a kiss goodbye...

I came to Lisbon not knowing a single person. On my very last day, I bumped into someone I knew in the metro. It’s a small world indeed. Leaving that metro station for the last time, walking home, I saw the woman one last time looking out her window. As I approached the building, I smiled and waved yet again. She smiled, waved, and blew me a kiss. It kept me smiling all the way home. A stranger, who I had befriended in an odd way, just bid me farewell.

I pray she, and all the others I have met on this wonderful journey, will do well.

back home...

I was back in Lisbon, and from the moment I was in the airport, I felt a sense of familiarity, which gave me comfort and in an odd way, felt home. The feeling didn’t dissipate, and rather, became stronger by the hour. As I waved down a Mercedes taxi ( >95% of them are), I asked the driver how much he would charge for the trip. Obviously trying to rip off a naïve American girl, I told him what I knew it would cost, got in the car, and confidently gave him directions to the dorm. He dropped me off, after having paid him what was on the meter, plus a tip, and I smiled. It was official. I was now part Portuguese. I ran a few errands afterwards, getting back into the routine of “living” in Lisbon. I started becoming accustomed to some constants, which in their own special way, added that much more meaning to the experience. Every day I come back home from the metro, I see the same bushy-haired woman looking outside her window on the fifth floor, observing people as they pass by. On my way to the medical school, I anticipate seeing the dog that has been in the exact spot wagging his tail and staring me down every time I’ve passed.

It was time to get back to work. And from then until the end of my stay, I was playing catch up. I spent a couple more days at the Pulido Valente Hospital, working in the Cardiology Dept. I’d spend most of the day going through patients’ medical charts to determine if they meet the criteria for qualifying to be a part of Dr. Rodrigues’ Metabolic Syndrome study. As if physicians’ handwriting isn’t illegible enough, try deciphering it in a foreign language. If patients qualified and accepted to be a part of the study, we referred them to the medical school where Dr. Rodrigues would begin his series of tests. I tagged along for rounds in the morning, as 12 fifth-year medical students followed the attending from room to room. It was educational, to say the least, to see the subtle and not so subtle differences between the American and Portuguese medical and educational systems.

It is my last full day in Lisbon, so I decided to make the most of it and go to the beach. I am in Cascais, sitting atop a flat rock, looking down to beautiful calm waters, an insanely busy beach with people swimming, teens smoking and jumping off dangerous rocks, lovers oblivious to their surroundings, and an odd-ball that sticks out in jeans, a laptop and DSLR (i.e. me).

This month has been incredible in so many ways I cannot even begin to describe. Just as I was starting to become accustomed to the so-called constants we find comfort in, I must move. This is life isn’t it? We are merely travelers, wherever we consider home. I’ve had a blast this month, to say the least, and look forward to continuing to learn from this experience, as I further reflect upon it in the days and years to come.

As I came home from the metro the other day, I thought about this concept of constants, and told myself it didn’t always have to be so. I looked up at the woman looking at me, stopped, smiled and waved. It put a smile on her face and she waved back. There. How about a happier constant?

I will miss this place, for reasons I didn’t even think possible.

Alhamdulilah for this wonderful opportunity and blessing. I am forever grateful.

slight detour...

I was talking to my friend Ola in NC, who was preparing to fly out to Cairo, Egypt the next day for her brother’s wedding. She was asking me one last time if it was at all possible for me to visit for a couple days. After telling her there was no way I could take time off, I booked a ticket. You live life once; might as well make the best out of the opportunities presented to you. Dr. Rodrigues encouraged me to go, considering I’m doing my research on my own time, and don’t need to be physically present at the medical school or hospital to do it all.

Surprising Ola by jumping out of her closet was just the start of an incredible visit. The wedding was beautiful in every way possible, with at least five Carolina kids present. Ola’s family was incredibly welcoming and kind, having filled my few days there with as much fun as sanely possible. We went galloping on horseback in the hot arid desert, with the pyramids in sight. We ate dinner on the Nile, witnessed the bluest waters I have ever seen, with white sandy beaches and palm trees everywhere. Our last stop was the Khan El-Khalili Market, filled with endless souvenirs, and Al-Azhar mosque, where we prayed prior to heading back to the airport.

Thinking back to just those few days will always bring back sweet memories. I am incredibly grateful and blessed for such a wonderful last-minute trip that turned out better than could possibly be planned. Alhamdulilah.

p.s. I can't seem to be able to upload any photos because I have exceeded a storage quota of some sort...sorry! I'll look into it soon enough.

the halfway point..

So much has happened since last week, that it’s hard to believe I’ve been here for only a little over two weeks.

The weekend before last, my friend Miliea visited me from Nottingham,

England where she is doing her residency. In the two and half days we spent together, we did a lot of sight-seeing, covering many must-sees in Lisbon. We spent one of the days in Sintra, home of the Moorish Castle that dates back to the 9^th century and the gorgeous Pena National Palace from the 19^th century.

We couldn’t take pictures inside some of the rooms, but one in particular that blew me away was King Fernando’s bedroom, which was much smaller in size than anticipated, but incredibly lavish and exquisite in design.

On multiple occasions, we were asked where we were from, considering we were the only

"hijabis" we saw our entire stay together. I've only seen three, maybe four total, since my arrival in Lisbon. The answer was never simple...for me: United States, family is Syrian. Miliea: from England, although born and raised in Scotland, family is from Bangladesh. Quite a mouthful, huh?

By Monday morning, we were both at work. I returned to the med school where Dr. Rodrigues continues to impress me with the infinite wisdom he carries. Sure, I may be researching about metabolic syndrome with him, but the lessons I am learning from him are life-long. The importance of striking a balance between your career and personal life, as well as the importance and value of time, are two themes that seem to come up often. On my own time, I’m working on a review article, and in clinic, I’ve been working with a Cardiologist, helping select patients who are eligible for Dr. Rodrigues’ study. It’s been an incredibly valuable experience, comparing and contrasting, at least superficially, the health care and educational system.

Not being able to speak much Portuguese has been a challenge on its own. I’ve quickly come to realize that about 80% of communication is basically body language and tone. On multiple occasions, I’ve had to interact with someone who doesn’t speak English. I’m asked if I speak French; unfortunately I don’t. I ask if they understand Spanish, and most have said yes. So with what little Spanish I know, I’ve managed to get around. It’s a fun challenge, and with every day, I pick up a new phrase or two.

It's also been really fun living in a dorm for international students, where each day, it seems as if someone here has been celebrating some win in the World Cup. :)

first impressions...

Just a week ago, I was thinking about my Microbiology final, skydiving, and moving out of my apartment, which left little time to develop any expectations of my trip to Lisboa.

But here I am today, having experienced and seen places I didn’t think possible…and this is only the beginning.

I’ve been placed in a dorm affiliated with the Universidade Nova de Lisboa for international students. A seven minute walk to the metro station, a 30 minute ride on the metro (after changing lines in between), and a 20 minute hike up some serious hills, I found myself at the Med school, a beautiful building sitting atop one of the “seven hills” of Lisboa.

I was given a tour of the gorgeous school by one of its med students and then at last, I was introduced to my tutor, Dr. Pedro Rodrigues. Chinese born to a Japanese father and Portuguese mother, this man has done it all and been everywhere.

Soon after discussing what I will be doing for the month and receiving a tour of his labs and lecture halls, he invited me out to lunch.

Not a 20 minute lunch I’m quite accustomed to skipping, but an hour and a half lunch at the “garden” where he may have sensed my urgency to get back to work and said, “take your time; it’s not healthy to eat too quickly.” That statement practically embodies the vibe I sensed. Efficient, yet relaxed. Accomplished, and content.

Having seen the med school and the neighborhoods that surround it, I witnessed some of Lisbon’s rich culture and history.

What surprised me was my visit to Oceanario, Europe’s second largest museum of marine biology, which was built as part of the World Expo ’98. Here I saw the modern side of Lisbon, with its incredible mall, stadium, casino, and a random assortment of different places.

I quickly developed an appreciation for Portugal’s ability to hold on to its authentic culture and history, yet not be held back by the will to embrace modernity.

Please forgive the formatting of the pics..I tried. Until next time, boa tarde!