These days I have been really frustrated about my flat situation, once again. My flatmates are never at home, and if they are they barely say hi. To them I am basically someone who helps lower their rent, nothing more... but after 2 years of living with 12 awesome housemates I hate to live alone (practically, that's what it's like). I need people around me to cook with, to talk to, to go out with, have fun with... so I've started to search for a new place. I know one or two people who have a free room in their flat, so maybe I'll find something soon. Keep your fingers crossed for me.
As you know, I started my internship at the department of gynecology. I would like to make a movie about it, it is very hard to put in words what I see and experience there every day.
First of all, it resembles a train station. All the walls of hallways and staircase are full of writings written with permanent marker. For example, you can find "Today Giulia was born! 14.05.1999". !!!! Appearantly those walls haven't seen any fresh paint in a looot of years. Another writing would be "Waited for 8 hours and still didn't see a doctor. I am in pain. 12.3.2005". Hahaha. Or "Thanks professore Primavera** 3.9.08". As I said, all the walls are full of writings. In March I might add one "Finally finished my Internship. Ciaociao! 10.03.2010".
Next (remember we're still at the hospit.. um train station) there is always a loooooot of people waiting - they even bring their own foldable camping chairs to be more comfortable!. According to the doctors, there are so many people waiting because for every patient, there are 5 relatives/friends waiting to support the patient. According to the patients, it is because you have to wait forever in order to see a doctor. (see wall writing above)
Which leads me to the next point: if you have to wait or not, depends only on your Connections (Vitamin C we call that). If you know some doctor, you don't have to wait at all. And everyone commits it without blushing.
For example, they have different types of rooms in my department - single, double and triple rooms. In Italy, all people have the same governmental health insurance (there are NO differences or private insurances), so I was wondering according to which criteria they put people in a single or double room. The answer is simple: "If you know a doctor or professor, you will get a single room. Of course it's best to know a professor.". Italy, what can I say.
Of course there's much more to tell... check on my blog these days to know more.
**all names have been changed by the editorial staff.
2010/02/22
2010/02/14
What's going on...
News. After passing the psychiatry exam and celebrating that for 5 days, I will now start to study for my next exam on March 3rd. Tomorrow (monday) I will start an internship at the department of gynecology, thus the party time is over for real :(
We're having 10-15 degrees with some occasional sunny moments... I am hoping for spring to come soon. :-)
We're having 10-15 degrees with some occasional sunny moments... I am hoping for spring to come soon. :-)
2010/02/10
How I passed my first exam in Italian.
Today I left the house at 9:30 in the morning with one very special mission: to pass my first oral exam in Italian. Subject: psychiatry.
I hadn't really slept the night before, so I was really tired. Too tired to be nervous though, and that was a good thing. I arrived in the psychiatry building (as always a strange feeling somehow), there are always security guards at the entrance who ask you what you want. Well, I guess it's much easier to get in then to get out though. :-)
I went to the professor's office where the exam was supposed to be held: as always, the hallway was crowded, although most people appeared to be patients rather than students. Hard to say who looked more afraid.
PUNCTUALLY at 10 a.m., professore Bertolino and professoressa DeCaro arrived and asked EVERYONE (!) who had to take the exam to enter. Well, we were 4 students total. I became a little insecure here... there had been many more people at the lectures. Oh well.
So, the situation was as follows: 4 students and 2 professors in a small room. Each of the professors was asking questions at one of the students, so basically 4 people were talking at the same time. As if this wasn't enough noise, both doors of the room were widely opened and noises from the hallway and from another office added to the hectic athmosphere of the exam. For me it was really hard to concentrate. Verbalizing complicated matters in Italian is still not easy to me, and in this athmosphere it seemed impossible.
Well, this was my exam:
Professoressa DeCaro: "Ok, so tell me what you know."
I: "Uuuuuhm..."
DeCaro: "Just tell me something about clinical psychology that you have read."
I: "Ok... " I talked for 3 minutes about very simple matters and the abuse of alcohol.
DeCaro: "Ok, you can proceed to Prof. Bertolino now."
I had to wait for another girl to finish her exam with Prof. Bertolino. She seemed very hectic but talked and talked and talked... about things I didn't quite understand. In the end she broke out in tears and left the room. What had just happened? I didn't understand, but she clearly hadn't passed. Now it was my turn. Well, at least I wouldn't cry... but my respect for Prof. Bertolino had just immensely grown.
Prof. Bertolino asked questions, very simple but specific ones. (What is a hallucination? In which diseases do hallucinations occur? Describe a maniac episode and its treatment...). I could answer most of that, just with that maniac episode treatment I had some problems.
Finally: "What is the sistema di igiene mentale?" (translation would approx be "system of mental hygiene"). I had never heard of this. He started laughing. "Surely you have heard that there are not just psichiatric clinics in Italy but also a system of ambulant services?". Well I clearly hadn't and it was soooo embarrassing... this question was like asking "What is an ambulant practice?" and I couldn't answer it. Everyone in Italy would have known the answer to this question, and thus all 5 persons in the room started laughing at me.
Bertolino with a very harsh voice: "Va bene. The exam is over.". Oh my God. I failed.
He started "discussing" with DeCaro. After 10 seconds: "Okay, you get a 25". That's actually not great but quite good, 25 of 30 points is like a 2 in the German grading system.
So now I'm really happy and will celebrate big time tonight before starting to study for the next exam! :-)))
I hadn't really slept the night before, so I was really tired. Too tired to be nervous though, and that was a good thing. I arrived in the psychiatry building (as always a strange feeling somehow), there are always security guards at the entrance who ask you what you want. Well, I guess it's much easier to get in then to get out though. :-)
I went to the professor's office where the exam was supposed to be held: as always, the hallway was crowded, although most people appeared to be patients rather than students. Hard to say who looked more afraid.
PUNCTUALLY at 10 a.m., professore Bertolino and professoressa DeCaro arrived and asked EVERYONE (!) who had to take the exam to enter. Well, we were 4 students total. I became a little insecure here... there had been many more people at the lectures. Oh well.
So, the situation was as follows: 4 students and 2 professors in a small room. Each of the professors was asking questions at one of the students, so basically 4 people were talking at the same time. As if this wasn't enough noise, both doors of the room were widely opened and noises from the hallway and from another office added to the hectic athmosphere of the exam. For me it was really hard to concentrate. Verbalizing complicated matters in Italian is still not easy to me, and in this athmosphere it seemed impossible.
Well, this was my exam:
Professoressa DeCaro: "Ok, so tell me what you know."
I: "Uuuuuhm..."
DeCaro: "Just tell me something about clinical psychology that you have read."
I: "Ok... " I talked for 3 minutes about very simple matters and the abuse of alcohol.
DeCaro: "Ok, you can proceed to Prof. Bertolino now."
I had to wait for another girl to finish her exam with Prof. Bertolino. She seemed very hectic but talked and talked and talked... about things I didn't quite understand. In the end she broke out in tears and left the room. What had just happened? I didn't understand, but she clearly hadn't passed. Now it was my turn. Well, at least I wouldn't cry... but my respect for Prof. Bertolino had just immensely grown.
Prof. Bertolino asked questions, very simple but specific ones. (What is a hallucination? In which diseases do hallucinations occur? Describe a maniac episode and its treatment...). I could answer most of that, just with that maniac episode treatment I had some problems.
Finally: "What is the sistema di igiene mentale?" (translation would approx be "system of mental hygiene"). I had never heard of this. He started laughing. "Surely you have heard that there are not just psichiatric clinics in Italy but also a system of ambulant services?". Well I clearly hadn't and it was soooo embarrassing... this question was like asking "What is an ambulant practice?" and I couldn't answer it. Everyone in Italy would have known the answer to this question, and thus all 5 persons in the room started laughing at me.
Bertolino with a very harsh voice: "Va bene. The exam is over.". Oh my God. I failed.
He started "discussing" with DeCaro. After 10 seconds: "Okay, you get a 25". That's actually not great but quite good, 25 of 30 points is like a 2 in the German grading system.
So now I'm really happy and will celebrate big time tonight before starting to study for the next exam! :-)))
2010/02/01
How I bought a light bulb.
My favourite store in Bari is a tiny hardware store (home improvement store, that type) right next to my house. Whenever I pass by, and I pass by daily, the owner (Sergio) is standing outside the shop, chatting with some natives who don't seem to have anything to do but pass the whole day there, talking about the weather and Barese gossip.
This is the place that I chose to buy a new light bulb after my old beloved light bulb had ceised to function. Just that I wouldn't have thought it's not quite easy after all to acquire a light bulb.
I confronted Sergio with my problem ("I would like to buy a light bulb."). He looked at me, not understanding, indicating that this was not as simple a matter as I thought.
"Of course. But where would you like to put it?". None of his business, but perplexed I said "In my room.". "In your room, hmm. And what kind of lamp are you using?" 100 questions later ("Where is that lamp? Where exactly? How high is your ceiling? Are there other lamps? What colour are the walls? .....) he excused himself. "You have to know, I don't want to intrude into your private sphere, but I have to know all this to make sure I'll sell you EXACTLY the right light bulb... there are so many different kinds!". Well, after he had received all the desired information, he pulled out 5 light bulbs and installed each of them in a lamp so that I could decide which type of light I liked best. (Warm light, cold light.....).
I picked a light bulb and was jumping for joy when I finally left the store, after an eternity, with the object of my desires in my right hand. I immediately put it into my lamp at home and am very content with the result. I call my light bulb Willy and treat him with love and respect. Every day.
This is the place that I chose to buy a new light bulb after my old beloved light bulb had ceised to function. Just that I wouldn't have thought it's not quite easy after all to acquire a light bulb.
I confronted Sergio with my problem ("I would like to buy a light bulb."). He looked at me, not understanding, indicating that this was not as simple a matter as I thought.
"Of course. But where would you like to put it?". None of his business, but perplexed I said "In my room.". "In your room, hmm. And what kind of lamp are you using?" 100 questions later ("Where is that lamp? Where exactly? How high is your ceiling? Are there other lamps? What colour are the walls? .....) he excused himself. "You have to know, I don't want to intrude into your private sphere, but I have to know all this to make sure I'll sell you EXACTLY the right light bulb... there are so many different kinds!". Well, after he had received all the desired information, he pulled out 5 light bulbs and installed each of them in a lamp so that I could decide which type of light I liked best. (Warm light, cold light.....).
I picked a light bulb and was jumping for joy when I finally left the store, after an eternity, with the object of my desires in my right hand. I immediately put it into my lamp at home and am very content with the result. I call my light bulb Willy and treat him with love and respect. Every day.
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