Ready for a marathon post??

Whew... and finally some down time to write!

This week has been much busier than I had anticipated. I'll do my best to recap my activities, but I am most excited to share some more pictures.

Ok, so when we left off I had just gone through my first day of lectures and had been to a movie (which are pretty cheap here by the way... about $5 US for the movie, about $2 US for soda and popcorn/candy).

On Wednesday we had more lectures about life on campus and around St. Kitts, learned about our personality types and how to work with people of opposing personality types, etc. It was pretty funny to see a group of 130 students or so, when asked for the extroverts to move to one side of the room, and the introverts to the other side (that would be me, no surprise). The introverts had accomplished this goal quickly, quietly while the extroverts were loud, talkative, trying to find seats next to friends, catching up during the "break" etc. The person guiding this exercise pointed this out to the group and everyone starting cracking up.

Then... the security talk... dun dun dun. We had two hours of lecture on how dangerous the island is, where to go, where not to go, what is illegal (such as swearing... it can get you arrested here), traps to look out for set by thieves (road blocks, purse snatchers, etc), and how not to get your house broken into. Every apartment or house that students live in is fitted with an external fence and gate of some sort, deadbolt locks on every door, metal bars on every window, door, etc, and some have noise only security alarms. At least they're looking out for us, right?? So that was fun. I heard that some girl started crying after the talk because she was so scared. I think they just want to make sure we are smart and not naive about living here... or something.

I can't remember what we did that evening... dinner out?? I can't remember. Maybe that was the Marriot evening... yes just maybe. The marriot is like living in the US. If you are ever homesick here, just go to the Marriot. Everything is in USD, the ATMs give USD, and they have tons of US foods and stuff like that. And you can gamble all of your problems (and money) away in the casino. I think I'll stay away.

Okay... Thursday! Early day again, more lectures, this time about classes and what to expect of them. Then we had "leadership development"... lame. It was boring. And not helpful. Sigh...

We had the afternoon off... I can't remember what we did then either... it is all a blur. I think we went out that night though... as we have done almost every night before that too.

One of these nights we went to our Orientation Leader's house (Amanda) where she hosted a small gathering. I played flip cup for the first time... and I am now addicted. How did I get through my undergrad without playing flip cup??? It has to be, by far, the best game ever. It isn't even about the alcohol, I'd play with water and be just as excited about it. SO FUN!

Friday! Mom's Birthday! Catamaran trip was canceled due to Tropical Storm Erika (all we had was rain, clouds, strong currents and choppy waters... nothing really) so we used the day to go to the bank (finally). I was able to deposit my student loan refund check, get a Scotia Bank debit card and finally have access to funds! That was exciting as I was living off the cash that I brought all week... and there wasn't much left. We spent the morning and early afternoon at the Marriot using their pool and beach, had brunch there although it wasn't great. Ran errands in the afternoon, used the free van service for the last time to pick up a few groceries and then spent the afternoon trying to organize my room a bit more. That night we went out again to the beach bars (more on this too a bit later) and stayed out past midnight to celebrate my birthday with my new friends.

Saturday... my birthday! It was great, so much fun! Started the morning with a hike up into the jungle and up a nearly dry creek bed to find a bat cave. Yes, the line of the day was definitely "To the bat cave!" Although it ceased to be funny after the 1st person said it, everyone seemed to continue with it anyway. It was a gorgeous hike, crazy trees and vines and tree roots, and I only managed to slip and fall once! There was a little tiny itsy bit of rock climbing too! I'll post a picture below, but there is this ginormous boulder that would normally have a waterfall over it when there is water running, and to get up it you had to climb about 5 feet on the side of it. There were a couple of ropes tided at the top to help you pull yourself up. I was complimented on my skills by several of the bystanders when I applied climbing technique instead of needing to be pushed/pulled/lifted up the rock by 2 burly guys holding those positions. So that was fun for sure... even if it was only 5 feet. Anyway, so the hike ended at this cool bat cave, there were some bats, and a cave. Enough said.

Afternoon was spent at Reggae beach (the one we had lunch at about a week ago) where we swam, slept in the sun and played some beach volleyball. I forgot to see how our friend Wilbur is doing, but there was a goat in the monkey pen this time for some reason.

That evening a bunch of our group was going out again to a welcome back bonfire on the beach/full moon party. I decided to stay in instead... I was all party'd out already. It was very nice to spend some time just chilling and getting settled.

And now today! Sunday. It has been very relaxing thus far just hanging out on campus. I went for a walk earlier around campus, forgot to take my camera though so pictures will come later.

Ok... couple more things then pictures!

The culture shock... it was difficult for me to become comfortable with the fact that St. Kitts is not a place that I can openly and freely explore to my hearts content as I had hoped. We are guests in a modern developing country that is predominately black, and who are direct descendants from enslaved people. There is a very strong resentment for anyone white, and ligther skinned blacks. Many Kittitians feel as though the students are all rich because we can afford to come here to go to school, and they don't understand that we'll be $200K in debt when we get out, and we aren't here to change that. There are not too many places that I can go by myself; campus, the grocery store and the bank are really the only ones. Some parts of town it is recommended that we just don't go at all, no matter how large of a group we are. So, I have accepted this now and feel much more comfortable living here, its just not what I had imagined. I know my boundaries, and I'll stick to them.

Then, the beach bars! This is where things get interesting. Students party... a lot. A lot! There is this place called "The Strip" where there literally is just a strip of beach lined with beach bars. Only a few are recommended by senior students to frequent due to security/safety reasons. Even then, you have to be very cautious. It is recommended not to make eye contact, look at, or talk to any locals. They tend to pray on students when out drinking... so that is fun. Definitely not what I am used to when out in public in another country. I am used to embracing the culture of somewhere I am visiting... not trying to ignore the people there. But anyway, the beach bars, they are lots of fun though, a small bar on a patio with a tiki style roof, sand beach right off the patio with picnic tables, music blasting from the D.J. Drinks are pretty reasonable... beer is really cheap as it is brewed and bottled on the island. You can buy a beer for about $2 US at a restaurant or bar, and you can by a case of 24 directly from the brewery for $15 US. The locally made rum is delicious too! It comes in vanilla, lime, mango and regular. I have a bottle of the vanilla (very tasty) and had a shot of the mango on my birthday. Delicious as well. So that's that. Drinking is common, but it sounds like they study even harder than they party... so its all ok then right? (Don't worry, I can't even come close to keeping up with these other students... nor do I want to)

Okay, pictures! Thanks for hanging in there... it was a doosey!

Beach chairs and volleyball court and Reggae Beach

Me relaxing on my birthday :) Lots of sunscreen!!!

Another picture of Reggae Beach

Mr. Ziggy's Shiggidy Shack (Beach bar) on my Birthday!

View from the beach of Ziggy's

Anyone know why a camera would do this?? It is a picture from Molly's camera (far right) and this keeps happening to some of her pictures. Anyway, this is at Amanda's house as we were playing Flip Cup.

Signature dinosaur pose. What can I say?

Yes, it IS possible to bake cookies in a toaster oven! This is what was left after I took a plate of Funfetti cookies down to my orientation group as they were pre-funking for the bonfire.

Cute like guy, eh??

Chillin.

Hike to the bat cave...

Taylor from Utah in the bat cave.

The group enjoying the stroll... there were a LOT of us!

Us waiting our turn to climb up the boulder. The chosen route was a scramble to the left of the big boulder you see there. Those are vines hanging down between people. The two guys facing me in the picture were my hiking buddies/ride to the hike. Joe is the on on the far right, he is from Oregon too! His wife is here as well, working at the prep school on campus. Joe is leaning on Taylor, who was pictured above in the cave.

Waiting... waiting...

Yes, I am white. And sweaty. Deal.

View from my desk at sunset. This will be my life for the next 2.5 years: textbooks, yummy locally made rum, and beautiful sunsets.

Campus/sunset from my window

This is the ocean access from campus, the path to get here is called "Stairway to the Sea" Original, no?

Nice little patio/gazebo above the rocks

The Marriot, as viewed from the pool area. The ship there is a 50% scale model of "La Nina" ... Columbus' boat used to find St. Kitts or something like that. Oh, and St. Kitts was the first island to be colonized, which is why it also has the nickname of "the Motherland" or something like that.

One of the main classrooms I will be in. It is freezing in there compared to the weather outside. Fleece jacket required. Seriously.

And that's all folks! I promise to have shorter posts in the future. And more often. Hopefully.