...In Fives

Life...in fives Med school student, ex-library assistant, rainy-day piansist, fluent in sarcasm, BBC.

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Favourite reads of the summer...in five

1. THE SAVAGE GARDEN by Mark Mills

I like reading books in the right place/time of year to really get into the mood of the story ; it's always better to curl up with a Susan Hill on a cold winter's night than the blazing sunshine for example. I read The Savage Garden in the rare July sun- the plot centres around Cambridge student Adam Strickland spending his summer in Tuscany in order to study the architecture of a villa owned by the Docci family. Whilst there, he finds himself drawn to the garden and the strong sybolism displayed by its sculptures and monuments- thus begins his investigation into a 400-year old mysterty surrounding the building of the villa and its first inhabitants. Simultaneously, it appears that the present Docci's have a few skeletons in the closet of their own and in solving these dual riddles, Adam finds himself embroiled in a conspiracy to change the future of this aristocratic clan...

Of the two storylines, I found the older mystery especially intriguing and the one that keeps its readers guessing, being cleverly crafted and researched. I felt in contrast that the second was more of a supporting plot in order to bring the story back to the present day (i.e. the '50s) but Mills manages to make a good twist in the final chapters. The ending was a little too neat and I found it a bit hard to swallow but all in all, a very impressive mystery.

2. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee

This was yet another classic that I let slip for far too long. For those who don't know, there is no shooting of innocent birds; the story centres around the boisterous Scout and her childhood in Alabama, climaxing in the case of a black man accused of rape and defended by her father. I'm sure there are countless essays expressing the themes of racial prejudice and attitudes prominent in the novel far more meticulously than I could; what I liked most was the vivid personalities of the community that Lee effortlessly brings to life. Each character that Scout encouters seems to have had their whole life story laid out beforehand and it feels like a very personal account for the author herself; I love the fact that the role of Dill was based on Lee's own childhood friend Truman Capote. For most people, the Robinson case is what stands out most from the book; I prefer to see it primarily as a coming-of-age story of a childhood a million miles away from my own (my inner six-year old is terrified of Scout).

Plus now I finally get all those Boo Radley references.

3.THE HOUSE OF SPECIAL PURPOSE by John Boyne

Basically, ever since watching "Anastasia" at the age of seven, anything with the Romanovs or about the Russian February 1917 revolution is an immediate read for me. With two threads eventually meeting in 1918 ,  Boyne's protagonsit, Georgy, tells his tale backwards as both an aging man visiting his dying wife in hospital, and forwards as a youth as a bodyguard for Tsar Nicholas II's son. In a bit of a Forest Gump style, we find Georgy present in the final great milestones of the Romanov's lives; from Rasputin's murder to the house in Yekaterinburg itself. Simultaneously, we are told of his life as an immigrant in England and the sorrows that continue to follow him over the continent.

I've read a few reviews criticising Boyne's research of the events and usually I'm a bit skeptical myself of purely fictional characters meeting real historical figures, as writers can sometimes take downright ridiculous liberties with the true character of a person. The factual aspects can seem a bit simple at times and anyone with a basic knowledge of the context will be able to solve the twist miles away from the big reveal. However, I found this story beautifully written in a style decades away from The Boy in Striped Pyjamas ; Boyne manages to effortlessly weave fact and fiction (something else that authors often struggle with) in order to keep his protagonist rather than the chain of events as the main focus of the story. Genuinely gripping, I found myself racing through the novel regardless of what I already knew of the background. As long as you treat the novel as it is- a work of historical fiction only based on real events, you will be spellbound.

4. COLD COMFORT FARM by Stella Gibbons

Another book I put off reading for a long time, simply because the blurb wasn't what I'd call riverting. It completely failed to convey the humour and lightness of a story that I can only describe as the closest thing to 1930s chick lit I've come across. In a very straight-to-the-point fashion, it tells the tale of Flora, a character just as interfering as Austen's Emma and twice as annoying, a London socialite who finds herself decending upon her relatives in the rural Cold Comfort Farm. With a obsession in tidying things up, she immediately sets herself to work in organising the family's tangled lives, not standing for any nonsense, and hilarity follows.

This is one of those books you need to be in the right frame of mind to read. As a cynic in want of a straight-laced classic with just the right amount of crisis and turmoil, you will hate this book. If you feel like the simplest and silliest of plots whilst still maintaining the impression that you're reading something vaguely interllectual, you will love this. I myself am torn between the lack of any depth and pure amusement. Basically, if you like Emma, you'll probably be fine with this.

5. ONE DAY by David Nicholls

Like many, many others, I was hooked by the movie trailer and ran out to buy this to devour before seeing the story on the big screen. As to be expected, the film can't begin to compete with the novel.

After spending the night together after graduation (but not quite in that way) , One Day follows the lives and relationships between Em and Dex on the anniversary of their first meeting from the late 80's to the present. Friendships strengthen, then shatter; personal crisis' come and go; love and the tradegy is never far away. You'll grow to love and hate both characters and feel as though you've been with them every step of the way. As a student, the idea of life post-university life is a terrifying void of not quite knowing what will come next; One Day explores these very years with clarity and warmth, confirming that life pretty much begins in your twenties.

What struck me most was how genuinely funny it is. This isn't just some slushy, pass-the-bucket romance with one-dimensional Mary Sues and Gary Stus (like some contemporaries I could mention...). There are more one-liners than almost any other book I've read whilst not straying too far into the cheese and slapstick (unless when intentionally in the form of Ian Whitehead...) and these made the main characters so much more likeable. I felt like I could relate to Emma on so many levels and Dex...well he turned out to be a nice guy eventually.

The real punch is delivered right near the end, and it's a good idea to keep the tissues close by as Nicholls manages to deliver the most touching finale. A must-read for any summer, especially July 15th!

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Getting into a UK medical school...in five

First of all, in regards to AS levels, if you felt that you buggered it up the first time, don't lose hope! I was devasted with my ABBB and thought I had to forget about medicine. However, as long as your teachers know that this was just a minor slip and you're capable of achieving those A's, you need to convince them to keep/make your predicted A level grades high enough for med school. Provided that everything else in your application is flawless, you'll still be considered a candidate. I was just a bit more careful when choosing univerisities, re-sat a couple of modules (making sure that my teacher put that my reference) and in the end got the AAA* :)  

1. MAKE SURE YOU'RE DOING IT FOR YOU

First of all- the important thing is that you want to pursue this path for the right reasons. Sure, your parents may have been silently encouraging you since you could walk, and there's nothing wrong with that if YOU are sure it's what YOU want to do with your life. This is likely to be a life-long vocation so try and think if you can see yourself doing this in 50 years or so. You may have thinking about the status and pay , but what about the 5 years at uni (providing you pass everything first time) + 2 years foundation training before you can even start embarking on your speciality pathway? Can you handle the irregular hours, blood, responsilbility and extreme stress?

2. RESEARCH YOUR UNIVERISTIES THOROUGHLY

Do you know the difference between the traditional Oxbridge methods of teaching, the intercalated ways used by most UK Unis and PBL? It may be tempting to base your choices on the highest ranking/best/prettiest institutions but you need to make sure that the course best suits your style of learning. If you want to encounter patients and gain clinical skills as early as possible, Oxbridge isn't for you. If you learn by doing rather than listening, it's worth looking into the PBL courses available. The vast majority of Universities require you take an additional test when making your application (Birmingham is a notable exception) - either the UKCAT (an 11-plus style test, NOT based on scientific knowledge, to be taken in the summer/September) or BMAT (required by Oxbridge, UCL and Imperial and taken in November). The British Medical Association website has a really useful document for those interested in medicine which contains a lists of all UK Univeristies offering the degree, as well at the A-levels needed to be accepted. With the introduction of the new A* grade, entrance requirements are being adjusted so it's also important to get up-to-date information from the Universities themselves.

You only get four choices for Medical schools, but it's also vital that you consider your fifth option carefullly. If unfortunately you don't get accepted, you need to make sure that you'd be happy enough  with your reserve option; you don't want to drop out halfway through the year because the course wasn't as you thought it was. Most people choose Biomed but if you want a more of a practical vocation, think about Nursing. Some Unis offer a fast-track into getting into medicine should you fail the first time; for example if you do exceptionally well in your first year of Leicester's Biological Sciences degree, you could apply to the first year of their medicine course. My fifth option was the Biomed course at St. George's which lets you transfer into the third year of their Med course if you ace the degree. It's well worth researching should anything go wrong.

3. WRITE A KICK-ASS PERSONAL STATEMENT

The UCAS window for medical applicants lasts only till mid-September, months earlier than for most other courses, so it's a good idea to do a few drafts over the summer to show a teacher when you enter Year 13. The first couple of weeks are likely to be extremely stressful -I remember be reduced to tears- but it means that you can get it over and done with a hell of a lot sooner than your friends. The personal statement should include all the obvious - your reasons for choosing medicine, academic and extra-cirrcular acheivements etc. - just make sure that you present yourself as a sincere, empathetic, well-rounded individual. However, what is a vital to a medical application is evidence of any work experience relating to healthcare/care in general. If you can get a week shadowing at a local hospital, that's great, but Universities appreciate how difficult that can sometimes be so voluteering at a retirement home, St John's etc can also be taken into account- just something that shows that you've become aware of the challenges that you will encounter as a medic. You need to reflect on your experience and say how it's influenced your attitudes to medicine. The character/line limit is a bit of a bugger and you won't have time to list all of your successes; the trick is to be concise.

4. CONCENTRATE ON THE INTERVIEWS AND FORGET THE REJECTIONS

You'll be spending the next months stalking UCAS track and, unfortunately, the chances are that at least one University will reject you. AS LONG AS YOU GET AT LEAST ONE INTERVIEW THIS IS FINE. You only need one interview to get into medical school if you do it well; conversely you could get all four but, if you're not what they're looking for, you may not get any offers. You hear a lot of news stories about people getting five A* grades at A level or whatever but no medicine offers and the papers act as though this is an outrage, but medicine isn't just about the grades- you need the empathy and character to handle future challenges in the profession-these won't just be academic. I got straight rejections without interview from all but one of my medical schools but am now a very happy medic!

The interviews themselves vary from University to University; some will test you on your scientific knowledge, others will be simply to get to know you. It's good to ask around beforehand so you don't end up cramming the night before on facts you won't get tested on. That being said, if they don't ask you anything science-based, they may check to see if you've done your research and ask questions about the structure of the career pathway, the BMA and GMC etc. It also wouldn't hurt to think of the answers to common questions like "Why do you want to go into medicine" beforehand. The best tips I can give to all interviews are to be sincere, polite, empathetic and SMILE.

5. SO YOU GOT AN OFFER; DON'T BUGGER IT ALL UP NOW.

Congratulations! You're wanted! Finally, you're almost at your dream of attending Medical School.

Notice the word almost. Unless you've applied after post-16, there's still those pesky A-levels/IB to get through. The important thing is NOT TO SLACK OFF. Everything you've worked towards can be taken away if you don't get the grades so you need to make sure that you ace those exams. You need to study harder than ever before and put the less important things on hold until you leave that hall for the last time. Don't take it for granted that you've gotten this far already- I know a fair few applicants who fell at the last hurdle.

If it does go wrong on results day, you can do a number of things. Firstly, if you weren't far off with your grades, you can try ringing the medical school directly to see if they could possibly let you in- be warned that the chances of any spaces will be extremely slim-you need to be very quick and very lucky. Secondly, you could just take your reserve. If you got on to one of the courses I described above, you need to knuckle down with the hope that you'll be fast-tracked back into medicine. Alternatively, many places now offer a 4-year medical course for graduates of certain sciences. Doing a BSc first may give you the discipline and maturity to make your second application to medical school successful- this may be just as competitive as at A-level but there's still hope! A final option is to just reapply for next year's intake- if your grades were good enough for another medical school this could work. If you need to resit entire A-levels, be aware that some places may not accept this and you need to check each university.

For those who made it; you're going to embark on the adventure of you life :)  

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New York City...In five (and a bit) days.

So I said a few posts ago that I would loved to go back to New York City one day- which came a lot sooner than I thought...

DAY ONE: UNITED NATIONS, GRAND CENTRAL STATION, CHRYSLER BUILDING, BLOOMINGDALES/FIFTH AVENUE, ROCKEFELLER CENTRE

Woke up nice and early after crashing at 7:30 the night before, to the news still talking about the Earthquake that occured the day before (so it wasn't a couple of vans passing by the restaurant after all, whoops).

First stop after bagels (what else to have on your first full day in NYC?) was the United Nations Headquarters. I'd forgotten just how interesting the guided tour was; it was pretty humbling to be in a place of such global importance and we were able to even see the Security Council room, which I didn't get a chance to visit the first time!

Afterwards, managed to make our way to Grand Central Station, visiting the Chrysler Building on the way. I have a bit of an obession with the skyscraper- to me it's the definitive image of NYC and the piece that started my love with Art Deco. Grand Central was also impressive; there were loads of tour groups hogging the whispering arches so went straight for lunch at the world famous Oyster Bar, nom.

Sub to Lexington Dylan's Candy Shop- one thing they had didn't have the last time I visited was a sort of wall of fame where celebrities fill a box with sweets and autograph it. Don't know what's so exciting about a box of red/white/blue M&Ms signed by Micheal Phelps but I may have had a bit of a moment there.

Onwards to Bloomingdale's (who really need to check their grammer), and down Fifth. The Apple Store was stupidly busy for a Wednesday afternoon, felt underdressed in Tiffany's and went slightly crazy in Forever 21. Wondered round the Rockefeller Centre (my second-favourite place in NYC) and in the evening went to the Observation Deck. Yet again I was taken away by views of Manhattan at night- the one thing that the Rock has over the Empire Start Building is that you get the chance to actually see the ESB. Photos don't do it justice!

DAY TWO: CENTRAL PARK, MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, TIMES SQUARE

Managed to spend an hour or so in Central Park admiring the scenery/turtles before it started pouring down. Took shelter in the Natural History Museum, where we spent most of the day. It doesn't look much like the movie :p but we had the best tiny Japanese lady as our tourguide, I have no idea where she stores all that info.

The sun had come out by the time we left at closing time, so took the sub to Times Square- possibly my favourite place in the whole of America, although my lord do you need a lot of energy to enjoy it. Dinner at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. , my new favourite restaurant. Had the friendliest waitress ever, who asked a bunch of Forest Gump trivia. One of the questions was to do with the Presidents Forest met with. I knew my AS History of the US involvement in Vietnam would come in handy one day :p Spent the rest of the eveing soaking in the atmostsphere and visiting all the landmark stores <3

DAY THREE: HARBOUR CRUISE, HARRY POTTER EXHIBITION, EMPIRE STATE BUILDING

Spent the morning on a ferry sailing past the amazing Manhattan skyline/ Jersey City, with Lady Liberty/ Ellis Island along the way. Took what felt like a million photos, half of which where ruined by glare, which I only discovered afterwards (could have gone out to the deck, but the thought of having to get up and move around kinda made me want to throw up). Took a while to recover after (oh the pains of travelsickness!) but eventually made it back to Times Square to visit the Harry Potter Exhibition.

To say that I was quite excited would be huge understatement. I'm ashamed to say this, but I might have possibly pushed my way ruthlessly past some poor kids to get to the front of some of the exhibits. More than once. Because seeing things like the Dumbledore's Army List (looked like all the signatures were done by the same person, kinda like the DA lists I used to do. When I was a lot younger of course) the entire set of Gilderoy Lockhart books and Gyffindor's sword made my head explode.

Spent a good half-hour in the gift store picking up things like the marauder's map and Tom Riddle's freaking diary and then having to put them back after looking at the prices :( (They very sneakily left the price off the programs so unwitting schumcks like myself had no idea until we got to the till).

Subway to fifth and then got harrassed by a seller outside the Empire State into upgrading out tickets to include a queue-jump and the NYSkyride, which was some motion-simulator around the city. It started off pretty fun until the makers thought it would be a good idea to make the ride go beserk at the end and start crashing into things. After getting off wanting to throw up, had to queue another 20 mins or so not quite knowing if we were in the right place or not till we finally made it to the observation deck. However, all the nausea/grumpiness I had disappeared when I caught a glimpse of the city below in dusk. I had only seen it at night before, but it was every bit as breath-taking close to sunset and a hell of a lot more peaceful-looking, with the buildings covered by a faint haze. Could have stayed there all evening; yet again, none of my photos came close to capturing the true atmostsphere of the view.

DAY FOUR/FIVE: HERALD SQUARE, LITTLE ITALY, CHINATOWN, HIDING FROM HURRICANE IRENE, TIMES SQUARE (again), KOREATOWN

On the eve of Irene tried to do a bit of shopping in the morning but Macy's was already closed :( After stocking up on the Jolly Ranchers/Reece's etc to take back home/ eat if food ran out in the hotel, made our way back towards the hotel in Chinatown. Was still fairly dry then so wandered round the neighbourhood, including Little Italy and buying too much hot food considering there wasn't a fridge in our room. As the remaining shops began to close we played a game of "Look out from hotel->see it's dry outside->venture out-> starts pouring->return to hotel with food so it looks like we had a reason to go out-> repeat" until it got a bit boring.

Managed to sleep through pretty much the entire hurricane so by the time I woke it'd stopped raining all together. Played it safe and stayed inside till the late afternoon when not being able to do more exploring got a bit too much. A lot of the shops were still closed so decided to go back to Times Square, where we'd be more likely to do some souvenier shopping. The damage I personally saw was thankfully minimal-a few fallen trees and phone booths, but it was still very windy, which made for some interesting shots. Made it Koreatown for dinner-familiar territory :)

DAY SIX: GROUND ZERO, WALL STREET, MACY'S

The day was so bright you wouldn't have thought a hurricane had just passed! Sadly the Metropolitan Museum of Art doesn't open on a monday, which I was pretty hacked off about, but knowing that people had lost their homes and even their lives over the weekend put things back into perspective. Instead walked through the Financial District, admiring all the super-impressive architecture, to Ground Zero. The last time I was there, the place was just scaffolding- now you see the half-completed structures rising up from the barriers :') Made it down to the bronze bull of Wall Street before catching the subway back to 34th Street, where Macy's was finally open. Also got the opportunity to visit Aeropostale at last and my head exploded when it turned out that it was 50% off everything in store <3 <3

However, we soon had to take a cab back to Newark and stand in the longest check-in ever before saying a final farewell. Nothing ever beats your first time in the City, but my second visit reaffirmed my love for the Big Apple. It wasn't without its mishaps, but this all added to the adventure. I still have yet to visit the Met though, so methinks a third trip is a must ;)

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Buckingham Palace...in five

1. BOOK EARLY

Basically, before you can get inside you need to a) Queue up for tickets (and lines can get very long very early on in the day) b) Queue up to be let in and c) Queue up for airport-style security. Eliminate the boredom and time of a) by pre-booking them online and getting them sent to you as there's also a queue to collect tickets (as we found out...) The website's also really fickle; it will say that there's no available spaces for a day one minute, and then 'Voila! Spaces!' the next. It's worthwhile stalking the site throughout the day if you can't get anywhere the first time.

2. YAY FOR FABERGE

The first exhibition you'll come across this season is the Fabege one. Although picture frames and little ceramic animals aren't quite as exciting as seeing a certain wedding dress, there are also some Faberge Eggs on display, which have been breath-takingly crafted. One of my highlights of the trip!

3. THE DRESS (+ SHOES +EARRINGS + BOUQUET ) AND CAKE

Eeriely suspended in the ballroom and protected by black netting, the display is certainly eye-catching. The first thing that stuck me was how small the dress actually is; Kate must have been a hardcore dieter in the weeks leading towards the wedding! It is very intricate and beautifully made and all though. I have to say that I wasn't a massive fan of the earrings at first, but actually being able to see the acorn and oak leaf that all the commentators raved upon did sway me.

However, the cake was a masterpiece in itself. Iced flowers, lattice-work, monogram...and a cut at the back made by the newlyweds :)

4. SOUVENIER OVERLOAD

The Cafe at the end of the tour was to be expected; not the cheapest and a limited selection of sandwiches but completely delicious. There was a variety of amazing-looking cream cakes, which looked almost too good to eat. I said almost. On the momento front, the gift shop was crammed with expensive luxuries for the folks back home. A really good thing is that you can convert your ticket to a one-year pass for no extra charge; I'm guessing they'll be some pretty impressive displays next year for the Jubilee!

5. PREPARE TO BE IMPRESSED

Extra exhibits aside, the Palace is well worth a visit. The rooms themselves are as ostentatious as you'd expect, gold and antiques and symbolism all round (I was particulary wowed by the White Drawing Room). There's plenty of opportunites to play "Guess-the-monarch-in-the-portrait/statue" and it really does look magnificent. I have nothing but symphathy for the cleaners who have to keep the place spotless.

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Favourite works of art...in fives

Just like to stress that I am not a professional critic and don't even take art, but it doesn't mean I can't appreciate it :)

1. GIRL WITH HAIR RIBBON, Roy Lichtenstien

I first came across this during my GCSE art lessons; this striking image really stood out to me amongst all the soup cans and graffiti (the module was on "Urban Decay", shudder). I love how Lichenstien's work, how whilst others flicking through comic books would do so primarily for the plot, he was the one who stood back and saw these images as works of art. This ticks all the boxes for a pop-art mastierpiece; the primary colours jump out the of the canvas, the use of line accentuates the subject and it has a very modern feel to it. Why this particular piece? I think I just like the fact that it's a close up and he seems to have caught his subject unawares ^^

2. OPHELIA by John Everett Millais

I have to admit, I've never read Hamlet, although I know the basic plot. The first time I saw this was on a episode of smART and I was pretty freaked out by it, being only about seven and all (I had an irrational fear of portraits because of the whole eye-following you thing, which then seemed to extend into any "olden day paintings"). However, I have since fallen in love with the romanticism of the Pre-Raphaelites. I regard them as illustrators in the highest sense- the Lady of Shalott is another one of my favourites- being life into these sagas. I admire the lush landscape that supports the subject and find eerie beauty in the floating tendrils of her hair and billowing skirts. Even those unfamiliar with the play would be able to piece together her story.

  3. BAL AU MOULIN ROUGE by Jules Cheret

I was convinced for ages that this piece was by Henri Toulouse Lautrec ( although I guess it isn't hard to see why). I got into Art Noveau yet again during my GCSE years; I liked the opulence and gradeur it seemed to bring. Although I was understandably entranced Klimt et. al, I was most attracted to the posters and advertisments circulating during the time.  To me, this is the the predecessor of the pop art we know today; again, I love the way in which adverstising can be regarded as art in high esteem. Oddly, I don't really like the subjects in this piece; what makes it for me is the arrangement and especially the placement/use of text that gives the piece a bold edge.

4. BOULEVARD MONMARTRE AT NIGHT by Camille Pissarro

Impressionism is a movement that I've recently gotten into; this was the painting I was most struck by when visiting the National Gallery in London, more than all the Monets and Renoirs displayed. Admittedly, I'd never heard of Pissarro but I was attracted to the rich colours used and brush strokes applied to create a rainy-night effect. The night sky is something that I like to pay particular interest to, as well as the streets reflected into the pavement. Just so pretty!

5. FROG by Matsumoto Hoji

I saw this image on a postcard in the British Museum and it made me laugh. Any esteemed work of art that can do this is automatically legendary :)

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Favourite cities...in five

1. ORLANDO, FL, USA

This place should really be named "The Happiest City in the Entire Universe". A place that houses Disneyworld, Universal Studios, Seaworld and too many other theme parks to name is basically just heaven for the kid inside all of us. However, Orlando wouldn't be nearly as fun if the weather was a la England; say all you want about the humidity, but the tropical climate makes it. The people there are as friendly as (and why wouldn't they be?) and I'll always remember the culinary delights of turkey legs, breakfast buffets and all-you-can-eat lobster places. The best part? Despite the more than copious amounts of food consumed, I didn't even gain weight, thanks to all that walking around the theme parks!

That isn't to say that Orlando is all about the parks though. There are more outlet malls there than probably the whole of Britain, and the city itself is really pretty and clean and all that.

My only regret for the best holiday ever? That Harry Potter World wasn't there when I visited :(

  2. BANGKOK, THAILAND

OK, I was always going to be biased about Thailand. But the fact that it remains one of the world's top tourist destinations certainly says something. 

Bangkok can be stuffy, crowded, and one of the worst places on earth to drive a car in. It's also vibrant, pulsing and very much alive, yet still managing to maintain a very strong culture and identity. Being there does feel a bit homey (albeit one where you have no idea what people are trying to say to you) and the people are really polite and all.

In terms of places to do, there's always the obligatory trip to the temples, markets (if you can stand the heat) etc. Bangkok is also a mini-haven for shopping; there's always the dirt cheap electrical place, and too many shopping malls to count. My favourite place was is Siam Paragon. Yes, I cannot afford the sport cars they have there (how they hoist those things up to the second floor is beyond me), but it does boast my favourite bookshop in the world, and the best foodcourt I've ever encountered. After meeting relatives, the food is what I look forward to the most. Whenever we go back, we always make a mental food list of the things we have to catch up on and then come back home with a suitcase full of snacks to last about a year. Yum.

3. HONG KONG, CHINA

I've been to Hong Kong twice; the first when I was four, so didn't really remember much and I never really compared it to my holidays to Bangkok. The second time, however, was last year, and I have to say it blew my mind out a little. Firstly, it's a bit of a germaphobe's dream- it's just so clean! The malls have hand sanitisers everywhere and the rugs have disinfectant sprayed into them = best idea ever. Despite being a former British territory, this city has managed to lose any feeling of colonialism yet has clearly thrived from it. Skyscrapers adorn the landscape, making it the most vertical city on earth; there are malls everywhere you look, and the metro is really something else (although try riding it during the rush hour at your own peril; you will have nightmares later). Like Thailand, it's a foodie's dream (and yes, we came back with a suitcase full of snacks).

Like New York, HK is a very busy metropolis, but that's probably why I love it so much. Mongkok is what I imagine central Tokyo to be like, with its completely overwhemling neon signs giving the area a real buzz. The thing I like most there though are the amazing views. Victoria Peak gives a good aerial view, but my favourite place in the city is the harbour, where the skyline at night is...wow. They do a lightshow involving the skyscrapers- it must have been a mammoth task to organise! Definitely a place I don't want to wait another 14 years before I visit again!

4. NEW YORK CITY, NY, USA

Like the T-shirt says, I feel completely head-over-heels for New York during a History/Politics trip there a couple of years ago. The first residential trip in another continent, completely unsupervised for half the time, this was bound to be a trip to remember. As a moviephile, to see the Big Apple myself was mind-blowing. Having done an art project on the Art Deco movement the year before, catching sight of the Chrysler Building on the first morning made me a bit more exicted than it would any other normal teen. I loved the grandeur of the Rockerfeller building- going to the top is way better than going to the Empire State Building because, for starters, you can actually see the Empire State Building. I spent an entire afternoon walking down Fifth Avenue; the Disney Store is awesome :p

The biggest pinch-me moment though, was walking down to Times Square during dusk when it everything seemed to really come alive in HD technicolour. The never-ending lights and crowds was overwhelming but made me more energised than fatigued- whatever it takes, I'll be returning :)

5. LONDON, UK

Other than my home city, I feel as though I know London better than any other place in the world- god knows I've been there enough times- but yet there are still landmarks on my to-see list. My home away from home, I still get a big burst of love and excitemnet at the prospect of returning that I hope never fades. It may not be as cosmopolitan as New York or sanitary as Hong Kong, but maybe due to a bit of good old partriotism, London is where I want to be in 10 years' time.  I love the remnants of its very long history, such as the Tower and Houses of Parliament, married to the more modern landmarks of the Eye and Tate Modern further along the Thames. My favourite place is the enbankment; to simply stroll along and see all of these landmarks is an activity in itself. I'm probably looking at the city through very rose-tinted, A-grade tourist glasses, but at the moment I wouldn't have it any other way.

[infives]

Recent reads...in five

1. THE GREAT GASTBY by F. Scott Fitzgerald

So I have a bit of a thing for the 1920s. Why I didn't read this sooner is beyond me; this is basically a Shakesperean tradegy in the jazz age. 

Narrated by Nick Carraway, the novel describes his summer in New York living next to Jay Gatsby. Gatsby is celebrated by the rich and famous for his extravagant parties in his mansion; however, this mysterious figure has an ulterior motive for his actions- one that will have a profound impact on Nick's relatives, Tom and Daisy Buchanan.

Needless to say, it doesn't end well. However, this book had me captivated right the way through. Fitzgerald lets his readers take a peek into his era of decadence and apathy, yet this plot can be fitted just as well into contemporary society. This book should be on everyone's bucket list.

Plus now I have quite a big literary crush on Jay Gastby, as he is possibly one of the most tragic figures I've come across in literature.

2. THE KITE RUNNER by Khaled Hosseini

OK, I confess; I saw the movie first.

In my defence however, it was a few years ago and I have to agree that the book blows it out of the water.

The Kite Runner is a story that explores different relationships; that between Amir and his childhood companion Hassan, and of Amir and his father. Half set in 1970s Afganistan; half set in America from the 80s, we are at first transported to the streets of Kabul where Amir commits the ultimate betrayal of his devoted playmate. Following the Russian invasion, the immigration of Amir and his father takes precedence ; it is only decades later when Amir is able to find the strength to put his own life on the line and to begin to atone for his mistakes.

Spanning decades, The Kite Runner reads like a epic. Hosseini has managed to craft a haunting tale that will shock and send his readers into tears. Taking a brave step, he seems unafraid of presenting his narrator in the worst possible light; such brutal honesty about his character flaws makes a refreshing change to the butter-won't-melt protagonists we sometimes encounter, making him all the more real. Nevertheless, at its heart the book is a story of father-son realtionships; the topic has never been handled so well.

And I have to say, I liked it a lot more than A Thousand Splendid Suns. Sorry.

  3. THE SHADOW OF THE WIND by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Deliciously gothic, Zafon's debut had me hooked from the first page. In post-civil war Barcelona, Daniel Sempere encounters a book by a certain Julian Carax. Enchanted by it, in the attempt to gain more information on this elusive man, he is approached by a figure sharing the name of one of Carax's characters- the devil, who is in the process of destroying the author's works. In his investigations, Daniel uncovers a marauder-esque (yes, of the Harry Potter kind) tradegy within Carax's childhood, putting himself in danger of those who will stop at nothing to set a score with the past. As his own life begins to parallel that of Carax's doomed love affair, Daniel manages to completely entangle himself in a web of deceit whereby his life could very well pay the price.

I can see why the book was such an international hit- its complex plot had me up till the early hours of the morning, and the prose (although translated) is richly decorated with Victorian gothicism- yet still managing to maintain wit and humour in its character interactions. However, there were times when I thought it slipped too much into the melodrama; I felt that some twists would not be out of place in a soap opera, and that some passages were unnecessarily detailed. Nevertheless, whilst it may have its flaws, this novel filled my craving for something a little darker and is a worthy read.   

4. GIRL IN TRANSLATION by Jean Kwok

Some lighter relief after the previous three books, Girl in Translation follows Kimberly Chang and her mother as they emmigrate from Hong Kong to New York City. As can be expected, the obstacles are endless; the language barriers, a tiny apartment unfit for habitation and an aunt who believes that she is bestowing the ultimate kindness by letting Kimerberly's mother work in her clothing factory for 1.5 cents per skirt. Nevertheless, through hard work and almost superhuman intelligence, Kimberly is able to fight against the vicious cycle of poverty and achieve the American dream- even if it means making a few sacrifices along the way.

As previously stated, this was a nice quick read compared to the last three emotionally draining novels. It presents itself rather like an autobiography, following Kimberly from a shy 11-year old to mother. However, its clear that the book is a work of fiction- the plot is very structured and polished. Kimberly is a very likeable and relatable protagonist, although perhaps to the extent of those I contrasted with Hosseini's lead in the above review. There was a point in which I feared that we would be given a completely fairytale ending; however, Kwok manages to give us a crisis at the eleventh hour and a clever twist at the end as a nice conclusion.

Whilst I feel that this could have had more depth and feeling, this light, quirky novel is a perfect beach read.

5. CROWN AND COUNTRY by David Starkey

Basically, although I am fully in the thrall of the wonders of medicine, I do have a flirtation for a bit of history now and again. And whilst this isn't exactly what everyone thinks of as an appealing holiday read, it does make a change from the anatomy text bigger than a phonebook I've had to lugg around for the past semester. Plus I always chose the odd non-fiction book to keep my mum happy in the fact that too much fantasy is going to rot my brain out.

The monarchy is something I've alway had an interest in and have used it for my mental timeline for English history, but have always had a few gaps in. Strictly speaking, I don't really care for anything pre-1066, so the chapters on Anglo-saxon kings with their names spelt so that the "a" and "e" are merged together weren't excatly enthralling. Things began to look up around the time of Henry II and I was able to test my AS knowlege on the late middle ages, but it was pretty much a case of the later, the better for me. I found this whistle-stop tour of the past thousand years a good outline for getting the chronology of English history tidied up, although it's certainly a book you need to keep yourself switched on for.

Of course I gained a lot of factual knowledge from the book, but what really struck me is the extent in which, even in the modern age, the monarchy is really determined by personality over anything else. However, my absolute favourite part of the book? The bit when Starkey describes one of the Georges as having a "pineapple-shaped head". Lol.

[infives]

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two...in fives

WARNING! CONTAINS SPOILERS! READ AT YOUR PERIL!

1.THERE WERE A COUPLE OF FLAWS (SPOILERS)

 I know I should really try to take the films for what they are, but as a die-hard fan of the books who re-reads the series every year, this is really impossible to do. A couple of tiny little things that bugged me

-Percy being there, but unmentioned :/ I was really looking forward to his redemption scene with Fred !

-Ron and Hermione's kiss: The kiss itself was really sweet, but in the Chamber of Secrets? Just a little odd.

-Remus' and Tonks' kid being mentioned out of the blue: they never formally mentioned the pregnancy/birth, and to those who haven't read the books I guess this would have been a bit "Wait- when did this happen??" Plus, I would have liked to have seen a little Ted scene in the epilogue, just because he is awesome.

-This hasn't got anything to do with the books, but I heard that Oliver Wood would be making a cameo. However, in the words of someone wiser than I : "There was no Wood to be seen; no pun intended". This was probably just a rumour, but it's a bit like someone saying they're going to bake you a cake that never materialises.

-Voldermort's death: after the epic explosions of Nagini and Bellatrix (EXCELLENT work, Julie Walters!), this did seem a little anticlimax-y. I wasn't even sure that that was the death strike until he began to whither away, it just seemed like he hurt his arm. The final spell should've hit him clear in the chest;  maybe I just like explosions.  

But heck, I'm a perfectionist. In comparison to the other films, I felt that this stayed the most true to the books :)

2. THE SUPPORTING CAST MADE THIS MOVIE

Dame Maggie Smith was an absolute star from start to fininsh, I have nothing but love towards her!  :')

Julie Walters does not disappoint with Mrs Weasley's greatest hour and gained some well-deserved applause from the cinema.

Matt Lewis was a perfect Neville, heroic to the end. I have this theory that somewhere in the world there is one girl who has been madly in love with Neville from movie 1, and now feel deeply sorry for her know that hoards of fangirls will want to get there claws on him, post-puberty.

Alan Rickman should get an Oscar nom for his performance. His were the scenes that made me well up, he played Snape with so much emotion and sincerity to the character. However, I am very sorry Kate but I still don't find him attractive in that way!

3. LITTLE EXTRAS DID THE SERIES PROUD (SPOILERS)

There are some little added bits and pieces which I think really added to the story:

-Snape's last comment to Harry. I was sitting in the cinema thinking, "that would actually be a really great line to end on" and then Rickman says it!

-Although I would have liked a little more from the Prince's Tale scene ( as it's my favourite chapter), the clips of Snape finding Lily's body were just the perfect touch. JUST SO DARN EMOTIONAL.

-This isn't an extra, but I prefered it that the final showdown was minus spectators. It made it more personal and emphasised the message that, in the end, it was always going to be just down to Tom vs Harry.

-Tiny little details, like the appearance of Cornish pixies in the Room of Requirement, really made me realise the attention the film-makers paid to the books and that they have a genuine love for the series :)

4. THE EPILOGUE WAS QUITE FUNNY, YET ALSO TOUCHING

We all laughed when we saw everyone all wrinkly and to me, the scene did seem like a bunch of kids trying to act like nearly-40-year-olds. However, that isn't to say it was bad.The series needed that closure and I'm glad they kept the same actors; when it faded to black, I knew we were at the end of an era :')

5. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL ENDING, AND DID THE BOOKS JUSTICE

Yates has managed to create a epic finale without losing any of the magic (excuse the pun) that we fell in love with a decade ago. The Battle of Hogwarts completely lived up to my expectations and the some of the performances really were outstanding. Dan, Rupert and Emma have done a fantastic job of making the trio jump from the pages; I couldn't have imagined anyone else in their roles. I've always appreciated the films, but I felt that they've never truly lived up to the spectacle of the books; however, this closing chapter is by far my favourite. It wasn't perfect, but gave a satisfying conclusion to pretty much my entire childhood. Now to get on with the rest of my life :s

[infives]

Books that shaped my childhood...in five

  1. ROGER RED-HAT by Sheila McCullagh

Well, seeing as this was the first book I ever learnt to read, I guess this has to go on the list. I would to say how poignant a tale I found it, only the only things I remember are that I quite like the story, and then went on to read about a multitude of colourful characters with equally bright hats. ^^

2. CHINESE CINDERELLA by Adeline Yen Mah

This was a classic case of: mother finds book and shows it to daughter, daughter is not interestered, mother buys book anyway and forces daughter to read it; daughter falls in love with it. This autobiography, set against the backdrop of the Second World War and Cultural Revolution, tells the story of a girl loathed by her stepmother and largely bullied by her siblings, yet manages to battle through with brains and determination in order to gain her father's pride. As well as introducing me to the culture of the motherland *cough cough*, this was the first book that brought my eight-year-old self in tears, and was the inspiration for submitting my first batch of (badly written) poems to a publishing house. It opened my eyes to the facades that may lay behind the doors of the most successful of families and taught me the value of always staying true to yourself. I wish I had only half of Yen Mah's courage.

Plus I think Adeline is like the coolest name ever :)  

  3. JOURNEY TO THE RIVER SEA by Eva Ibbotson

This is a book that I first borrowed from the library and loved so much that I ended up buying a copy, not just for myself, but for my best friend because it was JUST THAT GOOD. Detailing the adventures of Maia, an English orphan sent to the Amazon to live with her distant relatives, this book had a plot that twisted, turned and pretty much blew my ten-year-old head away. The descriptions were so vivid that, even in suburbian England, I found myself transported across the oceans to exotic South America and able to picture every detail of the rainforests. In her introduction, Ibbotson mentions the feeling you get when you discover something that is just yours; I get this emotion every time I re-read the novel.

4. THE PRINCESS DIARIES by Meg Cabot

Like many others, my parents were completely fooled by the book's title, and, thinking that this was a completely innocent book about a girl who has all her fairytale dreams come true, plonked this onto a small pile of presents for my tenth birthday. By that age ,the word "princess" in a book title didn't exactly fill me with enthusiam, but from the very first page I realised that this would be a very different novel from my first impressions.

 I was/am a bit of a geek; SO WAS MIA. Never before had a book character displayed a personality I could immediately relate to- Cabot has a gift for making her heroines jump out of the pages as smart and sarcastic teens who are fully aware that they may not be top of their social heirachy, but frankly don't give a damn. For the first time, I felt truly assured that there was nothing wrong with being on the outer fringes of coolness, and gained a little bit of that self-confidence desperately needed at the time. The book's plot itself was a pleasant surprise, and a helluva lot more adult than the title suggested (cue awkward conversation when I asked my dad what a testicle was...>.<). From a reluctant heir to a small European prinicipality to fully-fledged Princess, Mia never has failed to lose any of the charms that made her such a hero of mine all those years ago.

  5. HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN by J.K Rowling

The Chamber of Secrets may have been my first foray into Harry's world (at the tender age of seven; at the time I convinced myself that "Hermione" was an alternate spelling of "Harmony") but the Prisoner of Azkaban was the defining leap into a life-long worship of all things Potter. To say that these novels WERE my childhood would be more than accurate; the fact that last week I stood through torrential rain and frequent shuffles by burly security guards in order to catch a glimpse (and I mean glimpse-we were too far away to see faces) of the stars of the final movie at the world premiere at Trafalgar Square is testament that I still haven't gotten over them. Like millions of others around the word, Rowling has managed to enchant us all with her epic tale of the boy wizard. I had never come cross a plot so intricate, so detailed and so satisfying, yet also leaving the reader hungry for more. I was quite an avid reader before; afterwards I started to devour novels by the bucketful, yet only a few could have started to reach towards the pedestal I had placed Harry's adventures on. It is no exaggeration to say that these books changed my life, and for that I'd like to express my eternal gratitude to Ms Rowling; thanks a bunch :)

[infives]

Medical School...in five

1. You will learn copious amounts of knowledge about anatomy and physiology within your first year and come out of it absolutely exhausted. However, you will still know jack all about what to do in an emergency situation, and will spend your time praying that no-one collapses in the near vicinity of you whenever in public.

2. Whilst wearing an I.D badge with "MEDICAL STUDENT", displayed in capitals next to your (hideous) photo may fill you with pride to begin with, to other students on campus, this may as well read "I AM A PRETENTIOUS PRICK. HATE ME". This isn't even true for most/half/some of us. Sometimes it's best to keep a low profile, particulary when on the last bus to town with some violent drunks.

3. I have a theory that medics are the most hardcore ravers of all. Because when we go out, we do so knowing that we need to be up for a 9am lecture the next day. And yet there is no holding back on the alcohol; the amount of people who still turn up managing to look as fresh as a daisy is impressive.

4.  You, may have started the year with a complete phobia of cadavers. You may have gone your whole life avoiding graveyards like the plague and have had nightmares about getting nightmares following visits to the dissection room (not talking from personal experience or anything...). However, by the end of the year, the worst thing about the DR will be the whiff of formaldehyde in the air ; the first cut is always the worst.

5. This place is a heaven for hypochondriacs, and it will a COMPLETE and UTTER coincidence that your current self-diagnosis will be a condition that you have learnt the week before. The exhaustion I feel isn't down to the fact that I was out the night before; I have clearly developed Addison's disease. That tiny lump on my neck? Could be a cyst (cyst!) but is way more likely to be a malignant tumour (the GP was not impressed).

[infives]

Me...in five

1. I am a med school student in the UK.

2. I like suprises, period dramas and sarcasm.

3. My prized possession is the piano I got for my fifteenth birthday...if only I could play it as well as it deserves :(

4.  Food is my biggest vice. Even if you could survive without it, WHY WOULD YOU?

5. http://iwl.me/ told me that I write like HP Lovevcraft...you be the judge.