{"id":173330,"date":"2024-09-09T15:02:21","date_gmt":"2024-09-09T13:02:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/?p=173330"},"modified":"2024-09-09T15:11:37","modified_gmt":"2024-09-09T13:11:37","slug":"packing-your-bags-to-chase-your-dream","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/en\/packing-your-bags-to-chase-your-dream\/","title":{"rendered":"Packing your bags to chase your dream"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Studying medicine in Riga, Latvia<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

By Marelize Vermeulen<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In August 2019, eagle eyed and bushy (pony) tailed, I got on a plane to Riga, Latvia. Now, five years later, I cannot believe how the time has flown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Landing in Riga, it was much warmer than expected, which quickly turned into much rainier than expected. And it was proper rain, not like the late afternoon showers I grew to love while living in Pretoria. So, a good quality rain jacket was my first big purchase. I quickly learned that there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I moved in with a German girl and a Swedish guy I met on a Facebook group and began my medical studies a week later at Riga Stradi\u0146\u0161 University (RSU). My study group consisted of diverse students from Germany, Sweden, El Salvador and even another South African from Johannesburg. After a hectic orientation week, the studies started with a bang. Classes had us bussing and tramming all over the city. Anatomy lessons were held in the Theatrum Anatomicum, a former Greek Orthodox Seminary dating back to 1877, near the old town. First Aid was presented in Paul Stradi\u0146\u0161 Clinical University Hospital, which opened in 1910, physics and Latin in the Medical Educational Technology Centre (METC) and our remaining basic sciences at the RSU main building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first semester flew by, and before I knew it, the streets were white with snow and the smells of Christmas markets filled the air. Just as the snow melted and the spring started showing its colours, Covid-19 put a hold on our everyday life \u2013 in the middle of my second semester. Amid panic, I flew home and helped triage at my local Mediclinic while having online classes. A few months later, I flew back to Latvia, while Covid still dictated online classes for a good while before we could return to normal on-site studies.<\/p>\n\n\n

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With on-site studies, the normality of Riga life was welcomed back like the first day of summer. Tourism and travel also opened again, and I jumped at these opportunities to see some of the Netherlands, Poland, Finland, Italy, Estonia, Lithuania, England and Sweden. I also went on some trips to visit my new (and a few old Saffa) friends and others to do some solo exploration, not to mention all the exploring within Latvia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The semesters flew by, and basic sciences got exchanged for pre-clinical years that turned into clinical semesters in the local Latvian government hospitals. I learned clinical skills in the METC before taking these newly acquired skills into hospital settings. At the METC, you can find everything from a plastic arm to draw blood, simulation dolls that can react to stimuli and treatment and dolls that can give birth to an operating room skills lab. The more time I spent there, the more amazed I was by the teaching technology.<\/p>\n\n\n