First of all, can I express my apologies for my pathetic attempts at maintaining a regular news service!
It's September over here in Boston, which means the start of Autumn...ahem, Fall, and the start of classes. I've been back for about a month now and I think I've settled in quite well. I'm living with five new people, four girls and a guy, who are all great and friendly. I'm sharing a room but the girl is hardly ever around and we get along much better than I did with my old roommate anyway. The house is close to campus, almost across the road, so walks to my classrooms are 15 minutes max... The only problems are a few maintenance issues, such as a few leaks during storms (like the one we're having now). Also, a few weeks ago we had one or two mouse sightings, remedied by exterminator visit which resulted in lots of sticky pads being placed around the house, so the habitant must frog leap to the other side of the room to avoid getting stuck and dying like the mouse is intended to (no - I'm making an exaggeration, they're only in the corners). Apparently when mice get stuck we're supposed to wrap up the sticky pad and whack it against the wall to kill it before it dies of agony. Lovely.
There's some photos of the house: click here.
Classes are good - I'm taking only one law class, Land Use Planning, which is pretty dry but I love my professor so he makes it interesting. Also taking a history class on the death penalty in the US and EU, which is both engrossing and gross (lots of gory details). It's a big issue internationally, but I think here because states can make their own laws regarding punishment it's pretty much each to their own. I'm also taking two video classes, one where we make our own field TV shows and the other where we make documentaries (the latest is on the Presidential election). Speaking of the election, it's pretty interesting to be here at a time like this. I feel like I'm pretty much in the centre of the action. Boston College is very pro-Obama, as he came here and spoke a few years ago as Senator, and I think most students are just very forward thinking and want a change. Unfortunately, every day makes it seem less likely. The debate is on later tonight so my whole house will be watching that, and in November we're planning on having an Election Party where everyone dresses up in red, white and blue.
And Halloween is coming up! My roommate's parents bought us two massive whole pumpkins and they are sitting uselessly on our dining table until someone decides to carve it into a scary face, make pumpkin pie, throw it through a window, etc. Currently they're being used as paper-weights. Who knew pumpkins could have so many uses? Why don't we have whole pumpkins in Australia? Ours are all mostly sliced...curious.
This semester is quite different to last semester - (a) the weather is generally better. Today is quite cold but it's nowhere near snowing temperatures, and (b) American football. BC is a big team in the college football league and college football is a really massive deal, because it's where players get drafted from for the national leagues. The football players at BC are all on scholarships, most of them are dumb as doornails and barely scrape through class. My roommate was dating one of the players and he was very arrogant and (excuse the french) a bit on an asshole, so I'm glad she's got rid of him! On the typical game day, everyone tailgates and drinks in an area called the "Mods", which is a gated community of about 30 makeshift houses with backyards and BBQs. It sort of resembles a camping ground where you can rent bungalows instead of use tents. They're ugly and dirty and were only supposed to be there for a few years, but they were built in the 70s and they're still there! It's party central for BC so it's where all the seniors want to live. Then you go to the game and it's like a typical American movie - cheer leaders, a band, chants, a mascot (ours is an eagle). And even with all that I'm still not a huge fan of American football...give me AFL any day!
I spent the week with Mum and Georgie last week who flew over from Australia before they left to see Dad in England. We stayed in a great area of Boston, the Back Bay, where Newbury st is (the main shopping strip) and went on a Duck Tour in the rain, like typical tourists with our disposable clear plastic rain coats! Basically a duck tour is famous in Boston, it's a bus which turns into a boat and takes you on a trip down the Charles river. It was very corny but still fun. Then we went to New York where we did some more touristy things, went to the top of the Rockefeller building (actually a better view than the Empire State because you get to see the Empire state building on one side and central park on the other!). We went around to Mum and Dad's old apartment on West 70th, saw some of her old friends, and we also went to Wicked on Broadway, which was very impressive. I mean, it was no Les Miserables, but it was still a fun night out and it's still the most popular show on Broadway.
Some photos from the football and Mum and Georgie's time here: click here.
That's about all I can write for now. I'll try to write again a little sooner than 6 months away, I promise! I should be returning to Melbourne just before Christmas, unless my plans change.
Lots of love, Kate xox
