Sunday 2 May 2010

Cheers!

Alas, my time in the UK has come to an end. We have made it safely back to US soil, and it is good to be here! Our trip home was not quite as eventful as the journey to get to England, although it did involve dragging massive amounts of luggage through the streets of Bath, followed by a train ride, a shuttle ride, an 8 & 1/2 hour airplane ride, and nearly an hour in line at Immigration & Customs. But we made it!

I am truly blessed to have had the opportunity to spend time living and working in the UK. I have returned to the US with an appreciation for the strengths of a nationalized healthcare system, as well as an understanding of its weaknesses. That said, I also have gained additional insight into the benefits and shortcomings of our own healthcare system. My experiences in the pharmacies and at the hospital are guaranteed to come in handy as I start my own career and strive to make my own impact on the practice of pharmacy.

I've absorbed a bit of the British culture itself, as well. I am committed to incorporating words like "rubbish" and "cheers" into my daily vocabulary, and I'm not sure I will be able to eat "chips" (fries) without vinegar ever again. I have a new-found love for proper curry, and a hatred for microwaveable rice. I will probably start adding sweet corn to my tuna, but I will not start putting milk in my tea...so I guess that means I escaped complete acclimation :)

Thank you for following my blog...I'm so happy to have been able to share this experience with you!