To make things easier to understand, I would summarize my experience in a few sub section.
When I was in Korean Incheo
n AirportI was stuck there for 6 hours during transit, wanted to get online and write blogs...but...thanks to their special electric plug..its not British standard as in Malaysia and HK, not Mainland standard, not US standard/Taiwan standard as well...
I cant get online at the end.
Left: Look at the strange socket!
Textbook are expensive in America
When I was in HK, I saw books ranged between 100-300 HKD, I will walk to the shop in Mong Kok which sell mainland version (ie photocopy version) and get it at half or even lower price.
In US, i saw textbook priced at the same numerical range. Except that its in USD. Imagine a textbook selling at 180 USD, exactly the same content as the one I got in HK. I can get 180 HKD in HK and 90 HKD in the shop in Mong Kok. What the hell.
And so, this has caused me to look into ebay. And guess what, i get most of my books from internet. And Malaysia made me proud by being the source of textbooks for many of my friends here in Georgia Tech! hahah.....
Food is expensive and ridiculously large in portion
A meal typically cost you USD 5-7 for a set. And the portion is so big, when u re 70% done with it, you feel the food loitering around your esophagus: you feel like vomiting. And the drink is ridiculously large and what more, you can refill without limitation most of the time. What the heck......
And there arent alot of choices around. You can buy a meal plan and eat everyday in the dining hall, where they serve luxurious buffet everyday and you eat all you can. But seriously, i dont need buffet everyday, and its not cheap.
So I do grocery shopping during weekends and buy LOTS of food in one visit. its ALOT CHEAPER this way.
The place is big Man!
They say Georgia Tech is not really that big comparing to other university in the States. But its insane man, its still HUGE. I walk to my classroom and when I reach there I was dripping sweat.
But the campus is nice, very green and filled with classic American settlement style buildings. And squirrels is everywhere in the campus! They are such a lovely creature! better than roaches in UST!
But the bus system is so BAD compare to HK's.....as I told my friends, in HK if the bus made me wait more than 5 minutes i will start cursing. Here? wana ride a bus? Got at least 15 minutes to wait?
Workload: is not light
I spent a total of 10 hours trying to finish one of the homework of one of my core course.
I have 6 books to read for my history class.
not to mention alot of exams for each course.
The place I live is damn far from classes
20 minutes walk in average, to my classes.
There is a shuttle bus passing by. But its so unpredictable i decided not to ride it anymore.
The worst is when I come home late. The road before i reach my place is so CREEPY.
And because the other housemates are PHD students, they tend to be studying than having fun....so the place is so QUIET. Too little happening in fact.
Anyway, there is a mosque infront of my place.
Friday got lots of Muslim African come and do their prayers.
Well there are good reasons to stay here: i have a room all by myself. Its BIG. Previous resident left me lots of stuff and I save about 1000 USD compare to those who stay on campus.
Right: the mosque in front of my place.
Southern Americans are crazy about guns
My friend brought me to a local GUN SHOW in Atlanta, by far the most unique experience in the States. It is like a fair for ppl to sell/buy guns. Imagine the entire basketball stadium fill with stalls selling guns. And also Nazis' souvenirs someone got it from their grandpa who fight in WWII. and all sorts of knife: Military, swiss, Samurai, Turkish....you name it...
Below left and centre: Guns in gun show, right: some nazis' buttom selling in the show.
The Art!
I went to the High Museum of art in Atlanta and they have lots of works display.
I went to the High Museum of art in Atlanta and they have lots of works display.
Some very interesting sculptures!
Crazy African Art!!
Below: some very detail sculptures! Some borrowed from Louvre, Paris!
Above: Look at how they use stone to carve out the natural lines of cloths...This is amazing!
Above: This horse is so amazing! Its made by scrap metal!
Crazy African Art!!Below: some very detail sculptures! Some borrowed from Louvre, Paris!
Above: Look at how they use stone to carve out the natural lines of cloths...This is amazing!
Above: This horse is so amazing! Its made by scrap metal!
Random Photos in Marietta
Here are some random photos I took when I was in a small town out of Atlanta after the Gun Show.I went to a trick shop in this town: A shop dedicated to sell things u use to trick people in party or sell costume to dress up in occasion like halloween or some random customer party.
Right: Nice street down in the town of Marietta
The court house of the town of Marietta. With Gong Ye and Andrew in the picture. Gong Ye is my classmate back in UST, Andrew is my Land@Gatech mentor: equivalent to HKUST's Buddy.
Right and below: We went to have smoothies in a shop in Marietta, the small town. The shop is elongated, and with a sense of old American style shops.
**[ I did this entry in a hurry, so forgive me for all the grammatical mistakes]
Right: Nice street down in the town of Marietta
The court house of the town of Marietta. With Gong Ye and Andrew in the picture. Gong Ye is my classmate back in UST, Andrew is my Land@Gatech mentor: equivalent to HKUST's Buddy.
Right and below: We went to have smoothies in a shop in Marietta, the small town. The shop is elongated, and with a sense of old American style shops.
**[ I did this entry in a hurry, so forgive me for all the grammatical mistakes]
