Kicked Out

We definitely had a crazy weekend!  Last Friday night, we had a BBQ and then ended up coming back to my room for drinks and games.  Saturday we spent the day at the Marriott.  We were sitting outside by the pool and were told we couldn't sit in the chairs, so we went over to the beach.  We were told to come back for happy hour at the main pool, so we went back and then the same security guard came up to us again and told us that since we weren't staying at the resort, we had to leave and he was going to call the cops.  We then went to the front desk and talked to management because of the way the security guard was treating us.  They then treated us a lot better and told the security guard to back off.  It definitely made for an interesting day.  We then went to hang out at one of the girl's houses for dinner, drinks, and games!  Sunday we had a pot luck brunch that everyone brought food to share.

I then went to two tutor sessions just to make sure I'm ready for the upcoming tests.  Later that afternoon Kelli and I had our surfing lesson from our future professors, which was a lot of fun.  We didn't try standing up, but we were sitting and catching a few waves just laying down and apparently that was more than both of the guys did the first time.  Both of us got hit in the head with our boards while trying not to get hit by a wave, so we were at little sore the next day.  We then went out to dinner and dancing and I think I had the best time I've had since I've been down here.  It's always the spontaneous moments that make for the best memories.

At some point on Sunday I got eaten up by mosquitos or sand fleas and ended up waking up Monday covered in bites and itching like crazy.

Monday,  was a lazy day other than working on our group project for the next day and then Kelli and I just watched movies all afternoon.
The rest of the week was business as usual; Workouts, class, studying, with some reading of second and third Hunger Game books.
Friday and weekend will consist of nothing but studying for our tests on Monday.  Wish me luck because I feel like this:

Parents visit

So this past weekend my parents came to visit (see Mom I told you I would talk about you).  On Friday I took them to one of my favorite places to eat here and they were able to meet a bunch of the people I have been hanging out with.

 On Saturday, we went to look at a car that another student was selling, and I now have a car to drive!  Of course, it's white...thanks dad for helping! I couldn't do it without you!

The rest of Saturday we spent at Reggae beach, where I introduced them to Reggae Colidas.  We then went back to the Marriott for happy hour St. Patrick drink specials and checked out an Italian restaurant I've been wanting to go to.  Sunday we went to church....two pleasant hours later....we had brunch at Ottley's Plantation.  We then were able to go look at the apartment that I will be living in, so my parents could see it and Alex and I could again get an idea of what we will need to bring with us.  Sunday night we spent another happy hour at the Marriott bar and later had some sushi for dinner.

 They then had to leave Monday, so we ran to port and did some grocery shopping.  I think I'm basically set for the next two semesters with the five boxes of cereal that mom brought for me.  However later that day I found out some very overwhelming news, so please keep a friend and her family in your prayers.
We found out our math/pharm test grades on Tuesday.  I got a 104% on it!  For dinner I made an amazing chicken pesto which I had been craving (thanks for the pesto mom)!
Thursday I went to the post office to pick up two packages full of nothing but cookies (homemade and girl scout...thanks Grandma and Laura!  As part of the Josh Project fund raiser a few weeks ago, each semester picked a teachers to dress up as something that the students chose.  Whichever semester won, that teacher had to dress up today.  My Physio teacher ended up winning: Reich as Ace Ventura

We plan on laying out at the beach on Saturday and probably going out that night.  Sunday, we are all having a pot-luck brunch outside and then I was invited to take some surfing lessons with one of the teachers (Thanks Boruta!) here who I know through a coworker back home.  Then I will also probably go to some of the tutor sessions for the upcoming tests.

Third round of tests....2 more to go

Monday we had our third round of tests, which were definitely more of a struggle then the previous exams have been.  However, I still managed to pull of an A in Micro, B in Physio (his hardest test yet), A in Vet Terms, and we will not find out about Pharm/Math until next week because our teacher is out of the country.  I made some dinner (chili and pasta salad) for the girls Monday night, including lots of drinks! Yay...we definitely needed it.
On Tuesday I started filling out my taxes....thanks mom and dad for sending them to me (sarcasm).  I also started getting together everything for my parents to take back when they come.  We also got our assignment for Applications...class is officially over, we just have presentations of our cases to do.  We also got our new groups for Evidence Based Medicine, which happen to be the same groups as last time, so I have Friday mornings off still! Yay!  I also found some gnocchi on the island, so I made that for dinner and it was delicious!
On Wednesday I found out I cannot change my flight in order to go to the Zoe Jacks belly dance workshop in May :(  I guess I will just have to purchase of few of her DVDs to make up for it! My Ipod then decided to break today as well....grrr
On Thursday, we had a vet from MN come and talk to us about alternative medicine, such as acupuncture which was very interesting but sounds very complicating.  Alternative medicine is definitely something that a lot of pet owners have been looking into however, so it's definitely something for me to look into; maybe get a certification or two.  Alex then made us a dinner of Canoas de Amarillos,  which are cooked bananas stuffed with ground beef, onions, peppers, garlic, and other spices.  You can also stuff them with rice.  They were delicious and something that I will definitely have to try making.
Mom and Dad are coming this weekend and it couldn't have been better timed!  I have been getting homesick and I'm very much in need of a mentally relaxing weekend.  Too bad they can't bring my puppy with them :(  So Friday they want to meet everyone here, so we are all going out to dinner.  Saturday we are looking at a car; hopefully this one will work out.  Sunday we are going to church and the Ottley's Plantation for dinner.  Hopefully the rest of the time I will be pampered by the parents at the Marriott!  32 days....

39 Days

Short post this week because I've been studying and having to deal with some personal things.

This past weekend a few of us went on the radio tower hike.  There were 16 at our last hike and only 3 at this hike.  It took us 4 hours total, but we definitely stopped and relaxed for a while at the top. Here are some pictures:

Taylor then made us some dinner before our movie night since we were feeling extra lazy after our hike.
Sunday and Monday I spent catching up on sleep and doing some studying outside since both days were so gorgeous.  Taylor was very sweet and made dinner for me again!  Thanks hun! 
Ryan's birthday was on Thursday - Happy 24th Birthday!  I got to talk to him and hear about his fun Vegas plans.
Friday and the rest of the weekend consists of  lots and lots of studying!  Wish me luck, this time I feel like I need it!

It's funny....all the incoming 1st semesters have their countdown on Facebook of when they are getting to the island and all of the current 1st semesters and vet preppers have our countdown for when we go home!   39 days.....

Mid-semester break

So a lot went on this past weekend:  Saturday at the Marriott was my first sunburn here...ouch!  However, it was extremely relaxing to get away for the short time.  Saturday night's booze cruise was not what I was expecting....we didn't actually leave the port until an hour and a half later than we were suppose to, the drinks ran out in the first hour, the wind made the weather extremely cold (and I even planned for it to be cold and was still cold), there was a lot less food and people than was promised, the music wasn't the greatest, and well I think it might have ran a little long, because we were all very tired at the end of it.  So, unfortunately not what I was excepting.
Sunday I caught up on some sleep and slept the latest that I have slept here.  I also did some studying and cooking (my chicken was about to go bad).  Sunday night, I had another birthday dinner at Rock Lobster with some of my orientation group and had some delicious seafood that I've been missing.  We also had sangria and cake!
Monday was mid-semester break, although it doesn't really affect the vet preppers, because we usually have Mondays off.  I asked trainer Wayne to lead us on the bat cave hike, since I still hadn't been on a hike here.  It was so much fun, wasn't expecting to be so long however (5 hours), but I really didn't mind it.  There was no real paved path and several boulders you had to climb over with a rope.  Here are some pics:

I made dinner that night for Alex and me, which consisted of chicken parmigiana, pasta, garlic bread, and veggies.  I figured we deserved it after our crazy day.  I woke up Tuesday a little stiff and a bunch of scratches and bruises from the day before, but I still managed to make it to the gym even though everyone thought I was crazy.
Wednesday we had our second VOICE meeting to learn some more medical Spanish.  The rest of the week just consisted of studying.  Friday I went to the post office yet again to pick up more packages (Thank you Kristen and Alan and Laura)  I have the most amazing and supportive friends!

This weekend one of my friend's parents are coming in town and wanted to meet everyone, so I'm sure I will be at the Marriott hanging out with her.  On Saturday, a smaller group of us from the Bat Cave hike are doing the Radio Tower hike.  Apparently this one is more of a hike than rock climbing like the bat cave!

Some more vet fun:

Oh and be on the lookout for March's photo challenge!

Birthday

Happy Birthday to me! I got to celebrate with 4 exams......and lots of drinks and dinner afterwards!  (Thanks again Chris for making my chicken parmigiana! It was delicious!)  I also got to Skype my parents to open some gifts.....yes they had gifts that they opened for me.  Very fun even though I might have been a little drunk....

                                        Classmates that celebrated with me

I had a very rough morning getting up on Tuesday.....oops too much wine!  So I skipped the gym, and barely made it through my 10am class.  I took a nap before the afternoon classes and did much better.  I treated myself to a massage as a birthday present and little relaxer after all the exams.  I didn't end up doing as well on the exams as I wanted to or as well as last time (C in Micro, C in Math (stupid multiple choice...not even the math part!), B in Physio, and A in Vet Terms), but fortunately/unfortunately these grades don't count toward my GPA yet.
Lent started this week and I think this has been the only Ash Wednesday that I haven't gotten ashes and I feel bad about it.  I don't even know if the churches here do ashes or what times or anything, so I'm sure God will understand.  I do have to figure out what I'm giving up though and try to remember no meat on Fridays!
Thursday consisted of a Caribbean cooking class that I signed up for at Nirvana restaurant.  This place has beautiful gardens that you are able to come pick fruit from at anytime. We learned how to cook pickled green banana salad, jerk pork, creole sauce, rice and peas, and banana bread pudding!

Friday I went to the post office for two more packages!  (Thanks Chrissy and Mom!)  Tonight we are planning on going out to Rock Lobster for some pitchers of Sangeria!  Then Saturday includes a trip to the mechanic for hopefully my new car, some much overdue beach time, and a birthday cruise aka booze cruise for personal trainer Wayne and me!

As a side note, I found out there is going to be a Zoe Jakes workshop in Charlotte in May on the day I leave to come back to St. Kitts!  I'm so upset...mom please change my flight! lol

Apartment Found!

My baby sister turned 21 on Monday!  I wish I could have been there to celebrate with her, but at least we were able to Skype so I could see her open her gifts.  Hope you enjoy mine J (even though I know you can't "play" with it until you get home!
Alex's (my future roommate) parents came into town so we were able to run some errands and look at apartments!  The housing list came out last Friday, so we spent the weekend discussing what we were looking for.  Originally there were going to be three of us, but unfortunately it didn't work out, so it's just Alex and me.  We ended up looking at three different places total (two of the places we looked at two apartments).  The first one we were definitely against; it was too far away from the school, didn't have the best furniture and we weren't thrilled with the location in general, so that one was completely off the list.  We had contacted several people to look at places, but only heard back from three, so we talked to off-campus housing and they assured us that we will find one out of those that contacted us. So on Monday, we were torn between two places and had to sleep on it.  The first place was newer, cheaper, included utilities and generally nicer, but it didn't have a generator, wasn't the most secure, and the dryer was on the outside of the building.  The second place we looked at was bigger, had a generator, is extremely secure, has a large Ross community, a washer and dryer in the individual apartment, but doesn't allow pets, didn't include all utilities, and it much more expensive.  In the end, as much as we tried to justify living at the newer nicer place, the second apartment just made more sense.  We are thrilled that we don't have to worry about an apartment though and we are still happy with the results (well maybe not the no pet part, but I was told we can talk to the landlord if we end up wanting one).  There are currently people living here, so here are some pictures and I will post more when we actually move in:

Tuesday was a busy day.  We were suppose to have a wrap up for our Evidence Based Medicine class, but the teachers got confused with the schedule, so it had to be rescheduled.  We were however given new groups and luckily I am on the same day with my class, so I still have Friday mornings free.  We then had Applications where we worked with the horse, sheep, and dogs again to make sure we understand what we went over last class.  After classes that day, a bunch of us all went out to see The Vow.  The theater was incredibly full and it's almost like you are paying for two shows.  One being the actual movie and the second being people watching.  The locals get very into the movies here and will shout their opinions of the movie and certain characters.  Needless to say, I didn't study at all this day....oops.
Wednesday was another long day where I was on campus from 10:30am until 9pm.  We had a VBMA speaker from 5:30-9 (it was suppose to last until 8:30).  It was a good topic, but just long.  Thursday was uneventful, but there was another VBMA speaker at lunch....only 4 more hours until my certification!
This weekend will consist of nothing but studying and review sessions....Fun!

In honor of tests coming up, I thought everyone might enjoy this because it's so true: