Island Med Student

I’m sitting at my desk typing on my laptop in my new apartment in Baltimore, Maryland. I now have a place to live, water, electricity and even an Internet connection. Most of my boxes have been unpacked, and I even have food in the fridge. I have about one month with no classes, and all I really have to do is study for the USMLE Step 1. Today is the beginning of my marathon studying routine.

Okay Kendra, you can study now. But I don’t want to study! Actually, I’ve been so swamped lately with moving, packing and unpacking, and running all the errands involved with moving to another country that I haven’t studied in over a month. I don’t even feel like a student anymore. I feel like a professional mover. Over the past month, I kept telling myself that when I finally get everything unpacked, I will buckle down and start studying. But now that that time has finally arrived, I don’t even know where to begin.

I’ve made excuses like, “I can’t study until I have electricity,” or “I can’t study until I have unpacked all of my books,” or “I can’t study until my dogs get all of their vaccinations.” These seemed like reasonable excuses at the time, but when I stop and think about it, I realize that I’ve studied under worse conditions in the past.

In Dominica, I’ve studied without electricity or water. I’ve studied in the middle of a hurricane. I’ve studied right after having surgery. I’ve studied when I could barely keep my eyes open because I was sick and fatigued to the point of wanting to give up. But now I’m saying that I can’t study until my dogs get vaccinated? What on earth is wrong with me?!

I’ve written before about having a study block, but this time it seems a little different. Having a deadline that’s so far away means that I have to put the pressure on myself. I’m also in another country, and it’s been so long since I’ve studied that I wonder if I’ve forgotten how.

I’m wondering how many of you out there have been through a similar experience. Do you have any tips on how to get back into studying after taking so long of a break? I guess I should stop writing about not being able to study and just do it! If only it were that easy.

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In Dominica, it’s 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit pretty much every day. It doesn’t change a whole heck of a lot. That’s the weather I’m used to. It’s around 50 degrees here in Baltimore today, and it’s raining Elmos and Grovers outside. I have resorted to wearing several layers of clothing, and added Elmo slippers, a scarf and a hat just recently. If it doesn’t warm up soon, I’m starting an indoor bonfire.

It’s official, I am no longer homeless. I now live in what is known as the Copy Cat Building in Baltimore, Maryland. The building was built over a hundred years ago and was originally a bottle cap factory. It’s been used as various other things over the years, but was eventually turned into a residential building with apartments. Micah and I live on the top (5th) floor, in one of the largest spaces. I’ll eventually post pics and more about the apartment later, but just know for now that it rocks the cashbox. Yes, I said cashbox.

So, as of today, we’re about 90% moved in. We have running water, electricity, and an Internet connection. It’s starting to feel like home.

And speaking of home, I’m already falling in love with Baltimore. I had really only visited in the past, and didn’t have a good taste of what kind of city Baltimore really was. I really love my hood, because I’m just on the “other side of the bridge.” If I walk North, I run into abandoned apartments, liquor stores, homeless individuals and the occasional prostitute. If I walk just a few blocks South, I’m in Mt. Vernon, and smack dab in the middle of the gay-bor-hood, as it’s affectionately called. Mt. Vernon has many fabulous restaurants, bars, and gay clubs to keep me entertained.

The first pic in this post is me and Laura sitting outside of the City Cafe a few days ago, sipping on two-for-one happy hour drinks. The second pic was taken about an hour later when I met a man who rode a cherry picker. I told him about my fascination with riding a cherry picker, and he offered to give me a spin. See why I love this city?!

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I made a video with the footage I shot in Dominica right before I left. YouTube made it look too crappy, so check it out on my Mac gallery. Click the pic to see the video. Enjoy!

Micah just took this pic of me with his new iPhone. He is addicted to the phone already. I’m adjusting the orange lights around our huge windows in our new apartment. This is one of my most favorite things to do! I love unpacking, decorating, and everything else related to moving into a new home.

During my journey to Baltimore, I stopped in Miami to pick up my pups and say hello to my 5th semester friends who chose to go to Miami instead of staying in Dominica. It was so good to see my friends for the first time Stateside. I finally have an Internet connection, so I’ll be posting some movies and other stuff today and will be posting more often again, I promise!

On the left, my balcony view from my apartment in Dominica. On the right, my window view in my new apartment in Baltimore. Nuff said.

Click on the pic to see the cool larger size.

Okay, so I have been so busy lately, that I barely know which hand is which. I’ve been moving dogs, driving stuff, lifting boxes, etc., etc. for almost a week now. I have a place to live, but there is no electricity or Internet, so I’m stealing some right now. I don’t have time to write a long post, but I promise that I’ll get back to blogging every day as soon as I have Internet access and electricity!

In the meantime, please enjoy these pics of my farewell Dominica party a week ago. I miss you Dominica and all of my friends still there!