Good Ol' San Diego

Even though St. Kitts has some of the most beautiful sunsets I have seen it is hard to beat SD. This picture was taken from my mothers balcony and makes me miss home. Going from one paradise to another has been fine but I miss downtown SD evenings!!! Thanks for the pic Mom!!!

Flash from the Past

I want to know what everyone is doing back in the good ol' US of A. If anyone gets some good pics send them my way so I can add them to the blog. These are a few that I got of my father with his dragster...thought they were some good shots so I posted them. Wish I was around during these racing days!!!

Other Blogs of St. Kitts

Check out my friends Blogs...

www.rockstarsmommy.blogspot.com

www.lifeonstkitts.blogspot.com

www.megaman0025.blogspot.com

We Look So Official!!

Thought I would put a picture of us up from Anatomy Lab. This is the entire first semester class working on their doggy cadavers. Initially it bothered some of us to be issued a dog but for the one dog that is being sacrificed hopefully hundreds will be saved after graduation. Krista and Teresa are my lab partners and so far things are going well. In this class we have to work through our dogs learning every bone, muscle, vein, artery, etc. etc... it seems never ending! Stay tuned, next semester we get donkeys (it mimics the horse anatomy...just a little smaller)!!!!

Mom Finally Let Me Speak!

So my life has been fairly similar to an army brat. I was born in Denver, Co where I was lucky enough to be adopted by my Mom. I lived in Denver for about 3 months and then packed my toys and headed to southern Cali. I missed Denver because I left all of my friends but when I made it to San Diego I was able to meet my whole family that I did not even realize that I had. I lived in San Diego for just over three years and helped my Mom get through her undergrad at USD. When I lived in SD I moved homes about three times (not to mention that I lived with my Dad in Palm Desert for a month) so I am very comfortable with living in new environments. But where the heck am I now??? All I know is that I was put in a crate and was not let out for about 12 hours. When I finally was let out I was confined to a 30 day in home quarentine (whatever that means), all I know is that I could not leave my new house for what seemed like forever!



Now that the 30 days is up I am free!! So far I have made a few friends...Rockstar is my first official friend. He may be little but he has a huge heart...not to mention tongue. Or maybe his tongue just seems long because he doesn't really have a face:) Oh, and that is a picture of Rockstars Dad, Armando, on the pillow behind us.








I have also met a few of my neighbors. To my right lives Chief (he is a little old and grumpy but I still get him to play), Moon (the pleasently plump cat), and Mosquito (the clueless kitten). Below is a picture of me being very mature and not eating Mosquito:)




See Gramma, I told you that I have grown up and love cats. Where's Joey and Lil'??? Anyway, so far I am enjoying the island. This Friday my mom is taking Rockstar and I to the beach...she claims that I have to stay on a leash but we will see if that is going to happen. Okay, Mom is yelling at me to help her study, better sign off for now. I miss everyone and can't wait to see you guys when you come to visit my new home:)
-Soto

Trip to Nevis

So my friends and I decided to take a break from our crazy studies and take a trip on a catamaran to our sister island, Nevis. This was a nice getaway last Saturday...it made us feel like we weren't actually living at school:)









We left Basseterre about 10am and sailed to the tip of St. Kitts where we snorkeled for about an hour and then proceeded on to Nevis. Once at Nevis we were served lunch and spent the afternoon in the ocean.


















This trip was much needed, at least for the three of us girls who hardly seem to do anything but study...

More Island Pics...

Just had my first exam as a first semester vet student...I made it through, so that is a good sign. I thought I would take a little break and throw some pictures up of this crazy island. It is a large amount of work here butl, there is some fun being had... Most of these were taken prior to losing my life to my books but at some point I plan on getting out of my house and enjoying the sites:):)

Miss you Guys!!!

Just a little thanks to all my friends back home for the send off to Vet School. I miss you guys so much and I can't wait to see all of you around Christmas!!

Home Sweet Home!!

So I decided to take a little break from studying and post a few more photos. I realized that I did not put up any of my fabulous apartment...did I mention how much I love the bars on the windows. I think the bar thing will soon become popular in SD...they are just a little behind:) So these are some shots of my place, yard and the beach about two blocks away. Enjoy!!!

Arriving to St. Kitts

The beginning of this crazy adventure started with a very long stressful flight from LAX to Miami and then on to the island of St. Kitts. The 15 hours of travel would not have been too nerve racking if it weren't for Soto needing to travel in cargo. The first stretch from LA to Miami went as smooth as could be expected but the stretch from Miami was a different situation. Leaving Miami the temperature was too warm to fly with a dog in cargo, so we were rebooked onto the next flight out the in the morning. As the agent reprints our tickets the temperature miraculously drops and the agent allows us to fly. Thank goodness, trying to find a hotel that would have allowed Soto to stay would have been a nightmare in itself. Finally we arrive to the island, to be greeted by representatives of the University. We were able to buy a few groceries and get settled into my new apartment. I have to say that I have never been so happy to have burgular bars on my windows. I am also very happy to have brought my big scary watch dog...okay, maybe it is just a big bark but at least it fakes the locals out:) After arriving I had two weeks to get settled and take care of things such as a driving license, internet, cable, etc. In regards to the piece of paper that they claim is a license...I went to the fire department, payed some money, and took their drivers test. By "test", that refers to the one question they asked me... "You know you drive on the left side of the road?". Until you visit you will not understand how horrible the drivers are in this country...maybe I should not be suprised considering the test consists of one question. I initially decided not to buy a car. I figured that since all the cars down here are way over priced, half the time don't start, and you sit on the right side to drive...I did not think that I needed that extra stress. Thank goodness I was able to find some friends that could shuttle me around! This was fine for the first week of school but then I decided I needed my own freedom and I should get a car...

White Coat Ceremony

Every Vet School has a tradition of presenting the new students with their first white coats. Our ceremony took place last Friday and made this adventure even more real. It has taken awhile for me to come to terms that I live in a new country and I am studying to pursue a dream. Ross had a guest speaker, the dean from University of Florida, who spoke to our new class and had some inspirational words for our upcoming long trek to graduation. Receiving my first white coat has very much motivated and inspired me to keep focus on why I am here and my ultimate goal. The above picture is a few of my friends along with the Dean of Ross. The one below is me with Teresa and Krista.

Now that we have officially been accepted into the field of Veterinary Medicine it is go time....

Buying a Car...

Usually this event would not be too stressful but, doing it in a third world country is a whole other story. Originally I was not going to get one but as time moved on I needed my independence. The cars here on the island are shady to say the least. A car that costs around $6,000 here may not even cost $2,000 in the States. Therefore, it is the luck of the draw. Since St. Kitts is part of the British Virgin Islands you are required to drive on the wrong side of the road sitting on the wrong side of the car. The cars you buy here never leave the island. They are referred to as "Rossmobiles" and believe me, if you saw them you would see why they do not return to the States. It is a given that they will break down and since we are in the middle of nowhere it may take the entire semester to get them fixed. I ended up purchasing my car from a local...I believe I got a good deal and when I say good deal, so far it has started every time I have attempted to start it. Who knows what will happen tomorrow, things seem to go day by day around here. These are pictures of what my friends call the "G-Ride". It is a red Mitsubishi Lancer with limo tint windows and black flames that surround the lights. As you can see there is also black carpet and red flames in the interior and the license plate is surrounded by a fake chain. It originally said "sound boy" across the windshield but that had to immediatly go...I am a single white woman in a third world country, we don't want the locals to think that MTV has come down to the island and "Pimped my Ride"!!! It has a CD player but I am only going to give it about a month before that is stolen. As long as it gets me too and from school (and maybe the occasional bar) I will be happy:):) Keep your fingers crossed....

First Month of School

I have never been so ready to start school. Yes, I live in paradise and the beaches are beautiful but, I feel I am here to do a job. I am desperate to do that job well and get back to the states as soon as possible. Classes started about two weeks ago and I have never worked so hard in my life. They weren't kidding when they said that you will put in 14 hour days during the week and 16 hour days on the weekends. I have been lucky enough to meet two girls that seem to have the same focus and motivation I do. Teresa is from Minnesota and Krista is the New Yorker (oh, and don't forget Rockstar her pug). We tend to spend most of our time together...studying, stressing out, and the one night of week...cocktails!! We have given ourselves Fridays to cut a little loose but come Saturday morning it is books again. It is somewhat surprising to me that Vet students party as hard as they do. I guess it shouldn't be... work hard, play harder right?? We start our first round of exams this week we will see if the work will pay off. So far I am enjoying the program. Ross University is known for its high amount of hands on. We are not a research facility therefore the professors are easily accessible and enjoy getting to know their students. Hopefully this first round of exams goes well!!!!