Green American Dream

This week orientation week started on Thursday. On Thursday we had some presentations from different people on what they expect from us and what rights we have concerning the university as well as the united states itself. The most funny presentation was on how to act properly in relationships. Meaning in relationships with authority like professors as well as personal relationships and romantic relationships. It was not that new to us since we almost have the same rules, but it was funny when people from eastern country asked things like why man sometimes hug man or why it's normal that a girl can kiss you on the cheek for saying "Hello". It was pretty interessting since we are so used to our way, that we sometimes don't see other perspectives on the world.

On firday we finally got out Photo ID cards. You can see mine on the top of the page. We also finally got our BGNet-Accounts with which we can log-in on computers on campus or as well join the BG-Network on facebook - hehe. You can find several interessting people on there. We also had some presentation on the health care system and on insurance. We already bought insurance in Austria, but since we are not sure if it covers everything the B.G.S.U. requires we had to let it check by the insurance department. If worse comes worse, I have to buy a seconde insurance from B.G.S.U. If that's the case, I swear to god I will go mad and jump from every roof I found, since I can afford it then! :)
There was also a very boring presentation on tax income, which I propably have to do when I intend to work on campus for the TV station. Anyways, I will worry about it when it's going to be serious. Concerning working, since I just have a F-1 visa, I'm only allowed to work on campus and not more than 20 hours a week, otherwise I could get in big trouble.

Today, we had to get up early, 'cause we hade to do our english exams, written and orally. Since, they had problems getting into Hays Hall, we had to move to another building with no computers - meaning we had to do the written exam by hand. It was not that difficult, I wrote an essay on the topic "Can the character of a society be meassured by the heros, men and women chose". It was pretty fun. We had exactly 60 minutes to write the essay. The second part was the oral exam, it was a conversation of 10 minutes with someone of the ESL (english as a second language) department. The person with whome I had the conversation reminded me so badly on Lorelai Gilmour. It was pretty funny. I also told her that she looks like this very actor and she took it as a compliment. I guess it can't hurt my "grade". Based on this test we are going to be placed in classes to improve our english skills, both orally and written-vise. I'm so curious how I did on the tests. We are going to get to know on tuesday how we did on the test and where we are going to be placed.

That was pretty much it for today. We also had a picnic lunch sponsored by the Enclave, the appartments we are going to live in. We are going to move in on Wensday, sooooo looking forward to it. Finally, we also got cellphones, so we are reachable and can make phonecalls whenever we want. It gives us a bit of the freedom back we were used to in Austria. I got actually a pretty fancy phone from Verizon. I also had some credit card problem today which I got fixed instantly, so that there could be nothing in the way to get my brand new Apple tomworrow. I'm soooooooooooo badly looking forward to it, 'cause I haven't had a notebook since more than a week now. I just need it. I promise, I will document every step of the trip to Michigan to the Apple Store! Hehe

Writing-Mode of the Cellphone

Speaking-Mode of the Cellphone