First Week of Class

To sum up the first week of class:
Already gave a 2 minute group presentation in my marketing class, got the crazy idea in my head that it would be a good idea to take a finance course Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management, a class that is 70% mathematics.
Taking a computer class where the first day they showed us how to use basic tools of the internet like google and some people apparently were opened up to an new world as the class owwed and ahhhed as the TAs showed us how to use google maps, gmail, google calendar, and other very very basic tools of the internet (I felt a little bad for these people).
Mandarin class, all exchange students making fools of ourselves trying to repeat the teacher, I need to be taking that class 5 days a week to really get the ball rolling.

Got in some soccer and ping pong this week. Hot pot dinner aka Fondue in the West, where we had so much food and made a garlic and spicy soy sauce for added flavor: shrimp dumplings, coral, fish, crab, pork, beef saved for last, mini sausages w/ cheese filling all of it delicious. Good thing we had Ozone with us to make sure the food was cooked. Went to LKF from there, nightlife hot spot.

Today- no class on Fridays! Slept till 11:30, relaxed, check gmail, take a 3 hour nap, overall I would say a pretty productive day.

Some observations of the week
1. Different people have different reactions to the exchange students- Professors seem to like us more because we participate more in class than the other students. One professor was so excited when he saw a group of us in the hall way, he asked if we would meet with his students and do some sort of project with them (how hopefully I can live up to his expectations which may be impossible feat as he treated us like prodigies). Most students aren't phased by exchange students, some are very friendly and helpful aka Ebe, Ozone, my buddy Carol, and Francis in my study skills class. The workers in the dining halls are probably frustrated/find humor in watching the exchange students go in wrong lines and scratch their heads wondering where their food is.
2. The dorms have some hard core pride and spirit for their individual halls. Each hall (with the exception of my hall and hall 7), rocking out in their sick uniform/costumes and setting up their lego like structures, promoted their hall in the atrium. Every day they were out there handing out chips or rubber duckies, haggling students, and the most intriguing aspect occurred at 5:00 PM each day. Just observe for yourself:

Quad day on crack


I'm not sure what the best part was the uniforms, the hardcore energy, or the fact that I have no idea what they're saying, nor what's going on. Just try to picture the halls at UIUC doing this, I don't think so. These people need to find a hobby or something.

Other sites and sounds on campus:
Saw a man playing the bagpipes this morning
We had a fire drill, all serious business, no messing around (good news, I made it into the elevator before the alarm went off), security had all possible escape exits taped off and guarded. Police with microphones telling us where to go, and then RAs checking us in once we got down there. Half an hour later, I finally make it out there. I can only imagine what a real fire drill is like.
Guy named Bill (his english name) in my marketing team, lives each minute with an enthusiasm and liveness few have, makes every conversation interesting and really grabs your attention. Quite a character, real jumpy fellow. Anyways week one full of class intros and ready to take on week 2. Short week, 3 day week and then off to the Philippines for Chinese New Year break!

Random Quote-"TIME IS THE BEST TEACHER. UNFORTUNATELY, IT KILLS ALL OF ITS STUDENTS."