Transamerica

In my study of US history, I considered the periods between the Civil War (1860’s) and the turn of twentieth century quite boring. People lived. Died. Stuff happened. That’s it. However, one event stands out in my mind.



In 1869, Irish and Chinese immigrants completed the transcontinental railroad, sparking the end of the western frontier – a once unthinkable accomplishment. Before this railroad existed, only horses, ponies, and oxen had the capabilities to go from the Mississippi to the Pacific.

Did you want mail delivered to San Francisco from St. Louis? Take it on the pony express. Want to move to Oregon to start a farm? Get some oxen for your covered wagon and be prepared to climb mountains, ford streams, and risk starvation and disease to get to your destination.

The transcontinental railroad signified a historical shift not only in how Americans travel, but also how we view the mysteries of The West.

As we trek I-80 from Michigan to San Francisco in the comfort of our Pontiac Vibe, I think how different things are now – only 140 years later. Now, we can trek the Rockies on a paved, national highway system at 75 miles per hour with ease. You can also swim in an indoor pool, watch HBO, eat McDonalds, and see the latest movie if you wish. Times have changed – no cholera or hay fever, no buffalo (because we killed them all), and no threats of “Indian attack” – we gave the Native Americans too many other problems to deal with.

Interestingly, the route of the original transcontinental railroad closely matches that of Interstate 80.

As I type this sentence on my macbook, we spend our first moments in Wyoming together - at 70 miles an hour. How rugged.

I will keep you posted for more news.

MD/8

...so I completed my first semester of medical school and can consider myself to be .125MD or one-eighth of an MD – that means if you come to me with eight diseases, I can only treat one of them. As I emerge from my medical cave into society, people often ask me the "how did it go?" question, which always catches me off guard. (“err… ok, I guess?” “It’s over.” “I didn’t die from studying too hard.”). Frankly, the semester went by in a blur. It flew from August to December, and I barely remember what happened in between.

For winter break, I emerged from my medical cave and we are on our way in a car from Michigan to the West Coast and back to New York to start the next semester. After my emergence, people also approach me for medical advice. Sometimes I can answer the question; sometimes I can’t (maybe I can only answer one-eighth of the questions I am asked?).

It’s a new experience that I think every professional student encounters. My friends in law school are experiencing the same types of almost-rhetorical questions. Though I sometimes feel overwhelmed with the required knowledge base to answer those questions, I appreciate the trust my friends and family place in me to listen to and address their concerns. It consistently reminds me how much I need to learn and of my changing position in society. Get ready, WolverineDoc.

Now, WolverineDoc must experience the wonders of the American West via car.