Passing Some Time

Here is a video short my friend Long and I put together recently. (I'm the guy in the beard).

This is the abstract we put together:

This is the opening scene of a yet-to-be-determined project. "L" cars are ubiquitous with driving in St Kitts, and those unfortunate cars that are emblazoned with the scarlet L are the scorn of the road. They are deemed inept, awkward, and unskilled in all manner of road etiquette. What this project attempts to do is transfer this negative mark away from the inanimate car and onto the living person within. We are exploring the stigma of the letter, and how the ostracizing of the individual affects their self concept and their view of the scarlet L they carry.

4th

Third semester is officially behind us, and thank God for that. It's a very tough semester that requires a lot of rote memorization. There are only two exams in each class so there is no margin for error. Through drop outs, fail outs, repeaters, and transfers, the class that started at 145 people one year ago is now down to about 110. Alex has been working harder than I knew a person could, and it pays off. Her brain was just about pudding by the time it was all over but she rocked it. Now on to fourth semester. As if final exams weren't exhausting enough, Al flew out the next day for a two week trip to Nicaragua. She gave up her vacation for the opportunity to work in communities in need doing spays, neuters, and exams on large and small animals. She loved it so much. She can speak to it much better than I can, but regardless to say she saw beautiful sights, made great new friends, and gained invaluable experiences. She was able to perform surgeries that people who are a year further along haven't even been able to do. This experience will continue to pay dividends over the next few years. I spent the past few months working the summer camp that the prep school provides. I was responsible for the oldest crew of kids and tried to find ways to keep them occupied and active. We did lots of hikes and trips to the beach. A lot of these kids are passive when they are at home, so i tried to expose them to new experiences. We worked together to cook a few times a week in hopes that they would learn some better eating habits, too. This is now over and the new scho year has begun. With alex gone I spent the two weeks with friends who were likewise abandoned. We hiked, snorkeled, and made video shorts. My friend Long has an amazing camera and a great deal of patience so we were able to mess around and make our "art".

My ability to maintain this blog has become, by my estimations, atrocious. I will continue to make efforts to keep this up to date but, as you can tell, I am not too diligent with it. For example, this current post you are reading was started nearly 4 months ago, but I am just now finalizing it and posting it. This post, meant to high light the start of fourth semester, is being posted with less than 3 weeks left in said semester. Sad.

3rd Semester n' Stuff

Not much to share. 2nd semester ended well , and now on to 3rd. This semester's challenge is the fact that there are only 2 exams for each class; a midterm and a final. If you have an off day during an exam period, you will have the pleasure of repeating the entire semester over again.

Alex is taking the opportunity of the shortened class day (she's done for the day at noon three days of the week). She has signed up for SCUBA lessons and has joined different clubs on campus like the Zoo & Wildlife club, the Pathology club, and the Theriogenology club. AL has said she wants to use the groups to gain some experiences she feels she missed out on while she was volunteering at a vet clinic. Hopefully it will help inform her decision on any specialties she may wish to pursue after the basics. I'm excited that she is able to sort of direct her own interests instead of simply being told what to do and where to go.

I am doing the same old thing. Working at the prep school, taking grad classes on line, playing a couple of different intramural sports, and trying to sail and SCUBA when I can. I am looking forward to a quick trip home in early July to visit family and attend a wedding in Boston. Beyond that I have nothing else.

If anyone wants to come down and visit, let me know. At this point the only novelty to be had down here is by showing off this place to someone else. Will you be the one who helps to make this happen?

Nearing the End of Round Two

(The pic to the left is from our trip to the botanical gardens on Nevis. It has nothing to do with anything but I like Al's pose)

Our second semester down here is coming to an end. Alex has one more week of classes followed by 4 exams in 4 days the following week. Alex has worked really hard and it shows in her grades. It's a real testament to her brains and will power considering all of the vet students who are disappearing from the roster due to withdrawing or failing. It will be odd to turn around and be back in classes in a few weeks since normally at this point we would have a summer off to recharge. The upside is to keep yourself in the zone of academia so as not to lose your motivation.

One of the unique aspects of the school I work at is that there's a constant turn over of students. Because our student population comes from the children of vet students and professors we are in a state of fluctuation all the time. When we come back from the break I will have no more 9th grade science class to teach. The lone student who comprises that class will be moving with his family back to the states so his mother can do her clinical year in Alabama. At the same time I will be picking up some new students in the lower grades for my PE classes. As of now, I think that's the only new students I will have, but this may change with very short notice.

With the time off we have in a few weeks Al and I are hoping to take a trip to St Maarten, an island about a 45 minute flight from St Kitts. The island is about half the size of St Kitts but has double the population (about 75,000, compared to St Kitts' 35,000). St Maarten is part Dutch and part French, with two distinct styles in the respective parts. We really don't know what we are going to do when we get there but it will be nice to explore somewhere new.

When we come back from the break I will be teaching for about 7 more weeks. After that the prep school academic year comes to and end. At this point, if I were in the states, I would have a few months off for summer vacation; that's not the deal here. I will be working at the prep school since we run a summer camp for the students. Since Ross Vet runs year round the prep school needs to offer its services to the children. It'll be nice to take a break from the lessons and classes, but it will be a challenge babysitting the older students day in and day out. I'm hoping to get them out of the school as much as possible as I don't think that most of the students do much when they are not in school. Most of the parents are preoccupied with vet school and don't have the time, energy, or other resources to help their kids as much as they'd like to. Hopefully I can increase their opportunities while they are down here.

Another big change will be in place for Alex when we get back for the summer semester. Up until now she has been in classes from 8 in the morning until about 4 in the afternoon. The schedule of the 3rd semester finishes most days at noon, allowing Alex much more opportunity to go exploring the island and taking advantage of some of the activities unique to where we are. Hopefully she will be able to participate in a SCUBA course that is run by a club on campus. They offer reduced course prices and schedule various dives through out the semester. It would be great for Al to have some fun things to look forward to throughout the semester.

That's it for now. If anyone who reads this has any questions about how we roll down here or what life is like, please feel free to ask and I will see if Alex and I can piece together an answer for you.

Passing Time

So, what does Jake do while Alex improves her brain? Does he bask in the rays of the Earth's yellow sun on gorgeous white sand beaches? Does he sleep in, start drinking early, and nod off alone while Alex sits, slumped under a dim desk lamp? ye......no. It's taken me a while but I am finding ways to stay involved, improve myself, meet new people, and try to get to know St Kitts.

When we first arrived I struggled with making connections for myself. Sure there were other tag-alongs, like me, who wanted to socialize, and I definitely feel fortunate for getting to know them, but I wanted to my own experiences and connections beyond being the people on the side lines of Ross U. I wanted to discover the Ross community, and the world around it, for myself. Going through the cycle of a semester and observing all that happened went a long way in helping me get my bearings and learning the ropes. Now that we are well into the second semester I am putting into practice some of the things I have learned.

On Fridays it's volleyball at Timothy Beach along with most of the Ross student community. There are two leagues for different ability levels, and it's a great spot to socialize after a crazy week. On Sundays it's flag football where I play on a team of Alex's classmates. We usually lose, and sometimes the guys I play with seem to bait the other team into an altercation (real fun). I recently started going to a spouse game night. Everyone gets together to play board games, drink, and commiserate. OK, for the sake of full disclosure, when I say recently I mean that I went two days ago for the first time.

Last semester I took a sailing class with Long D. This semester I have been practicing (just a few times) to try to keep the skills. I am not nearly a diligent as Long, who seems to be on the water more often than not, but I'm still out there when I can be. Long has become a bit possessed and can often be found at work staring out the window to assess the sailing conditions and regularly steers conversations towards a nautical topic. "Mmhm, lesson plans and grading standards; sounds good. It's interesting how the teacher plays the role of the rudder, but the trimming of the mainsail and which reach to use are solely up to the child. Seas look calm today." (It's pretty sad).

I've just signed up to receive my open water SCUBA certification as well as joining the Ross SCUBA club. So far I've done one pool lesson that lasted a few hours. I still have another pool lesson, followed by a few ocean dive lessons, to complete, as well as an exam. After that I will be able to take advantage of the SCUBA club's discount dives that they organize. The islands and waters around here are so nice that it was almost impossible not to take advantage of the opportunity. Prior to this I was not much of an ocean person (I had only even snorkeled twice before this), but so dar it's been great. Alex is talking about going for her certification next semester when her class hours are shortened. After that, maybe we can do some dives together.

Lastly, I recently signed up to begin taking on lone courses through DeVry University on-line. As a DeVry employee (Ross is owned by DeVry) I am eligible for free tuition after a few months of continuous employment. I am looking at working towards a Masters of Education Technology. Depending on the pace I set for myself it's possible to complete the entire degree before we head back to the states in two years. It would be a huge bonus to our time here. If I can complete paperwork in time I may even begin classes this March. Wish me luck.

I work to get off campus when ever I can, even if all I do is drive down town after work and walk around for a bit. I don't have much opportunity to interact with Kittitians (people from St Kitts). My best opportunity comes from my friend Chrissy, with whom I work at the prep school. I have been trying to create opportunities to meet her friends and visit her town just to see what this place is like when not filtered through a Ross lens. She's really nice and very patient even though I know I can be annoying. If I give her a hard time she'll give it right back to me. She's good.

OK, I'm done for now. Alex just finished up her first round of exams for the semester and has done really well; all in the B+ to A/A- range. She works hard but the results speak for themselves. The more she can keep it up to more choices she will be left with when it's time to get a residency back in the states. If you talk to her, let her know how proud you are of her.

Seacrest, OUT~!!

No Longer "New"

We are back!! It's O-fficial. Semester #2 is less than one week old as I write this.

It's nice to be back. We saw our friends, visited with family, and experienced "seasons" (and they are over rated). It was interesting coming down this time because we are returning for the first time. It's no longer us walking around, experiencing everything for the first time. Now it's familiar, and some of it quite nice. Our home, thanks to recent purchases, is feeling more like an actual home, not an over-sized, under-kitchened dorm room. We have our pictures up, our sheets, our wall decorations, etc.

Outside of our home it's nice to be back with our new friends. We actually missed 'em. I was genuinely excited to get together and catch up with everyone as we returned from our own corners of the USA. St Kitts hasn't changed too much in our absence. However, the new bypass road, which lets us circumvent the traffic of downtown, is now open. It cuts 20 minutes out of your travel time to get to the beach on Fridays (a V E R Y important fact). Also, the national elections are in full swing, with elections less than two weeks away. People are clearly divided along party lines, and there are regular parades, rallies, and the occasional car carrying a sound system larger than the car, itself. This car "serenades" us with calls for reform, or more of the same (depending on the party). We have been warned to stay away from wearing red or yellow in town so as not to appear as supporters of one group or another, so.....yeah.

Alex is settling in to the new semester in a very *casual* manner. Where as last semester she dove right in and, if anything, worked too hard, now she is easing into her studies. I couldn't begin to tell you what she is studying, but let's assume it's all about animals and stuff.

I, too, am easing into my triumphant return to work. My high school, which did consist of 3 students prior to the break, has been whittled down to a party of one. Needless to say this student is receiving a great deal of attention.

In terms of my development as a teacher of the sciences, I feel better. Not that I have mastered any skills, but I am noticing trends and patterns and learning from my mistakes. While I still procrastinate in my preparation for the coming week, my ensuing panic attack has greatly diminished. Mission accomplished!

My hope for the ensuing semester is to continue to branch out, of campus, away from the world of Ross University. I'd also like to continue learning how to sail, just in case this global warming thing is the real deal. I also made a recent purchase of some snorkeling equipment and am looking forward spending some time discovering the ocean life represented in the safe, shark-free shallows of my local beaches.

Seacrest, out!!

Merry Christmas!!

We are in New Hope, PA with Al's family, plus Al's sister's high school friend who didn't have a chance to be with her family over the holidays. Al's mom's family is coming over for a big meal later today, so this place will be hopping. I couldn't wait to give Al her present ( I have been pushing it on her for a week, now, but she wouldn't let me give it to her ). Finally, on Christmas Eve she said we could exchange our gifts. I gave her a digital camera to record our experiences down in St Kitts, and she got me an awesome Redsox pullover jacket. Now she can take pictures of me pretending to be a member of the Redsox; it's a win-win.

That's it from here. I need to get back to the socializing. Merry Christmas, y'all.

Heading Home

In less than two hours Alex will have finished with her fourth and final exam of the semester. 24 hours after that we will be on a flight to Philadelphia, via Miami. To say that we are excited is an understatement. Alex has been in the books until midnight or later for the past two weeks straight preparing for this and I have been spending my evenings tending to the apartment, cooking dinner, and staying out of her way.

Alex and I have moved into a new dorm room on campus in the past few days. Our old place had two bedrooms with matching furniture, but no lounge/ living room space. This new place has the same space, but the second bedroom has been turned into a living room, complete with TV and couches. There are other little touches here and there that make this space feel much more home-like. We are very excited for the change.

My job has been relaxed these past few weeks. A lot of effort was out into preparing for the kids' christmas musical performance. The unifying story throughout the performance was a newscast, and yours truly was roving reporter Frosty the Weatherman. I'll try to post clips of my performance when I can get my hands on them.

Al and I are excited to see family and familiar places, experience cold weather, and grab all of the things we wish we had brought down here in the first place. It's amazing how clearly we see what we should have brought. Within seconds of our arrival in August, it seems, we were putting together a list of what we would bring back down in January. Whether it was DVDs, more razor blades, the correctly sized bath mat, or extra pillows. There was no shortage of our absent supplies. Now we know, however, and we won't blow it again. (PS-Yes, we will!)

See you all soon.

And one note to St Kitts. While we're gone, try not to do anything too awesome or exciting. Those sorts of events don't seem to happen to often around here, and I'd hate to think I missed it when it finally did come.

thanks-

jake

Turkey Day, Island Style.

Just a quick word form the land down under (is that nickname already spoken for?)

Things are slowly but surely coming to a close for Our first tour of duty here in St. Kitts. We are at the 3-weeks-to-go marker and very happy about that. Alex is in the midst of preparing for the last round of exams. If memory serves she has one this Monday, another a week from this Friday, and another set of four that following week. To recap, one exam during week 1, one exam during week 2, and 4 exams in week 3.

Alex has been in the zone with her studying. She rolls, "on and on and on 'til the breaka' breaka' dawn." It has meant less time for us to hang out, but I should probably be focusing some energy towards my job. So, in reality, it's all for the best.

This week you in the states will be celebrating Thanksgiving, and we are no different. On Thursday the school I work at will have our own Thanksgiving meal with students and any family members who come to the school. It's apparently a big deal, requiring a tent to be set up outside because our building is not big enough to accommodate all of the attendees.

This prep school fiesta will be followed on Saturday by a more traditional Thanksgiving at our friends', the Chins, house. They are our age with a 1-year-old daughter, Ava. When I say "more traditional" I mean "more alcohol-y". It should be nice. Alex and I are contributing a sausage and apple stuffing.

Alex and I are flying out of St. Kitts on Friday, the 18th, and touch down in Philly that same day. Now-now, don't everybody jump up and volunteer to meet us at the airport (w/ Dunkin' Donuts coffee in hand) all at once. During our time we will be back in the Berkshires to say 'hi' to my family and, hopefully, making at least a day trip to Boston to visit our old friends. Beyond that we are looking forward to a well-deserved rest for Alex and myself and the opportunity to stuff our now-empty luggage with some much-needed supplies (like candy, toilet paper, and our Nintendo Wii).

1/14th Down, 13/14ths to Go.

This past Monday was officially the midway point of the semester #1 (of 7 semesters). So far so good. To celebrate the occasion, Alex studied for an exam and I wrote some lesson plans! Quite memorable.

Things are going well here. Alex has been very focused and diligent and the results are solid grades and a lonely husband. She is a woman on a mission and it shows. I'm very proud of her for getting back into the swing of academia so well after some years off. She says she is tired but she never quits. I feel proud to watch her work. She is currently in the midst of round two of exams for the semester. She has two this week, had one last week, and will have another next week.

Since Ross U doesn't give a fall break, or recognize any US or Kittitian holidays, they throw the students a bone and give off the Monday that falls closest to the half-way date. I slept in and ran some errands that I had put off while Alex prepped for the week.

I did take the opportunity last weekend to sign up with my friend Long to get some sailing lessons and it was.....interesting. I come from a land of mountains, and have spent the past ten years in a land of tall concrete buildings. Let's just say that the sea is not my home. Long and I were taken out by our instructor. We shall call him Paul. We shall call him Paul because, due to my being flustered, dumped in the ocean, and nearly knocked unconscious from repeated blows to the head, I don't remember his name.

We were taken out on a ten foot long, twin hulled catamaran (like the one in this picture). After some vocab lessons (hull, sheet, head, foot, stays, halyard,, port, starboard, bow, stern, batten, bunghole, tiller, etc etc etfc), we were taken out where we learned how to "tack". This is where you have to turn the boat 180 degrees all in one quick motion. You have to work the sheet (which controls the slack of the sail) with one hand while holding the tiller (which controls the twin rudders) with the other. To add to the confusion, you have to hop from one hull to the other at the mid way point of the action in order to allow the sail to pivot without knocking your head off.

After taking turns tacking (say that five times, fast) we had to practice righting the boat if it capsizes. Paul (or Peter, or was it Stephanie?) thought it would be more authentic if, instead of jumping in the water and than tipping the boat over, we actually cause the boat to tip while moving forward. The first time resulted in me falling in, Long falling in (knee first into my head), followed by Paul, followed by me catching the rudder off my head. Long did a great job righting the boat and we hopped back in, only to have Paul do it again (with the same painful results) for me to try to right it. After a few false starts I was able to get it righted.

It wasn't all rope burn and concussions, though. Once we were finished with the pain, we were able to cruise for a few minutes where we saw some fish jumping clean out of the water and some massive sea turtle cruising in the straights between St Kitts and Nevis. After returning to land (beautiful, stable land) Paul decided to throw in a quick knot-tying lesson. Granted it all went in one water-clogged ear and out the other, but don't tell Paul that.

In the car ride back I found out that I wasn't the only one in pain. Long tore a chunk of flesh off of his finger during one plunge in the water and had his shoulder pop out no fewer than 3 times during our two hours. The good news is we only have 4 more hours of lessons before we are done with the first class. Should be.....interesting.

Resistance is Futile

Here you are not an independent entity.  Any thoughts you may cling to that you have some sovereign power over your self and your possessions is false.  You are not governed by the rules and guidelines of the university, nor its code of ethics.  You are not even governed by the democratically elected government of St Kitts & Nevis.  This land, and all of its inhabitants, are under the thumb of two forces, and the ironic part is that neither of these forces even has thumbs. I speak, of course of ants and sand.

  As I write this I am scratching my head and knocking loose the remaining grains of sand in my scalp from yesterday's lack-luster beach volleyball game.  Lest anyone claim I am filthy please allow me to add that the game was played TWO SHOWERS AGO, and still the evidence remains (and this includes two applications of my extra-strength Selsun Blue) (And yes, I did lather, rinse, AND repeat).  This is just the latest, and most itchy, example of the omnipresence of sand in all aspects of my life.  It is always on the linoleum tile that constitutes the floor of our humble abode. It has been seen inside every car I have had the pleasure of traveling in on the island.  Even within the cars of the most anal of automotive enthusiasts it is still present in ash trays, coin boxes, cup holders.  At work sand is constantly trying to reclaim my some-what sodded athletic field.  Despite the best efforts of the grounds crew at Ross to weed and water the land, they are no match for the ever-creeping beach as it attempts to remake island in its image.  I am not complaining or questioning its presence, but merely wanting to show its power to the uninitiated.  A day without sand is a day off island.

And then there were ants.  On a daily basis I have the direction and quality of my life influenced by two types of ants; fire and sugar.  Clever names.  The fire ants can be found in the states, as well.  Their name stems from the burning feeling one gets after getting bit by the creature.  Their size is not representative of the level of discomfort to be had from their bite.  Despite being small in stature they are aggressive and painful; the intensity of the burning is quite the experience.  have you not had the pleasure of witnessing their living habits?! YOU, my friend, are in luck.  Come down to my athletics field where fire ants can be seen in their natural habitat, in abundance.  The very same field on which I attempt to show children as young as 5 the pleasures of physical exertion and organized sports.  Why, just the other day I had the pleasure of a 6 year-old approaching me in tears, screaming unintelligibly while swiping at their legs because of an encounter.  A quick scooping up of the lad, sprint up the hill, and dousing with water from the gardener's spigot was all he needed to be right as rain.  rest assured he'll never want to play outside again. 

Sugar ants, from what I understand, are found through out the Caribbean, but maybe by other names.  These ants are very small and don't pack a bite, they just hassle you and complicate your life.  Sugar ants received their name because of their love of all things sweet and/or moist.  You may remember them from such hits as; Your Bathroom Sink, Your Counter Top, Crawling Inside Your Bowl of Sugar When All You Wanted Was a Cup of Effing Coffee Before Going to Class, Crawling up Your Back while You Sit on the Toilet, and many more.   They are every where.  And, again, despite their lack of stature, they can not be stopped.  Efforts to limit them (eradication is out of the question) are met with contempt.  If you smush one under your finger, a row of them will walk around the digit and laugh at you.  Try setting out ant traps, and they will be graffitied by morning.  I tried spraying a row of them with poison (which will probably kill me before it does them) and I discovered the next day that my car had been keyed.  It read "Resistance is Futile".  Think about the planning and coordination that must have gone into an effort like that.

And so on and so Forth

Not much to report this time around.  Al and I have started to get into our respective routines and we haven't had much time to explore any more of the island.  That's OK, though.  We do have 2.5 years and the island is only 60 square miles.  If we checked it all out now, what would we do for entertainment later?

  On the car front, we finally got all of the paperwork done.  It took forever and I ended up recruiting my friend Chrissie from work to take care of the last little bit as I always worked when the office was open.  We finished it all up this past Tuesday so I decided to take it out for it's maiden voyage to the grocery store and.......it died.  No lie.  The engine just went dead about .5 miles from campus.  Now it won't even turn over when you turn the ignition.  I'm not sure what the deal is with this car.  So now we are going on week three of "own a car, but ride the bus", and it's starting to get really old.

  In other news:  tonight I went with Long, a friend from work, and Taylor, an acquaintance from Ross Vet, to go see the St Kitts & Nevis men's soccer team play a match against St Vincent & The Grenadines.  It was a battle between the Sugar Boyz and the St Vincey Heat.  St Kitts came out hot and jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first ten minutes.  We all thought it was going to be a blow out.  But St Kitts cooled as the Heat heated up.  The ref sort of lost control of the match and guys started flopping all over the place like fish out of water to try to convince the ref to penalize the other team.  A few times I honestly thought punches were going to get throw.  St Vincent tied it up early in the second half and had a chance to go ahead thanks to a penalty kick awarded by the ref.  The Sugar Boyz goal keeper made an incredible save to keep the game level and that's how it ended.  The crowd seemed less than impressed but we loved it.

FIrst Week of Real Life

So the first week of real life has come to an end, and it came just in the nick of time. I have been working for 10 days straight at the prep school due to required faculty work shops, and Al needed a few days of no new information so she could do her best to learn the old information. I am ready for a day off to recuperate and wrap my mind around next week.

The first week at the prep school went really well; better than I thought it would. I teach two science classes back to back to start the day, each for 75 minutes. It's difficult to get teenagers engaged any time, and first thing in the morning is not helping things. We had fun, as I thought we needed to take a few days to get to know each other (and I was in no rush to start creating science lessons). We played games, talked about our summers, etc. The only genuine teaching I did was a two day lesson on "learning how we learn and thinking about how we think", and it worked out really well. The kids were asking lots of questions and I think the felt acknowledged when I taught them about Gardner's Multiple Intelligences. The purpose of these lessons was to get the kids to think about what kind of learner they are, where their strengths are, and how they can help themselves to learn better. It was their introduction to metacognition. Plus I did the whole thing on a Power Point (which I taught myself how to use the night before) and the kids liked all of the pictures and little tricks I built into the presentation.

From an outsider's perspective, I'd say Alex's first week of classes went well. There is a heavy reliance on print outs and on line class notes, and Alex ( along with every other first semester student) is trying to figure out how to track all the documents down, use them, and keep them organized. We also are currently sharing our dorm room with a tupperware container of dog bones, which is.....interesting...(?) Alex has jumped right into the groove of academic life after a few years break. She has organized a study group and they even met with the T.A. for one class saturday morning to review from the week. That is a lot more than I ever did for any of my courses, so kudos to her.

We have acquired a car down here on the island. It's a 1996 Toyota Rav 4 with peeling flame decals on the sides. We have been in legal possession of the car for over a week but unable to drive it because of paper work challenges. There is no clear sequence of events that need to be done to fully register and insure the car, and the offices we must go to are not very employed-person friendly. First stop has to be the police station, which closes at 3 most days, but 2:30 on Fridays, and is closed on the weekends. There we needed to get the ownership paperwork documented so it would be recognized as being in our name. Alex had to go twice to that office because the first time she went it was 3:10 and, although the woman was still there with all of her supplies handy and all she had to do was sign and stamp it, she declined and invited Alex to try again later. Next up you need insurance. Insurance closes at 5 pm most days, but 4:30 on Friday. Alex made a run down there twice as well; once to put her on the insurance, and the second time to add me. Still on the agenda is a visit to the office of inland revenue to pay some sort of a fee related to our acquisition of the car. We don't know whether it's a flat rate, no matter what the car is, or if it is a percentage of the value of the car. No one, in fact, seems to know how much the fee is or what it's for, including the cops...odd.

Saturday night was the Mr. RUSVM show; a fund raiser that is put on at the beginning of each semester. It's like a pageant show to crown the biggest frat-boy. Because the ratio of male to female students is so skewed in favor of women, this show is put on to offer them some eye candy, in the form of out of shape, awkward vet students. Each semester enters one contestant, plus there is a rep from the VIP group (Very Important Partners, of which I am a member). There was a sleep wear portion, super hero portion, and talent portion. There were three judges form the school; two professors (including one associate dean), and a woman who seems to give people coffee and bagels...I know that seems random, but that's the info I received. Anyway, it dragged on for a couple of hours with lots of thinly veiled sexual references, including two different contestants choosing to portray the Trojan condom guy as their superhero of choice, while a third came out as the "boob-fairy". We left before the winner was announced.

So far our transition has been smooth, which is a nice feeling. We are quick to recognize that this is a bit of a honeymoon period, where everything is interesting and new, and that we will go through highs and lows. I am already sensing a need for some separation from Ross U life. Al spends her days in the classroom, and I at the prep school on campus, and then we retire to our dorm, which is a 2 minute walk from our respective work places. It will be nice to have a home to return to to reinforce the feeling of a clear division, work from home. We aren't rushing to make this change, as however. Right now our tentative plan is to remain on campus through Al's 2nd semester, which will take me through my first full school year. Between 2nd and 3rd semesters we will try to find a place within a reasonable distance from school that offers security and a bit more personality (these dorm spaces are oh-so sterile and generic).

That's it for now....Seacrest, OUT!

Week One to a Close

So the first week is coming to an end. Over the past day or two other students have started arriving. They look so young; like zygotes in flip flops. Many are straight out of under grad and are still firmly nestled under their parents' wings. Even though we aren't THAT old there is still a marked difference in demeanor and mentality between us and them.

We have had an orientation leader named Rachael (I didn't have the heart to tell her she spelled her own name wrong) who is going into her 6th semester at Ross. She is very nice and very knowledgeable. Her husband also came down as a tag-along and has been filling his time playing music at bars and working odd jobs on campus. With the group we have been able to make runs to grocery stores and home depot-esque destinations to pick up stuff we missed the first time. It seems like, even though every trip feels like a victory, the next time you head out all you remember is what you DIDN'T get.

We also had a chance to stop by the prep school where I will be working. Al was able to meet some of my co-workers, and I was able to pick up my work laptop and some text books to look over that I will be using. Unfortunately the laptop could just as well be a piece of drift wood since the network is down and I can't so much as access the desk top. This is not my fault, however, and when it can be corrected it will be corrected.

We still have another week before Al's classes start and before my students arrive. The "for real" orientation doesn't begin until this monday when service providers, such as banks, cable companies, etc, will be on campus, tours will be given, and activities held. I will have required days of attendance at my job beginning next Thursday and running through that weekend. I will then begin teaching that Monday, the 7th, followed by another required day the next Saturday. All in all I will have to attend work for 10 days straight to begin the school year. I'm interested to see how they put these days to use.

I am a little disappointed to miss the catamaran ride around the island this Friday and I may have to miss Alex's white coat ceremony, where all first semester students are welcomed and given white doctor coats to represent their introduction to the school. I'll have to as someone to take lots of pictures.

I'm a bit nervous about the the challenges I face with teaching two widely different, and quite foreign subjects with limited resources (science and PE). I am going to bust my butt and lean on everyone I can to help me along; so don't be surprised if you get a call or an email from me asking your opinion on something. I need all the help I can get.

The View from the Kitchen