043. Dobrý den from Telč, Czech Republic*

Posted on May 16, 2012 by krystalv

From now until June 21st, I’ll be blogging about my time in Central Europe. I hope you enjoy my adventures. 

*Hello from Telč, Czech Republic! (Pronounced “telch”, fyi). I’m writing from a small historic town about two hours from Prague.

My room in Telč (with my friend John in the background)

Now you might be asking yourself, why is Krystal so far from home? Well, my dear friends, I’m completing a 6-credit History course abroad through the University of Toronto’s Summer Abroad program. They have a ton of courses all over the world and you can apply as a visiting student (super easy process), check it out if you think it’s something you’re interested in.

How the course works
For 5 weeks we(my classmates and I) will be travelling to the Czech Republic, Austria, Poland and Hungary while learning about the imperial cities of Vienna, Wrocław, Prague and Budapest. The first five days are spent in Telč, and then we transfer to our home base at Masaryk University (named after Czechoslovakia’s first President) in Brno, Czech Republic. Classes are from Monday-Wednesday for three hours in the morning and then we have the afternoons free (unless there’s a planned activity) and we travel to the different cities on the Thursday and come back on the Saturday/Sunday. There’s a lot of reading, but only two assignments (one short, one long(er)) and an exam, which is awesome for a full year course.

What I’ve been up to
My parents dropped me off at Toronto Pearson Airport and I got on my super short eight and a half our flight (sarcasm alert) on Austrian Airlines. (BTW: Austrian Airlines has those chunky TVs hanging from the ceiling where everyone watches the same movie (ca. 1992), which is not awesome for an eight+ hour flight, but I survived.) Landed in Vienna around 8:15am, and transferred to Telč by 1pm, got all settled in, roamed the super, super small town. My favourite part of this place is the small Pizzeria Italia restaurant where I get to practice my Italian in Czech Republic (I know right?!) with the wonderful chef Angelo.  After being up for more than 24 hours, I was out like a light by 9am.

Telč (all the buildings look different!)

Pizza from Pizzeria Italia. Thanks, Angelo!

I had my first lecture today, went back to the Pizzeria, realized that I did not take enough Czech Koruna (their currency) out of the bank, and learned a little survival Czech. Currently sitting in my room, being introduced to my roommate’s mix of Deadmau5, Steve Aoki and Skrillex (a deviation from my Florence and the Machine, Lights and Mumford and Sons) and trying to decide what to get for dinner tonight.

Na shledanou! (Goodbye!)
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fdjkafjldskfj. ahewqiuleqeqkgeba. wkrhqklhrtkl.

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Kelvin Choi

adkjfhka, kjahwekhtaihtilu, ierhhjrhwilhreilwh! akjdfhkljsgha askjdfh fdt retwk vjhsi qweiowtju  slkjfhtkgjhkijsh, wiorqnmcvidfj xcoikjre weohcd qoehroqkj wqhruh. jhkehr eqohoqehtkj oiwjhtwj. RTJH WLJHEH OGIJHOCIHNK EUJHKET RHOHOWNT GJH!!!

In other words, regrets T_T. Haha but it’s okay I’ll have fun next year in science, and I’m probably going to apply all over Canada. The good news that came out was that I’m very pleased with my NAQ score…

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Like a pressure cooker waiting to explode…

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Kelvin Choi

tomorrow the results come out. Whether I evolve from science into the medical field or I come back to play the game of med school applications again… I’ve never felt so much anxiety in my life. I’ve tried to play DOTA, play Chopin, read Robert Ludlum, or play badminton to relieve my stress, but time and time my mind wanders back to the realization that I have less than 12 hours to find out. Tomorrow, I plan to check right before I head out to the bar to get my feelings fresh and ready for drinking. I will update you all about it tomorrow evening. Wish me luck!

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Reflection on First Year

Posted on May 13, 2012 by Samantha B
I know it’s a bit belated, but I wanted to take the time to look back on my first year at UBC.  It’s definitely been quite the journey, and it’s obvious to me that I’ve changed quite a bit since the beginning of the school year.  And in my reflection, I’ve picked out a few [...]
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From East to West: The Ins and Outs of Going to School Across the Country

Posted on May 13, 2012 by Campbell
Not to turn up the pressure or anything, but the time is drawing near for all you high school seniors to make one of the biggest decisions of your life. The deadline to accept UBC’s offer of admission is June … Continue reading →
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Summer Goals/New Job

Posted on May 9, 2012 by binta

Trees outside my place.  I love Vancouver weather in the summer.

 

1) GET MY LICENSE!  I actually turned 20 recently and its pretty pathetic that I don’t have my license yet.  My family moved around a lot, so I didn’t bother starting the process, and then I went to UCLA, and was on campus 98% of the time so why bother, and now I’m at UBC where the public transportation is ridiculously good, you guys don’t realize how good it is.  It’s better than Toronto, San Francisco, and LA, seriously.  And UBC hit me sideways in terms of difficulty..so keeping up academically became my sole priority.  Now I realize how important it is to have one, having it as ID is good, and its better to get it out of the way now than later.  So I am officially starting the process this summer.  It’s just so much easier to do it in the states so I wasn’t worried, now I hear its a long process involving several different types of licenses here in Vancouver..so I’m not excited for that.

2)  GET FIT!  I don’t care about health during the school year to be honest, and how people in Vancouver run in the rain outside…is beyond me!  I don’t want to get that serious, just buy better food, and exercise, but things I enjoy like walking and playing tennis.  I remember playing tennis every week for a whole summer once.  Now the last time I was in a gym I actually fell asleep lol..so it’s good to engage in things I enjoy.

3) Save money!

4) Read as much personal books(as in not assigned) as I can, I love to read and need to take advantage of this time that I have.  I read series, and want to catch up on all of those, then just dive in, and start looking for book ideas on amazon…I can’t wait!  There goes that inner nerd coming out.

5) Explore Vancouver.  People always bring up certain places, and I’m like ‘never been there.’  I’m a homebody lol, snuggling up to movies and sour patches >> going out to some park.  But I can’t live in the most ‘liveable’ city and not go see it, so I need to check out more places in Vancouver.

6) Deal with UBC ‘stuff’.  Also known as, finalizing courses, this isn’t the time to take courses I don’t need, I actually want to be out of UBC in 4.5 years max…  So if that means Integrated Sciences major, I have to go to UBC, see an advisor, set up the courses asap.  If that means Combined Major, I have to just set up my courses, and make sure it’s not too heavy since I’ll be working.  Hoping I can maneuver my schedule to have at least one full open day during the week of no class.

As for my job, I’ve only worked 3 shifts so far..but I’ve learned so much!  In terms of getting medical experience to apply for med school, I feel like this owns doing research on so many levels.  Research was something I wanted to do, for the sake of it, and because its what everyone else seems to do that gets into medical school.  Based on my paranoia in chem 235, thinking I was one second from blowing something up every 2 seconds, I think it’s clear I don’t belong in a lab, at least not for long periods of time :)  I’m so glad this opportunity fell in my lap.  I’m learning about different drugs, seeing how the doctor makes diagnoses, seeing first hand the interaction between doctor and patient.  Its like shadowing with more responsibilities.  First ER Scribe program in Canada right now, but I have a feeling it will spread to other hospitals eventually.  Anyways, hope everyone is enjoying their summer!  :)

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041. Here comes the sun, do da doo doo.

Posted on May 9, 2012 by krystalv

Or not. Because I woke up to sun, blue skies and chirping birds and ended up with torrential downpour by 2pm. I swear, Vancouver does not understand what rain really is. I also forgot how much I missed thunder and lightening. It’s kind of terrifyingly beautiful. Look at me,  getting all poetic and stuff…

Anyway, since my last blog post I’ve said goodbye to my RezLife family at our year end banquet, watched all the hard work and long hours the Women’s and Gender Studies Student Association/F-Word Planning Committee put into planning the 3rd Annual F-Word Conference pay off on the day of (Note: It was an epic day of 6:30am-10:30pm epicness. I love love love the feminist community at UBC and in Vancouver with all my heart. I’ve never felt more like myself surrounded by that planning committee. I’m beyond sad I won’t be able to attend next year because I’ll be in Australia), and caught a 7am flight to Ontario. Phew.

I’ve now been back at home for 10 days and it’s been an equal balance of doing stuff and doing nothing at all. First off, I slept for 15 hours the day I got home. It was glorious. I’ve been to downtown Toronto three times and shopped a little (or a lot). I visited one of my favourite high school teachers and was surprised ten-fold by the maturity and awesomeness of her grade 10 class and felt even more motivated to pursue my goal of becoming a teacher. Finally experienced that deliciousness of Menchies Frozen Yogurt (there’s one coming to Wesbrook Village, be still my wallet). I got to see one of my best friends that I met at UBC in first year but lives 10 minutes away from where my dad works in Ontario (yeah, work that one out). Started my readings for my summer course I’m doing abroad and tried to start packing for said trip (I’ll explain all in my next post!). I’ve also spent full days lying in bed browsing the internet, watching movies and occasionally getting up to make something to eat.

It’s been equal parts lonely, awesome, exhausting and boring.

Hope everyone’s been enjoying their first week of summer!

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Rejection Nightmare

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Kelvin Choi

I’m losing my mind… 6 days left until the big decision for UBC med arrives. I woke up from a bad dream today where I was the only one rejected and everyone else was accepted… Too scary. I have low expectations this year but still, being rejected from anything is the worst feeling ever.

My friends all feel the same way, that’s why we’re all gonna go drink on May 15th regardless of being accepted or not. If we’re accepted then we’ll go drink to celebrate. If we’re rejected, then we’ll drown our sorrows in drink. Drink drink drink until we can’t remember that we’re drinking.  

I’ve got to say this year has been a phenomenal journey. Practicing MMIs with so many people made me learn a lot about the Canadian health care system, health care ethics, and just the sheer pressure and drive of all the other applicants and the sacrifices they made to get here. Everyone I’ve met we’re really high quality applicants, and it’s a shame that not everyone will make it to the end. I still feel it will remain a long journey for me, but it’s been great getting to know so many people along the way. I’m just happy that I’ve just made it this far.

 

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For Imagine Day Squad 62

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Kelvin Choi

NOTE

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I got a residence offer!

Posted on May 8, 2012 by jannickep

Literally the day after I finally stopped procrastinating, poured all of my clothes, textbooks, papers and electronics out of my suitcases onto my floor and started putting away all my bits and pieces I got an email from UBC housing saying:

“UBC Student Housing and Hospitality Services is offering you a room in residence.

Marine Drive

Offer date: May 4th
Expiry date: May 5th”

I don’t know how it happened, last time I checked I was 590 on the waitlist for housing. Marine Drive was my dream place to live in and although I didn’t really want to take it in May the only other choice was to hope that I would get offered Winter term housing with the possibility of living at home for the rest of the year if I didn’t get housing. I really, really love living on campus. Although it is a little isolated from Vancouver I love being able to wake up and walk (or bike) to class. For five years I took the bus almost every single day, by now I am a little sick of it. Although Housing does not tell you what building or what floor you will be living on I took a gamble. A room on campus was much better than no room, and if I liked it I could stay there for as many years as I wanted to, so I pressed accept.

That day I recieved my room assignment and I picked up my keys yesterday. I haven’t moved in, but I took a look at the flat (I am living with 3 other people) and am so excited to live there! It is beautiful, my bedroom and the living room have one of the most beautiful views of Vancouver. I can wake up and look right out at the ocean, the mountains and all of UBC. One of my new flatmates said that we get beautiful sunsets, so I can’t wait to experience my first one of those. The room itself is pretty much the same as I had in q’elexen, a little smaller, no bike rack, but I get a living room and a kitchen so that’s pretty nice!

Here is a look out of my window:

I feel like the luckiest person in the world! So back to packing and unpacking all of my stuff =P It seems like the process will never end!

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