Lady Gaga and PCD Concert

Best concert of my life.

I mainly went for Lady Gaga, but the Pussycat Dolls were pretty good too. I bought the ticket way back in January before I actually left to Australia... I really didn’t know too much about Lady Gaga... I just knew I liked her song “Just Dance,” so I thought it would be fun to go to her concert while I was down here in Perth.

When I bought the ticket, they were all sold out of the “gold” section, which is near the stage… so I ended up having to settle for the “silver” section, which put us somewhere in the middle. We were kind of far off, but I could still see/hear the performers pretty well.

Turned out to be a pretty spectacular concert… Lady Gaga is a GREAT performer, but I kind of think she’s a little out of her mind (in the good way).

I recorded all the performances on my camera. I was going to upload them all to this blog, but the internet here in Australia stinks, so I have not been able to do so… I’m going to keep trying because the performances are AMAZING! I was surprised just how well my little 10.1 megapixel camera recorded both the sound and the picture quality.

For now, I’ll just have to settle with pictures… and one video (“Buttons” by PCD). I'll either upload the videos later or just show you later on my computer. They pretty COOL though.

Haha, the new T-shirt I bought at the concert. Pretty sweet... all $50 of it!

Concert Ticket

Sick

Pussycat Dolls... We were pretty close, so my camera got some pretty good pics.

Buswood Dome (where the concert was at)

Sportin' the Gaga shirt again

Lady Gaga on the jumbo-tron

It was pretty packed and hot... but we had a good time. It was worth it!

The Gaga again on jumbo-tron.... I should have taken pics of her actually on stage... I don't know why I didn't; I did of the Pussycat Dolls...?

Pussycat Dolls again

The screen of Lady Gaga they had over the stage before the concert began

Haha, I thought I was pretty cool rockin' out the tee-shirt with my $5 green sunglassess I bought at a flee market in Sydney...

The crowd behind us (there were tons of people)

Now for the videos... or the TWO videos I was able to upload to Blogger... MORE TO COME (as soon as I get sufficient internet)...................!

"Just Dance" - Lady Gaga

"Buttons" - Pussycat Dolls

This video is for my mom. Nicole from the PCD reminds me of her (haha)... The video is of decent quality... It goes in andn out of focus, but the sound is pretty good. Oh yeah, one of the PCD was missing... I dunno which; I only know of Nicole.

Random: Goodbye Perth

Sorry Perth, I’m ready to head home! “OZ” was great, but I’m ready for a change. Here are just a couple more random pics of stuff that has happened in the last month or so.

$100 bills... they're the only Australian bills I have not posted pics of... And as always, the only reason I have them is it's RENT day... LAME!

After winning a $150 gift certificate from Australian Medical Association, I bought myself an Anatomy & Physiology book... Although I have already taken both Anatomy & Physiology I and II at UNM, I thought this would be a really good reference book to have, expecially for a pre-med student trying to get into med school.

I also bought a MEDICAL DICTIONARY with the $150 gift certificate... And for sure this will come in handy in med school!

Finally I bought myself a lab coat that I needed for my Biochemistry lab... looks pretty cool, right?

This is just something I thought was pretty interesting/exciting. Last summer I participated in the AMGEN Scholars Program at the University of Washington in Seattle... It was a summer research program funded by the largest biotech in the world, Amgen... so I thought it was pretty cool when I found a flyer in the Microbiology hall at UWA for the "AMSR Medical Research Week - Western Australia Scientific Symposium" funded by AMGEN... Haha, AMGEN has reached Australia... It's all over the world!

Volunteering in the Endoscopy Ward

One of my motivations for coming to Australia was getting to see healthcare on an international level and gaining some clinical experience outside the U.S.

So for the past couple of weeks, I have been volunteering in the endoscopy ward at St. John of God Hospital in Subiaco. It’s a really simple job; I take food to patients who have just had endoscopies (i.e. procedures in which the doctor inserts a endoscope or fibrescope into the patients to observes their insides).

I work Mondays 9:30 – 12:30, making sandwiches, coffee, soup, etc. and then taking it to the patients. It’s not the most in-depth clinical experience (i.e. I’m not working in the ER at Presbyterian in Albuquerque), but it’s a really nice way to interact with patients and have a one-on-one experience with them. It also gives me something to do on Mondays when I don’t have school.

Here are just a couple pictures of what I do. Hopefully I can start volunteering on Tuesdays too... maybe working in another ward or something like that. We'll see...

Here is me making sandwiches & coffee

St. John of God Hospital in Subiaco

Once the food is ready, I put it on a tray and take it to the patients.

This is the actual building I work at - Bendat Family Comprehensive Cancer Centre

And finally here is me walking home... It's a rather random picture, but I just wanted to show you how I look most days (hat on, pants on, sunglasses on, sunblock on, and umbrella in hand). Haha, I'm fightin' the Australian heat... NO skin cancer for me!

I HAVE A ROOM!

After 9 weeks of living in an "office," I finally have a room!

My two roommates Makiko & Martin just moved out, so I was allowed to move upstairs into one of their bedrooms. I chose Martin's because it had more windows (more light), and it had a walk-in closet.

I'm ecstatic. My new room looks amazing. It has tons of windows, a queen size bed, and a walk-in closet!

For the past two months, I have been living in the room/office downstairs, which was okay but kind of frustrating at times…

But now I have my own room! And I feel great because it reminds me of my dorm room at UNM. Hopefully it will make me more productive because I got to get studying for these upcoming midterms… EEK!

My new room... Look at all the windows!

Walk-in closet

My bed

More beautiful artwork by my tenant Jane

I've never had a WINDOW in my closet before... how cool!

View outside my bedroom of Wembley

Exploring Perth… Finally!

Since I’ve been in Perth, I really haven’t taken the time to actually explore the city. I guess I’ve always assumed I can explore it later when school is over.

BUT…

Today my friend Kevin flew in from Sydney to come look around Perth. Like me, he is from the University of New Mexico and on student exchange in Australia, except he goes to school at the University of Sydney.

So he, his friend Sean, another friend Andrew, his friend Tal, and I explored Perth today.

We went to Kings Park and Scarborough Beach. It was a really nice day… a little rainy & gloomy, but overall, I had a great time.

Here are just a couple pics from our outing.

A good picture with Perth in the background

War memorial

Perth

The "Eternal Flame" - a war memorial

Boab Tree... this tree is over 700 years old!

Some couple got married in the park today... what a great wedding background, don't you think?

Hollywood Blvd. has palm trees... Perth has eucalyptus trees

Another shot with Perth in the background

Perth

"DNA" tower that overlooks the city

We found some jellyfish at Matilda Bay

Scarborough Beach

We went to the beach to watch the sunset and play some "footy"

Beautiful day at the beach

Running to get a quick dip in the water

Sunset

Nice day without crowds of people

Update on Thailand Internship

As many of you know, I am doing a medical internship in Chiang Mai, Thailand, this summer, so here is just a quick update on how the planning is going…

I am currently fundraising to raise money for my program. It is going to cost about $1600 USD, so I am asking people and organizations for donations of any type ($5, $10, $20, $50, $100+).

Thus far, the motorcycle club of Clovis, NM, has given me $250, so I'm off to a GREAT start. I still have a ways to go, so if you are reading this blog and would like to donate anything, feel free to contact me! Email me for more information. Any contribution would truly be appreciated!

Otherwise, I have already booked my flights to & from Thailand. I leave for Chiang Mai on June 25th, and I return back to the states on July 30th. I’m very excited. It’s going to be a life-changing experience and a great way for me to gain first-hand clinical experience (shadowing a doctor & working in a hospital) without having to worry about school or a job.

My internship will be for 4 weeks, Mondays – Fridays from 8:00 AM to about 4:00 PM. And I will have the weekends free to travel and explore Thailand with the rest of the interns… I’m so excited. Thailand looks amazing, especially Chiang Mai!

Plus, the volunteer program that I am going through (Experiential Learning International) seems very friendly, supportive, and legit.

And if all goes well with this internship, I am probably going to plan another medical internship in Mexico for next summer…! But first, I have the MCAT this fall… EEEK! Wish me luck!

Here are just a couple more pics of Chiang Mai, Thailand... courtesy of Experiential Learning International's Facebook profile...

Teaching Program at a Monastery, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Un-Wed Mother's Home, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Oldest Temple, Chiang Mai

Volunteer Accommodations, Elephant Sanctuary, (just outside) Chiang Mai