DAY 753-757

Sept 25-29

1) After yet another busy week, I am finally marginally "free" to update my blog as usual. This semester, the workload has definitely piled up - we finished the entire Tropical Medicine module (one of four modules for this semester) in just five days! Now we're well on our way to finishing our second module (GIHEP), and we've even started the third module (REGUB). Before our first exam (on 8th Oct), we will have started our fourth and final module (CNSLF).

2) On Monday, some members of the Malaysian Medical Council came over to our college to have a casual talk with us, as part of the accreditation process for RUMC (that's RCSI-UCD Malaysia Campus; which used to be called PMC - Penang Medical College). As I understand, the process of accreditation for medical schools is done once every five years, and seeing as the last time we had one was in 2012, it was time for a new report.

3) Professor Raymond, the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at UKM (National University of Malaysia), began the informal session by asking us questions regarding our studies and life here in Dublin. So we talked about our experience, our assessments, modules, summer research and observerships, and overall opinion on the quality of the school. They asked us on our practical skills exposure, OSCE's, use of "gamification" in teaching (to make lessons fun I presume XD).

4) It was a short but meaningful interview, as we got the opportunity to share our experiences and personal skills gained during our stay here in Ireland. After the session (and the group photo which I requested and they obliged), the panel were brought for a short tour of the facilities in the Smurfit Building. We went to the tutorial rooms, the new extension of the Smurfit Building, the library, and the two main lecture theatres. After that, they had to make a move, so after thanking them, we left as well.

5) The rest of the week has pretty much been the same. I've enjoyed sessions practising our "memory recall" with Joshua and Ishtar over lunch, and hopefully we'll do more of that in the future. It's been an eventful and productive week, so looking forward to more of the same in the upcoming week. It's cheerios for now, and until the next one. Thanks for reading, and have a nice weekend. Cheers! :D

Group photo with Professor Dato' Dr. Raymond Azman Ali, and members of the MMC Accreditation Team

Vegetable lasagna with stuffing and corn - complemented perfectly with the savoury brown sauce!

That was some incredible tuna salad with egg and cheese and greens ^^

Tutorial Room 6, of the new extension of Smurfit Building

(all mine today! :))

One more for the record :)

DAY 461 - 471

Dec 5-15

1) First off, a thousand apologies for having laid off the blog posts for close to two weeks now. It has certainly been an intense ten days, during which my life revolved around cramming for the exams. To cut a long story short, we finished the last of our papers today. It feels so strange now that I am no longer chasing time, and instead finding myself looking for things to do.

2) Immediately after our EBH/PHE paper today, I went up to the library to catch some much needed sleep (I barely slept yesterday night). Woke up feeling slightly better, and decided that I'd indulge a bit, after a tiresome week, So off I went to take the LUAS to Dundrum, and from there, I walked to Global Cuisine (buffet place). Imagine my surprise when half way through my feast, I saw my good pal Addy come over and say hi. Apparently, all his friends (most of them whom I knew anyway) were coming for buffet too!

3) So I joined them when they arrived, and we sat and chatted about our experiences. Quite a number of them will be returning to Malaysia at the end of the year, so this would be one of their final group meet ups I reckon. Which made it hard for me to leave early, as I had made an appointment... with the Dublin School of Barbering. After a long time of procrastinating, I decided that enough was enough, and that I needed a haircut. Badly.

4) After just finishing our exams, and sporting a new look, I felt confident tackling the challenges that lay before me. Most of which involved resting and recuperating, and of course, completing this blog. Next semester our lessons will be conducted at Beaumont Teaching Hospital, and I will actually be shifting over there too, for convenience. Hopefully, everything will sort itself nicely. But until then, I need another nap XD. Thanks very much for reading, and have a lovely weekend ahead. Happy Holidays. Cheers! :D

With the a-year-above seniors (most of them anyway ^^)

AK Henry's is going to close down ):

It's replacement - 1784 Remedy is opening in January...

(I'm going to miss this for €3.50)

This became my dinner for several evenings, 

as I looked for a quick meal fix so I could get back to studying XD

So at the very least, I can say at least I tried...

I'm gonna miss you guys!

DAY 424

Oct 29

1) 42km (26mi). 7 hours given to finish. I had signed up for the SSE Airtricity Dublin Marathon 2017 a while back, and this would be my first marathon here. Any sane person would have trained rigorously for the event, but unfortunately I wasn't. Bar a 15km slow jog/walk at St. Stephen's Green a few MONTHS ago, I had not trained at all for the marathon. Literally zero/zilch. My reason for not training was very simple - I simply could not stand the cold! Every time I stepped out of the door with my winter jacket, I could hardly wait to step back inside again, much less forgo the jacket to go for a run. But boy was I going to regret my decision not to train...

2) This morning we had daylight saving time, and all clocks were rewound an hour earlier. That gave me an extra hour in bed, which was awesome. I reached RCSI before 8.00am to meet the RCSI Running Club for a group photo. Afterwards, we went to our respective waves; runners were categorised into waves depending on their projected finishing time. There were 4 waves and I was in the fourth. My friend Jesse and I went over to the starting line, and at 9.30am our wave started! Very early on I retreated back and ran at a pace that I was comfortable with. We ran past Lesson Street :'( (my old house) and continued downwards.

3) From the outset my legs felt cold and tired. I was fine for the first six miles, then it got progressively more difficult for me. As we entered Phoenix Park - all I could think was there was no way we're going to exit at the other end (Phoenix Park - home of the Dublin Zoo; is HUGE!) And yet I eventually found myself at the other end of the iconic white gate at the exit. At mile 6, I was fine but I knew I wanted to stop at mile 13.1 (the half way point). At mile 7, I knew I was NOT going to make it to the half way point. At mile 8 I had already stopped running and was brisk walking.

4) At this point, every fibre in my being was begging me to stop. I contemplated pulling out from the race more than a hundred times. I didn't think I would even make the finish line and be eligible for the finisher's T and medal. Then I remembered if I quit I would have to take public transport or even a cab back, which would cost money - so that kept me going for a bit XD We reached the next village -  Chapelizod, and things took a turn for the better. Subsequently, every town/village we went to was accompanied by loads of cheering and sweet treats by the locals. As I was wearing my RCSI jersey with my name on it, the chants of "Go Kevin" and "You've got this. Fair play" were instrumental in boosting my morale. Children were everywhere, some holding cardboard messages which I found really witty, and some others just there for a high five or to cheer us on.

5) To cut a long story short, the last time around I encountered cramps in both calves. This time, I had no cramps in my calves, but in my thighs instead. So I did a cycle of walking and running for the duration of the race, the running sections becoming increasingly shorter until I was virtually walking the last bits of the race. At mile 24, we had passed UCD with two more miles to go. I ran a bit too long here and paid the price. My thighs felt so tight and sore, which made me grimace through the last mile. As the finishing line came into view, and spurred on by the vocal crowd, I made a final ~600m dash to the end. In the end, my grunts and heaves became as loud as their cheering XD. Nevertheless, I crossed the line, with an hour an a half to spare. My legs were like jelly, my toes were swollen and blistered, my whole body ached, but I felt like a million bucks.

6) Took my finisher's medal and finisher's T-shirt, before literally limping back to the library. For the next couple of days prepare to see me walk awkward and grimace as I ascend or descend the stairs XD. At the very least tomorrow is a holiday, so I can rest and recuperate. That has been my day, and hopefully you can appreciate my hard work and effort. Thanks for reading, and enjoy the pics. Cheers!

FYI - THESE ARE THE INTERESTING PLACES WE PASSED EN ROUTE TO COMPLETING THE MARATHON

Georgian Dublin (Fitzwilliam Square) --> Fitzwilliam Street --> Dublin Castle --> 15 Ushers Island --> James Joyce Bridge --> Stoneybatter --> North Circular Road --> Phoenix Park --> Dublin Zoo (parameter) --> Chesterfield Avenue --> Castleknock --> Castleknock College --> Phoenix Park (cont'd) --> Chapelizod Village --> St Laurence Rd --> Inchicore --> Kilmainham Gaol --> Irish Museum of Modern Art --> South Circular Road --> Dolphin's Barn --> Crumlin Rd (HALFWAY THERE!) --> Walkinstown --> Kimmage-Crumlin Crossroads (KCR) --> Templeogue --> Terenure Village --> Rathgar --> Orwell Park --> Clonskeagh --> Roebuck Rd --> Islamic Cultural Centre --> Roebuck Mountain (incline) --> Fosters Ave --> Nutley Lane --> RTÉ Entrance --> Merrion Rd (Dublin's Embassy belt) --> AIB Headquarters --> Royal Dublin Society (Race EXPO here) --> US Embassy --> Northumberland Rd --> Grand Canal --> Merrion Square (Georgian Dublin) --> FINISH!

RCSI Dublin Marathon Team 2017 :))

The smile belies the agony and pain I went through to get the job done...

Shiny new medal

Group pic ^^

Group pic #2

In front of the New Academic Building

Finisher's Goodie Bag

In the New Academic Building post-run...

PC: Shahmina Ashiqin :))

Will I do it again?

In a heartbeat.

Something resembling the Last Supper

(Boojum lunch with the fellow RCSI Running Club members)

Oh-so-scary Halloween costume at Boojum yesterday :)

Extra photos XD

DAY 402/403

Oct 7 & 8

1) Today has been an extremely exciting day, as we went for a class trip to the Cliffs of Moher. My day began after spending a night with Wei Herng and Talal at their apartment; they were really kind to let me stay the night. I could not go back home as the LUAS trams wouldn't operate until 6.30am - which was the time I needed to be at the meeting point (The Swan Pub) for the trip. Anyway, after a slight delay, we were off!

2) It was a 4 hour bus ride to the Cliffs, which provided us time for some much needed sleep. For your information, the cliffs take their name from an old promontory fort called Mothar or Moher, which once stood on Hag's Head, the southernmost point of the cliffs, now the site of Moher Tower. The cliffs are one of the most popular tourist destinations in Ireland and topped the list of attrations in 2006 by drawing almost one million visitors. It was therefore with utter disappointment when we found the weather gloomy as anything, and the scenery blanketed by clouds of fog. To top it all off, when we exited the bus, light rain showers fell on us. Not the best way to start an adventure...

3) And then, something magical happened. Call it Irish luck if you will, but as the day progressed, the rain stopped, the fog cleared - blown away by the strong winds. And we were greeted with some of the most iconic - not to mention breathtaking, sceneries of Ireland. Ignoring the muddy tracks, we trudged up the "Moher Walk" - consisting of a series of peaks which provided a wonderful backdrop for the many photos we all took. 

4) Afterward, we took the bus to Doolin Village (just a ten minute ride) for lunch. Zi Yan and I opted for the daily special at Fitzpatrick's Bar - consisting of a meat-filled bap with seafood chowder. The bus driver had earlier recommended the chowder, and he wasn't wrong at all. Thick cuts of salmon and other seafood, bathed in a rich and creamy soup base; it was simply delectable! Especially so after the chilly weather at the Cliffs.

5) Our last stop before leaving for home was Galway City. We were given one and a quarter hours to sightsee, so off we went. It was a mad dash with Zi Yan to see all that could possibly be seen in such a short period of time, and in the end we still managed to see lots of stuff! The Spanish Arch, Lynch's Castle, The Latin Quartier, St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church, the Canal Docks, to name but a few. We also visited NUI Galway - their premier university, and got a glimpse of a couple taking their wedding photos! 

6) Luckily, we remembered our way back to the bus, and that was the last of our pitstops before returning home. It was another four hour journey back, and just in time for dinner too. Had a nice Subway meal, putting a perfect end to a wonderful trip, with some wonderful friends. That has been my blog update, and do scroll all the way down for some breathtaking photos of the scenery we encountered. Thanks so much for tuning in, and I'll see you in the next one. Cheers!

What an awesome day, and what an awesome group!!

The middle (white) bus was ours

With Mr. and Mrs. Obama ^^

The best muffin I've ever had, hands down

Breakfast at the Barack Obama Plaza

Inside the Cliffs of Moher exhibition tour

The weather was so foggy initially...

The O'Brien Tower, which marks the highest point of the Cliffs of Moher.

Trying to tamper with the saturation and brightness...

And then the fog slowly started to clear...

And clear...

And clear some more...

Yeay :D

That's O'Brien's Tower in the distance

As you can see the weather did improve

Cows ^^

That little bit jutting out of the sea is the Branaunmore sea stack...

The tracks were sooooooo muddy today, in part due to the rain...

Looking north towards O'Brien's Tower

I couldn't resist adding another photo... :D

To Burren, Liscannor, and Moher Walk - either way, we didn't have much time remaining

Standing on top of everyone ^^

On the way back to the bus

Where to eat our lunch - we had plenty of tantalising options...

Finally decided to go with Fitzpatrick's Pub

Today's Special - bacon filled bap with seafood chowder

The queue became so long, making us really fortunate to get our food early

A large 99's

That's Ali holding the DSLR, just after taking a picture of me taking a picture of him :p

The amazing view by the Burren

Posing with the Atlantic as the backdrop...

Looking off into the distance

What a lovely afternoon <3

Group photo!!! 

PC to the bus driver/ tour guide

Slightly surreal cloud patterns

Dunguaire Castle - a 16th-century tower house on the southeastern shore of Galway Bay in County Galway, Ireland, near Kinvara

Picture expertly taken by yours truly sitting in a moving bus

Lynch's Castle - apparently the term "lynching" or "lynch mob" is derived from here

Lynch's Castle is now AIB Bank at Galway...

Nice mural

St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church

The Latin Quartier

Signs like these were our only source of direction for the 1.25 hours that we were given

Vibrant colours abound

Claddagh and Celtic Jewellery - apparently getting one for yourself is bad luck, while getting one for others would bring them good luck :D

The Latin Quartier

The Jurys Inn Galway (Hotel)

Near the canal docks

The so called Spanish Arch part of two remaining arches on the Ceann an Bhalla ("Front Wall"). The two arches were part of the extension of the city wall from Martin's Tower to the bank of the River Corrib, as a measure to protect the city's quays.

Galway City Museum

Eyre Square Centre - has been described as Ireland's most modern and yet historic shopping centre

Galway Hooker Sculpture (Galway hookers are traditional fishing boats used in Galway Bay off the west coast of Ireland)

The Browne Doorway

Long time favourite Dunnes Stores - in Galway City

Standing in front of the Galway Cathedral :D

The Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas, commonly known as Galway Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral and one of the largest and most impressive buildings in the city.

Guess where we went to next?

The bridge to academic success?

NUIG is ranked in the top percentile of universities worldwide!

Caed mile failte - to NUI Galway ^^

The NUI campus was lovely

A wedding took place at the main quadrangle of the building :D

Standing in front of my car?

The Quadrangle at NUI Galway, with the happily married couple in the background

We literally gate-crashed their wedding XD

The Quadrangle

The University Trail map

Aula Maxima

Martin Ryan Building at NUI Galway - established by the University in 1992 by means of matching funds from a generous private donation by the late Dr. Tony Ryan, founder of Guinness Peat Aviation and Ryanair, and by the European Union STRIDE Operational Programme for Ireland (Regional Development). The funding enabled the purchase of equipment for marine science and the construction of a neoclassical building.

- 'Equality Emerging' statue by John Behan -

The main purpose of Equal Ireland is the provision of affordable quality education and training to people, who for whatever reason, missed out on earlier education and training opportunities. The ‘Equality Emerging’ statue was Unveiled in November 2001.

Galway Town Hall Theatre :D

Statues of Oscar Wilde and Eduard Vilde

Posing in front of the bus

A vibrant picture of the city life

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