It's May and it is freezing outside! Also, there is a blanket of fog, which makes it even harder to navigate these roads. Thus, New Jersey drivers need to be more patient when driving behind me. I don't know why, but I get honked at almost everyday! This never happens when I am in California, except when I stall the car in the parking lot of something.
I decided to make a list of things about New Jersey roads that make me say, "Huh? What were they thinking?"
#1 Turnpike/Interstate/What is that?
Every road has a name, and a number. The number may stay the same, and the road name change. This becomes very confusing because I never know what people are talking about when they give me directions.
#2 Rotary
What is a rotary? What does it mean to take the second exit of the rotary? I am very baffled as well, and do not understand why these were implemented.
#3 Jersey Curbs
The only space between you and a mean, tall, concrete barrier, is nill. Car breaks down? Too bad! There is often no safety shoulder for you to flash your lights and get help. It's just a concrete wall that is high enough to block at the view from the other side of the freeway.
#4 Red lights on the interstate
You are going to 55mph, and then you hit a red light. Then another, then another... you get the picture. Sometimes it would take a longer time on the interstate than taking the backroads that only locals would know.
#5 Tolls
75 cents there, 3 dollars there, make sure you keep your change ready!
I can't wait to go exploring! I found out where the grocery store was, and now need to find a gas station, electronics store, and the park!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
My Everyday Commute
I know I was supposed to write about my house and the cats, but I am feeling like I have got a cold so there is going to be a substitute topic, my everyday commute! On the GPS, it is only about 8 miles away from my house to my work, but there is no direct route. I spend about 25 minutes winding through the hills, by the lakes, and take mostly back routes, also through the downtown of Dover, all the way to work. On some parts, it is only one car only. I also drive through quiet streets that have mega McMansions. Lastly, the roads are very raggedy, riddled with potholes which makes for a very bumpy ride.
In the morning and after work, there is a lot of traffic. It is very strange to see congestion in the mountain roads. Also, since I live on a hill, it is much cooler here than below the hill. This morning, the car thermometer was registering 47 degrees!! I was also very cold yesterday and wore double layer everything as well as had three blankets on during the night.
Hopefully I can do some exploring this weekend. I need to finish my master's project, and take care of errands (bah!) because it seems like whatever time I have after work never seems to be enough. I will try and find a church to go to as well, and maybe find a Bible study group! Also, if I am feeling better I want to find a park to take a walk in!
It was fairly exciting today at work, even though I was just daydreaming about sleeping and good food. It's hard to adjust from the student life, where I wake up whenever I want, take naps all the time, to the work schedule. I have to wake up around 6:30AM to make sure I have enough time for commute, time to look put together, and to cook a filling breakfast. Hopefully I can find enough time to write more in my blog and finish my thesis project!
My second day of work was pretty exciting. I was running experiments, going to meetings, meeting more people, and getting some more orientation training. It looks like I have one 3-day class to take on the topic, as well as a possible business trip (or two)! Also, I may be given the chance to shadow some people in other departments and labs, to see what they are up to. It's always great to understand the work I am doing by comparing it to the actual experiments done, and maybe how far it deviates from what I expect it to be! Kind of like my cooking.
In the morning and after work, there is a lot of traffic. It is very strange to see congestion in the mountain roads. Also, since I live on a hill, it is much cooler here than below the hill. This morning, the car thermometer was registering 47 degrees!! I was also very cold yesterday and wore double layer everything as well as had three blankets on during the night.
Hopefully I can do some exploring this weekend. I need to finish my master's project, and take care of errands (bah!) because it seems like whatever time I have after work never seems to be enough. I will try and find a church to go to as well, and maybe find a Bible study group! Also, if I am feeling better I want to find a park to take a walk in!
It was fairly exciting today at work, even though I was just daydreaming about sleeping and good food. It's hard to adjust from the student life, where I wake up whenever I want, take naps all the time, to the work schedule. I have to wake up around 6:30AM to make sure I have enough time for commute, time to look put together, and to cook a filling breakfast. Hopefully I can find enough time to write more in my blog and finish my thesis project!
My second day of work was pretty exciting. I was running experiments, going to meetings, meeting more people, and getting some more orientation training. It looks like I have one 3-day class to take on the topic, as well as a possible business trip (or two)! Also, I may be given the chance to shadow some people in other departments and labs, to see what they are up to. It's always great to understand the work I am doing by comparing it to the actual experiments done, and maybe how far it deviates from what I expect it to be! Kind of like my cooking.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
First Day of Work
Last night, I kept on waking up and was very nervous. I did not get much sleep at all. It also didn't help that I got the first night jitters. Every time I change a location, it takes me a while to settle down and be more relaxed and comfortable. In addition, the weather here is now cold and rainy! I did not pack very many warm work coats because I remembered last year it was so hot and humid!
I woke up at 6:30AM, and got ready by wearing flip flops, a ripped t-shirt, baseball hat, and shorts. Just kidding! This place is very formal, but I did notice some other summer hires wearing casual street wear. One ready, I drove to work, following the instructions on the GPS. There wasn't much traffic, but the road was very hilly and windy. I had to drive through the downtown of Dover to get to the highway entrance, when I looked that the road was blocked!!! What should I do when the GPS keeps on saying to go that way? I made a loop around and quickly found my work and the visitor's center.
At the visitor's center, there was a long line of summer hires, and their parents. I didn't have any parents with me but I received my car pass and badge very quickly. Once at the HR building, all the new hires sat in the conference room. The staff called us up one by one to fix our forms and made us take an oath. I was official!
I wasn't sure where the building I was supposed to go to, and I didn't want to stand around at the front gate until someone let me in, so I asked for a member of my group to pick me up! At the building, the first thing I noticed was the remodeling which took place since last year. There was fresh paint, luxurious carpet, wood furniture/cubicles. The conference room had 5 humongous big screen TVs, comfortable leather chairs, and a granite table. No recession here!
I was given a new 2-screen computer, but it will be about a week before I get my pass to log on or use the internet. However, I had my very on cubicle and don't have to share a cubicle! I'm glad they didn't place me in the basement or the very back, or else I would be forgotten! Although I remember about half of the team from last year, there were just as many new faces.
It looks like I have a lot of work assigned already, and they expect me to learn a new program in a week as well as tackle many problems. Until I get my computer card, I will probably be reading a lot and going to the orientation meetings. I would talk about what I'm doing but my boss strictly said that everything was under a confidentiality agreement! I may one day talk about it when I am retired and writing my memoirs.
Lastly, I may be able to spend time outside of the computer lab and see the test site! Also, I may be able to go on a business trip to California... maybe I could visit home! I will work hard on getting the tasks done, my master's project done, and hopefully make some new friends.
After work, I followed the GPS to Rockaway Mall, where there is a ridiculously expensive chain store called ACME. I picked out oatmeal, some meat, rice, bread, vegetables, and fruit - it was $50!!! I am going to have to find another grocery store to go to. However, the cheaper the store, I will probably have to find street parking and parallel park! (I don't know how to do that!) I also heard there was a Japanese grocery store in Morristown so I can get some of my favorites such as curry mix and mochi!
At the store, I picked up two chicken thighs for 85 cents. WOW! Good deal right? It was that or pay $10 for chicken strips. Since I was taking a gamble, I cooked it at least for 25 minutes and I am happy at least I got a good deal on that.
Anyway, its all rainy and gloomy today. I am super exhausted from not sleeping last night and putting in a full day of work. Tomorrow I will talk about where I live, and the four cats!
I woke up at 6:30AM, and got ready by wearing flip flops, a ripped t-shirt, baseball hat, and shorts. Just kidding! This place is very formal, but I did notice some other summer hires wearing casual street wear. One ready, I drove to work, following the instructions on the GPS. There wasn't much traffic, but the road was very hilly and windy. I had to drive through the downtown of Dover to get to the highway entrance, when I looked that the road was blocked!!! What should I do when the GPS keeps on saying to go that way? I made a loop around and quickly found my work and the visitor's center.
At the visitor's center, there was a long line of summer hires, and their parents. I didn't have any parents with me but I received my car pass and badge very quickly. Once at the HR building, all the new hires sat in the conference room. The staff called us up one by one to fix our forms and made us take an oath. I was official!
I wasn't sure where the building I was supposed to go to, and I didn't want to stand around at the front gate until someone let me in, so I asked for a member of my group to pick me up! At the building, the first thing I noticed was the remodeling which took place since last year. There was fresh paint, luxurious carpet, wood furniture/cubicles. The conference room had 5 humongous big screen TVs, comfortable leather chairs, and a granite table. No recession here!
I was given a new 2-screen computer, but it will be about a week before I get my pass to log on or use the internet. However, I had my very on cubicle and don't have to share a cubicle! I'm glad they didn't place me in the basement or the very back, or else I would be forgotten! Although I remember about half of the team from last year, there were just as many new faces.
It looks like I have a lot of work assigned already, and they expect me to learn a new program in a week as well as tackle many problems. Until I get my computer card, I will probably be reading a lot and going to the orientation meetings. I would talk about what I'm doing but my boss strictly said that everything was under a confidentiality agreement! I may one day talk about it when I am retired and writing my memoirs.
Lastly, I may be able to spend time outside of the computer lab and see the test site! Also, I may be able to go on a business trip to California... maybe I could visit home! I will work hard on getting the tasks done, my master's project done, and hopefully make some new friends.
After work, I followed the GPS to Rockaway Mall, where there is a ridiculously expensive chain store called ACME. I picked out oatmeal, some meat, rice, bread, vegetables, and fruit - it was $50!!! I am going to have to find another grocery store to go to. However, the cheaper the store, I will probably have to find street parking and parallel park! (I don't know how to do that!) I also heard there was a Japanese grocery store in Morristown so I can get some of my favorites such as curry mix and mochi!
At the store, I picked up two chicken thighs for 85 cents. WOW! Good deal right? It was that or pay $10 for chicken strips. Since I was taking a gamble, I cooked it at least for 25 minutes and I am happy at least I got a good deal on that.
Anyway, its all rainy and gloomy today. I am super exhausted from not sleeping last night and putting in a full day of work. Tomorrow I will talk about where I live, and the four cats!
Monday, May 25, 2009
Drive from PA to my new home
It took about 2 hours and 40 minutes, and I finally made it to New Jersey! My first day of work is tomorrow, and I still have a lot of errands that I need to do, such as finding the nearest grocery store. As things settle down, there will be more updates!
Friday, May 22, 2009
The Poconos Mountains, PA
On the way home from New Jersey, we visited my Great Aunt Claire and Uncle Bob, who live in the Poconos Mountains. They live near the Delaware water gap, and a windy and bumpy road lead its way to a charming lodge in the middle of the woods. In every direction you can look, there is green, for about 5 acres. If you look closely enough, you may see a brown bear curiously gazing at you from the stone wall. Don't worry, the bears are scared of people.
However, if you by chance see a fox, in your backyard, that is a very bad omen. In these woods, if you see a fox, it is not afraid of you and probably rabid. One day while working in the garden, my aunt got bit by a fox and by the time she turned around, the fox was gone! The hospital administrated a rabies shot, and everything was fine.
After I was done taking the pictures, I was told to check for deer ticks. Gasping, I immediately inspected my ankles and pants for any ticks and stayed off of the grass.
This house was built by Uncle Bob, and there are many hidden secrets and a mysterious hidden cupboard which is said to house a secret safe! He worked on a lot of the woodwork, even the masonry for the fireplace, and the other additions to the property. His son built a beautiful staircase, and it is easy to see a lot of work, skillmanship, and love has been dedicated to the upkeep of this property. A house which kept what used to be horses marks the long path to the house.
Grandmom and Aunt Claire have a lot in common, seeing as they are sisters. Not only do they say similar phrases such as "Fiddle sticks," they both make a famous iced tea. This is my favorite recipe, and I cannot recreate it or find it anywhere. It is a fragrant black tea, made with fresh lemon, and real sugar. The whole family raves about how good the iced tea is, which is refreshing in the warm and humid summer.
However, if you by chance see a fox, in your backyard, that is a very bad omen. In these woods, if you see a fox, it is not afraid of you and probably rabid. One day while working in the garden, my aunt got bit by a fox and by the time she turned around, the fox was gone! The hospital administrated a rabies shot, and everything was fine.
After I was done taking the pictures, I was told to check for deer ticks. Gasping, I immediately inspected my ankles and pants for any ticks and stayed off of the grass.
This house was built by Uncle Bob, and there are many hidden secrets and a mysterious hidden cupboard which is said to house a secret safe! He worked on a lot of the woodwork, even the masonry for the fireplace, and the other additions to the property. His son built a beautiful staircase, and it is easy to see a lot of work, skillmanship, and love has been dedicated to the upkeep of this property. A house which kept what used to be horses marks the long path to the house.
Grandmom and Aunt Claire have a lot in common, seeing as they are sisters. Not only do they say similar phrases such as "Fiddle sticks," they both make a famous iced tea. This is my favorite recipe, and I cannot recreate it or find it anywhere. It is a fragrant black tea, made with fresh lemon, and real sugar. The whole family raves about how good the iced tea is, which is refreshing in the warm and humid summer.
Finding New Jersey Shelter
My summer internship does not help with housing or transportation. The question of where I would be living was constantly on my mind and what I prayed about. About three weeks before coming to the east coast, I used craigslist.com to find a place to live. My grandparents are skeptical of anything of the social-networking sort, such as Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter, but I explained I just knew I found the winner after talking to a certain lady over the phone. Its inexplainable, but I knew I just had to rent her room. However, my grandparents weren't convinced over my "feeling" which was based on a phone conversation, so I expanded my options and made a list of the most important aspects when renting a room:
After about 2.5 hours of driving, we arrived to our destinations in Morris County. I only had two places to look at so I really needed one place to work, otherwise I would need to ask my grandparents for a tent so I can camp in Lake Hopatcong.
Room #1
The first contender was a room, showed by a gracious host who showed us the house that was 2.5 miles from Lake Hopatcong. It was easy to see the whole family loved baseball. The community is full of lake homes with boat decks, and is a popular destination for New Yorkers hoping to spend a weekend by the beautiful lake. Inside, it was a big multi-story house, and a converted room in the basement was what was available for rent. There was some antique furniture in there, dimly lit by a small window at the top of the room. The walls were showed it was build out of rock. A smell which reminded me of damp redwoods and something else lingered in the air. From the room, we walked through a room that contained a lot of storage to the separate bathroom. A private door opens out to beneath the patio and the gravel driveway, where the only route to the Lake is on the left, traveled by many vacationers. There is a tree house with a slide to use if I were feeling adventurous.
Room #2
Our lovely host met us in the driveway, and was careful to point out to not touch the freshly painted white walls. The home was probably built in the 1950s, and there were many flowers to welcome us in. The room was on the second story, and the walls were painted lavender. The room was decorated with white wicker furniture and a blue rug, and a New York guidebook was sitting on the dresser. The bathroom had its own floral shower curtain. I couldn't meet the other house mates, meaning the 4 cats, because they had to stay in another room until the paint dried. The kitchen was painted yellow and welcome for any attempts at cooking. The house was decorated in a modern contemporary style with many artifacts from different cultures.
Which place did I choose?
After much deliberation and having my grandparents' seal of approval as well as living, walking references for the hosts, I went with Room #2. The moment I saw it, I said I loved the room and would really like to live with them. I wrote my first month's check, received the house key, and look forward to move in this Memorial Day. So is it safe to judge whether I would like a room based on a phone conversation? In this case, it worked!
I am very happy and thankful and I believe this living situation is just perfect for me, and I am also glad my relatives will be at ease. Also, none of this would have been possible without grandpa showing me how to navigate the crazy roads, and for my grandmother to help me seal the deal. :)
- Roommates: to live with a family unit, or have a fabulous ladies' house
- Kitchen: it is important for me to cook and eat healthily
- Location: against traffic commute, within 30 minutes of my work
- Washer/Dryer: I know, I'm spoiled, but three months is too short to be spending time at the laundromat
- Extra: Furnished/Internet
After about 2.5 hours of driving, we arrived to our destinations in Morris County. I only had two places to look at so I really needed one place to work, otherwise I would need to ask my grandparents for a tent so I can camp in Lake Hopatcong.
Room #1
The first contender was a room, showed by a gracious host who showed us the house that was 2.5 miles from Lake Hopatcong. It was easy to see the whole family loved baseball. The community is full of lake homes with boat decks, and is a popular destination for New Yorkers hoping to spend a weekend by the beautiful lake. Inside, it was a big multi-story house, and a converted room in the basement was what was available for rent. There was some antique furniture in there, dimly lit by a small window at the top of the room. The walls were showed it was build out of rock. A smell which reminded me of damp redwoods and something else lingered in the air. From the room, we walked through a room that contained a lot of storage to the separate bathroom. A private door opens out to beneath the patio and the gravel driveway, where the only route to the Lake is on the left, traveled by many vacationers. There is a tree house with a slide to use if I were feeling adventurous.
Room #2
Our lovely host met us in the driveway, and was careful to point out to not touch the freshly painted white walls. The home was probably built in the 1950s, and there were many flowers to welcome us in. The room was on the second story, and the walls were painted lavender. The room was decorated with white wicker furniture and a blue rug, and a New York guidebook was sitting on the dresser. The bathroom had its own floral shower curtain. I couldn't meet the other house mates, meaning the 4 cats, because they had to stay in another room until the paint dried. The kitchen was painted yellow and welcome for any attempts at cooking. The house was decorated in a modern contemporary style with many artifacts from different cultures.
Which place did I choose?
After much deliberation and having my grandparents' seal of approval as well as living, walking references for the hosts, I went with Room #2. The moment I saw it, I said I loved the room and would really like to live with them. I wrote my first month's check, received the house key, and look forward to move in this Memorial Day. So is it safe to judge whether I would like a room based on a phone conversation? In this case, it worked!
I am very happy and thankful and I believe this living situation is just perfect for me, and I am also glad my relatives will be at ease. Also, none of this would have been possible without grandpa showing me how to navigate the crazy roads, and for my grandmother to help me seal the deal. :)
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Comparing Pennsylvania to California
Out of all the times I've been to Pennsylvania, it has either been cold or hot and humid. However, this time of the year, it is Spring and it is just the perfect weather. I have been staying with my grandparents, becoming an expert on bird watching, teaching grandmom how to use iPhoto, taking pictures of the many flowers, and cooking! Besides going on walks and playing tennis, we talk about all sorts of things ranging from our stay in China to whether neutrinos do exist.It always feel like I go into a time warp when I visit my grandparents house. The hills are dotted with houses more than 300 years old, surrounded with low rock fences. There are so many antiques from the early American era. The whole day seems to go bye, looking at books and exploring, I don't have much time for a computer!
Will I end up moving to the East Coast? I will know soon! Now, I present some of the top things different between PA and CA, suburbia.
#1 Where are the sidewalks (and crosswalks)?
The roads in this area have nothing that even resembles a sidewalk. It is a gamble with your life to try and walk along the road, seeing as there is less than a foot of pavement from the main road which has cars zipping along at 50 mph to use. Even if you dared to brave the roadside, you can cross the street whenever you feel like it because there are no crosswalks!
I guess the point is, a car is needed to go anywhere, and I miss being able to leave my apartment, and be walking distance to restaurants, stores, my friend's houses, and the park! It is not possible to get around without a car here.
#2 Grass
Every home has a lot of property, and it is covered in none other than grass. In the parks, grass goes for miles in each direction. Along with grass is the freshly cut, damp, smelly grass which makes my allergies go wild. Since everyone's yard is so big, practically all of the homes also own one of those tractor mower things. I believe in having rock and cactus gardens, and leaving nature be as it wants to be. Good thing in California it only lasts about 2 months before the sun dries out all of the grass.
#3 Baseball
I'm not sure why it is such a big deal but everyone talks about the teams of New York and Philadelphia, and are fiercely protective of their respective teams. In the parks, there is always a game of baseball going on, with many spectators.
#4 Ethnic Breakdown
In West Chester, PA, it's very easy to generalize the ethnic breakdown. 99% white, 1% everyone else. Many people are of German descent, well, I think so, because the accent is unfamiliar to me. In Fremont, CA, I have renamed it Little India outside of India. I love having all the Indian restaurants near where I live. We have a big mix of everyone, Asians, Hispanics, Indians and Afghanis.
I can only think of these things for now, and may add more points later. If you notice anything different between the two states, feel free to comment.
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