Court the Caribbean Med Student

Passed Step1!!! and....I already started rotations!

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 20:44:00 +0000

I apologize for not updating this sooner but once I passed Step I was a little busy trying to get my clinical rotations set up!

So Step 1 is officially over for me! Overall it was not a bad experience. There were some tough sections on there but also some really easy ones too so overall it was a fair test IMO. I didn't leave the test feeling low, but I can't say that I knew I aced it either. I was mostly indifferent. I could barely remember what they asked in the 1st section by the time I finished the 8 hr marathon, so I wasn't sure how many I had actually missed. I tried not to think about the test while I waited the 3 weeks for my scores! It was pretty easy to do since I was home with my family. I enjoyed the time off. My niece turned 1 yr and we had a big celebration for her. I was happy I didn't have to miss that! When I got my score I was very relieved and happy! I can now look forward to the next obstacle! :)

So I am now 3 weeks into my Ob/Gyn core rotation here in Dominica. So far I am loving it! My first week was crazy! We were on call everyday! -_- But I did see a lot of baby deliveries that week. After that week of craziness the past two weeks have been smooth sailing! We round every morning and then if we aren't on call for the day I come home! We have to do one presentation per week. It's not too bad. I actually enjoy doing them. I am learning a lot! The doctor I am under is super cool! She is great at teaching and doesn't make you feel bad when you don't know something. I am very happy I chose to do some of my rotations here!

After this rotation I will also do 6 weeks of Peds here and a 3 week Orthopedics elective rotation. Then sadly I must say goodbye to Dominica (for a little while anyway). I'm off to New York for the rest of my cores and electives.

I'll try to get better at writing more frequently!

Until next time....love life and smile!

AUGUST 3rd!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 14:42:00 +0000

Yes that's right folks! I take Step 1 on August 3rd!!

Just wanted to take a short break from studying to say hello and update you guys(assuming there are ppl that read this lol) on my Step date. I will be going back home to take the test and then I will have abt a month of much needed vacay!!!! I am trying not to let the excitement overshadow my focus right now but man it is very hard!!! I have not had a true break in so long that just the thought of having one makes me wanna shout!! lol Well not too much else to say right now unless you wanna hear abt all this stuff I'm studying for this test.. Yea didn't think so. :) Well let me get back too it. I will post the day after my test and let you know how I felt about it. Honestly I am kinda scared but at the same time I am very excited. It's a weird feeling to be taking these steps towards MD land. Each day I am getting closer and sometimes I feel like I am dreaming. Ok Ok maybe a little dramatic but it is true.

This song pretty much sums up my thoughts at this point in my life.

As always...until next time.....Love life and smile.....

and NEVER give up on your dreams....

Love,
Court

STEP by STEP

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Fri, 20 May 2011 16:46:00 +0000

I don't even know if anybody still reads this but just thought I would say hello and provide an update on my life up to this point.....So here it goes!

1st off: Hey y'all!!! (in the most southern country voice) ;)

Well so much has changed over these past months. I think I'm still in shock about it all. Talk about stressful... I have gotten through 5th. Which was tons on awesomeness!!! I loved being at PMH. I am so grateful for the things that I learned there and I know that it will help me to be a better doc in the future. So after 5th I had to take the Comprehensive exam that Ross makes us take in order to sit for Step 1. We get three attempts at it. My first time was at the beginning of 5th. I wasn't really into studying so I wasn't really surprised to not pass it. But this time around I studied my "bootay" off and I am happy to announce that....I PASSED! I know that I still have a long way to go but I am so ready to kick butt on STEP and start gasp....CLINICAL ROTATIONS!! And to think this was just a dream for me 2 yrs ago.....GOD is Amazing!! He continues to be my #1 supporter through all of this madness.

Well I no longer have to go to any class!!!! That feels great! Kinda weird since that has been my life for this long. But I will be ok. So for the next 2mths my life will consist of studying like a mad woman for STEP!! I decided to stay on the island to study. 1. because it's so peaceful and easy to focus 2. my man's here(yea my bf is Dominican) so it makes it a little sweeter being here.

Well wish me luck on what lies ahead.. I'm ready!!!!!

So now you get the double meaning behind the title of this entry. Step by Step (like each step towards MD land and "Step" for Step1.....*crickets* ok whatever..I thought it was pretty funny. hahahaha

Well I'm gonna finish enjoying my day. It's a beautiful day in DOMINICA!

As always.... until next time, love life and smile....

5th semester

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 01:35:00 +0000

Sorry guys! I know it's been a while but I must tell you that these past couple of months have been hectic. I am currently in 5th semester! whoohoo!

I love 5th. I stayed on the island so I go to PMH everyday. We have a very small class so we get to do and see so much. Lots of hands on experience. We do clinical rotations on MWF in different departments. So far I have been in Gastroenterology, Internal Medicine, and Neonatology. I also did a shift in the ER last Friday night. I have seen some cool things so far. Definitely happy with my decision to stay. I love it here so I didn't mind staying in Dominica anyway. Ok I know I promise this a lot but I will try to keep it this time, I am going to start posting more regularly so that I can document some of the cool things I see/do along the way. Later this week I will write about my ER experience. That has been the coolest so far.

Until next time, love life and smile.....

4th Semester

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 02:08:00 +0000

So I can finally say that I am a 4th...semester that is! haha. I feel good to be almost finished wit 2nd yr. but I realize I am only half way done with the journey! I do feel a little bittersweet about it. This is my last semester of being in a classroom for the rest of my life! (hopefully lol) We do a little classroom work in 5th semester but I hear it's not like this. Mini 1 is Monday! My last Mini 1.... ok, ok i'll stop lol. But it is pretty strange to think about it.

So 4th is not very fun! It is packed with work smerck! SO much info to retain in a small window of time but such is life right?! It wouldn't be med school if it wasn't hard. I feel like Pharm and Micro are calling my name right now so I will have to keep this short. I was just taking a moment to check in since it's been a little while since my last post. I promise I will do better about writing once I start studying for Step and start rotations.

Well take care loves. And until next time.......

Love life and smile....

It's Been A Long time.....

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 15:15:00 +0000

I shouldn't have left you....without a dope beat to step to.. step to... step to...step to... ssss-tep to......hahahaha

Hello out there. Not sure if anybody even follows this anymore but I just got an urge to write so:

At this time I am studying hard for the last exams of the semester. Two more weeks until vacay! WOOHOO!!! I know I say this so often but time really does fly. I have been very busy this semester with school and extracurriculars too. I was the prez of BSA this semester so I did a lot of running around with that. 3rd semester has been overall the best so far. Not easy but the most enjoyable. Pharm is tough but I actually feel like i'm learning doctor related stuff. And we actually see patients so that is fun too.

I am actually a little home sick. I didn't go home over last break so I am def missing my fam and friends. I feel so bad that I don't get to call ppl like I would like to but I guess it comes with the territory. I know that they don't hold it against me though. I have some exciting things to look forward to during the break. The biggest is a new addition to the fam:::::TAYLOR ALEXANDRIA HARRIS:::::::my new niece!! I can't wait to see her! Also we are having a DU Katrina reunion so I will get to see some friends that I haven't seen in a while.

Well I guess I should get back to studying!

Until next time.....love life and smile!

Muah!

Hooray!!

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 20:08:00 +0000

Sooooo....

Me berfday was Sunday! Nothing major happened since it was the day before Mini 1. My RCF family had me a little birthday lunch. That was nice. My friend Crystal and I share the same birthday so I attended her celebration Sunday night. It was a day of highs and unfortunately lows.... I'm cool about it though. Such is life right?! You can't sweat the small stuff. I am just grateful that God allowed me to see another year. This weekend I'm having an official party so I will def have a good time @ that.

Mini 1 was yesterday! I felt very prepared for it and it was a success! Me likey 3rd so far?! I think I finally found a "groove." Took me long enough!

Well time to get back to it. Next mini will be here before I know it and I want to keep up my momentum!

Until next time! Love life and smile....

3rd is....

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 21:39:00 +0000

Hey loves!!!

Sorry for my hiatus but I have been super duper busy lately. Quick update:

Me vacay was ahhhmazin'. I went to a couple parties and I most of all relaxed!!! It was a nice break from school. Speaking of school scmool, I am well into 3rd semester now. 3rd is......ummmm different from 1st/2nd. BUTTTTTTT I like it and so far me thinks it's not too bad. We are finally doing clinical stuff (playing doctor)! It is pretty cool. I still have a lot of info to cram into my head. Oh and did I mention Mini 1 is monday??!!! Yep! And Sunday is me berfday!!! YAYYY! I am excited but not really bc I will be studying for most of it but such is life right?! I am just grateful that God is allowing me to see another year!! He has blessed me with so much. Last year he told me that I would not be the same person next year and lo and behold I am SOOOO NOTTTT!! But in a good way. I am working toward my dream career. I have grown spiritually. I have new friends. I am in a diff country (that is absolutely beautiful). This is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. All in all I am just loving life right now. Well I'm off to bible study.

I will write more later!!

Until next time love life and smile!!!!

Court

I'm on Vacation!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 14:16:00 +0000

Sooooo this semester has ended! By God's grace I passed!!! On to 3rd semester. I can actually call myself a 2nd year med student! It feels so crazy! I am so grateful to God b/c some of those finals were tough but I still made it through! So now I am on vacation for 2 weeks!! I stayed in Dominica for this break so I plan on hitting the beach and relaxing!

I also just moved to a top floor apt. It is very nice! I have an awesome breeze and it is bigger than the one I was in before.

Well I am still unpacking a few things. I will chat with you guys later!

Until next time....Love life and smile!

Oh here's a picture that reflects my mood right now! It was taken @ red rock!

Still Running!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 19:27:00 +0000

Hey guys! The marathon continues today. I just finished taking my Neuro and Anatomy cumulative finals. They were ok but it's in God's hands now so what will be will be. Tomorrow is the major one for me. We have Biochem!! After that starts me 2wk vacay!!! In one day I can relax for a few weeks! I am so tired me thinks me may sleep an entire day! Ok maybe not a whole day but @ least until 9!! (that may seem early still but compared to these 6 and 7 mornings it sounds like a little slice of Heaven! haha. But seriously I could use a few extra winks! Well no long post today. Gotta grind out these last hours. Don't be sad we have 2 weeks coming up and I promise I will write a lot during that time!

Me love u guys! Muah!

Until next time......Love life and smile!!

The Marathon Starts!!

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 05:05:00 +0000

Hey me loves!!!

As promised I am keeping up with my writing! Tomorrow/well really in about 7 hours we start the 3 day final exam marathon! I am soooooo excited! YAY! (insert sarcasm lol) But honestly I'm not really worried or stressed. I feel like I feel about the Minis actually. I can not believe that after Thursday I will be a 2nd year med student! God is great! I am praising Him in advance! Time has really flown by. Now I see what ppl were talking abt when they said it goes so fast. One day I will wake up and be a doctor! Who wants to be my 1st patient???? (why do I hear crickets?!) That's ok! lol.

OH btw Happy Birthday Mama!!!!!! My mother turns 45 today!!! Your gift's in the mail! AND shout out to my love Indiahhhhhh!!!! Happy Birthday chica! Love u much! Wish I could've been there to celebrate with u! This is a major sad part of being so far away from the states. I have missed family & friends' birthdays. I had to miss my cousin's wedding also. Congrats to Fallon and Emmette!!! I really wish I could've been there. I'm looking forward to seeing pictures!

Well I have to get some rest before I take on Day 1! Physio & Histo up 1st!!!

Until next time.....love life and smile!

Happy Sunday!

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 15:45:00 +0000

Last night before I went to bed I was reading one of my favorite med school blogs. Her name is Jessica and it's titled "What's Jessica Up to."She is a 4th yr Ross student and she is finally finished! She is now a doctor! I almost cried and it really brought so much encouragement to see someone at the end of the journey. She had an excellent poem on there that I would like to share with yall.

Don't Quit
When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all up hill.
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you want to cry.
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must but don't you quit.
Life is strange with its twists and turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learns.
And many a failure turns about,
When you might have won had you stuck it out.
Don't give up though the pace seems slow,
You may succees with another blow.
Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt.
And you can never tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far.
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit -
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

I hope that encourages someone. It def encouraged me. Until next time Love life and smile......

da' Come Back Kid

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 03:42:00 +0000

My sister just asked "where ya been?" my reply: umm studying.....lol

Hey guys! I know...I know... it's been forev.....I apologize but this med school thing is no joke. So here is a quick update. Last semester was rough, but by God's grace I passed and now I am trying to get through 2nd. I am so sorry this semester is basically over and I have neglected to write anything but time flies when you're......in med school I guess haha! So here's the rundown on 2nd.... I HAVE NO TIME TO BREATHE!!! lol ok maybe i'm being a lil' dramatic but there is nonstop work. We have all of the classes from 1st plus as if those are not enough they add NEURO!!! Btw I have def realized that that is not my calling ya' heard meh (in my NOLA voice) haha. But i will say that the Neuro dept has some of the best professors @ Ross. SO anyway yea 6 classes. The toughest for me this semester have been Neuro and Biochem. Although last semester I struggled in Physio, this time around I have been on top of it. I do enjoy the info we have this semester soooo much more than I did last semester though.

Well finals are next week. I call it HELL WEEK. We have 2 tests per day over the span of 3 days. Tuesday-Thursday. The good thing is (& I thank GOD for it) I am in good shape in my classes so I don't need a lot on them but I still want to do well. I will be staying over the break this time so I will once again be "Dora the Explorer" haha. I will post picts.

Oh I have to tell u guys that MY SISTER IS HAVING A BABY!!!! I am beaucoup hype! It's a girl and her name is Taylor Alexandria! Ahhhhh Me love the name! She is due in August and I can not wait. Can we say SPOILED! Ya man!haha

I have missed writing. I forgot how good it felt to do this. I will make this promise today that I will not forsake my blog ever again (right hand up*)......

Until next time....(you should know what I'm gonna say but in case u forgot) Love life and smile....

Muah...Me love you guys! (in my pirate voice haha)

Gone too long....

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:59:00 +0000

Hey everyone,

So sorry I have not written in awhile. Med school is taking up all of my time these days. We had a test last week. Overall I did ok. I want to do better on the next one though. I have been in a bit of a bad mood about living out here lately. I think I am just bored. I see the same small area EVERYDAY! Same food, same staring locals, same heat, same hills....etc. lol I don't mean to sound like I am complaining I am just irritated. I will make it through though. I am looking forward to the Christmas break though. I miss my friends and my family. Hell, I really just miss America. Sounds strange saying that but I really do. Well I have to take a nap now because I will be up for a long time tonight studying for the next mini(yes it is three weeks away but I have to keep up with the info as it comes) and preparing for my Anatomy practical on Thursday.

Until next time...love life and smile!

Just Keep Swimming....Just Keep Swimming....

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 04:54:00 +0000

If you saw Finding Nemo you would laugh @ my title...Dory said it best...haha. But seriously that is exactly how I feel right now. Boy this med school thing is no joke. Not hard but it definitely tests your endurance. My binder is filled to the MAX after week2! We haven't even had our 1st test and we still have 2 more weeks of info before then. WOW! I have been studying my butt off and I finally feel like I am remembering it. The 1st week was so chaotic. I realized it was bc I didn't make a schedule for myself. This past week I made one and boy does it make a difference. I did yoga twice this week and went to the gym. I planned my study time so that I wouldn't forget to study any subject. It made we feel so much better. I did have a small breakdown earlier this week though. It wasn't really from not having enough time bc like I said before I have been following my schedule it was just from me looking at all of this info. I cried for about 30min and then I went back to studying. I don't mind admitting it bc it really is making me stronger. The good news is that I am current with all of the info so far. The key to cracking MD school is to NEVER fall behind! NEVER!

I started going to TA sessions which are really great! Students that got As in the course the previous semester help the current students out. They are great! They really help you focus your studying bc they remember the high yield info (what was heavily tested on vs. what was not).

Here's a short version of my schedule below in case yall are wondering what I do all day (:-)

Mon-Fri
6:00 wake up
7:00 catch shuttle/breakfast/pre-read lectures for class
8:00-12:00 die slowly...lol j/k LECTURES
12:00-1:00 lunch
1:00 more lectures or anat lab or pbl or start studying
3:00-5:00 Study
5:00 Yoga or gym depends on the day
6:00-7:00 Study
7:00-8:00 Dinner
8:00-11:00 Study
11:00 sleep finally

Sat
8:00 wake up/eat breakfast
10:00-11:30 Yoga
12:00 Lunch
1:00-2:30 watch tv or take a nap
2:30-6:00 Study (I do take small breaks)
6:00-7:00 Dinner
7:00-until Study until I get tired (usually around 12)

Sun
9:00 wake up
11:00 Church
1:00 Lunch
2:00-5:00 Study
5:00-6:00 Dinner
6:00-8:00 Study
8:00 TV/phone calls/relax
10:00 sleep

Well nothing more to say and I am sooo sleepy! Until next time love life and smile....

White Coat Ceremony

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 21:28:00 +0000

Well I survived my 1st week of med school! Already I feel like this is going to take some hard work to get through but I am up for the challenge. The info comes at you so fast it will make your head spin yet I feel that it is very doable. I study everyday and somehow I feel like that is just enough to keep my head above water...lol. I do feel like I am learning a lot. I am surprised at how much Biochem I am learning. I thought that would be my toughest subject but actually it's not. Anatomy is growing on me...at 1st I was feeling very overwhelmed bc we were having lectures but it was very hard for me to visualize just where all of the structures were that the professors were talking about. After having lab this Thursday and actually seeing it I feel like I have a better concept of it. Histo is still a review for me bc it is still pretty fresh on my mind from undergrad. We haven't gotten into any hard concepts in Physio yet either.

I figured something out this week. At 1st I wondered why Ross would wait until after week 1 to have the white coat ceremony. My reasoning was that we should have had it before we began anything related to med school at all. Now that week 1 is over I stand corrected. That ceremony really eased the tension I was feeling after week 1. I felt like screaming so many times last week (I actually did 1 or 2 times lol). By Friday I was thinking this is too much. What the hell am I doing here? Can I really learn ALL of this?....etc,etc....But the white coat ceremony reminded me of why I came here. I came here not only to pass tests but to become a great doctor. That may seem like a minor statement but after week 1 it is so easy to forget that. You have to get used to a new culture. For me I have two new cultures (Dominica and med school). I have more info in one week here than I got in probably 1 month of undergrad. And more is coming before the test. One of the speakers at the ceremony compared this experience to a rite of passage. The 1st step is separation (I felt that already). The 2nd is imparting sacred knowledge (I see that too...a lot of knowledge). The 3rd is my favorite...reintroduction into society (as Dr. Bradford of course :)... When I think of med school in this way I realize that each step is necessary to get me to M.D. land.

Funny side note: During the ceremony they had the donning of the white coats part (just fancy talk for the professors actually putting our white coats on us). They were playing music while we did this. 1st they started out with we are the champions.. I was like ok that makes you feel good inside. Then Sade By your side came on...I was like somebody forgot to replay the 1st song. Then....TI Whatever you like came on....hahahaha. I was laughing so hard. It played for about 1 minute long enough to get to the actual verse....Then they turned it off and went back to we are the champions....lmao.

Well that's about it for today. I think that I am ready to tackle week 2. Until next time love life and smile.....

Day 1 study session is over!

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 02:17:00 +0000

I have completed my studying for the day! *pirate voice* Me thinks this ain't so bad.... I am tired but I feel like I accomplished a lot. I really like studying during the daytime. I am very alert right after class and it's easy to focus. Plus I didn't feel like walking home in the heat anyway or risking falling asleep or watching tv. haha. Here's a picture of the way I feel right now...lol j/k I actually feel great. Well I shall update you all tomorrow. Until next time love life and smile.....

1st Day of Classes!

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 22:41:00 +0000

Hey!

I am taking a small study break to update yall on everything so far. I know I said I wouldn't wait so long but I have been extremely busy and it is only just beginning. Sooo....last week we had orientation. It was actually very informative. It seems like Ross has a lot of resources in place to help us "pass." I was very impressed by that. Not that I thought they didn't care, it's just that some students here are so negative that you would think that Ross=biggest adversary. That is not the case at all. I have learned in this short time here that some ppl are just bitter and they want you to be that way as well. My word of advice for anyone considering coming here is to not listen to negativity. I find some ppl here are very eager to pass this around. The ppl here do care (I can't say all bc I have not met everyone but the ones that I have encountered so far do). *hops of soap box*

Ok so the real deal! I am officially a med student! *screams* I have survived my first day. I must say that this is a huge adjustment for me but I have been on the ball so far. I pre-read all of the lecture notes for today and tomorrow's lectures! Talk abt being a good student! I have never ever done that before. Also I have been studying since about 3:30! Three hours straight! I barely studied in undergrad, and never 3 hrs ever!

Well I have enjoyed my 5 minute break...back to studying.

Until next time...love life and smile.....

Exploring Dominica!

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 23:43:00 +0000

Sorry I haven't been on here in a couple of days... I have been so busy being "Dora the Explorer" lol. This place is pretty awesome. So much to see. I am going to update yall on everything so this will be a kinda long entry...

The first day I got here I met some cool ppl, Rahul and Fernando. They are very nice and we have become good friends in this short period of time. We went and signed up for the island tours on Monday. Each day the school takes us to some of the big attractions of the island.

Tuesday:

We went on a red rock scenic tour. It was a pretty fun trip. Funny times also. So the school failed to mention that we might want to wear tennis shoes so most of the group came out in flip flops. We ended up having to slide down a really steep muddy hill in order to get to the place. It was funny bc some ppl fell/tumbled down the hill and had big mud stains on their clothes the whole day! I know it's probably mean to laugh but it was pretty funny. But it was definitely worth the mudslide. The view was amazing. I have a couple of picts below. One of the girls I talked to prior to coming here, Candice, finally made it to "the rock" so we went to the beach.

Wednesday:

I didn't do too much. I had to go to ITT orientation=waste of time. They had the worst video in the world explaining how to log in to myRoss/email/G drive...blah blah blah. The lady was talking very fast and it was hard to understand so needless to say I still don't know how to do any of those things. I'll figure it out though. Also I woke up to a horrible itchy rash all over my arms! Welcome to Dominica!lol I went to the nurse and they say it is prob just a heat rash but we shall see... It seems to be going away now. Later that evening Rahul, Fernando, and I went to Perky's Pizza. It was ok but no Papa Johns or anything lol.

Thursday:

We went on another tour to Cabrits/Fort Shirley. That was kinda cool. The bus ride was very long and I got a little car sick. I learned something interesting though. Lemon grass helps to relieve nausea/dizziness. The bus driver,"Curvin", gave me some and it worked. You just hold it up to your nose/mouth and inhale the lemon vapors and the sickness disappears. Gotta love natural medicine. When we were finished at Fort Shirley we went to a cool bar/grill called Azille Country Club. It's not the country club we are used to in the states. There was not golf...lol. They did have some cool music. They played a couple of MJ tracks and some old stuff. Trice they played old Sisqo songs too..remember how you were in love with him haha. I tried "rum punch" (yes I had a drink mama!) pretty good..lol. When I got back to the school I was pretty tired/tipsy so I took a nap. lol

Friday:

Today we went to Roseau (the capitol of Dominica). It was a nice trip. I bought a fan. I needed one very badly because the electricity here is very expensive. It's about 106EC a week! That's forty USD, which would be 160USD a month! I am not used to that. My bill was never over 50-60 a month back in New Orleans. It's very hot here so I had to do something. We didn't do too much there because we only had about 1 1/2 to look around. After Roseau we went to Screws spa. It was awesome they had abt five different sulphur pools there that ranged from really hot to cold. Very refreshing and relaxing.

As you can see I have been a busy bee these past days. I will try not to wait so long next time but time flies when you are having fun (I am trying to have as much as I can before class starts)

Well until next time, love life and smile....

Day 1

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 00:55:00 +0000

Soooo... I made it to Dominica! It was a long day of traveling but I am finally here. This place is beautiful! I love it already. I am in my apartment now which is nice also. My landlord is very kind. He took me to the grocery store and to get some food. It's raining right now....guess I should get used to this. The flights were not too bad. The only scary one was the one from San Juan to Dominica. Some of the turbulence made my stomach uneasy. OMG the ride from the airport was another fright. These people drive like they are playing chicken. They drive in the middle of the road and then when a car is coming they stay there and one car eventually swirves over to the side so that the other can pass. Also the roads are VERY twisted! I took some medicine for motion sickness so I was fine. I met some cool ppl already. I can't wait for the ppl I have been in contact with to get here also. I can't write to much abt the lay of the land because it was raining and almost dark when I arrived here. I plan on getting out tomorrow so I will keep you all posted.

Until next time, love life and smile.....

Official Countdown!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:51:00 +0000

Hi everyone!

Today is the start of my official countdown! In exactly 30 days I will be DOMINICA bound! Yayyy! I am very excited to be so close! Nothing else new today.

Until next time, love life and smile!

I Registered!

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 01:15:00 +0000

Hey guys! I had a great day today. We had very few customers at work and I got to register for my 1st semester classes today! Whohoo!

So here's the line up:

Dev/Microscopic Anatomy
Gross Anatomy I
Doctor, Patient, & Society I
Biochemistry & Genetics
Medical Physiology I

Sounds tough, huh? Well I am very excited, I 1/2 way feel like a med student...lol! Only 4 days before I start my official countdown! Excited!

Oh btw, I am very excited abt my apt on the "rock" too. I talked to the landlord again today to ask what comes in the apt, and he said it comes with everything. I have a tv even though I won't get to watch it much, and he said they have more cable channels than you can get in the U.S. lol....me thinks something illegal is afoot but hey works for me...lol

Well that's all. Until next time, love life and smile.

Simple Day

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 02:57:00 +0000

Not too much happened today. I did get my VISA app sent off finally.... So many copies! I feel relieved now that it is out. I am so excited about registering tomorrow!

Well no long post today. I'm going back to watching confessions of a shopaholic. Until next time, love life and smile!

Packing List

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 06:00:00 +0000

Here's the packing list so far. I will eventually divide the list into what I will take vs. ship.

School Supplies:

Paper
Pens
Pencil sharpener
Pencils
DU stapler/staples
Erasers(big ones)
Hi-liters
Paper
Binders (4-5")
Scissors
Paperclips
Post-it notes
Dry erase board
Cork board
Dry erase markers
Calculator (need batteries)
Planner
Journal
Books

-First Aid
-Grant's Dissector

Health

Pepto-Bismol
Tylenol
Allergy meds (lots)
Eye drops
Nose spray

Toiletries

Pads/tampons
Shampoo/conditioner
Toothbrushes/toothpaste
Body wash(Olay Ribbons)
Razors
Deodorant
Tweezers
Nail clippers
Nail polish remover
Cotton balls
Q-tips
Loofa
Shower cap
Chi-iron
Blowdryer
Hair Oil
Moisturizer
Aveeno Cream
Face Mask Cream

Shoes

Flip-flops
Running shoes
Business heels
Wedges

Clothes

Summer dresses
Jeans
T-shirts
Tank-tops
Gym clothes
Sports bras
Underwear/bras
Skirts
Shorts
Lounge wear
Business attire
Scrubs
Raincoat
Socks/slippers
Party shirts
Swimsuits (2)
Jackets/sweatshirts
Stockings???

Personals

Bible/study notebook
Jewelry
Studs
Grandma's necklace
Comb/brush
Hair scarf
Pony-tail holders
Hair clamps
Pictures/small decorations
Make-up kit
Glasses+case
Sunglasses
Purse

Carry-On

Lap-top
Backpack
Extra clothes (sweats)
Camera
External hard drive
Flash drive
iPod
iPod radio
chargers(laptop, phone, camera)
headphones
money
Ross documents
Portfolio of impt documents
Passport
Driver's license

Misc.

BP cuff/stethoscope
Surge protector
Good umbrella
Towels(beach & reg)
Bug Spray
Mosquito net
Sunscreen
Pillow
Sheet set (queen)
Shower curtain/liner
Laundry bag
Robe
Flashlight
Hangers(SHIP)
Desk lamp
Candles
blankets

Food

flaming hot cheetos
easy-mac
sweet/salty bars
raisin granola bars
Doritos
Tostitos
Queso dip
Ranch dip
Sparkling green tea
Red beans/rice mix
Tony's
Oreos
Fruit snacks
Cheese its
Energy drinks(monster)

Oh How I LOVE Jesus!

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 02:34:00 +0000

Wow, church was awesome tonight. It really did inspire me and made me even more excited abt the future. My spirituality will def be my lifeline in med school! I feel like I have a second wind now to keep going higher! (Big shout out to The City of Love!) D.O.L.L.S. stand up!

Sooo. I had a big scare today! My loan amount was wrong. Apparently the lady who set it up for me put the wrong amount on the app. WTF! I was kinda freakin out at first but I got it taken care of. I would have been very upset had I found out when I got to school that I didn't have enough money for school! whew!(*wipes sweat from brow*) Glad that's over. I am happy that is taken care of. I will keep following up along the way to make sure though.

Well I have an extremely long list of tasks that I need to do THIS week. Friday is a big day! I get to register but also I have to get other things done too. I promise yall that the VISA app will go out this week! (*holds right hand up*)

Still working on typing my packing list but it will be up by the end of the week.

Well until next time, love life and smile!