It’s a tiring week filled with preparations for the seminar and finally wrapping it up yesterday. We thought no one would come but lo and behold were more than 30 people who were interested enough to listen to what we had to say… and that was despite the intermittent rains.

It’s heartwarming how people in the rural towns are so helpful even if we are not exactly one of them. Each lent a helping hand to us poor medical clerks in any way that they can: men helping with the chairs, carrying them themselves so that us girls don’t have to do it ourselves, while the women helped out in distributing the food we prepared plus tidying up the place after. The “bayanihan” they exhibited is very envious. Such display of cooperativeness is rarely seen in the city… at least among complete strangers. No wonder a lot of foreigners who visit rural areas fall in love with the people.

After a hard day’s work, we chilled out and enjoyed a good movie in our “private theater” right here inside room. We rented lcd monitor yesterday and we figured it would be such a waste not to make use of it after the seminar. It cost us 2K anyway!!! Anyway, I wish had one of these fascinating gadgets at home. I wonder if dad’s willing to shell out for one.

It’s the fourth week of our idyllic community life here in Cabiao Nueva Ecija. Soon, we will be back to the bustling world we left in Manila where STAT calls and Code Reds are not so new. My first two weeks in July will be spent mostly in the Operating Room making sure that our patients are at their most comfortable while undergoing a stressful operation. Yep. I decided to take Anesthesiology for my surgical elective. I am not exactly the type who’d end up to be an anesthesiologist but for the lack of other more favorable choices for me, I chose it over Urology. However, hearing the stories of my batchmates who already had their electives in Urology, a voice inside me is telling me how I’d be missing out on all the fun while I keep my fingers crossed that I won’t be needing an AED like the ones sold at Philips Heartstart Onsite in that whole two weeks. But for my (and everyone else’s peace of mind), there has never been a time when an operation went awry because of a botched up anesthesiology work so at least I find comfort in that thought.

My roommate Mela had a grand time in Anes but that was because she was considering taking that up as a specialty. As for me on the other hand, I cannot see myself making patients sleep my whole life so I am having second thoughts about my choice. But heck, as if I can do something about it now. Perhaps I’ll just have to enjoy myself and go with the flow.

This is undoubtedly the best weekend I’ve ever had. I went out to pamper myself: name it, I’ve done it! I’ve never had a lot of fun in the last couple of weeks. I was out and about town meeting friends, attending parties, going to the movies, drinking, dancing and just being happy. I felt free. Like I had nothing to care about in the world. I’ve lost count on how many times I’ve said how I missed this kind of life. I’m so happy that I’m almost crying and I don’t want to go back to being a medical clerk ever again. This is really the most exciting long weekend I’ve ever had. Really.

At least in my dreams.

In real life, I just wasted away my time at home in front of my laptop. I didn’t even go out to burn time in the mall to watch a movie or perhaps dine out. I didn’t get to have my nails done, what more get a relaxing Swedish massage. I didn’t get to see any of my friends. There were no parties to attend, no music to dance to and no booze to infuse my system with. In fact I bet I need some sort of immune system boosters since I’ve caught another bug and is suffering now from a sore throat and that occasional cough.

I’ve wasted such a great long weekend. And my only hope to make this perfect, that is seeing Bee for the first and last time this week, ended up in smoke just a few minutes ago when he told me he couldn’t see me.

What an absolutely great weekend isn’t it?