I haven't blogged in ages. Will definitely be doing it more often after I get the internet set up in my apartment, hopefully tomorrow. Better be tomorrow! It's been a little too lonesome and disconnected without having the internet since Thursday of last week. It has been 5 days (including today). And without people around me, let's just say it's becoming a little bit unbearable. So movies and my Media player on my laptop have been my company for the past few days. The roommates haven't moved in so is it weird to say that I'm looking forward to meeting my 'random-who-knows-what-kinda-character' roomies when they move in? I realized that I have been so used to living with other people my entire life that it's really very difficult to transition to living by yourself especially in a completely new place!
Am I glad to be here? Hmm, I guess you can say so. After the nightmare that I had experienced in KLIA.. If you didn't already know... I only realized that I had to have a Canadian visa for my flight to the US because my plane from Hongkong to the US was supposed to have a plane change in Canada.. hence a visa was needed. (Goodness knows why because it's not like I'm getting out of the Canadian airport anyway). So yeah. In the end, I decided to wing it, and took my first flight to Hongkong and Cathay Pacific staff worked anxiously to get me on the next flight to the US that does not go through Canada. I guess lady luck, and the higher power was with me the whole way. I am really very thankful. Cathay staff were wonderful. Best airline service I've ever experienced and I am so grateful.
Yeah, I am glad to be here although I really do miss home and Oxford. Not being able to properly say Bye to the parents because of the rush and craziness at the airport made me kinda sad. Also, the anticipation buildup throughout the past few months (that became worse the past few weeks) was almost slightly unbearable. Constantly running through checklists in my brain to see if I missed out on anything important I was supposed to do (I still miss out on stuff even after doing that) and writing down little notes to remind me of the buildings I have to go to and admin stuff to take care of and household items to buy when I get there has been rather tiring. I was lucky I had someone with me: To drive me around (anyone who knows me know that I get nervous driving around the US, whatmore in a foreign city), watch out for me, plan ahead with me, scold me and nag at me to not be mong cha cha and to just plain be around while I familiarize myself with this foreign town and campus. To that, I am truly grateful.
Let me tell you a little more about Lafayette, Indiana (the town I'm at now). Oh ya. Did I mention that I'm going to Purdue University. Which is in West Lafayette (also Indiana). Lafayette and West Lafayette is divided by Wabash River. It's a long ass walk if I did choose to walk. Not really comfortable with doing that as of yet. Usually people take buses to campus. And I did that for the first time today. It wasn't as bad as I expected. But nervous me, waited at the bus stop 15 mins before it was supposed to arrive. And had a $1 bill already in my pocket to shove into the machine once I get on. I had my map with post-its in my bag. And a book in my hand so I won't look so lost. Turned out to be better than I expected. :) Funny how small accomplishments like this ends up feeling like such a huge success when you're in a new place. Hmm.. more about Lafayette. It's a little creepy and shady not gonna lie. I don't know if it's because I'm not familiar with everything yet or what. But seems like the towny people are kinda umm.. shady. Damn, I sound racist or something so I'm not gonna go into any more details. Hopefully it'll be better when more students move in around the neighborhood. School only starts next Monday... so we'll see.
I just started my assistantship work training today as an English tutor with the Office of English Proficiency Program (OEPP) department. Seems like it'll be a great experience and I'm looking forward to it. As of right now, my friend count is 2. Yeah. Just 2. Both from my program. One did her undergrad in Purdue and lives in my building. Another is new to Purdue and equally as lost as me, and also with the OEPP. Can't explain the relief that washes over you when you meet someone that feels equally as relieved to find another that seems as lost and confused as you. Another who shares the same anxiety about the process of how the whole system around you works.
As of right now. This is Me. My surroundings. My New life.
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