourhoods and one almost-freak-out later I stumbled across something vaguely familiar looking thus being able to avoid Anna's Plan of Desperation which was to hail a taxi back to my starting point.

Back at Harvard Square I grabbed a coffee and some food from Au Bon Pain. Despite it being rainy and cold outside, inside it was very humid, stuffy and hot, and I found my damp jeans sticking to me even more. Not quite the scene from Good Will Hunting I had playing in my head. But the pecan roll was delightful (refer: "Lobster Roll" post below). Then I spent some time perusing in The Coop (Harvard's Bookstore) and, after averting myself from an impulsive crazed book-buying session, I headed for The T -- Boston's underground public train system. Now this was still 100% familiar, much to my excitement! A big change from when I first arrived for the summer in 2004 and learning to navigate the T had felt impossible. My friend graciously lent me her monthly no-limit pass card, which made me feel that much more like I was a local once again.

At The Coop I did acquiesce to buy a map of the Boston area, keen not to repeat this morning's mistake. (Strolling around a town with no direction whilst on holiday is fun, so long as you don't keep walking further and further away from your epicenter! Especially when it's raining, your umbrella keeps flipping inside out, and you're travelling alone, LoL.) With map in bag, and confidence and excitement building, I hopped off at the Longwood stop -- Hospital District!

Now, allow me this digression for a minute if you will, as I fear my narrative at this point requires some backstory before I go any further. All throughout high school I had planned to study International Law -- being the idealistic, history-and-English loving geek that I was, I was going to champion for the human rights of The People Without A Voice. Go ahead, laugh, fair enough. Ironically, it was at Harvard Summer School where I had the opportunity to take an international law class that I decided actually all this talk without equivalent action was not for me. I appreciated the importance of debate, discussion, and negotiation when you're dealing with issues at an international level -- to pirate the words of Peter Parker's uncle, "With great power comes great responsibility" -- but my idealistic 17-year-old self was too impatient. So hello, Med School. I have no regrets, and love the power that is in clinical medicine -- change at the one-on-one level -- but, six years later, I haven't been able to shake this sense of the importance of Big Picture change too. A gnawing at my heart, if you will. Cue: Public Health. Moan, groan, complain, if you must (as most of my classmates/colleagues do!) but I believe Public Health is important in equipping one to approach their specialty of choice with that Big Picture vision. And I'm not talking about the five weeks of seemingly never-ending, monotonous tutorials we get in medical school, where students are more excited at the idea of being able to sleep in and wear jeans to school rather than learning about the actual Public Health dogma.

Which brings me back to Present Time. Boston. Getting off the train at Longwood, Hospital District, AND, most importantly(!!!)...

...home to Dr Atul Gawande. Surgeon, Public Health physician, and one of the key players in the development of the Centre for Surgery and Public Health -- a collaboration between the Harvard School of Medicine and Harvard School of Public Health. Not to mention, award-winning writer.

And he works at Brigham and Women's. And, I have to admit, I was very much aware of that fact as I planned this trip. Not that that was the reason for coming to Boston, but if I happen to walk by him in the street or bump into him at the hospital, it would be pretty awesome. Riiiiiight??!??

... AND....

.... I'm 90% sure I did!

Hahahaha... Only 90%, so there is a 10% chance it wasn't actually him, but I'm pretty sure, and it was pretty amazing.

Okay, back to hopping off the train at Longwood T-stop.

It only took me a few minutes to literally stumble across Harvard's School of Public Health. And just because I was there, and because I've learnt that it never hurts to ask, I walked into the admissions building, introduced myself, said I was a prospective student visiting Boston from New Zealand for a couple days. The lady I spoke to who coordinated admissions was sooo lovely; she gave me some info, then said if I wanted to come back in a few hours she could sit down with me and talk more specifically. I was sooo surprised at how approachable and accommodating they were!

So now I had a few hours to kill. I went one of the main Public Health buildings and asked the security guard if I could come in and have a look around; I was kindly refused (much expectantly -- I know from experience you can't get into Harvard buildings without the appropriate ID; but it never hurts to try!). I continued on my walk and again, literally stumbled across Brigham and Women's Hospital -- on first glance, I thought it was a national museum or art gallery! The building is beautiful; and inside was no less stunning. I must have looked a bit bewildered because a security guard asked if he could help me. I thought, in this situation, honesty would probably be my best bet since I had no idea if anyone could just wander around the hospital. I explained I was a medical student from New Zealand, and whether it'd be okay to look around. It was visiting hours so he said it should be fine; just to stay out of areas that were restricted. I spent almost an hour on foot walking around, perusing: incredible photos on the walls, the building, the plaques, the store, the entrances to different wards... just everything and everything. Breathing in this place that is, in many ways, one of the meccas of medicine.

Feeling a bit hungry with still about an hour and half to kill before going back to the Admissions office, I left the hospital and got a coffee across the street. When it was time to leave I went outside to battle the wind and rain, preoccupied with my battered umbrella -- and it was then, struggling to keep my umbrella from flipping over, that I saw (whom I am more than 90% sure was) Dr Atul Gawande. I kid you not. And you know what? It's totally within the realm of possibility. I mean, he works across the street, case and point.

I totally love God's sense of humour.

My chat with the Admissions lady was really helpful and she gave me lots of basic info about the programme, as well as a few more 'tips' on what she's seen prospective students do well verses not-so-well. She also set up a meeting for me with one of the associate deans of student affairs for the next day, which was also very helpful. Plus, because of the meeting I got *into* the main building and thus a good chance to look around!

So Boston has been good. Despite the rain. Actually, I feel like the rain kind of reflects where I'm at during this trip -- a bit different, a bit (dare I say) more mature than when I was here last.

Always,

-A

LOBSTER ROLL [Irish Phil, this one's for you!]

Dear friend,

As you may have noticed, I love to eat. Not indiscriminately. But I truly believe that food is one of the most basic forms of pleasure. And I enjoy good, tasty food. My answer to "what kind of food do you like?" is the same as to the question, "what kind of music do you like?": anything and everything, as long as it's good.

In the lead up to my arrival to the States, one of the things I was most excited about was the glorious food that awaited in the Land of The Free.

On the pre-arrival list?

1. CHEESEburger, 100% American style

2. Drive through Dairy Queen ice-cream

3. Hot dog

4. Good Mexican

5. Clam Chowder

6. Lobster (New England!)

Visual chronicle:

Seafood chowder in a sourdough bread bowl, San Francisco Airport.

[I wish I had room to eat the bread bowl, but the thing was massive!]

Banana and walnut pancakes with maple syrup, Sunday brunch in suburbia.

Spinach and artichoke quesadilla, lunch in Vancouver.

[Unfortunately, didn't take my camera to our AMAZING dinner at O'Doul's.]

Hot dog, Stanley Park food stand, Vancouver.

The most amazing fries (pomme fritte) EVER from Cafe Campagne, Pike Place Market. I was there for coffee when I was in Seattle a couple years ago, saw the people at the table next to ours having these fries, and have been dreaming about them ever since. And they DIDN'T disappoint! They will haunt me forever. I *heart* potatoes. [P.S. I also *heart* bread baskets!]

Some sort of salad from the same place above; not really much of a salad, but delicious. Baguette, goat cheese, green veggies. Mmmhmm...

LOBSTER ROLL, from Liam's at a beach in Cape Cod. OH. MY. GOSH. Bread; lettuce; lobster, LOBSTER... MORE LOBSTER.

HEAVEN.

Life is unjust, that there are people in the world who can have this at any time during the year. They don't know how good they've got it! It was sooo full, but I ate every last piece. For you, mum and dad!!

Pecan Roll from Au Bon Pain, Harvard Square. Gooey-gooey goodness. Breakfast this morning -- being an adult ROCKS. I thought of you Jane. I'd bring one back for you if I thought they'd survive three months in Africa. :)

AMAZING Mexican food from a small place called Jose's in Cambridge. Dinner with Sean and Elysse.

Beautiful! Followed by...

Fried ice-cream. Yes, fried ice-cream. Not as absurd as I thought it'd be!

My food journey thus far. :)

And just to finish up...

Hello! I'm still alive, see!! LoL Taken from atop our hotel in Vancouver, our amazing balcony on the 31st floor.

Tune in next time for, "Chasing Atul Gawande" and my crazy adventures in Boston's Hospital District! :) [Also, more photos to come...]

Always,

-A

"WHAT am I doing HERE?!?"

Dear friend,

Let me set the scene.

I write to you sitting on a plush queen sized bed at 11pm, on the second floor of a relatively (by NZ/"normal" standards) large, beautiful summer vacation house in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The window is half opened, the screen letting in a cool refreshing summer night's breeze as well as the overwhelming symphony of crickets in the backyard forestry. We are in a cul-de-sac in a small town in Cape Cod, the quintessential New England vacation spot, ten bazaillion cars in the driveway (one for each person staying here), an American flag waving on the front porch, and a thirteen year old gold lab with cataracts. There is a hot tub in the backyard, and outdoor shower (screened of course; without a doubt, gloriously refreshing after a hot day at the beach), and a lounge full of lovely New Englanders with burly American accents (just the way I like it!). Oh, and did I mention beer on tap.

(I kid you not.)

Since my leaving Seattle yesterday, I found myself wondering on more than one occasion, "WHAT am I doing HERE?!?"

Seriously.

*Pinch*... pause... *Pinch*

Wait, no, I'm still here. This isn't some strange movie. I'm not asleep. This is actually my life.

"Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you'll get."

I woke up 4.15am yesterday in Seattle (after only six hours of sleep) in order to get ready in time to leave for the airport by 5.30am. [Note to self: next time you plan an epic trip, remember that even a 7.30am flight is too TOO early.] My friend was a true champion waking up that early to drive me to the airport, given she was still not feeling that flash. A quick hug good-bye later and I was off, alone again with my two pieces of luggage, my faithful companions for the next three months. As I checked in I stumbled across the realisation that the reason I wouldn't arrive in Boston until 6.30pm despite flying out of Seattle at 7.30am was that (a.) the time difference, and (b.) there was fine print on my itinerary which I probably should have read. "One stop." Urgh. I didn't realise there was a stop. And where that stop would be was never mentioned.

Two hours later, I found myself in -- of all places -- Denver, Colorado.

"WHAT am I doing HERE?!?"

What the heck was I doing in Denver?!

Life definitely has a sense of humour.

So yes, I can now say that I have been to Denver. Although, all I saw of it was the view from the airport terminal -- a flat farmland horizon stretching on for miles and miles.

I was in Denver for about an hour, switched planes, and was off again to my final destination (for now), Boston, Massachusetts. The last time I was here, six years ago, I flew direct from LA and at night, the last hour of the flight through a storm. So a little different this time around. Despite having a window seat I spent most of the four hour flight trying to find a comfortable position for my head as I dozed (at which I failed miserably). This lack of sleep business is contributing to those premature wrinkles I have no doubt I'll get. (My only theoretical redemption being the fact I can afford much needed "serious" anti-wrinkle creams from here on out.)

I arrived into Boston around 6pm, not really sure what to expect.

What I've really appreciated from this trip thus far, and what I'm making an effort to do, is to not have any expectations whatsoever. I'm not sure if you've ever seen the movie Dan In Real Life, but it finishes with Dan's voice-over talking about plans and how sometimes instead of making plans we should "plan... to be surprised." And I think that's the kind of mentality I've been trying to have jumping into this crazy adventure. No expectations. No plans. Except the plan to be surprised. And stretched. And challenged. And to grow. Whatever form that may be.

So I picked up my luggage from baggage claim and headed outside to wait to be picked up by my friend who lives in Boston. Our history is, six years ago, while I was back in NZ for high school I went to Harvard Summer School (they have a special program where high school students can come and take two college classes, live in their dorms etc and get a taste of college life) and we were roommates for the summer. It was a pretty life-changing experience for me -- the defining experience of my adolescence -- and she had been a big part of it. What's more amazing is we have managed to stay in touch. A combination of my knack for maintaining long-distance friendships (no lack of experience here!) and her knack at being lovely and warm and just a seriously awesome human being. She is, without a doubt, one of the most naturally socially intelligent people I have (and will ever) meet -- and she doesn't even realise! She's not even trying! LoL

She and her boyfriend were there to meet me, and we went straight to Cambridge (the town next to/?part of Boston) in which Harvard and MIT reside. Her boyfriend actually grew up in Cambridge -- yes, some people actually live there as per normal life, completely apart from the universities, much to my surprise and disbelief! (I mean, I guess in theory in makes sense, but the thought had never crossed my mind, LoL; it's just so defined by Harvard! Crazy) We grabbed a quick bite from a sandwich place nearby, and then headed for Cape Cod. Her boyfriend's family, being true locals to the area, have a summer house "at the Cape." And, it being the tailend of summer, and this house having oh-so many available beds, a lot of her boyfriend's family and their friends were here for the weekend too.

I am taken aback by the warmth with which they have received a complete stranger into their home. And I have to admit, it helps being, in many respects, a novelty. More than being a New Zealander, a totally Asian looking chick with the most unexpected accent coming out of her mouth definitely helps break the ice -- in the very least, you'll never be short of topics for conversation.

And the bed. OH MY GOSH, the bed. I had NINE hours sleep last night, and it was 100% glorious. A plush, ginormous bed with FOUR plush, ginormous pillows. I have been spoiled. And I have done absolutely nothing to deserve it. Enjoy it while it lasts, I tell myself. It's going to be a fascinating change once I get to Africa, that's for sure. But I will remember you, Bed, and think back with fond memories of how amazingly perfect you were and our two glorious nights together.

After that incredible sleep -- and sleep in -- it was all go for a perfect day at the beach.

Learning point of the day: "going to the beach" can mean something fiercely different from one might expect. It was a process, let me assure you. Ten beach chairs, a pile of freshly washed beach towels, three coolers of drinks and food (chicken, burgers, sandwiches), various beach game things, one very excited dog and his bag of necessities (leashes, poo bags, water bowl, etc), and two cars full of people -- one being a truck with a license for driving onto the beach itself.

It was beautiful. And perfect. I know, I've been overusing those words, but there really isn't any other way of describing it. And, to be perfectly honest, I'm not even a real "beach-y" person. I'm more, let's go for a nice drive to the beach, walk along (barefoot on the sand if I'm feeling adventurous), get something nice to eat, then go home. Never anything requiring sunscreen, if you get my gist. But, half an hour into it, I was converted. Fully. Whole-heartedly. Without any reservations whatsoever. And boy, I now have a mean New England summer tan. :)

I left a bit early to meet up with two friends (a married couple) whom I also met the summer I spent in Boston six years ago -- they were seniors at Harvard at the time. The guy is currently an O&G resident (=registrar) at Yale, which is in a town a few hours drive away, so we met at a designated halfway point. It was SO lovely to see them. They have been a source of encouragement despite being half a world away. They prayed for me at the end of our two-hour catch-up and, as we parted ways, I found myself again overwhelmed with a sense of Blessing.

I love New England. I can see the attraction. And I am thankful God has given me this truly unique, completely unexpected insight into how "the other half lives." But, as has happened before, instead of making me want it more, it is making me more sure of the person I am. And the person I am is not the person I once thought I wanted to be... if that makes any sense at all.

I am enjoying this opportunity though. An experience you literally couldn't pay to have. So unbelievable... so utterly God's doing.

Tomorrow we will spend the day exploring Cape Cod, then head back to Cambridge.

I have the most incredible hosts. A once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience.

Always,

-A

Thought of the day: Sand between your toes so quickly becomes an addictive feeling.

The two cornerstones of the American Way: Food and Cars

Dear friend,

I can't believe it's taken me five days to find a chance to sit and write. It's been a bit of a whirlwind and I feel like I have been in the U.S. for so long! The friend I've mostly been staying with in Seattle only just recently moved into her current apartment so has yet to set up internet. Every so often I feel a pang in my heart at the thought of emails cluttering up my Inbox unfetted for more than 24 hours; but then I calmly remind myself I'm on holiday and really, the world will not end should they go unanswered for a week or two. This is good for me, I think. :)

So Surgery ended on a high, with incredible (and humbling) feedback from each of my surgeons and my team, finishing my Surgical Essay a few days before leaving for Elective (yay!), and, most significantly, with an amazing sense of peace and certainty that Surgery is what I want to do with my life. On Friday (the last day of my run) I assisted in Theatre in the morning then sneaked off early to meet my Dad who had flown down to Dunedin. While we were at the mall, having lunch and running errands, I saw one of the Plastic Surgeons I worked with randomly talking to a guy selling woodburners. I walked right past him and thought to myself, "Man, I wish I could talk to him about Plastics and my being interested in pursuing it!" Then I thought, why the heck not? He's lovely, and just a human being like me. And what's wrong with asking for his advice? So I did a 180 and walked back to him, apologised for interrupting his conversation with the salesperson, thanked him for having me on his team and ask him if he had any advice for me since I was keen to do Plastic Surgery. His response was amazing; it was genuine, helpful, encouraging, and ended with his telling me to keep in touch. Wow. I am just continually blown away by the incredible people I meet in my life, and the way in which they shape who I am, and who I will become. A real blessing.

Which, I think, is becoming the theme to this trip. Blessing.

Saturday was crazy, with packing for my trip, packing up my apartment, all within the span of a few hours! It was an incredible help having Dad there. We went out for lunch before leaving for the airport -- quality Father-Daughter time. :) It's awesome to have their support in this crazy, very un-Asian trip I've planned to Africa. They had their concerns initially, and did their fair share of "Why can't you go to the Europe? Or the States? Or even South America??! Why Africa?!?" But actions speak louder than words, and they have been nothing but supportive. It was nice to chat with Dad and get some more of his wisdom as I head on this adventure.

Then, I embarked on the looong trip over to North America. The flight from Auckland to San Francisco was okay, but I missed Qantas. Australians and Kiwis have a healthy jokingly competitive relationship, much akin to Americans and Canadians, but one thing those Aussies do better than us? Qantas. For sure. They're so much friendlier (surprisingly so!), and I just love their little packs -- toothbrush, socks, eyemask, waterbottle, snacks... So the 13hour AirNZ flight was alright. Tiring. But that was to be expected.

As I got off the flight in San Francisco, I had this visceral emotional response. A tugging at my heart, a sense of being... Home.

Don't worry, Kirsty, it didn't last long. LoL. Which was the other surprise. Having lived in the U.S. at, what I believe to be a really influential time in a young person's life (aged 11 - 15), there's always been a part of me that felt more American than I did Kiwi. And living in America long-term has never really been crossed off the list of possibilities for 'The Anna Show.' Until now. I think. That tugging at my heart was quickly replaced by an overwhelming and distinct feeling of being an Outsider. Like tuning into an old T.V. show -- a sense of familiarity, yes, but I was very aware of the fact that I was on the other side of the screen, watching, rather than being part of the show itself.

Growing up with three very different cultures, I've never really felt rooted in any of them. Like a stranger peering in. And as I get older, it doesn't seem to change. What has changed, however, is that I begin to meet people every once in a while who can relate (Exhibit A: chinese by ethnicity but born in Ireland, studying in Glasgow; Exhibit B: a Peruvian-born asian kiwi). Our own unique subculture; a subculture of having no distinct culture or, on the flip-side, an amalgamation of many different cultures. Products of Globalisation.

And the bottom line? I no longer feel a rooted-ness in the U.S. That has gone. Wow. What a change. What a learning curve.

What's more, not only do I feel un-rooted, but actually like a complete foreigner. There is so much Noise. Constantly. Everywhere. You're constantly bombarded with Talk, with Noise. Maybe it's because I'm in a big city and I really shouldn't generalise to all of America, but their culture and way of life so often feels like one that has lost the meaning and importance of Silence. Of the Quiet. (Or maybe it's just the Kiwi in me. LoL)

But I have to admit, I'm having a blast. There is so much to do, and BUY, AND EAT. Oh, boy, is there a lot to eat. And I'm really embracing the idea that I'm on vacation. I can't seem to stop eating. I love and enjoy food -- one of the most basic forms of pleasure -- and in that sense, can't seem to get enough of America. I think I had the best meal I've had in a long time when we went out for dinner in Vancouver. And bread baskets. Need I say more? [I DREAM about bread. No jokes.]

The service is amazing too. Granted, servers have a vested interest in keeping people happy so it's an unfair comparison to make, but still, I can't believe the difference in service. The food comes out SO quickly, and the portions, oh my goodness, the portions are GINORMOUS. How does anyone ever finish anything?! America definitely has a difficult relationship with eating and food. Either one of too much, or one of wastage. It is hard to see a middle ground. As a visitor I am enjoying it, but only because I know it will only be for two weeks. A real vacation -- vacating my life -- and my usual eating habits. It will be strange once I get to Africa, to see the comparison between the World of Too Much, and the World of Not Enough.

So I should probably stop talking about food and actually tell you a bit about what I've been up to (other than eating! LoL). My flight from San Francisco to Seattle was cancelled, and they put me on another one three hours later. This meant I had to kill six and a half hours in San Francisco airport with no laptop. But I started writing my second book, which is exciting. My flight didn't leave until 9pm, but the night flight was really lovely. I love flying over the U.S. at night -- the lights as you fly over various cities are breathtakingly beautiful, with hues of orange, gold, and green illuminating a canvas of black.

I spent some of the weekend with an ex-Science teacher of mine (from 8th and 9th grade! LoL) who has since become a dear friend. Her family has opened up their hearts and home to me these past ten years, and it has been such a Blessing to have them in my life. It was awesome to see them again and spend time with them. The weather was beautiful and warm, and we spent an afternoon sitting on their porch in the backyard, chatting. They're real kindred spirits. And she remains an inspiration and role model -- a strong woman who has mastered the art of being a beautiful, lovely woman, mother and wife, as well as a leader. I respect her and her husband so much. And as I played with their young children (ten and eight), spent time with them as a family unit, I found myself wanting a family of my own. Not now, not for a while because there are other things I know God has in store for me first, but, for the first time I got an insight into the beauty of having your own family. And what an incredible thing that is. Walking by the harbour after lunch with their family, God gave me a taste of what that would be like, a vision of what he has planned for me, and an acknowledgment that he knows the desires of my heart. And with that, I felt a real peace and joy. :)

My ex-Journalism teacher also had me over for dinner at her place and I got to meet her husband, Roy. They too are amazing, and it was lovely to catch up with her again. The conversation was great, and it was interesting to get their perspective on President Obama (the two of them being African-American). Later that evening, her husband came down with a piece of paper folded into quarters on which was written "A Note for Anna." I opened it up and it was a letter Roy had written that began with "Yo, Anna." Hahaha... It went on to say how I was now officially their Step-daughter, and I had an open invitation to stay with them anytime, they being my Godparents. Wow. So humbling. Another incredible Blessing. And it's just so cool cos I don't have any Godparents. Growing up with relatives all over the world most of whom remain strangers at best, I am continually blown away at how God provides Family in the most unexpected but awe-inspiring ways.

The next day my two good friends and I did an overnight trip to Vancouver, Canada! Even when I lived here for four years I never made it to Canada, so it was great fun. Going through the border was cool (having double-checked I would be able to enter the U.S. again, cos it would be a massive fail to be stuck in Canada!). Vancouver itself was alright, LoL. Big city, a skyline lacking a point of focus (I've seen better, Sorry, Vancouver), but our hotel was amazing -- our room on the 31st floor had a balcony with an epic view over the Bay and it was in Vancouver I had the most incredible meal I've had maybe ever? Not an overexaggeration at all! It was a fun trip. Tiring but fun. One of my friends who did all the driving got pretty unwell though (her tummy revolting against something she'd eaten? +/- all the driving and lack of sleep). Hopefully she'll feel a bit better today.

We had an early night last night, which was much welcomed. I have been averaging 5 to 6 hours the past couple weeks, so eight hours felt absolutely gluttonous! Took a looong shower this morning, and snuck out while my friend slept in, and found a cafe with free Wi-Fi. *Huge metaphorical breath in and OUT* A few hours holed up in a cafe, the quiet... time to myself... all is right with the world again.

On the menu today? Tourist-y Seattle fun, finding some Africa-appropriate clothes which I didn't get a chance to do back home, and dinner with my two friends, their respective significant others, and some other old Junior High friends. A nice end to my time here.

I can't believe my week in Seattle is almost already over. A real whirlwind. Leaving at 5am tomorrow for my flight to Boston which, crazily enough, will take the ENTIRE DAY. But the flight should be beautiful. And I'm sure I'll have a healthy dose of nostalgia -- six years since I was in Boston for Harvard Summer School. Whoa.

SOOOO... I am well. I have truly "vacated" life. And enjoying not having a schedule or any decisions to make... and being a foreigner in a place once my home. I'll see you in Boston!

Always,

-A

Thought of the day: Culture is a strange business.

Welcome to Seattle!!

Dear friend,

I meant to start this Elective Edition of my blog well before I left NZ for this adventure overseas, with appropriate reflections of one door closing and another opening, etcetera etcetera. But, as I'm becoming all too familiar with, life often has other plans; like, 10++ hour days at the hospital trying to finish my Surgical run, as well as packing up my flat and shifting, all on the day I was to leave! On retrospect probably not such a good idea flying out literally the day after finishing the most intense run of the year, but, in the end, it all worked out.

So more of an update to come, but for now, I've arrived safely after 36hours of travelling and have spent the afternoon lounging on the porch of my ex-Science teacher's house, relaxing in the warm afternoon breeze and chatting with her and her husband... reflecting on life. LoL. And it's AWESEOME. I'm exhausted, but relaxed. And loving the tiredness of being on holiday, LoL.

More to come. Oh, so much more. :)

Always,
-A

Thought of the day: There are two certainties in life -- paying taxes; and delays in U.S. Airports. And we must just make our peace with both. (Or, avoid flying via the U.S.! LoL)