Happy Anniversary!

Today is Matt's and my 6th anniversary! In honor of that, you get to see pictures of us. Hooray!

 

This is MY favorite picture of us, from about 2 years ago in London.

This is Matt's favorite, waaaay back from High School!

I like this one because it is silly. We were in Hawaii for the annual Masunari Family vacation in 2007.

 

Also another silly one. This is my attempt at a piggy back ride while skiing on Mt. Hood (2005)

Out of focus maybe, but I like it anyway :)

Last summer at Multnomah Falls (??)

Thanks for hanging in there everyone.

You can't say I didn't try...

Mid semester break! Woo hoo! Oh wait.. we only get Monday off? And midterms start again next week? And we don't get Thanksgiving off in November? Oh...

Allison, Molly and I went into town this afternoon to go grocery shopping (yes, again) and I had high ambitions of taking lots of pictures of town, the roads, the grocery store, etc. but alas, I forgot until we were less than a mile from campus. So... this is all I have... and my camera is trying to die uber hard now, so I've done my best playing with the settings but they're still pink, and now there are lines through a ton of them. It's okay, you get the gist, right?

Did I mention they were all taken through Allison's windshield??

Typical road... the building at the right is an auto shop and various other things

Huge pothole straight again, and ROAD LINES!!!

Campus Security passing us... apparently 40 MPH on this road isn't fast enough...

The nursing school just up the street from our school. In fact,  our new house is opposite this school way up a hill

Campus is in sight! This is pasture land I think... the buildings off in the distance are our "dorms"

Study study study. Beach tomorrow for a few hours though! :)

Nom nom nom

No pictures yet this week, but lots of food!

Wednesday was Brian and Megan's birthday (two friends in my "group") so we went out to dinner at a restaurant up the coastline from school. Megan didn't attend because her parents are visiting but we had an awesome dinner for Brian. Most everyone ordered lobster or shrimp, I had chicken. You wouldn't believe the lobsters.... it was an entire whole lobster (steamed?) and cut straight in half lengthwise on a plate. For only $80 EC too! Actually I have no idea if that is a good price or not. (It is about $30 US). Anyway, my chicken was delicious! Some sort of BBQ style chicken, but it was so moist and yummy. The restaurant itself was really cool, just an open patio with a covered roof, tons of picnic style tables, and a view directly out onto the water. Seriously, you could walk to the edge of the table and be 2 ft from the waters edge. Crazy right? Very nice people there too, its nice to talk to locals who don't mind our presence!

Then today, I went grocery shopping, which I'm sure by now you've realized makes  me very happy, so that made my day already. Tonight we had a Caribbean cooking class which made my day even better.

This was all set up by the housing department, but only 20 students could sign up, I just happened to be lucky enough to be one of those 20 students! So they picked us up on campus in the most ginormous bus I've seen on St. Kitts, complete with leather seats and foot rests. I have no idea how that bus gets around the tiny tight little corners that make up all of St. Kitts... but somehow it does!

Anyway, so they took us to this little place which call themselves "Caribbean Cooks". It is a sister duo run operation that mostly serves tourists, but they used to own a restaurant in town before they decided to take it easy. We all sat around the island stove and listened to our "instructor" explain different local fruits and veggies, their origin, where to go to get them on the island, who has the best veggies, best prices, most reliable, etc. She'd take a volunteer to help chop, grate, stir, etc. and explain how to make 5 dishes! FIVE! Oh, and this was only 2 hours total. I learned a LOT about local foods, I just hope I can retain a portion of it. Then after everything had cooked we got to eat a huge plate full of the foods. SO YUMMY! It is hard to say what my favorites were... but the mango coconut bread pudding with rum sauce is up there, along with "rasta pasta" and cinnamon chicken with plantains.

We also learned to stock up on essentials as they will not always be on the island. Supposedly, for months out of the year, you just won't be able to find things like pigeon peas (a staple around here), coconut milk, and other canned goods. She said when they run out, they just run out and you won't get more until next year. She did teach us how to freeze mangoes such that one can have a fresh supply all year round though; this will be particularly useful in January as we'll have a mango tree in our backyard! So excited!

Okay, I'll stop with the food now.

This Saturday marks me being on this island for 2 months! It has gone by so quickly... I just know that this semester will be over before I know it. Crazy to think about, but time does just fly by. Here's to hoping I actually pass all my classes this semester!

On that note, midterms (round 2) start again next week, and we have Monday off for the mid semester break, so I'm going to get back to it and study my little arse off tonight, tomorrow, and everyday until midterms are over... well, until the semester is over really. Sigh...

Catamaran Trip

Our ginormous catamaran boat... 90 person capacity!

What a gorgeous trip! We started from Port Zante Marina and then headed to the end of the peninsula to snorkel and eat lunch. I saw a baby squid! It was very cute. Its too bad I couldn't take a picture to show you all. Lunch was served on the boat after snorkling. We had chicken, hot dogs, pasta salad, a rice dish (same one we've had at EVERY catered event) and super yummy banana bread. After lunch we headed to Nevis, which is the sister island of St. Kitts. It took maybe half an hour from the end of the peninsula of St. Kitts to get to Nevis. There were various jet ski's making there way between the island, and there is a ferry that goes between then most days of the week.

At Nevis we got off the boat and lounged around the beach for nearly an hour. There were a couple of beach bars (of course, there always are) and PUPPIES! Really adorable little 8-12 week old puppies running around.

The ride back took about an hour, I think, but I wasn't paying attention. It was gorgeous, and a great way to relax. Now only if I had enough energy to study for a few hours... we'll see how that goes...

Enjoy the pictures!

Our group just after boarding, still in the marina

The marina at Port Zante, St. Kitts

View from the roof of the catamaran where we were lounging on the way over

Megan and I on the roof

View of the first part of the peninsula, and students on the roof, the guy I nearly cut off there is our Captain, who calls himself "Crackers". I think his real name was Antonio

My view :)

The Marriott is  on the beach to the right of the picture

Crew member lounging after taking the sail down (perfect hammock, right?!)

Another view from the back of the boat. And why yes, those are solar panels.

Allison and I (one of my future roommates)

Nevis

The end.

P.S. Sunscreen failed. Majorly. New score: sunscreen -1, sunburn +1. Sigh...

Stupid goats...

FORBS!

What kind of nutrition test asks which species eat forbs. Seriously?? Aren't there more important things to ask... lets say, something about polioencephalomalacia??

No? Okay, then test us on Forbs. And see how much of the class has no idea what forbs are.

Forbs are shrubs. I learned this post-exam.

Stupid goats.

I want my 1.25 points back.

Things one learns in microanatomy...

I can now explain to you why "fainting goats" appear to faint. Really, they don't faint, just have very short lasting spastic paralysis.

You can watch them here

I heart food!

I am a much happier person this evening than I was this morning.

When I woke up this morning, my cupboards were quite bare, and I wouldn't have a ride to the grocery store until later this week.

Then, this afternoon Ed informed me he was taking Allison to a mechanic just down the street from Ram's Grocery store. WOO HOO!

For dinner, I am having salad from a bag with kraft dressing, chocolate soymilk, and Morningstar "Chicken" Nuggets with kraft BBQ sauce.

Laura is happy.

Now on to studying.

Piece by piece

It all comes together, in pieces.

After studying macromineral deficiencies and toxicities, I now understand a little bit more why treating certain medical conditions in pets (specifically struvite crystals, oxalate stones) with diet changes actually works!

Vet school is fun.

Nutrition midterm T-minus 32 hours, or so.

What? Its October? Autumn?

I heart the beach. It is great motivation to study hard and take a relaxing Sunday morning off to go to the beach.

Molly, Bebhinn, Jaya and I went to the Marriott this morning, had brunch, then swam in the ocean and napped under the sun. Those of you who're in cooler weather enjoying pretty leaves falling from trees, here is what I've been enjoying:

This is a view of the island from the main road, to/from the Marriott from Campus

Marriott beach on the Atlantic side of the island. The land mass out there is the peninsula of St. Kitts.

Bebhinn and Jaya swimming

I caught Molly as she was turning, but this shows you the nice chairs and little huts the Marriott provides

Mmm, warm sand.

Jaya and I swimming

Bebhinn and I. Nice arm out holding the camera picture, right??

More ocean. :)

Pretty sky. And yes, I am still as white as the day I left Oregon. Thank you sunscreen, you rock.

Back to studying nutrition. We have a mock exam in one hour!

Happy Autumn everyone   :)

Pictures!

Gina sent me the pictures from my surprise party Zoe and Matt planned for me before I left! Yay!

 Jayme, Zoe, Isaac and Me, and Marie!

Also, I made a stew/chili sort of thing tonight. I had a pound of ground turkey and couldn't think of what to do with it, so I just threw that and a bunch of things in my fridge/cupboard to make this!

It has ground turkey, onion, garlic, salsa, corn, black beans and bell pepper.

Back to nutrition... sigh.

Lessons & Observations of the week

I have now been on the island for exactly 6 weeks, and am 1/3 of the way through my first term at vet school. Here are a few things that I've learned... 

1. Canned green peas are the ugly step sibling of frozen green peas. So mushy... so pale... so not the same.

2. It is a hot day in the Caribbean when the locals who work on campus tell you it is a hot day.

3. Be thankful of power tools, and Carhartts, and unions. The contruction crews here use pick axes and wear dress slacks, belts, and button up collared shirts to do construction. Or, when doing more messy tasks, they were long sleeve coveralls. Sounds great, right? I'm sure they're quite cozy around 3pm when it feels around 100 degrees outside with the humidity. There is quite a bit of construction on campus, so there are always workers around. They're very kind and don't seem to judge us like the locals who only see us in town.

4. The battle against the ants is never over. Never. I think I am winning right now... it is only temporary though.

5. All work and no play makes Jill a dull student. Time to head to the beach this weekend!

6. One question really does make a difference! All three of the midterms I have taken, my grade has been on the edge of one grade or the next (higher and lower) by only one question. My 'A' was only by 1 question, my "B" was nearly an "A"... missed it by one question, and my "C" was nearly a "B" by half a point... I should've written that it was a mediolateral view of the LEFT forelimb, even though it was stated in the question that it was a LEFT forelimb. Lesson learned. I get it.

7. Passing is really all that counts. Tests blow. 

8. I went for a run last night with Molly for the first time in 2 months.
     A) Humidity sucks to run in. At 7pm it was 82 degrees, but with humidity was 91. Ugh.
     B) Deciding to add an extra loop to Molly's normal route when you haven't run in 2 months was a bad idea. Nearly puked.
     C) Not stretching very well after your first run in 2 months = soreness, walking funny, and a reason for friends to laugh :)


I heard my first siren yesterday since coming here 6 weeks ago... I didn't realize how nice it is to have less "noise pollution" but now I appreciate it a bit more. The main sounds I hear on campus are the donkeys (they are quite noisy), frogs, birds, and the occasional "moo" from the cows right next to the dorms. Other than that, there is construction noise intermittently, but hardly any traffic or "city" noises that we're all accustomed to back home.

That's about all... life here really isn't very exciting. You really have to enjoy a relaxed and laid back lifestyle to be happy here. I've talked with a lot of my classmates who're having trouble adjusting because they're just so bored and don't feel like there is anything to do to get away from school. I really enjoy the lifestyle and am happy if all I do on my weekend is study, walk around campus and head to the beach for a few hours. I mean really, what else could you want? But that is me, and I am happy enjoying free time to sit and think and enjoy the outdoors. I understand why my classmates aren't as content, and I feel for them, but we'll all get through it together. Its nice forming bonds and camaraderie among my classmates, I think it'll help us now, and after we all leave here.

Pictures... I really haven't had anything new to take pictures of. But I now have proof that I study, and a huge thank you to Aunt Becky for her handiwork on my cute kitchen towels that make my kitchen feel more home-y. :)

Studying Gross Anatomy. Molly was very intrigued by a cross section of the spinal cord... even though we were supposed to be studying the thoracic limb. Good times in vet school!

My awesome hand embroidered kitchen towels my talented Aunt Becky gave me just before I left!

Food!

Apparently this blog is becoming more about food than school or the island. Food is a big deal you know, especially in my book.

I made pasta salad tonight! Molly gave me the idea when she started talking about wanting to make a pasta salad, then I realized that I had all of the ingredients to make one! I made some penne pasta, chopped some olives, bell pepper, tiny slightly spicy peppers that Molly gave me, artichoke hearts, canned chicken breast, and black beans, tossed them all together with Kraft Roasted Red Pepper Italian salad dressing, and voila! Pasta salad! And there should be enough of it to last me through the week! Even better.

Yes, you did read that right. I, Laura, put black beans (by choice) in my pasta salad. And it was gooood. Yum. Things change... deal. Don't count on my opinion of tomatoes changing any time soon though.

I bought an avocado from the veggie man on campus this past Wednesday with high hopes of making guacamole with the very spicy salsa in my fridge. I bought the avocado, and I still have the salsa, but there will be no guacamole. Would you like to know why? Because I am too inpatient, that is why. The avocado was not ripe, and since they're a different breed than the ones we get in the US, I wasn't sure how to tell when it would be ripe... so the 2nd day I had it I said to myself "what the hell, we'll just see how close we are" and cut it right open. Not even close. Hard as a rock. The pit even split in half without using a knife. Sigh. I kept the cut halves in my fridge for a while, one half is still there actually... not sure why since it won't ripen. Take two on Wednesday. Too bad they're so expensive. I'll be more patient this time (I hope).

We went to the grocery store today (Molly, Allison and I - my future roommates!) and had some fun. I'm getting more used to looking for items that will last me a while, be quick and easy to prepare and are less expensive than my usuals. AND! I finally found where IGA (the closer grocery store out of the two we frequent) has soy milk. FINALLY. Guess, just guess where they put it. Okay, I'll tell. Right between baby formula and baby food. Who would've guessed. I also found Ribena (in the juice isle, where it makes sense) in a carton! That's exciting.

Okay, I'm done talking about food. I think.

Tomorrow I have my first gross anatomy test. Three days ago I was scared shitless of this exam, but now I feel comfortable, hence why I have spent the last hour cooking, and now writing this blog. I'm relaxed and I feel okay about this exam tomorrow, which starts at 7am by the way. Cruel, right? Oh, and it is 3 hours long. Even better.

Wednesday is my first physiology exam. That's all I have to say about that.

(haha?)

Okay, I'll finally tell, since you've been nice about guessing and all. We went with the older, burlier, lovely 80's painted SUV. Settled for $4500 US. Expensive, but it runs great, and should be way safer than any other vehicles we've seen. Its a lot of fun to drive, I'm super excited. The only downside is that we have to wait until December to get it. Sigh...

And... the house! We got the house! It is only a mile from campus, 3 bedrooms (one of which is a master that Matt and I will share), wrap around porch with a gorgeous view of the ocean, large kitchen and living rooms, avocado and mango trees out back, and very secure. The landlord is very nice and comes highly recommended by the current tenants. Rent is only $1500 plus utilities; this seems great to me for being on an island. It'll be sweet. Pictures will come in January when we move in.

P.S. I suck at taking pictures. Will continue to work on that. Adios!