Iraqi Elections

So the Iraqi elections are complete...obviously admist some violence. And in it's completion, has completed the "mission" of George W. Bush...if you listen to his current arguments, it all boils down to fighting terrorism and bringing democracy all over the world. So the "terror" is gone (ie Saddam) and democracy has reared its head in Iraq. Now what?

It is hard for a democracy to work in a young country which usually lacks in the infrastructure that is place in the West. Secondly, it is even harder in a country ravaged by war and a dictator over the last 50 years. Now that the US has accomplished it's goal, will it now move onto another country (say the Congo perhaps where militias are running wild and women are gang raped on a daily basis) to institute democracy and freedom there? Ideally that's what it should do if its sole goal is to promote freedom and democracy and stop terror. But the reality is, the US gains nothing from the Congo so the mass destruction and gang rapes will continue unchecked.

Such a sad state of affairs in the world!

Interview Updates...Crazy Week #2

So after a week off and celebrating eid, I flew to Calgary last Sunday. Flight to Edmonton was unremarkable. Flight from Edmonton to Calgary though...well let's see. First time in my life I walked out onto the air strip or whatever it is called to board my plane (like in the movies). Had to put my CARRY ON baggage in the back of the plane and climb up rickety stairs. 50 seats on the plane. And you could feel the thing rotating in the wings (during take off, the flight AND during the landing). God I'd arrived in hicks ville. The whole damn place looked flat from the sky.

Stayed in a hotel at the edge of downtown. Right outside you could get onto the Calgary Transit (the "train" was above ground) and it was FREE through dowtown.

My Dalhousie interview took place on Monday in Calgary (they hold them in Halifax and Calgary). Went ok I think. Finished by 9:30 am.

I had two full days to kill before my Calgary interview on Wednesday. Thought I'd do a tour of Banff but when I called they told me there are none leaving from Calgary and I'd have to arrive in Banff on my own to do the frozen waterfall tour. Dumb bastards.

So I spent two days shopping. Bought a purse. And realized even more that I will die before I move to Calgary. No vegetarian options on most menus. (I hadn't eaten veggies in days!). Most of the beef (surprise surprise..Alberta). And I dont' like red meat.

Tuesday night a classmate/friend arrives for her interview and we are staying at the same hotel. Had dinner together. The next day I realize a bunch of people from my class are there so we had a blast. Went out for lunch and dinner and drinks. Caught the red eye back to TO (flight left Calgary 12:30 am and arrived in TO 6 am Toronto time). Got two hours of sleep ( I was awakened by my flight attendant in between so she could give me my kosher meal...stupid idiot). When I got home, my mom's 4 day care kids were home and the youngest 18 month old wasn't feeling well b/c of his asthma and spent the morning crying (hence very little sleep).

Anyhow, I survived. Had my U of T neuro interview on Friday. Was mediocre. I so don't fit in there and it was obvious. For the first time in my life I will get to say "up yours u of t, I don't want u even though u want me!!" (I was one of 12 people interviewed for neuro for 3 spots. As the program director told us "You all are the best of the best, the cream of the crop" :P

Let's see how the match goes. Will know where I will be in March. If I don't get a spot, then it's applying all over again and probably being forced to take a family medicine spot. Regardless, even if that happens I will do my best to switch into internal.

This batch of interview stories wasn't at interesting but hey, felt like sharing anyways!

Interview Update #3

Allright so I've arrived home at 7 pm in Toronto on Friday night (remember I began all this on Tuesday).

Saturday morning I wake up yet again at 6:45 am. Get ready and drive to Hamilton. We have to be there by 8:45 at the latest. Register, and eat breakfast (they provided a continental breakfast). I see the program director (she's the one who I had done a couple of clinics with while at Mac and she gave me a hug on my last day). I get ready to put my hand out to shake it and say hi but she gives me a hug (in front of all the other candidates). We are getting ready to go to the morning presentation and she walks with me talking about other stuff. Fantastic lady!

The presentation is hilarious. She's trying to show Hamilton for what it really is. Lasts about an hour. My interview is at 11 am, so I speak to one of the residents in detail and she tells me to make sure I say in my interview Mac is my #1 choice. The interview went well. We ran out of time. They asked questions different from the other schools. I make sure I throw in how Mac is my top choice.

Then we had lunch...nice hot lasanga with a salad bar and desert. Get home around 2:30 pm. Go back to Hamilton for 7 pm (yet another Internal Medicine pub night). Get back home again at 10:30 pm. And sleep till 10:30 am.

So it's Sunday now. No more interviews until next Sunday when I fly out to Calgary. I'll continue with the stories!

Interview Update #2

So I return to TO Wednesday Jan. 12 at 11 pm...and the saga continues the next day.

Thursday morning woke up at 6:30. Got to the airport at 8 am for my 9 am flight. And it's cancelled. My neuro interview is at 1 pm (so I thought. That's what my email said...I checked when I got back to TO on Friday). I call the office and tell them teh situation. No planes are landing in Ottawa b/c of thick fog (bloody fog). Also, the equipment that guides planes in the fog to land was hit by lightening at 5 am in Ottawa. The 6 am flight flew to Ottawa, circled for 40 minutes, went to Montreal for fuel, came back to Ottawa, circled some more and returned back to Toronto. When I get to the airport there are 200+ people on the list for stand by for the 10 am flight that might not leave. I tell them I will pay first class but I have to get to Ottawa for an interview. Another worker heard me say that and showed the lady who was handling my flight how to get me a confirmed seat on the 10 am. Air Canada was fabulous. All for $78 one way. No extra charge.

Get to the boarding gate, call Ottawa and leave a message. See my friend Irene, who was in London the night before at the gate, panicked. Her Wednesday evening flight from London to Ottawa was cancelled b/c of fog in London. She got to TO airport at 6:50 am for her 7 am flight to Ottawa which was cancelled. SHe too has an interview in Ottawa on Thursday. Anyhow, she's still on standby so I tell her to go and tell them about the interview and she got a confirmed seat. We decided that if the 10 am flight would not leave, then I would get my car and drive like maniacs to Ottawa.

Anyhow, the 10 am flight does leave (at 10:40). When I call Ottawa again from the plane, they tell me my interview is at 12 pm NOT 1 pm (bloody idiot made a mistake in my email). I land in Ottawa in 11:30. Takes 10 minutes to get out of the plane. Got the cab driver to drive like mad. I arrive at the interview place at 11:58!!! The program director sees me (I worked with him for 3 weeks in Ottawa) and says, "Oh you made it! I told Heather (the secretary) to tell you not to worry about it. I don't need you interviewed. I know you really well!" Stupid bitch could have told me and I would not be so stressed out.

Anyhow, another staff person interviews me and tells me that she's heard fabulous things about me. I loved her style. Complete conversation (an hour long) but she also was able to get me to talk about my CV in detail. The program director meets with me next and implies that I am high on their list.

I was staying at my friend Irene's place that night. Irene's father works at the children's hospital next door so he picks me up and takes me home. Their parents want to take me to China Town for dinner but I had a late lunch so I decline (I felt bad, they were so insistent. Next time I'm in Ottawa I'll stay with them and go out with them). Her mom has a room for me, with my own bathroom. Tiny soaps in the bathroom (just like a hotel). Irene has to go to a Family Medicine Dinner so her parents drop me off at the Internal Medicine pub night even though I tell them I'd take a cab.

Get to the pub night. Free food again. Dinner paid for this time. I spill my coke on the table and thankfully not on anybody. Irene comes for the Internal Medicine night and a little while later we go back to her place and crash.

I wake up at 6:20 am to get ready. Her father has breakfast ready for me (nicest family I've met). Drops me off at the hospital for my internal interview. Get there at 815 am and my interview is at 9 am. Two interviews, half hour each. One faculty member (hard to read her so not sure how I did but others had the same comment about her). One resident (this one went better I think). They do a presentation at lunch and give us sandwiches for lunch. I accidently ate a bite from a ham one thinking it was tuna...nasty shit.

Irene's interview is from 1:30 to 2:30 so I have to wait around a bit. I get my period at lunch time, 2 weeks early. Thank god for a pharmacy at the hospital. Of course, as I am leaving I put the bag of "feminine products" down to put on my coat and forget it there.

Irene's dad drops me off at the airport and then Irene at the train station. Get home around 7 pm and crash.

Interview Updates

As much as I would have loved to post daily updates, it was impossible. I'm surprised I had time to shower and shit everyday, that's how crazy busy things were.

So Tuesday I drove to London. Had dinner with my friend. Everything was great. Wednesday went to UWO and saw 4 of my classmates in the waiting room....I was so glad. We spent the whole day joking around. They had a lunch presentation. And gave us lunch (wraps and stuff). Obviously, being the complete moron that I am, I spilled something on myself. Mike (classmate) dropped his can of coke and spent a lot of time trying to open it without it spraying everywhere. When he opened it, nothing happened. So then I decide to hold my plastic bottle of sparkling flavored water between my legs while balancing a plate in one hand and trying to open the bottle with the other. And lo and behold, the water comes spraying out all over my pants. Thank god I had a suit made from some mutant type of fabric and the water just rolled off!!! This is what I get for trying to drink water instead of good old pepsi/coke.

Anyhow, interview went well (I think). Some hard questions. Standardized questions (which I hate). The doc and the resident told me I did great. But who knows what that means. I've been told not to put too much weight into what I am told.

That night I went to the pub night to mingle with the residents. 4 of us 5 queens students were there. We found a table with food and basically ate like pigs b/c we were all so starved. But it was fun. Saw a resident I had worked with. Got to talk to a couple more. Still #2 on my list of places to rank.

That night I drove back to Toronto at 9 pm. The fog was so thick I could not see a foot ahead of me in the car. Nitasha (my friend) had the job of looking in the rear view mirror while I kept my yes on the road. Nobody checked my blind spots the whole way back :P The scariest driving situation I have ever been in. Felt like I was driving in a dark abyss. Go home at 11 pm, Wednesdat night. I forgot my binder in London with all my Ottawa information. Went to bed at 12:30 after printing everything out again.