Pictures pictures!

The maple trees in Berkeley stood out to me immediately as I started walking down the streets. The trees are all in different stages of shading, which make them so beautiful. Some are in the shade of red, some bare, and some maple crowns have gradient hues from red to yellow.



The white building with the dome on top is International House. This is where I am currently residing and paying about US$1000/month for. It's a lovely place in terms of its social culture. There are 600 students from all over the world here.

Our dining plan is compulsory to get the residents to sit down with each other. Everyone complains about the food, that it is awful, not authentic and always the same. But I love the international fare I get for the three meals a day here and appreciate the effort that has gone in to include food from so many countries. They even have chok (they call it 'juk' here) at breakfast every morning, condiments like tau you (soya sauce) and sweet and sour pork. People think I'm weird and naive for being so in loved with the food. They tell me it gets worst as the semester goes on. It was through this food issue that I found out that Singaporeans weren't the only ones who loved complaining. There are some human traits that cross all borders.

There are many free and subsidised activities organised for us. For example, there are free coffee hours on Wednesdays from 9-10pm where people just hang out and meet new people, free salsa classes on Mondays, free Yoga classes on Mondays and Wednesdays and many others that I can't list out from the top of my head now.


This is my regular double room (the cheapest available at I House) and that is my Korean roommate, Sylvia (or rather, Eun Ha). In I House, almost all double rooms hold members of different nationalities. One thing I did notice is that the room allocation stuff seem to put Asians together. I guess this is to help minimise culture shock, but even then there are still new things to learn about the other Asian... Perhaps I'll have another entry on the roommates themselves.

I sleep on the top bunk simply because I moved in later than my roommate. She got to choose the lower bunk, all the top shelves and drawers, the table lamp that isn't spoilt and the chair that doesn't rock. The first couple of nights sleeping 2 metres above ground level was frightful, but I'm pretty used to it now.


Here's my bagged lunch! I pack this during breakfast. I scan my meal card for a bagged lunch and they give me that brown paper bag where I put in a sandwich. It's a bit like Subway where you can choose your meat, cheese, veggie toppings, sauce etc. Then I am entitled to a fruit (banana, apple or pear), a small carton of milk and even a cookie!!! The cookie was yummie. I took this picture in the middle of my lunch today.. The cookie should have come after my sandwich, but I couldn't wait.


Check out the funky trees. The white gate in the centre is Sather Gate, more or less the central area of UC Berkeley where all the major events take place, I believe. I walk this route everyday. Those trees are specially pruned to give them those stumps with no leaves. The guy in sunglasses facing the group is a member of the student council who was bringing us foreign students on a tour. He is a Singaporean who has sold his Singapore accent for the American slang.. Quite a put off, considering that he has only been here for a couple of years. He didn't even switch codes when he was talking to us Singaporeans alone. One of the West-worshippers, I guess.


This is a photo of the same area, but during term time. It's bustling with activity. All the CCA booths are out and there are mini protests going on too.. something about saving the oaks and seeking justice for a staff hired to help handicapped students who recently had been fired.

A couple of police officers lurk near the area too (front, left).


This is the Harry Potter-like main library. Pardon the poor lighting. You can click on any of these photos for a blown up version.


I went for an I House residents' retreat at a creek. It got close to zero celcius at night. They actually have a functioning fire place! These guys were huddled around the fire place roasting marshmellows and s'mores after our night session.


There really are Washington apples!


Yes, I know I'll never make it to become a troupe member of Crazy Horse, but these leggings that I wear under my jeans really hold those fats in place. Hahaha... It gets quite cold here at Berkeley and most of the Singaporeans here (5 of us + 2 China Chinese students from NUS) are quite ill prepared for the cold. I bought this pair in desperation on my way back from my second day of school.


Ah.. those funky trees against the setting sun.

It's not quite safe to walk alone at night. Berkeley actually has a "Bearwalk" (I don't know where the Bear fits into Berkeley, but it's part of the brand name of Berkeley. The university websites are called bearfacts, telebears, calbears etc.)service where you call a number to get some uniformed volunteer with the local police to walk you home from wherever you are within a 5 mile radius of the campus after dark.

It's finally the weekend. I'll be heading to San Francisco city tomorrow (Saturday), less than an hour away. Till the next time I start bursting with things to comment on!