No Canada - We scored five goals on thee...

I enjoyed one of my less eventful weekends on the island this past weekend. I got caught up in most of my classes, studied for my midterm, and spent a little bit of time in the sun. I'm not going to write much tonight, but rather I'd like to draw your attention to one of the most epic Olympic news articles I've ever read. This is especially sweet considering 60% of my class is from Canada. Hahaha.

The article below was taken from ESPN.com. A link to the actual article is posted below. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!

We are Canada's worst nightmare

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Totally awesome party, Canada. Mind if we help ourselves to some more of your beer?

We are Canada's worst nightmare, the guests who won't leave. Our great northern neighbors graciously invited the world to see everything they have to offer and now are watching us eat all their food and drink all their booze (including the expensive stuff they kept in the cabinet where they thought we'd never see it). We took over the master suite and forced them to sleep on the couch. Not that they can sleep -- we're hogging the remote, turning the volume up to 11 and staying up late each night while chanting the same three letters so loudly they need earplugs in Moose Jaw.

Cris Bouroncle/AFP/Getty ImagesWhy are American fans cheering? Team USA had 24 medals heading into Monday's action.

"U-S-A! U-S-A!"

When Canadian border officials asked what we were bringing into the country, we conveniently forgot to mention the Costco-size pallet of industrial-strength whoop-ass we had in the trunk. American athletes have spent so much time on the podium, they could order cable and still be there when the guy finally shows up to install it. As far as I can tell, we've won every single event in these Olympics. Or maybe it just seems like it. Either way, you don't want to be standing behind American athletes in the airport medal detector line.

Our athletes are overcoming so much adversity, Ralph Lauren should have included bloody socks in the official uniforms and gear. Lindsey Vonn won gold in the downhill after severely bruising her shin a week before these Games. Shaun White won gold in the halfpipe after smacking his face on a jump two weeks before these Games. Bode Miller won bronze, silver and gold after destroying his image four years before these Games.

Canada can't get its ice machines to start, but our ice machines won't stop. Evan Lysacek beat Evgeni Plushenko in men's figure skating. Shani Davis successfully defended his gold medal in the men's 1,000 meters. Ballroom dancer Apolo Ohno added two more medals to his collection. We're figuratively and literally cleaning up here -- Johnny Weir said he prepared for his figure skating routine by taking a can of Pledge to his room. It's been such a day at the beach for us, Vonn actually wore a bikini on a snowy Whistler slope (for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue). How easy are we making it look? Not only do we have an SI swimsuit model winning gold, Julia Mancuso has won two silvers and launched a lingerie line.

We're not just winning medals in the new sports added to the Olympics just so the U.S. could win and boost ratings, we're winning the old-school events, too. On snow or ice, indoors or outdoors. You name it, we've won in it. We even have a medal in Nordic combined, the first time we've ever managed that.

We even defeated Canada 5-3 in hockey Sunday night, beating our hosts at their national game. Do you believe in a favorable exchange rate!?! The victory gave us a bye to the quarterfinals and sent Canadian fans staggering into the streets wondering how much worse things can get.

No Canada

We scored five goals on thee

No Canada

More U.S. gold you'll see

And the gold rush may not be over yet. Bode will go for his fourth medal Tuesday. Vonn vies for another gold Wednesday. The U.S. men's hockey team plays in the quarterfinals Wednesday and the U.S. women play for the gold medal Thursday.

So you'll have to excuse us. We've got winners to go see. But first, can we borrow your car keys? Don't worry, we'll have it back in time for the men's gold-medal hockey game … because, of course, we'll be in it.

Link: http://sports.espn.go.com/olympics/winter/2010/columns/story?columnist=caple_jim&id=4937163

[8] Days until my first ever visitor to Nevis arrives.

Block 2 is Through

Hey guys. Just a quick update -- exams went fairly well, and now I'm on to the next! I have my mid-term for Medical and Legal Ethics on Tuesday, so here I am, on a Friday night, seated in front of my laptop for yet another lengthy night of studying. [To be fair, I should let you all know that at 11pm tonight my friend Ian is coming to pick me up so we can go to a party at Herbert's Beach]. Other than that -- not a whole lot of excitement this week around the island. I still can't get my camera to work, so you guys will have to deal with either ones I swipe from friends, or ones I take with my web-cam. I have a new one on the way. God-willing, it will arrive on the 4th when Katie comes to visit! I'm really looking forward to my first visitor here on the island. I'm trying to get as much studying done NOW as I can so there can be a bit more time for relaxing while she's here. And just a few short weeks after that my parents will be on Nevis for a week. It's shaping up to be a good semester!

Bebee (my roomate) and I are going to check out a new apartment tomorrow morning. If everything goes well we should be moved in by next semester (May 3rd). I've posted a few pictures from the apartment website. I'll be sure to add my own if and when we get to move in. Until then...i'm still livin it up in Brick Kiln.

[Pictured above is the view from the porch]

The Kitchen Area

Redbull.....gives you WIIIINGS

Exams Monday. [enough said]

Is it Tuesday yet?

Is it Tuesday yet? By 11am Tuesday morning I will be soaking up some sun at near-by Nisbet Plantation Resort. Since Monday I have already spent 30+ hours in the library (and it's only Thursday!). At 11pm every night, the library closes, which forces me to study at home. Most nights don't end before 1:30 - 2:00 a.m., only to be back at it in the classroom at 8:00a.m. - (generally not so "sharp.")

I've posted a few diagrams for fun, just so you can take a look at some of the things we've been learning. Above is a picture of what is known as the Wigger's Diagram. This incorporates all sorts of goodies -- Ventricular, atrial, and aortic pressures. Venous pulse. A normal ECG...among other things. Below you'll find pictures from both Physiology and Biochemistry (both exams are Monday). I would post pictures for Medical Psychology (exam Tuesday), but I have yet to start studying for that...

Next week / weekend is sure to spring more adventures and most certainly more memories in the form of photos, so I will be sure to update you all on the happenings here on the island.

Picture of the ECG for the 3 degrees of heart-block

Diagram showing the short term mechanisms of blood-pressure control

The infamous (and always dreaded) Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle
[Citric Acid Cycle]

WHO DAT?

The New Orleans Saints pulled off an epic victory last night, and yes, we were able to get the game on the island. My roommate (Bebee) and I went up to our friends Hunter and Matt’s house in Fern Hill (the house in the picture) for burgers on the grill, cold beer, great football and even better company. We had about 20 people get together for the game and had an intense 100-square Superbowl pool, paying out $125 Eastern Caribbean Dollars ($45.25 USD) per quarter. Doug, Sami, Bobby, and Teri ended up each taking home a nice chunk of change. We also had an unexpected guest show up; I received a call from our Friday and Saturday night “chicken-guy,” Baker, who let us know he was on his way! Baker grills chicken on the corner in Brick Kiln (the village in which I live) each Friday and Saturday night, and has become well known island-wide for his home made Jamaican Jerk sauce, and his Carnival Johnny Cakes. His spot is known to many students as well as locals as “Poor Man’s Corner,” with good reason. For $10 EC ($3.70 USD) you can pick up a quarter of a chicken and two Johnny Cakes. Mark it in your calendar!

This is my final week of class before I take my Block 2 exams, so this will probably be one of my last entries of the week. I plan to post updates as frequently as possible, but I can’t imagine too many exciting happenings occurring in my 90+ hours I’ll be spending at the library over the next 6 days. Stay classy New Orleans!

The Party House

Part of the crew getting ready for kick-off

TV Room #2

Left to Right: Hunter, Blake, Baker, Me, Bebee, Matt

Here goes nothin...

Hey All -- I know I should be studying cardiovascular physiology right now, however I decided to take a few minutes and start up this blog. I've never done this before, so you'll have to bear with me until I get the hang of this.

As an update: I am in my 2nd semester at the Medical University of the Americas (www.mua.edu) on the small island of [St.Kitts &] Nevis. Classes started off much more intensely than my first semester, but I am getting the hang of it! I have one more week of classes before my next set of block exams, so I am spending every spare moment in the library trying to get ahead of the game.

I thought I would start out my first blog post with some pictures from an adventure I took with some friends a few weeks back. A couple good friends of mine have access to a dinghy boat, so we decided after our exams to take it out for a spin. We hit up a few Nevisian beaches for some local flavor, and then decided to get crazy and make the trek across to neighboring St. Kitts. Below are a few pictures of the trip...

(click to enlarge photos)


Our port of departure: Double Deuce Restaurant / Pinney's Beach (Mt. Nevis in the background)


Our mode of transportation: The S.S. Nevis Dinghy


The Double Deuce, with St. Kitts in the background


Pinney's Beach / Resort


Departure from Pinneys; Destination: Oualie's Beach, Nevis


The perfect picture! Tossing the ball around at Oualie's


Relaxing stop at Oualie Beach. St. Kitts in the distance


Getting ready to head over to Reggae Beach, St. Kitts


Nice boat, with Nevis in the background


St. Kitts from the dinghy

Matt and Me with St. Kitts in the background. Here we come!

Reggae Beach, St. Kitts

Wilbur -- the largest pig I've ever seen in my life!
(Wilbur is alive, just napping)


Monkey see, monkey do!

Just about ready to head back from Reggae to Oualie Beach (representing WSA)

Sunset from the dinghy

It got a little wild on the way back. 3-4 foot waves is never a match for the S.S. Nevis

Thanks for checking out my first blog entry. I hope you enjoyed! I will try and update it periodically, so be sure to check back! Later, mon!