気温が下がりました！
ここハドレーでは冬みたいな最低気温の天気予報が続いています。
昨夜の最低気温は40F 、摂氏では4.5℃。
Amazonで買った分厚い毛布をしっかりかけて寝ました。
Twinサイズを頼んだつもりでFull sizeが届いたのですが
半分に折って二重にしたらあったかくてラッキー☆
窓をしっかり閉めていれば室温はまだ15度は切らないのですが、
朝起きるときは相当寒かったよ～ (>_<)
今夜の最低気温は37F、摂氏では3℃。
ありえないです。
でも昼間は20℃近くまで暖かくなるので、何を着るか、とっても悩ましいです。
スミス大学は寮から授業のために出てくる学生が、昼間だけの気楽さで
シャツにジーンズ、サンダルだったりしてうらやましいです。
バス通勤をして、夜は大学院の授業となると、この温度変化全部に対応しなくちゃ
いけないので、、、、
今日は大家さんが在宅日で、暖房の試運転をしてくれました。
業者さん（親類？）が地下に入り込んで、何やらがたがたと。
昨日、寝る前に、今日は40Fまで下がるらしいよ、と私が言ったからかも。。。
でも、そういえば、ハウスメイトが土曜日に、前のアパートの大家さんがケチで
なかなか暖房を付けてくれなかったことを愚痴っていたからかしら。
ここは温度がある程度になると自動的にセントラルヒーティングが効くらしいです。
そういえば、大家さんも温度差の激しかった土曜日に一日外にいて
｢風邪引いたかも」って言ってたから、彼女がほしかっただけからかも。
なんにせよ、寒くなったら暖房が効く、と知っているだけでもほっとします。
紅葉が始まりました。まだ緑が多いですが、黄色や赤の気配が始まってます。
来月はじめには紅葉盛りになるそうです。また写真撮りますね～。
September 17, 2007
September 14, 2007
Busy busy week
It was really a busy busy week and I am relieved I survived it!
Both my graduate school and the school I do teaching at started
a regular semester schedule, and it was the first serious week.
The first week is always just a bit crazy. More to prepare,
more to learn, and more to adjust!
After sitting through 2 classes of 2 hours and half on Wed.
night, I didn't wake up very well on Thursday morning.
I know it's not the best course schedule to have back to back
classes on one night, but those were classes I didn't want to
miss, and that saves me a trip to school too...
What added to the craziness of the Wed night and Thurs morning
was that the temperature dropped quite a bit. It was really
cold waiting for the bus on Wednesday night with a light jacket,
and on Thursday morning, I pulled out a thick jacket I used to
wear in November in Yokohama! I bet it'll be harder to get out
of bed pretty soon.
So after teaching two classes on Thursday morning, I was really
ready to go home and take a long nap. Actually I was thinking I
might go shopping at a mall after school, but I simply didn't have
any energy. Instead, I also went through all my clothes bags at
home, and filled my drawers with my winter ones, taking out
summer clothes into bags and boxes. I was soooo sure I'd never
wear sleeveless or shorts until next year.
Anyway, it felt so good to wake up on Friday morning, knowing
that I wouldn't have to go teaching or taking a class! Of course
I should start reading for the next week though... ;-)
Both my graduate school and the school I do teaching at started
a regular semester schedule, and it was the first serious week.
The first week is always just a bit crazy. More to prepare,
more to learn, and more to adjust!
After sitting through 2 classes of 2 hours and half on Wed.
night, I didn't wake up very well on Thursday morning.
I know it's not the best course schedule to have back to back
classes on one night, but those were classes I didn't want to
miss, and that saves me a trip to school too...
What added to the craziness of the Wed night and Thurs morning
was that the temperature dropped quite a bit. It was really
cold waiting for the bus on Wednesday night with a light jacket,
and on Thursday morning, I pulled out a thick jacket I used to
wear in November in Yokohama! I bet it'll be harder to get out
of bed pretty soon.
So after teaching two classes on Thursday morning, I was really
ready to go home and take a long nap. Actually I was thinking I
might go shopping at a mall after school, but I simply didn't have
any energy. Instead, I also went through all my clothes bags at
home, and filled my drawers with my winter ones, taking out
summer clothes into bags and boxes. I was soooo sure I'd never
wear sleeveless or shorts until next year.
Anyway, it felt so good to wake up on Friday morning, knowing
that I wouldn't have to go teaching or taking a class! Of course
I should start reading for the next week though... ;-)
September 08, 2007
Northampton Farmers Market
スミス大学のあるノーサンプトンとUMASSのあるアマーストの中間
ハドレーという町（村？）に住んでます。
とってもくつろげる農村ハドレー、お買い物に便利なショッピングセンター、
学生街アマースト、ちょっと大人のノーサンプトン、どれもバス１本で行ける
なかなか「いいとこ取り」な場所だと思ってます。
今日は、ノーサンプトンのFarmers Marketに行ってきました。
冬になるまで、ノーサンプトンにもアマーストにも土曜朝市が出て
お花、ミルクにチーズ、お野菜や果物を作った人たちが売っているんです。
今日はアマーストには特に用事がなかったのでノーサンプトンへバスで直行。
Gothic St.に入ったところからお店がずらり。有機野菜が多かったです。
ハーブを鉢のまま土付きで売ってたり、植物系も充実していました。
ハワイのFarmers Marketに行く感覚で作った買い物リストはあまり役に立たず
・・・バナナがここで取れるはずないって^^;
袋入りのリンゴ（小さいのが15個くらい入ってた）、バスケット入りのトマト、
タマネギ、茄子（ふとっちょさんなやつ）、それにレタスを買ってきました。
トウモロコシをどうしようと悩んで、次の機会にすることにしました。
午後は待望の雨だと聞いたけれどそんな予感のしないピーカンの空。
私がここに来て以来２週間、ぜんぜん雨が降っていない。
秋の収穫に差し支えないといいんだけど・・・
うーん、仕方ない、読み物に取りかかるか。。。
ハドレーという町（村？）に住んでます。
とってもくつろげる農村ハドレー、お買い物に便利なショッピングセンター、
学生街アマースト、ちょっと大人のノーサンプトン、どれもバス１本で行ける
なかなか「いいとこ取り」な場所だと思ってます。
今日は、ノーサンプトンのFarmers Marketに行ってきました。
冬になるまで、ノーサンプトンにもアマーストにも土曜朝市が出て
お花、ミルクにチーズ、お野菜や果物を作った人たちが売っているんです。
今日はアマーストには特に用事がなかったのでノーサンプトンへバスで直行。
Gothic St.に入ったところからお店がずらり。有機野菜が多かったです。
ハーブを鉢のまま土付きで売ってたり、植物系も充実していました。
ハワイのFarmers Marketに行く感覚で作った買い物リストはあまり役に立たず
・・・バナナがここで取れるはずないって^^;
袋入りのリンゴ（小さいのが15個くらい入ってた）、バスケット入りのトマト、
タマネギ、茄子（ふとっちょさんなやつ）、それにレタスを買ってきました。
トウモロコシをどうしようと悩んで、次の機会にすることにしました。
午後は待望の雨だと聞いたけれどそんな予感のしないピーカンの空。
私がここに来て以来２週間、ぜんぜん雨が降っていない。
秋の収穫に差し支えないといいんだけど・・・
うーん、仕方ない、読み物に取りかかるか。。。
September 06, 2007
宅配便が届いてる！？
日本の宅配サービスはサービスが高いのを誇っていて
画一料金でも質の高いサービスをしてくれるけれど
アメリカの宅配業界は数をこなして安くしていて
特別なサービスがほしいとなると何でも追加料金になる。
日本では最近、週末の配達や時間指定が無料だったりするけど
アメリカは追加料金。
けちけちっと安いのにすると、平日のみ、しかも
何時に届くか分からないサービスになる。
受付にいつでも人が待機している職場だったら問題ない。
ハワイではフロントデスクにメールボックスがあって
スタッフがサインをして受け取っていてくれる仕組みだったから
何時にどう届いてもほとんど問題がなかったのだけれど
アパートや一軒家で、昼間は仕事や学校に出るとなると、受け取れなくなる。
そんなわけで、荷物を送るのは評判を聞きまわって会社を決めた。
結局、ハウスメイトや大家さんが家にいる時に届いて受け取ってくれたけど。
マサチューセッツについてから、大きめの買出しをするのを少しけちった。
使ったのは、Amazon.com。もう本屋さんというより何でも揃っていて
実は去年、ノートパソコンまでここで買ってしまったくらい。
お店なんかで買っても同じような値段だし、何件も梯子して歩くのも疲れるし
大きいものはバスで帰るとき面倒だし、品揃えもいいし
それにある程度まとめて注文すれば配送料金が無料のサービスにもできる。
洗濯物入れかごや部屋履きスリッパなど、２回にまとめて５個、注文した。
まとめて注文したら、まとめて送ってくるだろうと思いきや、５個別々に
送ってくるらしい。さすがに本と違って倉庫が別々なのかな。
Amazonのウェブサイトで配送状態の確認ができるので、チェックしていて
今日くらいに３個届きそうな感じだった。
家に帰る道、メールボックスあたりからドアまで置き去りにされた箱がないか
チェックしながらいつものように裏口から家に入ると、すでにハウスメイトが
受け取っていてくれたAmazonの箱が２つ。UPSで届いたやつだ。
残りの１つはDHL。Amazonのウェブサイトで調べると届け済みだという。
んんん？
DHLのウェブサイトで調べると、署名なしで置いてきたと（おいおい^^;）。
しかも配達時刻は私の帰宅１時間前。
これはどっかにあるはず、と外に出ていろいろな角度で家を見ると、
あ、ありました。
表の飾りドアの目の前にAmazonの箱。
表のドアってそこまで歩く道もないし、全然使われていないんだけど。。。
茂みを踏み分けてドアの前の箱を取ったら大家さんの犬に吠えられました。
そういえばハウスメイトが石油の補充に来た人がいて犬の機嫌が悪かった
って言ってたけれど、この配達だったのでは・・・。
というわけで、アメリカで一軒家に配達があるとき、家を留守にしたら、
家の周りに箱がないかチェックしたほうがいいです。
配達員が忙しくて置きっぱなしにすることが結構あるらしいので。。。
画一料金でも質の高いサービスをしてくれるけれど
アメリカの宅配業界は数をこなして安くしていて
特別なサービスがほしいとなると何でも追加料金になる。
日本では最近、週末の配達や時間指定が無料だったりするけど
アメリカは追加料金。
けちけちっと安いのにすると、平日のみ、しかも
何時に届くか分からないサービスになる。
受付にいつでも人が待機している職場だったら問題ない。
ハワイではフロントデスクにメールボックスがあって
スタッフがサインをして受け取っていてくれる仕組みだったから
何時にどう届いてもほとんど問題がなかったのだけれど
アパートや一軒家で、昼間は仕事や学校に出るとなると、受け取れなくなる。
そんなわけで、荷物を送るのは評判を聞きまわって会社を決めた。
結局、ハウスメイトや大家さんが家にいる時に届いて受け取ってくれたけど。
マサチューセッツについてから、大きめの買出しをするのを少しけちった。
使ったのは、Amazon.com。もう本屋さんというより何でも揃っていて
実は去年、ノートパソコンまでここで買ってしまったくらい。
お店なんかで買っても同じような値段だし、何件も梯子して歩くのも疲れるし
大きいものはバスで帰るとき面倒だし、品揃えもいいし
それにある程度まとめて注文すれば配送料金が無料のサービスにもできる。
洗濯物入れかごや部屋履きスリッパなど、２回にまとめて５個、注文した。
まとめて注文したら、まとめて送ってくるだろうと思いきや、５個別々に
送ってくるらしい。さすがに本と違って倉庫が別々なのかな。
Amazonのウェブサイトで配送状態の確認ができるので、チェックしていて
今日くらいに３個届きそうな感じだった。
家に帰る道、メールボックスあたりからドアまで置き去りにされた箱がないか
チェックしながらいつものように裏口から家に入ると、すでにハウスメイトが
受け取っていてくれたAmazonの箱が２つ。UPSで届いたやつだ。
残りの１つはDHL。Amazonのウェブサイトで調べると届け済みだという。
んんん？
DHLのウェブサイトで調べると、署名なしで置いてきたと（おいおい^^;）。
しかも配達時刻は私の帰宅１時間前。
これはどっかにあるはず、と外に出ていろいろな角度で家を見ると、
あ、ありました。
表の飾りドアの目の前にAmazonの箱。
表のドアってそこまで歩く道もないし、全然使われていないんだけど。。。
茂みを踏み分けてドアの前の箱を取ったら大家さんの犬に吠えられました。
そういえばハウスメイトが石油の補充に来た人がいて犬の機嫌が悪かった
って言ってたけれど、この配達だったのでは・・・。
というわけで、アメリカで一軒家に配達があるとき、家を留守にしたら、
家の周りに箱がないかチェックしたほうがいいです。
配達員が忙しくて置きっぱなしにすることが結構あるらしいので。。。
September 05, 2007
大学１日目
やっぱり思ったとおり、昨日の大学はすごくすごく混んでいました。どんな風に混んでいたっていうと、
- まず車が多い・・・バスが大学に入ってからバス停に着くまで車の列で動かない:-(
- それから人が多い・・・キャンパスセンターのカフェテリアは食べものの列が長かった。何でもよかったので列のないピザコーナーで済ませました（味はまあまあ）。図書館のプリンターの列もけっこう長かった（こういうときに限って故障するから列が長くなる！）
- やっぱり人が多い・・・授業を夜９時１５分くらいに終えてバス停へ行ったら、ありえないほど人がいっぱいバスを待っていた。かばんを持っていなかったり、ハンドバッグだけだったり、遊びに行く格好だったりして、群れている学部生たち（だろうと思う）。私の乗るバスは途中でショッピングモールとウォルマートに止まるから、その辺狙いなんだろうけれど、どう見ても乗り切れる数ではない :-( これは全員乗れないかも、と思って、でも私は買い物に出るんじゃなくてまじめに家に帰らなくちゃいけないし、この時間になるとこのバスを逃すと４５分待ちなんだからと、さっさと人の流れを見て乗り込んだ。結局、車椅子対応の座席をたたんで、立ちスペースを増やすという技を使って、それでもやっと乗り切れたかどうか。やっぱりショッピングモールで８割方降りて、残りは座れるほどになりました。寮に入ったばかりの学生が買い出し＆遊びに出ていたようです。何も夜９時過ぎに行かなくってもねえ、と思うんだけど。
September 04, 2007
First Day of School
It's the first day of school, and I am excited!
The weekend was nice and relaxing. I went grocery shopping to a big supermarket and a small Asian market, tried out a church, and walked a little in the neighborhood. It's really beautiful around here with so much green and leaves starting to fall! There's a tree with red fruits outside my window, and birds gather around too.
My classes are in the evening, so I have some more time before class. Well, I think I'm going soon though, cause I'm too excited to just stay here. Maybe I'll explore the library.
The weekend was nice and relaxing. I went grocery shopping to a big supermarket and a small Asian market, tried out a church, and walked a little in the neighborhood. It's really beautiful around here with so much green and leaves starting to fall! There's a tree with red fruits outside my window, and birds gather around too.
My classes are in the evening, so I have some more time before class. Well, I think I'm going soon though, cause I'm too excited to just stay here. Maybe I'll explore the library.
September 01, 2007
First Week in Amherst
It's finally weekend! It has been a long and intensive week, and I'm glad I've made it.
Monday: flight after flight to Hartford, CT. The flights were smooth, and got to the destination a few minutes earlier. Was able to catch an earlier limousine shuttle, and got to my new residence an hour earlier than my estimate, around 8pm! Unpacked the suitcases, ate the leftover sandwich from lunch, and went to bed... zzz
Tuesday: took a bus to UMass. Registered at International Programs Orientation, and visited office after office: International Programs Office, UCard Office, Graduate Programs, and to the welcome ceremony. Lunch was sponsored by the Bank of America - a compensation for sitting through their 'promotional' session titled 'Information on banking in America'! Walked all the way to the department (the far of the campus!) to sign a Teaching Assistant contract, went on a bus tour of the community, met a Japanese grad student -yey!- and had a BBQ dinner. Took the bus to Walmart to shop daily necessities, and went home. Walmart and most shops are on my way home, and that comes in handy! So much working in a day - glad I was wearing comfortable shoes, but yet my legs were soooooo tired.
Wednesday: Getting on a bus was a little hassle this morning; there was road work going on, and the bus stop was surrounded by all the trucks and rollers and everything. I crossed the road over a newly paved hot asphalt (I realized it was hot when crossing) without realizing what was going on! And then I realized that the bus couldn't come close to where I crossed to - the traffic was blocked with cones and police officers. I signaled to the road construction workers and used some body gesture that I need to get on a bus. They said they had no idea but not to worry, and one of the man on a big roller machine did stop the bus for me and instructed when to cross the road. It was nice to meet someone who was so willing to help!!
Graduate academic information session in the morning at UMass, and then took a bus (35 min.) to Smith College in Northampton, where I will TA. Had a meeting and lunch (Smith College cafeteria food was WAY better than UMass cafeteria food, and it's not expensive!), and took a bus back to UMass. The bus fare is free only during the semester, so I had to make sure I have enough $1 bills. A few more orientation sessions at UMass, some question and answer sessions, and a session on employment. Then a dinner reception with live performances - nice food and performances. It seemed to be going on until midnight, but I had to leave so I could take the bus safely home :(
Thursday: Finally some time off from the orientation while the on-campus students move out of a temporary orientation housing... cooked breakfast, wrote emails and talked over skype. The afternoon started with new graduate student employee session for filling out paperwork. The Human Resources person came and we filled out a line by line! I wish I had had this session back in Hawaii!!! I had to leave before it finished because there was a departmental orientation starting at 2pm. So excited to finally get to meet people who'd be classmates! Talked a lot with fellow students and senior students while waiting to meet my adviser who had so so so many advisee - in the end she came out the office and met me and another incoming doctoral student together for a couple of minutes and gave advice on what courses to take... I'll have her class next week, and she'll hopefully have more time later... Took a bus downtown as the department is so far from the center of the campus (bus stop for going home), and grabbed dinner, and then the bus. This week the buses don't come as frequently as in the semester. The bus schedule is my best friend now :) UPS boxes had arrived home, so I did unpacking. So happy to meet again all my belongings I used in Hawaii!
Friday: Bus to school, an immigration information session, followed by Teaching Assistant orientation. After lunch I sneaked out the orientation to finish up payroll paperwork for TA and visit GEO office to ask a question regarding my employment. TA orientation was practical, but not by disciplines, so some info was not very relevant... Anyway, the orientation is finally officially over!!! I went to the computer help with my friend who needed help logging into course registration system, and we went to eat Thai food in downtown Amherst! Good Asian food was what we needed badly. Many students started moving into the dorms, and around the dorm was full of cars. Many families accompany the freshmen to help start up the new life. Saw Moms and Dads walk carrying laundry basket and bedspread with their kids. More are arriving on Saturday and Sunday... The campus will be very busy!
Saturday: My landlord offered me a ride to a grocery store while she ran errands, so I happily went in the morning. I picked Stop & Shop, which had an atmosphere of Safeway, but the price was closer to Foodland. Most things were at a reasonable price, and I bought all I thought I'd need on a shopping list, other than rice (the rice there was long grain only). I did monitor the price of each item, but not the total, so it was a larger amount at the checkout than I expected, but learned that I could get a membership card and get a big discount and I did! Now I have all basic things (soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, salt, garlic, oil, corn starch etc) and at least food for a week. Stop & Shop is also on my way home from school, so I can stop by any time. I stopped by at an international market called World Food Market, where I bought a bag of short grain rice!! Yey! I can eat rice for lunch...
This is about it for now. It's finally a three-day weekend, and I'll relax, organize the room and do some cooking! It's getting cooler, and is just good with a long sleeve shirt. Monday is a holiday and there's no service, so maybe I'll walk around the town of Hadley.
Monday: flight after flight to Hartford, CT. The flights were smooth, and got to the destination a few minutes earlier. Was able to catch an earlier limousine shuttle, and got to my new residence an hour earlier than my estimate, around 8pm! Unpacked the suitcases, ate the leftover sandwich from lunch, and went to bed... zzzTuesday: took a bus to UMass. Registered at International Programs Orientation, and visited office after office: International Programs Office, UCard Office, Graduate Programs, and to the welcome ceremony. Lunch was sponsored by the Bank of America - a compensation for sitting through their 'promotional' session titled 'Information on banking in America'! Walked all the way to the department (the far of the campus!) to sign a Teaching Assistant contract, went on a bus tour of the community, met a Japanese grad student -yey!- and had a BBQ dinner. Took the bus to Walmart to shop daily necessities, and went home. Walmart and most shops are on my way home, and that comes in handy! So much working in a day - glad I was wearing comfortable shoes, but yet my legs were soooooo tired.
Wednesday: Getting on a bus was a little hassle this morning; there was road work going on, and the bus stop was surrounded by all the trucks and rollers and everything. I crossed the road over a newly paved hot asphalt (I realized it was hot when crossing) without realizing what was going on! And then I realized that the bus couldn't come close to where I crossed to - the traffic was blocked with cones and police officers. I signaled to the road construction workers and used some body gesture that I need to get on a bus. They said they had no idea but not to worry, and one of the man on a big roller machine did stop the bus for me and instructed when to cross the road. It was nice to meet someone who was so willing to help!!Graduate academic information session in the morning at UMass, and then took a bus (35 min.) to Smith College in Northampton, where I will TA. Had a meeting and lunch (Smith College cafeteria food was WAY better than UMass cafeteria food, and it's not expensive!), and took a bus back to UMass. The bus fare is free only during the semester, so I had to make sure I have enough $1 bills. A few more orientation sessions at UMass, some question and answer sessions, and a session on employment. Then a dinner reception with live performances - nice food and performances. It seemed to be going on until midnight, but I had to leave so I could take the bus safely home :(
Thursday: Finally some time off from the orientation while the on-campus students move out of a temporary orientation housing... cooked breakfast, wrote emails and talked over skype. The afternoon started with new graduate student employee session for filling out paperwork. The Human Resources person came and we filled out a line by line! I wish I had had this session back in Hawaii!!! I had to leave before it finished because there was a departmental orientation starting at 2pm. So excited to finally get to meet people who'd be classmates! Talked a lot with fellow students and senior students while waiting to meet my adviser who had so so so many advisee - in the end she came out the office and met me and another incoming doctoral student together for a couple of minutes and gave advice on what courses to take... I'll have her class next week, and she'll hopefully have more time later... Took a bus downtown as the department is so far from the center of the campus (bus stop for going home), and grabbed dinner, and then the bus. This week the buses don't come as frequently as in the semester. The bus schedule is my best friend now :) UPS boxes had arrived home, so I did unpacking. So happy to meet again all my belongings I used in Hawaii!Friday: Bus to school, an immigration information session, followed by Teaching Assistant orientation. After lunch I sneaked out the orientation to finish up payroll paperwork for TA and visit GEO office to ask a question regarding my employment. TA orientation was practical, but not by disciplines, so some info was not very relevant... Anyway, the orientation is finally officially over!!! I went to the computer help with my friend who needed help logging into course registration system, and we went to eat Thai food in downtown Amherst! Good Asian food was what we needed badly. Many students started moving into the dorms, and around the dorm was full of cars. Many families accompany the freshmen to help start up the new life. Saw Moms and Dads walk carrying laundry basket and bedspread with their kids. More are arriving on Saturday and Sunday... The campus will be very busy!
Saturday: My landlord offered me a ride to a grocery store while she ran errands, so I happily went in the morning. I picked Stop & Shop, which had an atmosphere of Safeway, but the price was closer to Foodland. Most things were at a reasonable price, and I bought all I thought I'd need on a shopping list, other than rice (the rice there was long grain only). I did monitor the price of each item, but not the total, so it was a larger amount at the checkout than I expected, but learned that I could get a membership card and get a big discount and I did! Now I have all basic things (soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, salt, garlic, oil, corn starch etc) and at least food for a week. Stop & Shop is also on my way home from school, so I can stop by any time. I stopped by at an international market called World Food Market, where I bought a bag of short grain rice!! Yey! I can eat rice for lunch...
This is about it for now. It's finally a three-day weekend, and I'll relax, organize the room and do some cooking! It's getting cooler, and is just good with a long sleeve shirt. Monday is a holiday and there's no service, so maybe I'll walk around the town of Hadley.
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