Life After Bonbon

It's been a little over month since I've been home and said goodbye to the little island of Bonaire. It took a little adjusting to get used to the fact that I don't have to worry about going to the store and hoping that they have what I need, multilane roads in good condition (Bonaire makes the potholes in Seattle look microscopic), and most of all I'm not sweating just walking out the door, instead I have to make sure to grab my jacket. 

Something tells me we're not in Bonaire anymore

I've had some time to unwind and hang out with some friends. Las Vegas has nothing on the crazy nights that can happen in Bonaire, but I will choose Vegas over Bonbon any day. I'm enjoying catching up with my friends, seeing where they are in their journeys and meeting the little ones that were born while I was away, so many cute babies in my life right now. Makes my heart full of love.

Along with my friends and shopping, I have been able to bake again. Baking is my therapy and you always make what you love to eat, and I have the world's sickest sweet tooth. If you follow me on Instagram, you will have been privy to all the sweets that I have made since I have been home. Nothing like making a home smell cozy than the smell of baked goodies. Unfortunately, I usually make more than my family can handle, so my parents' coworkers have been gifted quite often in this month baked goodies. We're talking Nutella filled croissants, coffee cake, apple pie, cranberry bliss bars, muffins, cupcakes. The 25 pound bag of flour from Costco, yeah, gone in 4 weeks. I missed having an oven, that is more than obvious.

These Liege waffles were at the request of my mom, after having a sample from Costco. She wanted a homemade version.

Bonaire made me appreciate so many things, that I probably took for granted prior to my 16 months of what I like to call med school mental bootcamp. One of the things I realized is that I have the wonderful friends. I will admit now that I definitely took for granted the amazing friends in my life. While the circle of friends isn't huge, I have friends that are worth more than gold in my life. True people of quality. I am amazed at how much we have all grown up in these last 16 months. 

Looking back at my time on the island, I definitely see growth within myself. I went down to the island being one of the most trusting people, and actually believing the words others would say. Needless to say I was hurt multiple times by people who on the surface looked so genuine, and it turns out they still haven't grown up from their high school years. You would think that medical students would be more mature, but that theory only looks good on paper. Turns out medical school is even more clique oriented that high school. I'm sorry, but I am too old for that kind of nonsense. I honestly have no regrets cutting ties with those fellow classmates of mine. 

Anyhow, now the fun begins. I am packing and getting ready to move to Chicago, which is where 5th semester and clinicals for the most part occurs. The fun of trying to find an apartment, as well as a cargo shipping company that 's going to ship my vehicle to Chicago has commenced . . . 

There's also studying for the USMLE Step 1, I've been studying pretty much since I arrived home, I know NERD. Only because this exam is the make or break of my residency and being that I want to be a dermatologist and I am coming from a Caribbean medical school the stakes are high, but who doesn't like to take a risk in life. Life isn't fun without a little gamble, we can't play it safe all the time. I have been watching so many review material videos and doing USMLE World questions, trying to prep myself for the test of a lifetime. February, I start my Kaplan test. So here's to hoping I'm over prepared for the exam.