The Moo Moo Land
4th September 2005
29th August 2005
First day set. Took the princes highway and off we went. Stopped by Warragul, Moe and took a detour to check out the Monash Uni Gippsland campus. It was 9 am and no one was about. The sprawling campus was set in the middle of the wide plains and you could see as far as the green goes. Compared to the bustling uni life at clayton, where beings can be seen trudging to school and early morning conversation flooded the much needed silence, gippsland was refreshing.
Then we set of to Latrobe Regional Hospital before stopping by at Sale for lunch at Mackers. Met up with Fahmi and Justin there.
As we sped by the rolling greens, the vastness of this barren land struck me. There were hardly any cars and the only signs of life were the sheep and cows grazing in the pastures.
How did it feel like to be the only beings on earth? I think if I try hard enough I could know.
Had a long PCL at the rural school at Bairnsdale, went grocery shopping and finally drove down to Paynesville to our accommodation called Captain’s Cove.
I love it. The house sits on the canal with our very own private jetty and a view so serene, one had to stop and just breathe in the fresh wind and smile.
Why do I have to go thru’ this again. I’m tired of explaining. Although I know I have to so I do. But comprehension does not dawn in their eyes.
I hate it when it becomes a barrier. And when it makes people uncomfortable unsure what to do or say around me.
30th August 2005
Today was Indigenous Day. We had a couple of talks from Koori women in the healthcare sector and some of the history I learnt today was truly astounding. Aboriginal kids were stolen from their parents by the government in a bid to wipe out the indigenous population in Australia. Many Kooris led very hard lives having to move from place to place in fear of their lives. Some were not allowed to go to school for fear of being stolen by the officials. We visited this place called Keeping Place, a museum dedicated to the Aboriginal culture and history. We met this guy who brought us around the backyard and showed us some Aboriginal medicine. He plucked eucalyptus and tea tree leaves and started grinding them with his hands to make soap and perfume. He stripped bark from tree and ate flowers straight off from the ground. For that part of the day my senses was alive and I was wrought with emotion hearing about the history of white domination in Aboriginal land..
I wonder why God created Man with different colours. What was the point? I wonder how the world would be if everyone was white. Or black. Perhaps Man would still find a way to find a difference between beings and classify themselves into higher beings and lower beings. .
And while I’m on that topic, God did not create passports and immigration laws and borders. Man did. We created boundaries within our own species. And with that came racism, detention centres, overpopulation, power struggles, violence and death..
Imagine a world where everyone was free to go where they wanted. That there was no such thing as nationality rather we were all citizens of this Earth. Naturally of course, most would go to land reap with resources like oil, water and viable soil. And because all humans have the same basic needs, perhaps the world in my Utopia would have societies so diverse that even the word ‘multi-cultural’ is redundant because there were never many cultures to begin with. There was only one culture, one nation and one people - the human race. .
31st August 2005
Today we went to SNAP – Special Needs Access Program. One would not know by looking at it, but the cosy house which sits along Main St is a sanctuary for many patients who suffer from mental illness. We were introduced to Chris McManamara a self-confessed hippie who spent quite a bit of time venting on about funding, stupid government policies, the fight between the psychosocial health model versus the clinical model. Indeed mental health in Australia is a burgeoning problem and more so in rural areas where people are isolated and a lot of stigma regarding mental health still exists..
Today I realized why Monash strives to teach its medical students the importance of the sociological imagination of health by attaching us to community services which have none whatsoever to do with clinical teaching but more so to teach 'would be doctors' the human side of illness. Perhaps if more medical professionals were exposed to the other side of illness, more would realize that mental health is just as important as physical health. That when there lies an imbalance in ying and yang, all hell breaks loose. I’m not a Craig Hassed advocate or anything. Perhaps its because I have seen first hand in my family how often the doctor misses the social circumstances that brings the patient to such a state. Most doctors would send them home with a pack of pills and that would be it..
Seeing the services in Australia (although all those in this sector would whinge about the lack of funds, awareness yada yada), it became very evident that the mental health services in Singapore is very poor. Visiting the psychiatrist is taboo and the word ‘Woodbridge’ is used to scare people.
It’s amazing how stupid humans can be. When affronted by something different, they are scared witless without even allowing themselves the opportunity to learn and know about it. They live in ignorance and are happy. I don’t understand it. .
1st September 2005.
We visited a naturopath today. I had my wellness evaluated and apparently the biological age of my body is 22! Others were 16! Must be all the stress I have. I foound out I am short of 7.9 kg of fat in order for my body to function properly. The naturopath thought my problem was pretty serious and did iridology on me. Gosh 2 complementary medicines on me in one day! Anyway iridology is basically when they look at your eyes with a torchlight and magnifying glass and check for any changes. Basically the iris is innervated by many nerves that originate from every organ in the body..
Anyway she was so concerned that she took my address so that she can send me some information regarding homeopathies and people I can contact if I wanted to improve my wellness. No wonder when I used to eat KFC three times a week, I still didn’t gain weight! No matter how much fat I eat, my body just doesn’t absorb it.
Later we had a talk from a woman who suffered from disability. Its really good to hear from the patients what they think of the Monash medical curriculum. A lot of them really support the new curriculum by Monash (the first in the world) that aims to produce a new breed of doctors. Doctors who integrate both the clinical and psychosocial models of illness, who advocate for social justice and have seen first hand the human side of illness, something many doctors today never get to see. There are a lot of doctors now who are against the new system but then again they have probably never interacted with patients outside their consultation room or hospital and have never fully understood what illness is about..
2nd September 2005.
Went to Lakes Entrance to spend the day with the GP at the Cunningham Arm Medical Centre..
I got to see 2 procedures today. A skin biopsy and excision of a basal cell carcinoma. The doc let me mop up the blood and apply pressure which made my day haha. Other than that did some pretty mundane stuff – taking BP, history blah blah…..
Later at night, we all exchanged stories about our day and for a while it felt a bit like Grey’s Anatomy.
Anyway it was Friday night. Roni and Ari were cooking dinner for all of us for their Friday Night Sabbath. My first ever Jewish dinner. The Sabbath is the coming of the light. So before the ceremony, they light candles. Roni covered her eyes and began singing in Hebrew. When she was done, she passed around Jewish wine so that everyone can take a sip. Then Ari began reading a prayer from his book in Hebrew too. When that was done, then dinner can begin. Roni cut the bread and as she handed it out she said Shalom which means peace, happiness etc apparently it has lots of meaning..
Why do they break glass at weddings? It is to remind them even at time of happiness the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. That no matter what they shouldn’t be completely happy..
Most of the Jewish students in med took a gap year to go to Israel where they participate in youth programs. They volunteer their energy in areas of need They get drunk almost everyday and smoking pot is commonplace. I was seeing a lot of the students in a different light as she described the things they did. Roni said it changed her life. It had to living in such a volatile area. Some students apparently still smoke pot..
The Weekend is here! .
I don’t know how people live here and are able to work. Its rare that I enjoy the sun as much as I did this weekend. Went to the farmer’s market in the morning. Later we grabbed out pillow, books and sunnies and headed out to the jetty in front of our house and slept in the sun. Despite the mounting work we had to do, it was just impossible not to enjoy the rays and the view. We had fish and chips night later followed by Mr and Mrs Smith. We all agreed unanimously that it was a shit movie.
Sunday morn! And no I didn’t sleep in. how could anyone when the sun’s out? Headed to Raymond Island by ferry. Saw a few koalas. One of them actually tried to take a pee on us. Nasty little bugger.
Later, Justin went to catch our dinner. Yup, had a good nap under the sun. I can’t describe the feeling. Relaxing is too mild a word for what I was doing. If you know me, I never fully relax. I’m always thinking about something..
My mind just went blank and all I could feel was the heat coursing thru' me and the quiet sounds of rural life. Serenity in waves.
Justin came back with more fish for dinner. A total of 8. Had grilled fish, roast potatoes, salad and brownies for dinner..
Finally after a lazy weekend, we all settled down to do our case presentations tomorrow..
What a unique experience living with a bunch of med students. Having dinner together, catching House, bitching about naturopaths and stealing whatever few moments of idle when we can. Its great to have friends who enjoy the sun as much as I do..
Roni puts it nicely "Its weird not doing any work.".
i'll put up more pics when i get back.
29th August 2005
First day set. Took the princes highway and off we went. Stopped by Warragul, Moe and took a detour to check out the Monash Uni Gippsland campus. It was 9 am and no one was about. The sprawling campus was set in the middle of the wide plains and you could see as far as the green goes. Compared to the bustling uni life at clayton, where beings can be seen trudging to school and early morning conversation flooded the much needed silence, gippsland was refreshing.
Then we set of to Latrobe Regional Hospital before stopping by at Sale for lunch at Mackers. Met up with Fahmi and Justin there.
As we sped by the rolling greens, the vastness of this barren land struck me. There were hardly any cars and the only signs of life were the sheep and cows grazing in the pastures.
How did it feel like to be the only beings on earth? I think if I try hard enough I could know.
Had a long PCL at the rural school at Bairnsdale, went grocery shopping and finally drove down to Paynesville to our accommodation called Captain’s Cove.
I love it. The house sits on the canal with our very own private jetty and a view so serene, one had to stop and just breathe in the fresh wind and smile.
Why do I have to go thru’ this again. I’m tired of explaining. Although I know I have to so I do. But comprehension does not dawn in their eyes.
I hate it when it becomes a barrier. And when it makes people uncomfortable unsure what to do or say around me.
30th August 2005
Today was Indigenous Day. We had a couple of talks from Koori women in the healthcare sector and some of the history I learnt today was truly astounding. Aboriginal kids were stolen from their parents by the government in a bid to wipe out the indigenous population in Australia. Many Kooris led very hard lives having to move from place to place in fear of their lives. Some were not allowed to go to school for fear of being stolen by the officials. We visited this place called Keeping Place, a museum dedicated to the Aboriginal culture and history. We met this guy who brought us around the backyard and showed us some Aboriginal medicine. He plucked eucalyptus and tea tree leaves and started grinding them with his hands to make soap and perfume. He stripped bark from tree and ate flowers straight off from the ground. For that part of the day my senses was alive and I was wrought with emotion hearing about the history of white domination in Aboriginal land..
I wonder why God created Man with different colours. What was the point? I wonder how the world would be if everyone was white. Or black. Perhaps Man would still find a way to find a difference between beings and classify themselves into higher beings and lower beings. .
And while I’m on that topic, God did not create passports and immigration laws and borders. Man did. We created boundaries within our own species. And with that came racism, detention centres, overpopulation, power struggles, violence and death..
Imagine a world where everyone was free to go where they wanted. That there was no such thing as nationality rather we were all citizens of this Earth. Naturally of course, most would go to land reap with resources like oil, water and viable soil. And because all humans have the same basic needs, perhaps the world in my Utopia would have societies so diverse that even the word ‘multi-cultural’ is redundant because there were never many cultures to begin with. There was only one culture, one nation and one people - the human race. .
31st August 2005
Today we went to SNAP – Special Needs Access Program. One would not know by looking at it, but the cosy house which sits along Main St is a sanctuary for many patients who suffer from mental illness. We were introduced to Chris McManamara a self-confessed hippie who spent quite a bit of time venting on about funding, stupid government policies, the fight between the psychosocial health model versus the clinical model. Indeed mental health in Australia is a burgeoning problem and more so in rural areas where people are isolated and a lot of stigma regarding mental health still exists..
Today I realized why Monash strives to teach its medical students the importance of the sociological imagination of health by attaching us to community services which have none whatsoever to do with clinical teaching but more so to teach 'would be doctors' the human side of illness. Perhaps if more medical professionals were exposed to the other side of illness, more would realize that mental health is just as important as physical health. That when there lies an imbalance in ying and yang, all hell breaks loose. I’m not a Craig Hassed advocate or anything. Perhaps its because I have seen first hand in my family how often the doctor misses the social circumstances that brings the patient to such a state. Most doctors would send them home with a pack of pills and that would be it..
Seeing the services in Australia (although all those in this sector would whinge about the lack of funds, awareness yada yada), it became very evident that the mental health services in Singapore is very poor. Visiting the psychiatrist is taboo and the word ‘Woodbridge’ is used to scare people.
It’s amazing how stupid humans can be. When affronted by something different, they are scared witless without even allowing themselves the opportunity to learn and know about it. They live in ignorance and are happy. I don’t understand it. .
1st September 2005.
We visited a naturopath today. I had my wellness evaluated and apparently the biological age of my body is 22! Others were 16! Must be all the stress I have. I foound out I am short of 7.9 kg of fat in order for my body to function properly. The naturopath thought my problem was pretty serious and did iridology on me. Gosh 2 complementary medicines on me in one day! Anyway iridology is basically when they look at your eyes with a torchlight and magnifying glass and check for any changes. Basically the iris is innervated by many nerves that originate from every organ in the body..
Anyway she was so concerned that she took my address so that she can send me some information regarding homeopathies and people I can contact if I wanted to improve my wellness. No wonder when I used to eat KFC three times a week, I still didn’t gain weight! No matter how much fat I eat, my body just doesn’t absorb it.
Later we had a talk from a woman who suffered from disability. Its really good to hear from the patients what they think of the Monash medical curriculum. A lot of them really support the new curriculum by Monash (the first in the world) that aims to produce a new breed of doctors. Doctors who integrate both the clinical and psychosocial models of illness, who advocate for social justice and have seen first hand the human side of illness, something many doctors today never get to see. There are a lot of doctors now who are against the new system but then again they have probably never interacted with patients outside their consultation room or hospital and have never fully understood what illness is about..
2nd September 2005.
Went to Lakes Entrance to spend the day with the GP at the Cunningham Arm Medical Centre..
I got to see 2 procedures today. A skin biopsy and excision of a basal cell carcinoma. The doc let me mop up the blood and apply pressure which made my day haha. Other than that did some pretty mundane stuff – taking BP, history blah blah…..
Later at night, we all exchanged stories about our day and for a while it felt a bit like Grey’s Anatomy.
Anyway it was Friday night. Roni and Ari were cooking dinner for all of us for their Friday Night Sabbath. My first ever Jewish dinner. The Sabbath is the coming of the light. So before the ceremony, they light candles. Roni covered her eyes and began singing in Hebrew. When she was done, she passed around Jewish wine so that everyone can take a sip. Then Ari began reading a prayer from his book in Hebrew too. When that was done, then dinner can begin. Roni cut the bread and as she handed it out she said Shalom which means peace, happiness etc apparently it has lots of meaning..
Why do they break glass at weddings? It is to remind them even at time of happiness the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. That no matter what they shouldn’t be completely happy..
Most of the Jewish students in med took a gap year to go to Israel where they participate in youth programs. They volunteer their energy in areas of need They get drunk almost everyday and smoking pot is commonplace. I was seeing a lot of the students in a different light as she described the things they did. Roni said it changed her life. It had to living in such a volatile area. Some students apparently still smoke pot..
The Weekend is here! .
I don’t know how people live here and are able to work. Its rare that I enjoy the sun as much as I did this weekend. Went to the farmer’s market in the morning. Later we grabbed out pillow, books and sunnies and headed out to the jetty in front of our house and slept in the sun. Despite the mounting work we had to do, it was just impossible not to enjoy the rays and the view. We had fish and chips night later followed by Mr and Mrs Smith. We all agreed unanimously that it was a shit movie.
Sunday morn! And no I didn’t sleep in. how could anyone when the sun’s out? Headed to Raymond Island by ferry. Saw a few koalas. One of them actually tried to take a pee on us. Nasty little bugger.
Later, Justin went to catch our dinner. Yup, had a good nap under the sun. I can’t describe the feeling. Relaxing is too mild a word for what I was doing. If you know me, I never fully relax. I’m always thinking about something..
My mind just went blank and all I could feel was the heat coursing thru' me and the quiet sounds of rural life. Serenity in waves.
Justin came back with more fish for dinner. A total of 8. Had grilled fish, roast potatoes, salad and brownies for dinner..
Finally after a lazy weekend, we all settled down to do our case presentations tomorrow..
What a unique experience living with a bunch of med students. Having dinner together, catching House, bitching about naturopaths and stealing whatever few moments of idle when we can. Its great to have friends who enjoy the sun as much as I do..
Roni puts it nicely "Its weird not doing any work.".
i'll put up more pics when i get back.
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