Realized I haven't been blogging much about life here and what I've been busy with so far. Well, maybe except for the part about buying stuff, which you probably would have gathered from my account of the bad experience I had with the fan.
Basically, I've been busy with many many administrative procedures. Getting prepared for school is no easy feat, especially since you've left school, like I have, for a while. In the past few days, I had to set up a new bank account, purchase a cell phone plan, check in at the Office of International Services, get my TC ID card done, register for modules, activate my email account, etc. And so many new numbers and passwords to remember!!! It's like starting a whole new life altogether--guess this is what people go through when they emigrate as well. My NRIC no. means nothing over here. All I have is a student ID which functions like a Social Security no. Getting all these things done also mean me having to navigate my way through the labyrinthine walkways and multiple buildings on campus. We've also been doing a whole lot of walking down Broadway to get the stuff we need, and finding places to eat. So much walking has really taken a toil on my lower back (Remember that time when I hurt my back because of the "over-shopping" in HK? Yep, that dreadful pain is back!) One can only survive here with a good pair of walking shoes. They walk a lot here in New York!
There are some cool stuff, of course. Columbia has been bustling with activity for the past few days. Scores of freshies have been swarming the campus. People are moving into dorms with mini refrigerators, computers, pillows, etc (so Legally Blonde!). Orientation programs are going on, so you see people forming circles on lawns around campus, tours going on around the buildings, queues of students forming at the Citibank branch on campus, and people carrying plastic bags from the Columbia bookstore. Speaking of the campus store, it is really neat (heh, I'm beginning to speak their lingo). They sell all kinds of Columbia merchandize like apparels (hoodies!!), mugs, car plates and decals, etc., household items like the water purifier I got, and books from Barnes & Nobles. We got us some T-shirts yesterday (among them is a Polo Ralph t-shirt with the word, Columbia, embroidered on it!). Haha, students here have so much pride in their school and I'm not the least surprised ;)
The Orientation programs here are pretty cool too. Apart from social events like ice-cream meetings where people network and make new friends, student volunteers (otherwise known as peer advisors or mentors) organize trips to stores like IKEA and Target for new students to get household items, visits to museums, and trips to watch performances, etc. I didn't go for all but chose those that I was interested in. Besides orientation, there are student activities like trips to watch a Yankees game, $1 movie events, etc. planned throughout the semester, and the fitness center has classes such as yoga and tennis that students can sign up for a fee. Sorry NUS, but the American unis really sound more fun and more creative at sprucing up a boring academic life!
Here are three things I've learnt about NYC (at least the part where I've been):
1. New Yorkers love dogs! Almost everyone owns at least one dog or more, and dogs are everywhere--in the stores, outside restaurants, at the park, everywhere! They walk their dogs a lot! According to some stats I found off the net, there are over 1.4 million dogs and over 500,000 dog owners in NYC itself. My landlady also owns a dog. It is so tamed and super friendly!
2. New Yorkers walk a lot! I think I mentioned it above. But really, people here love to loiter! And there are people who love to stand around on sidewalks, just doing nothing (unless you count people-gazing as doing something). Well, guess the weather's much more conducive than it is in Singapore. You see people lying on grass patches in NYC during summer! Maybe that's why people prefer to stay indoors in Singapore (except maybe at Little India and also HDB void decks at night) even if they have nothing to do.
3. New Yorkers eat huge portions! Think this may not be anything new to you, but I have definitely witnessed and experienced this myself. The portions here are enormous! I'm slowly learning how to order food here so I don't end up having to buy 2 dress sizes up by the time I leave this country (or even worse, my next trip back to Singapore!). There are so may eateries around; you just can't escape the onslaught of temptation. And there are really many obese people in NYC (that can take up 2 seats on the subway and on the planes). No wonder obesity is a major crisis in this country!!
More in the next posting. Ciao!
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