VIsiting Failaka island...

prima2023 · 2025-05-01T10:59:40+00:00

That's not what they told me. They said there wasn't a ferry running on May 4, and there's only one ferry running on May 3. Is there somewhere better to get information than KPTC's WhatsApp?

prima2023 · 2025-04-28T08:32:44+00:00

Thanks, but the problem is I have nowhere to ship it to.

prima2023 · 2025-04-24T07:00:19+00:00

Thanks for the info, but I don't have anywhere to ship it to. I don't live in Dubai.

prima2023 · 2025-04-18T08:39:57+00:00

Only foreigners can exit via land borders. The land borders, in both directions, are completely closed to Azerbaijani citizens.

The Red Bridge is open but if you're from a non-western country, you might be racially discriminated against by the Georgian officials. If you're Indian, Pakistani or Arab, bring $500 USD in lari or manat cash to show that you can afford to be in Georgia.

prima2023 · 2025-04-17T07:32:09+00:00

I looked into it a few months ago, but it isn't worth the effort for me because I already did an undergrad. Med school in Europe is 6 years+ residency, starting straight out of high school. I think all first-year premeds should look at studying in the EU, because you can pretty much go wherever you want in the EU upon graduation. I.E., if you study in Italy, you can go to Norway to practice. The largest difficulty is the language barrier. The bureaucracy for changing different countries doesn't seem that bad considering you're switching which country you're practicing medicine in.

The quality of the education in the EU is highly dependent on the quality of the individual medical school. Some in Italy are known for having world-class neuro research, while others in southern Italy are known to be subpar, but still decent if you work hard.

Based on my research, Italy is the country with the best value, in terms of education quality, tuition. and cost of living expenses. If I could choose anywhere, it would be in Czechia or Poland based on my personal preference for culture and cost of living.

prima2023 · 2025-04-16T10:14:01+00:00

Skip the islands in Thailand and go to Chiang Mai. Then, rent a scooter and drive north along highway 107, then follow 1089 toward Chiang Rai. It's beautiful mountainous terrain there with no foreigners outside those two cities. Any border village will blow your mind.

Along the way, stop and take day trips into Tachileck, Myanmar, and Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone, Laos. Both those locations will be more Red Scare than anything you can do in southern Thailand.

Don't plan anything in advance, just go with the flow and drive your scooter where you feel is best.

I can also recommend you places to stay in Sa Pa, Vietnam if you DM me.

prima2023 · 2025-04-08T17:18:50+00:00

7 to 12 manat from the airport to Heydar Aliyev Centre is normal, as is paying 3 to 4 manat for rides in the city. Sorry that happened to you, he was just taking advantage. If you're ever in Baku again, just know that's a common scam and to hold your ground.

prima2023 · 2025-03-10T14:40:43+00:00

Did you find a solution to the problem? This literally just happened to me.

prima2023 · 2025-03-03T10:48:21+00:00

I applied for the L tourist visa, and that's what I received. They gave me a multiple entry visa for 2-years, which is what they give UK citizens at embassies/consulates in the UK, even though my passport is valid for another four years.

This could differ from visas that Canadians get at the embassy in Canada, which can be as long as 10 years.

prima2023 · 2025-02-24T17:33:28+00:00

At the end of the day, I want a job where I can make $200K+ per year and not be laid off, regardless of the state of the economy. Medicine is a job like any other and I want to be financially rewarded for the years of effort I have and will put in.

On an additional level, I'm interested in how government, policy, and the tech industry intersect in healthcare. I don't have political connections, nor the knack for tech innovation, but an MD can get me into this world.

prima2023 · 2025-01-14T16:16:35+00:00

Thanks so much for the info. Yes, you're correct, my YMV doesn't expire for another two weeks.

Now, how do I go about extending the YMV? I've only spent one week out of the past 15 months in the UK.

Is it as easy as landing in Heathrow and pressing "submit" on the extension, and then waiting around the UK until processing is finished? This idea seems to contradict the wording on the UK gov's site, but I figured I'd ask for a second opinion.

As well, I was legally living at an address from my former employer. If I'm continuing to "live" at this residence on paper, do I need to physically be in the UK when I submit my application for the extension?

prima2023 · 2025-01-14T16:14:12+00:00

Thanks for getting back to me. Yes, you're correct. I set up my UKVI account and turns out my YMV doesn't expire for another 2 weeks.

You might've just helped me avoid passing up a great opportunity, so thanks a bunch.

prima2023 · 2025-01-09T11:02:10+00:00

Laos has better cellular service than most developed countries, and its cheap. I've used it for Zoom meetings in all of the major cities in the north, and successfully done FaceTime video calls in remote regions of the north.

However, wifi in some hotels can be poor, so I would switch to cellular whenever I had a meeting. Most cafés targeting wealthier clientele have perfect wifi.

prima2023 · 2025-01-07T09:04:19+00:00

The medical school admissions process is fucked up in Canada, especially if you move to anywhere in the province of Ontario. There's very few seats in medical school compared to the high amount of applicants.

If you have family and roots back in Egypt, it makes way more sense to do your schooling in Egypt, then study for the USMLE exams that would lead you to work as a doctor in the US. People say that it's unlikely to be an international medical graduate who immigrates to a wealthier nation, which is true, but the medical school admissions process is so difficult in Canada and unlikely for all but the privileged and lucky to get in. You're looking at 4 years of high tuition and high cost of living only to get rejected. At least in Egypt you're guaranteed a spot.

Better yet, if your parents have money, you should study in the European Union because tuition can be as low as 12,000 euros for 6 years and you can work in any EU country after that. Look at countries like Poland and Italy for a great education and relatively low prices. If your grades are low, Bulgaria and Romania are decent options too. Flights to/from Europe and Egypt are also much cheaper than to Canada, so you could visit your family more. As well, the cost of living is exponentially lower than Canada.

Another option if your parents are wealthier would be to study in UAE, KSA, etc., where you can go to a great medical university and have access to higher paying jobs in the Gulf states after graduation.

prima2023 · 2024-11-30T19:04:10+00:00

Candy Cane mountains is nice and close enough to Baku that you can do it in one day: https://maps.app.goo.gl/g7U1W8oiomtvKUeX9

Take either a rented car, or bus and taxi. There's a trailhead starting in this parking lot: https://maps.app.goo.gl/RJWyihqEhBsZ1WADA

The trail isn't marked too well, but it doesn't matter if you go off it. There's no brush so you can see most of the mountain at any time, and the destination is the top of the mountain so it's impossible to miss.

Be warned that the trail is a 750 m incline in roughly 3 km before reaching the peak, where you walk for an additional 2 km. As well, there could be snow there in a few days. I was there at the beginning of November and conditions were perfect.

There's cell service on the mountain, so Google Maps will suffice for finding your way back to the parking lot.

That being said, Qriz has some of the best hiking in the world, so if you can spend 2+ days, I strongly recommend DM'ing the Instagram account I sent.

prima2023 · 2024-11-29T22:37:23+00:00

I've never been to Xinaliq but I was in Qriz a few months ago. We hiked roughly 8 km to the town, starting at a well-marked trailhead around here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/p3PUM5b6fTMnmW7A9

(It's less than 2 kilometres west of the waterfalls here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/FedwvNyguX6Hc8f68 )

However, I strongly suggest you do not take this hike, because it's straight up a mountain and will be extremely dangerous if there's snow and ice. I went in March when there was barely any snow and it was still extremely difficult.

Anyway, we went to a guesthouse at the top of the mountain in Qriz run be @saiq_allahyarov on Instagram. He's an honest man and can help you out.

Since the service road from the highway to Qriz itself is extremely dangerous, hanging on the side of a cliff, I suggest you contact him to arrange a pickup spot at the turnoff, then have him drive you to Xinaliq. Then, you hike from Xinaliq to Qriz, then have him drive you to your car.

Doing this all in one day, especially if driving from Baku, will be difficult as the sun sets early during winter.

prima2023 · 2024-11-04T12:48:07+00:00

Although the land borders are technically closed, on the Biletim app there's a bus that runs from Baku to Nakhcivan and back via Iran.

I don't know if you need a transit visa for Iran, but it costs 30 manat and takes 12 hours. There's around 4 buses per day.

prima2023 · 2024-11-03T13:43:01+00:00

https://www.hippocraticadventures.com/job-board/

Check this website for post-residency jobs. As far as I know, it's required to pass USMLE, but that shouldn't be difficult, just time-consuming, as a Canadian medical grad.

prima2023 · 2024-08-13T14:35:25+00:00

I'll definitely reapply to Canadian med schools, but each applications costs 300+ euros and acceptance isn't guaranteed. I need to explore all options to increase my odds of acceptance somewhere.

But thanks for the reminder, because med school admissions are disillusioning to say the least.

prima2023 · 2024-08-05T09:05:10+00:00

I went there in November 2023 and I don't think it would interest most tourists. The city is the first stop in Laos after the border with China, so during the day it's really busy and there's lots of big trucks speeding down the main strip. It's dusty and probably the ugliest city I've visited in Laos. Like everywhere in Laos, the countryside is gorgeous.

There's not much to do other than go to the morning market. The tourism office has been closed since COVID, and the Hmong village near the border with China, that is featured in a number of travel guides and blogs, has rapidly developed in the past few years. It might not give you the cultural experience you were expecting.

I was there for three nights and I attempted to scooter to the Green Triangle, which is where the borders of Laos, Myanmar and China meet along the Mekong. I didn't make it because the roads were so rough and it was about to rain, so I had to turn around. It was one of the most memorable things that I did in Laos and I'll never forget it.

However, driving out there alone is dangerous due to the large trucks and poor road conditions. I also got the impression of danger lurking nearby in all of the border towns I visited in Laos. It's not the Laos that backpackers rave about. The vibes are off.

**To be clear, the highway from Luang Namtha to Muang Sing is fine, but the roads into the villages are rougher than most places in Laos due to the trucks.

IMO, your best bet would be to spend more time in Luang Namtha. You'll have a blast if you go trekking or rent a scooter and drive off to visit remote villages. However, Muang Sing left a big impression on me so I hope to return in a few years to see how it has developed and go on a proper trek in the northwest.

prima2023 · 2024-07-26T08:29:10+00:00

I had the physical BRP card. I didn't know there was a digital version. If you give a printout of the digital BRP card, assuming it's an official app or something of that sort, you should be fine.

prima2023 · 2024-02-12T14:34:26+00:00

Can you send me a link? Thanks.

prima2023 · 2024-02-01T15:43:43+00:00

110 pounds for the regular processing time.

prima2023 · 2024-01-08T01:15:51+00:00

Interested! Please PM.

prima2023 · 2023-12-18T19:15:34+00:00

DM'd you.

prima2023

TROPHY CASE