Our first full day could be termed highly successful, although we all learned to start bathing in bug spray. My current bug bite tally, as of last night, is 39. Some of us got a little sun yesterday, but today that wasn’t much of a problem. The rain this morning seemed to have cleared up by the time we were ready to set out for our inland hike to the hypersaline ponds. We geared up and the hike started out well. We did get to see some awesome mangroves that we will visit later in our trip to do some snorkeling. The extensive root system serves as a nursery for many juvenile organisms. We walked across Moon Rock; as the name suggests this area is very jagged with many holes. When tide is high that whole area will be covered. We recognized the genus Salicornia from the salt marshes at home. These reddish succulent plants are able to survive in the high salinity conditions we visited today. They are safe to eat and have a nice salty taste, so we all grabbed a small snack on the trail. We tried to avoid the cacti, poisonwood, and manchineel (plants with toxins) as it came at us from all sides of the trail. Some of us were a little worried about getting wet when we had to step through some mucky spots; however, we were soon visited by several torrential downpours. Nothing was left untouched by the water: socks, backpacks, notebooks. At one point I couldn’t put my raincoat hood up because it was filled with water. Sara and I topped the wetness off by standing under the waterfall created by the roof and thoroughly soaking the rest of our bodies.

After lunch, the there was still some chance of a thunderstorm so we postponed our snorkeling activities in favor of a fish and algae identification crash course. Later in the afternoon, the weather had cleared up once again and we scrambled to make it out in the water again before dinner. Dr. Carlile started off her first time driving the truck with a jolt (so did Dr. Kelly the other day).  Riding in the back of the truck is one of our favorite things to do because it feels so great after being in the water.  We went out to Rocky Point and swam out to several reefs. We saw a lot more live coral than the other day and more variety of fish and algae including blue tang, longfin damselfish, stoplight parrotfish, bluehead wrasse, Turbinaria turbinata, and fire coral. The colors of the organisms are unbelievable. There’s one seafan that is really green with a vivid purple edge. After our lecture this afternoon we are starting to get the hang of identifying things while snorkeling although we still come back and consult our field guides at the end of the day. When we got back to the truck, we had our first encounter with no-see-ems, tiny biting swarming insects.  They come at you from all directions and you can tell they’re there when you feel small sharp pains on any exposed skin. While we were trying to leave the beach, and the no-see-ems, behind the truck stalled twice. We thought we were on our way, when the truck broke down on the side of the road. With the no-see-ems back, we wrapped our heads in towels to protect ourselves. The truck made it back with very little time to spare in getting ready for dinner. We are all having a great time. I am really enjoying learning to snorkel. We may never be fully dry again, though.

Today was our first full day on San Salvador. It was also the first time Lauren and I had snorkeled. After breakfast, we got organized for our snorkeling adventure, which included making knots and loops on our clipboards for our waterproof paper. We went to a snorkeling site, Graham’s Harbor, right across from the Gerace Research Centre, where we are staying. Graham’s Harbor has a short shore with fine sand and a rocky bottom near the shore. Dr. Kelly took the more experienced snorkelers for a review before they went out and Dr. Carlile took Lauren and I for our introduction to snorkeling class. This included spitting in our masks, falling over in the water trying to get our fins on, and getting very acquainted with the seagrass, Thalassia testudinum. This is because we had to stay close to shore since we were learning. Amongst the seagrass by the shore, we saw some algae like Udotea cyathiformis, Rhipocephalus sp., and Penicillus sp. We also saw a Southern stingray. Along with the seagrass adventure, I realized I had a problem with my mask and was swallowing a good amount of seawater periodically for the morning.

We took a break from snorkeling and came back across the street, to the research center, to break for lunch. I knew I was in need of a new mask and I was not sure whether myself, or the professors were more worried about finding one. Luckily, through talking to a student from another school group, I was given an extra mask that was left behind by another group. This solved my mask issue. This proves the nature of the people of the island and the visitors of how friendly and respectable these people are.

After lunch, we visited a fossil reef in Cockburn Town. It was interesting to see the fossilized coral, invertebrates, and Stromatolites. This area was created over 120,000 years ago. The area became fossilized when the island rose and the sea level dropped. Other things we saw were cross sections of brain coral. These sections were separated by waves that break and carry the boulders. We left the fossil reef and drove by a good portion of the island including the hotels, convenience stores, and beaches of San Salvador.

Our second snorkel trip of the day was at North Point. On this snorkel trip, the whole group, including the beginners, were able to swim together and look at the coral reefs. Here, we found things like a common octopus, parrotfish, surgeonfish, a lionfish, and a green turtle.

To end the activities for the night, after dinner, Dr. Davis gave us a talk of how the Bahamian Islands formed. Tomorrow, we will embark on a hike on San Salvador and will reach heights of 80 ft, as well as more snorkeling.

Stay tuned!

Although during my Physical Therapy internship I had exposure to different healthcare settings, I had never practiced in a nursing home or even visited one.  A nursing home is different from other health care facilities.  Nursing homes provide care for an extended period of time; some residents can stay in a nursing facility for years, or even spend the rest of their lives there.  In addition, most of the residents of nursing homes are seniors.  Elderly people need a specific type of health care that is different from other types of care usually received by a more diverse age group.  Many of the elderly have more than one medical condition.  Moreover, some of the residents have some mental problems besides the physical ones.  Since some residents stay there long, they perceive the facility as their new home.  The residents and their significant others want to feel comfortable in that new residence.  The facility should meet this expectation.

I have learned many things during this short period of time.  I learned that the administrator of a nursing home is the top person of the facility and he/she must be always aware of that happens in the facility.  Also, I was able to understand insurances reimbursement process for a long-term facility.  The nursing home residents mainly were seniors who were covered by Medicare or Medicaid or both.  In addition, I learned several regulations that a nursing has to fellow such as Minimum Data Set (MDS).  I spent most of my internship with the administrator; however, I had the chance to spend several hours in different departments that provide services for the residents from rehabilitation services to working in the social worker’s office.

My search to find an internship took four months.  It was difficult to find a facility that was willing to accept an intern.  Having an intern is a time commitment that most staff shies away from.  They welcome the free help but don’t have the time in their schedules that it takes to train the intern properly so he/she is able to handle themselves in the facility.  In fact, one of the most challenging things that I faced during my internship was the staff’s lack of time to teach me or answer my questions.

Ultimately, I felt my internship was worth the effort I put into it.  It gave me a broader understanding which helped me when I returned to my regular classes, I felt it gave me an advantage in my classes and over some of my classmates, who did not have a real-life experience in the healthcare especially in USA.

1.       Tell Yourself How Awesome You Are!

You know how some people think that they are all that, and then others always think the worst of themselves?  Well, talk positively about yourself!  Look in the mirror, leave sticky notes around your room that say how smart you are…whatever it takes to convince yourself of your magnificence!  It’s that constant negative self-talk that starts to cloud your brain. When that happens, you start to feel stressed! Stop the negative self-talk and stop the stress!  Say positive things to yourself like I’m going to ace this final. This is easy. This test will be a snap.  I’ll pass this class — easy.

Start swapping the negative with the positive and you’ll definitely begin to feel less stressed.

2.       Your To List is Top Priority!

During Finals Week, your mind is shot.  The last thing you need is to forget about a due date for a paper or the time for a final.  Grab a notebook and brainstorm a list of everything you absolutely must get done during Finals Week.  Prioritize items by their importance.  You can even color coordinate items to match their level of importance. Each time you complete a task on the list, check it off.   It’s instant gratification!  Don’t forget to write down things like take a nap…get to the gym…do laundry…these things are important too!

3.         Sleep and Eat Your Way to A Good Grade

Feed your brain the knowledge it needs to do well on your exam.  Feed your body the nutrients and vitamins it needs to sustain you during finals.  Get a good night’s sleep.  It is critical to get 8 hours of sleep a night, especially during finals!  All nighters….ALLLLLways a bad idea!  It may seem like a good idea at the time to cram your brain, but you are really starving your body of the rest it needs to replenish itself!

Utilize your resources on campus!  Talk to your Academic Peer Mentor or visit the CLR!  Stop into the FYSC this week and next for Study Jams—food, study tips and fun!  Take care of yourself and one another!

Happy finals!  Happy Summer!  Congratulations Seniors and thanks Chargers for another great year!

I have, but I have noticed that many of my classmates finish answering the questions so quickly – especially if the evaluation been handed out at the end of the class that it makes me wonder if they even read the questions. However, I can’t deny that I have done that before. Sometimes I did it because it was late and I was tried, I just wanted to leave. But sometimes, I did it because I saw most of the students left and there were only few people still working. Since there was someone was waiting for us to finished, I said to myself may be I should be considerate and finish up and allowed for this person to leave earlier. Also, I usually feel there is a pressure on me if there is someone is waiting for me.

This method of evaluation is not a good one in my point of view. The right method is the method that has been used by some of my instructors. The method is an on-line assessment that been sent to the students emails. This method is practical for me because I can do it with more flexibility time-wise.

However, some instructors will say that online evaluations does not guarantee that all students will complete it. That is true, but I think this method can guarantee larger number of thoughtful input.

On a more personal note, I thought I’d get outside the box in my intern search. Well, I found what I thought to be an AMAZING opportunity as a College Intern at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. What an experience right?! That’s what I thought, until I got my rejection email. I mean, c’mon! I even had a recommendation letter from a professor who was former Marine and FLETC instructor. I could get all bitter about it, but then I have to realize that there’s always going to be someone better than you…and in my case 7 people better than me because that’s the amount of interns they take each session. So, as a firm believer that when God closes one door He’s got another one open for ya, I was offered an opportunity to intern with the CT State Police with the folks in Major Crimes—woohoo!

I share all this with you as a bit of encouragement. Yeah, things in grad school can get a bit crazy, but it doesn’t help to get all anxious about it…stay calm and seek help. And that’s my two cents!

Remember that the LLCs are a great resource for first year students. The Office of Residential Life is committed to ensuring that all as a member of a Living-Learning Community, you’ll have the chance to really get to know your instructors and develop strong friendships with your fellow students. Residents have access to many special resources, programs and activities. If you’re interested in joining an LLC or have any questions, stop in our Office located in Bixler Hall.

While the trimester is underway, we in taxation are not back yet. Our schedule is different (it has to be) to accommodate the tax season, which ends this Monday. Thankfully. It’s been a tough twelve weeks: the fiscal cliff; the late enactment of tax laws; the IRS opening two weeks late; the unavailability of needed forms; the software miscues between the IRS and professional tax offices; and the utter fiasco of delayed processing of the education credits. And, that’s just at the federal level. There were various filing snags at many state levels too.

But, that’s enough negativity. Let’s walk away from the dark side…

…To the bright side, I got to do an info spot for the university radio, WUNH. It was pure pleasure and I can’t thank Bryan Lane (the station manager) and his staff of gifted, motivated students enough. Plus, I got to do a Table Talk presentation for Milva McGhee (the GSC advisor). Of course, my presentation focused on taxation and the taxation of international students in particular. I worked with them on their tax issues by hand-preparing 1040NRs. In the process, I learned a lot about their culture and traditions as well as the various VISA categories and work limitations for them. UNH is all about that. The University excels at classroom learning coupled with experience by actually doing the job.

On Wednesday, I start Advanced Corporations (aka Corps II) with Professor Goldberg. In order to qualify for financial assistance, I must have at least five (5) credits so I’m doing my research project this trimester as well. The working title of my paper is “The Superior Trading cases: The Death of DAD and Other Abusive Tax Shelters.” It’s gonna be a real page-turner with plenty of sex. No. Seriously, I have really warmed to the subject as I am fascinated by the inner workings of tax shelters. I’m amazed at how the Code ― particularly Subpart K for partnerships ― can be twisted. I finished my proposal and the outline on Saturday. Now, I await the necessary approval of my advisors, Professors Wnek and Puglia.

After that marathon of preparing my proposal, I wanted some time off. I just got back from a short tour of Newport, Rhode Island. It was a day bus trip sponsored by the Evening Student Council (ESC) at UNH. The bus left New Haven at about 8:30a.m. and we got back at about 6:30p.m. For a small fee, we got tickets to visit three of the old mansions (including, The Breakers which is simply indescribable) and the opportunity to do a walking tour of the town. We lunched at The Red Parrot. Check out the pics. I’m the chick in black sweats.

Like I said, I’m having a fantastic time at UNH!

At Newport

The Elms Mansion

That’s me!

Breakers Mansion

Newport, RI