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Well my job was supposed to start last week, but so goes the slow-paced, easy-going culture here, and so they didn't have all the paper work in order for me to start. It might have frustrated me if I hadn't just spent 2 months in South America and 3 months on the Tex-Mex border. So I was unsurprised by their incredible disorganization despite being a large hospital system, and instead was happy to have the opportunity to explore and enjoy my new state a little more. I visited Tent Rocks, a national park of incredible volcanic canyons/rocks in the shapes of mostly tents but also strange formations. I went down to Albuquerque for a hike in the Sandia foothills and to see the largest hot air balloon festival in the world with my sister's brother-in-law (there must be a word this relationship, anyone?). Unfortunately it was too windy so the balloons didn't go up that day, but we enjoyed the carnival that goes along with it (at 5am), which included a simulation dome of Texas, which incidentally = hilarious if you ever get the chance....

Yesterday was my official first day. It was another day of having to say, "hellloo! I'm here! Are you going to orient me or something? What do I do if there's a fire?" Oh New Mexico. The flip side is, that everyone is incredibly friendly and I met everyone from the kitchen staff, to the housekeeping, to IT, to admin, to security...pretty rare for a hospital. The other cool thing about Presbyterian Espanola is that although it is a tiny hospital in a tiny town, so it has the benefits of being able connect with the people and park in the free parking lot, it also has access to up-to-date research, technology, and is actually with-the-times of big hospitals (not that I always agree with hospitals, but that's another story). It's going to take some time getting adjusted to the schedule (leaving the house at 6am, getting home at 8pm or later if like last night I couldn't help but dash to BumbleBees to get something to eat)...it'll probably take about the amount of time I'll have before they switch me to nights in fact. But in general I feel very positive about this new job. I just need to organize myself and figure out: ok, when am I going to cook? When am I going to exercise? How is my sleep schedule going to work? When will I have a social life? Ah the complexities of starting a new job...in a new town...with silly hours.

Below are some pictures from my grand week and a half of adventure and bliss.

One of the many beautiful homes on the East side, near Canyon Road

Tent Rock

The Aspens up near the ski basin

PS in case I haven't noted, I am a labor and delivery nurse, and the hospital is great because it has a very low C-section and epidural rate, but also a high rate of interesting complications like drug-addicted babies and teen moms...