June 3, 2007, Wow! Time Flies!

Holy cow, everyone! I'm sorry I have been so remiss in sending out
e-mails. The level of work required to keep one nostril above water
in medical school is astounding!

What's been going on here... Well, we're certainly firmly ensconced
in the semester. I have had several sessions of Gross Anatomy lab--in
fact our first lab practical is in less than a week, June 8. Then,
June 11 is our first Mini Exam. So, if people are wondering where I
am for the next week, I'm firmly emplaced in my
books/lectures/notes/study guides/study groups.

It's very interesting for me, and another late admission, Kit. We
feel just as lost about most things as our classmates, but when we
walk around on campus, they come and ask us questions because we're
the "smart kids". This all started about a week ago, and has been
going on hard and fast for the whole week since. It's really bizarre.
We're not really complaining about it, though. The interesting thing
about it is, a large percentage of these people I don't know from
Adam. I can't speak for Kit, but I have a feeling our reputation
precedes us, earned or not.

One thing that surprises me here is that there seems to be almost no
attempt at rumor control from the administration. Communication of
anything other than knowledge for exams and medicine seems to be a
very late afterthought. Not only that, but as I am now a member of
Campus EMS, I got to participate in a campus hurricane drill. Yet
another after-thought. So, now I appear to be working in a REMA (Ross
Emergency Management Agency) type of disaster planning area--when I
get time around all of my studies. So, in the past week, I think I've
spent about 30 minutes looking up things from FEMA for how to plan and
run a disaster shelter. It seems to be fairly interesting, and it
certainly necessary. I plan on using it to help get myself one of the
two letters of recommendation you need to get off the island and go to
clinicals and residencies. So, it's not like this isn't for a real
educational reason, too.

Other things new and different here. I have basically given up all
attempts of cooking and/or making my own food until I have more
time--so that will probably be after the first semester. I have
almost no time, no condiments, no kitchen tools, few pots and pans,
and the list goes on. Becky gets here today, so hopefully some of
that she can help remedy, but I'm sure it will take her several
days/weeks to get her feet under her. So, food will continue to be an
interesting experience, what with going to the "lunch shacks" 2 meals
a day and getting grilled chicken and salad with rice and beans. It's
good food, and nutritious. But, it's rather lacking in variety day in
and day out for a month by this time. The fresh juice you can get is
good. Being able to get a fresh coconut, mango, or pineapple hasn't
lost its luster. Passionfruit needs a blender, though. The seeds and
the slime around them is a little hard to take all the time.

I'm also going to let this be known well ahead of time. Becky and my
marathon trip to Chicago in October will be a week or two before my
first mini exam of the second semester. If I am curt and short and
don't spend my time being fun, it's because I must study. No I'm not
going to be sorry, and no, I won't apologize for it. I will be snowed
under.

I'm not sure what else is really new and interesting here. I haven't
taken much time to digest anything but going to class and studying
after class.

Take care everyone!

-j