Hi, im starting in sept. I would like to know what the students do during the first couple days prior to orientation. For example do we pay dorm room tuition and get meal tickets for the cafeteria? I like food, so what type of food does the school offer. I have been thinking about almost every possible situation and was wondering about the food. Do students buy food and stock up in the dorms? or are there close resturants around?
How do most students pay the school tuition, can you charge it? Or must it be a check? thanks

shadi

There is not much to do on Saba prior to Orientation. If one comes a few days early like (2-3 days) he/she might get a dorm room and can check out the school and the island. The school cafeteria won't be open until the day of orientation, so one can eat at local restaurants. You can also do groceries shopping at the local market (called My Store). It has pretty much everything, but the best time to get fresh stuff is on Thursday afternoon. The cafeteria offers different foods on different days, a variety of foods. Don't worry about the specifics, they are well prepared and always fresh. I haven't had any problem with their food. However, it'll take you 1-2 weeks to get used to the different food taste. Everyone pays doorm fees during orientation day in the afternoon. All tuition is done by check or Loan. Most students are on loans, so when the loans get distributed the school takes out the tuition and give the student the rest of the loan.

Hope all this helps. One adivice, don't come to Saba earlier that 1-2 days prior to Orientation. You will get bored. Enjoy the days that you have off the island. Get ready cause the ride is difficult.

I'm going to take that extra time to get to know the island. I'll probably get a cell phone activated and look into scuba lesson prices and schedules. Other than that I'll be kicking back and resting before we have to hit the books.

I guess if it gets to be too much of a bore, a few of us can always take a trip to St. Maarten.

I wouldnt go there a few days before school but thats just me. I noticed on the first day I was there and there were some people that had been there for a few days already and they looked pretty bored to me. 1-2 days before hand should be more then enough to get aquainted to the island. Also shadi I think I am your mentor so I'll email you about some stuff later. Alot of people bring food from home, but that only lasts you a certain amount of time. If you are living in the dorms get used to microwave cooking - its not easy. There are alot of restaurants around so food is not a problem down there, everyone likes eating.

Hey, thanks for the info, yeah i will be arriving on the island on sept 2nd and I am sure i will get bored a little bit. My bro and i visited in july for 4 days and had nothing to do except watch tv, hehe. About the microwave food, I think i have adjusted already...college has made me not miss home made food for a good while now.
Anyway, ill see you all on the island, i have to go finish moving this stuff from my apt. bye bye! and thanks again.

-Shadi

does anyone down there on the rock do a low carb diet? I've lost about 15 pounds doing the Atkins thing, and I wondered if continuing that would be very difficult down there. Can you get splenda sweetener in the store?

__________________
PGY-1 Psychiatry

My parents are sending me a side of beef every month of the semester... I've lost over 100lbs on the Atkins and I don't intend on gaining any of it back. I figure five more months on this diet and I'll need some Drano to open up my arteries, but I'll reach my ideal weight of 65lbs.

What is the story with mentors? Does every first semester student have one???

ttwl,
Yes, every first semester student gets a mentor - it's the mentor's duty to contact you.

Wolf,
Hope you're being careful with that atkins thing. You can get Splenda ($$$$) at JRs. You can also make orders of meat from Cost-U-Less on St. Maarten and pick it up on the Thursday boat.


Any more questions? :P

~S 8)

mentors.... when do they contact us????

Me.