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Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Life in Boston

I have officially begun my program... but I am only in Boston. Surprisingly, even in Boston, I feel excited, overwhelmed, shocked, and empowered. We are beginning the program by a little bit of orienting with the students, introductions to each of the classes (health and culture, health and globalization, stuff of life, and reasearch methods), tons of guest lectures, and studying health care in boston itself. It is awesome in both the amount of opportunities we are having and the amount of energy it takes to get through a day. We are staying at the international youth hostel.
Each morning we walk a half hour to the bu medical building where we are taking our classes and hearing lectures beginning at 8:45. With a few breaks we go straight from 9-5ish. My brain feels like it is going to explode, and it is just the beginning. By the time I get back to the hostel I am exhausted, but that is when the bonding time, and homework time (yes we have homework (for 4 classes), 4 classes at a time is different than the block plan) happens. Despite the absolutely full feeling I am having, I am very positive. The three professors represent unique backgrounds that when combined give a very comprehensive look at world health problems. I am certain that this program will be a guiding light in my life as I figure out what the hell I am going to do. On thursday we visit community health centers around Boston; it will be nice to do something active after all the lectures we have had. So that is just the quick overview, and I'm sure it will only get more crazy, exciting, interesting, depressing, hard, exhilirating as I go.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

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Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Contacting me the slow way

Just in case anyone gets a hankering to write a letter in the next few months, I have just the solution for you. Below are the adresses for contacting me (take note of the dates because mail will not be forwarded).


International Honors Program (IHP)
Health and Community, Spring 2007
OVERSEAS MAILING ADDRESS LIST
&
EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION

Mail: Mail delivery can require anywhere from ten days to three weeks. Do not send packages. IHP will not forward student mail. IHP cannot be held responsible for lost mail. Addresses and dates are subject to change.
Telephone and email contact: The phone numbers below are for emergencies only. Refer to the IHP Handbook for more general details on student access to telephones and email overseas. Telephone contact overseas is often difficult and unpredictable: friends and family are encouraged to write letters. Be advised that the group will have only sporadic access to email and phones throughout the IHP semester.
Emergencies: If an emergency or serious concern arises where it is necessary for a parent or guardian to contact a representative of IHP
Contact the appropriate country coordinator at the number below. It is critical for all students and parents to know that Coordinators should ONLY be contacted if there is a serious emergency. Be sure to reference the appropriate time zones overseas. Dial the number slowly. You may have to dial several times to receive a good connection.
Coordinators should NOT be contacted for general inquiries, questions about mail delivery, arrival or departure information, etc. Please contact IHP Boston (617-375-8101 or info@ihp.edu) if you have general questions. If an IHP coordinator or faculty has serious concerns about a student currently overseas, the IHP coordinator or a member of IHP will be in touch with the student’s designated emergency contact as reported by the student on his/her pre-departure forms.
If the Coordinator cannot be reached, contact the IHP Program Director, Lois McCloskey on her cell (617) 271-6517. Her alternate home phone is (617) 497-4557. The Program Director should only be used as a secondary source in the event of an emergency.
If messages have been left with the above contacts and the call is not returned within a reasonable time frame, contact the IHP emergency cell phone (617-620-9240).
Boston January 20 –February 2
Student Mail:
Student Name
c/o International Honors Program (IHP)
566 Columbus Ave.
Boston, MA USA 02118
Re: Mail for student, not IHP
Phone: Hostelling International 617-536-1027 (Messages taken for students)
Emergency Contact:
During business hours: (617) 375-8101, ask to speak with an IHP staff member
Fax: (617)236-0162
During non-business hours: cell (617) 271-6517, home phone: (617) 497-4557 Lois McCloskey, Boston Coordinator, IHP Health and Community Program Director
Secondary non-business hours: (emergency cell): 617-620-9240, Megan Pierson, Director, IHP
Calling from abroad: Country code (1), City Code: Boston (617)

Bangalore & Kerala, India February 4 – March 9
Vacation: Begins on Friday, March 2 at 2:00 pm. Students must return to Bangalore by Thursday, March 8 at 10:00am. The vacation end meeting location will be provided to students at the beginning of the India program. The group will gather on March 8 and depart India on March 9 for Beijing.
Student Mail:
IHP c/o Environmental Support Group
105 East End ‘B’ Main Road
9th Block, Jayanagar
Bangalore 560 069 INDIA
Emergency Contact:
Emergency Phone/Fax: Leo Saldanha or Bhargavi Rao 011-91-80-22441977or 011-91-80-2653-1339
or Fax: 011-91-80-2653-4364
Alternate Emergency Phone: (Bhargavi home) 011-91-80-2679-0027
Mobile (Leo): 011-91-9448377403 (Bhargavi): 011-91-9448377401
Calling from abroad: Country Code (91), City Code (80)
Beijing China March 10 – April 6
Student Mail:
China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences
C/O Professor Ren Xu
Main Building, Room #606
No. 16 Nan Xiao Jie, Dongzhimennei,
Beijing, 100700 CHINA
Emergency Contact :
Hong Mautz, Emergency cell: 011-86-137-1890-6546 Prof. Ren Xu, Emergency cell: 011-86-13701007802
Calling from abroad: Country Code (86), City Code: Beijing (10)
South Africa April 7 – May 11
Student Mail:
Chris Colvin and Natalie Leon
(for [student’s name])
7 Alfred St.
Observatory 7925
Cape Town, South Africa
Emergency Contact: Chris Colvin
Home: 011-27-83-453-9438
Cell: 011-27-21-447-7605
Calling from abroad: Country Code (27); City Code Cape Town (21); omit 0 from cell number

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

WELCOME


Welcome to my blog. I've never done this before, but I have accepted the wave of the future, so now you can live virtually through me. I will soon be embarking on a study abroad adventure. In this adventure I will visit India (Bangalore and Kerala), China (Beijing), and South Africa (Capetown). I encourage you to read my ramblings and if you want the juicy, personal stuff, write me emails at jessica.gingold@gmail.com. I leave January 19th for Boston where I start orienting for 2 weeks before I'm off to India. I am traveling with the International Honors "Health and Community" Program (www.ihp.edu). There are 25 girls and 7 boys in my group. I wish boys were a bit more interested in learning about helping humanity... I think it just takes them a few more years. I will keep you posted as my knowledge expands, my thoughts evolve, and I meet new people that color my life in exciting ways.