The Globetrotting Geek

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.

New York – Thursday – Day 35

August 27, 2012

Thursday morning and it was time to make my way off again, this time from Cos Cob, CT to New York, New York! After packing my bags again, Gus drove me to the center of town. There I bought a prepaid AT&T sim card after being told that without a social security number I was ineligible for a plan. Following that a quick jaunt to the train station and I was on my way again, catching an MTA local line from Greenwich station to Grand Central.

I arrived at Grand Central Station with all my bags and was thoroughly not in the mood for dragging them around for the entire day till my cousins arrived home.

Thus, I dragged them a few blocks down to Schwartz Travel Services, where they provided a baggage watch service for 5$ a day. With my bags gone I headed a walking down. The first major landmark to catch my eye was the New York public library.

By this time the blisters on my feet were starting to play up, but I was not about to let that stop me from exploring the city on foot. Another few blocks and I was at Times Square, taking the mandatory tourist photo.

From there I walked to the PNC bank at Penn Station, in order to open up an account for the time in the states. There I met Jessica, a bank officer from the Dominican Republic who seemed about ten years older than me and was most friendly. We chatted for a while as she opened the account and I left with a feeling of satisfaction. Following that it was off to AMC Empire Cinemas on 42nd Street, right next to times square. I wished to go see Batman but the next screening was an hour away. So, to kill time I went into the AT&T store to see if someone there would be able to put me on contract rather than prepaid. After a good 25 minute wait I was helped by a lovely guy by the name of Ulysses, who informed me that though I had no SSN, if I put down a large deposit they could arrange a contract. It was thus that I received a brand new Samsung Galaxy SIII phone in return for my commitment to the firm.

At this point I decided to walk to the Eugene O’Neil theatre where the book of Mormon was playing to try and enter a lottery for cheap seats and failing that to join the standing room line. When I arrived I was informed I had just missed the lottery however, the standing room line wasn’t too large so I joined it, having been informed there were between twenty and twenty eight tickets available every day.

After two hours of standing, the queue began moving and I eagerly awaited my turn in line. Finally, I reached the front of the line but was then informed that the last ticket had just been sold. Desperate for a ticket I entered the cancellations line, a last bet where the house manager could sell tickets reserved for celebrities if they didn’t show. Sixth in line, I was hopeful that I might get in, however one hour later, again at the front of the line, the music started and the box office closed.

I then returned to Schwartz’s travel to pick up my bags and caught the subway to get to 55 South End St where my cousins lived. Guided by my phone however, I unfortunately hadn’t noticed that their address was in fact 55 EAST End St and found myself at the opposite end of the city. With all my bags, and the sky dark at 9PM I decided to catch my first cab of the entire trip and soon was safely at Yoni and Rivki Slonim’s. After a quick goodnight to the girls and a slice of pizza, I too was fast asleep.