The 'Unified Quiz'

[Before I start, a few housekeeping items:
1. I have no idea where the post on 'Meetings' has gone. I am still impressed that the internet (usually) works when I tell it to, so trying to retrieve a post is like violating the second law of thermodynamics as far as I am concerned (which, incidentally, cannot be done).
2. I posted a ton of new pictures a few days ago, but haven't gotten a chance to write about it. I think that those who are brave enough to look at them will find an interesting surprise.]

Well, Monday was a day of fun for a lot of people here at SGU. As our first real testing experience, it was amazing to me the things that people will do at this point in their educational careers. For example: a cell phone rang during the middle of the exam. I am still amazed when this happens in class, and although our professors don't throw conniption fits like Mike Sherman, it boggles the mind that this kind of thing would take place at medical school.

As for me, I had a nerve-wracking experience, and it happened as I was working on my biochemistry section. To preface, there were proctors all over the lecture hall and obviously one would have to be stupid to try to communicate (or use the phone, I would think). Eventually, one of the proctors came to rest on the stairwell behind me, which wasn't very comforting, but since I wasn't cheating, I wasn't terribly concerned.

That feeling changed immensely when a woman a few rows behind had finished her exam and was walking down the stairs to the front. I was on the aisle, so noticed her walk by and then drop her scan-tron sheet onto my feet. So, now I've got the proctor watching me and I don't know whether to pick it up and hand it to her, lest I be accused of some academic issues. It was probably comical for me to be thinking about this at the time, but I was pretty concerned. Fortunately, I didn't have to make any choices as the woman then leaned over and picked her own sheet of my shoes.

This was also strange as I didn't know what the professor might think we were talking about while she bent down past me. Overall, it was new for me since such a simple event had never been so meaningful to me before. It was all for nothing as there was no problem and the proctor knew it was innocent, but it gave my heart a jump momentarily.

After the exam, it’s safe to say all 1st termers had the same idea: head for the beach! We all were on busses all afternoon and enjoying ourselves on the sands of Grand Anse. It was great fun. Incidentally, virtually all the pictures come from Grand Anse. It’s a beautiful beach, the water was warm and the sun was hot. I can't complain at all. We were able to relax for the first time since classes have started, did not have to think about school for the afternoon and were truly able to take advantage of the island which we will inhabit for two years. Finally.

Anyway, after the beach, we headed back to campus and a group us cleaned up to go to Steward's for dinner. You couldn't ask for a more perfect night. We watched the sunset on the beach and then had Carib and quesadillas for dinner, sitting on the water-front and listening to come reggae music (ok, I'd be lying if I said I haven't heard enough reggae for a while), but you still couldn't ask for a better ending. Although Steward's is located next door to a resort, the staff is extremely friendly and since we were the only people at the bar on a Monday, we had their full attention and could just chit-chat and enjoy their perspective on Grenada and how much they truly love where they are in life.

So, the week has been suitable so far. Sadly, we have midterms in two weeks, which puts a severe damper on our state of relaxation, but, that is the nature of the beast. Enjoy the pictures and if you're in Wisconsin, don't look out the window at the same time.

Getting the mail

It’s been an exciting week here in Grenada. Not only was it Independence Day on Tuesday, but in the same week we learned the chemistry behind the 'electron transport chain' (this is some crazy stuff), but we also were treated to the 'tricarboxylic acid cycle' (sometimes known as the Krebs' Cycle). These are two very impressive reaction chains that take place in the body and help to give us the energy that we need to survive. They really are pretty sweet, and the amazing thing is that, unlike everything else in college chemistry, they make sense we one sees them written out.

But, I would be lying if I said that these two things were the most important part of the week. Truly the most fun and rewarding thing was receiving a package. Now, before I begin, this was no ordinary package. You see, despite being at Medical School (I feel it’s hard to over-emphasize that point here), we were told on the first day of anatomy lab that we would need to acquire our own gloves for use in the lab. Apparently, in the past, gloves were not required when working with dead bodies! (One of my professors, the chair of the department, suggested in all seriousness that if one gets cut by the scalpel, to stick one's hand in 'the juices' in order to clean it out. "It works better than soap and its right there," he said.) I think these people may have sun poisoning.

Now, before I am hypocritical, and in the hopes that I don't get fired and/or receive many outraged e-mails, I will be the first to admit that I rarely wear gloves in the emergency department when starting IVs or drawing blood (I do, however, wear gloves when doing everything else! And you should see me go through the 'hand rinse'!). I am virtually incapable of finding a vein by touch, and, with gloves on, it is near impossible. So, I often don't wear gloves when working with alive bodies.

It never occurred to me that anyone would not wear gloves in anatomy lab (working with dead bodies), or, for that matter, need to bring their own. I had, in fact, erred completely. I'm not entirely sure it’s not a fund-raiser for some organization, as gloves cost EC$1.00/pair, with no 'bulk discount.' And since I don't plan on reusing the gloves, I would need a new pair each visit to the lab. This could get extremely expensive over a four month period!

Anyway, I needed gloves! One of my friends was kind enough to send me a package with gloves and boy was I excited when I got the slip of paper in my mailbox saying, "Box#407, you have a package waiting for you at 'Lagoon Road.' Please receive your package or send someone authorized in the event you are unable to attend."

Huh? Where is 'Lagoon Road'? Why isn't my package here at the post-office? Why do I have to send someone to get it for me? Help . . . So, I walked to the friendly clerk in the mailroom. Without even saying a word (I'm not even lying), he sent me to the bookstore. So, I went to the bookstore to further investigate this curiosity.

It turns out, I need to go downtown, to the Lagoon Road Post Office (aha, now it’s coming together), taking a taxi or the 'Reggae Bus', sometime during the week (of course they are closed on the weekends) from 9.30-4.30pm. I asked if there were other options, as my class schedule doesn't really permit me to take an all day excursion during the week, and it’s pretty expensive to get a taxi downtown into St. Georges. Of course there was: I could pay a courier to go to Lagoon Road and pick up my package. Sign me up!

So, I signed the authorization for 'Frank', the courier, to receive my package in my stead, paid the EC$18.00 (I might drop out and do his job, plus he only goes three days/week) and was told to wait until Friday (as I was too late on Wednesday for him to know about my package). Then, Friday afternoon, miraculously, my package was waiting for me at the bookstore. To top it off, I did not even owe a duty on the gloves (they are currently non-taxed, unlike practically everything else that comes in the mail around here) and was free to take my package. The good news? The gloves were only sent about three weeks ago!

Anyway, we have this 'Unified Quiz' on Monday, so I'm busy preparing for that. I would say something stupid like, "I'm going to the beach afterward," but that hasn't been working out too well as of yet, so I'll just wait and see. It feels odd to be thinking about the Winter Olympics while its 70, but it's one thing I am definitely missing right now. It turns out one of my friends here was an alternate in 2002 for the 4-woman bobsled, but she turned it down to work on her masters' degree. Clearly a mistake as she's back in school again!