Here's a little update of what we've been up to this week. While it is definitely not as interesting as past editions of the Chronicles, this is the reason that we came here (as sad as it is to admit).
Justin has completed his first week of classes (horay!). All week he has had a morning block from 8-12. His professors rotate through the days of the week so one morning he may have biochemistry and anatomy and the next cell biology and Doctor Patient Society. In the afternoons he goes over the material and previews the material for the following day.
Of course, it is about to get a lot tougher with class continuing after lunch some days until 5 (and then find time to study when you aren't in lab). On Wednesday, he had his first study session that is led by one of the campus psycologists. They reviewed test formats and strategies to use when taking the test. Justin said it was pretty helpful. Staying on top of all the material was pretty easy for him this week because he's had classes in the hard subjects (biochemistry and cell biology) and is really focusing on anatomy and physiology which is mostly memorization, and as a professor reminded them in orientation, you have your own personal cheat sheet! When I quiz him on the muscles of the back (yes, that's right, I'm learning some stuff too...I'm not sure how that will help me, but I like spending time with him), he paces back and forth doing kempo and stopping to shrug his shoulders (levator spinae and trapezious) or do some other back muscle flexing to help him remember.
On Thursday, he had his first anatomy lab. It was just an introduction so he didn't get to cut anyone open yet. Actually the "Gross Anatomy Lab" is exactly what its name suggests: Gross. The lab itself has huge windows all along one side so that students passing by can get a look at what's going on. Last week during orientation, all I could see were the huge metel strechers that hold the bodies. Then magically on Monday morning as I was walking to my favorite spot on campus (the SGA lounge where I can sit and plug in my laptop in an airconditioned room and use the school's electricity while I compose the awesomeness that is the Chronicles of Justina & Ashley), I glanced to my left and was totally "Gross"ed out to see that thirty bodies where now resting on the stretchers. The cadaver fairy had come in the middle of the night. I'm not sure where they came from but every time I pass by I'm thankful I'm not the one that has to go in there and breathe in the formaldehyde fumes and peel back layers of skin and fat and.... yeah, I'll leave that to Justin.
Anyway, apparently, there aren't enough bodies to go around. First and second semester students share cadavers with the first semester working on the back and then second semester coming in and flipping the body to work on the front and then first semesters flip them over again to work on the back. Plus, the first semester students have been divided into three sections. So section A does the first disection and explains it to B and C and so on.
For lunch, we've discovered the awesomeness that is "The Shacks." Right outside the main campus there are two rows of stalls where locals sell food. Mrs. Lambert (the lady who helped us at the market) has a stall that sells healthy food. You can get pizza, fresh fruit juice, sandwiches, and our favorite, chicken. I've found out from the spouses that there isn't any fresh chicken meat available in the stores. You have to buy frozen meat that has been shipped over. We haven't made the investment yet, so we like to have chicken from "The Chicken Man."
With his trusty set of three webber grills, he cooks up a mean chicken breast.
We like to meet for lunch, when I'm not working.
Working?, you ask. Why yes, yours truely got a job at the campus bookstore. The shifts are either 7-2:30 or 2:30 to 9:30. It gets a little intense, but there is a steady string of caffine/sugar addicts who can't get enough of the 6 EC coffee (lets take the term coffee lightly, please don't imagine a glamorous starbucks styled drink but a weak brewed brown colored hot water) and the 4 EC bags of skittles. EC is the currency on the Island (Eastern Carribeans). The exchange rate is 1 US for 2.67 EC. You do the math. We also sell overpriced folders, pens, books, diet cokes, oh wait, everything in that store is overpriced. Luckily I get a 15% discount which knocks a coffee down to 5.10 EC. But it does make the time go by and give Justin time to study at home without me bothering him. And I like the girls I work with. It is only 3 shifts a week so I have plenty of time to do other things. Another spouse, Julie from Arizona, and I have undertaken the task of reshelving all the books in the prep school's library. We've got a job ahead of us!
This afternoon, Justin had his white coat ceremony.
As the spouses waited outside the annex under a tent (what were we waiting for? oh, we were just waiting to see if there was going to be enough room for us in the auditorium) we watched the president and prime minister arrive in their Hyundai Sonata with a Nissan SUV full of security detail following with semi automatic guns.
It was impressive. They finally piled all the faculty and political dignitaries inside (Ross does provide over 50% of the countries GDP) and found room for 20 extra people. Don't worry... I pushed my way in. We listened to people talk and then the students filed down rows at a time to put on their white coats as they begin their studies to be a doctor.
Tomorrow I'm going to the market on my own. Wish me luck.
You could also drink a cold glass of milk/starbucks/diet doctor pepper in my honor.
Ashley
Justin has completed his first week of classes (horay!). All week he has had a morning block from 8-12. His professors rotate through the days of the week so one morning he may have biochemistry and anatomy and the next cell biology and Doctor Patient Society. In the afternoons he goes over the material and previews the material for the following day.
Of course, it is about to get a lot tougher with class continuing after lunch some days until 5 (and then find time to study when you aren't in lab). On Wednesday, he had his first study session that is led by one of the campus psycologists. They reviewed test formats and strategies to use when taking the test. Justin said it was pretty helpful. Staying on top of all the material was pretty easy for him this week because he's had classes in the hard subjects (biochemistry and cell biology) and is really focusing on anatomy and physiology which is mostly memorization, and as a professor reminded them in orientation, you have your own personal cheat sheet! When I quiz him on the muscles of the back (yes, that's right, I'm learning some stuff too...I'm not sure how that will help me, but I like spending time with him), he paces back and forth doing kempo and stopping to shrug his shoulders (levator spinae and trapezious) or do some other back muscle flexing to help him remember.
On Thursday, he had his first anatomy lab. It was just an introduction so he didn't get to cut anyone open yet. Actually the "Gross Anatomy Lab" is exactly what its name suggests: Gross. The lab itself has huge windows all along one side so that students passing by can get a look at what's going on. Last week during orientation, all I could see were the huge metel strechers that hold the bodies. Then magically on Monday morning as I was walking to my favorite spot on campus (the SGA lounge where I can sit and plug in my laptop in an airconditioned room and use the school's electricity while I compose the awesomeness that is the Chronicles of Justina & Ashley), I glanced to my left and was totally "Gross"ed out to see that thirty bodies where now resting on the stretchers. The cadaver fairy had come in the middle of the night. I'm not sure where they came from but every time I pass by I'm thankful I'm not the one that has to go in there and breathe in the formaldehyde fumes and peel back layers of skin and fat and.... yeah, I'll leave that to Justin.
Anyway, apparently, there aren't enough bodies to go around. First and second semester students share cadavers with the first semester working on the back and then second semester coming in and flipping the body to work on the front and then first semesters flip them over again to work on the back. Plus, the first semester students have been divided into three sections. So section A does the first disection and explains it to B and C and so on.
For lunch, we've discovered the awesomeness that is "The Shacks." Right outside the main campus there are two rows of stalls where locals sell food. Mrs. Lambert (the lady who helped us at the market) has a stall that sells healthy food. You can get pizza, fresh fruit juice, sandwiches, and our favorite, chicken. I've found out from the spouses that there isn't any fresh chicken meat available in the stores. You have to buy frozen meat that has been shipped over. We haven't made the investment yet, so we like to have chicken from "The Chicken Man."
With his trusty set of three webber grills, he cooks up a mean chicken breast.We like to meet for lunch, when I'm not working.
Working?, you ask. Why yes, yours truely got a job at the campus bookstore. The shifts are either 7-2:30 or 2:30 to 9:30. It gets a little intense, but there is a steady string of caffine/sugar addicts who can't get enough of the 6 EC coffee (lets take the term coffee lightly, please don't imagine a glamorous starbucks styled drink but a weak brewed brown colored hot water) and the 4 EC bags of skittles. EC is the currency on the Island (Eastern Carribeans). The exchange rate is 1 US for 2.67 EC. You do the math. We also sell overpriced folders, pens, books, diet cokes, oh wait, everything in that store is overpriced. Luckily I get a 15% discount which knocks a coffee down to 5.10 EC. But it does make the time go by and give Justin time to study at home without me bothering him. And I like the girls I work with. It is only 3 shifts a week so I have plenty of time to do other things. Another spouse, Julie from Arizona, and I have undertaken the task of reshelving all the books in the prep school's library. We've got a job ahead of us!
This afternoon, Justin had his white coat ceremony.
As the spouses waited outside the annex under a tent (what were we waiting for? oh, we were just waiting to see if there was going to be enough room for us in the auditorium) we watched the president and prime minister arrive in their Hyundai Sonata with a Nissan SUV full of security detail following with semi automatic guns.
It was impressive. They finally piled all the faculty and political dignitaries inside (Ross does provide over 50% of the countries GDP) and found room for 20 extra people. Don't worry... I pushed my way in. We listened to people talk and then the students filed down rows at a time to put on their white coats as they begin their studies to be a doctor.Tomorrow I'm going to the market on my own. Wish me luck.
You could also drink a cold glass of milk/starbucks/diet doctor pepper in my honor.
Ashley
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