May

11

Mother’s day

Filed Under Daily | 4 Comments

dear mom,

i hope you are proud of my strengths and successes as if they were your own.

because they are.

May

10

Cycling on Nevis

Filed Under Caribbean Living | 2 Comments

i like my bike

i met a new MUA student last night who is also my new neighbour! she is from New York and somehow found this little site before coming to Nevis to start pre-med. upon reading the fact that i cycle to and from school every day, she decided to buy a used bike and bring it down with her. a great idea!

but she claimed she was more than a tiny bit discouraged on her first attempt. it was hot! the campus seemed too far away! how on earth could she do it with a heavy school bag on her back?? and EVERYDAY?? ugh.

i struggled with every single one of these issues way back in September when i first arrived. in fact, the initial “oh let’s see how far it is” trip that Jonathan and i took on our bikes from my house to campus really really really really really sucked. it only took about 20 minutes, but felt like FOREVER. i was hot. and slow. and sweating like a maniac. and disappointed. this super cheap good plan of mine to save on transportation cost might not actually work out after all.

as most of you know, the story has a happy ending. i stubbornly got on my bike every morning and stubbornly pushed myself into the blasting wind, stinging rain, and blinding sun. and i came to absolutely adore my morning ride. i LOVED it. in fact, the days when i had a flat tire or the road was washed out due to heavy overnight rains were downright disappointing.

however, while i think Nevis is a great island for cycling, there are definitely a few drawbacks. as such, i figured it was high time i got around to writing a post i have had in the back of my mind for months now: a post about my experiences as a new cyclist and the good-suck-love-hate relationship you can have with your bicycle in the Caribbean.

for those of you that don’t know (or somehow ended up here through Google)…

no, i did not ride a bicycle at home before coming here. in fact, i bought my beloved Brodie Dynamo just last summer and barely spun the wheels in Vancouver before packing it up for the long plane ride. i live across the street from the airport. the terrain to school is a slow grade uphill pretty much the entire way. after 8 months, i can get up the 4.3km in about 15 minutes. at the end of the day, i zoom (mostly) downhill home in under 10 minutes. i do not know what it’s like to cycle around the entire island. i do not use my bike to go into town to get groceries. i’m not a pro and i do not participate in any of the wonderfully cool triathlon stuff here.

this is by no means a comprehensive guide. these are just the trials and tribulations that i personally encountered riding my bicycle to and from school every day for 8 months.

1) flat tires suck.
bring a lot of tubes. bring a patch kit. bring a foot-floor pump. ride with the highest PSI you can get away with for your weight and tire style. i have had more than my fair share of flats (last November royally sucked) from both mysterious and obvious causes. the single change that i have noticed made the biggest difference: having a foot-floor pump that can get my tires up to 90PSI instead of 60PSI.

someone mentioned on my site awhile back that i should try airfree tires. and i actually ordered them on November 5, 2007. but they haven’t even shipped from their factory yet. i can’t say i recommend the company (or the tires) because i wasn’t informed of this delay before my purchase, most of my enquiries go unanswered, and it’s been SIX MONTHS! i’ll let you know if i change my mind if and when the tires finally arrive. until then, bring lots of tubes.

2) weather can really suck.
hi, we’re in the Caribbean! we get hurricanes here between June and November! we get rain and sun and wind for the rest of the year round. i have been brutally soaked from the tip of my hair to the inside of my underwear on many many many occasions. i have pulled over because i couldn’t see through my eyes squeezed shut against the pins-and-needles rain blasting horizontally. very often i can’t get out of first gear going downhill because the wind is so strong.

weather is something to be aware of, respect, and get over. once you just admit to yourself there is no way you’re staying dry, it’s actually a lot of fun to ride in the rain. forget the rain jacket. leave it at home. get soaked and change clothes when you get to school. it’s actually better than #3 below…

3) being sweaty sucks.
there aren’t any shower facilities at MUA. this sucks. i bring a change of clothes and mop myself down with paper towel in the bathroom each morning. thankfully, the classrooms tend to be a bit on the Absolutely Freezing side, so you can typically cool off before the first class is over. cycling as early in the morning as possible (ie: as soon as the sun comes up around 6am) is a good idea because it is MUCH cooler. even one hour can make a huge 5-10oC difference.

4) drivers here mostly suck.
the main road has great pavement all the way around the island, but can be pretty narrow for the wiiide trucks that like to zoom by at a zillion miles an hour. scary. always ride with a helmet and as much reflector tape or flashing lights as possible. i prefer to ride with traffic (on the left side of the road) with a bright red blinking light clipped to the back of one of my bike bags. i haven’t had a single “close call” in the last 8 months and most people are very courteous and will give you a wide berth when they pass.

i never cycle after dark. i don’t care how bright the flashers are on my helmet or reflectors on my frame, drinking and driving is common here and obviously much more common after dark.

sounds like an awful lot of suckage, no? well, there are a few good things…

5) saving money is good.
gas is expensive! rental cars can run anywhere from $300-700+ per month. purchasing a vehicle will probably get you your money back at the end of MED 5, but you’re stuck with any repairs in the meantime. and getting parts can be very expensive and time-consuming.

6) having energy all day is good.
i found my morning ride did a better job of making me bright-eyed and bushy-tailed than the best cup of coffee i could brew. and after sitting in class all day, it was really awesome to stretch the legs on the way home with an adrenaline kick to keep the evening going.

7) being comfortable is good.
i most often cycle in flip flops, loose capris, a long tank top, and a sports bra. i also bring a full change of clothes (including underwear) because unexpected downpours are common. and sitting in class while sweating and stinking just isn’t any fun.

i use bike panniers — for books, clothes, water, snacks, whatever — because i would rather not have any extra weight on my already sticky sweaty back.

…

and now that i’ve typed up all of that, it’s time for me to admit that i have actually rented a (*GASP*) car for this month and possibly the rest of this term. i have a few reasons for this bizarre turn of events (Tiffany’s visit this week included), but my new automotive adventure deserves its’ own post.

May

10

Hot shower

Filed Under Caribbean Living | 4 Comments

remember the hot water heater* that was installed last week?

today's shower

… well, i haven’t experienced the “hot water” part yet and there are obviously still a few kinks to work out. on the plus side, the pressure is actually pretty good!

————
*i have since learned that my North American idea of a “hot water heater” involving a tank full of pre-warmed water couldn’t be more incorrect. the landlady is just getting another electric heating coil added to the head to zap the water as it passes through. still! promises of non-freezing-gasping-argh mornings are good!

May

8

Microbiology. Oh my.

Filed Under Medical University of the Americas | 7 Comments

Neuro, i have always loved you. Genetics, you have an awesome professor. Epidemiology, i think we’ll be friends as long as you keep the math under control.

but Microbiology, you just might make this semester suck a little more than it should.

May

7

From London to Nevis, with love

Filed Under Daily | 8 Comments

apparently none of my friends actually think i’m serious when i say “come visit me in the Caribbean! stay for free in my spare bedroom! lay in my hammock drinking Caribs and watching planes take off all day!”

that is, none of my friends except wonderful marvelous Tiffany!

some of you might remember that the last time i saw Tiffany was for a few days at her jolly home in lovely London after my mentally and emotionally exhausting month in Zambia. the time before that, she met my mom and i in Barcelona for some shopping and Gaudi and Giant Sangria. the time before that, she and i flew from our respective corners of the earth (at the time) to meet in Montreal for more shopping (duh) and punk rock karaoke and photos of graffiti. in another lifetime before any of that, we actually lived in the same city (Vancouver) at the same time (2002? 2003?) and shared the same friend (Erin!).

and tonight, the world famous internationally-acclaimed street photographer is coming here! so excited i could about pee my pants!

May

6

Back to school

Filed Under Medical University of the Americas | 4 Comments

main classroom building at MUA

MED 3 has one of the wickedest reputations at MUA. then again, i think any semester that includes microbiology has a wicked reputation at just about every school.

but today first. right now i am looking forward to a full day of hugs and how-was-your-breaks and omg-you-look-so-refresheds and more hugs.

back to school! yay!

May

3

Home

Filed Under Rhymes with Rant, Quotable | 13 Comments

sunset from my front door

it’s incredible. this having two homes at each end of one journey thing. i once heard someone described as a perfect snail: carrying her home on her back wherever she went.

i don’t own a condo in Vancouver or a piece of land in Saskatchewan. i barely have a permanent mailing address (provided only through my most stable mother). but i do own this now-sweaty t-shirt on my back. and wherever i go, i am home.

Lucky, this point in time and space
Is chosen as my working place;
Where the sexy airs of summer,
The bathing hours and the bare arms,
The leisured drives through a land of farms,
Are good to the newcomer.

~ W. H. Auden

May

3

People are awesome

Filed Under Rhymes with Rant, Quotable | 3 Comments

everywhere i go i seem to bump into some of the most lovely and talkative and open people. people that for some reason don’t think twice about telling me that they left their wife last week because her son is a meth addict who tried to hit on him after spending some time in prison. i feel so blessed that people trust me with their stories. their lives.

just a few memorable quotes from this trip:

first there was friendly Patricia, the waitress at the Seattle airport that fed me gin & tonics while i waited to check in my luggage. she reminded me of what Tina might be like if she ends up waiting tables when she’s 50+ with a 16-year old daughter. we chatted MacBooks and screen size and kids and creativity.
“The cheese platter is the best deal here! Only 9 dollars and look how much you get!”
(she spoke the truth. even i couldn’t finish all that cheese.)

and Steve, the Vietnam war vet from Arkansas that pitched me his “A Suburban Murder of Crows” short story because he saw me reading and thought i was a writer.
“All lawyers are like crows, portrayed eating corn in a field.”
(no idea what that means? yah, me neither.)
“I’m going 8 hours north of Edmonton to shoot a 7 foot - nose to tail - black bear.”
(i liked him a little less.)
“I think George Bush is easily the most moronic president in our history.”
(i liked him a little more.)
“I think we should bring back the draft.”
“You have eyes like that National Geographic kid.”
(to Patricia, the waitress. she accepted the compliment with perfect grace.)

then there was Feeley (stitched to the front of his uniform), the full-camo army kid straight from Kuwait that sat next to me from Seattle to Newark and talked way too much. he even reached over and paused my movie when he noticed i fell asleep during a Kaplan Immunology chapter. i promptly woke up and un-paused it because that woman’s voice is a perfect sedative to me.
“I was hoping to sit in First Class dressed like this. It’s happened once before.”
(instead he was stuck with me.)
“If you hadn’t told me you were Canadian, I would have guessed Minnesota.”
(guess i’ve been hanging around too many Amercians.)
“Wow, your bag is shiny!”
(i think Tiffany said the same thing when she first saw it in Barcelona!)
“Did you *wear* a blanket?”
(referring to my shawl-poncho.)
“Were you sleeping?”
(after elbowing me awake. uh, no.)
“Who is your favorite country singer?”
(i said i just couldn’t narrow it down. his was Kenny Chesney.)
“WHY won’t this SEAT go BACK?”
(as he pushed the button and rocked our entire row hard enough to scare the poor folks behind us. we soon learned were in the non-reclining row right in front of the fire exit.)

and lastly, adorable Travis, brother of Blake, a duo on their way to holiday in the Dominican Republic. we shared a wall outlet while watching videos in the Seattle airport and bonded.
“Little old ladies are so sweet.”
(after claiming he slept on one all the way to Newark.)
“I need to get me some of those wheely shoes for work.”
(said while watching an 8-year old roll by on his heels. when i asked what he did for a living he laughed and said “finance!”)
“The Jerk is a classic!”
(sure is!)
“Toronto is like the USA and Seattle is like Canada.”
(or it might have been me that said that.)

there was obviously much much more. but i’m lucky enough to get this much out of my tired brain as everything swirls into one big long 40 hour trip. i didn’t exchange anything more than first names with any of these people (and a little money with Patricia), but they helped make a super long trip more bearable. i’m so very thankful on a regular basis for the peace i’m able to muster up and deal with life’s hiccups as they unfold. i hope everyone else got to their respective destinations safe and sound and with the correct luggage.

and now, peace be damned. i’m ready to go home.

May

2

On the road again

Filed Under Daily | 12 Comments

life is damn good

due to the unexpected break-up change in Vancouver plans, my flight itinerary had to be modified. and now i’m stuck with a rather painfully long and circuitous route back to Nevis…

Regina to Vancouver to Seattle (wait 7.5 hrs…) to Newark to St. Maarten to Nevis

32 hours and 4 airlines.

frig. please join me in positive thoughts for my checked luggage.

see you in Seattle. looks like i’ll have more than enough time on my hands to read and write and chat and catch up on Scrabulous games and read some more.

miss you, Maddy. ergh. just typing that brings the heavy tears right back under my eyelids. which doesn’t matter because my eyes are already bright red and puffy anyway. i know i have a few more mini sobfests in me before touching down in Newcastle.

thanks for coming along for the ride. : )

May

1

Because I’m not sure how I survived without Curious George band-aids

Filed Under Caribbean Living | 10 Comments

shopping!

shopping for the last 8 months and the next (4 to) 8 months all at the same time is insane. insanely fun. insanely expensive. i think back to all the money i saved since September by not splurging on pick-me-up sprees and realize i spent the last two weeks basically binge-eating after an excessively restrictive diet.

shopping was SO FUN. i am such a girl.

since i only brought one carry-on suitcase with me to Saskatchewan and, as such, can’t take liquids over 100mL back with me on the plane, i decided to make myself a little care package. with love from me, to me. then i kept shopping and realized one care package wasn’t going to be enough. then i shopped a little more and realized i should just dust off my old blue 40L Outbound backpack and check the damn thing for the long flight, keeping my fingers crossed that it wouldn’t get too lost on the ridiculously circuitous route home.

some of the things i bought were replacements for items that naturally get worn out or used up (make-up). other stuff was “upgraded” because i forgot them on Nevis and needed them in Saskatchewan (eyebrow tweezers). other things were “nice to haves” that i saw in the store and decided to make room for in my luggage/care package (kitchen tea towels and bathroom mat). other things are for Shenelle, my little sister.

and still other stuff i just plain realized i couldn’t live without. Body Shop Body Butter. how on earth did i go 8 months without my deliciously decadent Satsuma? smells so good i could just dollop it right onto my tongue.

i think the clothes were the most fun to shop for and buy. i brought quite a lot of clothes with me to Nevis in August, but definitely not enough to keep me from getting bored in 8 months. add to that the fact that i don’t have a clothes dryer and my shirts are looking faded and stretched out and worn, and i will probably donate half of them to charity when i get back. plus, i really really really missed pants that go all the way to my ankles. like, really. even in Nevisian humidity, you don’t have to wear capris or shorts or skirts EVERY day.

there is an ever-growing thread of “Things I Wish I Brought With Me” on MUA’s ValueMD forums that students keep adding to over the semesters and years. i guess this is sort of my version. and so, here is the (rather comprehensive) list of stuff i am bringing back:

- new shower head (!)
- Brita water jug and filters (even though i actually don’t mind Nevis tap water to drink)
- muffin pan
- tea towels & bath mat
- more clothes (mostly long tank tops, tshirts, and underwear)
- exfoliating gloves & new bath brush
- Body Shop Body Butter (x3)
- tea tree oil
- Blistex Herbal Answer lip balm (x3)
- Curious George band-aids
- hair dye (no, i’m not naturally this blonde, but yes i naturally have more fun)
- all-in-one shape ‘n buff file
- foot pumice
- Uremol 20 dry skin creme
- multi-vitamin
- vitamin B complex supplement
- calcium & magnesium supplement
- travel-size deodorant for school bag
- extra-strength Advil
- diamond-tip Revlon tweezers
- Intuition razor & replacement cartridges
- pressed powder
- waterproof mascara
- eyeliner
- blush/bronzer
- Vichy eye stick
- Crest Vivid White toothpaste (x2 - Brandon, i looked up the name)
- Rembrandt Intense Stain toothpaste (what can i say? i like coffee!)
- new brush
- hair clips
- Secret Platinum Invisible (x2)
- Secret Clinical Strength (x2 this brand is new to me and i’m curious to test it out)
- marshmallow strawberries
- Twizzlers
- giant box of Mike & Ike
- Sour Patch Kids
- Tide to Go pens (x3)
- Duracell rechargeable AAA (x2) and AA (x8)
- Crest Glide floss
- plastic cutting board
- activity book with Canadian puzzles and games
- bright yellow flip flops
- pink water resistant chronograph watch (Shenelle’s a runner)
- bubble blower
- spring t-shirts size 11 years (x2)
- novel about fairies (x3)
- stamp/sticker scrapbook

i had kind of hoped not to accumulate too much “stuff” while on Nevis because i know it will be a huge pain in the butt to bring it all home again. but whatever helps get me through this next year can’t really be all that bad.

can it? ; ))

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