Tuesday/Wednesday – Day 162/163
January 11, 2013
Tuesday was a run around and get stuff done day. Though there was no rehearsal, there was also no shortage of things that needed to get done. First order of the day was my attempt to obtain a SSN (social security number), needed to legally work in the USA. However in order to get one I had to complete over nine forms ranging from personal details, to employer details and even a survey on my ethnic and religious background.
From there I had to head to three separate offices on the University campus and then re-secure immigration status. This took another few hours and by the time lunch came around I was tired out and ready to head back to my apartment. However, it was only at this point where I was finally eligible to present the final application for an SSN to the social security administration in Center City. A few hours later I was back on campus for lunch//dinner and then had a quiet night in after what was certainly a most busy day.
Wednesday was the first day of classes and boy was I excited.Firstly I got to sleep in and have a banana and banana tea breakfast with Molly. Next with everyone back, I was meeting people I knew left. right and centre. Next up was my first class, Networking with Boon Thau Loo, a favourite professor. Additionally there were a number of friends in the class, significantly Charu Jangid, from Operating Systems the semester prior, with whom I worked well.
Next up was computer security, which though as an undergraduate student I was in a minority, I still enjoyed the class as I was passionate about the subject matter.
Five to seven was Glee Rehearsal. It was so good to get back to proper singing and even the few dances we did didn’t bother me so much. Plus it was good to hang out with the clubbers.
This week also marked the start of ‘rush’; the process by which fraternities decide whom they want to accept as pledges (potential members). Thus, the newmen and I decided to shop around and just see what it was like. I treated it all as a bit of a joke but met a few nice people in the process and had one excellent chat about music, cognitive science and its links to computer science.
Finally, I got back to the apartment and chilled with Molly, McLean of Glee and our last roommate Christina. An evening well spent.
Thursday/Friday – Day 151/152
December 31, 2012
Thursday was snowing and thus I was inside much of the day, visiting various galleries and reading lots of books. Finally I was getting the holiday I needed! In the afternoon I went to see Les Miserables which by my reckoning was good. Just good. Not particularly great as many had hoped. I put this down to the musical character of the movie, which was a little repetitive and thus dull. Many of the actors spent the entire time speaking the songs with trembling lips and tearful eyes, which meant that not that much singing actually took place.
Friday was shorter than I would have liked, largely due to the early dinner and shabbat time of 4:30. Thus my day mostly consisted of going for a walk in the city then catching up for coffee with Irit Shacharai, one of my mentors from the Weizmann Institute, pursuing research at the Rockefeller Institute. After that it was back to Yoni and Rivki’s for dinner with the girls and then some peace to read!
Tuesday/Wednesday – Day 152/153
December 28, 2012
Finally back in a low stress environment with the girls, Sophie and Tzippy (my little cousins) and, though I don’t celebrate it, this made the perfect Christmas. After waking up at 9AM and spending a little time mucking about with them, we headed off to the Museum of Jewish Heritage near Battery Park.
The museum was quite enjoyable, though we hung around a while longer than was strictly necessary to cater to the girls wishes. After that we went home and baked cookies together (from premade cookie dough this time, not as much fun!) and read stories before dinner and bed.
The next day was dreary outside, with ice, sleet, rain and snow pouring down onto the frozen New York Streets. Thus, I spent much of the day inside with the girls, playing the usual games and taking a little time to myself to read and nap.
In the evening I decided to brave the inclement weather in order to catch up with an old friend from Melbourne working in the city, one Elyse Borghi. Over a vegan kosher dinner we discussed America, politics, feminism and college life and as always she was most enlightening.From there we tried walking in the rain to one of many pop up speakeasys that are experiencing a revival, but unfortunately they were full up, making us somewhat fed up of being soaked and chilled to the bone. Thus an early night for both of us, we made haste to get to the subway and home.