Warm

Eksyen-nya but it IS warmer than any other nights so far…14°C

I’ve got a fair bit to write (I know I’ve been saying/hinting that in almost every recent entry but never really got to doing it) but now when I have the time (and it being warm enough), I have lost the plot.

Let’s start with some other words I’ve remembered!

• flash – can be used to represent gaya or something good
• togs – swimsuit
• minky – yucky, disgusting, dirty
• bikkie – biscuit

More random things…

I see “Myvi’s”, “Kancil” and even “Viva” around!

They are branded under Daihatsu, though.
Myvi = Sirion
Viva = Charade
Kancil = don’t know.

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I miss the food back home and the availability of “affordable” dining out options (maybe it’s different now with the increase in prices for everything!)

I guess my “social life” revolves around going out and eating together with friends. Without that, I feel that I have no “life” nor “friends”.
The sad reality is that I DO at times feel that I don’t have friends here.

Yes, I’ve got colleagues and people from LifeGroup/church…but it’s different, y’know.
I know it takes time and I’ve only been here for just more than a month – I’m not seeking assurance, I’m just seeking an outlet to express my true feelings. I’m not unhappy but it’s just one of those things that you think and wonder about. Then again, maybe it’s just me.

I told a few people that I cannot see myself having a close (or even a normal one!) girlfriend to go out with. Hang out, watch a movie, coffee at cafe, girly talks…not at this point of time. I have no “potential” girlfriends. The fact that eating out is expensive isn’t helping matters either – and different interests.

Me = food
Them = exercise/health

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Sometimes I wonder (only slightly more than a month and already paranoia in hyperdrive!) if they ever regretted hiring me. I probably “look” better on paper than in person – in terms of qualifications.
Sometimes I feel that maybe behind my back they shake their heads and go, “What have we done?”

I still feel like a “let-down” of my profession. So many things I don’t remember/know – the good thing is that I’m learning.

It’s scary to think that I am supposed to be on my own (if all goes well!) by December/January. No more security net, no more saying, “Let me check with the pharmacist.”

I actually didn’t think of it until when there was one day when I overheard Kelly telling Mike, “Oh, she’s actually a qualified pharmacist back home but now she’s working as an intern and after 6 months she’d be like Rory and Adam.”
I actually cringed when I heard that.
I am fearful of that day when I’m the pharmacist on duty. At the moment, I’m dispensing without worrying about errors because the pharmacist would be the last to check the scripts before it’s given out to the patients.
Of course I want to pass my assessment this year and get registered. But the thought of flying solo scares me…to think that the “let me check with the pharmacist” line would be used by someone else and they come to me.

Assignment 2 is an eye-opener to where I stand.
I’m in the pits, yo!
I am learning more when I’m questioned rather than sitting myself down, trying to figure out which end of the book I should start with. Even with exams, you’d want to know what topics to study through, right?

Seriously, community pharmacy back home is SO different from here. I guess that is why back home it’s called “retail pharmacy” and here it’s “community pharmacy”.
Back home I just need to know the generic name, price and where it sits on the shelves. And also just short, layman’s terms for the drug’s indication – like “for high cholesterol”, “for high BP”, “for gout”, “for pain”, etc.

Here?

How does it work?
Are there any drug-drug interactions?
What would you monitor?
Is it a long-term therapy?
Is it short acting?
Where is it metabolised?
Can this be given together?
What is the maximum dose for children?
Is it subsidised?
Is it legal?
What is the pharmacology?

And so on…

Now you tell me…6 months for all that, is that enough? Do you think I can make it?

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I don’t know what else I wanted to write already.
So many things run through my mind when I walk to or from work…but everytime I get the mood/time to write, it’s just blank.
Great.

Tagged as: internship, NZ