themes

I took this week as vacation in order to prepare for Jamaica, but it turns out I didn't have that much preparation left to do. There's been a lot to do, but I've been chipping away at it for the longest time that it didn't end up being too bad this week.

It seems that more than anything, I've been listening to music this week. The things I am doing keep triggering songs in  my head--I got my hair cut and my nails done, so Destiny's Child's "Jumpin' Jumpin'" was stuck in my head.

I went downstairs to pack my suitcase. See...there was this mess.

 I had been carrying things downstairs and throwing them in my suitcase. Or thinking, "oh, this might be good to take" and tossing it in there. Our dining room is empty right now, so it got to be where my giant suitcase was stored. The cats would investigate new scents as things kept piling up...up...and up. So I finally got myself together, put my iPod on and began to pack. It made me laugh to be packing to Michael Buble's "Come Fly With Me."

This is much more manageable right? I shouldn't tell you how long it took. Also, my mom pointed out that everything I brought down was blue...so I had to start from scratch. The scrubs have to be blue or green, but not everything else! It was a big attempt of trying to find clothes that are multipurpose--dress up, dress down, beach ready, etc, and enough for six weeks. Luckily, the temperature in Jamaica isn't too variable--lows in the 70s, highs in the 80s.

How many people in the US are snowed in right now? :)

The other thing was that I got an email from the Projects Abroad people saying that on April 1st they're having an International Day type festival, so if I could bring flags, pictures/postcards, snacks, small musical instruments, or ethnic dress, that would be great. Okay, it's a great idea, I wholeheartedly agree with that. But oh my, do I have to represent the ENTIRE US?! Hopefully there will be other people from the US there. That's why you can see there US flags and the Christmas lights (which are not actually Christmas lights--they're red, white, and blue!) tucked in my suitcase, raided from the outdoor Fourth of July decorations. Also, the Phillies cap--multipurpose in good for the beach and as a sun visor, as well as representing the great sport of baseball. Other than that, I go armed with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's cd of "The Spirit of America" (also awesome that it's the MoTab too-- very American!) and my history degree from the venerable historical institution of The College of William and Mary. Plus I'm from Virginia, so I can ramble on about American history quite well...Jamestown to Richmond in the Civil War...etc.

Can I take my piano? Does that count as a "small musical instrument"? :)

So in addition to the other songs in my head, I've been listening to the Star Spangled Banner et al, as I cull through my photos of trips to various landmarks--Times Square, Hollywood, the Capitol.

Other than that, I'm making my list and checking it twice. Counting out my meds to make sure I have enough (I do), checking for the spare contacts and making sure I have my glasse...making note to ask how safe the tap water is. I'm down mostly to deciding what books to take, and downloading free ones from Project Gutenberg onto my nook. Preparing for London as I add Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Much Ado About Nothing...

Listening to music, going over my list, and coming to a fairly zen-like state considering it all. As long as I have the essentials, it'll all be okay. I'm really not nervous--Saturday I may be, but not today.

Another song deserves mention because I've been listening to it over and over since I first heard in a few weeks ago. Kristin Chenoweth has done some solo albums, and I finally got to hear them after all those times I listened to Wicked. It's called "I Was Here" and I think the chorus really personifies the answer to why I'm going to Jamaica, why I was originally planning to go to South Africa.

"I wanna do something that matters

Say something different

Something that sets the whole world on its ear

I wanna do something better

With the time I was given

I wanna try to touch a few hearts in this life

Leave nothing less than something that says

I was here."

We have been given so much, growing up in America, the land of opportunity. I've known from when I first got into medical school that I wanted to go abroad--I wanted to see what medical care and the culture was like elsewhere. The original plan, considering my love for infectious diseases, was to go to the forefront of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa. That became impossible due to circumstances beyond my control, and instead I get to go to Jamaica. I'll spent two weeks each in surgery, OB/GYN, and general medicine. 

I have no idea what it's going to be like, but I always want people to know--the patients have the power to affect me just as much as I do them. So like Kristin sings-- "I wanna try to touch a few hearts in this life." I want the experience, I want to see it firsthand, I want my horizons broadened and my perspectives altered...

Next time I posted, it'll be from Jamaica! I leave Sunday, very early to arrive noon-ish in Montego Bay, and then it'll be about a three hour drive to Mandeville. Sunday will be a long day, but I'll gain an hour somewhere along the way--no daylight savings! So much for trying to adjust this week...

And my suitcase currently weighs 51 pounds. Will they forgive me the one pound, do you think? :)