They took my money!

So I noticed a few days ago my housing deposit check cleared...I hope this only means I got on campus housing! Time will tell however. We were told we should hear back a 2 weeks before schools starts! I guess as of now work has kept me busy...and thus packing/prep has fallen to the way side. I had started to skim through BRS anatomy but decided to toss it aside for some pleasure reads. I figured I would have enough time to read all about anatomy/anything med in a month or so!

Noxolo

Odds and ends

As of a few days ago a bunch of my ICM equipment came in. It's good to have it, but a little weird too. Well, first it's weird because I really don't need any of this stuff until 2nd semester, however, I'm not planning on coming back to the states in between 1st and 2nd semester so I figured I'd rather pack it with me now than worry about shipping it all to SXM. It's also a little weird because the whole med school thing is kind of sinking in now. Only a month and a half away....crazy.

Another thing I jumped the gun about....step 1 prep! I picked up with 2010 First Aid book last week as well in my big med school buying frenzy and decided to make it my own yesterday. I had heard that it's nice to be able to add in your own pages and write all over it as you go through basic sciences so I did a little chop shop work on my copy. I decided to take it to Staples and have them remove the binding, I three whole punched everything, and then threw it in a big ol binder. Hopefully this will work out as I envision it......

I think that's all for now on the whole med school tip....

Noxolo

10/10/10 SXM Independence!?

Wrong...I'll admit that I was a little uneducated about this whole thing and took what I heard at face value but here is a great post about the whole proceedings by another AUC student.

http://www.caribbeanmedstudent.com/2010/03/11/is-st-maarten-becoming-independent/

Check out the rest of his blog too. It is hands down one of the best med school blogs I have found.

Noxolo

Congrats to the 2010 match

Congrats to those who found out they matched today! I've heard a lot of great matches, some expected, some not, but none the less, they are still matched! It's good to know that after years of hard work you still get paid off in the end. Although a lot can change between this match and when I will hopefully match in 2014 it's good to see solid matches. In fact, there were quite a few Canadian matches through CARMS..even a plastics match at U of T I believe. Needless to say plastics is a hard match for ANY med grad, but even more so for a caribbean grad going back to Canada.

In the end it's hard work and step scores that get you the interviews, but it's your personality/character that carries you through the match.

Noxolo

48 days and counting

48 days from now I'll hopefully be in SXM, moved in, trying to acclimate myself to my surroundings. I started packing today, or started really thinking about what I need to pack, and what I would like to pack....big issue for me. I tend to over pack and bring a lot of things that I just do not need. I'll work on my official packing list as time goes on but there are a few things that I can not go without. First, I love my G2 fine point pens. I refuse to use any other if I have a choice and I will be backing a fare share to go. The way I look at it I have 3 bags to get all the crap I want down there. I'll check 2 bags, one being a suitcase and the other being a travel pack. Then I also get 2 bags to carry on....or 1 bag and 1 "personal" item. I'll pack up my timbuk2 with the computer/hard drives/school supplies and then my personal item will be my camera bag. Needless to say I'll have my share of gear and will probably end up shipping down a box before I head down with random other non necessity items. That is all for now!

Noxolo

Let the buying begin

As of now my plan is to stay down in SXM between 1st and 2nd term. This may change, but I have a feeling 2+ weeks in SXM to just relax would be pretty nice...plus it would save me from buying another $700 plane ticket! Therefore, I need to bring down my things for ICM, clinical med class, now, opposed to in between semesters. As of last night I started buying everything I should need...with my stethoscope being the big purchase. Many hours went into picking the one I wanted but at the end of the night I am now a proud owner of a Littmann Cardiology III scope....and by owner I mean it's on it's way from allheart.com! Pretty excited since now it kind of feels official. Anyways, $500 later I have a whole bunch of presents coming next week to be excited for.

Noxolo

How are you finding me!?

So I haven't really given my blog link to anyone, yet slowely people are popping up on my map! Who are you and how'd you find me? I guess the reason I haven't given my link to anyone is because who likes to go to a blog with only a few posts? Not this guy, i'll tell you that! Maybe i'll have to start tossing it out there now. The count down continues, only 1 2/3 months before I fly out of MPLS to ATL to SXM! 3 1/2 more weeks of work, lots of packing to be done, and even more things to wrap up in Roch...this time is going to fly!

Since i'm on here anyways....the only thing I am waiting for on the school end of things is my housing. I'm sure many people think that's kind of a big deal, but i'm not too worried about it. Being in the May class, which is also the smallest class, I think there will be plenty of campus housing. Plus, I think we have some older, non traditional students in our class who I am assuming are not going to live on campus. In the facebook group someone said that we should hear by middle of March...AKA very soon.

Noxolo

Thank you for aiding me financially US Govt

A few days ago I got word that all of my financial aid paperwork had been received and processed by AUC and that I just needed to check back with my mistress, I mean lender, Sallie Mae to ensure everything was good to go. After a 2 second freakout of what if my loans didn't get approved, I checked, and everything was approved and just waiting for disbustment...yippee for loads of debt. Also, all of my temp residency permit paperwork and health clearance forms were received...minus having a crappy passport copy and needing to email that yesterday...all is good. I was a little worried since a few other people had a bad experience with getting their things to MEAS, or them being received by MEAS, but I can't complain. That's all for now...I'll probably start looking at what I need to buy soon enough and keep y'all informed on the med school tip.

Noxolo

Music on humpday

Just listening to the new Gorillaz album....Plastic Beach...and I dig it. It's got a good feel and is easy listening...maybe i'll edit later with my favorite track. Get at the album if you know whats good for you.

Noxolo

edit...maybe I spoke too soon. Overall the album is solid, but not all that great. Some solid tracks, some questionable ones.

Oh MPLS...

After getting a little food poisening from Chipotle...yeah blasphemy I know...I headed up to MPLS for the weekend. First things first, I got a new Tokina 10-17mm fisheye lens...I won't elaborate here but I will on my photo blog. Anyways....my big plans for the weekend: shoot lots of pictures, help out with a Nature of Life group interview, have a photoshoot, a little South Africa group reunion, and just kick it with some friends....needless to say there was lot's to get done! By Sunday night I think I had taken close to 15 gigs of pictures and accomplished everything on that list...go me.

Hmm...first off...South Africa reunion. It was really good to see some people I haven't seen in far too long! I really love seeing/hanging out with everyone I went to SA with...it's kind of a weird bond by experience thing...even if I haven't seen them in a LONG time...it just clicks. I'm really hoping to get another psuedo reunion or two in before I leave in a few months....I think we can get it done!

Oh Nature of Life...it's kind of crazy, but NOL has been a part of every single year I was in Undergrad...wow! It's kind of been my baby these past few years and I've done everything I could to mold it the way I saw fit...but now i'm done...or on the way out. It was good to help out with interviews and get my 2 cents in. I think after the interview it kind of set in that I'm not going to be up in Itasca for 2 weeks this summer...and it makes me sad. I may try and get a group of people to go up for a weekend in early april if I can...we'll see!

Life after college has been pretty mundane. Lots of work, a little fun, and even a little growing up? It's kind of scary how relationships have fallen to the way side...much like after high school...but i've kind of grown accustom to it. I've managed to stay in contact with a lot of people, but there are always some that fall out...if only there was a way to fix it. The thing is...with me moving out of the country for 20 months I can't imagine this situation getting any easier....

Finally...photography....well......go to the photo blog...im not going to double post!

Long story short, it was a good weekend, lots of fun...made me very tired but all is good!

PS I sent in the rest of my paper work last week Thursday I think it was...ie financial aid papers/health clearance forms/temp resident docs....2 months....

Noxolo