I was fortunate to see Rachel and Tony's new home in Brooklyn and have dinner with Jen and Kat, my old roommate from Sunnyside!
The APHA, or the American Public Health Association, conference brought me to Boston, where I heard the likes of Paul Farmer speak, made some great contacts in the field, and visited nearly every one of the several hundred vendor booths that were there. There were over 13,200 people at this conference, so you can imagine how difficult it was to pick sessions to attend! I had the opportunity to see a free showing of Salud, a new movie documenting the Cuban health care system and the country's medical humanitarian efforts throughout the world. I STRONGLY encourage all of you to see it - it's a remarkable film!
A lot of AMSA folks were in town for the APHA conference, and several of us attended an activist physician dinner one evening where I met Jack Geiger, one of the two men credited with starting the community health center movement back in the sixties. Incredible! And check out the picture below ... one of the men who ran for president of Honduras last year was also at the event! We all ended the night with a little karaoke and dancing ...
I decided to save a little money and stay at a HI hostel that I visited three years ago when I was last in Boston ... I love hostels because you meet the most interesting travelers, students, and businessmen from all around the world and of all ages. Makes for some intriguing conversations. I should have known that studying was not going to be a possibility and ended up talking with three Mexican students who were up for a biotechnology conference for a good two - three hours one night; I felt bad for the gal who had to come out twice to tell us to be quiet! And then as I was heading to bed, this older Japanese gentleman sat down beside me and wanted to know where I was from ... and hence began my two-hour English lesson. Apparently, he is some kind of construction engineer here on business (Some of this was lost in translation.) but was very excited to show me all of his passport stamps, every one of his pictures on his digital camera, and tell stories about his grandson in Chile. Now keep in mind that most of our conversation centered around drawing pictures, hand gestures, and one-syllable words. To his credit, his English skills improved dramatically over the span of two hours, but imagine my absolute surprise as I finally headed off to bed, and he broke out with - in perfect English! - "... you have just one chance in life so ... live it up!" I immediately started laughing, and he looked worried and asked me if I understood what he was saying. I just nodded and he kept on saying, "Live it up! Live it up!" A funny little man ...
On elections night, I ate bona fide clam chowder and seafood at America's oldest restaurant (Oyster House) and watched the returns at Bird in Hand, America's oldest tavern next door. I went with my friend Rob, a MPH student from Iowa, and my new friend Jana, who as we quickly discovered, "know" each other through many connections! She ran cross country in high school at the same time I did at state meets and went on to run at Iowa State, where she worked with one of the best runners from my school at summer camp. She also graduated high school with one of my good 4-H friends and knows several students in my med school class. Nothing like meeting someone you've always 'known' in Boston! We were all quite happy with the Democratic returns, but I was surprised at Leach's upset. And Vilsack is running for president!? Iowa is a great state to call home when it comes to politics.
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