YOLO

Blog·ging: verb. 1. to put off till another day or time; defer; delay.

I really, really, reallllllly don't want to study right now, but I have had too much Red Bull to not be productive so I have decided to procrastinate via blogging. Forgive me if the following ramblings are jumbled beyond recognition due to my current caffeine-overdosed mental state.

So much has happened since my last post. Where to begin? I suppose chronological order would be a good way to go. 

Black Sands Beach by my dorm

Last week we had our first Tsunami Warning. There was a 7.9 earthquake off the western coast of Costa Rica. Now, for those of you geography gurus out there, you're probably thinking that's the wrong side. Well, you're right. The NWS Pacific Tsunami Warning Center mistakenly sent out a Tsunami warning to the entire Eastern Caribbean. Fail. 

About 2 hours after the initial warning was sent out, the school finally decided to tell us that the NWSPTW was "just kidding." Not cool, people. Just. Not. Cool.

I've been attending lectures about how to get the most out of lectures over the past few weeks. The SGU Department of Education Services has been hosting workshops on study tips, note-taking, time management, and multiple choice test-taking - all of which have been extremely helpful. I can't get over how many resources are available to the students here. It's such a small school, so the amount of individual attention each student gets is refreshing compared my previous university of 25,000 students. I can tell you that, so far, what they have been showing me has been working because I've gotten A's on all my tests so far! Please, save your applause for the end. :)

St. George's

 I still absolutely love Grenada but have struggled a bit with some of the adjustments. For example, I have to buy bottled water which is expensive. The tap water, even when filtered, was making me sick. We don't always have hot water first thing in the morning, which would be fine if our dorm wasn't FREEZING because of the air conditioner. But the positives DEFINITELY outweigh the negatives. This is a funny picture my roommie caught of me "studying" on the campus pier. You can't see it, but I DO have a highlighter in my hand with my hand on my textbook... I call it studying by diffusion.

I'm working really hard in school, I swear.

I have developed a new love for Indian food. Holy cow. This wonderful woman makes the best Samosas on the planet. Actually, I can't really say that since hers are the first I have ever tried. But regardless, they're amazing. For those of you unfamiliar with Samosas as I was before I got here, they are basically savory roasted vegetables, curry and love wrapped up in a flaky, delectable pastry shell. She sets up a huge buffet every single day in the gazebo on the upper side of campus. I can't tell you how grateful I am for this because it is the only form of food I can get without having to hike down the mountain in between classes. She also has a ginormous cooler with Redbull in it. I'm developing a slight addiction to caffeine, (insert health warning/risks here).

I went home last weekend to be a bridesmaid for one of my best college friend's wedding. The day before I left, I pulled this little gem out of the jar Dinger made me.

 Why yes, yes it is. Creepy, right?

Sunrise on Black Sands Beach before my flight.

When you all come to visit me, make sure you sit on the RIGHT side of the plane for the BEST views. :)

It really was bittersweet to leave this little rock in the Caribbean Sea that I have grown so fond of in such a short time. I was SO excited to see all my favorite roommates from college. We haven't all been together since 2009 and we were all flying in from all over the place. Molly from her position on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, Lindsey from Law School in San Diego and me from the Caribbean. Dinger picked us all up in a LIMO and the rest is a blur. Oh, and I sat next to Hank Azaria at the Miami Airport. The extent of our conversation was:

Me: "What flight are they boarding?"
Hank: "MIA to JFK"
Me: "Cool, thanks."

OMGosh!!!!!! I decided to take the "celebrities-don't-phase-me" route. But really, I WAS FREAKING OUT! I thought it would be rude to be like, "OMG, CAN YOU SIGN MY BOOB?"

Kidding. I would never do that...

SPRINGFIELD REUNION 2012!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I absolutely ADORE these girls. Please excuse Tato's (Molly) face. She has no manners. The bride was getting her much needed beauty rest for the big day that night so she is not pictured.

SUCH a gorgeous bride. And can I brag for a second? She did her hair and makeup HERSELF.   Gorgeous. 

The next day was Stinky's (Christina) wedding. We all met in her bridal suite for brunch and mimosas and to exchange presents. We all pitched in and got Stinky a naughty "gift basket" and she gave all of us bridemaids adorable pink flasks with our name's engraved on them. THE CUTEST. The wedding was beautiful and I was honored to be a part of it. They are such an inspiring couple. And Eric (her husband) is one of those people who we immediately accepted (probably much to his dismay) as one of the girls. We all love him dearly.

This picture portrays them perfectly. <3

The bridal party.

From left to right: Tato, Dinger, Stinky and me. Wish Tree (Lindsey) was in this pic! Tato, get on it!

For those of you who don't know, that's my tall, dark and incredibly good looking boyfriend, Gabriel, on the left.  Can you see why we call Lindsey, Tree? Cheers! :)

It was a short trip, but SO worth it.  I took this picture after cleaning out my wallet when I got back to the island. It made me smile because it reminded me of what an INCREDIBLE summer I had this year.

You know you've had an amazing summer when your coin purse has currency from all over the world. 

 I jumped right back into school the very next day which has definitely kicked into high gear. I'm stressed and busy and don't have time to breathe let alone eat during the week so I apologize for the inconsistent posts. I took this picture of one of my professor's hand writing. If you can read ANYTHING on the board, I'll give you a cookie. That's a lie. I'm broke as a joke. How about a high five?

Adding to his existing condition of "five-year-old handwritingitis" is the fact that
he REFUSES to erase the board all the way when he runs out of room. SO annoying. 

This weekend I got to let off some steam at my friend's birthday party. It was hosted at her parents' wine and tapas bar called YOLO and was an absolute BLAST. YOLO stands for "You only live once." So fitting. The setting is this incredible part of the island called Port Luis Marina. The balcony of the restaurant was right on the water overlooking the dock. We met a Yacht crew who were sailing to Trinidad & Tobago the next day to get it worked on.  They took us on the boat (ship?) which was parked about 20 yards from the restaurant's patio, (SO COOL!). What an awesome job. They just sail this thing around until the owner needs it. If I flunk out of vet school, you'll find me on a yacht! (Just kidding, Dad.) But this is a common occurrence for Grenada. A lot of  yacht crews port here and you'll run into them at any of the whopping 5 bars on the island.

These girls are TOO much fun.

On the Yacht. NBD.

Second celebrity sighting of the past two weeks: I met Dr. Pasquini, DVM, MSc, ABC, XYZ, GYM... who teaches veterinary anatomy at SGU and also wrote SIX vet anatomy textbooks. One of which I have already studied from in a Comparative Domestic Animal Anatomy course I took in my undergrad at CSU. Not going to lie, the nerd in me was TEN times more excited about this celebrity introduction than Hank Azaria. Don't worry, I didn't ask him to sign my boob either...

Sorry, I know this is a long one and I won't be offended if you need to get back to your regular lives. There's just SO much to tell you! I'm almost done, though, I swear. As per usual, I have a new fruit to tell you about. The West Indian Cherry. Love it! Ophelia introduced me to it when she cooked me dinner the other night. She's such a little Suzy Homemaker. And Ophelia's Signature Salad? Delicious. 

Ultimate school spirit. SGU shot glasses. 

 Alright, alright. I have no more excuses. My room is clean, my laundry is done, my blog is caught up.... back to studying. Cheers from the Caribbean!

It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power. - Alan Cohen

In Case I Don't See You - Good Afternoon, Good Evening and Good Night

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY FAVORITE OLDER BROTHER, MARK! 

Don't worry, Marky. We all love your stories enough to start hearing them over and over again. ;-)

Now that we have gotten the important business out of the way... let's begin. 

Things have gotten pretty hectic around here with a 7 class workload. I am loving the teaching styles and am starting to understand my professors A LOT better. I have noticed about a million advantages to attending school down here so I wanted to share a few with you:

1. The class sizes are TINY. About 25-30 students in each class which means the professor learns your name and demands an interactive learning environment. More often than not, you are expected to have an answer to their questions and actively participate in the learning process. It's also less intimidating to ask questions when you're lost instead of refraining because you're embarrassed about holding up 300 other students. 
2. There are a MILLION resources at your disposal. This is a medical school. The material is coming at you fast and hard and they want students to succeed. After all, it helps their statistics at the end of the day if they have a high student pass rate. The professors are very approachable, they offer 3 or 4 review sessions throughout the week taught by a student who got a high mark the semester before and if you are still struggling, the school will find you a private tutor - FOR FREE. We were assigned a Learning Development Counselor at the beginning of the term who is responsible for hosting valuable workshops about time management and study skills throughout the semester. You can also work with them individually if you find yourself behind or struggling. Overall, their goal is to develop your self-efficacy as a student to prepare you for your workload.
3. The students are here because they are dedicated to becoming medical professionals. We are all looking out for each other, are willing to help out if someone in our class is struggling, and making sure we are pulling our weight in group settings. This may change in a couple of years since I've heard upper termers are a bit more competitive and cut-throat but for now I am really enjoying having friends in my class that I can turn to for help, if necessary. Similarly, being able to teach someone a subject is the best form of studying I have found, thus far. 
4. Students don't work. Most of the students' schedules revolve around their studies rather than employment or social obligations. The school will pay you if you become a tutor but for the most part, no one holds a job.

Saw this on Facebook and it made me chuckle.

We finally got our white coats for lab!

Emma and I like to hang out on the dock in between class. Spoiled rotten.

This is our view. 

In case you were wondering, no, it never gets old...

I've been picking up some of the local slang over the past few weeks and I wanted to share a few fun terms with you that may help you in your future travels to Caribbean islands; Namely, when you come to visit me. ;-)

1. A lot of Caribbean islands use the term limin' instead of chillin' or hanging out. Wanna know how I learned that? Limin' with the locals... dur. 
2. They have a lot of stray dogs here. Sad. :( They call them 'Pothounds' or 'pumpettes.' I recently joined a club at school called 'Pothounds Against Pregnancy.' Basically, vet students, with the help of their professors, volunteer their time to spay/neuter the stray dogs. Not sad! :)
3. Grenadians don't pronounce the 'th' sound so the word 'thing' is pronounced, 'ting.' Also, instead of saying, "blah, blah, blah" they say, "ting, ting, ting." I could seriously listen to them talk all day long.
4. You always greet a person with "Good Morning, "Good Afternoon," "Good Evening," or "Good Night." I have a hard time saying, "Good Night" as a form of greeting but I'm learning. :)
5. They say 'gyal' instead of 'girl.'
6. Don't EVER call soccer, soccer. It's football. Off topic, but have any of you seen Green Street Hooligans? SO GOOD!
7. Eitherwho, if someone makes a mistake, they say 'Messed' but you have to drag it out... "Messsssssseeeeddddd, I totally flunked that test!"
8. And my personal favorite is, "That girl wants piggy, brethren." You see, 'piggy' is apparently a term for sex and 'brethren' or 'partner' means friend. I died laughing the first time I heard it...

Friday was rough. I decided to go to the Spice Mall since my only plate and utensils were accidentally taken after the dorm lunch last weekend and I desperately needed to buy another set. After my only class that day, (Oh, I forgot to tell you, my original schedule was wrong and I DO have one class at 11:30am on Fridays. BOO!), I jumped on a bus to head to Grand Anse.  There is so much stress involved with riding the busses here. They don't follow the schedules and are too small to fit all the students so everyone just pushes and shoves until they get a seat. My friend from New York is really good at it since she has experience on the trains in the city. Anyway, in all the chaos, I got on the WRONG bus! Since I don't know my way around the island yet, or the normal bus routes, I ended up riding the damn thing for TWO hours until it eventually dropped me back off on campus. I'm pretty sure the bus driver was judging...

After finally getting back to campus, two more buses to Grand Anse came and went as I unsuccessfully tried to board them,  I waited another 40 minutes, before I was able to squeeze my way onto the correct bus. By then, I was grumpy and anti-social and, in hindsight, feel bad for the people sitting next to me. Then, I had to fight the hungry students and locals at the grocery store since I forgot that Fridays are when they get all their new inventory in. UGH! Waited in another long line to check out, spent waaay too much money on milk and bread and then waited 25 MORE minutes for the next bus back to campus. First time since I have been here, that I really just wanted to go home. What could have been a half hour trip to the grocery store took six hours. Nonsense. 

I found the closest "pharmacy" which is basically just a convenient store.

It was like playing "Where's Waldo?" trying to find all these teeny-tiny little bus
stop signs all over the island.

In Grenada, you can get a ticket if you aren't wearing your seatbelt, but not for having a beer in your hand...

The sign for the local student bar where the usual debauchery occurs. Friday's special?
Unlimited drinks for $25EC (about $10US). I think they should change their slogan to:
 "Breeding baby alcoholics since 2001."
(JK, I have no idea how long they've been open).

Fresh eggs at the mini farmer's market on campus!

My roomies, Daniella and Nakeisha, cooked a whole lunch for 30 people in our dorm on TWO tiny burners.
And it was DELICIOUS! 

My Roomies! I seriously LUCKED out with all the girls in my dorm. There's 8 of us and they are all amazing! Also, I have no idea who the random dude is on the right... LOL.

Okay, by now you all should have noticed that I have an extreme obsession with the fruit on this island. This week's honorable mention: STAR FRUIT!

How beautiful is that?

OBSESSED!

They are beautiful, juicy with the perfect amount of crunch, packed with antioxidants and Vitamin C, refreshing and full of fiber. You can eat them raw, in a smoothie or cook with them.

As opposed to... non-tomato ketchup???

A pic of the blue moon taken by the talented Mr. Sameer Shah.
See more pics of his time at  SGU by clicking here.



Alright, I am officially putting the "pro" in procrastination. Back to the books.


"Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another."
- Gilbert K. Chesterton

Lemon-Colored Limes and Lime-Colored Lemons

There are no Starbucks in Grenada. None.

No, but seriously. The course load I am taking is extremely demanding of my time and attention. I am currently in the process of building up the endurance to focus for long hours as efficiently as possible with a high retention rate. So, you can see my dilemma due to the fact that there are NO. STARBUCKS. IN. GRENADA.

We do have one cafe/restaurant/lounge on campus that will serve coffee with milk - no soy milk, no flavored high-fructose corn syrups, no whipped cream, no mochas... Sometimes, I cry. Oh, but can you guess what they do have for your coffee?

Nutmeg.

I've been enjoying my classes and getting accustomed to the various accents and teaching styles. I'm finding my bearings on campus and learning the nicknames the students have come up with for all the buildings. However, just when I thought I was getting the hang of hiking up and down the campus mountain several times a day, I was forced to add 20 pounds of textbooks to my daily routine. I have no idea what my grades will look like at the end of this semester, but I can tell you that my rearend is going to look AH-MAZING.

For those who haven't heard, we've been having some interesting weather arounds these parts as of late.   Hurricane Isaac paid us a visit this week although it (he?) was only a tropical storm when it passed over Grenada. Apparently, tropical storms and hurricanes are pretty rare in Grenada since it's located below the hurricane belt. But alas, one of the MANDATORY orientation sessions we attended that first week was on disaster preparedness and what the students should do in case of a major hurricane. The school is the safest place on the island to be because it's on a cliff and has a lot of hills providing drainage to the beach preventing any major flooding from occurring (or so they tell us).

Definitely been getting the "whole" Caribbean experience already

I've never seen SO much rain. The clouds were pretty sweet. 

Black Sands Beach by my dorm

The white caps were crazy!

Because it was pretty cloudy most of the week, we took advantage of what little sunshine we got by going to the BEACH!

Ophelia (left) is actually from DANVILLE! How crazy is that??

 The students in the veterinary field are definitely the fun ones on campus. You know the old saying, "Work hard, play hard?" Yeah, I'm pretty sure vet students coined that term. The SGU Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association (SCAVMA) started this year off with a bang by throwing a party on Black Sands Beach for all the students. Afterwards, they all headed to De Big Fish for the "unofficial after-party." If anybody asks, you didn't hear that from me. Apparently, student associations aren't allowed to throw parties with alcohol involved the first week of school. Why they are not allowed to the throw them the first week of school (when the workload is still bearable) but all the other weeks is a mystery to me.  We're going on an 8 hour Catamaran cruise to snorkel at the underwater sculpture park, jump on a water trampoline, beach hop and kayak next weekend. Yes, please! Here's a picture of a bunch of us playing flip cup at the SCAVMA party.

Go Blue Team!

I finally went out to Bananas, the local student bar, on Friday night with a bunch of people from our dorm. It was way fun. The bar was surprisingly beautiful and if you couldn't tell already, I love the fact that all the bars and restaurants around here are outdoors.  I am already beginning to see a lot of familiar faces out and about. However, this is not the place for the inexperienced or over-zealous drinker; the drinking age is 16, food is expensive, drinks are cheap, no over-serving laws are enforced PLUS it doesn't close until 6am! Need I even mention that we're in a foreign country? They actually have an attendant in the girls' bathroom whose sole purpose is to make sure that girls don't pass out in the stalls. And trust me, she's not handing out little mints, either. Now I understand the MANDATORY substance abuse seminar...

One of the outdoor bars.

Speaking of expensive food, during my weekly trip to the local grocery store, IGA, I snapped a few shots of the exotic fruit selection. They stock up their inventory on Fridays so Saturday is always a madhouse. It's fun watching students revert back to their basic, primitive instincts when the food source is so scarce. At first, I couldn't understand why so many students actually chose to eat at the restaurants on campus since they are stupid expensive, but I am quickly seeing its appeal to vet and med students. You see, to them, there are only four food groups: fast, frozen, instant and chocolate.

These are avocadoes... that stay green. Apparently, they're sweeter than normal
and not as creamy as we're used to. I bought one but I'm supposed to wait for it to ripen before
I can try it.  Report to follow.

It's a little hard to get used to the new produce selection.

Lemons here are green...  and limes are yellow. WTH?

Oranges are green, too, but they taste like... well... oranges!

I like the floral arrangements here better than home. :)

I definitely do a lot more cooking here than I did back home because everything is so expensive. When I first heard that there was a Chipotle on the island I literally peed a little.

This is not at all what I had in mind.

Welp, back to the grind stone. I'll leave you with this little gem.