Happy Fall, Yall!

Quick Update

Hello everyone! I just wanted to give you a quick update. First, I apologize for not writing sooner! I had hoped to post a new entry before now however we have been super busy! Of course we are studying all the time...we had our first kinda exam on Monday. It was called the unified quiz; basically it is a quiz/small exam that we can use to gauge how well we are studying. Hopefully, we will get our results tomorrow! Some funny news (well maybe it is not funny) about the school...some of the workers have gone on strike. We received this e-mail yesterday...

TO: All Faculty, Staff & Students

From: Chancellor Charles R. Modica

Date: September 16, 2008Re: Industrial Action by Union Workers

At approximately 2:00 pm today, the Technical and Allied Workers Union (TAWU) negotiating team walked out of talks with the University Administration. Although we have not been formally advised by TAWU of the commencement of a strike by our workers, it appears that some of the staff have slowed down, stopped work or walked off the job.

Classes will continue as scheduled and we will continue to provide periodic updates about the situation. Expect disruptions to transportation, housekeeping and other essential services. Be advised that study areas, along with the restaurants will remain open. In the interim, we will make every effort to provide services using the management staff, as well as the staff who decide to continue working.

We are pleased that some members of our staff have made the decision to continue to provide much needed services to our community. The University employs over 600 Grenadians in Grenada and of those 600 employees approximately 400 are members of the union. We are uncertain about how many of the approximately 400 Union members will strike, slow down or stop work.

The University will supplement our security officers who continue to work with an outside security firm. Please be vigilant and report any emergencies to the University Security booth 444- 3898 or 777.

The Union negotiators walked out of talks today, when the University expressed concern over derogatory and libelous statements which have been disseminated over the last few weeks. The TAWU negotiating team refused to repudiate these derogatory and libelous statements which contravened the goodwill which exists between the University and the people of Grenada. The negotiators refused to address those statements and walked out.

We are pleased that the Acting Minister of Labour requested and will be hosting a meeting tomorrow at 2:00 pm. We will be represented and we are hopeful that the Union negotiating team will be present even though they walked out of talks today.

I just received an e-mail today with a link to a newsletter that has an article about our White Coat Ceremony from a few weeks ago. Click on the picture to go to the newsletter also check out the picture album...

As many of you know...I am a huge Martha Stewart fan. The new season of her show started this week. Her show today was all about blogging. Click on the images below to check out her show today about blogging and also her personal blog...

It's Football Time In Tennessee

Today is the first game for the Vols this season...Go Big Orange...Beat UCLA! This is a hard time of the year to be away from home. As you know Derek and I love UT football...we are going to try to watch as many of their games as possible between studying! We will be studying anatomy tonight as we watch the game. From what we can tell it looks like the Vols are gearing up for this upcoming season. The band visited practice last week to pump up the team before the 1st game...they do this every year! Also, during this past off season they completed Phase 2 of 3 on the stadium renovations. The renovations are amazing!

Click on the picture below to see a video of the band at practice!

It is well worth watching!

Click on the picture below to see pictures of the new stadium renovations.

When the new screen pulls up click on the tab for Neyland Stadium Renovations.

Friday was College Colors Day, naturally we wore our TN stuff. We actually meet a nice lady at the grocery store on Friday that is from Auburn. Of course we talked to her for a few minutes about SEC football! Her husband has been teaching at the Vet school for 8 years, prior to that he taught at the Vet school in Auburn.

We are obviously excited for the start of another football season! However, it is rather sad because we will not be able to attend any games this year. This is the first time in my life that I will not attend any games in Neyland Stadium, I was 6 months old when I went to my first game. Our only hope would be to go to the bowl game. There is nothing better than being in Neyland Stadium on football Saturday!

Our classes are going well! We are very overwhelmed...but we are making it through. We had our first Anatomy lab this week...that was an interesting experience...and we went back on Saturday morning to get in some extra time!

And to end on a sad note...

If you refer back to the blog from the 4th of July weekend, I mentioned how it was the first time I can remember not being at the lake for the 4th of July. Well, I won't ever be able to enjoy that again because this last week Mom and Dad sold the houseboat. I am very upset about this but I guess I understand their reasoning...even if I don't agree with it. For those you that know me well...you know that I am big on tradition! Call me rigid or OCD...I don't care...I think tradition is very important! For holidays I like to do the same thing each year, go to the same places, eat the same foods and even though these are important I think it is more than that. I believe is the staple of a family and important to keep a family strong. Well, Derek so kindly reminded me last night that most of the traditions I grew up with have just about all been flushed down the toilet! For summer holidays (Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day) growing up we were always at the lake...well no more boat. For Thanksgiving growing up we went to the condo in St. Augustine...well no more condo. But, for the past several years we have had Thanksgiving dinner at Mom and Dad's house...well we will be in class on Thanksgiving this year. For Christmas Eve we always to to my Granny's in Nashville...well this year Dad will not be able to go because his church in Tullahoma has 2 Christmas Eve services. For Christmas day we have it at Mom and Dad's we have the same meal every year...but last year it was different...but I guess it was close enough to count. Let's just hope I still get to wrap Christmas presents this year...I started looking for paper and ribbons in July!

Growing up people always told me that high school would be the best years of my life...well I hated high school...the people who say that must have had a better high school experience than me! My favorite years so far were my years in Knoxville at UT! There is that song "The Best Is Yet To Come", and I hope this is true because I could use some improvements! I hate change but I guess I should expect I should expect it when I am getting older and living in another country! I know things will get better (they have to) but it really sucks right now!