We're on island time now...

So Ryan and I had our first real experience with 'island time' yesterday. Yesterday was the day that all students (they won't tell us how many, but most estimates hover around 500) needed to get their photos taken for their student IDs. I went with Ryan, since a few Ross workers had said that I could have my photo taken for my ID as well. Ryan and I had the day all planned out... we'd drop our laptops off to be configured to the Ross network, then we'd get our ID photos taken, we'd pick up his white coat, we'd open up a local bank account, and then we'd go back to the apartment for lunch and spend the afternoon relaxing on the beach until orientation started at 6pm.

Sounds great, right? Too bad that's not the way things worked out. We left the apartment a little later than we planned, since our maid showed up. Yup, our maid. Maid service is included in almost all apartments on the island. It's not optional. And to me it's a bit awkward, since I hate to be sitting there relaxing while someone else works... especially working cleaning my dishes or sweeping my floor. 

Once we eventually got to campus, we were told that they were not taking any more laptops today, but that we could pay to configure his laptop (mine's free since it's a mac). Surprise surprise, we couldn't actually pay at the technology desk, we had to go get a receipt from another building. It was in the same direction as where they were handing out coats and taking photos, so we figured it would be easy enough to do.... then we saw the line. The line for the white coats was pretty long, but it moved fairly quickly. Ryan got his coat (and yes, he looks very handsome in it) and then it was time to join the line for the ID photos... which wrapped halfway around the building.

No biggie, we figured, it's a long line, but it's just photos... how long could that take? Very long as it turns out. We got into line at about 10AM. We finally left campus and started home at 3:30!!!! That's five an a half hours in the sun! It turns out that there was only one person taking ID photos (for about five hundred students remember!) and it took about two minutes a person to get their ID photo. There would be periods of more than half an hour when the line wouldn't move at all. Everyone in line grabbed chairs from the nearby pavilon (the one near the Subway that's on campus) and just waited. It's amazing how long people will wait in a line... but we were also told that photos might not be taken again for a few weeks, so it was today or we'd have to wait a long time. We got to know the other people in line pretty well, and most people were frustrated but only a few people got really pissed off. It's just part of the laid-back island life... why hurry? You've got all day.

I was glad I was waiting with Ryan, since he was able to run a few errands while we waited. He got the letter from Ross stating that he was a student and eligible for a local bank account and he paid for his lap-top to be configured (which took about half an hour) and then he waited in the long subway line to grab us lunch. We don't have bread in our apartment yet, so it's not like one of us could have run home to grab sandwiches. Anyways, Ryan was waiting at Subway for probably forty-five minutes... but don't feel bad for him, he was in the AC. And he missed the worst part of the wait... this stretch of cement pavement with no shade at all, right in the direct sun... and there was not a single breeze. It was ridiculously hot, everyone was bright red and dripping and guzzling water.

The funny (or not so funny at the time) part is that... guess who couldn't get their ID? Spouses!!! I had waited all day and they told me after I got all the way up to the counter that spouse ID's won't be taken till next week. The kicker is that they couldn't even tell me WHEN next week... just sometime next week. Lovely.

But in all seriousness, we did get a few things done... and we rushed home to have a half hour on the beach before we had to cook dinner and go to orientation. We're both pretty red from yesterday. If we'd realized how long we'd be out, we'd have used sunscreen. That's a lesson learned I guess.

I have to run in a few minutes to go to my orientation. Ryan left for his about an hour ago. I also have to figure out what I'm cooking for dinner, but I can't really do that until I see what's available at the grocery store. The school gave us a recipe book, but I don't have a pan to bake in yet, and all of the entrees require baking. I'll see what James Store has for sale later.

Oh... and big news on the food front! We're buying some frozen chicken off our neighbor (she bought like 40 pounds of it I guess) and we found BREAD last night. I don't think any of you can understand how excited we were to find bread. It was amazing.... We're having it for dinner tonight. Yay!

Quick reminder... we do have a phone down here, set up through our computers. So if you don't know our number, just ask either of our parents or send us and email and we'll let you know. Calls are always welcome and if we're out, you can leave us a voicemail.

About the photos posted below.... yes, for all you Pirates of the Caribbean fans.... those hills DO look familiar for a reason. The Black Pearl sails around them in more than one scene. These are the volcanoes that protect Portsmouth harbor... although the Caribbean is a very quiet sea compared to the Atlantic Ocean.  The photo on the top shows the view from Coconut Beach (the one three minutes walk from our home) and the one on the bottom is a photo I snapped on campus while waiting in the very long line yesterday. I'll keep adding photos so that everyone can see what life is like down here! I promise, I'll have photos up of some of the more... interesting... aspects of island life soon. Love y'all!