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

22 Days and definitely counting now!

So while you all focus on the upcoming feast of eating...and thanking is somewhere in there although Im pretty sure the US forgot why we HAVE Thanksgiving, Ill provide more stories. Actually I bet that some people have no idea what the story behind Thanksgiving is at all and they were born in the US.

Teacherisms:

Apparently "dead space" is "deadest space" when your professor is from Iraq. When you say pneumonia, you say the p as well. When you try to teach students about pleural space (space between the thoracic wall and your lung) you apply to to a marriage. The space is your marriage certificate, the lung is a woman who wants to go to the theatre, the wall is a guy who wants to go to a boxing match. So because of that certificate you have to compromise and go to a possibly violent theatrical performance. That's what the lungs and wall have to do when you breathe. Who is he married to?

Another: I was told today that if I shower too much the phermones I let out will be faint, so I won't be able to attract anyone - ever. I should start showering like 5 times a day :) I was also told that because we subconsciously react to phermones vs. odorants we can react to voluntarily, sorority house girls tend to have menstrual cycles that eventually occur all at the same time as you adapt to each other's cycle. That's a lot of girls being bipolar and moody at the same time! AHHH!

Cool: My cadaver, Harold, who is pretty much cut up in every direction, has a HUGE heart. Like one from a cow or something. But it is SO cool. He had a double bypass and his heart is massive! And get this, people STOLE some of the hearts from the lab - how messed up is that? Like what are you DOING with he hearts? I don't even want to imagine. SICK, people are sick.

I forgot to update you all on my snorkeling experience so here it is: It was okay. I had a hard time breathing through the tube but on the other hand it was absolutely beautiful to see the coolest creatures just feet from the beach. :)

We had a football game for the girls this past weekend whic they call "powderpuff" followed by the men's game. Amazingly, or maybe not, a ton more people came out to see the girl's game than the boys. And I got free juice!

I have listened to the same music over and over and over and over, for the last 3 months. I am going to be an expert on music soon. I even know the song that's coming up next on my ipod and I have like 1,000 or more songs. THAT is sad. So who's going to buy me my first "return" Chipotle burrito?! :)

And finally, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I am thankful for all of you. Both friends and family. I love you all and in each of your ways, you all make my life complete and without you, it would be a more sad life. So thank you. I also am thankful for my stuffed animals, food - which I lack, or good food, and headphones, yes, headphones.

Love you all!

Barbara

My clumsiness

First before I get to the story, I am attaching a link to the song that I just recently discovered and I just love - maybe it has to do with the fact that it's called "Dirty Dancing" like the movie and they even mention Patrick Swayze's name in it, I don't know, but the beat is pretty good too. If you're interested, please check it out on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhUbnjgwgNo And YES, it is the New Kids On the Block, but it is very good. The video is a bit much and a little funny as a result, but the song is amazing!

Oky, so now on to my dumbness. So sometimes when it gets hot throughout the night here (which is often) I toss and turn a lot to find a cool spot on the pillow. Well last night was no exception except that at like 6 am as I flip over I happen to land, with my head, onto the edge of my nightstand. Let me just say it was not a nice pain in any way. BUT, I remember thinking, this hurts A LOT and then just going rightback to bed. I didnt even get up to look at it or even put something on it. I must have been exhausted. So today I have a HUGE bruise on the left side of the head and I can't sleep on that side. I wish I had taped it though because I KNOW it would have been funny to watch.

And last night, my friends ALMOST got into a fight. I think people need a break badly cause tempers have been rising fast and easy. One wanted to walk home, one wanted apparently to keep talking to this boy she has a crush on, and the one wanting to go home said something like "well I was making this about me and wanting you to walk home with me, but I guess we can make it about you" and the other one responded with "yeah, can we?" and walked the other way. I understand it was not pretty. Both are okay with each other today, but still. NOT GOOD. And people are dropping like flies from the study spaces, it's weird. Usually there is not a space left to sit where I study, today there were at most like 40 people here, normally it's like 200 or more. So far so good for me so don't worry.Im listening to the dirty dancing and it's making me feel much better :)

Oh and tomorrow, Im going snorkeling. I'm so excited, I've never been and it won't be anything amazing because it's just off of the beach here but some friends have the gear so we're all going - yay! I hear it's beautiful even off of the beach and not somewhere deep-ocean style.

And today I put on some pants and found out I have aparently lost some weight - hooray! :) They don't really fit anymore, just kind of fall! And I have muscles - yay! I lift more than some of the really skinny guys here (but they're guys non-the-less so it makes me feel better)...haha.

Okay and finally, another one of the famous professor stories. So apparently, one of the anatomy teachers, who is young (29) and from India, slept with two of his students back in India and then failed them when they broke up and that's why he is here because he was fired from his job there when the students told and proved the fact. But what made it more "real" here is that my friend Alex friended him as a joke on facebook and not only did he accept her request, he also messaged her with a "are you a first semester" so she said yes. He proceeded to ask her if it was her that he saw in a black dress and white shoes at the lunch area 2 days ago (why does he know specifics like that?) And she said yes, and he told her that next time, he would make it a fact to say hello and that she looked "very pretty." So yesterday she went in to ask him questions about anatomy that's she's struggling with and Alex has a few tatoos, one high on her neck and apparently he saw it, and started asking her all of these questions about it and asked if she had other tattoos - she does, but not in places a professor should see, like lower back, so she said yes and left it at that. Thankfully he didn't ask her to see them. Im sorry, all of this may sound innocent, but it seems like crossing the line a bit when it's a student and a professor. I told her that if she wasn't careful there might be problems because he teaches us next semester too. She's not interested, but still, you never know.

Okay, done. Hope you're all enjoying your weekend!

Love,

Barbara

Coffee

So I believe that I am officially addicted to coffee, because I now MUST have it to function properly. I have always enjoyed coffee, but I drink like 4-5 cups a day now and I get my sleep people so I better not got emails from you (ahem, mom) that I am not taking care of myself, because I am. But I just can't focus on studying unless I have a cup of coffee with me as well. And this makes me nervous because that's bad news for my teeth which get stained as a result. Therefore, I have been using whitening strips more - but my teeth get sensitive sometimes so it's like a lose-lose situation. Oh well, gotta pick my battles somehow.

Yesterday I had a few friends walk me home - the stray dogs. They would go ahead of me a bit in the dark, wait for me to catch up and then walk ahead a bit more, then wait again all the way to my door - then they left. I thought it was so cute. Names of all of them as known throughgout campus: Spotty, Limpy and like 4 new ones that I haven't quite caught the name of yet.

Yesterday was also my daddy's birthday so wish him a Happy Birthday! Good old Veteran's Day which you all got off,and I was in class for, very typical. And then today is Devin's Birthday, so wish him a happy one too:) And since we're on the birthday track, Ashley Taylor's Birthday is this upcoming Wednesday, so wish her one too - HAPPY BIRTHDAY EVERYONE! Sorry I can't be there to celebrate but we'll make up for it when I get back home in December :)

Today I learned more about male erections from a male teacher who seemed to love to say the word "Viagra" and "Ejaculation" followed by a smirk - now this may seem creepy, and it is, but because he also kept saying "I'm not going to test you on this slide" and "or this slide," I didn't care - less for me to have to know about something that a researcher will have to know about and not me. The only thing from those slides that I will someday use is that "an erection of more than 4 hours is bad" - too much blood flow there and that creates for a VERY uncomfortable situation for more than the party with the erection.

I also ordered my taxi to take me to the airport on December 16 when I go home and get this, I leave at 3 am for a 7 am flight because apparently Liat, the Caribbean Airline ALWAYS overbooks the flights and even if you HAVE a ticket, it's like a first-come, first-serve thing. There are never any assigned seats, so I have to get there early to get in line to make sure I get on the flight (after I paid over a thousand dollars for it). Once again, ONLY IN DOMINICA. So regardless, that day will be very long for me as I get home (if I ever get there) at like 10:30 pm US time and you all are at least an hour ahead of us so that's like a 20 hour day. I always have the urge to kiss US soil when I get back - and yes, I have done this before when I came back from Costa Rica last year after beng delayed 4 days as a result of a Hurricane.

I also realized this week that I see the same people every day and it's becoming awkward because I feel like I know them (how much coffee they drink, what they look like when they're sleeping - at their desks, what their smile looks like, their wardrobe, etc) and yet I have no idea WHO they are - a "hello" and/or smile seems to be typical but it's awkward cause I have no idea what their name is and what their story is, that's when you know it's time for a break. :)

Interesting fact: I have eaten "subway" for 12 out of the last 14 days for lunch. When I say "subway" I mean that the lettuce here is more like grass clippings, they usually don't have what you want or bread period (what sandwich shop doesn't have BREAD?), but yet somehow, it's the closest thing to home that I have and I can't get enough of it nor am I sick of it. But I beg you all that you not ONCE ask me if I would mind eating subway for lunch or dinner if I spend any time with you during the break because I will NOT be sending that time with you as a result. Chipotle on the other hand....

Okay, okay, I'm done babbling. There's only so much interesting information you can write when you do the same thing every day - I hope you're not all bored and/or think Im depressed - this is how I amuse myself.

Miss and love you all!

Barbara

Nicknames

I have picked up some very interesting nicknames while on this island: so what do we all think?

1. Babsy

2. Babinski

3. Barbarosa

4. Babs

5. Beebs

I think my favorite is Babinski - maybe it's cause it ends in an -inski and it works with my background since everything Russian/that side of the world ends in -inski it seems. Definitely interesting but I don't mind them. They are FAR better than Barbie - that is NOT okay.

Some of you have heard this sotry, so sorry but for the rest, it defines the idea of crazy:

I went out to dinner with a few girls and one of the girls that came along was new (her name is Marela). She tells us that during her first week here she had to find a new apartment ASAP, so she goes on explain that basically before she moved here she went on facebook to the Ross University group and a girl messaged her to see if she wanted to live with her down here. After a few conversation over the phone and such, they decided to go ahead with it to save some money. A week after she gets here her roomate tells her and has something important to tell her and that she doesn't tell a lot of people. So Marela's like, sure, go ahead. Well this girl tells her that she is from the outside world. Marela's like "okkaaayy" weird, but okay. Then the girl tell her that they are actually sisters and that Marela's son (Marela is in her mid 30s) is actually her husband, and that they are meant to be here to change the world. Marela freaks, tell her she doesn't care anymore and doesn't want to hear any of it anymore. The girls starts yelling at her about "how could you" and "you'll pay for this," etc. So the next day Marela is like, okay Im going to be a doctor someday, I have to deal with these kinds of people so I have to give it a try and just listen. Next day she does listen and the girls goes on. She tells her that "they," meaning angels, told her she had to become an MD so that people believe her with that reputation and that by the age of 50 she has to write a book about her experiences. She says that Marela and her souls are just taking over people's bodies but that soon they will be free. This girls continues to say that she has been to therapy since she was 8 years old because her mom thinks she's crazy and she on two different depression pills and that 1/2 ofher family thinks she crazy but that the other half knows that she is a prophet, which according to her, she is. So Marela is freaking out by this time cause she's only known the girl for a week, and she decides that she will stay awake all night to see what happens because she just knew she had to. So at 3 am, her roomate wakes up and goes on the porch and just sits there for like 15 minutes, next thing Marela knows is that she hears her own room door slowly creaking open. THE GIRL SAT THERE AND WATCHED HER SLEEP FOR 20 MINUTES. Now I dont know about you all, but that's a little more than just kind of scary, on more than one level. I mean what if she was planning her death or something. So anyways, the next day, Marela knows she HAS to move out for safety reasons so she goes to the director here and tells her the entire story. The director agrees, Marela AMAZINGLY finds an apartment randomly and she goes home at lunch to pack so that her roomate won't know and I don't know, kill her because she has a meltdown. So she goes home and of COURSE, her roomate is home for some reason and not in class. But thankfully she says she is going to take a nap so Marela packs all of her stuff and takes it down to the shuttle waiting downstairs. And just as she is doing her last round around to check with her stuff, her roomate wakes up. Marela decides to at least tell her that she is moving, so she opens her door tells her and the girls freaks out and yells at the top of her lungs "I can't believe you're doing this to me, if you don't get out of my face right now, Im going to KILL you RIGHT NOW." Marela RAN downstairs and the bus driver heard all of it and was like "get in, we gotta get out of here ASAP." So an hour later, security pick up Marel'as roomate and they had to sedate her at the clinic here for the ENTIRE evening cause she was going crazy, yelling and threatening Marela's life. And the best part is that this girl is STILL HERE. They didn't send her home to the US. Marela has a restraining order against her here in Dominica. She's tried threatening her a few times and has tried to follow her home but somehow Marela has avoided her and she has late;ly left her alone since Marela's husband came to visit (he's a big guy). So anyways, once again, I repeat, there are some weird people here.

Don't you all just love my stories? They keep my life entretaining if nothing else. Haha. Oh and the picture is from Halloween. I was supposed to be Amy Winehouse, hence the very large hair. I think I look awful, and you can't see it but we even drew tatoos on my arms. I didn't have too many resources - so I had to work with something :) The other girl is my friend Alex, who is supposed to be Britney Spears cerca "Hit Me Baby One More Time."

Hope you all enjoyed that.

Babinski

It's been a while

Hello everyone,

It has been some time now since I've posted anything, so I thought I would try again. I had my second big test yesterday and I won't know my results until Friday because today and tomorrow are holidays for the locals and some of the departments are closed. I don't have class today, but I will have class tomorrow - oh well. I'm going to just relax since there is nothing to really study right now seeing as the test was yesterday. I guess I could study for the next practical or something, but I refuse to today. I have no idea how I did, but it certainly was not an easy test by any means. Ive talked to others and they felt the same way, and from what I understand (and rumors are well, rumors) that it normally is the hardest test of the 3 we take in the semester. Im really just glad to know that it's OVER.

Other than that, nothing exciting happens here. It's very much like High School and that gets old really fast. People judge each other here so much and then they gossip and I have heard so many rumors about people that it's absurb. I can see a girl dressed up from her normal scrubby look because she's going out and next thing I know, someone is saying that she's a slut, she made out with every guy that night, etc. And then the truth of the matter is that guys decided it was fun to say they made out with her because it was "funny" and now she looks like a whore. I mean it's ridiculous. I was getting up from my seat on the bus shuttle one day and I was carrying my bag and something equivalent to a gym bag and it took me a second to maneuver myself out of the seat and as I finally get up, this girl rolls her eyes at me and exhales loudly - I mean really? seriously? And then I overheard something saying that I was a bitch. Based on what, I have no idea. Im sure soon someone will say that Im a whore too because, Oh I don't, possibly because I work out and they don't so they're jealous or something of that nature. I can EASILY see this situation. It's frustrating to say the least and in the end it's like come on people, grow up! Problem is, I have to spend the next year with these people, the next YEAR! Maybe by the end I'll be the girl who like swims with dolphins or something or that I'm a mermaid - I wouldn't mind that one so much. Or maybe I'll be the girl who eats dead animals or something - that would be even more interesting. Well, anyways, you get my point. I want to go home at this point.

Hope all is well with all of you. 43 more days!
Barbara