First Week of Medical School

It just flew past me, maybe I'll have more to say when I wake up from this daze of meeting my classmates, adjusting to school, and checking out Chicago....

Quote of the Week

Reach for the stars  so if you fall  you land on a cloud 

-Kanye West 

Quote of the Week

Be open to constructive criticism. 

More often than not, when you're screwing up 

and nobody says anything to you anymore, 

that means they've given up on you. 

                                                - Randy Pausch 

The Last Lecture

I just read the Last Lecture by Randy Pausch, so don't be surprised if I am heavily influenced by the content.

Pick this book up, I promise you will not regret it! I was tempted to quote my favorite lines in the book, but I really enjoyed just about everything he shared. Read it and let me know what you think.

Happy Reading :-D

Haitian-American Weddings

I worked a few wedding this season. Although I enjoyed these weddings, I have to admit that I am happy wedding planning, wedding MCing, and wedding season is over for the time being.

Because I am burned out! Whoo...

I was honored to be of part of making my loved ones wedding dreams a reality this year. We worked hard and we played harder. Nothing like a gold ole' fashion Haitian wedding to get people moving and shaking. And I will probably be calling in the favor when it is my turn :-D In the meantime, I am going to recuperate until next wedding season. I know there are some in the works...I won't be working any next season I have decided to call it quits and leave it to the professionals. Sorry:-(

I will say that I a greater appreciation for the time, effort, money, collaboration, and man power thats goes into successfully organizing these massive Haitian wedding. I would offer the following:

1. Start planning as early as humanly possible
2. Determine how much money you have
3. Clearly outline a budget based on how much money you have
4. Make a invitation list based on your budget and STICK TO IT!
5. Send out invitations early, so people can plan
5. Be flexible: remember that the marriage is what matters, all the details are fluff
6. HAVE FUN!!!!

Be blessed :-D

Decorating on a budget

I have most of my furniture now. All I need is a table or bar stools (I'm still deciding) and a TV. I'm really in love with the new LCD flat screen TVs. I went as far as to determine which size would be best for my living space and the 32" wins. 

I wish I didn't know this because I now I really want it. It's like internet and cellphones. I lived well without them for so long but now that I have them I simply can not live reasonable without them. Life just seems to be so inefficient without them. 

An Ikea expedit media/bookcase 

a black leaning desk/bookshelf

a black coffee table, an espresso couch, and two espresso ottomans (which fit nicely under the coffee table. 

And I picked up a super cute lamp from CB2 for $20 (it was a floor sample). I go all of the furniture for $250 via craigslist. Its not exactly the look I was going for but I like it and I love what it's doing to my budget. I love the crispness of the black and white but I don't know how I feel about the espresso. I want to re-upholster them a sharp shade of gray. But I only have $300 to buy a TV and either a table or bar stools. I may have to buy a 22" and two black barstool. 

Ancient Egypt

I'm reading Cleopatra's Daughter.  And I love this book!

I am not sure how I got a hold on this book. I started the summer with a sincere desire to read period pieces. And if you know me at all, you know that I am a hopeless romantic.  So I did what any romantic would do and picked up Jane Austin's books. Before I knew it, I had read every Jane Austin title I could get my hands on.

I was not satisfied; I am a veracious reader and I had developed an appetite for historical fiction. So I picked up Cleopatra's Daughter, set in Ancient Rome and Egypt. It was written by an archeologist who took the time to piece the story together based on research and a bit of her imagination I am sure. Nevertheless, it was a great read and a nice way to wrap up my last summer before medical school.

I recommend it, if you have any spare time...

Toodles :-D

Quote of the Week

"I don't believe in the no-win scenario"
Captain Kirk

Decorating Ideas

I am feeling better and am in the mood to decorate-or at the very least plan the ideal look for my studio. All of the furniture would ideally create a minimalist, uncluttered, airy, modern, comfortable and functional living space that takes into account the fact that I love books and that I am a medical student. So I want a sofa, table/desk, ottoman, TV and book shelves.  I don't even have a budget that could account for the pieces that I have fallen in love with. But hey a girl can dream!


I love this BOKZ sofa bench in grey twill upholstery with chrome finishing tacks and stained wood stiletto legs $400 from Lunar Lounge Design

I also love the sequence | Molteni&C furniture designed by by Patricia Urquiola. A former coworker cut this image out of a magazine because it reminded him of my taste and he knew I was exploring different design options. I approve! If you love this look check out their April 2010 Catalogue

I also love the uno sofa $899 and silverado rectangular table $299 at CB2. 

Moving Pains

I just moved to the Windy City. On my way up here I picked up the stomach flu from my family and won't have my bed for a few days so I'm a little annoyed. Otherwise, I have a cozy little studio and a great view. I'll check the city out and decorate when I feel better.

Reflections on Haiti

Image via Wikipedia

I loved Haiti! And when I say this I don't mean that the rubble in Port-au-Prince (PAP) made my heart skip a beat and the poor little Haitian people living in tent cities were endearing. Stuff like that can be so cliche and ignorant. I love Haiti just because! Although probably still a bit cliche, its genuine. I don't have an explanation for why I love Haiti: I just do. Love is like that sometimes.

Despite the fact that I came to Haiti, after traveling around the world and back, I am happy that I have been privileged to have had those experiences to color my perspective and my dialogue with Haitians about Haiti.  I spent most of my time in Haiti at hospitals and in the medical school in PAP shadowing doctors and final year medical students.

I shared my visions and hope for Haiti. I guess, I expected more opposition. I have definitely received a lot of mixed reviews from people throughout my experience in the US and abroad. In general, I have gotten that sense that people think that my dream is well grounded but overly ambitious, presumptuous, and dangerous. Then there are people like my 85 year-old grandfather who prays to live to see a glimpse of the impact he is sure I will make in Haiti. I was expecting the medical students and doctors to have a similar spectrum of opinions and critiques.

I was ready; it feels like I have been fielding questions for years. I guess I was expecting something more along the lines of 'what makes you think you can just come to Haiti and open a medical school? We don't need your help. We have enough qualified physicians who have actually lived here their entire lives and are more dedicated to Haiti than some foreigner can ever be. You over zealous bleeding heart American liberals make me sick!'

I mean don't get me wrong, people were definitely, inquisitive, critical but nothing like I expected.  It took so little to convince people that I was serious and qualified. My resume was enough for the doctors that I shadowed and everyone else seemed to take the qualifications for granted: I am a medical student in the US, I was motivated enough to seek them out, and I had a plan. Everyone agreed that Haiti needs all the qualified and committed health professionals we can get. If I wanted to join the team, then I would be welcomed with open arms.

They were concerned with more practical limitations. Would I be able to adjust to life in Haiti,especially outside PAP? Would my future husband be willing to live in Haiti? Where would I send my future children to school? How long would my medical training take? How much debt would incur in the states? Would my debt in the states limit me from coming to Haiti? What kind of training did I plan on pursuing? How did I plan to keep the dream alive until after my training? What was my time line? Could I handle the mentality of the people? Would I be willing to learn French?

I was so ready to talk politics and philosophy that I was thrown off guard. Of course, I'll live in Haiti. I'm not married. I don't have children. What was this? It was real, that what it was. These are the kind of unplanned parts of like that have a way of diverting you if you don't think about them and prioritize them  as early as possible. And people wanted to see how thoroughly I had thought this through. I answered them as best as I could. But these ideas are certainly food for thought. And I grateful for the reality check and enthusiasm.

I've been re-energized by my experience in Haiti. A small part of me was afraid of the unknown but I should have known better. God would never have put a dream in my heart that was not mine to have. I know that road ahead will be difficult.  But a obstacles are there to stop people who don't want it badly enough.

I look forward to returning to Haiti as often as possible and continuing to develop relationships with the medical community. In the meantime, I'll learn French and leave the husband finding to God.

Quote of the Week

Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.  

Mahatma Gandhi

Haiti Cheri

As anyone who has ever met me or heard of me knows: I am in love with all things Haitian. Perhaps this bias comes from my upbringing in a Haitian household and yearnings to visit Haiti: the mother land. I have dedicated much time and energy to learning and contributing to the greater body of literature on Haiti. So you can imagine how it must have felt to hear the news about the earthquake (and its aftershocks) that shook the nation's capitol for two days! I stood in disbelief: there was no way the nation could stand to be stuck by yet another natural disaster. But there it was-on CNN-being rattled to its core, leaving a pile of rubble where testaments to Haiti's freedom and grander once stood.

It sent a shock wave through the hearts of million around the world. My friends, family, and neighbors all rallied to support Haitian relief efforts with our prayers, money, and time. And many of us were forced to put life into perspective. Here I was ranting and raving about the aspects of life that were arguably very important to me on a personal level but insignificant compared to what fellow Haitians were having to deal with. Children are struggling to survive with broken backs and gangrene infected half amputated legs!

In all of this I am reminded that as lofty as my dream to start a medical school in Haiti may seem, it is certainly not unfounded. Now, more than ever, it has become readily apparent that the nation needs people dedicated to providing sustainable health professions education and career opportunities. I want to be trained and settled in Haiti. I want to help the nation recover. But I know that I need to move one step at a time, patiently, efficiently, effectively, and sustainably.

In the meantime pray for the nation and everyone who is on the ground working hard to help the people who need them NOW. Pray for sustained assistance and recovery efforts. And, if you can, support us with your time and money!

For more information on how you can help through the not-for-profit that I have helped start go to www.sfcc-collier.org or email me at anitap@sfcc-collier.org for detailed information.

PEACE!