I'm Still Alive: A Photo Update!

So, after a 6 monthish hiatus from the blogosphere, I decided it's time to reconnect. So, lemme do an update post in semi-chronological order (or at least what my brain thinks is chronological) and then tomorrow we'll get down to business.

In December, I packed up my apartment in Grand Rapids to move everything into storage since a majority of my second semester was going to be spent in Africa. Packing is a bitch, but moving is a bigger bitch, just so you know.

All my shiz

I also rescued Bailey from an evil wall, where he spent a week desperately trying to stay in Grand Rapids.

Look carefully for a kitty in the wall (left corner)

At the end of December, I headed back to Uganda for one month of hospital work in Iganga (with weekends spent traveling with friends from home and Nasur) and one month of vacationing with Nasur.

Meet up in Jinja

In February, Nasur and I went on our first safari at Murchison National Park, where I fell in love with hippos. Apparently, they're responsible for the most animal-related deaths in Africa. In my opinion, they're incredibly misunderstood [obviously].

Murchison Falls 

Hippos are the best! And apparently, incredibly vicious

Elephants!

In February, Nasur and I went to Dubai to visit his best friend who moved there last year. It was his first time in an airplane ever.

First time waiting in an airport terminal

The Burj Khalifa is stupid tall

The Burj al Arab is stupid expensive

The desert is actually quite cool

We spent a week there, returned to Uganda briefly and then I headed back to the United States to do a one month ICU rotation and to find out where I matched for residency - St. John's Hospital in Detroit!

Then at the end of March, I headed back to Africa. I made a pit stop in Nairobi (before the University massacre) to see Nasur, who made the 15 hour bus trip for my 16 hour layover.

Nairobi from our hotel

Waiting in the Nairobi airport

I continued onwards to Malawi where I did a gynecology rotation for a month. I have some lovely photos of that, but I'm thinking many of you wouldn't appreciate them ;-)

Malawians carry a lot of stuff on their heads

Lake Malawi at Cape Maclear

Unfortunately, my mom called while in Malawi to let me know that this little guy had a kitty stroke while I was away and had to be put down. I miss his cuddles so much now that I'm living alone again.

Bailers will be missed

A week after losing Bailey, Nasur flew down to Malawi to join me at the end of my rotation and then we headed over to Zambia for our second safari.

Little elephant herd

Sleepy kittens

Best animal ever (a hippo, duh)

We also traveled down to Livingstone, Zambia to see Victoria Falls, the largest waterfalls in the world. It was ridiculous.

So loud

Sun setting over the falls

We headed back to Uganda briefly to visit with Nasur's family and my Ugandan family back in Iganga.

Nasur's niece, two nephews, sister, and father 

A town near where Nasur lives (Kajjansi)

I celebrated my 28th birthday in Uganda and Nasur bought me a lovely cake. My mom one upped him by buying me a cheesecake when I returned.

Noms

Then I graduated from medical school with some lovely ladies by my side.

The mom and me

Med school family (minus a few)

I spent the week after graduation trying to find a place to live and then my mom and I took off for Florida for a Disney vacation, which was the best.

The pool next to our room

Mickey and us (the "professional" photographer couldn't work my smartphone, hence the blurriness)

Gotta get a pic with the castle

Hogsmeade!

Butterbeer waiting for the Hogwarts Express

I had 5 of these that day...

So much good food!

Such a cute mom

Had to get a hippo picture (Nasur hates them as much as I love them)

Decent theming in the waiting line for the safari at Animal Kingdom

My mom bought me this

It was damn magical

Unfortunately, our Disney adventure had to come to an end. I was skeptical about doing Disney as an adult, but it was amazing. MUST RETURN ASAP. That being said, our puppies were glad we were home.

Big smile on the ride home

She wouldn't stop kissing my mom

Mayzie is super happy

And now, I've moved in to a new place (photos will be posted once I have my shit together unpacked) and I'm getting ready to start orientation/working as a real doctor in about 10 days. WHAT?!

As for healthy living, uh, it hasn't been so healthy lately, but tomorrow those things will be changing and I'll be posting about it all.

If it weren't for the gym, I'd have no interaction with people

You guys. Studying all day everyday is so boring. If it weren't for gym trip #2 in the early evening, I'd be miserable. Fortunately, it's two weeks from today that I take my exam. I'm definitely not ready now, but I will be glad to have it over in two weeks. Blech. Studying all day. Not fun. Not at all. But, tomorrow I'm going to hit up the Fulton Street Farmer's Market after my morning gym trip. So, you know, that'll be exciting. I've never been there despite living in Grand Rapids for three years now. I also may take Bailey in for a weight check when I pick up his renewed prescription (the little guy has hyperthyroidism and gets half a pill twice a day (with treats afterward each time otherwise I'd never get him to take the damn pill)). He lost a bunch of weight a while ago and wasn't gaining despite no changes in appetite and when I finally took him to the vet, they told me he'd need to be medicated for life. Great. But at least he's gained weight. After a month of his thyroid pills, he put on 1.25 pounds and weighed in at a whopping 7.75 pounds in mid-June. We'll see what he is now. If I don't take him tomorrow, we'll go Monday for sure. I don't want to make all my exciting trips in one day.

Saturday I have an orientation to my elective in Malawi (that's in Africa, folks) next year. It's up in Traverse City. I'm thinking I'll make a day of it and take my study stuff and study outside/in some coffee shop in Traverse City. I also have a housewarming party for a friend nearby Grand Rapids. I'm not 100% sure if I'll be able to make it given the 5 hours I'll be losing for travel to and from Traverse City, but I'm going to try my best.

In other news, I have no other news because my life is boring. So, here are some photos from the day.

Pre-gym fuel

The yellow thing in my gym bag is Bailey's toy - guess he wanted me to be entertained at the gym

Post-gym protein shake

Maize and Blue forever!

I chopped a watermelon today. Nearly went overboard with exciting things today

The first bowl of watermelon I ate

Leftover mac and cheese - so many calories.

Lunch, part 2

Second bowl of watermelon

Decided to make taco meat for my dinner during a study break

Browning the meat and watching America's Got Talent 

Pre-gym trip #2 refueling

Tacos didn't sound appealing, so ice cream for dinner! Cuz I'm an adult. And I really wanted it

Today's positive: Waiting the whole day to figure out if I really wanted ice cream or if it was just a simple craving. Nope. Really wanted it. I was craving blue moon or super scoop, but the place didn't have either and the lady working suggested the Mackinaw Island Fudge. It was okay, but I'm in no hurry to have it again. I'm just glad I didn't head to meijer and buy ice cream. Had I done that, I could very well have eaten half the tub before stopping myself. So, there you go. A little victory for me!