So I guess blogger doesn't like to upload my pictures...hmm. I threw some of my room/apt and sunset bay up on flickr. You can check them out here!
I guess a recap of the past day or so is in order....
Yesterday I flew out of MSP at 520 am...yippee. After $200 in an extra baggage charge I was all ready to go...and hoped my bags had the same idea. The flight from MSP to ATL wasn't too bad. It was right around 3 hours and seemed to go quite quick. Since I booked my tickets so far in advance I picked all my seats and thus had the first row of general seating for both flights. I don't know what it is about flying out of MSP early in the morning but I always seem to have "someone" on the flights. When I went to South Africa it was Rev Run, and this flight it was Tubby Smith. After we got to ATL I had a nice little chat with Tubby about gopher basketball and such....and then I also found out his brother in law is a pediatrician? Hmm
I was kind of nervous about my ATL connect because it's a darn big airport plus it's under construction. I initially thought I was going to have to go from Terminal A all the way down to E (which would mean a really long walk followed by a 20 min train ride and then another really long walk). Crazy thing is, our flight came in 30 min early and they sent us to E terminal ....it worked out perfectly.
Next I was on my way to SXM finally. Again, not a bad flight....around 4 hours or so. I did a little sleeping, prepped my paper work for immigration and watched some movies/TV. It was actually really nice, like our SA flights, with TV's in all the seat backs.
All in all the SXM airport arrival went pretty smooth. Well, as smooth and quick something in SXM can be. The immigration likes were kind of long and of course I picked the SLOWEST line possible. A couple of old guys behind me kept complaining about it and what not, no worries. After finally getting through...with no issues mind you, I kept my fingers crossed when I went for my bags. Crazy thing...I had all 3 of my bags within 3 min of standing at the carousel!
Somehow I managed to carry all my crap out into this hot sticky mess that is SXM weather. First person I see outside the airport is a taxi driver...perfect. I tell him I'm heading to AUC in Cupecoy and he puts on a huge smile.
Him: "Oh, so you're going to be a doctor huh?"
Me: "Yup, that's the plan"
Him: "What kind? A gynocologist?" (laughing hysterically mind you)
Me: (fake laugh) "ugh, I don't know, maybe peds?"
Awkward........
After the taxi to school I checked into the guard shack, got my packet and keys and headed up. I was really pumped that 1.) the room was REALLY cool from the AC and 2) it's really nice! No more than 5 min later C and his rents showed up. We then headed out to the store to pick up some groc. At the first place we stopped a 50 pack of paper plates was $16...HA...no thanks. We ended up finding a nice place on the other side of the airport with some good stuff and decent prices. After that we ran back to the apt to drop things off and then headed out to their resort. SXM is a lot bigger than I thought it'd be! It seemed like it just kept going and going and going..but then again, I think it could also have to do with the 1 main road, winding hills, and "slow" speeds..and slow is a relative term. Once we got to their resort we hit up the happy hour, on the beach, over looking the ocean...perfect? Pretty much....
We then headed back to campus, swung in and grabbed some dinner, yum, and then hit up Atlantis for a bit. I'm pretty pumped for the TV's with all the sports on there...looks like I won't be needing a TV.
I headed back home around 9 and started unpacking....boo. I went and kicked it with F and R for a bit and then headed to bed after a LONGGG day...but it was a good one.
This morning I got up, showered, (pleasantly surprised by the shower quality) and then kept unpacking crap. C and the rents came and swooped me and we headed out to Sunset beach for lunch/watch planes fly in. It's one of those places that you see on "Top 10 Carib Beach" shows on the travel channel...and rightfully so. The planes fly in real low, RIGHT over top the beach...check out the pics I put up on flickr.
Again, per usual, the food was great and I'm pretty pumped to go back with my legit camera gear and not my point and shoot to take some pics. After lunch I finished unpacking and just wrote this blog....welcome to the past 36 hours of my life.
Noxolo
