Way to go

Preparing for the examination was lonely.

This week I am having a totally different life from two weeks ago, when I was wandering in the obstetric wards to look for interesting cases. There was no formal scheduled activities apart from studying, and since this is the only task that I have to do, it is very painful to realize that I had no other things to do.

Revision not only revise what we have learnt, but also reviewing the life we have gone through. "Time flies so quickly this year." This is the comment I have been saying since Form 6, but time flies even quicker when time flies. The life in the University campus was just two years, hundred and something weeks ago, however, the memories I had in university was stored somewhere near the secondary life.

Life in this year was fine, and the Psychiatry and Family medicine module allowed me to have a better quality of life. Paediatrics was harsh I have to say, workload was as heavy as the pile of notes we have to study. Obstetrics and Gynaecology was troublesome as we have to complete the stamp collection sheet, but I did enjoy my experience in the Labour Ward and the time I shared with my colleagues.

Especially after the Obs and Gyn module, I was pretty sure that I will be a doctor in the hospital and working in the wards, rather than being an autistic technician with a medical degree and hide myself in the laboratories. I enjoy the feeling of walking together. The world is ugly and the reality is harsh. I am prepared to see selfish colleagues who would certainly dump you down the way and see how you suffer, however, I would be much more happier and forget those who had made me sad when I had good colleagues.

Thanks to the doctor and nurses in the Obs & Gyn department, no matter they are experienced or inexperienced, qualified or not. Being one of the team in the wards is good. Although that was only a few days in the year, that had already made me unforgettable. Yes there was time that I was treated brutally just like what I had in other departments, the way we share our time made me moved.

The doctors and midwives who have taught me, my partner who has learnt with me, and my dear friend who listened to me as a student (for two days and helped my revision!), may I pay my wordless gratitude to you all.

Thanks.

Preparing for examination is no longer lonely, when I have these warm memories.

My trip in a letter

Here is the letter submitted to the Indian Consulate for application of Visa, and I post it here for those who would like to have an idea of my trip in April.

* * *

11 March, 2010

To
Consulate General of India
26 A, United Centre,
95 Queensway,
Hong Kong

Or whomever else it may concern,

I, LEUNG Tsz Hang, (Bearer of Hong Kong Identity Card No. *******(*), Hong Kong SAR Passport No. **********) is a Medical Year Four Student in The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK, Student No. 06******). I am writing to explain my plan in travelling to India for voluntary medical elective training in details to facilitate the visa application.

We, in a group of four medical students (with Mr. LAU Ka Wing, Mr. LI Chun Kit, and Mr. NG Ka Kei Stephen, who will provide their letters individually for applying visa) are planning to arrive India on 10th April 2010 (Saturday) 21:50 (Indian time) by aircraft MI0498 operated by Silkair from Singapore Changi International Airport (SIN) to Thiruvananthapura International Airport (TRV).

We will be received by Work the World Ltd. to their premises at Aradhna, Athani Lane, Vanchiyoor, Thiruvananthapuram – 695035, Kerala (Attachment 1). I will be accepted for voluntary training at Department of General Surgery in Ananthapuri Hospital, Chacka, NH Bypass, Trivandrum 695 024, Kerala (Attachment 2). The medical elective training period will last from 12 April 2010 (Monday) to 07 May 2010 (Friday).

After the above-mentioned elective period, we plan to have a trip for sight-seeing in Kovalam, Alleppey, Munnar and Cochin for 5 days received by Indian Holiday Pvt. Ltd. at 70, LGF, World Trade Centre, Barakhamba Lane, N. Delhi, with transport, food and accommodation arranged by them (Attachment 3), from 08 May 2010 (Saturday) to 13 May 2010 (Thursday).

On the last day of our tour, we will depart India at 22:45 (Indian time) by aircraft MI0497 operated by Silkair from Thiruvananthapura International Airport (TRV) to Singapore Changi International Airport (SIN), and then back to Hong Kong. (Attachment 4) We will be staying in India for a total of 33 days.

The completed form for visa application is attached in this letter. Should you have any further enquiries about our plan to India, please do not hesitated and I could be contacted on phone at ******** or by e-mail at rayleung2709@gmail.com. The best efforts would be made to facilitate the application process and we hope to have the visa grant at your earliest convenience.

Yours sincerely,

(Signed)

LEUNG Tsz Hang

Medical Year 4 Student

The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Enclosed:

1. Support letter from Work the World Ltd.
2. Support letter from Kerala Institute of Health and Family Welfare.
3. Travel plan from Indian Holiday Pvt. Ltd.
4. Booking receipt of Airline tickets.
5. Completed form for visa application.
6. Copy of HKSAR Passport
7. Copy of HKID
8. Copy of Student ID Card of CUHK

Plan

It has been ages from my previous entry. Yes, here comes the difficult time for (most but not all of) us to strive through the year-end examination, a.k.a. M.B.

I found it particularly difficult to express myself in Chinese since I have so much to express and I have to search from numerous words and get organised before I can complete an entry. In order to save time, I speak in English, a language that I was not familiar with, so that I could cut a long story short.

Yes, only 7 days left.

Lazy and stupid students like me are crazy now as the day of judgement is coming closer. We have gone through the four modules and, we have forgotten at least two, or worse, three of them. Only in a week's time we have to pick up at least 24+/-8 weeks' knowledge and experience, memories in those days come back again.

To go back further, we the gang of men talk about our glorious past in the A-level. Yeh, I was in the top 1% of the candidates in 2006. I was really proud of myself, and proud of my school. I was confident and grandiose.

My pride faded.

In these years, what I learn is that the reality is ugly and competition is fierce. Being selfish is an inevitable way to survive. I am not trying to be malignant, harming others to benefit myself, however, I had become less considerate.

In the days when I thought that selfless is glorious, I might be considered as arrogant. Today, when I am seemingly more humble, I considered myself to be shameful. My shining flame has dimmed as I stepped closer to the dark side.

It was not what I want.

Yesterday was the White Valentines' day. An amazing story happened outside the medical library. After a long day's revision, a year-one boy escorted his lady to the railway station. On the way he took out a bunch of rose from his backpack and presented it to the girl. The boy was nervous and the girl was happy to accept those bright red roses.

These will be the good old days the couple will remember, no matter will their love last forever or not, throughout their life. This is the way how we have gone through our developmental milestones, when love was puppy and mind was pure, before they experience hatred and enmity in this world.

Only in four years my life has become a routine, and I found that I have lost my interests and time in my life after devoting myself to study. When I was graduated from secondary school with hope and faith, I had anticipated my life in university and hospital. Though the years I have experienced a lot in the medical school, and have learnt from the reality.

I could hardly propose any plans for my future as I realised that I am too weak to have my future under control. In times when I was a best-of-the-best student, I always had a question to my fellow classmates, "Why don't you plan ahead for your JUPAS? Otherwise you have no way to go!"

Now I understand that this kind of "planning ahead" could not be easily achievable. It is me, the one who was too lucky and too late to face this problem only after four years. In this juncture, I have nearly no way to go. Where will I be in 2 years' time? One cannot determine his fate completely under his hands.

"The mind of man plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps." (Proverbs 16:9)