Count Them..10 Weeks Left!

So I just realized that I only have 10 weeks left until I am home for Christmas! It seems like a lot, but one thing I've definitely realized while I've been here is that time flies when you are having fun...right. Well for me time flies when I have to study every second. I am definitely excited to go home and see everyone. This past week I've gotten really homesick. This is the longest that I've had to go without Ryan and it's been really hard. There is also so much that I miss about the States. So with that, I've decided to create a list of the things I miss most. Oh and besides the #1, they are in no particular order...so if you are at the bottom of the list don't take it personal (jk)!

The Things I Miss Most:
1. My husband, family and friends
2. Dry heat
3. Customer service (a big one)
4. Freeways/highways
5. Paved roads
6. Meat...good safe meat!
7. Target
8. Super Walmart
9. Shopping in general
10.Being able to wear my hair down without looking like I stuck my
finger in a light socket
11.My legs without red, itchy mosquito bites
12.Mexican food! ..non existent here
13.Wearing perfume (here it is a major bug attractor)
14.Being in the same time zone as everyone I know
15.Not worrying about someone breaking into my car
16.Flemings, Pei Wei and Sauce
17.Sunday TV night with my friends
18.Milk that doesn't cost $3.50/half gallon!
19.Cheaper gas (almost $4/gallon here)
20.Going to the movies

I'm sure I could go on and on, but I have to go to school now. Maybe one post I will list what I like about St. Maarten so you guys don't think I'm a big "downer" right now. I am happy to be here...AUC is training me to become the doctor God has destined be to become.

On a brighter note, I can receive mail through the school..this is the best way. Here is the address:
Brittany Stam
N/C American University of the Caribbean
1 University Drive at Jordan Road
Cupecoy, St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles

Feel free to send me a few of the items that I miss most..even if it is a picture of you at Target! Just kidding..but really I would love even a postcard! Miss everyone!

The Results Are In!

So here's the scoop: the good news is I passed all of my tests. The bad news is that I didn't honor any of my tests. Just so everyone understands what I am blabbing about, here is how my school does the grading: Below 70%=fail, Above 70%=pass, Above 90%=honor.

Anatomy was the first test of the week. I came out of it feeling pretty confident only to find out the next day that I got an 82%. As ridulous as it might sound to a few of you, I was extremely upset. If you don't believe me I'm sure Ryan can fill you in on the details! So after I finished that test, which by the way was 3 hours long, I immediately had to begin studying for Wednesday's Histology exam. Because much of the class had been preparing all last week for anatomy no one really put in the time for histolgy. Big mistake...huge mistake. The test was ridiculous. Totally unfair and not fun at all. Everyone walked out feeling like they failed.

The next day we come to find out the average was a dissapointing 54%! Yikes...alough I am happy to anounce that I didn't fail, but instead received an 80%. Don't ask me how...I still don't know. The next 2 nights were big biochem study nights. The test came and went pretty quickly on Friday. We didn't get the scores until today. I got an 80%.

All in all, I wish I did better. But, as Ryan pointed out to me, at least I was consistent across the board. I didn't do awesome on one and fail another. And I learned how each professor tests, which is huge. Now that I've made it through my first batch of medical school exams, I am already studying for the next ones. We have tests every 3 weeks! I'm hoping to get a little more sleep this week since the most I got per night last week was 4 hours!

Thanks to everyone that kept me in their prayers. I really appreciate it. I will be able to write more this week so keep checking back for updates. Thursday should be interesting. I am taking a Phlebotomy training class and we are going to be drawing blood from each other! I'll let ya'll know how that goes.

Humor At My Husband's Expense

After talking to Ryan today he told me that everyone was looking forward to my next post because he told you guys it was going to be funny. Anyone that read the post, White Coat Fever, will know that nothing about it was funny. The reason is this:all I do is study therefore my mind is cluttered and overflowing with information relating to anatomy, histology and biochemistry. As a result, I forget the funny things that happen in my life. This story needs to be told not only because it has to do with embarrasing Ryan, but because I don't want to study any more tonight. I dedicate this post to my husband.

Earlier last week I received an Evite invitation from the Spouse's Organization here on campus. The organization was created to help students with spouses adjust to St. Maarten and AUC life. The invitation was for a welcome breakfast this last saturday. I immediately RSVPed because for one, Ryan was going to be in town, and two, I thought it'd be a good way to meet other married couples. So we show up to this restaurant, and as we walk up all I see is women. Ryan immediately asks me if he is supposed to be there at all. I reply with a not very reassuring "yes" and he demands that I go talk to the VP and ask her what is going on. Meanwhile more and more women are arriving. And Ryan still stands alone.

So I went up to the VP girl and said, "I was just wondering, is Ryan supposed to be here?" She was very sweet and said, "Ya, he's actually the one who is supposed to be here because in your case he is the spouse." Suddenly the little dull light bulb went off in my head as I realized that I was the one who wasn't invited. The welcome party was for new and old spouses of the students. He was the only guy because all the husbands are the ones in school. So I went back to the table and told Ryan of my findings. He became even more mad when I told him the news because this wasn't news to him. He figured it out the second we walked in. It gets better...

So we are all eating and Ryan is chatting with the wife next to him. She is telling him that she doesn't have much free time between the cooking, cleaning, and shopping. Suddenly they start relaying cleaning tips. I nearly peed my pants. Here my husband is, at a function beyond his control, and he is trading cleaning secrets! Classic moment. In the end, the group got together for a picture. All 23 women and Ryan...and to think, if only I had brought my camera that day!

So there it is. As much as my husband hated me that morning for making him so uncomfortable, he begged me to add this to my blog. I knew he'd laugh about it later!

White Coat Fever

First off, I just want to apologize for not updating my blog sooner. With Ryan being on the island over the weekend and 3 upcoming tests, I've been a little busy! So where do I start?

Ryan got here last Thursday night. It was weird waiting for him at the airport..I felt like it was our first date! It makes me wonder what it will feel like the next time when I see him after 4 1/2 weeks. His time here was filled with lots of errands and activities. He was and is my lifesaver. I don't know how I ever functioned without him.

While he was here he had our accent walls painted, my stuff put away and organized, and food in the fridge! These are some of the many things I've neglected the last week. He definitely reduced my stress levels! We did have time to go to the beach both Saturday and Sunday and of course he was here for my White Coat Ceremony.

The ceremony itself was great. We all had to recite the honor code and sign it in a big book with a white feather pen (very official!). Then we individually walked on stage (all 165 of us) and said our name, college and major. At the end of the stage we were helped into our white coats. It was so surreal. The Dr. putting mine on said, "You're a natural." I know he probably said this to everyone..but hey let me believe that he really meant it!

Afterwards there was reception at Bamboo Bernie's Bar and Grill. It's hilarious watching the older professors drink along with everyone else..very different from college! In the end, a great night but the beginning of week 3 of medical school (dun dun dun).

This week has been brutal. I go to school, come home for 1 1/2 hours and go back to the anatomy lab to review muscles, nerves, arteries, veins, ligaments and bones. My brain hurts just writing about them. It's exactly what I expected however. Not harder, but definitely not easier. All in all, as my dad says, "It is what it is."

Oh, but yesterday I did do something not as monotonous as my everyday schedule. I went to a diabetes training and learned how to take blood glucose and blood pressures. Now that I'm trained I can assist the Diabetes Foundation in St. Maarten with diabetes screenings on Saturdays for the locals outside of Cost U Less. I think it'll be a good experience. On the 28th of this month I will be taking a phlebotomy training class...and we get to practice on each other! Also, I joined the Christian Medical and Dental Association which works with local orphanages. On the 23rd of this month we are taking the orphans to the beach! It should be fun. I'll update everyone at the end of this week as I prepare to take my first 3 tests of medical school.

P.S. If anyone remembers...will ya'll pray for me this week? I really want to honor on all my tests. And I can't do it without God.

1 Down..How Many More to Go?

Well I survived Week 1 of MS1 (1st year medical school)! Honestly, it wasn't so bad, but again it was only week one. I have a lot to study each night because I choose to. Some people might wait until the weekend to study the week's info, but I like to summarize and learn the material each night after classes. My typical day so far is as follows: 8-3:30 class, 3:30-4:30 drive home, take Bentley for walk, have a snack, 4:30-6:30 summarize day's classes, 6:30-7:30 dinner and TV break, 7:30-10:30 study. It's not so bad because I've taken all of these classes before so I just need to review it again.

On Thursday we began dissecting the cadavers. My table, along with 3 others, do not have cadavers yet. There were problems in the shipping and ours will arrive some time next week. In the meantime, we work with the group next to ours. The cadaver is an older woman. We spent 45 min. allowing everyone to adjust to seeing a body and feeling it. For some people this was very difficult (who would have thought?!). Me, being a veteran to this line of business, sat back and watched everyone squirm. Again, I am so thankful for all my experience with organ donation.

The work I did was quite different from our goal in lab. We are slowly dissecting the body to see every muscle, tendon, and vein that we are expected to memorize. It is truly amazing to have this opportunity. Some of the medical schools in the States do not even get a full body dissection. It's sad for them because I can think of no other better way to fully grasp the complexity of the human body.

This weekend I moved into my permanent home down here. It wasn't really much of a move because I simply carried my stuff down the sidewalk into a villa not so directly on the ocean. The place is great. It is 2 bed, 2 bath, 2 floors. The master is upstairs with a private deck overlooking the pool and ocean. Its spectacular! On Saturday my neighbor took me all over the island looking for additional furniture and accessories to turn the rental into a "home". I have a painter coming on Wednesday to paint an accent wall in the living room and one in the master. Anyone that has been to our home in Tucson knows that Ryan and I like paint! I think it will do a lot for the house.

Now for my most anticipated event this week: Ryan's arrival! He is coming on Thursday at 10pm and I can't wait. He is going to be able to see his wife presented with a white coat and sign the Hippocratic Oath. I'm expecting it to be emotional and exhilarating at the same time! I wish all of you could be here. Stay tuned for pictures and the week's story!