Yeah, I am from the South :)

Hey girl,

This week, I was so happy to be in Philadelphia.  After an extremely difficult Monday (you know, you actually got a phone call about that stuff), my week quickly recovered, and I was reminded how lucky I am to get the opportunity to live here. This is an experience I always wanted, but never really thought I would get, and here I am, go figure. (Now, don’t get me wrong- I do have a countdown calendar until I fly home for Christmas….. but I am happy here). Anyway, a couple of random/funny things happened this week that I wanted to share.

Tuesday: I'm sitting on my floor sorting my laundry (the laundry that I pay $7 a week to do in the sketch  basement of my apartment building) and I realize that a pair of my clean underwear is ripped! Immediately, I think, "I swear..... I do not have the money or time to go and buy underwear" (haha, sad but true) But then, as I hold up the pair to survey the damage, I realize.....that is not my underwear! Somehow, between the washer, dryer, and back up to my apartment, I collected a stranger's underwear. This is not a "Northern phenomenon" by any means, but this also never happened when I lived in NC..... not to mention.... I miss having a washer and dryer! I miss a lot of things (like a kitchen….I went to study at a friend’s apartment, and when I saw she had a real kitchen I just fell in love with the place) but anyway, this is not the time to be listing what I miss. Random underwear collection, check.

Wednesday: For my NP class this week, we had debates, meaning we had to dress professionally and “look the part.” I even splurged on the city bus ($2) to take me to class, since I was in heels (fancy).  I was sitting with my group, as we were discussing how different it was to come to school in full business attire, when one of them commented, “But Courtney, you are always ‘dressed’, you never come to class in jeans or looking rough.”  At first, I took this as a compliment, because I do approach grad school as my job right now, and I do believe in dressing at least business casual when I am dealing with patients (for example, this week I did my first pelvic exam….whoot whoot, and if I were a patient, I would want whoever was in my nether regions to at least look the part of a professional). Plus, I only have three full days of classes, only two days when I am in contact with my NP program directors, so I figure I can wear khakis for two days a week (Patho days, Fridays when I have lecture from 9:30am-4pm....yeah, those are jean days). Anyway, all of this is beside the point…. then, one of my group members said, “Yeah, dressing nicely for school is a Southern-thing, like Elle Woods in Legally Blonde.” (pause for reaction)  

That my dear, is when I just started laughing (after the initial shock of the comment wore off- seriously I could not make this stuff up).  Not that they think I am “Elle Woods” but it was so funny to hear them think I dress nice for class, because I am from the south!  They clearly did not know me in college!  The conversation then turned into a barrage of things like “Southern people always dress nice for things, they see it as a matter of respect, they are so traditional,” and a lot of other generalizations that are just too funny. I spent a little time correcting these mislead opinions, but in the end, if they want to see Southerners as traditional/nice dressing people, why not?  It beats them picturing all of us wearing overalls and raising cows……oh wait, maybe that is me.

Thursday: After getting out of class at 8pm, I was talking on my cell phone on the bus (I normally don't do that, but I was talking to my grandparents, they make the exception) and when I hung up, the girl beside me said, "Honey, where are you from?"  Now, if anyone up here refers to me as "Honey" I know they are about to make fun of my accent, so I wasn't too excited about sharing my origin.  However, when I gave the cute little southern girl smile and said, "North Carolina" to my surprise she said, "I know...I am from Florida!"  Haha...I love that she said "she knew" like all of us Southerners know each other (not to mention I secretly exclude Florida from the South, seeing that all of the people who live there are just Northern transplants, but whatever, she was nice).  She then proceeded to tell me where in the city I could find grits, and that there was a Chick-fil-a within walking distance of my apartment. Again, I love that those are the two things she thought would fulfill my soul, grits and fried chicken :)  She may have a point.  We had a conversation about how much we miss biscuits and cakes (homemade from our grandmothers).  Then, sadly, I had to get off the bus at my stop, and my Southern connection was severed.  It was really nice.

So those were the highlights of my week- stranger underwear and southern mis/connections. Good times. How are things down south?  Traditional? Dressy? :) 

I told some friends this week, that when I come home for break, I will probably have culture shock. But, I think the food, family, and the fact I will have a couch to lay on, will help my adjustment, haha

Hope you have a great weekend,

Miss and love you.

Court

Learn something new every week...

Hey girl,

 This past week was a tough one (by this point you are probably saying, isn’t this a trend- yes it is!  I think UPenn is trying to kill me….slowly….and painfully).  I have decided that if I can make it to Dec 9^th, I will have accomplished one of my greatest victories (over the giant that is- one semester of grad school).  I cannot think of more than one semester right now. I haven’t had a mental breakdown this week, and I want to keep it that way. 

So, this week, I passed my second demonstration!  This one included a review of systems, head to toe assessment, and assessment write-up, totaling 3 hours! I swear, I can assess like no other and I can ask you every question under the sun related to your digestive system (and all the other systems, I am just best at the digestive system for some reason-haha).  After I got out of lab at 8pm, I headed to the local market to get food for a celebratory dinner (in all honesty, I didn’t have a bit of food in my apartment, and when I run out of milk, bread, cheese, and cereal…. I don’t know where to go). So for my celebration, I decided to splurge and buy things too expensive for weekly purchase- TGIF’s potato skins and grapes!  Both items cost over $5 here, which is a no-no in my current budget, and they both tasted AMAZING!  Don’t worry, the next day I went back to a cheese sandwich and sunchip lunch.

Today, I went to the street market, partially because I cannot afford grapes again until Spring, and because I don’t know how much longer I am going to be able to get fresh fruit every weekend.  (I usually stick with the apples, $1.65 a lb, sold by the cute guys…. but who is looking).  While walking to the market, I realized- once it has been cold one week, these Northerners dress like its freezing no matter the temperature.  I was comfortable in a long sleeve shirt and jeans, and some of the people I passed were in full winter coat/hat/ glove attire.  It was very strange, but also reassuring to know that when it actually does turn cold…. I will not be alone in my arctic attire.

 I am making a photo log called “what I have to wear to class” to document the progression of coldness, haha.   I thought it would be a funny way to keep track of just how ridiculous I have to look on my 2 mile walk each day (or how cold I get before I start spending the $2 on the bus). I took my first picture this week, and if I can figure out how to post pictures, I will share. Surviving a winter up here will definitely be a learning experience.   

Speaking of learning experiences, I learned something very valuable this week- how to deal with mice in your apartment. No, I have not encountered a mouse yet, but my Northern friends are preparing me for the day.  Now, other than the weird creature that I swear used to live in our water heater, I have never had to deal with rodents in my place. I think it’s a “Northern thing” or maybe just the acceptance that it will happen, is a “Northern thing.”  So here is what I learned from my trusted sources: I have three options:

1) I can use poison, which leads to the mouse crawling back into my walls and dying there- leading to the terrible smell of rotten flesh permeating my apartment for weeks. 
  2)I can use a sticky trap, which leads to the mouse breaking his/her legs and the squealing there until I take it outside and beat it to death. 
  3)I can use a spring trap, that will crush the rat body and leave a bloody mess- if it actually kills the mouse and doesn’t just disable the creature.

Yes, that is what my trusty “city friends” have told me will have to happen sometime this winter.  Needless to say, I would love a 4^th option.  I can deal with the cockroaches (yes, I have cockroaches on a daily basis) but not the mice. {Let me just clarify about the cockroaches- no matter how clean I keep this place they still come!  I literally sit at my desk, or in the tub (oh yeah), and watch them crawl through the wall from my neighbor’s apartment- there is nothing to do.  But be assured, I do keep this place clean….mom} Like I said, I can deal with that….. but Dear God, please don’t send the mice.  I would prefer to locusts…. if you were wondering. I will keep you posted.

That is really all I have for this week- cold weather and mice, haha.  I did see the most amazing sunrise on Friday morning, and it literally stopped me in my tracks.  It forced me to take a second, look around, and it hit me- it is fall (my favorite season)!  UPenn’s campus is always beautiful, with its old building and brick sidewalks, but it is supremely beautiful in the fall. I must admit, it cannot compare to the Blue Ridge Mountains (which I miss so much, especially this time of year), but it was definitely lovely. I think that the sunrise was God’ way of saying, slow down silly girl, this is not grad school, this is your life….. and it is beautiful (if you would just take a second and realize).

I hope you have a great week!  Miss you,

Love,

Court

(haha, Winter Picture #1, we shall see the progression.  ps, I am such a dork..... didn't realize I actually have my book bag on in this picture, very- my life right now)