17.

this is katelin.  she is my clinical buddy.  

yesterday, we got to meet with a buddhist monk who makes a trek down from her temple in the mountains every tuesday and thursday to come help patients on the unit.  she takes a bus, train, and taxi to get to chi mei hospital.  she provides emotional and spiritual support for patients.  in my limited experience with buddhism, it seems like a very peaceful, wonderful religion.  i believe many people have found peace through it.  so even though i don't understand much of the concepts, i am glad that people have a belief about an afterlife.  i believe it can give them comfort when they get to the end of their life, as most of the patients on the hospice unit are terminal and will soon pass away.  

we went to the movies to see "the vow" after clinical.  i actually did better than i thought i would, with john being on the other side of the world, i thought i would be a hysterical mess watching a chick flick.  but, i have a confession to make:  i only cried a little bit!  i miss john every day, but i am having so much fun that i have been okay. i actually sometimes don't want him to be coming so soon {i will see him in exactly one week!}, because that means that my experience in taiwan will be over, and i have grown to love these people so much.  but, those moments of not wanting him to come so i can stay in taiwan do not even come close to how many times i have missed him. so, it's bittersweet.  but seriously, one week!  i can't believe i will get to be with him so soon!  it feels like this experience has flown by....