Artesia, New Mexico "Hole of the United States"

More than half-way done and this place stills blows. I wish I could say it only gets better over time, but it doesn't... it just gets worse. This is my seventh week here at the FLETC Academy. During my time here I have pulled four muscles and jacked two tendons or ligaments, (not sure what they are, but they hurt like he!!.) We have PT here for two hours a day, everyday. I came here in pretty good shape, but for the first two weeks, I had a hard time moving around I was so sore. Now I think I'm either getting use to feeling sore 24/7 or I'm getting in better shape.

My nickname is Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh. My classmates have deemed me with this name because I'm such a cynic and I really hate this place. I found this out when my Immigration Law Instructor asked me a question in class and called me Eeyore. I couldn't figure out what he was talking about. He was looking right at me, but I thought Eeyore was something in Spanish I didn't understand. I finally looked down at my name tag on my desk and saw Eeyore taped over my name. Nice! I guess I'm always saying I hate this place and they think I'm depressed. I'm not gonna lie, being away for the holidays was rough, but not depressing. Depressing is when I tell them I don't want to go to Walmart because it makes me homesick! :)

That's probably one of the better things about being here is my class. I'm not big on making new friends and would much rather spend my time being alone, but when I actually do have to be around them, I've realized they are already pretty good friends. Not all of them, just some of them. I do, however; have a few classmates that just looking at them makes me want to punch them in the face. I can't help it, it's just who I am.

When I first got here, it was total chaos. Instructors yelling at you. No... screaming at you. Being treated like a little kid. Running everywhere you went. Totally sucked. I had an idea of what it would be like here having already done this once, but it is far worse than the first academy I went to. I'm just glad it's only for three months instead of six. Thank goodness for Spanish speaking missions.

My instructors have lightened up a little bit and actually joke around with me. I don't say much back, because I'm still not sure if I'm allowed to laugh. Last time somebody laughed it was flutter kicks for fifteen minutes. I can't help smiling sometimes. Today I kind of pushed my limits though. We had survival swimming in full uniform for two hours today. I know I'm not the best swimmer, but I'm definitely not the worst in my class. When my Instructor was cracking wise at my swimming ability, I told him, "black folk don't like to get wet, Sir." I said it with a straight face too. You should have seen the look on his face. My classmates knew so they laughed, but he looked like he was smelling something nasty. When I jumped out of the water I explained things to him and he said, "But it looks like you have two fluorescent light bulbs sticking out of your shorts when you're in PT." I told him it was part of having the recessive black gene. I'm still not sure if he thought I was trying to be a smart a$$ or not. I'll find out in PT tomorrow.

Other than that, everything is going well I guess. About one more month and I should be out of this dump. Don't ever come to Artesia to visit because it sucks. Don't even drive through it if it's on the way to get somewhere. Thanks to all who have been taking care of Jennie and the Boys for me. It means alot. And sorry for no pics. They're not allowed.