Hard to Forget

I was waiting for such a long time, she said. I thought you forgot. It's hard to forget, I said, when there is such an empty space when you are gone. (This is to my girlfriends.)
~from www.storypeople.com

Today was the second day of class. We had Doctor Patient and Society as well as Biochemistry today. DPS focused on substance abuse and biochem was on carbohydrates, amino acids, and proteins. I went to the gym after class then went to study in the library. Printing in the library was backed for three hours today....It was unsane, as Taylor Whobry used to say. However, it gave me time to study.

After I left the library, my friend Joyce came over and we studied anatomy together. She left to go eat with her roommate and my study partner and friend, Kim, came over. We cooked spaghetti....And can you believe it...I, yes me, made homemade, hand-squeezed tangerine and orange juice. We went over biochem and anatomy.

They are introducing us to a new class tomorrow. Cell Biology...sounds like a lot of fun. So I am going to go to bed and rest...lots of work tomorrow. Love you guys!

Beauty is one of the rare things that do not lead to doubt of God.
Jean Anouilh

Again, I can not resist the sunsets. They more magnificent than anything I have ever seen. They would only be more great if I could move that hill slightly to the left. Or maybe I should just walk to that point on the beach to further enjoy the sunset. However, since today was the first day of class, I feel entreated to study....study anatomy, biochem, DPS(doctor, patient, and society), and physiology, though it is not till Thursday. Even though I had prepared for class today, in anatomy, I heard quite a few terms that seemed like Latin to me....literally and figuratively. Anatomy class lasted for two hours as did biochem. Dr. Martin, the anatomy professor was much for intriguing than was Dr. Smolanoff, the biochem professor...However, they both are equally qualified and educated. Nevertheless, I found anatomy very intriguing and intimidating. I found biochemistry a bit more interesting because I am not too far removed from organic chemistry, which is much of the basis for biochemistry. I did learn some really cool things....if you want to know about scarring and stretch marks, email me, I know things about them now.

Just so you know, I really miss everyone. Thank you to all of those who email me. I appreciate it greatly. To those of you who don't, I really miss you and would like to hear from you as often as you can make time. I really miss everyone. I must go study now.

"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." -Confucius


I must be very intelligent because after the last few hours of studying Biochemistry and Anatmony, I am only beginning to understand the MANY facets of my own ignorance. That is right, I have been studying even before class starts. I do not want to get behind so I am going to start by being ahead...I hope. Since classes start tomorrow, I wanted to begin reading and note-taking today.

Today started off slow. I woke up later than normal, around 9am Atlantic time. I laid in bed for a while watching Raising Helen with Kate Hudson. It was a cute movie but really made me miss my friends and family. So once I was in that mood, I got really down and sad. However, I eventually decided to clean and begin studying. My friend Kim came over this afternoon because I told her she could use my Vonage. We also went over our schedule and expectations. She is older than I am and has been out of school a while so she is apprehensive in similar but different ways from me. It is good, though, to have someone to talk to down here...finally.

Well, I am tired and nervous. Again as a nerd, I will get up early to get ready and go to class...So I must go to bed. Hope to hear from any of you soon. I REALLY MISS EVERYONE!

"We must be the change we wish to see in the world" -Mahatma Gandhi


I walked more today than I have walked in forever. I went on the 'island tour'. It would have been better named the island HIKE. We went to several waterfalls, a sulfur springs, the southern tip of the island, and an overlook in the capital. At evey location we had to hike...I am not exaggerating when I say that I extremely exhausted. The above pictures are from today. I am going to finish this post and head to bed. I am SOOOO tired.

Tomorrow I intend to begin my studies. I want to begin reading, taking notes, and such so that I feel in touch with what we will be doing Monday morning. I do have to go to campus for a bit tomorrow to pick up my Ross ID. I may go to the gym but after today's hike, I find it highly likely that I will be sore and the gym will not be necessary. Oh well, I am tired. Later....

"I wish you could have been there for the sun & the rain & the long, hard hills. For the sound of a thousand conversations scattered along the road. For the people laughing & crying & remembering at the end. But, mainly, I wish you could have been there. "
-from www.storypeople.com by Brian Andreas
(My friend Emily told me about this website because she got my Christmas present from there. You should check it out. I love there stuff, if only they shipped down here.)

The picture is of tonight's sunset. I was talking to Yvie on the phone, looked out the window and saw it. I could not resist taking a picture. I love the pinks and purples. When I was a kid and Melinda Pence babysat us, Morgan, Gretchen, Sara, and I used to look at the sunsets and choose the colors that were ours. Morgan took blue, Gretchen got purple, I got pink, and Sara got the leftover colors. That is the memory that this sunset elicits.

Today was more orientation. It was a long day, but I accomplished a lot. I got my books, my local cell phone, my computer configured, and went to most of the sessions. Like I said before, I am a nerd and bought all of the books. They are so dang heavy. I paid the driver to bring them home for me. It is only $3,50 USD and it was worth every penny of it. I am going to get them out of the bag tonight and look through all them....It is overwhelming to think I will know all that information in such a short amount of time.

I met a lady named Sandra today from Atlanta. She is 31 with a one year old and three year old and a husband in Fairview, an area of Atlanta. When I think of the sacrifice she is making, my problems seem quite small. She is really cool....I have met a lot of really nice and interesting people the past few days. I have decided to go on the island tour tomorrow because I can not get JT's game on TV. I also thought that after school starts I will not have time to see this beautiful place. I will take plenty of pictures, and hopefully, meet some more people.

Have a good weekend!

"I have learned a great truth in life. We do not succeed in spite of our challenges and difficulties, but rather, precisely because of them."
- Richard Paul Evans from The Looking Glass

Above, I am in Roseau, the capital of Dominica, looking down on the city. I went here when Mom was still around. We had a good time there.

Today was registration and jam packed. I received my financial aid check, my locker (yes, a locker), my class schedule day-by-day for the entire semester, my id picture taken, but no books. I was really disappointed I did not get my books because I am so nervous that I want to begin my ready and note taking. I want to get ahead rather start out behind. To do so , I did decide to print out the first two biochemistry handouts to review along with making note cards for the twenty amino acids...sounds fun to all of you doesn't it?

After all of that, I went a mini class on how to use the campus email and computers....that was a blast. I did go to the gym tonight and ran-walked for 30 minutes. I am really trying to lose weight. We will see how it goes. There is not a whole lot I feel like eating so, and that in cahoots with walking all of the time, I will hopefully do so. I am trying to eat reasonably well...

Anyway, I am going to work on my notecards and review the packet I received today. Tomorrow I have more orientation and hopefully will get those books...Have a good night.

"There were always in me, two women at least, one woman desperate and bewildered,who felt she was drowning and another who would leap into a scene, as upon a stage,conceal her true emotions because they were weaknesses, helplessness, despair,and present to the world only a smile, an eagerness, curiosity, enthusiasm, interest." -Anais Nin

Upper left: Inside classroom 5, Upper Right: From campus looking onto the shacks, 2nd Left: Looking down the main drive on campus, 2nd Right: Picnic tables on campus, 3rd Left: Entrance to Gross Anatomy (where they house the cadavers), 3rd Right: New Classroom Building on Campus, 4th Left: a portion of the road I take to campus, 4th Right: Looking at James Store and Perky's Pizza from campus, Bottom: Other buildings.....Hope you enjoy!

I, being the sports fan that I am, am watching the Rose Bowl, which this year features Texas vs. USC. I couldn't be married to JT Henderson and not be an avid sports fan...Many of the guys I meet here are quite surprised that a girl would know that Juan Pierre was traded from the Marlins to the Cubs, which is great for the Cubbies because Pierre is a great lead off guy....Or that the Houston Texans will likely get Reggie Bush from USC in the draft because they, the Texans, have the worst record in the NFL...Or more importantly, that the NCAA only allows collegiate basketball teams to have twenty hours weekly of practice time but allow unlimited time during breaks, like summer and Christmas, but restrict coaches to go to any high school or middle games unless the player or coaches being watched are immediately family (brother or sister) unless it is official recruiting season. This is useless information. I am sorry, but I could not resist. Sorry to you sports haters...

Anyway, today was orientation. As a whole, it was quite boring, but there were a few interesting items. We learned about the promotion policy. Not promotion in getting the school's name out, but promoting to the next semester. In essence, PASSING. I am not really worried about that, because, though I am afraid of failure as an overall concept, the way I determine failure is not by failing a class. I don't fail classes; I won't let myself because I am just as capable of it as the next person. Failure to me is letting myself down by not doing the 6 P's my dad taught me (Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance) and not getting it done. Everything else was concerning security, facilities, Information Technology, SGA...stuff like that. I did attend the cookout at 5pm tonight with Raquel. While there, I ate a HAMBURGER.....real beef. Most of the Indian students did not share my enthusiasm but I was jacked. I met an Indian girl named Dipa (spelling again is not certain) who is here with her husband. She is the student and he is just with her finishing his disertation for his PhD in communications. I met several other nice people, so going was advantageous for me.

Tomorrow I have registration at 10 am. It is not really registration in the sense that we pick our classes because we all have the same courses and we are all together. Yeah, I will see most of these people everyday for the next sixteen months, like it or not. Registration, basically. consists of getting your Ross ID, your financial aid check, and other necessary information. I will let you know the inconsequentials tomorrow. After that, I must go get my books. I, as most of you know, am a self-declared nerd, and I guess anyone who does professional programs be it medical, dental, pharmacy or likewise, represents some version of nerd. Nevertheless, being the nerd I am, as well as demonstrating my fear of failure and insufficiency, bought almost every book. I am excited to get started and to basically catch up to my classmates. Hopefully I can pay a transport to drive me and my books home because I don't think I can make it up Banana Trail with all of those books. Anyway...I will let you know how it goes. For now I must go to bed.

Again, I love getting emails, comments or likewise. Snailmail letters or pictures would be lovely as well. Also, I put quotes on here based on how I feel about myself and my life. Please tell me your feelings or interpretations. I like to know how others feel. It is somewhat like intellectually conversating with one another about life...we will both get smarter...Again, the nerd in me. Have a good day and love you guys.

Natalie Henderson
Ross University School of Medicine
PO Box 266
Roseau
Commonwealth of Dominica
West Indies
This is my address. Please beware that though I love getting mail and packages, shipping can be expensive and take some time. If you go www.rossmed.dm or www.rossu.edu, they have shipping suggestions. Basically, a card, some pictures, or simply an email would be great. Several of you have asked for it so here it is! Also, we are only one hour ahead of the east coast. Call anytime. If I am not here, you can leave a message. I now know how to use it.

"Every morning, I get up and look through the 'Forbes' list of the richest people in America. If I'm not there, I go to work."- Robert Orben (or for me, school.)

Today I begin orienatation. It does not begin until six, which is about two or so hours from now. I am getting ready to shower and head that way but I wanted to post a short update before I do. The heat has been a bit overwhelming today; the heat index was 88 with 66% humidity. I awoke today around seven a.m. That is quite early but I fell asleep early so it makes sense. After waking up and posting my address on here, I waited for Hanah's laundry to pick up my dirty clothes, sheets, and towels. It is nice to NOT have to do laundry. However, there is a 24 hour turn around so I had to purchase sheets so I would not have to sleep on the bed-liner tonight. Hopefully, though, I will be getting some soft ones from the US, Mom, soon.

After that, I headed to the gym....I ran/walked for 45 minutes on the treadmill. I was quite proud of myself considering my weight gain and lack of being in shape. I then trekked the 40 yards to the bookstore to get a few small items, and then checked my financial aid. Luckily for me, my money is here and will be presented upon registration, which is Thursday. Unfortunately, my friend Mo was told it could be a week or two, which here could mean a month, before he gets his. He is a nice guy and I hate that for him. After buying a few small items like a spatula, postcards, the sheets, cheese, and plastic bowls, I came home. I will note that I was 'hit' on by a local gentleman. His name was Eric and it was comical....Don't worry, JT, you don't have any competition....Well, I must get ready. I will let you all know how orientation goes.....could go either way I am afraid.

Orientation was okay. I sat with Rakish and Sahran (I am not sure on the spellings; I met them and his family the second day I was here. I also met a tall, pretty black girl from Brooklyn tonight named Racquel. Again, I am not sure on the spelling. We were sitting across from one another during orientation and were going to get a pizza, but the Perky's Pizza was packed. Therefore, we took a transport home. I talked to my friend, Emily, which was nice. I have not spoken to her for any length since I have been her. I have orientation again tomorrow, all day....I will let you know how it goes.

(All these pics are of my apartment...great sheets, aye?)
"Hope is a rare gift that, if we are lucky, comes to us with the power to heal our lives. I've come to know that the deepest sense of hope often springs from the hardest lessons in life. It is in the darkest skies that stars are best seen---perhaps it is divine irony that within the darkest moments we are capable of revealing the greatest light, demonstrating what is best with humanity." Richard Paul Evans, The Timepiece

Today was mostly empty of activity but good nonetheless. I was down last night, crying a bit and missing home and people. However, today was refreshing. I woke up on my own. I cooked eggs and mushrooms for breakfast with passion fruit juice. Shruti and I went to campus to check out the bookstore. I can get my books on Thursday morning...And by the way, the bookstore was quite nice. It had BAGELS; I was so excited. They have a lot of other stuff but it all comes at price. Like everything else on this island.

I tried two new things today... the first was sugar cane. It is a white fiber-like material with a sweet juice. You chew on the stuff to get the juice out, and then throw away the fibers. It was very good. They sell fresh sugar cane juice on Saturday's at D's fruit stand. The owner is Dawn, a large, loud local lady who is very sweet. They have great fruit and juice. The second thing I tried was an Indian bread Shruti's mom sent with her. It is wheat flour fried with lots of spices and veggies. It was very good and interesting to try.

Other than that I have spent alone time today, and I have enjoyed it. I watched JT's game on my computer, had tortilla chips as an afternoon snack, did small exercises in my room, and cleaned up. I am going to watch the UGA football game tonight. They play West Virginia. It should be a decent game. JT sold our tickets to Gary Garrett, my old boss at State Farm. I should make a shout out that the UGA Men's Basketball team won today, making them 10-3. Pretty great.

Here are my resolutions!
1. Lose weight (I will not tell my goal in case I don't make it...only few people know it.)
2. Establish more self esteem
3. To learn without a serious preoccupation with grades
4. Maintain and strengthen current friendships and relationships
5. Drink more water and less soda

Keep your comments and emails coming! I love getting them.

Far left: Domincia's National Park; Middle: Emerald Pool: Right: Me, obviously, in the Carib territory overlooking the Atlantic Ocean

A friend who is far away is sometimes much nearer than one who is at hand. Is not the mountain far more awe-inspiring and more clearly visible to one passing through the valley than to those who inhabit the mountain?" -Kahlil Gibran (I guess this is true. However, in my absence, life is happening. Isn't that what yesterday's quote said? I miss my friends dearly and desperately at times. Please know I am missing you.)

Happy New Year! (Though this will be posted on the 2nd, I started it on New Year's Day)
I hope everyone had a good New Year's. Though mine was not as I would have wanted it to be, it was fine. I ended up going with Shruti and Samaan to Portsmouth Beath Hotel restaurant. We stayed there with other students until the strike of midnight here. Then we watched the ball drop on the east coast. After that I went to my room, and while talking to Yvie, saw the central time zone celebrate the new year. So, in essence, I enjoyed new year's three times. It was not the same but it sufficed.

Today we saw several sightss around the island, as pictured above. I have many more pictures but I thought these were the best. We were in the vans most of the trip, but the sights were nice. I have signed up to go tomorrow to the largest waterfall on the island but I am not going to go...I am going to rest tomorrow.