2X - Let's Do This!

Hi friends!

I'm writing to you after my second day of classes and after being on the island for roughly a week. We've had our introduction into our second semester and I'm looking forward to it. I've been told it's a very heavy physiology semester (not my strongest subject) so I know I'm going to have to work hard to do well this semester. We do a lot more clinical skills classes this semester which I am very excited for because it makes all of the hard days in the library seem worth it.

As much as being in the big city with all of my Starbucks cravings satisfied I found myself missing this island I've come to call home.

This is what I found myself missing on a daily basis:

1. The climate

• Toronto was a little too chilly for my liking. I keep on saying I'm a pretty horrible Canadian when it comes to accepting winter - I've learned it's worse after I've been living in a warm climate for four months.

2. The ocean

• I love the water, the beach, swimming, laying by the water... I could go on for ages. I'm fortunate enough to live right by the ocean so I get the lull of the waves putting me to sleep after a long day at school. My first night at home I was so exhausted but I found I could not fall asleep because it was SO QUIET! I lost my ocean sleep maker. 

3. The locals

• Even after one semester on the island you get to meet and love the lovely people of Dominica. They're always so happy and friendly - again comparing to the people of Toronto who are always in a hurry and very busy. I have to admit I was guilty of sitting at home telling my parents that I missed all of my island family

4. The routine

• As much as 14 hour days is long and painful I honestly missed them. At home I found I had no schedule and was running around trying to get everything done and trying to see everyone as quickly as possible before I came back to Dominica. 

5. My Island Family

• Not only the locals of Dominica I missed my friends. Even though we spend all day with one another I have grown to love them like I do my own family. I've said time and time again I know I wouldn't have made it through first semester without them and I can't wait to go through the rest of my semesters with them by my side.

Talk soon,

Jen

My last Starbucks :(

On my way to St. Maarten

First day back

Sunsets

Sunsets

Future Dominica-ers

Hello friends!

I've gotten a few questions about what I brought to Dominica and how I got it here so I figured if some people have that question (and I know I had that question before coming down) more people do as well. So I brought a lot of stuff... I had four suitcases (two me, two my mom) and shipped two barrels.

In my suitcases I had

• Clothes(athletic shorts/tops, sports bras, bras, underwear, comfortable tops, jean shorts) - I highly suggest bringing clothes you are not too attached to. Sometimes things get lost in laundry or ruined down here (it rains a lot).
• Professional clothes - for first semester we had to dress up three times, and then once for white coat ceremony
• Hygiene products (shampoo, conditioner, soap, tweezers, nail clippers ect.) - I packed enough in my suitcase to tide me over until my barrels came
• Running shoes, sandals, nice flats, sperry's (my favourite)
• BRING RAIN BOOTS AND A RAIN JACKET - you'll thank me later
• School supplies - textbooks I really liked
• Water bottles - I highly suggest some larger bottles to use as a back up when the water looks brown
• External hard drive, laptop, phone, iPad
• Doubles of electronic chargers
• I couldn't leave Canada without a French Press and Starbucks coffee
• Some granola bars
• Ziplock bags
• Towels
• 2nd pair of glasses
• Contacts
• Sweaters and longer pants - all of the buildings on campus are CHILLY
• Coffee travel mugs
• UV water filter, rechargeable flash light
• Portable charging stations
• Bug spray - please don't forget this
• Sunscreen

In my barrels

• Lots and lots and lots of snack foods (granola bars, chocolate, protein bars, crackers, peanut butter, nutella) - trust me this stuff is expensive here. If you have a go to snack food I suggest you pack a decent amount of it
• Larger bottles of shampoo and conditioner
• Case of water
• Tissues
• Extra bed sheets
• Toothpaste, toothbrushes, razors
• More school supplies
• Gum
• Notebooks
• Blank Paper
• More coffee and tea
• First aid kit

That's a rough list of what I brought down here to the island - add or get rid of things as you see fit. One thing add is that you will get a weekly printing allowance - I could print my weekly notes on that with no problem. If you're worried about bringing a printer I say don't fret.

If you're wondering about anything else to bring down just send me a message or comment and I'll be happy to help you out!

Jen

Here's some island pictures

On the pier

Post Mini Dinner

It was raining hard one day and I had patient interviewing - so I hid my dress under my rain jacket

My grandma surprised me for lunch one day

The beach

Just a Reminder

Sit back and relax every once and a while. Med School applications may be hectic and consume all of our time, but we're only young once and we need to enjoy it while we're here! Take that breather, go for a walk and enjoy nature. You'll feel so much more relaxed and energized after :)

- Jen