I have gotten a couple of emails asking if I’m well and alive due to the severe lack of blogging. School has been crazy busy lately but I will try to get one posted soon. Thanks for the support and encouragement.

You know you’re in Dominica if…

1) A lizard falls on your head (or near you).

2) Taxi drivers have stickers on their cars saying “Too Hot to Handle” or “Bye Haterz.”

3) You start putting juice in your cereal because you don’t like the taste of shelved milk (dairy milk is not available).

4) You can do an hour and a half of Yoga with Jess Trudeau on the beach. A very blissful experience!

View from the Yoga Deck

5) Speakers used during Carnival are so big they have to be carried on semi-truck and touch the electrical wires, clearly bigger is better.

6) You can sweat like a pig even if it’s raining (the humidity increases at least 10-fold).

7) Places like Taco-Bell and In&Out Burger seem like fine dinning options.

A bottle of beer is cheaper than a bottle of water (definitely a good thing).

9) You have over 10 visible bug bites on each leg, and they were NOT caused by mosquitos.

10) Guys let their belts hang to their knees or don’t tie the strap (as is the case for A&F shorts) which hang at their crotch…come on guys, quit being douche bags.

11) People tint EVERY window of their cars, including the front windshield…I wonder how well they are able to see.

12) Cows block your front door because they got tired eating the nice patch of lush grass in front of your apartment.

13) You can snorkel whenever you want and see some amazing ocean-life.

14) When you write out a lease agreement on a piece of paper, which was “borrowed” from the current tenants.

15) You don’t need a jacket because winter doesn’t exist…which works great for me!

I, myself, have been wanting to get a tattoo since I was in 11th grade, which was more than 6 years ago…a long time you might say, but is it long enough? If you ask anyone you are considering getting a tattoo, one of the first remarks he/she makes is “make sure you have thought long and hard about it” or “there are permanent…are you sure???” or even “I hear it’s SOOOO painful” and my personal favorite “if you get one, you’ll get addicted.” Yet many of these people don’t have tattoos themselves so why do we seek their advice or even tell them about our plans?

One reason I believe we go to so many people for advice is because we want to have our own wishes validated (I know I have fallen into this category several times). After all, the social connotation that are associated with a tattoo has become more of the focus than the tattoo itself. For instance, suppose you meet a beautiful young female doctor who is wearing scrubs and is on her way to the hospital but is impatiently waiting in line at a local coffee shop. The line is long and being the great guy you are, you offer her to go in front of you so she can save lives. You begin talking with her and realize she is one of the most amazing people you have met. She loves the outdoors, has a dog, travels to countries you never even knew existed, and the best part…she laughs at your joke. As she turns to the burista to order her large coffee she drops her name badge, bends over to pick it up, in which time her scrub top has raised ever so slightly, but in this time you see it. A brightly colored and exotic tattoo across her lower back. Quick, what are your first thoughts? For about 98% of the population the term “tramp stamp” comes to mind, which then further leads the mind to wonder and speculate the nature of individual with this “type” of tattoo. Soon, you realize that the beautiful doctor may be something you did not expect…but why is this????

Now consider a punk rock goth wearing a black trench coat and blaring music on his iPod. We would almost expect this person to be covered in tattoos and piercing. Society has created the image of a goth to be wearing dark lipstick and having satanic tattoos on every inch of his body, yet I met a few goths who have no tattoos at all…the reason being: they’re too scared. Which was a little ironic considering their other lifestyle choices.

Even in today’s highly advanced and modern thinking society, there are a number of double standards in place. For instance, male nurses are a relatively new trend and female mechanics are a rarity, as are tattoos on males and females. Guys have tattoos that are tough to display their manly-ness but a female with a barbed wire across her bicep would be almost ridiculed for trying to be one of the guys. Similarly, girls tend to get butterflies and fairies that are cute but guys get tattoos of nude females while in prison. Now, I’m not saying there is a specific tattoo for each gender but I am saying it’s very hard for people to see “classic-male tattoos” on females and vice versa.

I recently read an article by Mark Morford that discussed tattoos and had some links to a diverse range of tattoo artist’s websites. I visited these sites and saw some amazing designs. My personal favorite tattoo artist (for personal reasons) is Kip at Victory Tattoo in Chico, CA. He’s studied various forms of art work and is dedicated to being a life long learner of his art. I believe this is one of the key factors in finding the right tattoo artist…someone who understands the creative and powerful impact a tattoo can have on a person’s life. If you ever decide to get a tattoo, please visit Kip…he’s worth it!

So here’s my take on tattoos. Although they are permanent and can be potentially visible, I see them more as a memory. Just as a certain smell brings back a memory, a tattoo serves as a memory of a particular time in your life. They don’t need to be good or bad, they need to be important to you. After all, you can’t impress everyone in the world so what’s the point in trying to impress anyone? Instead, focus on your own happiness and what the process of getting a tattoo will mean to you. I will advise you to be 100% certain on size and location. Remember there are certain walks-of-life in which a visible tattoo will not help you or may even be frowned upon, so do take the time to think about these two factors. Also, after you get your first tattoo you realize all of your fears and anxiety was over rated resulting in a since of relief, liberation, and a clearer perspective on tattoos.

Initially, my goal was to blog every two weeks or so to document my medical school experiences, along with the trials and tribulations, but I quickly was engrossed in the dark abyss of medical school. However, this should not be an excuse for not making time for my hobbies. Let’s see…where to begin? I guess the beginning would be a good start.

My routine (which took several weeks to perfect) is as follows. I try to wake up between 6am-6:15am, I like to hit snooze at least once so I set my alarm a few minutes early so I don’t oversleep. I read a blog by Vicky White who is a Feng Shui Consultant regarding routine, clutter, and of course the effect it has on our lives. The main thing I got from her great blog was everyone needs to make time for themselves, which for me meant waking up earlier to do the things I enjoy. I have started getting up early in the mornings to either read my book (non-school related novel that is getting really good), surf the internet, go for a run on hilly roads of Dominica, or go to the gym. I don’t spend a terrible amount of time in the morning on these activities because I want to get my day started at decent time, however, these activities allow me to focus on something else besides school. So I try to eat breakfast and make something for lunch…but most of the time I get lazy and buy food on campus. Another reason for doing all of this is because you don’t want to lose yourself to medical school. It is such an intense experience but we still have to retain our identity, by enjoying our hobbies and passions.

I get to campus around 8:30am to review my lecture notes of the previous day. You might be wondering “Shouldn’t I be in class??” Well, I could go to class or I could watch the lectures. All of the lectures are recorded and uploaded to a mediasite, which is a life saver. I can increase the speed of the lecture, which allows me to finish a 1 hour lecture in a short 40 minutes. Most often I have 5 lectures/day so I can save close to two hours…which is used for studying. Medical school is all about saving time and energy to be more efficient.

Once I finish the lecture I go over the notes of that day and try to master most of the major concepts. I also find time to eat lunch/dinner, etc in this time. Depending on the schedule I may have to go a histology lab, anatomy lab, or a small group problem based learning session, which can’t be viewed by the mediasite so I have be physical present. All of this various each week so I have to some flexibility for my day. Most often, I am done by 5PM. I give myself a 30 minute break to talk with friends, call home, do some yoga, Skype, etc. Then the rest of the night is dedicated to studying. I make it back to my apartment by 11pm, which gives me time to shower and mediate. I go to bed by 11:45 and start the day all over again, on the weekends I sleep in until 8am and just go with the flow.  All of which is part of the overall routine I have built. Another key point to success in medical school…ROUTINE…build one and stick to it.

Now that I’m medical school, I wonder why we all choose this path. If you think about it medical school (along with other graduate programs) are some of the most rigorous and stressful process people voluntarily put themselves through. Who would want to get on average 6.25 hours of sleep (this is a national statistic of how much sleep an average med student gets)?? Who would want to stress constantly over exams and standardized tests?? Are we really that “smart?”

People ask me “So, what’s medical school like?” For a while I couldn’t answer this question well because of all of the emotions I feel toward medical school. But now I think I have a way of explaining it. Imagine you have a big exam on Monday, probably one that is going to have a huge effect on your grade (and sanity). Now, imagine what it will be like if you started studying for this test the Sunday night before…EEEKKK! That is what medical school feels like everyday. It’s a great feeling to have…trust me.

As I am writing this blog in a classroom used for studying, I look around and see everyone with coffee, soda, or an energy drink, including yours truly. We drink this stuff like it’s an elixir…which in some cases it is. I never drank coffee as an undergrad, maybe I would if I was meeting some friends but not regularly, however, now I can’t get enough of it. I still drink my chai in the morning but once I’m on campus, I need coffee. For instance, today is Sunday, Valentines Day and I was in the anatomy lab at 7am…very romantic. I had a huge cup of coffee after 2 hours of anatomy and decided to get some studying done and write this blog entry. As exam time gets closer, all you see is stressed students who are overdosing on caffeine, and snap at anyone disturbing the peace of studying. This would be a great environment for any sociologist or someone who enjoys watch people…and trust me, tempers have flared for the silliest things and verbal wars have ensued. I enjoy these rare fights because it gives me a moment of genuine comedy and entertainment, but I shouldn’t laugh at this…it is a serious situation.

That is the gist of medical school up to this point. My life isn’t very glamorous or very dynamic at the moment, but that’s okay. I’m in medical school and less distractions I have the better.  I’m not making any guarantees on the next blog entry but I hope it is sooner rather than later. Back to the books now!

I landed on Melville Hall Airport’s extremely small run way on January 1st, 2010, so I got to spend my first day of the new year on the island I would be spending the next 16 months. This is by far the smallest airport I have ever visited, even the Yuba County Airport in Northern California is bigger and it receives 0 passengers annually. There was a slight drizzle upon arrival, but what else can we expect from a tropical island…snowfall? I quickly walked into the shelter of the airport to check in and proceed to immigration, which is a very strict procedure for Dominica. You must show where you are living, have the proper documents to prove your stay, and then you are cleared for baggage claim. The area to claim your luggage is directly behind the immigration officers resulting in a large number of people in a very small area with TONS of luggage. On this particular day, 2 flights from San Juan arrived in Dominica 20 minutes apart, which resulting in having close to 80 people in small area (not sure the actual size) filled with luggage. Luckily, all of my luggage arrived safe and sound. Once you have collected your bag, you have to clear customs, where the officers can search your bags for any illegal material or anything they feel needs to be claimed. Finally, I cleared customs and was getting excited. I walked out of the double doors and saw more students/parents with more luggage! The university decided to send trucks to load the luggage and drive it to the school. I believe it took 4 trips to get all of the luggage to Ross University and they had 3 trucks operating…that’s a lot of luggage. We crowded around a Ross University representative to await be loaded onto a bus heading towards the campus.

A few pieces of luggage.

The ride to the university was one filled with twists and turns, steep inclines, and breath taking views. However, more than one person on the ride felt sick due to the windy nature of Dominican roads…luckily I took a Dramamine pill prior to the journey and was able to withstand the motion sickness. During the ride, it continued to rain and all I could see was the high volcanic peaks populated with tropical greenery. At first it was beautiful, but then it became oppressive. There were palm trees, banana fields, ferns, grass, tall grass, and several plants I have never seen. I really didn’t know what else to do at this point so I closed my eyes and hoped we would get to campus quickly…a wish that was granted within 15 minutes! Maybe I should have asked for something else???

As I mentioned before, it took the trucks 4 trips to get all of the luggage, and guess what trip my luggage came on…that’s right, the fourth trip. During this time I heard a number of conversations of students, parents, and spouses not receiving a single piece of luggage at the airport, so I quit whining because it would have been much worse. The rains continued as more people were dropped off and it seemed as if the humidity had increased 10%, which could have simply been my anxiety getting the better of me. Next, I was dropped off at my apartment and met my landlord (Ushem) who is great. He’s very nice, patient, and helpful, which is something I needed. We walked to my small cottage from the backside of the apartment because it was a short cut, however, the path was rather muddy and rocky, resulting in the shoes I had gotten cleaned earlier in Sacramento being completely covered in mud…UGH! So, as far as my small cottage is concerned…you walk in and immediately to the left is my bed and sitting area with a desk on the right side. You walk a little more to the bathroom and at the very back is a small kitchen. The place isn’t much, but it will serve it’s function. I have hardwood floors in the bed area and tiles in the kitchen. I have several window that have screen on them to make sure the insects don’t come in. Did I also mention I can hear the geckos scurrying on the outside of my house to eat their dinner. It’s a little unnerving to hear random “footsteps” and wonder what this animal is doing but I guess in the end it’s helping me by eating the insects, so rock on little guys!

The cottage...any engineers wanna tell me what do you call this type of support sytem?

I slept well the first night, which was mostly due to the fact I was extremely tired and didn’t want to have to think about anything else. So I showered, cleaned up, and hit the sack. The next morning brought sunny skies and of course humidity. The weather currently is in the low 80s but with the humidity it feels like it’s in the high 90s. I have only been this hot in the summers of California when I am playing tennis on a 100 degree day…I hope that gives you an idea of the type of weather here, and by the way, it’s winter in Dominica! Fortunately, I struck up a conversation with a guy who was sitting right across from me on the flight so we planned to explore the campus area a bit. We ran some logistical errands and were quickly becoming more comfortable with Dominica. We went on a campus tour and signed up for some free tours of the island, which we hoped would help us appreciate our surroundings.

The following day we went with several others to see the Carib Indian Reservation and Emerald Pool. The journey to Carib Territory was once again very curvy and I remembered to take a Dramamine pill early to make sure it would kick in on time and I was able to give it to a friend in desperate need…she ended up taking 2 pills. Okay, so back the Carib Indians. The first people of Dominica are the Carib Indians, with a population of 4,000 people (there are a total of 70,000 people in Dominica). The British government gave them a total land area of roughly 11,000 square miles (don’t quote me on this) of land, in which all of the tribes reside. In addition, there are no tribal wars and the Caribs coexist peacefully with other Dominicans. The Caribs still make many of the crafts of their ancestors and live life in a similar fashion.

Quick stop at a Vista Point on the way to the Carib Indian Reservation

When we got to the reservation we were greeted by Carib Indians and escorted on a tour of the area. We were told a number of details including how the Caribs live their lives today, how the past and present have fused to form a harmonious bond between the different tribes, and what the future holds. Midway through the tour we were taken to see traditional Carib dances. We saw the “Welcome Dance,” the “Harvest Dance,” and the “Coming Together Dance.” Each was beautiful with different movements and musical rhythms. After we watched the dances, we were invited to participate in the “Moon Dance,” which is performed during the full moon or during a spiritual ceremony along with the “Snake Dance,” which basically ends up being a long line of dancers following the main dancer while holding the hips of the person in front of you…it was fun!

The Carib Band

The Carib Dancers

Once the dances where completed we finished touring the area and met back at the entrance point. Near the entrance you can buy several gifts and eat native Carib food. I didn’t buy anything because I don’t have a use for it at the moment, but I did drink some amazing passionfruit juice…much better than anything in the States.

Following the trip to Reservation we made our way to Emerald Pool, which takes it’s name for the green pond at the bottom of the waterfall. It’s a quick 15 minute hike from the parking lot to the waterfall and you can swim in the pond if you desire, but the water was pretty cold, which felt great in the heat. There isn’t much to report on this area since we walked alone and had no guide to provide information, however, it was a beautiful spot.

The last tourist thing I did before orientation started was the Indian River Boat Tour. There are 365 rivers in Dominica, one for each day of the year, and the Indian River is approximately 4 miles long. If you watched Pirates of the Caribbean 2/3, you might recognize this area because it’s the same place the Vodo Witch (I forget her name) lives. On this tour, we file into a boat that is rowed by a guide up the river to a bar, where we can enjoy a drink and see the natural beautify of the island.

View of the Indian River

The tour lasted approximately 2 hours, in which our guide informed us of all of the plants growing on the river, educated us regarding the birds we saw, and told us that the geckos are OUR friends and to not scare them away since they eat the insects that would typically bite us. He also had a great line for how women behave: “Women are like the volcanos of Dominica, one day they may be quiet, but the next they can explode!” I thought this was really funny…but some people disagreed…gosh ladies, relax. ;-D

The next several days were spent in orientation where I was getting tons of information thrown my way, but not really worrying about it. You may have received a facebook message or email from me during those times since I took my laptop to the orientation. One day I was walking back to my apartment and decided to watch the sunset. Most of the beaches on Dominica are black, due to the fact it’s a volcanic island…I believe there is only one white sand beach. So I made my way do to the beach, listened to music, and relaxed…which was a great help.

Sunset at the beach...picture was taken with my iPhone so sorry if it's not the best quality.

Overall, my experiences in Dominica have been diverse. I have felt strangled by the greenery, irritated at the humidity, blown away by the views, and amazed by the friendly people. School is starting soon so I am enjoy my last free weekend. I hope you like this long blog entry but hope you have an idea of how I am doing in Dominca…I’ll be perfectly fine! After all, I can always change my career and become a beach bum!

The movie starts with Jake Sulley (Sam Worthington) cremating his twin brother while two government officials are trying to recruit him to take his brother’s shoes in the most hostile territory known to humans…Pandora. The year is 2154 and the Americans have found a planet which contains a native species known as the “na’vi” and one of the most lucrative elements in the  universe. These blue humanoids stand 10 feet tall are connected intimately to their planet and resist all human culture. Jake is stuck between the role he needs to complete as being his brother’s twin and the heavily trained military mentality he forced to operate in. Jake is assigned to work with the Dr. Augustine, who is the head of the Avatar Program as a body-guard. However, the military want him to infiltrate the Omaticaya Clan (1 of 4 clans on Pandora) to gain usable intelligence in a military siege.

The way Jake can get into the body of his genetically matched na’vi, is he simply enters a cryogenic chamber, sleeps, and wakes up in his “other” body. During a trip with Dr. Augustine, the group is attacked by a native predator which causes Jake to be separated from the group. He has to survive the night on Pandora and nearly dies when Neytiri (a native of Pandora) saves his life. Jake has three months to learn the ways of the Omaticaya Clan, in which time he questions his countries motives and begins identifying more and more with life on Pandora. He falls in love with Neytiri, who serves as his teacher of the na’vi ways.

Jake finishing his hunters training.

However, Colonel Miles Quaritch has other plans. The military is after a precious metal found on Pandora and are willing to destroy everyone who stands in their way…even their own people. Soon Jake chooses his loyalties lie with the Omaticaya clan and mount a resistance against the alien humans, which serves as the climax of the film.

Scene of final battle

I personally liked the movie a lot. It has created a new dimension in American cinema by utilizing a variety of computer graphics to enhance the film. But it does make you wonder if Americans need all these “bells & whistles” to remain engaged in a film…are we not intelligent enough to think???  The culture, world, language, and creatures on Pandora show a tremendous amount of creativity and imagination, which leaves the audience wanting more. The are dynamic characters that fit into the story line well and serve as a good support system to main characters, such as the characters that play the environmentalist vs the industrialists. In addition, the na’vi represent how our world has become so global. Each of the na’vi is connected to the planet, just as we are connected to others. The na’vi respect this relationship and understand it’s immense value, as humans are finally beginning to understand. Furthermore, the scenes James Cameron created are beautiful, vivid, and almost remind you of being on an acid trip (or at least of what I think an acid trip would be like). You can watch the movie in 2D or 3D, I would recommend 3D…it adds to the experience. ENJOY!

I, myself, have been wanting to get a tattoo since I was in 11th grade, which was more than 6 years ago…a long time you might say, but is it long enough? If you ask anyone you are considering getting a tattoo, one of the first remarks he/she makes is “make sure you have thought long and hard about it” or “there are permanent…are you sure???” or even “I hear it’s SOOOO painful” and my personal favorite “if you get one, you’ll get addicted.” Yet many of these people don’t have tattoos themselves so why do we seek their advice or even tell them about our plans?

One reason I believe we go to so many people for advice is because we want to have our own wishes validated (I know I have fallen into this category several times). After all, the social connotation that are associated with a tattoo has become more of the focus than the tattoo itself. For instance, suppose you meet a beautiful young female doctor who is wearing scrubs and is on her way to the hospital but is impatiently waiting in line at a local coffee shop. The line is long and being the great guy you are, you offer her to go in front of you so she can save lives. You begin talking with her and realize she is one of the most amazing people you have met. She loves the outdoors, has a dog, travels to countries you never even knew existed, and the best part…she laughs at your joke. As she turns to the burista to order her large coffee she drops her name badge, bends over to pick it up, in which time her scrub top has raised ever so slightly, but in this time you see it. A brightly colored and exotic tattoo across her lower back. Quick, what are your first thoughts? For about 98% of the population the term “tramp stamp” comes to mind, which then further leads the mind to wonder and speculate the nature of individual with this “type” of tattoo. Soon, you realize that the beautiful doctor may be something you did not expect…but why is this????

Now consider a punk rock goth wearing a black trench coat and blaring music on his iPod. We would almost expect this person to be covered in tattoos and piercing. Society has created the image of a goth to be wearing dark lipstick and having satanic tattoos on every inch of his body, yet I met a few goths who have no tattoos at all…the reason being: they’re too scared. Which was a little ironic considering their other lifestyle choices.

Even in today’s highly advanced and modern thinking society, there are a number of double standards in place. For instance, male nurses are a relatively new trend and female mechanics are a rarity, as are tattoos on males and females. Guys have tattoos that are tough to display their manly-ness but a female with a barbed wire across her bicep would be almost ridiculed for trying to be one of the guys. Similarly, girls tend to get butterflies and fairies that are cute but guys get tattoos of nude females while in prison. Now, I’m not saying there is a specific tattoo for each gender but I am saying it’s very hard for people to see “classic-male tattoos” on females and vice versa.

I recently read an article by Mark Morford that discussed tattoos and had some links to a diverse range of tattoo artist’s websites. I visited these sites and saw some amazing designs. My personal favorite tattoo artist (for personal reasons) is Kip at Victory Tattoo in Chico, CA. He’s studied various forms of art work and is dedicated to being a life long learner of his art. I believe this is one of the key factors in finding the right tattoo artist…someone who understands the creative and powerful impact a tattoo can have on a person’s life. If you ever decide to get a tattoo, please visit Kip…he’s worth it!

So here’s my take on tattoos. Although they are permanent and can be potentially visible, I see them more as a memory. Just as a certain smell brings back a memory, a tattoo serves as a memory of a particular time in your life. They don’t need to be good or bad, they need to be important to you. After all, you can’t impress everyone in the world so what’s the point in trying to impress anyone? Instead, focus on your own happiness and what the process of getting a tattoo will mean to you. I will advise you to be 100% certain on size and location. Remember there are certain walks-of-life in which a visible tattoo will not help you or may even be frowned upon, so do take the time to think about these two factors. Also, after you get your first tattoo you realize all of your fears and anxiety was over rated resulting in a since of relief, liberation, and a clearer perspective on tattoos.

The story of this novel follows Hanna Heath, an Australian who has her Ph.D. in manuscript conservation. She is offered a job to help restore the Sarajevo Haggadah, a very important Jewish book that originated in the 15th century in Spain. When Hannah accepts the job and begins to investigate the haggadah, she discovers several interesting artificats in books binding. She finds an insect wing, a wine stain, traces of salt water, and a white hair. The novel is broken down into chapters that flip-flop between Hanna’s journey in restoring the book along with her personal life, and the past which explains each of her finding in the haggadah. Eventually, we discover how Hanna becomes a person of the book by placing her own mark on this famous text.

Now, I must say, I believe each time the story backtracked into the past it was more interesting than following Hanna’s narrative. Furthermore, each chapter that is used to explain the origins of the haggadah travels further and further back into time and takes into account the culture, beliefs, and practices of the time which enriched the novel tremendously. Although Hanna’s role in with haggadah is vital, there is a very crazy twist at the end of the book that felt a little out of place and underdeveloped.  Overall, I would recommend this book but the ending has left a little disappointed.

Om has also been referred to as the Universal Sound due to the 3 distinct sounds it makes when the word is broken down. The first is an “auhhhh” sound, which we make when we are surprised. If you close your mouth and make the “auhhhh” sound you will feel vibrations in your abdomen area. Now, do you know what vital organs are located there? Yes, there are many but the ones I’m talking about are your reproductive organs. This sound helps stimulate both male and female reproductive glands.

The next sound is the “oooohhh” sound, which we often make when we may hurt ourselves or stub our toe. Once again, when you close your mouth and make the “oooohhh” sound you feel the vibrations in your chest area. In this part of the body we have the heart and lungs, the organs that sustain the body.

Finally, the last sound is “mmmmm,” which resembles the sound we make when are enjoying our favorite dessert. When you close your mouth to make the “mmmmm” sound, you feel the vibrations in your head, which is were the brain is located. Also, this area represents either transformation or destruction.

I know at this point you might be wondering how does this tie into the Universal Sound or even why this is important. Here is it, think about anything that exists on this planet…let’s take a plant for example. The first stage is the plant is created via reproduction (the first sound). Then the plant has to sustain itself to survive (the second sound). Finally, the plant is either transformed into something else – perhaps food; or is destroyed (the third sound). Therefore, when we chant Om, we are transferring the energy from the first stage to the second to the third in our bodies, which is the cycle of the universe.

Lastly, when chanting Om, 2/3 of the breath is dedicated to the first two sounds, which when saying the sounds continuously sounds simply as “auoohh” and 1/3 of the breath is dedicated to the last sound. Now you are well equipped with the knowledge of Om and can at the very least impress some people at a fancy dinner party.

Elephant House Cafe: The Birthplace of Harry Potter

I dragged my cousin Harpreet all around Edinburgh until we found The Elephant House, which confusingly enough has 2 branches, both situated near the university but only the original coffeehouse is the place where J.K. Rowling wrote her books. The vibe in the coffee house is great. Tons of students, faulty, local musicians, and the occasional traveler seeking a sight of the “birthplace of Harry Potter.” I bought my youngest sister a black shirt for nearly $40 from this coffee house and I think she wore it once, so don’t get this as a gift unless you know for a fact it will be used. The coffee is very good and there is wide range of pastries as well. So when you go to Edinburgh, please visit the Elephant House and if you see J.K. Rowling do get a picture or let me know!

Another great aspect of Scotland is it’s progressive nature. The city is a combination of old-classic elegance in concert with new modern radiance. For instance, the Royal Mile is the historic street that houses many of Edinburgh’s great sights, such as: Edinburgh Castle, Whiskey Tour Shops, boutiques, ancient churches, pub that have seen more Highland Games than the Queen herself, and a collection of tourist shops all playing load bagpipe music. At the end of the Royal Mile is the newest addition to the lively city…the Scottish Parliament Building.

View of Scottish Parliament Building

From the very beginning this building was surrounded by controversy, ranging from location to architecture, to the construction company to the design were all criticized by the media, politicians, and the Scottish public. Many architects submitted their plans for the new building, and the winner was Enric Miralles of Spain, who unfortunately wasn’t able to see his dream become a realty due to his death prior to completion. In addition, many individuals did not favor the sharp edges and asymmetrical walls because it did not complement the rest of the Royal Mile, which is decorated in mostly in English Gothic style (but don’t quote me on this.) A prime example is this is showcased by the fact the parliament building sits directly across the Palace of Holyrood House, which is the official residence of the Queen in Scotland.

As someone who knows very little of modern design, I was fascinated by this building.  Every corridor had a plaque that would describe it’s function and an interesting piece of history. Also, every sign is in both English and Celtic…anyone read Celtic??? You can take tours and get some great nik-nacs from the gift shop. Thanks to my cousin dragging me to the parliament building, it has now become on of my favorite buildings on Earth.

Finally, at the base of the Royal Mile (where the Palace and Parliament building are situated) is a beautiful hill termed “Arthur’s Seat.” Many people hike and bike up to the top for some breath-taking views of the city. Any by breath-taking, I am indeed also referring to the fact you are out of breath by the time you reach the top. However, it’s worth the time and energy to climb the lush green landscape of Scotland and see great city of Edinburgh for what it truly is…AMAZING!

View of Arthur's Seat

P.S. Yes, I know I did not mention anything about golf but I didn’t know what else to title this piece but you can go to St. Andrew’s and have an amazing game of golf…you need to have a certain handicap and be able to prove it prior to getting a reservation time.