Article on our Trip

Found today on the UWO website...an article about our trip. Here's the website:
http://www.uwosh.edu/news/?p=2799

I've been working on my presentation Nursing on a Budget and have become increasingly annoyed with PowerPoint. For some reason, some of the pictures that I have will not copy onto the presentation, and others appear as very tiny pictures, and others are larger than the slide allows. A simple presentation has turned into a major project which I am trying to piece together on my few and far between days off.

I am counting down again....this time until my graduation day: December 18! Today marks 142 days left. I'm not really excited about the classes for this semester. Leadership and Management, Mental Health (lecture), Mental Health (clinical), and the last four weeks, my clinical synthesis. I think we all will be slightly "mental" after spending 6 hours every Wednesday in Mental Health Lecture. I am looking forward to my clinical synthesis, which is still TBD.

I started in my new position with my first day in the NICU last Saturday. I can only imagine how much I still have to learn...and I learned a LOT my first weekend. I have an awesome preceptor, and the girls that were in my pod were also really great. I already love it! I left work after my first 12 hour shift, and I couldn't wait to come back in the morning. After Sunday's shift, I was so sad that I wasn't going to be back until the next weekend that I am on orientation. After two more shifts I'm off orientation in a matter of speaking. Orientation is an entire process, and I'll still be with my preceptor until I'm all ready to be totally on my own. I can't *wait* for the end of this year to be here!

I'm settling in nicely here in my new pad. It is a great place to live; very safe, very much a young professional crowd, and so much to do! I've been out running most of the days for the past week. It seems that everyone here keeps active-the trails are crowded with people walking, running, biking, rollerblading and picnic-ing in the shade. Everyone I've met has been really friendly...safe to say that I am starting to feel at home here in my new home!

All for now-I'm off to fix dinner and relax a little before gearing up for the rest of my week!

Counting My Lucky Stars

To be in the US right now, and not Uganda. There were 2 tragic bombings on Sunday during the 2010 World Cup Final (Spain vs Netherlands) in the capitol city of Kampala. The death toll sits at 74 currently, with an additional 85 wounded. Apparently a terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, which have nothing to do with the victims themselves. These acts are apparently a "warning" for countries involved in the African Union. I was unaware of the issues surrounding the African Union (AU) and their apparent military presence in Somalia. There is no reason for what happened, and I am struggling to comprehend the outcome and what it means for the families and loved ones of those injured or killed. It was less than a month ago that our group was there, in Kampala. Like many of the victims, our group gathered together to watch the World Cup when we had time and a TV available. It was truly a landmark year for Africa, and a huge deal for the citizens of Africa to host the event. Everywhere we traveled in Uganda had mention of the World Cup; billboards, posters, advertisements and even shops were painted in honor of the World Cup. What a devastating way to bring closure to the championship event.

Aside from watching the news unfold, I have been keeping busy. I started my new position last Monday, and moved to my new apartment on Wednesday. I am mostly unpacked, but I think I have a while before I am really settled in. I am learning so much in my new position and the orientation process has been really beneficial. My first weekend of working in my new role is coming up in a few days, and I am really excited! I know that I will continue to keep learning every day that I work. Then after 5 months, I will be once again transitioning to a new role. I can't wait!!!

I will continue to keep everyone posted...