I'm watching ants carry food in the library

Yes, I am watching ants have like an assembly line and they are carrying little bits of food across the top of the library cubicles, which are all lind up in a row. What's funny is that they keep bumping into each other as they go in opposite directions...haha.

Okay, so for those who I haven't told yet, I passed my last set of tests...hooray! I have another one this upcoming Friday and then round two of the ALL of the subjects again 2 weeks after that. So 5 weeks are over, about 2 months or so to go.

Tomorrow we get the day off, which is really nice because they have this thing called a Carnival, to celebrate their Dominican spirit. I will be going to the beach for a few hours, then studying SOMEWHERE since everything is closed including the library, then NOT going to the gym cause it's closed too...very frustrating. I will figure it out, I just hope I don't have to study at home.

Oh, right, the most exciting news: 1. A dude escaped from prison and is on the run for murder, and the PR also included that he was a plumber, which is supposed to what, makes us all feel better? Maybe I should ask him to fix my leaky sink while Im being kidnapped or something...so Dominican-like of them to put tha it there. 2. A volcano from 2 islands had it's peak collapse into it, sending ash flying and causing Dominica to be covered in ash for the last 2 days - thankfully, it's gone, We had to wear masks and "not go outside." 3. There was a forest fire last night about 300 feet from my apartment. I have to say after I got over the "this better not spread" point, it was very cool because it lit up the entire night and it looked very royal. They contained it, so no worries. And this all happened in the last like week or so, see my life IS exciting! :)

And back to my random subway stories, I of course had subway today, and they FINALLY got some chipotle sauce and MUSTARD for goodness sakes. They haven't had either in such a long time, probably a month, but they've had other shipments of the other items, I mean how hard is it to order some sauce with that? And mustard? That's the most basic condiment out there. I will never understand, ever.

My professors this semester aren't AS exciting as last semester, but my favorite one is back - the one who has the biggest accent and talks to himself while he still has his microphone on and who grew up in "Taliban land" as he calls it. He makes my days, I wish I could send you all a recording of just one..it's hilarious.

I hear the weather is fabulous in Columbus, and heck in the US in general - please send me pictures of snow, you in snow, someone you know in snow, snow splatter - whatever!

Miss you guys!

Barbara

Overdo update

Hello, hello everyone!

Im taking a short study break and decided to write on my blog cause I think I last posted like 2 days after arriving here, it's time again, even if nothing exciting happens to me :)

So for staters, I have a huge test on monday and had one today, which was hard. I have no idea what I got, but Im pretty sure I hit above the average, so long as I do that, Im good. Im still not happy with it because it was supposed to be a practical, aka...what is this and that, vs. a test (which Im taking on monday) that asks secondary and tertiary questions. But oh well..we'll see. So wish me luck monday cause I have a 3 hour test covering 7 subjects all together.

Thus far things have been pretty good. I actually like the island now and have no problem with living here except for the distance. Ive become friends with a lot of ppl and getting to know more every day. Some of them are 4th semester and thats good for me for tips on school things, but it's sad cause they're all leaving at the end of the semester (unless they fail the semester and have to repeat) and some are actually pretty cool people. My other friends, the ones I always spend time with, have ALL been sick since we got here, it's weird. Alex has been vomiting for days with diarrhea (she thinks she ate something/has a bug), Marissa has had a deep cold for the last 3 weeks, and Amira is more tired than normal always. But so far, I haven't contracted any of it...thank goodness :)

All of them were really good on my birthday, they all got me gifts, took me out and made the day special...it was a really good birthday actually. :) For pictures, see facebook.

Im still hitting the gym daily, well Thursday is my day off, and it's sort of a part of life now..its nice to say that. I feel stronger in my legs, which was part of my goal - it's working :) Im running, and I hate to run, and arms are okay. I still want that flat tummy, but Im not that disciplined to get rock-hard abs or anything...so Im settling for small tummy..or whatever u call it, toned but not like Im on steroids kind of stomach. Ive actually been associated with being in the gym "all the time" but some people which is completely different for me from my normal Columbus life...again, not a bad reputation to have.

School is good. Im liking what Im learning for the most part, minus biochem cause we have to memorize pathways that are totally useless, but whatever, ill store it in some small part of a brain lobe for a while. Our teacher for that is also Britishand he hates America, so he always comments on how fat americans are, how we have to change everything from like celcius to fahrenheit, etc. It's frustrating, and especially because he's a fatty himself, but apparently we're all starving the rest of the world because we eat too much meat, which could feed 1/3 of the world if we were all vegans...again, he probably eats an entire cow daily. The others are alright. One got fired cause everyone hated him and it's good cause he was a bad teacher. He was a smart man, but he wasn't meant to be a professor, but to be a researcher and article writer type of guy.

Post mini on monday we have another beach bash, which is free food, drinks, water sports, etc. Im looking forward to it. Then the monday after we have the day off because it's "Carnival" which is a huge festival here and a national holiday...Ill be studying because I have another test that friday...it never ends!

Ive fallen in love with a stray dog here, he's old but he's always so happy, I just LOVE him. He's always happy to see me and he'a furry. For a picture, again, check facebook.

Okay, I must go now. So far, Im good, so dont worry about me. Oh and to leave you with a quote from my professor: On lactation - "women have very large and luscious milk-producing breasts..." Coming from him, it was alarming :)

Miss you all!

Barbara

Round 2

Hello all, it's been a while since Ive posted anything on the blog, I just realized this, but Im back for round 2, finished semester 1 strong and passed - yay! Sadly I know a few people who did not so they are now repeating. Approximately 100 people didnt pass I believe.

Thus far, and it's only day 3, life is not so bad. I had a bad first day because our school decided to change how their printing works and no one could print or when they tried, it didnt come out. Now it's day three and things seem to be working a bit better. I still think the last system worked just fine, but that's just me - whatever.

Im feeling much more "at home" hear this semester mostly bc I know where everything is and most of the ins and outs of the uniiversity and the professors and such. I watch the first semester students and I kind of feel bad for them, they are still making friends, figuring things out, and just look stressed and lost - we all feel much better.

I also finally got my baggage (3 days later) and ALL of the food was all over my suitcase, with an explotion of like 6 of my ramen noodle bowls, and of course, shampoo, which customs didn't bother to wrap back up when they took it out of the bag it was in.

Okay, lunch time, gotta go. Ill write again this weekend if something fun happens...right....:)

Barbara