A whole box of emotions, every NOLA block

Magic shows in the street

Little girls tossing Mardi Gras beads over the balcony

A man dressed as a dinosaur walks by, literally.

Chicken bones on the ground next to a garbage can, how rude!

As I exit the peaceful cathedral, lively music juxtaposes my mood

Police officers question a man sitting in the street, whose bottom was….nude

Strangers stop in their tracks to assist a woman who’d fallen from her wheelchair

I wonder again if it’s legal, as an abundance of marijuana wafts through the air

A man bellows his microphone into my ear that we’re all fornicators, adulterers and homosexuals unless we follow the bible…how rare.

A NOLA Meandering

Typical surprise shower … a 1% chance didn’t seem cause to carry an umbrella

Humidity mixed with cold air blowing out doorways

Street art, live music, energy & happiness

People everywhere, panic as someone steps into my bubble

Classily dressed people, mega large plastic daiquiri cup in hand

Beggars passing time as tourists hurry to make the most of theirs

Puddle dodging, meanderer circumventing & jaywalking galore

Wait, I’ve been here before! No, all the stores are the same

Every gift and food conceivable, the French Market is heaven and hell

Historic architecture and playful colors impress masses

The breeze becomes my best bud, is snow a memory or imaginary?

Even in this long inhabited Quarter, we remain at Nature’s mercy

Vacation in NOLA as a Non-Tourist and Prep for Suriname

Hello again! Despite the delay, neither finals nor the New Orleanian heat have killed me; I’ve just been in major vacation mode. Like not-do-the-dishes-despite-the-cockroach-possibility and wait-when-was-the-last-time-I-showered lazy...well lazy is a bit a bit of a loaded word, I’ve been doing a lot of migraine fighting too! Thankfully I ended the first semester well but afterwards I needed a ton of rest and recuperation!

Unfortunately I saw this fellow FLY in my apartment; fortunately my kitchen's cleanliness wasn't to blame for his appearance, it probably had lot to do with getting smoked out of his hidey hole by a kitchen fire in my building.

VACATION IN NEW ORLEANS AS A NON-TOURIST

Despite my proximity to Bourbon St, I'm always going to be an introvert and I'll never enjoy partying so bear with me on my versions of fun. I’m happily getting back into the exercise thing – yes, I’m one of those people who actually enjoys workouts :D I have been a bit of a baby, however, because I’ve been sticking to indoor workouts – it’s just too humid to consider running outside very often. Heck, a walk to the store and back gets me sweating plenty!

See ya in the fall favorite running spot, Audubon Park!

I also got to spend Memorial Day weekend with my grandma and grandpa who stopped here on their way from a vacation in Missouri to their home in Florida. Their stories are always fantastic and my grandma’s strength and patience is inspirational as is my grandpa’s energy!

Also noteworthy due to volume and my inability to do anything else during a migraine, I’ve been making my way through a fair share of Netflix shows (with the brightness and volume turned way down of course!) I can now rank my preference of all the Star Trek series (Next Gen > Original Series > DS9 > Voyager > Enterprise), I realize why Grey’s Anatomy is popular (great/intense plot!) and why I shied away from it for so long (too dramatic), I’ve found a couple of gems (Heartland & Sense8 are the best!) and of course I’ve stumbled across a few movies that aren’t worth mentioning.

And finally, when I’ve had time/energy, I’ve picked up crocheting again and learned to read patterns so I can make things other than scarves (b/c who needs scarves in NOLA?!), I’ve enjoyed some great walks around the energetic and beautifully historic French Quarter (also, a friend put it perfectly when she said “if you’re ever having a bad day, walk down Bourbon St and compare yourself with those you see – you’ll feel better immediately”), and been doing some reading for fun – The Maze Runner is a great series, I should really watch that film…

A typical French Quarter scene

A very rare French Quarter scene...no people!

My favorite view here - the St Louis Cathedral behind Jackson Square

AND THEN THE BREAK WAS OVER

At the beginning of this month I moved apartments. I was proud to only have what I need and be able to move alone; however, it was much less work with my dad around the first time! I’m in the same grad student dorms close to school, I was just able to swing a cheaper rent by switching from a two-room, two-bathroom apt to a two-room, one-bathroom apt. For $100/month savings, I’ll share a bathroom with just about anybody! Especially since last summer I shared a bathroom with 4 boys; after that I can do anything!

The view from my new apartment - I love it!

Additionally, my Public Health Threats in Suriname study abroad course has begun! We’re currently doing a bunch of readings and discussions about so many cool topics! They include: the health and environmental effects of gold mining (mercury is involved…), the environmental and health effects of deforestation, vector borne diseases (Dengue, Chikungunya…), intellectual rights, medicinal plants, the epidemiological transition from infectious diseases to chronic diseases…I’ll stop there because I could go on all day but then I’d have zero interested blog readers! Next month we’ll be travelling to Suriname and we’ll get to walk through the Amazon rain forest, meet a medicine man (or shaman), visit a gold mining site, volunteer at a sloth rehabilitation shelter, explore the capital city, Paramirabo … it’s going to be the trip of a lifetime! Right now I’m reading The Shaman’s Apprentice by Mark J Plotkin (who’s incidentally from New Orleans!) who spent a great deal of time in the Amazon Rain Forest documenting the medicinal uses of plants and I’ve been captivated from the first sentence of the book “The tropical rain forest is the greatest expression of life on earth – Thomas Lovejoy.” I literally cannot wait to see it for myself, although in all honesty, a part of me is nervous about the snakes, piranhas, spiders, mosquitoes, etc :P  

Don’t know where Suriname is? No worries, I didn’t either; it used to be Dutch Guiana.

Anyways, time to go now, thanks for reading!!  

The good, the bad and the ugly

Bonjour!

Like all things, my experiences here have their ups and downs. So here goes the good, the bad and the ugly!

The good:

I got a week off of school for spring break and my dearest sister came down for a visit J I got to do some more touristing around NOLA and spend some quality time with her. After all the work I’ve been up to and missing my partner in crime, I had a great time! Since pictures are worth a thousand words, here are four thousand words for ya:

Awkward sister picture outside the WWII museum (which was amazing by the way!! If you're ever in NOLA, go to the WWII museum!!!)

Nachez riverboat along the boardwalk :)

If you're ever looking for a unique evening, sign-up for a haunted ghost tour! The ghost is supposed to haunt that top right dormer - perhaps that's why the light was on???

Street Car pic :) (Because New Orleans has street cars, NOT trolleys!)

The bad:

Migraines suck. Additionally, so do side effects from medication. If there were a competition where whomever got the most side effects from medicine won, I’d be the Olympic champion. Well, maybe I’d be tied with a few other fellow migraineurs. People who get migraines have a sensitive nervous system; that’s why we get migraines when we’re exposed to the same environments as other people – a strong smell, a loud concert, not enough sleep, stress, barometric pressure changes, etc. are just nuisances to others while the nervous systems of migraineurs go “Hey, that's too much for me, I can't handle it so I'm going to give you migraines.” These sensitive nervous systems are also to thank for allowing us to pick up side effects from medications most people never experience.  

If you know me well, you’ll probably recall the Topomax fiasco. To catch others up so everyone can appreciate my deep hatred for side effects, here’s the long story short: I was taking medicine that impaired my cognitive abilities (while in biochem classes!) And being cognitively impaired and all, it took a while to realize my medicine was to blame for my failing grades…

So recently, I stopped another migraine preventative medicine because it was making me crave sugar. Not like “I’m a little hungry for ice cream” crave sugar, more like “I’m eating a healthy dinner right now and I should be full but all I want to do is go buy a huge jar of Nutella and eat it all!” Suffice it to say I gained some weight quickly and it couldn’t continue. In hindsight, it was actually a bit comical working as a health coach then; I would sit and think “I’m the worst person for this job, I’m supposed to get people to make healthier choices and ALL I WANT IS CHOCOLATE!”

To replace the medicine that was making me gain weight, I started taking another medicine that actually did the opposite and is suppressing my appetite which, while ironic, isn’t my main point. The other side effect my sensitive nervous system picked up from it is tiredness. And like the sugar craving side effect, my tiredness isn’t all “A nap would be nice,” it’s “Must sleep all day! Wake up in time for and attend class?! Nope! Exercise? Hahaha!” which is quite disruptive when I want to, you know, live!

The cherry on top of the whole side effect situation is that despite all these medications I've tried, not much progress has been made in preventing the migraines that plague my life (I can't even remember the last day I didn't have a migraine!) So yet again, medicine has failed me and migraine has found another creative way to interfere with my life. 

I tell this tale not for sympathy but because it's real and because I've been so consumed with it, omitting it would be hiding a part of who I am. But despite the crazy obnoxiousness of my migraine situation, I'm determined to use it to make me stronger. And I also know I’m lucky in a lot of other ways so I'll just focus on my glass half full. 

And the ugly:  

Finals are coming soon. If you don't hear from me in 2 months, they'll have killed me.

Another Slice of My Life on Pi Day

Hello again! Long time, no blog! It’s been a real adventure despite my lack of a team to lead in FEMA Corps...migraine troubles, health coaching, midterms, volunteer swim lesson instructing and trying to find time to go on my beloved runs or remember what recreation is. But, even though I was definitely questioning my sanity for entering grad school as a chronic migraineur (because I shouldn’t kid myself, the days without migraines are easier and fewer to count than the days with migraines) the sun came out (which literally helped ease the migraine as a storm system was aggravating them), I did much better on my midterms then anticipated and I remembered that I’m here because I refuse to let migraines hold me back and I want nothing more than to help others live healthier lives.

One of those days where I questioned my sanity

Speaking of healthier lives, my job as a health is going great! The beginning was a little interesting as I was kind of “thrown into the water to swim on my own” by getting 4 groups to coach in my first week of coaching. But my instincts got me through and the other health coaches are a fantastic source of information and support. Now, at the end of week 2, I’m beginning to get comfortable and enjoy the rewards – seeing participants learning and making healthier choices and feeling better or seeing physical signs of their improving health. I’m learning a ton too about nutrition which is awesome!

I’d like to mention the swimmers I’ve been working with on Sundays with Swim 4 Success because swimming means so much to me and it's really awesome to teach what I love and know that I'm helping out (our swimmers come from disadvantaged backgrounds.) Last week we let the kids go off the diving board (with two instructors in the water for safety!) and after we were done, my little 5 year-old REALLY didn’t want to leave. I actually had to take his hand and lead him back to his family to get him off the pool deck - I now know how my parents felt when I used to cry about leaving pools! And my other swimmer is the quietest, bravest kid ever. I can tell he’s nervous about some of the things I ask him to do, but like a champ, he tries and gets it done! I’m really excited for him in particular because these are his first lessons and he’ll definitely pass out of level 1 – he can already do freestyle unassisted! I love how no matter what, some people will naturally love the water and I wonder if those who taught me to swim loved it as much as I do.  

And finally, some random fun:

·       In my quest to be more environmentally friendly with my personal care products, I took a leap and tried out shampoo bar soap. It did take my hair a bit to adjust to the difference in chemicals but I’m saving money, helping the environment and my hair has never smelled better!

Eucalyptus mint :)

·       I found a local book shop that has the best selection of French books! I’m currently enjoying Les rois des etoiles or Kings of the stars J It feels like I've reached a new level of nerdiness by reading sci-fi in French but that’s ok because it’s awesome!

The bookstore I found, Acadian Books is owned by a man fluent in French. With the aroma of book smell in the air, the challenge of navigating the store without knocking stacks of books over and a plethora of choices, it's a book lover's paradise!

·       Finally, I'm enjoying the ability to experiment with recipes that need to please only one person, myself! I tried chili for the first time on my own (with a few adaptations to account for my dislike of strong spices and vegetarianism) and I'm only disappointed that I just started making it - it's a delicious, easy and cheap vegetarian meal!!

Whelp, that's all I've got for today. I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes that motivates me to keep reaching despite the migraines. I'm sure you've heard it before, but there's no such thing as too much inspiration: "Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars." - Norman Vincent Peale

-Holly

Running & Mardi Gras in NOLA and a huge, incredulous thanks to Craigslist!

Hello again!

I’ve officially made it through the first third of this semester, yay! Annnnd, its Mardi Gras weekend so celebration is in the air. Even best, the parades and swarms of people on the street this time of year do a great job of inhibiting transportation, so Tulane just considers it (Mardi Gras and the Monday before) a holiday and I am happily enjoying a four day weekend J

Let’s see, first I went on a super-fantastic long run through Autobon Park. I passed through the “Fly” which is a park along the Mississippi river that students love to hang out at (enjoying the passing of riverboats as well as NOLA’s open container law…) I also passed by the majestic Tree of Life (thanks for the recommendation Ben Tryon if you’re reading this), a beautiful cemetery and got to spot a few giraffes looking over the fence outside the zoo!

Autobon is such a lovely park

Hello Ms. Giraffe!

The Tree of Life :)

Bead tree: apparently its good luck to make a wish and add your own beads to this tree on Tulane's campus - I may or may not add to the bead pollution with a wish and beads of my own soon...

The MS river at the "Fly"

I'm not a cemetery person, but they're beautiful around here

I also went to one of the road blocking parades – it was a lot of fun, but my migraine head did not appreciate the couple of hours I spent cheering for parade throws (throws are what the participants in parades throw to the crowds, usually beads) so the festivities cost me a half a day of migraine fighting. However, my apartment is now uniquely decorated with LOTS of beads!

The best for last: WINE!

The biggest news of the week is this: I got hired as a part-time health coach with Omada Health! They’re a start-up company from San Francisco, CA and they offer online programs for those at risk for diabetes or high-blood pressure. I will be leading one of said programs. It’s still so recent, it’s a little unreal. First off, I haven’t applied to a lot of jobs – I’d just begun my part-time job search in Jan, so I feel super fortunate that I found something quickly! Second, it’s crazy that I found out about this position through Craigslist... It was late at night while I was job searching and I decided it couldn’t hurt since I was having trouble finding part-time health related jobs. And voila! There it was, too good to be true. Since it was Craigslist, I obviously Googled the opportunity and it was legit so I applied! A couple of weeks later I got asked to fill out a survey, I was asked to interview just last week and here I am ready to start end of this week with training! This position is ideal in so many ways: I’ll get some public health work experience, I’ll be getting a paycheck and thus be able to take out fewer loans to pay for school, it’s virtual so I have zero commute, and it’s diabetes prevention which is very dear to my heart with my mom having lost her eyesight from diabetes.

So that’s about it for now, have a great week and I’ll be back!

Best,

Holly

French, volunteering and fun in my "spare time"

Bonjour!

Another week down and its feeling like grad school…so much to do and so little time! But it’s awesome getting more involved and la vie est absolutement belle! (life is absolutely good!)

First up, French - I must say that it feels really good to have French at the forefront of my mind again! Yesterday I went to a French conversation group that’s set up through the Masters International program to help those who’d like to practice the language they’re going to use (or that they used for the returned Peace Corps volunteers) in the Peace Corps (although anyone’s welcome.) While I have a year until I need to apply and I can’t get a guarantee that I’ll get to serve in a French speaking country, I’ve heard that there are fewer speakers of fluent French applying so I do have a decent chance! However, yesterday showed me that Madame Eschrish was quite correct when she warned “if you don’t use it, you lose it!” My speech is most definitely rusty; I can remember the words but when I go to pronounce some my mouth stops working. Good thing this is a weekly gig so I’ll get to practice up J

Health Literacy – Yesterday was the first time I volunteered at a health center here teaching health literacy skills. I figured it’s a great way to delve into gaining public health experience and getting a perspective of what people need and what services are out there. I’m really glad I went, I met some fantastic people (including an AmeriCorps member and a man from Ecuador who both work there) and I think I got my message across to those I spoke with. I’ll bother you all with my message too because it’s a really good resource! Next time you go to look up drug side effects or the prognosis of a disease, check out http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/! A simple Google search of “medlineplus” will do the trick and the reason this is such a good resource is because it’s a source of nonbiased, reliable health information. There aren’t any ads trying to sell you anything and because it’s not a .com or a company, it’s our taxpayer dollars being put to use, you can rest assured that the website’s single interest is to provide you with research-backed information and not try to get your money too. Also, know someone who has a hard time understanding medical terminology? There’s a link in the bottom right corner of the homepage which will take you to Easy to Read documents that were made, well, easy to read. Annnd, if it’s easier to read in another language (or like me you enjoy refreshing your French skills,) many documents are made in multiple languages (see that same bottom right corner of the Medlineplus homepage.)

Swim4Success – I applied to be a volunteer lifeguard through a school org called Swim4Success. They teach swim lessons to underprivileged kids at our rec center pool. It was actually competitive with a legit interview because there were more applicants than positions but they accepted me! So until the end of the semester I’ll get to splash around the pool with some kids on Sundays as a fun way to volunteer and destress J

Carnival Season in New Orleans – I went to another parade last weekend. It was…interesting in a raunchy, risqué manner. But there was a Krewe de Seuss there! And after talking to people this week, it turns out I happened upon a unique one early; this weekend I’m hoping to catch the Barkus parade…bark as in dogs barking!!

Can I blame this silly pic on studying all day? This is the souvenir I got from the Krewe de Seuss!

In other news…        

• I had my first test and two more are coming up next week. It’s beginning to look a lot like college!
• I’ve also been putting in some yards in at the pool. Like my French, I’m rusty…but the neat thing about sports is that if you put the work in, you get results. Already my 500 time has dropped a half a minute! (But we won’t talk about how my time is a couple of minutes slower than I could race in high-school…)
• Bug update: no sightings since last week! Fingers crossed the roaches stay out of my apartment (or even my line of vision…sometimes ignorance can be bliss!)
• Tonight I went to this cool global research event. Initially I was just interested in the types of projects that are going on (and the free food didn’t hurt…) but I got the chance to speak with a very interesting professor about his international experiences. I found out that not only has he just gotten out of being under an Ebola quarantine, he’s currently working on determining whether MMS (miracle mineral solution) is safe. If you haven’t heard of MMS, I hadn’t before tonight either. Just Google it and judge for yourself – seems too good to be true, yes? Anyways, it was quite fascinating, very real and I’m really happy I went.

Well, it’s time to finish reading all the glorious details of the Affordable Care Act (fun fact: people have criticized Obama for being vain enough to dub it Obamacare, but he didn’t do it, his opponents did hoping the association of the law with him would help it fail!)

Take care,

Holly