St. Kitts

Brown out-everything stops but the mosquitoes, blog time. You can hear the music from the neighbors who are likewise cooped, and likely gathered for a drink.


This place is something! Travel to the Caribbean for a trip. Lately, I've gotten to meet some very great people. It's nice because the whole place is small-town and very friendly. The latest are the Rastas. I can't generalize-I met 2. They are the chillest persons on the island (even sober). Talking to them puts you in a calm mood and at home. I've had people tell me this about me, but now I know what they are talking about. I feel kin to these people, and I'll try to learn some more about them.

Work is work. I've been learning and exploring diagnostic imaging. I enjoy it a lot and hope to continue. Different, and fantastic, education from what I would have gotten in the states. A big role as a TA, and creating powerpoints, and doing research. Many interesting cases and opportunities to work with a variety of species.

Life is life ! Fridays are for liming. Hop a bus (large souped up vans that drive like mad) in the afternoon, and you'll hear the latest dancehall music blaring-not only from the bus, but from every street corner. Don't be surprised that you'll take a stop for the bus driver to pay for some delicious barbecue chicken from his (not seen a lady driver yet) window. Take a nap, and it's time to go out-and party until the sunrise. This weekend, we took it easy and left at 3am. There was a birthday celebration on Saturday.

People are born dancing in this country. I had a 4 year old teach me some MOVES! It's all about the hips/butt. Take your average dance move and add some booty into it, and you're set. You can't avoid the music, nor the dance, and why would you?

Lights on, time to read some ultrasound texts!

The Penguin has Landed

Another mango hits my roof as I hide in the mosquito net arranged over my bed. I am staying at an awe-inspiring accommodation. I've been told people here will rip you off every chance you get. I'm cat-sitting for someone, and they offered me a "deal" by having me pay $700/month. I backed out of that one, but I am still paying rent to cat sit. Which is no prob, cats are like nothing. And now I can live like a princess.

All in all, I could only find 6 bites on me, but I'm pretty sure one bite was directly on my eye!

Sunday: the last day of my summer vacation. Vacation is hard to come by these days-so I tried to make the most of it, but that's difficult in place that I don't know and with people I don't know in a country I'm not too sure about. I'm waiting it out 'till orientation tomorrow.

I did get a tour or all that is hip to do. Go down to the Marriott hotel (to walk on the beach its on and shop at the overpriced shops), go to one of the cafés, drive to some of the beaches that we'll play volleyball on.

Finally I went on my first grocery shopping trip. The students weren't kidding-a few essential groceries, some shampoo and some tupperware-80 USD!! What a heart attack! I plan on leaving this beautiful abode (in Sept.) for much smaller quarters that are complete with ducks and a garden, a mountain and an ocean view.

Prepare for Takeoff

Here I go.

I've visited some of the cool people in my life and I'm off to a new page of my life. Nothing like an internship in the middle of nowhere to teach you what really matters in life. So this next year for me is meant to set things straight. Collect all the things that I deem essential-friends, good food, sanity. I will miss you all-you know who you are (especially if I didn't get to say goodbye).

I've gotten to visit Davis and Ashland in the past week. My strategy of buying additional essentials in these cities has backfired, with me ending up with 3 more pairs of shoes/sandals than I anticipated, and at least a few new dresses, and a few items of non-essential clothing. I definitely cannot help it. And everything is cute to the very last non-essential item.

Aside from the shopping, it's great to be back on the West Coast. Running into the hippies, and the tattoos, the sexually liberal that make the area spectacular. I took the time to take some extra bike-friendly photos to hammer in the bike-hugger attitude here. In Indiana, I was yelled at at least 5 times by people in cars. My location on the street/sidewalk did not matter. People would straight-up yell angrily at me and my poor Sabine (http://www.nickbantock.com/Gryphon/Griffin_and_Sabine.html). Today I toodled around with Cristina's Fuji bike-a pretty sweet thing. What happens? A resounding "Hells yeah!!!" from the athletic gentlemen in the SUV. That's right-welcome to Ashland.

There were a couple of big fails out here as well. I took the Greyhound from Davis to Ashland. Well, the bus does not stop in Ashland, and drives straight past to Medford. To get to Ashland, you need to wait for the bus going in the opposite direction. In my case, they wanted me to wait 5 hours for a 20 minute commute!! So I took the local bus.

Porkolt

It's been half a year since I blogged, busy with work is my usual excuse. But a lot has happened, and I cannot say that I've been fulfilling my goals. I think I will make it a point to do something today-like blog about what I've accomplished.

Here is an international dish I have made-now many times. It is pretty freaking awesome, but none as good as the first time I made it. Which means I should follow the recipe more often. http://hungarystartshere.blogspot.com/2007/11/prklt-stew.html

The recipe is pretty simple, and I learned a couple of things from it:
caraway=fennel
marjoram=oregano
So you juuust might have those ingredients afterall. . . .














Speaking to the woman who taught me the recipe-who is in Hungary, by the way, I learned that the onions should be cut smaller (minced), and the dish should look more 'red.' I tried adding a ton of paprika to the dish, but it just seemed gritty. Maybe more oil would take the color from the Paprika that's already in the pot? Let me know if you find out.