Wo ai ni!

Well I finished my first three day clinical week and I am thrilled about these four day weekends! It's fabulous! I am working in the Intensive Care Unit at Chi Mei Medical Center for these first two weeks and then I will be working with community nurses my last two weeks here. I have really enjoyed it so far! I learned a ton about Taiwanese culture from my nurse, Yao Ling, the nurse practitioner, and some of the doctors. The doctors here are so nice! They love for us to participate in rounds and even ask our opinions! That never happens in the US...ha. Yesterday there was a patient who had all four fingers cut off his left hand, and his right hand was severed completely at the palm, but was repaired. I can't imagine waking up in such a debilitating condition. One of my favorite things about the ICU is that they use squeaky dog toys as call lights to get the nurses attention...love it! I have gotten some good nursing practice with lots of feedings, med administration, and got to put in a nasopharyngeal airway for the first time yesterday!

By the time we get home after clinical we are all pretty exhausted, but still find energy to go out and do fun things. On Tuesday night we went to the movie theater and saw Iron Man. They had sweet and salty mixed popcorn...so delicious! The previews were all in Chinese and I was preparing myself to take a nap during the movie, but alas! The movie started and was in English with Chinese subtitles...so relieved. I also had a salad that night and it was probably the most healthy thing I have eaten since I got here. I have been shocked at how greasy some of the food is and how many things are fried! I am doing my best to eat healthy though and still keeping up with my workout goals.

Yesterday I had the wonderful opportunity of eating coagulated pork blood. It was absolutely disgusting and I don't recommend it to anyone. I also bit of the head of a fish, which actually wasn't too bad...tasted fishy! All the staff in the ICU brings different foods for us to try each day, so it is always an excited time. Sesame egg rolls...fried yam balls...green mango...bamboo. There is a women on the street behind the hospital that makes sweet potato chips...they are incredible and I will definitely be stocking up on them to bring home. My other favorite thing to eat is pineapple and I can often be found eating it. I can already feel myself missing amazing fresh fruit everyday when I go home.

Last night we went to a baseball game...the Taiwanese Lions. I had such a blast. There weren't too many people there, but the crowd went wild the entire game. Not just after a good hit, but literally the whole game...drums, chanting, noisemakers. We probably got almost 20 minutes of jumbotron time. It is funny to see how fascinated people are by us crazy Americans...I love it! Tonight we are off to the night market again and I am preparing myself mentally to be force fed stinky tofu...wish me luck!