Move-in went very smoothly. Alex came up to help me move in and then fly out to New York from Phoenix after we were done. Kelcie's family came to help her move in and spent a few nights here, a few nights in which we had every meal out at a restaurant and I swore after that week I would never eat out again... I broke that promise a week later, haha. The apartment is fairly big. It has a kitchen and a large living room with a small hallway that leads to the bathroom and bedroom. The linen closet is in hallway. Kelcie's parents bought her a bunch of furniture over the past few years for which I'm extremely grateful for. I look around and laugh to myself because the only thing that I see in my vision that belongs to me is the computer on my lap and the Xbox under the TV.
Since I got here on move-in weekend with Alex, I've grown to love Arizona. The temperature is pretty hot, 105F on average, but can get up to 115F on a hot day. It seems unbearable, but the fact that it's a dry dry heat makes things a lot better. Plus, you're guaranteed at these temperatures that everywhere you go is air conditioned. My body has gotten used to the high temperatures and Kelcie pointed out last weekend that we were wearing jeans to dinner when it was still 95F outside. Arizona has monsoon season around this time of year, which makes things a lot more beautiful. Around July-August, there are changes in the weather that cause massive changes in weather fairly quickly. Every day it starts out around 90F and soars up to a baking 110F where it hangs with blue skies until about 4. At around 4, massive towering clouds roll in. It gets darker and the air gets a little muggy... not thick like in Georgia, but a light muggy. Then the clouds open up and give tremendous lightening storms. Kelcie and I sat outside of a yogurt place last night and watched the lightening rip through the air as we ate our frozen treats.
From what you've read so far, I'm sure it doesn't seem like my life is that busy. It's not, really. I have a lot of work I need to do and end up studying for most of the day. I have work from 8-9 and then class from 9-5, at which point I begin to study for the test I have that following Monday. Tests are every Monday, so I'm constantly studying. It could be worse though, a lot worse. A lot of the friends that I've made here have families. Some of them even have kids. I can't imagine trying to balance medical school with kids, let alone young ones. Even so, I study most of the time and find myself with about 3-4 hours of free time a night, which I spend relaxing with Kelcie and the occasional video game. On weekends, I try to take Saturday to myself. Friday is all studying, but I try to take Saturday as time for Kelcie and I to explore Arizona or just relax if we need to. So far it has worked but once my other two classes start up during the week, I may not have enough time for that leisure. Sundays are solid study days since the following Monday is test day. I took my first test last Monday and did well, but not as well as I'd like. So this week I've spent more time working out the details. As I'm sure you understand, changing gears from undergraduate work to graduate work is a bit of a change and it will take a test or two to get set for my journey.
Kelcie and I went to the Out of Africa animal park yesterday. It was a lot of fun. It's a wild park where the animals roam free.. those except the predators of course, who are put in cages. You take a bus tour around the paddocks and get to feed the giraffes, camels and many others. They have a whole gate system to keep the animals locked inside the paddock while the busses come in and out.. I couldn't stop thinking about Jurassic Park; I'll find it one day, I'm determined!
I'll try to post more often, but like I said, sometimes spending a half hour writing on my computer is the last thing I want to do after a long day of studying. I'll try my best though! Until next time. Wish me luck on my Histology test!
