Immigration and Thanksgiving

Hello all.  I hope you had a nice holiday.  I enjoyed the holidays by sitting in class with lectures and more lectures on endocrinology and nutrition.  I assure you that your holiday was a lot better than mine.  But before I get to that, let me explain immigration.

When I first got to the island, they stamped my passport for 6 months because that's what they did with the students before us.  The school sent an email notification of a new immigration requirement about 2 weeks before starting classes about this new requirement.  So the policy is now we, the students,  are required to pay for a student visa in which the students before us did not have to pay.  The cost of the student visa that last 3 years is in total, $600.  $100 for the application fee and $500 for the stamp.  Yes, that is a lot of money that one would have to budget for and it is consistent with my statement that your first semester is your most expensive semester.

Last semester, the immigration department was supposed to come to the school to process our paperwork but they failed to do so until this semester.  They came to the school last week to collect money from the students.  I gave them my passport and the money to receive a certificate valid for one year and a stamp in my passport.  I am no longer an illegal alien but yes I did just state that I received a certificate that last a year.  Apparently, I need to use my time to retrieve another.  But who knows?! Sometimes things change and processes change.  I am just complying.

I would like to also point out that the way of life in Anguilla is not similar to that of the United States.  In the United States, we are accustomed to getting everything very quickly and efficiently.  In Anguilla, it is not apart of their culture to be so.  I do like that if I need something that people will cater to you but in other things, it may be some things that move at a slower process than what we may be used to.  It is apart of the experience in another country.  So schools, grocery stores and salutations are all different.  But it may be what works for their country opposed to what we are used to.  It is just like we learn in ethics class, their (Anguillians) quality of life may be different than ours.

So to move away from that and talk about an American tradition which kind of contradicts what I just said.  A lot of students were really missing home so it would only be right to have potluck Thanksgiving dinners together.  I must say that I reaped the benefits of having a full belly but not a full mind.  I will have to make this up in my studying for certain.

Thanksgiving potluck in Anguilla

Thanksgiving was filled with dishes that included a little taste of home.  Now more than ever, we miss our families cooking and gatherings that we would have.  And just to think that we will be home in less than 3 weeks.  The only thing in my way is 3 presentations, 1 assignment and 5 exams.  You know, that now sounds like a lot.  I'm going to go study now.

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.  And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

-Genesis 3:1-13, KJV

My First Week Exploring Anguilla and St. Martin

Well, when I left off last, I was just getting to the island and I had not eaten a complete meal since Friday.  Well on Monday, that all changed.  I finally ate something.  But how?

Mosquito Problem in
St. Martin sign

Well I got on Facebook and communicated with some of my fellow classmates to see who was on the island and their experience thus far.  I came in contact with one of my peers who still had her mom in town.  They came and picked me up so that we could go to Shoal Bay.  I had not seen the beaches in Anguilla yet so I was very excited to go.  The beach was beautiful.  We ate at the restaurant called the Madearimen and they had really good tasting food.  Although we were at the beach, we didn’t swim at the beach.  We concluded the evening by going to the grocery store called Best Buy and swam back at the hotel, the Royal Palms.

The next day, we went to St. Martin to explore the island before her mom had to go back home.  We took the public ferry which cost $20 one way.  One of the first things I happen to see as I stepped off the ferry was a sign about the mosquitoes. 
 It was odd but I went through and had my passport stamped like you’re supposed to.  We shopped around at the vendors on the street and even went inside a pharmacy but didn’t get any bug repellent.

SXM Airport

That night for dinner we went to the infamous beach where you can see the jet blasting fanatics.  During dinner we were able to see a plane land and take off.  After eating, we took a walk on the beach to feel some waves.  And take a few pictures!  It was beautiful.

Before calling it a night, my classmate and I got to know each other a little better by the pool. While sitting at the pool, I was bitten by mosquitoes numerous times and decided then to get a 100% citronella bracelet the next day.  Just knowing each other's goals for attending medical school in the Caribbean made us a little bit closer.  The next day, we needed to return the rental car so we went back to Marigot.  We went to a pharmacy and the first thing I looked at was a 100% citronella bracelet.  While there, we went to a bakery called Sarafina's and they had delicious pastries to choose from.  I tried a chocolate macaroon for the first time in my life and it was absolutely delicious.

After taxing back to the hotel, we called it a night by taking a swim at the pool.  The next morning we wished her mother well on her flight back to the United States.  We got up later on and taxied back to the ferry to come back "home" to Anguilla.  We taxied back to our apartments and went with some other students to Shoal Bay.  After this fun filled day, I slept wonderfully.

Ferry to Anguilla

For the rest of the week, I chatted with students in the Facebook group that we made and waited until orientation on Monday.  While chatting, I went to Shoal Bay a last time the day before orientation.  I think my skin has transitioned about five shades darker.  I am just ready to start my journey already!!!

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

-Ephesians 4:2, NIV