ESKWELA

Time flies very fast. I can't believe it! I've been here for two months already! Few weeks ago, I received an e-mail from Ms. Con regarding our courses for the fall semester. Here are the courses I am currently taking:

EE 261 – Introduction to Logic Circuits (3 credits)
CS 160 – Introduction to Computer Programming (Lab and Lecture; 4 credits)
CHEM 132 – General Chemistry II (Lab and Lecture; 4 credits)
COM 110 – Public Communication (Lecture and Recitation; 3 credits)
LS 301 – Leadership Seminar (1 credit)

I registered for a total of 15 credits. So far, I am doing well with my classes. In fact, I already had a taste of how exams go here in the United States. I had two major exams last Friday—in my chemistry and logic circuits classes. Surprisingly, I got the result for my chemistry last Monday. Very quick! I got 87 out of 100 in my first chemistry exam. Actually, I'm contented with my score. However, I was expecting more. I'm going to curse that single problem I missed which cost me 9 points! Nevertheless, I believe that this is a good start for me. I have 5 more major exams to do in chemistry, aside from my lab classes which run from 6:10PM-9:00PM every Wednesday. It's very exhausting. I'm just glad that our teaching assistant is very accommodating. I don't have the result for my other exam yet.

All of my subjects are “introductory” courses. However, they don't really are. For example, in my computer programming class, we were already asked to make our personal web page after only 6 classroom sessions (two weeks). I was really surprised. Making my personal web page caused me sleepless nights for a couple of days. For a glimpse of the output of those sleepless nights, kindly click this URL: http://www.cs.montana.edu/~rashid.pandi. It displays several relevant information about my classes, and other fun stuffs. Aside from this web page, I am currently working on my graphics design in my computer programming class. We are working on a graphic of a Panda! Usually, these types of programming projects are final requirements in my university's computer science class. Here, I'm working on them on the first three weeks of school. Imagine how surprising could that be. My computer programming class is very challenging.

Anyway I am most confident in my public communication class. I'm enjoying it a lot. In our recitation class, we were asked to deliver an impromptu speech about any soap-box topic on our first day of class. We delivered our speeches along with visual aids (transparencies). Two days after,in our lecture class (which has 120 students in it), my professor used my speech and visual aid as an example in class! I can't believe my eyes. Am I really seeing my work and my name in the projector screen? Magyayabang muna ako ha? David, our instructor said,”This guys from the Philippines did a very impressive speech in his recitation class.” He then put my slide projector, and everyone in the class saw it! He then called my name, and I shyly raised my hand. I was at my proudest that day! I received an A+ for that. My first (and hopefully not my last) A+ here! I'm not just going to highlight the good things though. Lately, I've been skipping classes (just two classes). I hardly wake up early. I don't know if my alarm clock didn't work in those days, or maybe I was really in deep sleep that I haven't heard it rang. I promised myself I'm not going to skip any class anymore. It reminds me of the number one rule all of my professors emphasized: If you want to pass this course, GO TO CLASS!

Now for the funnier side. Here are the ten things I want to highlight:

1. I use pencils in class instead of pens. I have a big eraser too! At first, it felt weird and unusual. However, I'm now used to it. It's convenient, and almost every student in the class uses pencils! “Balik tayo sa Kindergarten nito”, I always tell Ella.

2. My first time to use an engineering paper. When my engineering professor announced our first homework, he said it should be written in an engineering paper. Kawawang Rashid. Walang kamuwang-muwang. I did search for it, and it looks like a graphing paper lang pala.

3. I and my co-UGRAD scholars moved to our new rooms—the library! Our library is a perfect place to study! It has almost everything. Coffee stand, computers, printers, copiers and small rooms for group study sessions. We stay in the library until 12 midnight at least three times a week.

4. I volunteered to be a member of the organizing committee of the Global Culture Club. We organize many events for the international students every weekend. Speaking of weekends, allow me to tell you that I have never appreciated the phrase “Thank God It's Friday” until I came here.

5. I have two drawers of grocery now. I hardly eat the sack meals the dining hall provides for Ramadhan. I cook food myself. As a result, the food they give me everyday ends up in my drawers. I have dozens of soda, bottled juices, cookies, apples, yogurt, popcorn, bagels, chips, and many more! Sometimes, I throw a mini-party for my co-scholars.

6. I had my first haircut here in the United States the other day. I realized that barbers don't take haircutting seriously here as much as Filipino barbers back home do. Ang bilis na proseso! Hindi man lang tiningnan ang mga anggulo. Gupit lang ng gupit. Worse of all, my haircut cost me $14 dollars. It reminded me of David's Salon or Gandang Ricky Reyes—they would have made a lot of difference to my look! Too bad.

7. I had to visit Wikipedia to learn about football so that the next time I watch a football game, I will know when and when not to shout or cheer. Funny.

8. I go to gym now. I play badminton with some friends at least twice a week (mostly every Friday). I gained weight too! My mother was very delighted.

9. We are doing our community service and volunteer work now. This week we are helping a merchant from Bolivia sell his Alpaca wool items in the university. All proceeds go to the Alpaca Wool Coop in a small town in Bolivia. World Learning approved it. Next week, Ella and I are invited to make a presentation about the Philippines in one of the middle schools in town.

10. Ramadhan is almost over! The dining hall will open its doors for me few days from now!

I am having the time of my life here. Homesickness seem to slowly fade away. I talk to my family at least once a week. Life is soaring for me here. School is very demanding, but it's fun. I'm getting used to three homeworks a night.

That's it!

Dunkin' Donuts Blues

Before anything else, allow me to tell you that I have tons of schoolwork to do--programming projects, reading assigments, and a speech in my public communication class. Diyako tangka. However, I'm here working on the computer keys again--books closed. I set aside all of my schoolwork in exchange for this blog post. Lame.

So, what now?

I just had a webcam chat with my family today(technology, thank you). It's scheduled every Sunday, 1PM Philippine Timezone (so it's 11PM, Saturday here). My mom, brother (yes, the Emo), and two younger siblings were on the other side of the screen to check on me. I learned from my mom that papang was too hungry (kapupuwasaan) to ever join them in the internet cafe 'sa pantag a PNB', as my mom would describe it. As usual, we had our kamustahan. My mom updates me with the happenings at home and in the family. There's nothing really special, aside from the fact the my brother Bentong cannot be in the top 3 among the whole Kindergarten class in Aba Al-Khail because he is in the second section. (For the record, the highest average is 93 from the other section. His is 92.) He should have been in the top 2, and I'm positive he will definitely make in the top spot. Sayang. This reminds me when I was in my freshman year in HS. I was on the top section, but since a student from Section C obtained an average higher than mine (a difference of 0.20), she grabbed the top spot. My brother unfortunately can't have the same fate, but he's learning and that is what's most important. He is a bright kiddo.

Anyway, Bentong is not the star in this blog. It's Ai-ai, the youngest member of the family. Usually when I talk with them, I don't show any sign of weakness at all. I don't want them to worry about me. They have nothing to worry about really. I'm perfectly fine here. However, just recently, I went melodramatic again. My sister made me cry with these words from her over the headset and the webcam:

"Kuya Atoy, baling kaden mapita owm? Mbantay ta peman sa Finding Nemo ago Lion King. Matiti kaden baling. Baling kaden mapita ah? Dinga lipati so dunkin' aken owm."

("Kuya Atoy, come home tomorrow okay? We will watch Finding Nemo and Lion King together again. What's taking you so long? You go home tomorrow okay? Don't forget my (dunkin') donuts.")

And then I burst in tears. When she noticed that I was crying, she curiously asked, "inokanan penggoraok (why are you crying?)". How I wish I could tell her that I BADLY want to go home and watch movie with her. I wish she'd understand that we will see each other 8 months from now, inshaallah. That's a long wait. In these times, I wish I were a child like her--completely immuned of the worries of the world, and sometimes, the sad realities in life. As a result, my mom went sobbing too (and so are most of the people in that internet cafe). Geez. From the other side of the screen, I can see the internet cafe's attendant sobbing with my mom too, and so are some students from JPI (yes, they're in their uniform). Weird.

To my younger sister Ai-ai, see you soon inshaallah. I'm always reminded of you everytime I eat donuts in the cafeteria, everytime I watch any Disney Pixar production, and everytime I come accross with any young girl of your age. I love you and I miss you so much. Kuya Atoy will be home soon, inshaallah. We can watch Enchanted again (and sing the OST together once more). Or perhaps Lion King (memorized na ata naming dalawa ang script/dialogue ng mga movie na eto: Lion King, Finding Nemo, Enchanted, and some Barbie series like Fairytopia, Mermaidia etc). We watch these movies almost everyday, and oftentimes, she asks me to explain some parts of the movie that she doesn't understand.

I'll be home soon, and yes, I'll take a dozen of your favorite donuts with me.

(The picture above was taken a day before I left for the United States. I woke up early to send my brother Bentong to school. I woke my sister early too, just to take this picture of them together.)