My First Day of School.....

Today was my first day of school. It started out as most days here have...watching the bus drive by just as I got to the stop followed by a long walk to school. DARN!! We didn't have lectures...just introductory seminars to learn about the program and meet classmates etc. I was pretty excited about finally being let in on the secret of what I am going to be studying this year. Overall it was really good. The program looks awesome and I am very excited to get going. I have about 90-100 students in my class. Irish students can get into medicine straight out of highschool because it is a six year program. That means that there are some 18 and 19 year olds in my second year class. They seem very young. I was talking to a guy in my campus tour group and he asked me how old I was. When I said that I was 26, his jaw dropped as if I'd told him that I was 90 and from another planet. After a long moment of silence he said "well then, you're much more advanced in life than I am". I think that's a compliment?? He's 18. Fortunately, there are some older students too. By total fluke, I sat down in the first seminar right next to a guy from Edmonton. We are the only 2 students admitted to NUI Galway through the Atlantic Bridge Program. I have to admit that it was a very big relief to meet someone from home. You could almost see the weight lifting from each of us as we debriefed about our experiences to date. Another helpful thing is that he is also married and his wife is not able to come for the entire year. She is completing her nursing degree at UofA. Too bad for all of us bad at least we can understand one anothers challenges in the months to come. And... now I don't feel so bad about having to endure 3 and 1/2 months apart from Chris. His name is Ian and I was very glad to meet him. I also met classmates from Malaysia and Trinidad. It is more difficult to meet the Irish students as they were all classmates in first year last year so those of us joining them in second year feel a bit like awkward implants. It should be a very multicultural experience. They handed out a nice detailed lecture schedule for the entire year. It actually outlines the exact topic of every lecture day by day. It is fun to look through it and see what I will be learning. My first semester is made up of anatomy, physiology, biochem, pharmacology, and general practice. The program is taught with a systems approach so those will be my basic courses for most of my program as we look at each body system individually. I have many hours of class each week...7 on Mondays and Tuesdays. My shortest day is 4 hours of lecture. Looks like I'll be getting a workout too...my classes are back and forth between the hospital and the main campus...about 15 minutes walk each way if I really hustle.
My place is still okay but first year students arrived on the weekend so the tone has changed a bit. It has been tough to sleep through the loud partying all around me. Hopefully that will end soon.
Anyway, that's all for now. Thanks for all of the emails! Love Kell