Updates!

i'm back from my one week absence in blogging! been massive blogging for the past few days and have finally finish my blogging of my East Coast tour (http://joyceinusa.blogspot.com/search/label/Eastern%20USA%20and%20Canada%20Tour), my trip to San Juan Islands and Mount St. Helens (previously 3 posts) phew..

It has been 2 weeks since school started (but is considered week 3 already) and its getting busy busy busy. The courses I’m taking here are:

Introduction to Geological Sciences (basically is physical geography and there are optional field trips during weekends :D)

Survey Sociology (this course only covers 3 topics: Education, Globalisation and Conflict Theory not like Singapore which covers a lot of topics)

Construction Materials and Methods (my one and only PFM module here.. and there are field trips to Wood Framing Assembly Plant, Steel Factory and Precast Plants during lab session and lectures.. and ppl from related fields are invited to speak during lectures.. even the author of the TB! So students wld be able to get up to date information from ppl in the industry and not just the lecturer herself.. so different from how lessons are conducted in NUS..)

And.. I got approval for my architecture module!!! :o)
Appreciation of Architecture (this course is actually not really about architecture but is mainly about the different major cities around the world that used to be superpowers, how civilization spread throughout the world and be able to learn the cultures of these places. Still waiting for Amazon.com to send me my TB but I’m itching to read it! )

Lessons here are conducted very differently from Singapore. Lectures and Tutorial here are more interactive.. hee it also ends on time.. cos students would just start packing their bags when time is up and the lecturer wld just have to end his lecture..
Here, you have to be on the ball because lectures are 2-3 times a week, tutorial once a week and there are readings for every lesson (homework too). Moreover, unlike S’pore where emphasis is on final exams, here they place more emphasis on day to day work. Exams here are not cumulative, meaning that after teaching one section, there will be an exam on it and that section wld not be tested again. Which means I cannot slack till the last minute then study! And I realize I got a deadline to meet for every single week until school ends.. is either due date for a case paper, exams or projects.. Sobs.. :(

yar I know.. I’m on exchange and shld not be studying.. but I wld at least have to read the minimum readings to be able to contribute in class and hand in assignments.. else I wld just fail with the final exam having so little weightage…

So what have I been doing during the past one week (other then trying to catch up on my readings..)

Other then going to San Juan Islands and Mount St. Helens, I have also been attending activities organized by Hansee Hall (the hall I’m currently staying in.. and sidenote.. 99.99% chance of me staying here until I leave for Singapore :( so looks like I cannot help u guys receive any online shopping stuff.. cos I got no address to receive it.. but if ur desperate can come MSN me.. hee)

Yar.. lots of activities are organized by the Resident Advisors here cause this hall is a 24 hour quiet hall and you don’t see anyone around! Everyone is just in their room doing their own stuff.. so need a lot of activities to pull people out.. so far there’s a ice-cream ‘party’ where we have to go to each level to get our toppings and the ice-cream would finally be at level 1..

top left picture.. Sila (from vietnam) on the left and Rita (from Hong Kong) on the right

and me and Rita realise we are taking the same flight back to Japan!! so we have each other company for the long long 10+ hour flight home! have arranged to sit next to each other on the plane :):):):)

There was a Hansee BBQ on Sun.. normal Hamburgers with chips..

Have also been watch the tv series Heroes at the common TV lounge here every monday night.. like all the Heroes Fans wld gather together in the big TV lounge.. off the lights and we wld watch the show together.. like movie! haha

I also went to the Vietnamese Student Association with Rita and Sila.. and got to meet some American Vietnamese and ate Pho.. Couldn’t make it to the Chinese Student Association one cause I went with Cynthea to collect the 2nd hand printer we bought (sidenote: now I treasure the printing services in NUS where it is so cheap! Printing in UW can make u bankrupt. One page printing is US$0.12!!! Double sided is US$0.23!!!)

I also went to a Home Depot up north alone to get my protective gear for my Construction class field trips.. lucky got the map my dad bought.. never got lost! But.. haha stupid me subconsciously keep gg to the wrong side of the road to take the bus.. it’s until I’ve cross the road that I realize I’m on the wrong side of the road and have to cross back again.. did it for a lot of times on Sun.. dunno what’s wrong with me that day..

-Ready to set off to my trip to Home Depot-

-Home Depot!-

-My protective gear: hard hat, safety vest and safety glasses-

And finally for today, I went for my first field trip for the lab session of my Construction Class.. went to Woodinville Lumber and it’s take 45 mins to travel there by bus and 20mins of walking there.. I didn’t know who was gg for that time slot field trip so I couldn’t hitch a ride. So everyone but me managed to get there by car and I walk for 20 mins along the road at this ulu place and the place is not on the map my dad bought.. so was kinda scared I wld get lost.. but I managed to reach there.. even though a little late.. and the TA was shocked I took bus and walk there.. but lucky I managed to hitch a ride home.. else I wld have to walk again :) I shall try my luck and ask her again for the next field trip.. no pictures though of the place.. (think only asians have the habit of taking photos..)

-Bus is the blue line and walk the black line-

Other then that.. nothing much.. dinner time is spent eating with Sila and Rita.. sometimes outside school.. and we always order toooo much.. until one time I can take away and it becomes my 3 meal for the next few days..

These are what we order during one of the meals for just Sila and me..

-So it became this for one of my meals.. instant noodles with the extra meat.. another meal was the leftover rice and meat.. and still got one container of meat for me to eat..

one dinner becomes 4 meals..

Other then that is just either eating on campus or consuming the can food i bought previously..

-Spaghetti with meatballs- (can food)

- Fish with wedges- (on campus)

Its getting late and I haven’t eat! and yet to do my readings for tmr class! Next post wld most likely be after Sun, after i go for another of my geog field trip! tata~

-Trees are turning red!-