The Final Semester Begins

Argh I was hoping to do a better job of updating this blog over semester 3 but as you can see....it DIDN'T HAPPEN!  So my goal is going to be to update this little bitty blog each Sunday, which was the plan for last semester, but with only 4 weeks of teaching left, and more free time then ever I think I should be able to accomplish this goal.

So what has been happening since our last update......


1. Apartment - we are actually staying in the same apartment this semester as last semester, which means for the first time in our marriage Kelsey and I will be living in the same space for more than 4 months!!!!  Here are just a few quick shots of our apartment...

 This is the view of the ocean from our front porch and kitchen!

 This is the living room.....

the dinning room and HUGE kitchen (for Dominica anyways)

 The bedroom.......

and our view from our bedroom....I literally wake up to the mountains each and every morning

..this apartment is such a blessing!

SO as you can see we love our apartment and are able to have our home fellowship KOINONIA in our apartment each Saturday.

2. School for Me - school for me is coming to an end.  School's official last day is JUNE 30th!  I will be glad to have more free time, but will miss the kids and the free A/C!!!!  But I have decided to work the summer program 2 days a week to keep me busy and to help cover expenses over the last few months when I don't receive a paycheck :(

3. School for Kelsey - Kelsey is doing AWESOME in Med school...while he doesn't like to brag, he's among the top in his class of over 250 students for his semester and is involved in several student groups, he leads our home fellowship group and tutors Anatomy!  Needless to say I am sooooooooooooooooooo proud of him this blog would make most people gag if I wrote on and on...so I won't but know that he's kicking butt and all of your prayers for us and for him during test times are not only appreciated but being answered.

In addition to this being Kels last semester on the island it is also the semester where he get's to be most like a "real doctor".  Yep he gets to go to hospitals and clinics and interview REAL patients.  Now while that might not seem like such a big deal it really is....up until now he has been interviewing "fake" patients who are given certain symptoms to report, history, etc.  He is now getting to go and try to determine what next steps a "Real Person" would need to take...this is no longer a textbook case of such and such.  His first hospital visit (for a full day and at our hospital in Roseau) will be on this coming Tuesday so keep him in your prayers!!!

4. The Break - This break we decided to stay local and head to another island so we jetted off to Barbados!  In theory this sounds like a wonderful idea...we find a great deal on a hotel right on the beach and we head out with another couple and poof!  We are whisked away to an island adventure in central america (technically I guess the southern islands are considered part of central america...who knew?)....

That's all for tonight....look for more updates on Barbados and our 2nd anniversary and Kelsey's 32nd birthday in the weeks to come...

Love ya all....and remember...if you can't love the ones your with...love them from a distance LOL!

Updates for Semester 3

Yes, yes I know I KNOW it's been way to long since any type of update.  Thoughts of "are they ok?" "do they have a place to live?" "are they still in Dominica?" must be running through everyone's heads.  But rest assured we are alive and well and enjoying our 3rd semester (months 8-12) of living in Dominica.

Here are just a few quick things that we have been up to:

1. Moved into yet another apartment (this time only to the building next door).  We lost the 2nd bedroom but gained a huge living room, eating space, kitchen and bedroom.  So I've been able to cook and bake like I did back home which is an incredible thing to do!
2. Valentine's Day  - we had a wonderful V-day with a homemade dinner to die for and a fabulous bottle of wine Kelsey surprised me with from one of my favorite places...South Africa!
3. Hiked to Victoria Falls - it's one of the largest (or maybe the largest) waterfalls on the island.  We had quite the adventure (individual post to follow)
4. Hiked to Boiling Lake!  YES you heard me correctly - a BOILING lake.  This hike usually takes 3 - 4 hours each way, but our crew did it in 2.5 hours each way!  Needless to say there were points of desperation, a walk through the Valley of Desolation and an amazing hidden waterfall that was featured in the Piarates of the Caribbean 2. (individual post to follow - with pics)
5. Started then canceled a trip to Paris =(  I personally was so excited to see that there were tickets for $650 each way to go to Paris from the neighboring island of Guadeloupe, unfortunately we didn't snatch them up in time, so it will be bumped til next year when we hope tickets are still a great price.  Until then Au revoir Paris!  We will see you again soon......
6. Carnival!!!!  Today is Carnival in Portsmouth the town that is nearest to the school....Kelsey and I plan to go there for a few hours today and check it out....

I promise to update more and post more pictures....but until then - keep on loving the ones you're with!

N

Birthday Island Style

So once again I am spending my birthdays overseas, in a foreign country and in HOT HUMID WEATHER!  But thanks to the great friends I've made here we had a great night - full of cake, poker and chocolate.  What more could a gal ask for.

Birthday Cake - Complements of Emily, Katie and Monique

The cake bakers/decorators!  So much talent on one little island

 Ladies getting their game on....

 My poker face!

That's right....look at the chips...those are real Dominican noodles there!

Veteran's Day

Wow it's really been over a month since I've updated...teaching, getting in shape, being a wife and house manager are really keeping me busy....I wanted to give a quick update and some reflections on Veteran's Day though and will try to do better....

UPDATE
We are five weeks from going home and I can hardly wait!  I don't know what's in store for us on our quick little visit home but I know we both get to see our families and that is more than enough for both of us.  Life has it's ups and downs on the island and lately I feel like it's been a little more up but with bigger downs.

The ups - playing softball, running, baking (we have chocolate chips!) helping with church and trying to stay creative have all been great ups but the lows have been a little lower than usual.  Missing family, hating the heat and wanting to go home have been really hard.  It has helped to talk with family and friends and to skype and see my new niece and nephew, but it's still not the same as being home.  All this homesickness has led to a love/hate relationship with facebook.  I LOVE being able to see everyone's updates and all that they are doing in their lives, but it's hard.....sometimes I feel like Kelsey and I are stuck in some sort of time warp and the rest of the world is going on, moving on, without us! And I HATE that!  I feel like we'll come back and everyone will have fancy flying cars and be talking about the latest song/movie/book/show/ that we've never even heard of!  But then as quickly as they come these lows disappear and another high comes along. 

Much of this I know has been my choice to focus more on God.  No magic recipe (5 prayers a day, with two chapters of the bible, mix with three worship songs and rest for 8 hrs....) No it's just little ole me, doing what I can each day to remind myself to think on Him and His goodness, and somehow the time is passing by and before I know it I will be getting back on a plane to go to Philly and to see friends and family.  It's been a hard balance though....to enjoy and get all that God has for me in this time here on Dominica and to not constantly focus on the future of when we get to leave (for good).  A very special THANK YOU to all who continue to keep us in your prayers and send us emails and words of encouragement....they mean more to us than you know.


VETERAN'S DAY:

Today has two special places in my heart.  The first is it is or was my grandparents anniversary!  They would have been married for 67 years this year and it's hard to believe at times that they are still not here anymore.  It got me to thinking about being married that long.  I remember when my grandfather passed away almost 3 years ago this Christmas and in talking with my grandma she said "You know I can't remember a time in my life when I wasn't married to your grandfather" (they had been married for 64 years at the time).  I was so shocked, (not being married at the time) I couldn't think of being with someone for so long that you wouldn't remember a time without them.  Now on the flip side of that coin (marriage that is) I look forward to one day having 64 years with Kelsey and being able to look back on this time in Dominica and all the years to come and think "I can't remember a time when Kelsey wasn't in my life".  What a beautiful thing to be able to celebrate all the ups and downs, joys and sorrow of you WHOLE life with another person!  Thanks grandma and grandpa for showing your granddaughters that God, love and hard work can make a beautiful life!

The second of course was Veteran's Day!   As I sat there and saw the numerous facebook posts (still on the love/hate relationship but check in several times a day) and realized that outside of a friend here in Dominica and my father and uncles, I don't know anyone in the military.  I remember growing up that is was sooooo common to talk about Veteran's Day at school and EVERYONE had someone in their family that was in the military.  In fact in my grandfather's and father's time you could get drafted into the military, and not that all agreed with it, but most I feel felt it was an honor to serve their country and to protect the liberties and freedoms that we all cherish in this country.  I know military life isn't for me or for most of the people I know which makes me wonder who will be protecting our freedoms and liberties in the future?  I am comforted though in knowing that as long as we have been a country there have always been people willing to fight (physically) to make it happen.  So be sure to thank those that fight for us and our country, not just on Veteran's Day or Labor Day or Memorial Day, but each and every day in person, prayer or remembrance.

Until next time - live out the LOVE God has placed in you!

In my own back yard

In my own backyard is a pool - while not really in my backyard, but at the school's housing there is a pool that many of the spouses, students and kids love to go to for a "pool day".  Today was the last "pool day" for one of my friends Chelsey who coincidentally I met at the pool my first week here when Kelsey was at school.  My only other friend at the time Emily. Chelsey was so welcoming and even texted me a number of where to get my laundry done!  She's a mom of an adorable little girl, from Utah, loves the suburbs and Anthropologie.  Well this sweet friend will be traveling back to the States with her daughter as her husband finishes up his 4th and last semester here in Dominica.  It got me thinking how in only 5 months I was able to make such a great friend!  What was it that made our friendship develop so quickly.  Was it the shared struggles:  shopping at stores hours away, paying ridiculous prices to have AC running in our homes, sweating where ever you walk - WALKING to get anywhere in incredible heat!  Of course these all played a role, but I think it was so much more than this.

The women I have met here in Dominica have bypassed the "coffee shop" friend, the "see out and about" friend, and the "let's go to the mall" friend, directly to the "heart to heart" friends.   These women have become friends that I can confide in and share with, even exposing the dark and ugly parts of myself that I don't want to face myself - let alone share.  Part of this is because I know they KNOW where I am coming from......we all have husbands who are med students and we all know what it's like to see your husband for short stints at a time.  We also all have the luxury of living within a mile of each other, and due to the lack up hubby time at night - we are able to schedule "Glee Nights" (thanks Meagan) and Bible Studies to get to know each other at a much more intimate level.

But it is also because we made an EFFORT to get to know each other!  Each woman here has had to at one time or another make the first step to be the one to say "hi" and not wait for someone to say "hi" to her first.  It's an environment where you have two choices:  you can sit in your house (which even in this someone WILL call and see how you are doing) and be all alone or you can put yourself out there (emotionally speaking) chance rejection and see what type of people you will meet.  I have met people from all over the United States from all different backgrounds.  Some from cities, others small towns, some had careers, some were stay at home moms, but ALL have been amazing women with AMAZING stories that truly have only just begun.

If I never came to Dominica - would I have gotten this revelation about women and friendships?  Would I have realized the importance of investing in neighbors who are literally "next door".  Would I have discovered the treasures in friendships hidden in the hearts of women who are different from me?  Would I have been so bold as to force myself to be the one to initiate the friendship.  I don't know that I would.  Before Dominica making friends was a result of where I worked (I've been blessed to make great friends with my coworkers), where I went to church, or where I went to school.  There was not a challenge to meet my neighbor, share my struggles, open my heart to those around me.   I was comfortable seeking out people who were like me - city lovers, creative types, single, (more recently married) and who know the joys of a great glass of wine!  But now I've discovered something much more valuable than gold on my island adventure....I've discovered the value of investing in others who had different lives, backgrounds than me.  This little nugget of knowledge I pray to take back with me to any city that Kelsey and I may move to.

Until next time - I leave you with this.....if it's been years, decades, months, since you have made friends with someone in a one mile radius from your home....try baking some cookies and meeting your neighbors, you never know what hidden treasures are right in your own back yard!

Time to get back into the routine of things......semester 2 style

Ok family and friends, I have been a horrible blogger.  With the last update somewhere in August so much has been going on and happening I haven't found the time to sit down and update everyone with where we are and how we are doing.

So I will now attempt to give a brief, (with details to follow in another post) synopsis of our lives and where we are in life.

Location: Still Dominica although we had a brief 5 day excursion in St. Lucia (via a 4 hour ferry - thank God for the invention of Dramamine)  It was a great way to relax and not do a whole lot for the first part of the break before everything went crazy!

Life on Dominica During the break:  The break was a little hectic as Kelsey and I were chosen to do welcoming committee and in addition to that I was heading up the welcome meals for new incoming students during the same time, and I began working at the Preparatory School on September 1st.....oh and did I mention that we had to move as well!  Yes it was quite the busy time, but we love the new apartment (2 bedroom, 2 bathroom) and we just need to decorate it to really have it feel like home! (pictures to come we have a great view of the ocean from our kitchen and one of the bedrooms).

School:  Kelsey and I both started school on September 6th!  What a difference a semester makes.  Kelsey is now taking 6 classes instead of 4 and has classes from 8-5 almost every single night, with labs, and clubs and now because he had such great grades, he is tutoring first semester students!  He is busy to say the least! Oddly enough, because I am on campus during the days and until 5 or so each night I actually get to see him quite a bit.  We see each other for 20 minutes or more at lunch and sometimes even after school!  I am teaching math to 3rd - 7th graders (about 18 kids in total) but it is a lot of prep as each class, even if there are only 2 people in the class, need to have their own lesson plan.  And then I am teaching Social Studies to 4th/5th graders as well.  It is a different challenge for teaching, but it is one I am looking forward to.  And now that I have gotten back into the rhythm of everything I am not at school every night til 7pm.  And the children are wonderful!  They all really want to learn and do their homework and everything.  While we still have issues about what we can get on the island, for the most part we have textbooks and supplies for all of our students.  I also work with four other great teachers (2 or dominicans and 1 is from the states and 1 from Canada)  the non-dominican teachers have a spouse that are attending Ross right now. 

Home:  The best part about this post is that we will be coming home to the states for Christmas!  We will be arriving on US soil on December 18th!  And the best part is that Kelsey and I will both get to see our families and our nieces and nephews!  God is sooo good.  We are excited to see everyone and to really just have a time of celebration with family and friends.  We have missed all of you so much and know that you are all in our prayers and thoughts.  Of course we will also enjoy having some great food back in the states that we can't get here is a great little treat too!

Well that is all for now...please keep Kelsey in your prayers as he has his first mini (think midterm) for school and has already had his neuro practical (another test) and will have an anatomy practical a week from Wednesay. 

Until next time....remember to hold each other up in prayer...it's the best support you can give!

 

July 2010 - The Second Half

Hey Family and Friends,

I know I know, it's been a while since there was a post about our glorious adventures here in Dominica.  And it hasn't been because they were non existent, on the contrary I have been super busy these last few weeks of July and August is moving full speed ahead (no boat pun intended). 

Let us go back to the last post of July 18th....that was a rainy rainy night (as have been most of the nights in July).  But it was the night before my first ever CANOE RACE!  That's right folks, yours truly participated in the Kabuli (local beer) Canoe Races for Dive Fest 2010!  What is Dive Fest you ask?  Well I'm not really sure but I know it has something to do with highlighting all the awesome and amazing dive spots around the island and believe it or not - there are people who fly in just for THIS WEEKEND!  Why I have no idea but they do and we had a pretty big crowd for the races.....

The spouses ended up having 3 teams (4 each) and we had a blast - we were 3 of only 4 female teams and we took 1st, 2nd (my team) and 3rd in our heat, but we had to leave before the finals.....we thought the races would start around 1pm (but because it's an island event and therefore on island time it didn't actually start until 3pm and our heat didn't begin until 4:45pm)  Here is my team.....

So all of this was happening in the middle of July - right about the time Kelsey was studying for mini 2.  He will eventually have had 3 minis, 5 practicals and 1 final.  Whew I'm exhausted just typing it all out.  So what better way for me to keep busy than by playing some sports.....yep I'm on a softball team now made up mostly of spouses called "Shake n Bake" (Talladega Nights anyone?).  It was great - took the female spot that was left vacant when two other females left the island.....so I got to play in two regular season games and two season finale games where we .......

Became the #1 Champs for Summer 2010 semester!  And we did it with only 9 people (10 is the norm). 

Also beginning the middle of July I began working one on one with a incoming kindergartner at the school during Summer Camp (held at the preparatory school).   His name is Jack and he is adorable.  It was a great new challenge because Jack has several learning disabilities and it was a nice change of pace to be able to work one on one with a student instead of a whole class as I normally have in the past.  It was also a great way for me to get to know the students that I will be teaching in the fall =)  which with the way things are working it looks  like I will be teaching 4-7th grade English and Social Studies!  I'm really excited about this year it's a different type of teaching and the other teachers I will be working with are great!

We are super excited that our living arrangements are changing.  Starting around Aug 25th we will move into a 2 bed/ 2 bath apartment where we will have lots more space and an ACTUAL kitchen!  I can't wait to be able to have more cupboards and a counter to cook on!    God is sooooo good to us!  This is also a GREAT time for any of you that would like to visit - you will have your own room and BATHROOM complete with extra beach towels!  We're not sure we're going to keep it the whole time but for this semester it will be our home (we have a habit now of moving every 4 months and we don't want to stop now LOL) The only tough part is paying more rent, about $300 more than we are right now.....but as always God provides a way.

And a way he did!  Kelsey and I were both excepted to be on the Welcoming Committee for Ross (which is apparently really rare for 1st semester students to get - which we quickly realized when we saw that out of 20 members there were only 4 of us from 1st semester).  Being on the Welcome Committee will require us to go on several trips around the island (some we did when we first arrived, but others we didn't get the chance to) and will help with campus tours, welcoming and greeting people as they arrive off the bus from the airport and helping out with other various orientation tasks.  It's great because the money we will make will cover the cost of our increase it rent!  So once again God has thought of EVERYTHING and again I am learning that I need not worry but to "trust in the Lord with all my heart, and with all my soul and with all my might!" 

Lastly Kelsey and I will be taking a much needed vacation (really more Kelsey than me LOL) once his final is over on the 17th.  We will be taking a ferry (cross your fingers and hope I don't get really really sick) to St. Lucia!  We are going with another 1st Semester couple and it should be a great time to relax, enjoy nice pools and beaches, run AC all night long and eat some great food (not to mention stock up on supplies from their grocery stores - literally that was the advice one spouse who had been there before gave me because "good" grocery stores are rare here in Dominica).

Our Room at the 4.5 star resort Coco Palm

The Pools at our hotel.........

I promise to try and update more often....hopefully posting some pics from the ballet recital I'm having this Saturday for my Mommy and Me dance class.  

Oh one thing I almost forgot......we would love to hear from you!  You can send us pictures, cards, snacks, cookies, candy, etc......it's really like camp here and getting packages from home brings such joy!  Most of all Kelsey and I would really like some pictures of Friends and Family!  We miss all of you and would love to have your smiling faces on our walls :)

You can mail letters and packages to the following address (use USPS for the best rates):

KELSEY BUDD 1ST SEMESTER

(767) 255-6500 Ross University School of Medicine

P.O. Box 266 Portsmouth Campus Roseau, Commonwealth of Dominica, West Indies (there are no zip codes here)
 

Until Next TIME - remember to be thankful for the little things you have in life.....the hugs, the sunsets, the silent moments with a loved one, the beauty of God's creation.....each little thing is life is a gift from God!