Why So Close-Minded? Part One: Sneakers

After a couple months here, I realized I'm better off keeping my mouth shut around here.

When I toured and candy-striped in hospitals in the US, I never put much attention towards the footwear everyone who worked there wore. So when it came time to take classes at the local hospital, I threw my handy-dandy Converse on; I illustrate:

But black and white. I LOVE these shoes, because they're super comfy. And I think super comfy is necessary when you're slaving away from 7AM-1PM, you know, in my humble American opinion.

As soon as my teacher sees them, she literally SCREAMS at me, and asks me what kind of disrespect I'm trying to show her by wearing sneakers to her class?! Umm. None?

Apparently, I'm supposed to wear black shoes to the hospital, and by shoes I mean ballet flats or ugly-ass loafer shoes. I'm thinking this is pretty ridiculous, considering the amount of time we spend walking and standing. You never get to sit around these teachers, who, for the most part, spend the entire morning sitting on their fat asses and stuffing their fat faces.

So the next day, I wear a pair of AE black flats with my mandatory socks, SOCKS, FREAKING SOCKS!!! and let me tell you, I practically got shin splints from those things. No Bueno.

That afternoon, I went to the Nursing Director, and informed her of the ridiculousness of this rule, and even though she agreed with me, she told me there was nothing she could do, which I found absurd.

But why?! I don't freaking understand why we, as students, must wear; and I list

-A sleeved shirt

-Long pants

-Black shoes with socks

-A Lab coat

Among the endless rules about no nail polish, no jewelry, hair up, no bangs, limited make-up, and having to lug around all of your damn medical equipment and all the random crap your teacher feels like you have to have.

Obviously being strict with rules is getting much accomplished in this country, considering every hospital I've been to looks like a combination of a loony bin, a whore-house, and a rooster fight.

I'm just sayin', going a little lax on all the rules wouldn't hurt, you know?

Next up: Part Deux: OMG SEX!?

Dominican Philosophy of the Day

If the news says sunshine all day, and you decide to do laundry and hang it off your balcony, it WILL start pouring as soon as you get it all on the line.

Dominican Vocabulary of the Day

Jondear: verb- To throw one's self onto or down something. Made even funnier if the person in question is fat.

Working on it.

So I'm figuring out that my stay here in this HOT country is turning a lot to be like bipolar disorder. Good day, Bad day.

Thankfully, things are starting to turn around, and there are a lot less bad days than good...which hopefully will stay that way!

My Spanish still sucks, I still get sad when I see really poor kids, and I still get pissed out when random disgusting men cat-call me. But you know what? I'm stuck here, whether I like it or not, so I might as well get used to it, and take advantage of the things I can do here that I couldn't do back home (I'm still trying to figure that out).

I've yet to go to the beach here, I'm embarrassed to admit, and I REALLY want to go. Again, I'm working on it :)

PS: I managed to land back in the ER; dehydrated, what else? I'm trying really hard not to die here, you know, but the heat makes it impossible! And the fact that there's no Trader Joe's!

Decisions.

I know it's pretty far away to be thinking about it, but I've been researching where I might want to get my nursing license.

I am all over the place.

I've even been thinking about Europe. But mostly in the good 'ole USA. I was originally thinking Miami, FL, but then someone wisely pointed out that it might not be wise to make such a drastic move, after growing up in the Northeast, and going to FLAWrida. But I'm pretty sure going back to NY wouldn't be the smartest idea. So, I started contemplating Massachusetts. Boston might be nice to live in, even if it is cold.

I always complain about the cold, but I've found that I complain even more about the heat. This tropical heat is disgusting! Disgusting as in, I can hardly put lotion on my legs because they'll sweat grossly behind my knees. At least with the cold you can bundle up...you can't exactly run around naked...

I used to be so sure that I wanted to become a midwife, but then I started looking into all of the other options out there for RN's. At this point, I'm really interested in possibly becoming a Clinical Nurse Specialist, specializing in Pediatrics. Only issue is that they don't offer that Masters degree in MA, but they do at UPenn, and Philadelphia is a pretty close second place to Boston.

I told you I'm all over the place.

I know I have plenty of time to think this out, but I'm really the type of person who likes to know. Now.

Blargh.

Do you ever look back and wonder "I wish I was a kid again"?

Kids are so carefree, they don't give a crap about anymore more than "He took my juice box!" and sometimes I really wish I could go back and feel that way.

Nowadays, I feel heavier with every day that goes by, wondering "What the hell is wrong with people?!?!" I feel like every day, there's someone else disappointing the crap out of me, and making me lose even more faith in the human race.

I'm so frustrated!!

Placekeeper.

So I've been an awful blogger.

You know when you have SO MUCH you want to say, that you don't even know where to start?

Well that's me, for the past month.

I've found out that I am easily disappointed. By "friends", teachers, random people on the street...

That's my first order of business...Which I will be getting to at a later date :P

This Semester Might Just Kill Me.

I really have no idea how the hell I'm going to survive this semester. In a blinded attempt to get the hell out of this country as soon as I can, I took 28 credits. I believe in most opinions, this makes me crazy. I agree.

I took all afternoon and evening classes this semester, knowing that I would have a morning hospital practical at least once a week. Little did I know these practicals would be at 7 and 8AM

I am in no way a morning person. I hate waking up early, I don't care what it's for. I hate early-bird flights, I'd much rather fly during the afternoon and night. I get rather grumpy and snappy when I don't get a decent amount of sleep.

Usually, I go to bed around midnight, which I know isn't ideal. Today I found out why it's not. I went to bed last night around 11, hoping that my 7AM wake up call would be easier. It was not. I tossed and turned for two hours, and finally drifted off to sleep around 1AM. Now, when my radio alarm started going off at 7, the first thing that ran through my head was what the hell is going on?! Discombobulated and disoriented, I put on my Ipod to try and jolt me awake, and got ready, and headed out the door with my Yo-Crunch yogurt in hand. Halfway to school, I realized I had forgotten two of my books(I told you I'm not a morning person), and had to walk back home, and power-walk to school. It was hot this morning. Disgustingly humid hot. I actually thought that it would be nice and cool at that God-forsaken hour of the morning. My bad, it was already 85 degrees at 8AM, and I think it was approximately 85% humidity. Gross. I got to school all sweaty, to take my lab practical in preparation for our hospital practicals. These bitches keep us there until 12:30PM, when they finally decide to stop talking. I say talking, when I really mean screeching. Gawd.

I came home just as discombobulated and disoriented as I woke up, ripped my clothes off, and threw myself back into bed, disregarding my 2:30 class. I'll get to that when my sleep schedule is a little better regulated, I think if I had gone to the damn class I would've stabbed myself in the eye with my pencil.

Again, how the hell am I supposed to live through this semester if it's only the third week and I already feel like I'm dying?