Rest and Return

Sunday wasn't very much of anything.  We slept in and then I tried to go to the Public Library.  Now, I'm not sure about anyone else, but my understanding of "public" means anyone can use it... Not the case with the "Public" libraries in Singapore.  Membership was $50 a year for extreme basics - only a few books at a time for a short amount of time.  In addition, computers cost three cents a minute to even log on (once you had a password and gave your passport number) and trying to log on with your own laptop was seven cents a minute.  All in all, I don't think I'll be going back.

I did get some homework done, though.  Most of it at home.  I have more homework than ever before, but I'm also taking more non-science classes than ever before.  It's a good thing sociology and philosophy are interesting, or I would die from the 200+ pages of homework each week from each class.

Gabe went to the hawker stand for dinner and I went to the grocery store and got some baking potatoes.  Even though they weren't crispy, microwave baked potatoes are DELICIOUS.  And they cost 33 cents (Singapore) each! You can't get them that cheaply in the States.

We attempted a Google Hangout (video chatting with a group of friends) later in the evening, and it was alright except for the internationals.  It seemed Paul and Victor had better luck than Gabe and me since it was our internet that kept dropping out. We switched to Skype and it was great to hear and see everyone.

This morning we got up early and I went to the library so I could get more homework done before class, as well as print some things out.  The computers are fairly nice, but the printing is confusing.  We have MRT cards that you load money onto for the trains and buses (Gabe will have to explain the bus and train systems and how you pay for them sometime soon.), and they work for printer payment in one of the libraries.  We also have ATM cards from the bank account we opened, which are not debit cards and will only work at ATMS.  Finally, we have our normal credit and debit cards.  None of these worked at the library I was at.  I had to buy a NETS card, which is a cash card.  It's pretty much a prepaid credit card.  My wallet is filling up with all these pieces of plastic, not to mention the gate card or our ID's that we got.

So finally, I got my printing and I headed over to the bookstore.  I had to buy four textbooks, but one I was getting used from a past student.  Another one had not yet arrived, so I couldn't buy that one.  The two I did get were a grand total of $75 and looked more like paperback books that you might find in a normal bookstore.  They certainly didn't look like textbooks.  The other book, $50, was similar, but looked more like a paperback version of Anna Karenina - it's also about a paperback about 1400 pages long. When I'm done buying books, it'll still be less than I pay at Clemson - about 130USD instead of $400-$500.

I went to my first tutorial, which was for research methods of sociology.  It's an interesting class, but I've already done research, so it's kindof redundant, yet required.  I'm the only American, and the only not-first-year student.  We were put in groups, which scared the living daylights out of me.  My group is all girls though, and they're really nice.  The professor (in between her "lah's") pointed out my "expertise" in sociology, saying that I've studied a lot more (not really) and that they should be happy to help me and I'll be a great asset for our two group projects (cough cough).  So now I have to really prove myself, which will be hard considering I'm doing my sociology degree backwards, with my concentration first and the basics last. It should be interesting.  Our project is going to be on criminology since that's my background and none of the other groups are covering deviance.  I really wish I had my textbook.. (Hint, hint, Mom and Dad, if you're sending me a package, send me my Criminology textbook...)

Also, I learned the grading scale... a 5 is an A+, 4.5 is an A, 4 is an A-, 3.5 is a B+, 3 is a B, etc.  And to get an A, you only need like a 50-60%. This should be interesting.

After my first class I grabbed lunch (tandoori chicken and orange sandwich (meh) and blueberry milkshake (yum)) and then went over to my globalization class.  For those of you who follow my Pinterest or Facebook, you'll see lovely commentary and a million pins from this two hour class. Our professor is Swiss and has spent the majority of her adult life in Asia and has a strong prejudice against America.  I'm sure there will be plenty of stories to come from her class.

I headed home after class, took some time to do homework and some to relax.  Gabe had super late classes, so he ate on campus and I had my last potato.  I was going to have canned ham with it, but it had congealed, leaving a layer of clear gelatin or something all over the outside.  It also smelled, looked and ended up tasting like cat food, so my few slices went into the garbage and it's up to Gabe whether or not the rest goes...

Now he's home and I think we're going to bed soon.  No classes for me tomorrow, but he has them for most of the day tomorrow.

Goodnight-lah.