One Down, Nineteen to Go!

This first month is behind me now. The adjustment, learning phase/adaptation phase of this journey is over. The first block exams have came and went like a sudden violent storm, one that drives everyone to panic and to seek shelter wherever they can. Only as soon as it started, it was gone again; its ostensible violence seems trivial compared to the expectations of its arrival. The sun still comes back out stronger than ever, shining brightly and ensuring everyone that tomorrow will still arrive.
Still though, I am glad that first hump has been transversed and successfully overtaken. With the worries of wondering if I can actually do this at this stage in the game put to rest, I am able to function on a level more closely resembling that of a human that can go outside once again; sort of a nice boost in the right direction.

To help with going in that direction, AUC has a terrific tradition for the first semester students after their initial block exams. They set up this "mandatory meeting" to be held immediately after the last exam of the day, which is held down on the bottom floor and is filled with a bunch of mindless chatter from the lecturer. But this is only a diversion tactic, it conceals the first semester students away from what awaits. After adjourning from the brief meeting we all walked back through the main building of the campus that is called the Rotunda. Upon entering, the entire campus, upperclassmen, staff, faculty were all jammed in there on the bottom floor, up on the balconies looking down at us, cheering,clapping and whistling voraciously. This went on for 3-5 minutes; everyone was all smiles as we made our first big step toward becoming what we dreamed.

After blocks are over, the next big tradition is for the parties to start, with no new material to have to review everyone is able to relax and unwind a little with much less stress on them. I used my time snorkeling down at Mullet Beach. Although it was overcast, the visibilty was still at least 70 to 80 feet. I found a long wall that extended out into the ocean and followed it out, finding enormous sea urchin, trumpet fish, parrotfish, puffers, queen angels, and others I did not know. My next goal is to grab one of those elusive Caribbean lobsters and hold him under some boiling water, till ready. I haven't been able to find any Zataran's Crab Boil anywhere here though, it seems that with crawfish this big there would be somewhat of a demand on that suff. I will just have to see what I can do.


But for now the next step approaches, muscles, nerves, vessels of the head and neck....joy!! Gotta go read.

Till next time.....