We met some other Med 1 (first semester of med school) students today. The hallway I live on has a crew that has kinda bonded in the past two days that we've been here. We went to campus for the first time today and, consequently, had internet for the first time since arriving at Nevis. I let family know I'm alive, signed up for classes, then went "to town", the town of Charleston. This is where banks and grocery stores and something closer to civilization lives. I set up a bank account and then learned that I can't just transfer money over from my bank electronically. I have to give them cash. Which means that really, setting up a bank account feels like it was a waste of time. Online banking still hasn't properly arrived in Nevis and it shows. However, I might be able to do it online, so hope remains when I get internet again.
Speaking of which, I have already been (over)charged for internet and they did not set it up at the time promised ("tomorrow if you sign up tonight). So I will be having a strongly worded conversation with the sales rep who got us hooked on day one.
Due to the strong Muslim presence here, there aren't nearly as many drinkers. This makes it look even more weird when I buy five different beers and a bottle of rum (all locally produced) from the grocery store. But one of the three white people I've met also seems to have the same train of thought, so I hopefully won't be alone in it.
My roommate is Muslim and doesn't drink. He also said that he can't even pass me a beer or anything. Holding alcohol is apparently off-limits.
I met one other Christian. He's Eastern Orthodox, which is cool, because it's still Christian. He and I talked beers and I thought it wonderful. There's at least one other student who's Christian.
Someone freaked out in the shuttle bus today when they accidentally referred to me as "white" in front of me. This has never. Ever. Happened. So I started calling myself cracker and honkey and whatever else, and encouraged them to try to come up with good white people jokes. Try to offend me. 'Cause most white people jokes I know of are about us being wealthy and privileged.
Anyway, these days are long and confusing. With the sun going down at 6:30 PM, my internal clock is even more screwed up than usual.
I'm debating whether to get up and brush my teeth, considering that my roommate is asleep and I also don't wanna get up and do it. I wanted to pretty myself up for orientation, but I honestly don't think that I'm gonna meet anyone I'm interested in. Even aside from the malnourishedly skinny criteria, I don't really feel attracted to this ethnic a crowd. But hey, maybe there will be one girl I haven't met who just happens to be exactly the one and I'll feel like an idiot for NOT BRUSHING MY TEETH TONIGHT.
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