 |  Student Affairs Update
In the fall of last year, Hurricane Ike put an abrupt halt to our program. In its aftermath, the staff at the SFS Center for Marine Resource Studies returned to a home that was in many ways unrecognizable, spurring us to roll up our sleeves. The following months were filled with the cleanup of grime, outbreaks of relentless mosquitoes, the struggles of procuring supplies, and finally, full tilt reconstruction powered by the occasional spurt of electricity from the generator. The hard work of the staff and a superhuman construction crew has finally paid off. All of this has been in anticipation of the spring 2009 semester. Arrival day brought 31 students back to South Caicos Island and the Center. Despite some minor inconveniences, such as sleeping on air mattresses, unusually windy weather, a constant layer of sand on everything, as well as spotty Internet connection, spirits are high. The students have thrown themselves into the program, filled with orientations, tours, lectures and in-water identification sessions. The Center and the Island are grateful to have students back as they bring a renewed sense of energy, enthusiasm for an excellent semester, and an overall good feeling here at the Center.
Kate Buday, Student Affairs Manager  Student Reflections
A day here on South Caicos lasts longer than 24 hours, in the sense that in the evenings, you can’t quite believe that it’s still the same day in which you ate breakfast. Simply put, there is not a single minute that you are willing to risk missing out on. There are no classes that you just want to “get through,” there are no time gaps wasted while you are anticipating something better to do, and there is no mindless busy work to be done. You don’t space out, you don’t doze off, and you don’t try to kill time. Since our charter plane’s tires hit the tarmac, each moment has been unique, beginning with several feral donkeys being shoed off the runway by our taxiing plane. We are fully present in a way that we’ve never been before. A day begins with a sunrise streaming through a flamingo-frequented salinas (salt pit pond), and ends with a bath in warm Caribbean surf that still rocks me even as I write this from underneath a mosquito net.
Heather Welch, Whitman College
 I expected it to be quite hard to become friendly with the local people while traveling with a group of Caucasians. When we walked into the Chicken Place, a local hangout for the people of South Caicos, I immediately felt welcome and comfortable. The people were quite interested in what we are trying to do with our three months here on the island, and reciprocated by sharing their knowledge. “Soupy,” a local lobsterman, was more than happy to tell us about his experiences as a resident of South Caicos. We were also lucky enough to play a few rounds of dominoes with him. Rather than hiding the tricks of the game and taking advantage of our inexperience, Soupy and his friends were more than happy to give us a tutorial of the game, as well as hints and tips along the way. I felt so lucky to take part in something that seems so entwined in their culture and identity. The people of South Caicos were far more interested in my life than I would have ever imagined. The next few months seem to be filled the opportunity to meet some incredible residents here on South Caicos.
Dane Lonsdale, Dickinson College
 In my first week here, it has become evident that a simple life is a happy life. This past week has forced me to create my own entertainment instead of relying on what society has deemed “fun.” I have not even thought of television once. A quick twenty minute snorkel in the ocean and frolicking in real life seems much more appealing than losing myself in a box of prepackaged images. Rather than texting, calling, instant messaging or emailing, life on South Caicos demands the use of the most basic forms of communication: a genuine smile, an actual conversation, and other real human moments. Yesterday a handful of us went to East Bay, snorkeled for a few hours, and then came into shore, where some other students had started a fire by hand. The wind blowing my sarong tight against my skin was the perfect temperature, warm enough to not give me a chill but cool enough to be refreshing. We had the basic elements all combined together for a moment that will stay with me forever: earth beneath us, wind in our hair, fire keeping us warm, and water around us. I felt freer and happier in that hour by the fire, surrounded by good company and a setting sun, than I have in a very long time. This island has reminded me that the purpose of my time here on Earth is to live, not merely survive. The more I let island life help me recognize the simple treasures of the world, the more faith I have in life.
Marina Heberer, University of San Diego
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