white coat ceremony

The reason we had to dash down to New Jersey last week -- and probably another prompt for Kyalo's haircut -- was because Dexter needed to attend a White Coat Ceremony at the school.  This is a big-deal event for incoming freshman to the dental school, and, in the last few years, the incoming international students (who enter the third year) have been a part of it, as well.  There were a lot of talks, words of encouragement and talks to be upstanding dental citizens, etc. The key note speaker spoke a little too much about herself, but she clearly loves being a dentist, and perhaps that was encouraging to the fresh-faced students?

Here he is after the ceremony. All official now, with his lab coat (which will not likely ever be worn again. Details).  He is with his good friend, Joel, who is from Cuba.

 happy, handsome men

The hallway outside of the lecture hall where the ceremony was held has a museum-like display all around it.  One of the items in display? This cabinet unit, which is apparently deemed a relic in the US, is still in use in Kijabe. Dexter got this shot for the folks back home.

some old looking dental chair

It was a quick trip back down to New Jersey, but it was a nice reminder of our life there.  It is always nice to go back home and think, "hey, I like this place!"  Still, it was nice to return to Massachusetts to finish out vacation. . .there was a wedding at my house that Saturday.  But now things are winding down - we head down to NJ again tomorrow, with a stop in Connecticut to see some friends, and then Dexter's back to school (booo) on Monday.

Oh vacation, you've been good to us.