Bon Voyage

[Dr.BadVibes]

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Hey guys....Im off to Costa Rica, Slovakia and Cuba for the entire summer to work at an internship for health policy. I'll be working alongside academics in the World Bank and the Costa Rican government just to gain some personal experience within this field. Im pretty nervous because these guys are like professionals and are experts in their field and Im just a clueless undergrad, but hopefully I can pull it off. I am really hoping to get some public health dental exposure, because obviously this is my interest, and if I do, I will be glad to post my research for anyone interested.

I'll try my best to check SDN as much as I can (going back to the addicted thread), and I just want to wish all the freshmen who are starting dental school early in the summer all the best. Also, for the new applicants, relax and enjoy your summer...interviews dont start for a while......

For my Temple buds, see ya at Orientation in August! 👍

 

[ecdoesit]

hey, dr badvibes,
it is great to have such experience in costa rica.
would u do us a favor? please do check with us as often as possible and share ur experience (kinda like what gavin does for AZ)
Thanks

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

Hey guys.....just LOVING my time in Costa Rica....this place is as close to paradise as you're gonna get!!!!

Its hard to keep in the "SDN loop", because everytime I log on (probably every 3 days), there are like 2 pages of new threads...crazy!!!

Anyways, I finally got my project....im going to be researching the cost-benefit analysis of using generic drugs in developing countries....pretty interesting stuff...sucks that its not dentistry-related!!!

Although I have been busy researching, I have also been able to discover the beautiful nature that this country has to offer...last weekend I went out to the jungle and the beach, which was breathtaking.....This weekend, I was hoping to goto some volcanoes and see some lava but I heard its 50/50 to see lava.....Has anyone ever travelled to Costa Rica? COuld you give me some advice?

Isnt this weird....A bunch of Temple public health students are in Costa Rica for the month, so Ill be meeting with them in 2 days to meet them and my supervisor for the DMD/MPH for next year....small world, eh!

 

[trypmo]

In addition to the rainforest, there are some awesome mountain-bike trails up in the mountains, if you like that sort of thing. I had a good buddy who grew up in Costa Rica and he showed me some incredible pictures that he took over there. I've also heard the surfing's good if you know where to go.

Have a blast, man! 👍

 

[Woodsy]

I just got back from Cuba, what an awesomely awesome trip...so fun! But of course i wasn't going there to work hehehe..

 

[ItsGavinC]

Badvibes, man that sounds sweet. That seems like an excellent way to spend the time before first year. Keep us updated on your project. Do you have a digital camera so you can post some pics?

 

[hockeydentist]

The Costa RICAN babes can't be that bad either. 😀

 

[phosphorylation]

lol, badvibes, make us proud buddy...have fun for all of us here on SDN...

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

In addition to the rainforest, there are some awesome mountain-bike trails up in the mountains, if you like that sort of thing. I had a good buddy who grew up in Costa Rica and he showed me some incredible pictures that he took over there. I've also heard the surfing's good if you know where to go.

Have a blast, man! 👍

Yah, I wanted to ship a mountain bike over here, but then it would have cost me a lot and I didnt know how often I would get the opportunity, but I heard amazing things about the bike trails here!!!

I just got back from Cuba, what an awesomely awesome trip...so fun! But of course i wasn't going there to work hehehe..

yah I was kinda bummed out about having to work during the week, but its really not work...i come in when i want, leave when i want, take lunch when I want....really laid back.....and plus, I wasnt going to complain when UofT and the company paid for my flight and gonna pay me to spend 2 months in Costa Rica just to write a research proposal....but its a nice break to be able to goto the beach or rainforest anytime i want, if i need a break from work

So you went to cuba, eh? When I booked my ticket to Costa Rica through Travelcuts, they were having a special that I get a free stopover in Cuba, so I get to goto Cuba for 10 days in August for free 😀

Badvibes, man that sounds sweet. That seems like an excellent way to spend the time before first year. Keep us updated on your project. Do you have a digital camera so you can post some pics?

Hey Gav...yah, right before i left, i bought a Nikon 4300, and ive been so trigger happy....just shooting everything....im so glad i went digital....im gonna put up my pics online sometime this week, so ill post the link when I can...

The Costa RICAN babes can't be that bad either.

Man, you are so right on this one....im like creaming my pants and getting whiplash like everyday just walking down the street...its like BAM BAM BAM......i went to a club the other day with my boss (incredibly cool guy), who is like some bigshot in Costa Rica, and he was able to get us into this private club where no guys were allowed until 10 (weird, eh)....anyways, we got so much attention from like girls that were incredibly sexy cause we were speaking english, but unfortunately, very few of the girls spoke english 🙁

 

[hockeydentist]

Just get pictures

HD

 

[UMDeeMan]

Man, you are so right on this one....im like creaming my pants and getting whiplash like everyday just walking down the street...its like BAM BAM BAM......i went to a club the other day with my boss (incredibly cool guy), who is like some bigshot in Costa Rica, and he was able to get us into this private club where no guys were allowed until 10 (weird, eh)....anyways, we got so much attention from like girls that were incredibly sexy cause we were speaking english, but unfortunately, very few of the girls spoke english 🙁

yep, exotic women are very fine, but i'll still take my blondes or jersey girls. as far as the club thing. they let the women in first so they can get their drink on so when the guys come in the meat market is a little easier to work if you know what i mean. i've seen this in the states also.

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

Hey guys....having an AMAZING time down here...this job is really a joke...is it really a job (as you can tell by my constant presence on SDN).....anyways, ive done a lot of travelling to the beaches, rainforests....its been excellent! Also did a canopy tour over the rainforest in MOnteverde last weekend....unique experience:

Last Sunday, I ate my lunch (by myself 🙁 ) in the rainforest watching a toucan's nest for a couple of hours....i was able to score a ton of pics....very interesting watching the mother take care of her young. The rainforest itself was beautiful:

Anyways, I was able to score a long weekend so Im off to Panama tonight (25th country on my list of countries Ive been to 👍 ).....Bocas Del Toro are small islands off the coast of Panama in the Caribbean and is supposed to be heaven on earth .......a true paradise Ive been told...lets see if its true!!! Take care!

 

[hockeydentist]

I wish I was there, You lucky bastard. Paradise and you get paid. How are you ever going to leave to go to back to school.

Lookin at your pictures, I'm thinkin I would stay there indefinetly.

nice job with the pics
HD

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

I wish I was there, You lucky bastard. Paradise and you get paid. How are you ever going to leave to go to back to school.

Lookin at your pictures, I'm thinkin I would stay there indefinetly.

nice job with the pics
HD

actually these pics are not mine...i cant post my pics because SDN only allows 1MB of attachments and my pics are large and high res, so I just stole these pics off the internet.....i wish I could put my pics up, cause I got some amazing ones....

anyways, yah its great being paid and doing all this ****...trust me, Ive reconsidered dentistry a plenty of times down here, but I know its just an internship and having a fulltime job here wouldnt be as much fun.....dentistry it is!!!

 

[Bickle]

actually these pics are not mine...i cant post my pics because SDN only allows 1MB of attachments and my pics are large and high res, so I just stole these pics off the internet.....i wish I could put my pics up, cause I got some amazing ones....

anyways, yah its great being paid and doing all this ****...trust me, Ive reconsidered dentistry a plenty of times down here, but I know its just an internship and having a fulltime job here wouldnt be as much fun.....dentistry it is!!!

Just use a yahoo album.

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

Just use a yahoo album.

I do have a Yahoo album.....

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

This guy is my new hero:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1589395026/002-6551115-3252836?v=glance

101 countries in one year....crazy!! How the hell was that possible!!! And the guy is Indian as well...Ive never met one Indian person while Ive travelled (except in Italy).....But my goal is to beat 101...not in one year, cause I like to see as much as I can in one country, but Ill definitely do more than a 101 in my lifetime....Im already up to 25! Geez, Im such a loser!

 

[Smooth Operater]

This guy is my new hero:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1589395026/002-6551115-3252836?v=glance

101 countries in one year....crazy!! How the hell was that possible!!! And the guy is Indian as well...Ive never met one Indian person while Ive travelled (except in Italy).....But my goal is to beat 101...not in one year, cause I like to see as much as I can in one country, but Ill definitely do more than a 101 in my lifetime....Im already up to 25! Geez, Im such a loser!

woah, where did you get all the $$ for traveling? 😀

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

woah, where did you get all the $$ for traveling? 😀

Because im the self-proclaimed king of budget travelling....hitchiking, camping, sneaking onto trains or boats....whatever it takes to save money while travelling, I'll do it. And trust me, its so much more fun that way...you get to meet locals and get off the tourist track a lot, which is where many of my best experiences were made...and you also get to meet so many other travellers on the way that are similar to you, so you hang out together...maybe all pitch in to buy some food and cook it together...share taxis....give each other tips on what sites/activities are worth it and what isnt....things like that to save cash.....

Anyways, I just came back from Panama...it wasnt that bad, but Costa Rica is definitely more beautiful...i think Panama was totally overrated.....it was so weird that their currency is the US dollar...paying them using a bill with Lincoln on it was strange, for the sole fact that the guy probably had no idea who Lincoln was.....

I also met an Indian family over there that runs an Indian restaurant, and they are from Toronto as well, so that was such a shock....it was so nice to have Indian food again....

Speaking of budget travelling, here is a prime example...so yesterday, Im crossing the Panama-Costa RIca border to come back to CR and the Panamanian cops stop me and say I have to pay $10 to go back, because I havent been in Panama for more than 72 hours....the problem is that I only had $10 for the bus ride back to San Jose and a little food.....so there I am begging the Panamian lady to let me through but she wouldnt....Luckily she spoke english so I tried all the charm....I pleaded, puppy dog face, everything...and she finally budged and let me go through for like $5...I still had enough for the bus, but not enough for food, so luckily, one of the guys on the bus was a Mexican traveller I was hanging out with before and he gave me a dollar to get some twinkies....all and all, I was glad to be back home.....Ill post some pics up later this week....

 

[wimmcs]

Because im the self-proclaimed king of budget travelling....hitchiking, camping, sneaking onto trains or boats....whatever it takes to save money while travelling, I'll do it. And trust me, its so much more fun that way...you get to meet locals and get off the tourist track a lot, which is where many of my best experiences were made...and you also get to meet so many other travellers on the way that are similar to you, so you hang out together...maybe all pitch in to buy some food and cook it together...share taxis....give each other tips on what sites/activities are worth it and what isnt....things like that to save cash.....

Anyways, I just came back from Panama...it wasnt that bad, but Costa Rica is definitely more beautiful...i think Panama was totally overrated.....it was so weird that their currency is the US dollar...paying them using a bill with Lincoln on it was strange, for the sole fact that the guy probably had no idea who Lincoln was.....

I also met an Indian family over there that runs an Indian restaurant, and they are from Toronto as well, so that was such a shock....it was so nice to have Indian food again....

Speaking of budget travelling, here is a prime example...so yesterday, Im crossing the Panama-Costa RIca border to come back to CR and the Panamanian cops stop me and say I have to pay $10 to go back, because I havent been in Panama for more than 72 hours....the problem is that I only had $10 for the bus ride back to San Jose and a little food.....so there I am begging the Panamian lady to let me through but she wouldnt....Luckily she spoke english so I tried all the charm....I pleaded, puppy dog face, everything...and she finally budged and let me go through for like $5...I still had enough for the bus, but not enough for food, so luckily, one of the guys on the bus was a Mexican traveller I was hanging out with before and he gave me a dollar to get some twinkies....all and all, I was glad to be back home.....Ill post some pics up later this week....

Cool!! Are you learning any Spanish? Uno de mis grandes sue?os es conocer Costa Rica. Algun dia visitar? Costa Rica.

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

Cool!! Are you learning any Spanish? Uno de mis grandes sue?os es conocer Costa Rica. Algun dia visitar? Costa Rica.

Actually Im learning nothing....perhaps I have a language deficiency, because I dont pick up anything...of course I can communicate with the travelling basics with no problem, but actually having conversations with people is just a game of charades all the time....

I guess living in a hostel with a constant flow of foreigners doesnt really help, but I didnt want to live with a family.

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

Hey guys...IM heading out to do some volcano watching this weekend....Volcan Arenal is one of the most active volcanos in the world, but I heard that its 50/50 to actually see it, because of the clouds...apparently these days have been clear, so thats good. If its clear, then this is what I should see:

If its cloudy, then Im gonna be one bored guy! Perhaps Ill check out some natural hot springs...the place looks incredible!! Go to their website:

http://www.tabacon.com/piscinas_i.html

Its $20, which is a bit too steep for me, but perhaps I'll splurge....Ill have to decide after I see how well I eat....

Wish me luck!