Third Semseter and Memories of Buenos Aires

I've been negligent again. This time, though, it's with very good reason - this semester is simultaneously far more interesting, and far more difficult than anything I've done before. We've begun the classes that actually feel doctorly - gone are the banal prerequisites of biochemistry basic histology. In their place, I find myself faced with pharmacology - something I feel I'll use forever; pathology - the stuff I imagined when I envisioned medical school; microbiology and immunology - all the bugs that make us sick, and how we fight them off; and behavioral science - or the class I call how to act like a doctor. I'm loving it, needless to say - I find it far more interesting to immerse myself in the complexities of the different types of inflammation, with all of their signs and symptoms, causes and presentation; I find much more pleasure in constantly reviewing notes on indications and counterindications for the first of what I'm sure will be hundreds of drugs I'll have to commit to memory - than I found anything I've done thus far. Hopefully, I've been doing a good job studying - the first test is on Monday.

I've also made my way to something I've been looking forward to since I learned it was a possibility - I'm an anatomy TA. My sessions meet twice a week, and thankfully, I've got the second semester class (reviewing head and neck anatomy is much less painful than, say, the brachial plexus). Due to the rectification of some bad planning (through which I personally suffered), the current second semesters are now learning head and neck at the beginning, along with the various tracts and cranial nerves they're also memorizing for neuroscience. However, much to my chagrin, this class is far more careless and lazy in their dissections than my class was. Seriously - I'm not just over-fondly recalling my times spent inhalling formaldehyde while elbow-deep in cadaverous cavities - I received an e-mail today from the head TA attesting to the shoddy work. I'm encouraged to encourage them to do better and, moreover, if I want to go in and clean up some of their dissections, I'm more than welcome. I know you can't see my smile, but believe me - it's there.

Time is different now. There's simply less of it, and I don't think the trend will change any time soon. Technically, we're taking fewer credits, but this information just seems so much more important to me. Part of the reason for that is surely our ICM (introduction to clinical medicine) clinics, in which we're learning not only how to elicit a patient history and organize the information, but how to examine the patients. The physical exam, it seems, is traditional mainstay of medicine that, time and again proves its worth. While some things like the Water Hammer Pulse are more tradition than useful (no one uses it, but it'll still be on the test), most of it feels incredibly important, and, if what everyone says is true, is the most important tool physicians have in treating patients.

Memories of Buenos Aires

One of the things that Nicole really wanted to do when we first decided to make our way to Argentina was to go to a Tango show. After arriving, we decided to solicit the local opinions, and the gentlemen who sold Nicole and I our leather coats all agreed - the best tango show - bar none - was La Ventana. At the hotel front desk, I made reservations, and we decided to make this our big "anniversary dinner". Everything was taken care of for us - a rather obese gentleman in an old, threadbare sweater arrived promptly at 7:00 on Friday and bussed us, along with a few other hotel guests, to the best tango show in all of Argentina.

Much like everywhere else we visisted, the food and the wine were fantastic, and we enjoyed our dinner before the show ever began. Here's a picture of us taken by the gentleman sittin at the table next to us, with his young dauther, mother, and trophy girlfriend (who may or may not have gotten along with the daughter too well).

Now - I'd never seen tango before (TV doesn't count), and I must say I was quite impressed. Tango happens everywhere, it seemed - a little square on the pedestrian street in front of our hotel turned into a nightly stage for comedians and tango-dancers alike. However, La Ventana was the cream of the crop.

It wasn't just tango, though - it was a historical Argentinian culture lesson. We were treated to some traditional, native (I think) music, and even some Gaucho dancing, which led me to dub the gentleman below The Argentinian Ninja.

This guy was really, really good. Little wooden balls were tied to the ends of his strings, and he swung them around, beating on the floor with a rhythm and speed that made my jaw drop. Easily, this guy was my favorite performer of the night. It must have been a little difficult for him - for all of the other performances, the stage was full of dancers and singers (whom I'll get to in a bit), but this guy came out all alone, and started on a not-very-exciting dance. I felt bad for him, until he whipped out his props, and really got into his act (as is evident from the picture).

The singers were fantastic also - I'd have probably enjoyed it a bit more if I'd paid better attention in my high-school Spanish classes. Apparently, the owner of La Ventana sang in the show - here's a picture of him below. He worked the room, singing Por Una Cabeza, the famous Argentinian song about a love - and gambling on horeseraces. It must have been one of those songs - you know the ones. They come on the radio, and everyone breaks out into song (like Bonjovi's Livin on a Prayer). As soon as he hit the chorus, the room joined in with him, and I wished I knew the words. Here, though, I've got to disagree with Nicole - I think it still romantic, regardless of the horseraces ("por una cabeza" roughly translates to "by a head" - of a horse).

Continuing the history lesson, the performers of La Ventana paid homage to Maria Eva Duarte de Peron, singing "No Llores por Mi Argentina" (Don't cry for me Argentina, written by Andrew Lloyd Webber for a 1973 musical).

Clearly, we enjoyed our Tango show very much. When we left, a long, long line was forming across the street as a strangely heterogenous group of folks (teenagers and middle-agers alike) waited to get into some club, and I couldn't help but feel a little smug. Next time, I'll revisit our tours and more walking around the beautiful city, as well as updates on the Second Year of Medical School.