My life after CHS 

Since I have always enjoyed lab work, I got a degree in Zoology (animals), and a graduate degree in Pharmacology (drugs), some additional training in Physiology, and set off to find a job.

My husband, a physiologist, and I had to choose between Washington, Philadelphia and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Obviously, Puerto Rico was the more interesting choice. So off we went to a small, densely-populated, Spanish-speaking island about 2 hours from Miami in the tropical Atlantic.

 All that French and Latin I studied back in high school and college came in handy as a background for learning Spanish.

 I’ve been in the same place ever since, the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology of the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine. My time is divided between teaching medical and dental students, and running a research lab (plus whatever else no-one else wants to do). Gardening is a great pastime in Puerto Rico, since everything grows: the challenge is trying to get only the ones you want to grow.  My son has a very old mother; he is still a college student. 

 Puerto Rico has been an interesting place to live and work. The weather is warm, the sun shines, no snow. My office in the old city is next to a 500-plus years old Spanish fort and overlooks the Atlantic Ocean.

 Unfortunately, the island is also a cross-roads for international drug trafficking, leading to wide-spread corruption and a very high murder rate. The need for social change is very great. It recalls the legendary Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times”. 

......Susan Corey