Well, there were no flying colors...

...but I survived the Dosage Calc test!  Let’s just hope I fair as well on the ECG & Blood Administration exams – apparently there is a fairly high re-do-over rate for both.  I realized today I’ve never been taught Junctional Rhythms…and have reaffirmed that I don’t care about Junctional Rhythms!! Are you having an MI? Yes, or No? Are you dying? Yes, or No? Let’s stick to the basics. :-

Other survival moments this week...the “blood extraction.”  Everyone kept asking if I had “done the blood extraction yet?”  Thankfully I was only subjected to a regular blood draw.  Plus 2 vaccinations and a PPD.  “Needles” to say (haha), not the best part of orientation.

On a more pleasant note, I bought some real, live, green plants!  Not sure if I’ll keep them alive, but for now they are a Great addition.  Speaking of…how are all my plant-sitters doing?  I didn’t give you all that free TP for nothing!  Status updates please.  Feel free to include photos :)

It also turns out that I LOVE my abaya!  The abaya is the long, black gown I have to wear every time I leave the compound (which includes all these orientation sessions.)  Cultural implications aside, it is Wonderful!  I don’t ever have to decide what to wear, I can wear the same thing q’day, I can wear very little underneath, it’s black so I can spill crap all over myself…besides being a little hot, it’s Awesome.

Also, there is something about it…In my naiveté, I feel there is some mystery behind the gown & veil. (Not all, but many women wear the full burqa.)  S’times I find myself wondering what she looks like under there. Only her husband, family and a few friends know.  According to more than one (male) Saudi instructor, they wear the gowns/veils "to protect them" from the stares & potential advances of other men.  Of course I recognize there is much more to it than that, and I’m not saying I necessarily agree, this is just a peripheral pondering.  We place so many judgments on someone’s face or body type, the way they dress or carry themselves.  They’re not all bad judgments – some are just cues to help us determine what type of person they are and what we may have in common, etc.  I guess I’m just still fascinated by it.  Intriguing thoughts to help balance all the negative things you hear…and many folks assume.

Sooooo much to learn here!  I’m anxious to see how my initial perceptions change with time & further exposure.  Hopefully I’ll make some Saudi friends and have opportunities for first-hand perspectives.  For now, I’m looking forward to getting my buns out of the sit-&-listen mode and into the ER!

Hope you are all doing well – I Love the messages, snaps, texts, email, comments here...except for trying to rotate pictures, it’s all Super Fun!  If all else weren't so different I’d hardly believe I was on the other side of the world!
Take care ya’ll,
k