Goodbye Relaxation, Hello Registration and all that Follows

The end of the vacation phase of this journey has ended for now, Registration was on Monday and the pace has definitely picked up from last week's beach hunting mode. The incoming May 09 class is about 91 strong with 53 men and 38 women from 26 states in the US and countries all over the world. I have met people from Egypt, Poland, Russia, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Canada and plenty others. What a diverse experience this is going to be!!

Most of this week (until today when the real classes began) has been about orientation, how to function as a medical student and more importantly how to functionas a medical student on an island such as St. Maarten with its many distractions. The chief prosecutor from the Dutch Police Force came and spoke to the class about the quickest ways that you can go to jail while residing here. They seem to be quite unaffectionate about personal weapons of any sort, firearms of any kind are strictly forbidden as well as a simple can of Mace. Both will land you in jail with no questions asked or explanations entertained. The psychologist for the school's wellness center gave tips on how to cope with life here away from everything and most everyone and deal with the pressures of a professional school.

As for the reason I am here, the education, began today at a mediocre pace only 2 chapters of medical genetics to know by tomorrow and begin to memorize all the bones, nerves, vessels and muscles of the spine and the back. The faculty is impressive the Genetics professor studied at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland (where Darwin rose to fame) and one of the Anatomy professors is from New Zealand and helped develop the process of plastination. If you have seen the events of "Body World" that draws so much controversy, that is platination. First day in the cadaver lab today, and that's when it really hit me that I am really here and really doing this. (I may have caught a glimpse of that bear)Still can't believe it. Sitting in an ice cold room that smells of phenol and other chemicals with 12 cadavers kind of put everything in place for some reason. Entering the lab where the cadavers were present was a very somber and reverent time for everyone, the professor spoke softly and we spent several moments in silence with our heads bowed silently thanking these people for donating their mortal remains to benefit our education. Very ethereal.

Anyway for those that aren't quite sure where I am in the world there are a couple of maps below and photo of the front of the school. The island of St. Maarten is about 200 miles southeast of Puerto Rico and is a part of the Netherlands Antilles, the school is located in the the area known as the Dutch Lowlands in the city of Cupecoy, on the southwest corner of the island, and rests on the shore of Simpson Bay Lagoon.

Till next time