Eppie New Yr!

Big HellOo to 2-0-0-8!

There was no holiday during New Year (cos our college had too many holidays) but was off for new year eve.. Currently posted at OBG & Pediatrics in Karkala, a charitable hospital at the outskirts of Manipal, 45 minutes bus-ride away. Details later. =)

2007 has been a bitter sweet year~

Never thought Ive learned so much in a year...

My perspective of others have changed (i know who to trust and who NOT to suck up to), learned what is love; its beauty and hypocrisy, spiritually grew stronger but working hard on the emotional stability, enjoyed simplest things like extra 5 minutes of sleep or conversing in weird sign language with patients and best of all, had tons of fun!

*non specific order*

2007 was the year I celebrated my 21st Bday..

The year I accepted Christ
The year I nearly lost my eyesight due to Pseudomonas infection.
The year I visited Taj Mahal and mingled among the locals in North India for 28 days with 8 other wackos without parental guidance *hehe*


The year I have my own dog
The year I know how a person can change because of "love" into a baldless, hairless CHICKEN.. *maybe I'm just bitter .. hahaha*
The year I attended 3 balls (2 College Annual nites and a Supremo Ball)
The year I joined dance events ( Church christmas dance, Interbatch Contemporary dance, Annual Nite Fan Dance) when I thought a kayu like me can never dance...

Interbatch Contemporary Dance. Managed to get 2nd placing though the result is highly disputable. We should have won! By the way, medical school is not all bout books no? =)

The year I sang like my life depends on it (Christmas carol, christmas choir)

Bout 30 of us from different batches, travelled in an entourage of autorickshaws, motorbikes and scooters, painted the town RED, spread Christmas cheer to 7 lecturers and their family.

The year I had my very first Christmas celebration at home with my housemates and friends (specifically, entire batch & refreshers were invited, bout 100+/- turned up)..

The hosts of the night, who made the party a success. Of course with God's presence too.. ^-^

Mr Skull tak layan me.. His twin brother is beneath the Christmas tree.

The year I played sports like I'm high on Energizer battery (Basketball representing college team, basketball interbatch league games, Volleyball representing college and interbatch)

The girls who fought with sweat and tears and won 5 out of 5 league games but lost in the finals. Nevertheless, we won without coaches (no guys help) and proved our skeptics wrong. Thought that we are the underdogs hey? You can eat my excrement.!

The year I got real high on shots, said and do random stuff.. haha
The year I changed from being a person who aimed to pass my exams to one who aim to get distinction

*the later part of the year, after September was more interesting due to less stress/studies and my recent memories work better*

The year I love my family more and more

Orang utans not included in the family

The year I appreciate my true friends.. I truly understand what it means to have real friends than loads of fakes asshOles =). I regret that some friendships are no longer the same nor is it any better. Only superficial and fake. It aches my heart but I will try my very best to do my part. Will you?

The year my mum undergo hysterectomy (due to CIN grade3 - precancerous condition) which aches my heart so much cos I cant be there with her and the family. I can only pray that God is with them..

The year I experienced my first clinic postings. Patients, expecting mothers and their family members are so understanding and helpful. I've never come across (so far) any rude or uncooperative ones. Although they are poor/low income family (they cant even afford their medical fees or partial subsidies are given), but they are so generous with their smiles. They find it amusing to see us (students) communicating in broken Kannada (local dialect), hence tried their very best to cooperate with us and never once look down on us trainee doctors. I doubt that we'll receive the same treatment back in Malaysia. Without patients like these, how do aspiring doctors train? On dummy hey?

Truthfully, I'm very grateful for studying in India. This place really educate me a lot on terms of culture, shopping ( buying cloth for punjabi suits, bindi, sarees, earrings.. bringing the word shopping to a different level) and appreciating life ( cliche but true). Whilst we students live life quite comfortably (lecture halls, library, food court, buses -fully air-conditioned- & own maid, cook, vehicle, newly built apartments), majority of the low income local Indians are contemplated with their lives. They know without education, their future is bleak (labourer? construction worker?) but without money, education is also impossible. The irony. To comfort myself, I always think that at least, my expenditure here goes to the locals .. hahah =D Finally, all I can say is India is a beautiful place. Really.

Proof?

Magnificient Taj. When I was there, it has began to change colour from pearly marble white to slight brownish. Visit it.. fast.

Whoa! Pinnacle of the whole trip!

Mahatma Gandhi's House/Museum

Highlands: Manali
We ate the best Tibetan food here! At a restaurant name Chopsticks! and also the best chocolate cake with hot choco fudge and fresh grilled trout at a restaurant which name I cant recall.. hee~
Indian government are really kind to the Tibetans who were made refugees from their own country by China. China has SERIOUS horrible human rights issue. Read more here, here and here.The Indian government allows the Tibetans to live in the hill and Manali, Darjeeling & Dharamsala are few of these places. Tibetans identity and civilisation are facing extinction.

Darjeeling
Home of famous Darjeeling tea? Saw the fourth highest peak in the world.

Amritsar: Pakistan-India border.
Changing of guards. Indians wear their best dresses and suits to this place and & dances to all the patriotic songs and Pakistanis will counter with their own songs but pale in comparison in the sense of dressings (mostly, male Pakistanis in white or black clothing)

Amritsar: Golden Temple
Sikhs' Holy Place. We have small kids coming up to us, to shake hands and greet us. Hahah =>

Jaisalmer : Rajasthan's desert
We travelled by camel for one hour plus to the desert from the fort. We slept in the desert at night without tent. Only mattresses and blankets with the dark sky filled with gazillion stars above as our ceiling. A very pretty sight indeed!

Yellow Fort.

One of the many forts in Rajasthan. There were Blue Fort (Jodhpur) and Pink Fort (Jaipur). Been there too. Red Fort is in the capital city, New Delhi (Was there but closed on Monday. Shhesh!)

Udaipur (White Fort) : Rajasthan

View from the Maharajah's Monsoon Palace. We rent
scooters and travelled around that area. One of the memorable part of my trip cos of the picturesque landscapes and very relaxing excursion. Or maybe cos I rode the scooter downhill, without braking!?

I think I'm done with 2007. I have my share of regrets and resentments but only lessons will be learned from it! No New Year resolutions, only decisions to be made!

This year will be special.. cos I ushered the new year with God =) Bring on all the challenges!

I've already open a 2008 photo folder! WhoopeE~

Kbye. Hungry!