Friday = Free.

I have made it to Friday of Hell Week, and as a gift to myself I will be attending the Digicel Caribbean Cup football (= soccer) games tonight. Tonight's game is between the British Virgin Islands and Barbados. Sunday night is St. Kitts vs. Barbados...but that's the night before my Anat Lecture exam so I may not make that.

This will be my first completely local St. Kitts event, not tied to the school in any way. I'm super excited! See the news article below:

http://www.digicelfootball.com/en/news.php?id=269

Also in the news, the new SEVEN theatre movie plaza has officially opened! I have yet to experience a movie there, but plan on visiting sometime next week. Follow the link below for a few shots of the "before" theatre (which was in town, nestled among the other buildings) and the "after" theatre (which is a free-standing building located just down the road from campus/my apartment). Rather than reinvent the wheel (or 'blog'?), I just figured I'd have you check out Julia's blog about the theatre...

http://lifeonstkitts.blogspot.com/2008/09/new-movie-theater-on-st-kitts.html

As a side note, ran into the new 'gang' of Peace Corps volunteers Tuesday at the coffee shop. They are in their 3rd/4th week of training, and seem to be fitting in well (i.e. they haven't gotten back on the plane yet, a good sign). From what I understand, they will be living with a host family for the training period (about 6 weeks) and then moving into apartments for the duration of the 2 years. All of them seem to be teachers of some kind; one girl is in Special Education which I think is fantastic.

From what they've seen, the education system here is terrible. One of our professors was telling us that she attended a meeting with the British Head Minister (?) and one of the topics of discussion was education. It seems literacy is a very serious issue here (sadly as it is everywhere). A local woman who was on the panel approached our professor after the meeting and explained that it will be very hard to change the local view of literacy. Seems they are told from a very young age that when they read/learn, they take up room in their brain that can't ever be used again. They are encouraged to 'save' that space for more important parts of life. I haven't really confirmed this story, but it is very sad to consider. Guess it is a method of control over the population; discourage reading/learning and you discourage free-thinking people.

As to the P.C. vols, I passed along my contact numbers for the better taxi drivers, filled them in on the cheap/yummy food areas, and gave them my contact info in case they ever need anything. I hope they have as wonderful of an experience as I have had. This island never ceases to amaze me.

Breaking news....

My neighbor's place across the street was broken into last night. While this is a common occurance in St. Kitts - especially where students are concerned as we are all assumed to be related to Bill Gates - this was fairly close to home.

Our bedroom doors are equipped with keyed deadbolts so we can lock ourselves in when we go to sleep at night. Last night, my neighbors (who are in my semester) locked up the outside locks, and while one roomie locked his bedroom door the other passed out for a nap that lastest into the night. He woke up in the wee hours of the morning to find a guy in his room. Creepy! The guy drilled through their front door's deadbolt, then helped himself to my neighbor's laptop, wallet, and phones before being caught and chased out of the house.

What a way to start the day....

All the way to Hell Week...and not quite back yet.

It's Hell Week folks, that fun second semester hazing ritual in which we all sit around stunned and wonder when the upperclassmen and professors are planning to jump out from behind things and yell "Surprise! You're on Candid Camera!"

Schedule of events:

Monday 9/22...........Physiology 2, Exam 1
Tuesday 9/23..........."Day of Recuperation" (AKA Day of Panic)
Wednesday 9/24......Parasitology, Exam 1
Thursday 9/25.........Gross Anatomy 2 LAB, Exam 1
Friday 9/26..............Gross Anatomy 2 PALPATION, Exam 1
Monday 9/29...........Gross Anatomy 2 LECTURE, Exam 1
Tuesday 10/07.........Immunology, Exam 1

I realize the last two aren't technically this week, but really folks. Cut me a little slack on the technicalities and look at the Big Picture.

I have been seriously fighting the urge to crawl into my closet, curl into a little ball, put on my headphones, and let the week pass me by.

The sailors say Brandi was a fine girl.....

What better way to celebrate St. Kitts' 25th Anniversary of Independence from the British than to inundate the island with lots of drunk, horny British sailors?

The Royal British Navy landed a ship here yesterday morning, and the sailors wasted no time finding Ziggy's and getting properly hammered.

A few of Britain's finest decided to join in the volleyball fun.

This was my friend who was particularly 'friendly'. I got offered a tour of the ship but chose studying instead. They'll be back next year....

The previous weekend we celebrated the beginning of the semester with a proper get together at Reggae Beach on the peninsula. Sponsored by the scuba club, this event was all-you-can-drink for $20 EC. Which is, of course, the best way to attract a crowd.

Dr. Danny is our Gross Anatomy course director/professor. He came out to judge some contests and quiz people on their anatomy. I believe there was a wet T-shirt contest that got a bit out of the hand with the anatomy. Notice the scapula in my hand. Pictured: Nicole, myself, Dr. Danny, and Cora.

Nicole and Mark showing their Rock Star-ish-ness. Nicole has it down, Mark is still in training.

Dr. Danny giving us the peace out. Before the wet T-shirt contest, I'm sure. Note Sexy Steph just behind Dr. Danny.

Cora, Nicole, and myself enjoying some all-you-can-drinks.

Update on the sickness: the cold has officially left my head and has since taken up residence in my lungs. I have been entertaining (and I use that term very loosely) my classmates with drawn out hacking coughs that are never-ending. People cringe and slowly back away from me muttering things about mandatory TB tests and parasitic lung worms. I have finished a bottle and a half of Robitussin DM in the last two days. Don't even need the little dosing cap anymore, just sort of guesstimate.

And I leave you, once again, with a picture of beautiful St. Kitts. This one was taken from my back porch just before sunset.

Pretty gorgeous, huh? I love it here.

Have a great week everyone....check back in a week or so to see if I made it through with all of my marbles intact. Toodles!

Lemongrass Goodness.

My minor head cold has progressed into a full-blown obnoxious case of alternative sneezing and coughing with a little runny nose thrown in for laughs.

I went to the Shak Shak today for some tea, forgoeing my normal order of iced coffee. The lovely ladies at the Shak Shak noticed my sniffling frog-in-the-throat voice and did not even offer the tea box for selection - they had something special for me.

I watched as they grabbed a handful of what looked like long blades of grass, rinsed them off, stuffed them into a cup, poured a nice helping of honey on top, and then added hot water. Without even asking what medicine man concoction they had handed me, I was off to class with my theraputic mug of yummy goodness.

Upon reaching class and opening the lid, I was immediately overwhelmed with the scent of fresh lemons. I have since had two helpings of this elixor of the gods, and am feeling better than I did drugging myself with Tylenol Cold meds earlier in the day. Still sneezing up a storm, but no more abnoxious coughing or stuffy head.

Move over Teavana!!



Love my hand-made sippy-cup.



I think I want to start a little garden of lemongrass at home! I highly recommend it!