rest in peace, tampa

If you were wondering if we will ever move to Florida, I can tell you right now that will never happen.  You might then wonder if we will ever vacation there?  According to Brian, that will never happen either.   I have no offenses or objections to the state, after all, it's where my parents met and fell in love.  Were it not for Florida, I wouldn't even exist.  But Brian developed a pretty strong aversion to all things Florida, so I would probably have to go without him.  

He's very glad to be back in the Pacific Northwest.  It's cool, it's not humid (compared) and he has a family and a car here.  All of which he was lacking in Tampa.  

He did spend eight weeks there, and we texted so much that I went $20 over on my phone bill.  Here are a few of pics he shared with me while he was away.  I think it's important that we don't forget the following:

"The Shack"

Not-so-lovingly named that by fellow students who had gone before him.  That redish house on the left is it, except only half of it made up "The Shack".  The other half was someone else's shack.

Now, it doesn't look so bad to me from the outside, but I know it was small, awkward, dirty and pretty bare bones as far as basic commodities go.  

The Roaches

One night, we were talking on the phone.  In the middle of our conversation, all the sudden, I hear a rustling  sound and then what sounds like the phone being thrown across the room.  Then nothing.  Silence.  

I called Brian's name, but again, nothing.  I pretty much thought he had been shot or kidnapped or something, so I tried to call him back several times.  No answer.  I decided not to call the police, but just wait it out, when my phone rang a couple minutes later.  

I guess I would jump up and throw my phone against the wall in a panic too if that ugly guy was crawling up my leg, while I was in bed.  Poor Brian.  He had to believe that since he had only seen them in the kitchen area, that they weren't in his bedroom.  He felt safe when he closed the door, knowing they were far away.  We all know that's not true, and I'm sure deep down he did too.  But that's why it was so disturbing to find this guy in his bed, with only a week left.  

Just in case you're wondering, to avoid the crunch, Brian turned to a can of bug spray and would spray them to death.  

  

The Cruiser

There were two.  This was the black one, which he favored.  Have I given you the visual of him riding home from the grocery store?  If I have, that's okay because it's always good to think of it again.  Picture him on this bike, with a backpack full of food, a bag of tortilla chips strapped to the outside, with two grocery bags on each arm,. hoisted up to his shoulders.  Then cruisin'.  Just cruisin' along home.

He rode to and from work on this bike.  He got lots of flat tires on both bikes.  He rode through torrential downpours on this bike.  He does not miss this bike.

Luckily, two other students in his program were there at the same time.  They rented a car, and would give him rides when they could.  At first I was pretty bummed that he was assigned to go to Tampa with two girls from his program.  I thought it would have been better to be with guys.  But he got to know Julie and her husband, who was there too, quite well and they took care of him and were sensitive to his situation (their's was much better, because they paid for it).  Bri and Matt, the husband, would go on man dates with Matt's  little daughter in tow.  It was a good thing.

The Lizards

Not as bad as the roaches, but still infesting the shack, and getting squished while riding the cruiser.  Can you see it in there?  This picture was sent for McKay, because he thought living with lizards would be awesome.

The Work

He really didn't enjoy working at this hospital.  The  people were horrible, the language was horrible, and the  hours were long.  It was not a positive, supportive place for students to work.

But look at all those hangy things!  He was in charge of all of those.  If I remember right, this was a liver transplant.  Pretty crazy.  Sometimes I forget how much stuff he knows and what an important job he has, as far as keeping people alive!  He just keeps people alive, no big deal.

So that's it.  That's all I've seen of Florida.  I am so proud of him for getting through such a difficult, miserable experience.  And although this is all extremely negative, he did learn and grow as a person from going through this challenge.  But really, there's not much else to say about it. . .except, I will never make him go back. . .at least not to Tampa!