‘Sup With Pete

This is a picture of Bristol. This is on an untypical sunny day, but shows how everything here is green!

This is a picture of the medical library at Bristol.

Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Hello!

It’s been awhile, but I’m back in Bristol now and havin’ a good time! Weather here is a stunningly warm 7-14°C! I got back a week ago to Bristol, slightly early in preparation for my exams last Friday. I didn’t really want to deal with jet leg, so I just studied until I felt tired and then went to bed. Getting up for my exams on Friday was like getting up at 2:30 in the morning. Can you imagine writing an exams that started at 4:00 in the morning (to you)? It was pretty rough, but I had a coffee with my breakfast and that did the job. With respect to my exams, lets just say they were really hard, much harder than expected. It was an eye opener to what they expect and I’m sure I’ll be better prepared for the next exams.

Christmas break was pretty awesome. Before Christmas, I got up to Toronto to catch the symphony with my Mom. We saw Hanel’s Messiah, and the orchestra was accompanied by a 200 person choir. It was nice, but I caught myself falling asleep a few times, because I was still on England time. Great concert though. I then got up to see my Grandparents, Aunts/Uncles and cousins before heading home. At home I spent most of my time visiting with my family and seeing friends. I made pretty amazing mask for the medics masquerade ball which occurs at then end of January with my free time, and I also studied for my exams. I got out skiing in Quebec, just outside of Ottawa. It was great to get on my skis for a bit and hit the slopes. I spent NewYear’s Eve in Ottawa with my hometown friends. First we made an amazing dinner, then headed to the South End to a quick party and then back downtown to the bar for the countdown and champagne. It was a nice little bar we went to, good dancing and good music. It must have been about -16°C outside, and one of the lovely ladies I was with thought she looked nice in her sandals and decided to wear them out to the bar. She was just a tad cold waiting for the bus to take us to the party! University was starting later in Guelph this year, and so I didn’t make it up to visit people because most of them we not back until I was flying back here. It’s sad but I wish everyone there the best in their last term in Guelph!

Since my exams, I have become active again. I mostly lazed around over Christmas, except for my one attempt to go jogging in the bitter Canadian cold. After that I couldn’t be bothered to go to the gym. Friday, after my little sleep and early start, I managed 5 games of squash, and same on Saturday. I wasn’t up till 1:00pm with the time change, but got onto the courts in the afternoon. On Sunday the Galenicals (the medical student’s society at Bristol) Mixed Hockey played 3 matches (which I played goal for all 3). We played the first to against the medical students from Southampton. I had a great warm up and was completely tired out before the first match, but we played superb, and I think Southampton made like 3 shots on net the entire game! We won 7-0 in the first game. In the second game we played a harder match. We battled them out until the second half. I did a spectacular save whilst doing the splits and pulling the muscles in my right knee. We kept them off us until the last 15 minutes where they scored a goal over my right shoulder. They then managed a second goal in the last few seconds of the game and we lost 2-0. In the third match we played a team from bath. We played well (especially after a tiring first 2 games) and won 5-1. I figure having 3 goals scored over 3 games is pretty good for a team, and their goalie!

That all occurred on Sunday, and after my 3 tiring matches, I managed to go skating with about 20 other people from Wills. I still felt to be a pretty amazing skater compared to my British colleagues, but it was great to back on the ice with all the warm weather in Britain. It’s honestly like early spring here! We all went out that night to the Coronation Tap – the place with the sweet, but very alcoholic cider. It was great to see everyone again, as we were all back that night to be ready for exams tomorrow. I only had 2 pints in the bar, in case you were wondering.

Monday, after attending a brand spanking new lecture on pathology (something I have not done before) – I was graciously asked to fill in as a tour guide for students attending their medical school interviews. (Filling in for someone who had 5 pints at the Coronation Tap) It was great, because I remembered all the stuff from my tour last year with the medical school. I did the tour with my friend Sally, a fellow medic and resident of Wills Hall – also a viewer of the infamous ‘Sup with Pete website. We took them around the medical school, library, lecture halls, and then up to Wills Hall to show them around. I did meet a student visiting from Toronto, and got to explain to all the students that my accent was not Irish, but Canadian! Good times. Went back and attended more lectures for the rest of the school day. That night I went to a hockey practice. There was no need for goalies, so I played on the pitch for the first time ever. When I said I was tired after 3 games of hockey this weekend, it was a completely different experience from playing on the pitch. On the pitch you need endurance, which I am lacking after sitting on the couch eating and drinking over the holidays. I was completely exhausted in about 10min! Also, was the whole right handed stick thing (I am a lefty). Field hockey is played with a right handed stick that you flip over on the left side of your body. It took my almost the whole game to get used to playing more on the right, and flipping over to play on the left. The ball just kept whipping past me when I tried to stop it. Also, compared to ice hockey, you are using a very very tiny blade. It was great fun, but I was instructed to stay in net (I’m hoping due to my skills as a goalie, and not due to my skills on the field!). The practice was about an hr, and I got in a couple games of squash with a buddy of mine before bed. It sounds like a busy day, but it’s really not! Just filling in the hours.

Tuesday, I took off. Slept in until about 10:30, after which I got up for lunch and read my book. I headed in for lectures at 2:00-5:00. I was supposed to see an interesting lecture based on the book, “The Selfish Gene,” but the lecture hall was sold out, so we came back and watched some movies. Today I also got to sleep in till 10:00, had a lecture and then Rugby practice in the afternoon. I’ve still not quite got the hang of Rugby (don’t know exactly what it is) but I’m still lovin it, and I’m going to continue with it.

Got my phone bill today. It was extremely expensive. I looked into and realized that they have given my the wrong plan (yikes!). So, now I’ve got to go in and sort it out, I don’t want to be paying $80.00 for each bill!

Got a busy day of classes Thursday and Friday, but will be going to another formal on Friday night. Hope everyone is well.

-Pete

This is a picture of where I went skiing in Canada

This is a picture of the back of my house in Canada, just before Christmas. You can see how much snow fell from the level on the barbeque and and tables.

This is a picture of the Christmas formal, before we opened our Christmas crackers.