I realized that I never posted anything about my trip to Istanbul! Well, after our two week adventure in India, we stopped in Istanbul for a few days before heading back to the good ol' USA. This was about a year ago, and although it was winter the weather was pleasantly mild! I couldn't have asked for a better situation.
The visa process was super-easy, laughably so compared to India. In order for a U.S. citizen to get into Turkey, all they need is $20 and BOOM, stamp is on the passport. Yes, it is that easy!
I loved our boutique hotel, which was perfectly situated and had wonderful service. Hotel Seraglio is a veritable gem and I picked it due to the location (right in the heart of the old city) and rave reviews on Trip Advisor (which is a traveler's God-send!) My mother and aunt were very pleased as well. The hotel also provided a free transportation service with a 4 night stay and this turned out to be incredibly convenient as we landed in Istanbul at around midnight. There was also a complimentary breakfast buffet, as well as a complimentary tea-time, and the staff couldn't have been any more pleasant!
We spent three full days there and pictures will be on the way!
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Happy New Year!
I've enjoyed almost three glorious weeks of winter break and I feel rejuvenated! I feel like I can take on the world, let alone medical school, and I'm ready to go full force. I've even chopped off all of my (extremely) long hair! I have a new haircut, a new attitude and a new motivation to do my absolute best during the next semester.
Alas, even though I'm on vacation, my mind still wanders to school. I've contemplated quite a bit, in regard to my motivation, my personal habits, and what I am and am not capable of. Last semester I was simply trying to keep my head above water. This time around, I'm strategizing and trying to figure out how to maximize my performance. For one, I need to make sleep a priority. Actually, not just need - MUST! The sleep deprivation I went through was hellish and I've built so much sleep debt that all of the sleep I had during these few weeks was not enough. Every day I wake up thinking that I did not get enough sleep. A good friend reminded me that medical school is not a sprint, it's a damn straight marathon. I was able to survive last semester with decent results, but I cannot keep it up if I don't get sufficient sleep. I know this now.
I'm also a lot more interested in what I am learning, and a lot more motivated to learn for the sake of learning. We are going to start preceptorships so the impending clinical exposure is making me more keen to fully learn the knowledge behind the practice. I'm actually excited about it!
If I keep this attitude throughout the semester, it just might be a good year after all.
Alas, even though I'm on vacation, my mind still wanders to school. I've contemplated quite a bit, in regard to my motivation, my personal habits, and what I am and am not capable of. Last semester I was simply trying to keep my head above water. This time around, I'm strategizing and trying to figure out how to maximize my performance. For one, I need to make sleep a priority. Actually, not just need - MUST! The sleep deprivation I went through was hellish and I've built so much sleep debt that all of the sleep I had during these few weeks was not enough. Every day I wake up thinking that I did not get enough sleep. A good friend reminded me that medical school is not a sprint, it's a damn straight marathon. I was able to survive last semester with decent results, but I cannot keep it up if I don't get sufficient sleep. I know this now.
I'm also a lot more interested in what I am learning, and a lot more motivated to learn for the sake of learning. We are going to start preceptorships so the impending clinical exposure is making me more keen to fully learn the knowledge behind the practice. I'm actually excited about it!
If I keep this attitude throughout the semester, it just might be a good year after all.
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