Something to ponder.....

I just came to know recently from a friend of mine currently studying in RCSI (Royal School of Surgeon, Ireland) that they have 25 study weeks. How true is that? This really leaves me with many question marks.....

"Why so?" I asked.
"Oh...that is because our course is an INTENSIVE one!" he claimed.
"Really???!? Intensive???" I ponder.

What does that suppose to mean? We, medical students in Russia study for 36 weeks (that does not include 4 weeks of practical during our summer vacation!)...this sums up to a 40 weeks, altogether! Why the vast difference? Furthermore, our medical course is a full 6 years whereas it is 5 years there. Does that mean that they are "better-off" than us being able to cram every knowledge a "good" doctor should know? Or does that mean that RUS. graduates are better due to a thorough, more widely covered syllabus? What about other countries? Hmmm.....

Anyone?!?!?

What do you call a sudden involuntary expulsion of air from the nose and mouth due to irritation of the nostrils? The capillaries that reside near the surface (lamina propria) becomes extensively engorged and leaky? Lamina propria becomes distended with fluid, resulting in marked swelling of the mucous membrane with a constriction of the air passage? As a result, having breathing difficulty? That is exactly what I am feeling and facing now..What is the diagnosis? Any idea? Anyone? Loratadine 10mg/day doesn't seem to do any good..will Hor Yan Hor Herbal Tea work? Help!!!!!

LOVE...

This "poem" is exclusively assigned to ONE of my LOYAL readers.
You know who you are...and hope you get the hidden meaning. All
I can say is life is as fluid as the sea itself -JAN-

Love can be beautiful if it is taken at a slow and
steady pace;
Love is pretty when it grows from two hearts in place;
But love turns sour when it is forced to sustain;
The greatest folly of believing that love can be
regained;
When there is nothing one can love to have it in
exchange;
What is worst to call it love when it is NOT in the
first place.

Shocking facts

This is what I am fed with...

Yummie yummie chicken rice by www.mingkurecipe.com

hot pot...delicious...

ice-cream lar duh..at tynemouth

AS A RESULT....
Family photo, me (2nd from da left) in 2001. weight:38kg

Me 2005, weight: remain secret...but this baby-T can really sustain the expansion! ahaha

Sis' wedding, Newcastle

Bride and bridegroom *wink*
Lunch at happiness restaurant

I do solemnly declare that I know not of any lawful im..im..impediment why I.....may not
be joined in MATRIMONY to.....

Newcastle City Council

"Yellow"

First physiology lecture today was devoted to the 3 major mechanism of stomach relaxation:-
1) receptive relaxation
2) adaptive relaxation
3) feedback relaxation

The lecturer further explained about the velocity of chyme and of course with some anecdotes!

Sveshnikov(lecturer): Rate of gastrointestinal content can be determined by adding
some BaSO4 (~50g) After the intake by the patient, we explore
the behaviour of BaSO4 along the gastrointestinal tube.

Everyone in the lecture hall listened attentively with much interest.

Lecturer: BaSO4 can usually be observed in the stomach after 3-4 hours, small intestine- 6-7 hours and large intestine-a total of ~24 hours...

Students started nodding.

Lecturer(grinning): BUT FOR HOMOSEXUALS, CONTINUOUS STIMULATION OF THE RECTUM WILL
AFFECT THE MOTILITY OF CHYME!

After a few seconds, everyone laughed!

Haha..that reminds me of our uni's rector, also our histology lecturer, Prof Viktor Banin!
During one of our lectures last semester...

Viktor: Where does fertilization occurs?

Students: Ampulla of the Fallopian tube!

Viktor: Really? I thought it should be on the bed?

Laughter filled the lecture hall....

Haha..can you imagine that? Lecturers are actually telling us such jokes?

Russia, RussiaN

I was travelling alone from London-Moscow and I came to know this lady, middle-aged Russian who got married to an Englishman. We really had a good chat throughout the journey, what interesting is I gained new facts and Russian culture which I have misunderstood all these while, hence dislike the country and people. Russians' most oftenly used word-"shto?shto?" which directly translated to English would be "what? What?" That sounds really rude when you approach any Russian to seek help and asking for directions! On contrary, the English would put up such wide smile, politely listen to you and try helping us out! Well, I shouldn't blame the Russians for this is how their language is and it's not their habit to smile to strangers..So, if any of you would some day pay a visit to Russia, don't be like me, disliking them for their unfriendly attitude!=) Another weird thing about Russians is their xmas celebration is on da 7th January when everyone else in da world celebrates this big day on the 25th dec! Well, history of epiphany explains it all!

HISTORY OF EPIPHANY

January 6 is known on the Christian calendar as Epiphany. It is
sometimes called the "Twelfth Night" being the 12th Day of Christmas. It
signifies the event of the Magi, or Wise Men visiting the baby Jesus,
and is known in certain Latin cultures as Three Kings Day. In the
Eastern (Orthodox and Oriental) churches it is known as the Theophany,
"God manifest" commemorating Jesus' baptism. Note, the Magi did not visit
the baby Jesus in the Manger. The Gospel of Matthew says they
visited the "house" and saw the "young child", not an infant. Jesus
could have been up to 2 years old by this time, as evidenced by King
Herod's order to kill all children under that age.

So, the "12 Days of Christmas" don't end at Christmas, Advent does.
Instead, the 12 days start with Christmas, and end with Epiphany,
sometimes called Christmastide. The "season" of Epiphany lasts from
January 6 through the day before Lent.

Epiphany is a Greek word that means manifestation, appearance, or
showing forth. Historically, Epiphany began in the eastern Church as the
celebration of the Nativity of Jesus Christ. As the celebration of
Christmas spread eastward, Epiphany changed to its present meaning.
Indeed, the Church of Rome had, by the year 354, separated out the
commemoration of Christ’s Birth from Epiphany and transferred it to
December 25.

In the Western churches (Protestants, Catholics, and Anglicans) Epiphany
commemorates the "adoration" of the Christ Child by the Magi as they
presented their gifts, thereby "revealing" Jesus to the world as Lord
and King. In some traditions, the "Twelfth Night" party on January 5 is
followed by the exchange of gifts on January 6th. The Russian church's
"Feast of the Nativity," Christmas, is celebrated at this time.

We rarely hear of the 12 Days of Christmas any more, except by way of
Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" play, or the words to the song "The Twelve
Days of Christmas."

Chinese New Year

I was reading Jere's blog..he was "complaining" about living in a small town and having to bump into people all the time! And here I am, a yellow girl in a white man's land, not even getting any chance to bump into anyone i know of! I spent da entire noon walking in Newcastle town ALONE yesterday, hoping to meet anyone i know, but to my disappointment, no one at all! Sad isn't it? =( But it's sadder at the thought of going back to Moscow early this Saturday. It's not that I do not look forward to meeting up with my coursemates and get back to studies, but I will miss all my good life here in Newcastle, being treated like a princess, hehe, thanks sis! And to Dr Ng Wai Pang, nasty fellow(my bro-in-law), I enjoyed those lil arguments with you, its something to look back, cherish and laugh about in time to come! KNN! haha..

It's Chinese New Year today, my first chinese new year abroad was not all that bad! I mean it was splendid! I had hot pot with sis, bro-in-law and his bunch of friends. Though this year is rather different (the people I spent my CNY with) but it was indeed a great experience. I enjoyed myself a whole lot, those jokes are really a laugh a minute! =) All in all, year 2005 is really a remarkable one! Hope that this year of rooster will bring luck, success and happiness to everyone around me.

Millennium and Tyne Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne

More photos

Betsy and I, outside Planet Hollywood

Phone booth..haha

Picadilly Circus, London

Castle Museum, York

Oxford Street

Imperial College of London

National Museum, London

York

Random scribbling

Today is my 8th day here in the UK. Spent 3 days in London, it was really awesome! As a matter of fact, London really is an expensive city that has really drained me out! Visited most of the tourist spots; Trafalgar Square, Tower Bridge, Tower of London, Picadilly Circus, Oxford Circus, Westminster and the list goes on. Man, paying for entrance fees is already a killer! haha, perhaps I cant help but converting to Ringgit! =) All in all, I enjoyed a whole lot- meeting up with old school mates! Did I just say old? yeah, turning 21 makes me feel old but my newly met friends here thought I was 15! Believe it or not, but they were shocked when i reveal my real age! Should I jump for joy or grief? But, but, but. I just yearn to look more matured!! maybe mentally I am...*cough* hehe..
Guess what? I watched 4 movies in cinema in a day...yes, i mean in a day! It's like a movie marathon, but what to do, there is nothing much in Newcastle.. 2 days in Newcastle, you'll be familiar with the city, what more since its my 5th day here! =( Shhh...hope my sis doesnt hear this, else she will immediately send me to Heathrow Airport! haha!
Sis and bro-in-law drove me to York yesterday. Wow, scenic! Impressive! Will post up the photos snapped...As the title states, this is gonna be a random scribbling, so I will write whatever that comes to my mind, so it wont be chronologically done or neither will it be nicely arranged! Its almost 3am now *yawn* nitessss...