This week I took it rather easy, but that doesn't mean that it wasn't eventful. Let's start with Monday. On the CS (CouchSurfing website) I had looked for people in New Haven that had a "Coffee or drink" status. That means that they don't host but want to spend time with people and take them out. Rachel responded and I'm happy she did. She finished her undergraduate studies in history and is now working in a museum (for the summer). Her roots are in Ghana but you wouldn't say because her skin is paler than black. We went for a happy hour beer at Prime 16, the place I ate with Jonathan on my first NH evening. We talked about New Haven and the US and she gave me some very interesting and useful advice. It was a nice encounter, and when I went home I liked New Haven a bit better.
Tuesday was quiet. I found some cups, mugs and glasses on craigslist.org (free ad site) and went to get them - all for $10, a good deal in my opinion. Then I decided to suffer the heat (which was a bit less intense than in the weekend) and I went running up East Rock Park. Along the run, just when I was about to give up and go back, I asked someone for directions on how to get home and that's how I met Gwen, a Yale doctor in philosophy from Canada. Her research is about (at least, that's how she simplified it to profane me) why achievements make people feel good. We very aptly felt really good when we reached the top (I had changed my mind bout giving up), and going down talked about Priuses, values, and New Haven safety. Then we said goodbye. Another nice encounter, and again I liked New Haven a bit better.
In the evening I decided to hit the Yale graduate bar, GPSCY, popularly referred to as "Gipsy". The drinks are cheap and good and I'll definitely go there more often. I met Scott and we went to join some people at a table outside.
It was the most intellectual bar visit of my life. Everyone at some point talked about his research, and then came the discussions. Lawsuits were quoted ("Du-uh, Brown versus Board of Education, 1954"), the genetic evolution of the lungs of Himalayan monks was discussed, and there was an argument over whether one can define race or not (an electrical engineer said yes (obviously), a historian said no). Definitely not my regular night out. Not yet.
I spent the most of Wednesday looking for a phone (I had already spent quite a bit of Monday of that as well). It's so expensive here, and all the providers seem to want to screw the consumer in every possible way. I longed for Wind, the operator we all fell in love with in Italy, but it was nowhere to be found. In the end (dusk was falling) I chose Virgin Mobile, and ordered a phone over the Internet for $10. The plan will cost $25 a month but has unlimited text, mobile web, and 300 calling minutes, so it's reasonable. One thing that sucks here (pardon me the expression) is that receiving talks or text messages is not free, but count as if you would have called or texted...
At noon, I had had lunch with Gabriel, an FES (School of Forestry and Environmental Studies) PhD student that I had couchsurfed with back in April. He's an amazing guy, always laughing. And by that I mean always! I'm glad I know him. I had also taken chocolates from Belgium for his wife and him - you can't beat that as a gift!
In the evening, I went with Rachel and her friends to a shortfilm screening that friends of her had starred in, and afterwards we went for a drink. I had a lot of fun, but I'm slowly getting used to the high prices and that's not a very good evolution.
Today I slept in, paid my rent, and decided to go get Mexican food from the food carts two blocks away. They are quite cheap, about $5 for a meal, and the portions are copious, so I think I'll soon become a regular customer. Look at my delicious quesadillas de pollo con arroz y frijoles, con salsa verde - de-licious!
After lunch, I went shopping on Jonathan's bike. I took the Farmington Canal Railroad trail, and then I had to get off to go to Walmart to buy some kitchen stuff (because we still lacked the fundamental kitchen gear) and a pillow. Walmart is part of a big complex on a four-lane road (two in each direction). I feel like the king of the road on my bike - everyone lets me through, stops for me, stays behind without sounding a horn, ... This is because of the powerful surprise effect of a biker on the road - they're not used to that at all because everyone always takes their car, and you can also notice by the complete lack of bicycle parking outside shopping centers. It makes me feel a special person.
It's time to wrap up this blog post because I have to make my backpack. I'm taking the night Greyhound to Montreal which leaves in less than 3 hours, so there's a lot to do and I had better hurry up! There will be two transfers, one of 25 minutes, the other one 15 minutes, so I hope the buses will be on time. Otherwise I'll be stranded either in Springfield or Albany, or both.
One more thing: I don't know how to pronounce Montreal. Each time I tell someone here I'm going to "mon- french 'r' - éal", they ask where that is. "Oh, MANTREAWL!" they say. I'll find out in Canada - my couchsurfer hosts should know!
No comments:
Post a Comment