supplies

So here are all the neat school supplies I got the other day.

1. Dissection guide for anatomy.

2. Guide to small animals clinics.

3. Physiology text. I am a little nervous about this class because I have never taken physio before.

4. Dictionary. will probably come in handy.

5. A STETHOSCOPE! How doctor-ey eh?

6. Dissection kit. My one at home is much better. I didn't bring it though. poop.

7. Digital thermometer. Can take oral or anal temperatures. fun times.

8. A lead for dogs and one for farm animals.

9. And a halter for horses.


We have one more book that has not arrived yet. I don't really know which class it is for. These items are pretty cool. The leads and halters make me excited to get started the 'hands on' stuff.

Tomorrow we have a professional skills workshop, then our white coat ceremony. We will be given our doctor's jackets and will recite our oaths. I will post photos if I can convince friends to take one of me while I am up on the stage.

That's it for now!
gnite!!

Bazaar

Today was a big day. This morning at 10am we had "convocation". At the University of Calgary, convocation means the graduation ceremony where graduates are presented with their degrees. But here, convocation just means a long boring lecture where all the school officials talk to us and tell us about the different programs and services offered at the school. After convocation, we had 2.5 hours to kill, so a few of us decided to get some power beach time in. We bussed to the beach, swam, lay in the sun, and then bussed back just in time for our next lecture at 2:30.

The 2:30 lecture was an intro to the PAWS program.. which is basically a program where we are assigned a "buddy" student who has been here for a while. That student is supposed to show us around, help us, give us tips for success, that sort of thing. My buddy didn't bother to show up. Thankfully the buddy of another girl in my class adopted me and took me on the tour. She also said that she would give us her notes from last term as well as her practice exams. That should be a great help.

After the buddy program, the school held a big bazaar in the soccer field right outside my dorm. There were a whole bunch of student clubs and merchant tents there. We also got vouchers for $35 EC (caribbean dollars) to spend on whatever we wanted. I bought a passionfruit smoothie and a piece of pizza to eat. I also went to a fruit vendor and spent the rest of my free vouchers on bananas, mangos, grapefruits, and tomatoes. I was stoked because I was planning to go to the fruit market tomorrow and now I don't have to. That should last me all week!

I also joined the following student clubs:

• The emergency medicine club. Members of this club do shifts at the campus emergency vet clinic. We will be able to get lots of great clinical experience here.


• The exotics and wildlife club. This club has a lot of cool events... such as traveling to the north part of the island in the spring to assist with the egg laying of leatherback sea turtles, and whale watching.


• The herpetology club. This is for vet students who like reptiles. Members of this club can foster baby tortoises as well as go to extra lectures about reptile medicine.


• The canadian club. This club is mainly for med students, but they have a Tim Horton's night. nuff said.


• I wanted to join the hiking club, but I got distracted by all the stuff going on and ended up forgetting to go find the booth. I am sure that one of my friends signed up though, so I will just tag along to the first meeting and sign up then.

That is all.
Now I am in bed, trying to think about what to get ready for my first day of actual classes. The first 2 days are just a big seminar on professional skills. I think it will just be a chance to get to work together and really get to know the other people in my class. I hope its fun. Tomorrow, I will show you all the neat things that I got when I went to go get my textbook package. :)
Have a great night!
xoxox
Dayna

Grenada Randoms

Here are just a few random things.

• 2011 is the 250th anniversary of when people in France began the profession of veterinary medicine. (I learned that in a lecture yesterday. :D )


• My bed here is surprisingly comfortable. I sleep sooo well.


• The word Grenada is pronounced "Gren-EH-da" not "Gren-AHH-da". That is how the locals say it.


• English is the official language of Grenada... but when I listen to locals speak to each other, it doesn't sound like english at all to me! They use so many strange slang words. I love the sound of their accents though. Caribbean accents are probably THE coolest sounding accents in the world (in my opinion). Ay mon.


• Since coming to the island, I have lost weight. My summer clothes are no longer muffin-toppy, and I just feel better. I am definitely eating less, but I am also drinking tonns more water. My skin is also nicer. I am tanned, and I no longer have to use gallons of lotion to combat the dry-itchiness that comes with Alberta winters. Living in the tropics makes me look better! :)


• I have met one of my roommates so far. She is a 2nd term vet student and I like her. She seems like a mellow person so I think we will get along well. The other roommate hasn't arrived yet. Apparently she is a 2nd term med student.. but all the med students were supposed to be here by the 12th, so maybe she isn't coming? That would be kind of cool - sharing a 3 person suite with only one person. We shall see


• Went to the "cheap" grocery store today and I bought some extra provisions. The girl at the counter was super nice and gave us free cheese grater/carrot peelers. I also bought some cookies with lime filling in them. I love trying strange new foods that I have never seen before. They also had this really thick pistachio flavoured green alcohol of some kind. But I didn't buy that...


• Tonight the vet students have a little "welcome barbecue" in the soccer field that is right outside my dorm. Last night was the party at Aquarium. It was packed with drunk students. I did not drink anything besides water.... I did order one rum punch at the beginning of the night, but it was pretty much all rum with a splash of punch. I didn't like it so i left it on a table after 1 sip.

ok, that's it for now!
xox Dayna

Grand Etang Photos

Here is a quick little slideshow of the photos I took yesterday. So much fun!

It's official!

I fail at taking ID card photos... but at least my eyes are open in this one! :)