I'm staring down 16 days left in the USA and reflecting on the medical school application process. I've got five universal concerns in my life right now.
The first and most important is money. Medical school applications start at about $135 to begin, $35 per primary application, and roughly $50 to $150 per secondary. In addition to this it costs $200 in gas, time off work, and interview clothes for every time I set out to meet someone to talk about the process. To live and work here costs $100 per week for gas, groceries, and incidentals around home. I pay $330 per month to student debt. I make $275 per week.
This all adds up to me being broke but I make the best of it. People come over and we hang out at my place. I go to the dollar movie. Restaurants and bars are out of the question. Travel hasn't happened unless it is for work, a visit to some medical school, or to meet with a doctor.
I have an impending trip out of the country. This always worries me a bit. Travel is a rush. Airports are hectic. This is the least of my worries but it's still an international flight. There were some documents which I should have arranged but I haven't heard from the government about my immigration papers. Last time they didn't even check.
What makes me nervous about this time is that there's no room for mistakes. A hundred dollar expense or unexpected fee was fine before. This time I have 250 euro and no money in my American accounts. The difference is that I'm wiser. No single ride metro tickets, no pre-pay phones, no cab rides, no hostel stays, and definitely no poorly spent food budget. I know how to avoid swindlers and my Spanish is adequate. Surviving a month on 100 euro after my transportation and rent is paid is going to be a challenge...especially because my flat is going to be two transfers and an hour and a half away from work.
I don't know my schedule with my secondary education classes. The amount of time has fluctuated between 3 hours and 10. This time they know I'm good and want to ramp that up. At 21-25 euro per hour those are what I need. I know my regular job will still be 4 days a week for a total of 16 hours. The end of October is when I get my 1000 euro stipend. That's such a long time to survive on next-to-nothing! I can do this though.
My third big worry is interviews. Medical schools consider your versatility and experience. I'm sure to get in somewhere because of what I'm doing but they all require in-person interviews. That means I have to save at least 850 to get a round-trip ticket to the USA for an interview. That's a nightmare but it's better than the alternative: waiting by the phone in Massillon. Not knowing keeps me edgy.
The fourth thing is my family and friends. Leaving for so long made me realize what I love about them and has caused me to want to stay here a little bit. I have had such a good time canoeing, camping, grilling out on Sundays, playing volleyball, and just hanging out. It doesn't seem like I've had enough time with them.
My work here is mediocre. It's a $9/hr job where I put things in grocery baskets and then put them in boxes. PBS animal health. The temps are enjoyable to hang out with and the regulars have lost their zest for life. Monotony is something that I can handle. However, I hate that I feel like my life is making someone else a lot of money and distributing antibiotics and hormones to farm animals. The look into this world has been fun though. Yesterday marked my 2 weeks notice.
Finally, I've started some relationships here that I would like to see out. Relationships will always take a backseat to my goals though. It's just part of being professional.
