I’m not even kidding, this is the quote that has been in my head for 3 months now. For anyone who doesn’t know, my name is Rebecca Hayman, a 4th year Human Kinetics student at the Okanagan Campus of UBC and I am currently sitting on the plane heading to Copenhagen, Denmark. Why am I telling you this… well if we start from the beginning I can explain that and hopefully make you laugh.
Last September I transferred to UBC in Kelowna, coming from a diploma in Kinesiology at Douglas College in Vancouver. One of the first classes I sat in at UBC was Exercise prescription being taught by Gareth Jones. In one lecture he talked about the recent passing of Bengt Saltin, who was one of the founders of the European College of Sport Science and he taught at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark – oh things are starting to tie together. Gareth kept talking and he mentioned that the school had amazing programs and summer programs as well. Of course he added that ‘as students we should look into the options’, so I wrote in my notes a little post-it note “Uni of Cop for summer pro” and book marked the website in my browser. About… 6 months later in April, I saw it sitting there in my bookmarks and clicked the link. I looked at the programs available and I clicked the one that looked the most interesting offered this upcoming summer and I looked at the application forms – typical fill in your name and information and write a motivational ‘essay’ on why you should be accepted into the program. Oh and it was due the next day Oops… procrastination is what us students are good at.. so I filled it out and sent it off because why not!
About a month later, 6 am rolls around and for some reason I was awake and heard my phone go off (who doesn’t check their phone when they hear a message sound). And there was an email titled “Summer school in international Health”, of course I had forgotten and had no idea what it was. So naturally I open it half asleep and read this letter of acceptance into the 2015 International health program held at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark August 3rd to the 21st. I may or may not have freaked out and had my heart pumping out of my chest and continued to hit the forward button and type (no joke this is copy and pasted) “WHAAAAATTTTTYYYYYGSMSLSBWBSJWJWKSS … OMG…. wow” and sent it to my mom. Yes my mom. Right after I texted her the same thing to make sure she would awake up and read it. I assured she would check her email by texting her “GO CHECK YOUR EMAIL!” We both had a little bit of a freak out and a few silent moments followed by ‘wow’.
After I calmed down a bit I emailed Gareth, it just seemed like he should know since he was the one who gave me the information and idea! He replie d shortly after and this is word for word the best reply I could have gotten
“You just made day!! Thank you for listening in class. The Copenhagen program is going to set-you up very well for a future career in this area.
Well done.”
I can tell you, I laughed “Thank you for listening in class” oh Gareth.. you always know how to make me laugh. At that point it all just became some of the best news I had gotten all year. After that I went through all the loops to get ready for this trip, continuously keeping Gareth updated. He shared my news with the faculty and I was amazed how interested everyone was in this opportunity. I got a pleasant email from another professor who I admire, Dr. Sally, telling me congrats and how excited she was for me.
This is also when I got asked to do this blog, to share with you as well as the faculty and future students interested in my experience. I’m hoping to keep it academic, giving you updates and information about the courses and lectures I take, the professors and teachers I talk to and learn from and hopefully get more people to apply to this program or to apply for similar programs that interest you! You never know where it could take you or what it could lead to! This year, I am the only Canadian and one of the few ‘non-medical’ students attending. Mostly everyone in the program is coming from a medical background, med school, nursing, already is a practicing doctor, a midwife or a masters student in public health or health promotion, and then there’s my name on the list followed by “sport science student” but being surrounded and living with 3 doctors for the next 3 weeks may be even more beneficial that I first thought!
Overall I am hoping to share with you the key points and main portions of the courses, lectures and practical training we have planned. The schedule looks very interesting and I am looking forward to many of these courses and to hear what the professors, professionals and doctors have to say about them.
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