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After our second night staying on campus, we woke up from the patient examination tables we were sleeping on and found everyone else in the other ICM rooms gone. It was 9am and the hurricane alert has ended. We walked outside to a sunny blue sky and nice breezy weather. Yet, all around us laid the evidence of the storm of the day before. We did not know what to expect to see. Knowing that the weather was safe, I headed home as I yearned for a shower and a change of clothes. On my way back, the landscape seemed a little different. All the trees leaned one way and many had even fallen. The road was filled with debris and several signs, light fixtures, and poles had fallen. As I entered my apartment complex, I noticed all the palm trees had been barren, with their leaves scattered in the pool and the parking lot. Luckily, my apartment was fine. Being on the fifth floor, I was not worried about flooding. My cat greeted me at the door as I walked into the hot and humid apartment. Power was still out, and I was sweating all over. I jumped into the shower without much hesitation. The water was cold but I did not care. I was glad that at least I had water and it felt good. I met up with some friends to walk around the neighborhood and explore the damage left by the hurricane. It wasn’t as bad as I expected. Certainly there was flooding here and there, debris on the ground, and a few trees and poles knocked down, but it sure wasn’t Katrina, Andrew, or Luis. It sure wasn’t a disaster zone, and repair I’d imagine would not take long. By 12 pm, the government-issued curfew was lifted, cars began showing up on the streets, we began hearing the sounds of the airplanes landing and taking off in the distance, and workers began to clear the debris from the streets. Looking out to Mullet Bay Beach from campus, the water seemed a lot lighter, as if the sand had swept away into the ocean. We headed across the golf course to check out the water. A lot of the seawater had swept onto the golf course and left the white sand from the beach on the grass. Seaweed laid everywhere, and the waves remained large. We ran into some fellow students collecting coconuts that had fallen from the trees during the hurricane. They were cracking the coconuts on a rock and offered me some fresh coconut meat to try. The meat was ripe and rich, and after two days of eating canned goods in the shelter, eating the wind-picked fresh coconut was an extra indulging experience. By 12pm, the school began functioning again and resumed orientation and registration, which was abruptly cut short a few days ago with the incoming hurricane. BB’s Grill and Sugar Cane Cafe opened up their businesses again, and the school cafeteria began cooking and offering free food to the AUC community. I was pretty excited to eat real food. Looking back, the past few days had been quite an experience. Arif, Jubin, Peter, Joseph, and I were the few Orientation Advisors who arrived right before the storm who stayed in the shelter. Because of this, we helped out a lot in monitoring and running the shelter. The first night was quite fun and relaxing as we only had 59 people. But by the second night, after the worst part of the storm, many people who stayed off-campus during the storm began arriving onto campus, seeking a shelter with internet access, power, air conditioning, and most importantly, other people. It became increasingly busier for the faculty, staff, and OAs as we tried to document all who are on campus, who are staying, and who are leaving (for liability purposes). With more people, the food had to be replaced faster and the trash accumulated equally as fast. It became more and more difficult finding places for people to sleep. Eventually, we opened up the individual ICM rooms (each which have 2-4 cushioned patient examination tables) for families to stay in. With more people, there were more matters to attend to, and we were constantly on our feet throughout the rest of the evening. Some of the faculty, staff, and OAs had to take shifts sleeping. With teamwork and the special efforts of the faculty and staff of the emergency response team and the OAs, it all worked out in the end. Now as I write this, I begin my life as a student again tomorrow morning at 8am. Many students have already arrived, and many more will come in tomorrow as their flights were rescheduled. I look forward again to a new semester and a new level of challenge to face. Here are some photos I took around the neighborhood of the aftermath of Hurricane Earl:
Here is some video footage of the area after Hurricane Earl:
As the center of the storm approached us, Hurricane Earl’s fury heightened, bringing gushing wind and rain across St. Maarten. As Earl decided to slow down and grow in strength, the school decided to open the campus one more night as a shelter. Here is some video footage of Hurricane Earl that I took when it came through AUC.
I had spent a wonderful nine days with Irene in Miami over the break and to be honest, I didn’t feel ready coming back to school so soon, but I knew I needed to. Just the night before, I had learned about the upcoming storm, but I was not worried. I had already attended hurricane preparedness meetings earlier last semester and knew the school acted as a shelter for the AUC community during hurricanes every year. Instead, I felt curiosity, as it would be my first hurricane experience on the island. I assured Irene that I’d be safe. As my plane arrived closer to the island, the clouds became heavier and heavier and after a shaky landing, we arrived in St. Maarten. It was 1:30pm and the weather was not bad. It was a little windier than usual, but it felt good. It was a little uneasy knowing this comfortable breeze was a sign of something much larger coming our way. On the way home, I passed by men nailing boards onto windows in preparation for the storm. On campus, the windows were also boarded up as well. I had just arrived home after a nine-day absent, and my apartment was humid, dusty and dark. There was no food I could readily eat in my cabinets or fridge, and there was no time to go to the grocery store, if they were even open. Power and water are known to shut down on the island during hurricanes and I did not want to risk being stranded in the dark, the heat, or isolated from other human contact during this event. As I was living alone, I decided it was best if I stayed on the campus shelter during the upcoming hurricane. Together along with 58 of my fellow classmates and many faculty members, I grabbed my pillow, blanket, and toiletries, and headed to campus. It was 5pm, and the rains started pouring.
I claimed myself a mattress, and Arif and I decided to set up camp in the multipurpose room. As the evening approached, our dinner time approached as well. If you’ve been around this area, you know BB’s Grill is not located under the most stable structure on the island. Surprisingly, we found BB’s still open for business, despite the plastic tarp covering their roof flying in the wind, and the smoke from the barbecue grill blowing all over our faces. They definitely had the monopoly for desperate pre-hurricane meals. It was quite amusing. As the tarp shook and shook more, we decided it would be for our best interest to order our barbecue chicken meals to go.
Despite us getting food at BB’s, the school also provided “survival kit”-style food and water. I personally was quite excited seeing the Chef Boyardee Beefaronis, the Ramen, canned tuna and sardines. As my BB’s BBQ wore off throughout the night, the school’s food was a life saver for my hunger. After a question-and-answer meeting about hurricane safety, we had the whole night to do whatever we wanted within the building. Lecture Hall 2 quickly set up to become a movie theater as we projected “How To Train Your Dragon” and “2012″ onto the big screen. It was a double feature. The dean’s office became the accommodations for the faculty and the hurricane safety team. The multipurpose room became the accommodations for those students with pets. There was a student who brought a cat and another who brought a dog. We decided it was OK if they ran free in the room out of their cages. Another couple brought a baby with them to stay in the pet-owner room and interestingly, they decided to keep him in the crib.
I had the pleasure of playing UNO with some upperclassmen friends and meet a lot of new first-semester students as well. Most students on campus right now are first semester students, as most of them arrive earlier to check in. Most upperclassmen come in on Monday as classes for us start on Tuesday. Unfortunately, yet fortunately, due to the weather, many of them are stuck back in the states with their families and loved ones and probably will not get in until Tuesday or Wednesday. Registration is postponed until Tuesday, and the registration late fees are waived. As of now, first day of classes will begin on Wednesday, unless unforeseen climatic circumstances prevents us to do so otherwise. Even though to me this is just one big fun slumber party, I couldn’t help but think what the new incoming first semester students must be thinking. How crazy it must be to come to a strange island far away from home for the first time and be introduced before anything else, to its most furious. As I write now, I hear the howls of 100-mph winds. It is quite frightening. But being on campus, I feel safe. This building is solid and will be going nowhere. So this break, I am staying in Miami with Irene. She had just moved down here last week to start her Physician Assistant master’s degree program at Barry University (which by the way is the same university that our current Dean of Basic Sciences at AUC, Dr. Testa, came from). She’s very excited to start and I’m very excited for her. I had the pleasure of meeting her roommates and some of her new friends (who are all new first semester PA students like Irene), and they are all very nice and focused on doing well in school. I don’t worry about her… I think she’s going to have a great time here and she’s surrounded by good people. Irene’s program is quite different from my program. There are two campuses for Barry’s PA program, the main one being in Miami and the smaller one being in St. Petersburg, Florida. Because of this they have the St. Petersburg class teleconferenced with the Miami class during their lectures. 70% of their lectures are given by lecturers here in Miami while 30% are given by lecturers in St. Petersburg. Both locations can hear and see each other and the lecturers. In front of each person’s seat is a button and microphone. Whenever a student wants to ask a question in class in either location, they just press the button and talk, and they can be heard in both Miami and St. Petersburg. In addition, Barry’s PA program has a strict dress code. Irene and her roommates are required to wear business casual everyday to lectures, which means nice shirts and dresses for girls and button-down shirts, khaki pants, and no tennis shoes for guys. Whereas at AUC, the dress is casual in lectures. I usually go to my lectures wearing T-shirts, shorts, and tennis shoes, except, of course, in the lab where I wear scrubs, or in my ICM classes where I wear white coat (and sometimes formal with white coat). I am quite impressed at Irene’s new home. She now lives in Aventura, Florida, which is one of the nicest places to live in Miami. Her apartment feels like the Ritz Carlton… It’s spacious, has leather couches that recline, large plasma TV, marble floors, flat-topped stoves, and its own washers and driers. The complex has a gated security, fountain, pool, parking deck, tennis courts, and even its own Yacht club! She lives right by a country club golf course, not that far away from a beach, and also close to a really high-end mall (Aventura Mall). Never have I seen so many BMWs and other shiny cars which I don’t know the names of. It’s like she’s living the life of the rich and famous… except she’s paying almost half of what I pay for rent for a much nicer place. This week, Irene and her roommates have a week-long orientation and tomorrow (Friday) they will have their White Coat Ceremony. While they go to orientation, I stay at home and work on what I have to do. I’ve completed a radiograph catalog for the Anatomy TA program, worked on my Notes page on my website, answered emails from incoming and prospective students (which so far I’ve been getting everyday while I’m on break… I think it’s that time of the year), doing chores for Irene around the house, and shopping for things I need to take back to St. Maarten. Whenever she and her roommates come back home from orientation, we go out together to go shopping, check out the beach, explore the city, or try new restaurants. I’m having a great time so far in Miami. Usually whenever I have a break from school, I make myself even more busy by traveling a lot and doing as much as I can with the little free time that I have. This break, I feel very relaxed because I’ve made no specific travel plans. My only plan is to come see Irene, that’s all, and I like it. Here is my estimate of how much I will be spending during my time in med school. So far I have been able to live comfortably with U.S. Federal Student Loans. These numbers were quite painful to calculate as I am aware I have to pay back all this money in full after I graduate, but the debt was something I had to accept when I chose my career goals, in the hopes that in the end it will all be worth it. Disclaimer: These are my personal estimates, based on my own personal spending habits, and therefore not reflective of what other students would pay. Also, like all schools, tuition is subject to change every year. TUITION
HEALTH INSURANCE
RENT/UTILITIES
FOOD
TRANSPORTATION
SUPPLIES
SCHOOL SUPPLIES
LIABILITY INSURANCE
GRAND TOTAL
$150,150 + $3250 + $42,600 + $14,600 + $6600 + $500 + $500 + $1500 = $219,700 Granulomatous = painful = because forms granulomas Lymphocytic = painless = because just t-cells. For any new first semester students who are interested, there will be a grocery shuttle running between campus, Food Express, and Le Gourmet Marche during the first few days of your arrival. Check it out! Grades are out, and I’m happy to say that I have passed all my classes and I am officially finished with third semester and on my way to my fourth semester of med school! I cannot say this enough times… TIME GOES BY FAST IN MED SCHOOL! I can’t believe I’m a fourth semester already…. it just seems too fast. Wasn’t I just a first semester not too long ago? Just a year ago on this day, I was writing this post. Back then, just ten days before starting med school, I was asking myself two questions: “Should I feel excited or terrified? Will I do well?” At the time, I was not sure. Today, a year later, I have to say, I am still asking those two questions. Should I feel excited or terrified? Will I do well?
Advice for new Third Semester students:
I will be staying in Miami over the break visiting Irene. Last week, she moved to Miami to start her Physician Assistant Masters degree program at Barry University (which she will start next week). I’m looking forward to seeing her new home, attending her white coat ceremony, meeting her new friends and roommates, and exploring Miami with her while we still can. It’s funny… we now both live in Aventura. She lives in a suburb of Miami called Aventura while I live in an apartment in St. Maarten called Aventura. We may not live in the same city, or even country, but at least we both refer to the same name for our new homes. Have an awesome break everyone and see you back on the island in two weeks! There’s lots of places within walking distance of campus to eat. Here I’ve made a list of them. Most restaurants around campus give student discounts and have student specials after block exams. Just ask. 0-5 minutes walking from AUC
10-15 minute walk from AUC
Yesterday, we lost a loved and respected member of the anatomy lab, and the AUC community. Jack van Dijk had been struggling with pancreatic cancer the past few months and passed away on Sunday morning. Most of my class and I who took anatomy in September 2009 (and all the classes before) knew Jack, as he ran the lab and upheld the highest of professionalism and responsibility. The lab hasn’t been the same without him. In his honor, our Anatomy Lab will be renamed the Jack van Dijk Lab, and a plaque will be made. Goodbye Jack. You will be missed. If you are around after final exams tomorrow, please come to the memorial service for Jack at 1:30pm in the Rotunda. Last Tuesday after the fourth block exams, the anatomy TA program held our end-of-the-semester TA dinner, a final celebratory get-together for everyone who have made the Anatomy TA program possible. This semester, we made certificates of recognitions for the 24 TAs who have completed their 2-semester voluntary commitments to the program, and organized the dinner at Bonita’s Cantina in Simpson Bay by the water. Several TAs showed up as well as many professors, not just from the anatomy department but other departments as well, and we all had a good time. Next semester, there will be some major restructuring of the Anatomy lab curriculum: The lab manual has been updated, labs will be 2 hours instead of 3, and dry lab will become mandatory. There will now be lists of objectives to be completed by the students in the wet and dry lab, and the TAs will become part of the grading process for the class by making sure they are completed. For the first time, the use of prosections (and eventually plastinations) will be incorporated into the curriculum in addition to the usual forceps-and-scalpel dissection by students. The TAs will be preparing the prosections, with the opportunity to become certified in dissection (Dr. N has the license to grant certificates). The title TA will also be changed to Demonstrator, which is the proper international term for those with our position. Haley, Arif, and I will be among the last Anatomy TAs and first Anatomy Demonstrators. Looking forward, I only wish the best for the Anatomy TA program, and hope these changes will make our program stronger, help students learn the material better, and give all of us more opportunities. Becoming a “Certified Dissector” sure sounds cool, doesn’t it? Thanks Laura for these wonderful pictures from the dinner! |
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