International Orientation Day 1

I've been staying in St. Cloud for about a week now.
Getting used to the weather here and I think I am going to love it =D optimistically

6th January 2010
The beginning of International Student Orientation, Spring 2010.

International students are all divided into many different groups that are represented by colors such as blue, brown, pink, gray, orange and so on. I'm in yellow.

First and foremost, we are required to check-in with the Center of International Studies, paying health insurance, signing up for health screening, openning bank account, getting student ID done. Lots and lots of forms to fill up. And the Peer Advisor are there to help us.

Then, we had lunch at Garvey Common. How shall I rate the food there? Yucks!! Totally not my kind of taste at all. Imagine that I have to eat there for the 1 whole semester. Okay, shut up, don't complain. There's food and be thankful.

During break time, Kenneth from Costa Rica and Francisco from Nicaragua came to my room to register for courses because I already have internet access on my laptop but they don't. Both are also in the Global UGRAD program like me. In another words, we are in this together. Hehe. I am so gonna pick up some Spanish from them.

Words I learned today are bienvinido (welcome), uno dos tres (1,2,3) and mi nombre es Anna (my name is Anna).

What's on the schedule today is Campus Tour as well. We hop from one building to another. And it's really a chilly weather, as usual. Or the Minnesotan might say "it's a wee bit nippy today".


Then we came to a big atlas and marked our home country with a red thumb nail.


Nicaragua and Costa Rica are neighbours. I just found out today :)

We had dinner and welcome by the President, Provost and the Center for International Studies at 5.00pm.


Yellow table: there are members from Japan, Chile, Saudi Arabia, Costa Rica, South korea, China, United States, Africa.


These are my new Malaysian friends. We talked here as if we are in the mamak, yum cha-ing.. Gosh, I kind of miss my night life. :P


Last thing in the schedule today is movie at the Atwood Theater. What are we watching? New in Town. About a Miami working woman got relocated to New Ulm, Minnesota. Very funny. You should watch it and you ll get a little idea about how I feel when I step on the land of Minnesota.


Francisco, Walid, Hannah and I walked to the Mississipi River behind Lawrence Hall and played snow just now. We made snow angels. Well, no pictures taken because I couldnt take out my camera. My hands were frozen. One more thing, always wear a beanie or ear muff if you want to stay outside so long. I forgot and my ear hurt a lot. Ouch.

Alrite, I want to sleep already le... Night.

Cheers.