A picture of Leigh Court where the World Aids Day ball was held. – A 19th Century Estate near the Suspension Bridge
The Inside of Leigh Court
My housemates and I at our Christmas Dinner last Sunday – in our living/dining room
This is a picture of my room (however it’s a mirror image, and I can’t figure out how to get my webcam to take normal pictures)
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Hello,
Wow – I can’t believe it’s the end of another term. I’m coming home this Saturday (Dec 16th) to Brockville. I can’t wait, it’ll be nice to relax, and have some quiet time at home to study for my 2 exams in January, and to see my family and friends at home.
I’ve been fairly busy as usual these past two weeks with events and end of term Christmas parties – also trying to get some work done before I go home as well as getting everything organized.
This past term I’ve been working on this academic year’s pre-clinical revue. The Revue is the play that the 1st and 2nd years put on that makes a bit of fun out of our course and our lecturers. I was acting in it last year, and this year I’m part of the team that’s organizing/writing it. It’ll be fun. We’re getting a good plot – however there’s still lots and lots to go! However, It’s been a bit of hard to fit it in this term and lots of work to do after exams this January because we’ll be starting rehearsals in Feb.
After I finished my clinical week, I decided to do something fun as a bit of a break. So I went to see the musical ‘Cats’ with a friend. I know some of the music from it, mainly from high school, but never actually managed to see it. It was actually playing in Bristol and tickets were very cheap for students to sit up in the top level. The show was very entertaining, and we made a really great pasta meal before we went out.
That weekend, Dec 1st was World Aids Day. 3 of my medical friends organized a Formal Ball to raise money and awareness for AIDS and a certain local charity. So, there were loads of people from my class going to it as well as loads of my friends. I sat at a table with 9 people I lived in Wills Hall with last year. We were greeted with a mulled-wine reception, followed by a buffet, followed by a Ceilidh (barn dance), followed by a DJ. There were also extra things to do like people giving massages, casino, photographers, laughing gas, and more. They even had two celebrities come from a British TV show called ‘Casualty’ (like the show E.R.). It was a great night out with friends and a awesome party! It was held at the Leigh Court Estate. It’s an old estate from the tudor period, however the tudor mansion was knocked down by a rich banker in the 1800s and was re-built with the building above for his family. Now it’s a events centre. The next day we all took a break and watched the second Pirates of the Caribbean movie that come out fairly recently here. I also played some hockey the next day (Sunday) but other than that didn’t do too much.
On Monday I attended a talk on doing an Erasmus Exchange next year. It’s a neat program that’s only offered at certain medical schools in the UK. Basically it’s a European exchange between medical schools. Bristol Medicine does exchanges in France, Spain and Austria (provided you’re proficient in that respective language). I am interested in going to France next year – so I wanted to hear what it was all about. For me there are 5 different schools across France I can apply to and I would be doing a 4-month exchange there. I’ve been taking a French course this year – so we’ve been learning about medicine in France and I’ve been brushing up on my french. It’s something I’m really interested in doing, I think it would be good to have if I come back to Canada to practice medicine, but I’ll discuss it with my family over Christmas.
Last Thursday, December 7th was the medical school Christmas party. It was the same as last year. They rented out a bar and had a choir sing carols by the door where you were given champagne and mince pies. After much socializing there was a band followed by a DJ – a great way to end the year and the term and to hang out with your classmates! Then, on Saturday, I went to the Underwater Society’s Christmas party (scuba club). You see, these parties are a must do – they’re just usually one of the top parties for each club every year. At this party we had a full 3 course Christmas dinner then going to a bar together.
I followed this up by on Sunday, having another Christmas dinner with my housemates. We got the supplies on the weekend, then on the Sunday we cooked a turkey with all the trimmings (roast potatoes, stuffing, peas, carrots, parsnips, Brussels sprouts, gravy, etc), and for dessert we had apple and mince pies with cheese. While we cooked the turkey, some of us went to the student’s carol service at a local church in Clifton. I think there must have been about 1000 students there! It made it feel like Christmas singing some carols and then going home to a full Christmas dinner (made me miss home a bit though). We stayed up late, talking, singing a few carols and we also had our neighbours over for some dessert (they’re in our year too).
So, now I’m just trying to get everything organized before I go home for the break! Just doing some work, cleaning, laundry. Hopefully some books I ordered come before I go home as well. One’s a text-book that won’t be much help if I don’t get it before the Christmas break!
I hope all’s well with everyone, and you have a Merry Christmas if I don’t post before then.
-Pete
This is pic of me and some of my med school buddy’s at the Ball
My housemates and I in our Kitchen
Me, and the Christmas tie I wear to the Medic’s Christmas Party