PA School and NY Update

Well I have survived an earthquake, hurricane, faculty strike, two exams, right around 100 hours of class, a hospital visit for bug bites and fever and many delayed subway rides... and I still love it here.

As for school: It's 40 students in one room, professors change so we don't move, either freezing cold or burning hot depending on the day, no windows... it's like jail except we choose to be there and don't want to be dismissed. We had to buy cushions for our seats because our butts and backs hurt so much by the end of the day and several of us suffer from stomach cramps from having to shovel food in and then sit for hours. I know this all sounds terrible, and while it isn't the most exhilarating adventure I have ever embarked on it is definitely fun in an odd and nerdy way. Plus, I add my own kick to it with my small group of girlfriends by making nicknames for everyone in class like the "fashionista" and the "novelist." Anyway...

I'd say the hardest part of being here, besides the non-stop studying and pressure of not failing out, is trying to understand all of the different accents I encounter on a daily basis. I swear english is no one's first language here, which makes listening to professors even more difficult. Let's start with yesterday (Monday) we had 6 hours of class with one professor who sounds like she was born in Portugal, moved to Chile then grew up in India and taught in Russia (not kidding). Professors switched and we had anatomy with a Native New Yorker- who I have the hardest time understanding and had to ask my classmates if there was supposed to be an "R" at the end of some of his words (they laughed since I am the only out-of-stater who obviously struggles with the harsh accent). Today I had 8 hours of cardiology class with a very nice African American man who talks with a more "black-person" accent and extremely fast... I repeatedly have to ask him to repeat himself. Then I finished my day with 3 hours of pathology taught by a WHITE Jamaican man who uses "fuck" every other sentence and manages to say "up the butt" and "poop" during each slide of his powerpoint which makes the entire class giggle like middle schoolers talking about boners.

Tomorrow eight of us are going to the hospital for the first patient-encounters, myself included- as Ms. Gansar (weird). We will be taking patient histories and vital signs while dressed up in our white coats and introducing ourselves as PA students to patients that have already told their stories ten times and do not want to be bothered by any more people. But hey we all learn the hard way not to check ourselves into a teaching hospital.

As for NY living... I have successfully tried 4 cupcake shops, found the best donuts I have ever tried in my life (dangerously close to my apartment) and have yet to eat at the same place twice. If all else fails I will just become a food-blogger.
My roommates are great. One of them is now one of my best friends- our connection is strong and weird. The other girl is very much about herself but we get along just fine. No boys in my life for the first time in a long time, it feels good but can be lonely. Michael and I do have dinner about once a week - nothing romantic going on however. Since there are 8 boys and 32 girls in the program, looks like I'm gonna be single for a few years.

And that is that for now. I miss you all and hope you are staying well because everything I learn makes me feel like you are each extremely sick with something.