A Small Community

Just to show how unpredictable the weather is here in Syracuse, temperatures went up drastically from 14 to 28C in just a day! Normally, 28C is a comfortable temperature for someone like me who got accustomed to the scorching concrete paradise that is Singapore. I realized how 2 days of cold weather can easily acclimatize even the most seemingly unyielding tropical species. I decided not to bring my jacket this morning so that I can train myself for autumn and winter. Surprisingly, however, I found the mid day to be uncomfortably hot. But anyway, today was considered one of the most precious "sunny" days according to Syracusans. And indeed it was a perfect time for the incoming ESF freshies to bask under the sun. Below is a photo I took on the way to ESF's Marshall Hall. It was not just the extraordinarily hotter weather that caught my attention, but also what appears to be a very modest number of incoming freshies this year.


I'm writing this entry not just because of the unusual weather in Syracuse. It's also about how small the ESF community really is, and how this works out, for me, to be one of institution's best assets.

Yesterday all the incoming grad students of the environmental studies department (I'm not actually from this major, but my academic supervisor happens to be the department chair) were invited to a bbq picnic in Thornden Park. All the senior grad students, staff and professors came ... including the college provost! It didn't feel awkward at all, considering that the place was half packed with academic authorities. I was particularly impressed with the level of welcome we received from the professors and staff. In short, even though they naturally exude this aurora of respect, they were all simply nice.


It was fun meeting new friends and conversing just about anything under the sun ... and with the right balance of academic wit, of course. Well, there were even introductions that reveal just how natural the acquaintances were. This was one particular conversation that made it on the top of the list:

Professor: Hi there! Where do you come from?
Indian Student: Bangalore in India.
Professor: Yeah! Great! India! High five!

Professor: How 'bout you? Where do you come from?
American Student: Very very far. Syracuse.
Professor: Where were you born?
American Student: Crouse Hospital
Professor: I was also born there! High five!

Professor: And you?
Filipino Student: The opposite side of the globe, Philippines
Professor: Yeah! Great! There are no typhoons here, but lots of snow! High Five!

Professor: Could you pass me that? I want a cookie!
Filipino Student: ?

Anyway, the picnic ended pretty well. Apart from the excellent food catered by Dinosaur BBQ (raved to be the best in the nation), I also had a nice chat with my academic supervisor and made a new friend (the native syracuse student) who happens to live just a few houses away from me. We walked back home together, met and chatted with his police officer friend, talked about Syracuse in more detail, intersected with another prof who was walking back home as well, and chatted more about Syracuse along the way.

I spent most of my life living in big cities and studying in big schools. Living and studying in a small community, such as Syracuse, is definitely a new experience I am very glad to have and share :)

Errands and severe jet lag

I finally have access to internet and am able to tell you, so far, my 2 days of adventure in Syracuse. First, let me just share with you briefly my serendipitous encounter with a familiar face during my flight en route to Syracuse. Guess what?! Jem (my bestfriend) and I met in Narita airport! What are the chances of that?! Although we left Asia on the same day, our points of exits and destinations were entirely different. Anyway, we had a good hour of chat before he boarded for his flight to Toronto.

My 26 -hr travel was okay, but a bit bumpy along the way. Well, on the first leg of the flight, I was sandwiched between a group of loud american high school jocks. Next, I was seated beside a mom who was rearing her infant on a stroller that occupied what was already a tight leg room space (so goodbye to toilet breaks!) Then when we arrived in Chicago, it took us 2 1/2 hours to clear immigrations and customs! It was then followed by an hour delay in our syracuse flight (O'Hare is definitely NOT like Changi). To top it all up, the luggage was left in Chicago and UA was only able to send it to me the following day. This rough start really left a bad impression on me, but it was later on saved by a few things which kinda lifted my spirit again:

1) the domestic plane flew over the Chicago skyline just when the sun was about to set. It was a beautiful scene, expecially when all the buildings reflected the golden sunlight;

2) the cab driver was so nice and polite and he drove me a little further around Syracuse downtown just to show me some more places;

3) and the highlight, of course, is seeing my apartment. Below are just some of the photos I took early in the morning just after dawn. I woke up at around 4 (blame it on jet lag), but honestly I was just excited to see the morning sunlight penetrate through the windows of the attic. That really made my day. Of course, the visit to SU and SUNY ESF was likewise splendid. I decided to show photos of the campus later on, when it's fall and the leaves have changed colors. They said it's the most beautiful time of the year to take photos of the campus.


908 Westcott (rightmost house) -- our home. Owned by an indian american and managed by a nice american fellow named Pete, who lives with us.


My bedroom, which is bigger than I thought, is definitely so much nicer than our bedroom in Singapore. I have a window beside my bed, which you can only open if you wedge it up with a stick. The previous tenant was kind enough to leave his/her junior baseball bat behind just for this purpose. How did I know? Well, the baseball bat was actually wedged there when I arrived.


I have 2 sets of wardrobes and 2 drawer cabinets. You see that thing on the floor? Nope, it's not a rug. It's the heating vent!


This is the living room with the definitive triangular-shaped attic ceiling near the window. Surprisingly, the place doesn't feel empty at all. The owner was kind enought to leave quite a few furnitures, including a sofa (which they apparently recycled from the road trash), old 1980s tv set, and antique-looking coffee tables and cabinets. It smells a bit stuffy though, but I'm sure it will have a homey scent soon.


There's a nice chair there around the corner, which I imagine using while reading a book. I'll probably put a floor lamp beside it. There's also that table lamp on the lower right hand that's nice to exploit.


The kitchen is so lovely and cozy. Everything's included: dining set, stove, ref, microwave, cupboards, and lots of drawer cabinets. All it lacks are cooking utensils and the appliances that every vegetarian needs (i.e. toaster, water heater, and griller). Well, at least I have an oven I can use to prepare the thanksgiving turkey. haha! Dream on Marvin...


The bathroom is small, but very clean and well maintained. I love the fact that it has it's own cupboard and a mirror that functions as a cabinet. Remember those hollywood films where they always put pills in the bathroom mirror cupboard?


View from my living room window. A lot of the houses around the university area are gorgeous. They all have patios and some have their own terraces. Most of the people living around these areas are students. Usually, you'll see them drinking their hearts out on the patios and terraces at night.

There you have it! Please feel free to comment as to how I can design and further improve the attic. I'll take photos whenever I make changes in the interior design, expecially when I start decorating the place with my sentimental stuff.

Welcome to Syracuse

I decided to start a blog since I figure this phase in my life might considerably be the toughest yet. Yes, intense studies and financial poverty in a harsh winter environment are for me the fundamental elements of miserable living; And this blog will be a testament to how I will cope with that and slowly untangle the knots of doctorateship (if I do get my degree in the future). You're probably wondering why I am preempting an arduous journey and why, at this early a stage in my PhD studies, I am sounding pessimistic. Well, apparently, PhD students naturally project this attitude to help brace themselves for the worse. I have witnessed terrible PhD experiences when I was working as an RA in NUS. I believe because of this I'm also bracing myself with a headstart for anything that will catch me off guard in the course of my studies in Syracuse.

However this blog doesn't just serve my own purpose, but it also hopes to keep you (friends and family) posted of my progress here in a somewhat entertaining manner. Please do drop by occcasionally to read my stories and I look forward to reading your comments as well.