The idea behind 'What's next, Paul?'

As I am a detailed person, I tend to describe my experiences to the minute details. My friends, Justin and Bernett, told me that I could set up a blog to recount them. The reasons they gave being I am self-centric and write well.

Justin came up with the name because he found it strange that I would behave differently from majority of people. He envisioned that instead of I recounting only, there would be people asking why I would react differently to certain circumstances. It is meant to be interactive instead of mere reporting.

As far as I know, Justin had commented once. I seriously need feedback and ideas too. So, Justin, do what you have initiated.

One of the reasons I set up this blog is to keep my friends back home updated on my life here in Baltimore. As there are many groups of friends from various chapters of my life, I found it convenient to setup a blog and let them read it in their free time.

Besides, it is a good time for me to write freely as opposed to writing scientific papers. My Ph.D. supervisor had commented that I wrote like a poet during my initial scientific writings. He used 'flowery' to describe them.

In addition, I am open to share my experiences with whoever is reading my blog and hopefully learn something from it.

Lastly, it would be great for me to read back on all these experiences a few years down the road.

Iron deficient? Use a rusty wok

As a SBC, I had been brought up to use a wok for cooking. Using a frying pan for me can be a torture because the heated oil often splashed out and burnt me. At least with a wok which has higher wall could minimize against these mishaps unless you did not drain off excess water from your food. Ultimately, you would need a plastic surgery in this unfortunate scenario. It would not be splashing but exploding with oil. Haha... (Just remember, water and oil do not mix). Whenever I used frying pan, I would be like an ancient soldier, where a wok cover would be my 'shield' and a spatula as a 'sword' to turn the food. But over here, I have no cover and I prefer a wok.

During one of my shopping trips, I bought a wok from a departmental store that is well patronize by Americans. I lost no time to use it when I was back. I cooked a large wok of spaghetti and cleaned it after used. The next morning, I saw brown powder on the inside of the wok. Thinking that I did not cleaned it well, I washed it before using to fry chicken. However, I had my reservation that I was getting "iron supplement" in my food. True enough, the cleaned wok had rust or iron oxide (Fe2O3). This time it formed on the interior and exterior.

When I brought it back to the store for a refund, the store assistant actually asked me, "Why are you returning the wok?" Either she was blind or she thought that the wok looked this way. My colleagues laughed at her question when we were alone and jokingly said if anyone is iron deficient, cook in a rusty wok, bought especially from this store.

After this incident, I am paranoid of rusty wok. So far, the wok that I bought from Ikea has not rusted and I hope not to take "iron supplement" from it.

Empty apartment no more

After almost one month of endless shopping at every weekend, my once empty apartment (see 'Between heaven and hell') is furnished to my satisfaction. It now has a queen sized bed with four pillows (could not get hold of firm ones, so have to do stacking of the pillows) and a comforter. I have an extra pillow and a foldable bed for friends who want to visit me.

A dining table for eating and working, and three chairs. Most importantly, I have two lamps, just in case one bulb fused, I can rely on the other.

My toilet has a shower curtain with lots of toiletries on the water cistern. Now, there is no need for me to squat down when there was no shower curtain.

My kitchen is well-stocked with pots and pans for me to prepare one week of food. So, that will be at least 10 meals. I usually cooked large portion and bought lots of microwable boxes to store the prepared food in the freezer. Every Sunday is a busy day for me to do laundry, clean the apartment and cook.

What is a Singaporean?

I called myself a SBC or Singapore-born Chinese (a more familiar term would be ABC: American-born Chinese). My grandparents immigrated from Swatou, China to start life afresh in this sunny island. My parents and I were borned and bred on this island. I went through the Singapore's education system and served in the national service. So, I consider myself as a typical Singaporean.

What amazes me is that foreign and even Singaporean acquaintances had asked me what nationality I am? Recently, my boss said I do not look, speak or behave like a Singaporean. They thought I was Thai, Vietnamese, Malaysian or Hong Konger etc. Anything except Singaporean. When I visited Vietnam last December, the locals started to converse in Vietnamese when they saw me. I had to grin and tell them in English that I do not understand them. The same incident happened to me in Thailand years ago.

While browsing to buy an English dictionary at a bookshop, I had asked a lady who was at the same section to recommend me the best dictionary to buy. She turned out to be a lecturer at a local university and teaching English. She articulated with the queen's accent and recommended one suitable for me. Then she poped the question, "Are you a Singaporean because you don't sound like one?"

Working at a research institute provided me plenty of opportunities to meet foreign talents. My Indian friend told me that I do not behave like a Singaporean while we chatted at the pantry.

So, can anyone help me to determine how does a Singaporean look, speak and behave from a visitor's point of view?

Freedom comes at a price

On February 24, 2006, one month had passed since I arrived in the Land of Freedom. During this time, I had come to realise that 'freedom' does not come cheap. Things are expensive here. A meal (a stable e.g. rice or potato and two side dishes) costs on average USD6+ with 5% tax in Maryland. Eating out is a luxury especially when there is service involved. Then, you have to add another 10-15% tips for waiters or waitresses who are not paid much. So tip them unless service is really bad!

Staying alone away from family also constitutes a form of freedom. When you are alone in a new place, you can act or behave differently from where you hail from. You tend to be more uninhibited since no one knows you. However, staying alone also means you have to do all the house chores, such as laundry, cooking, washing etc alone. For example, it can get pretty tiring and boring since you have to work in the day and then come back in the evening to prepare food. That is why I cooked 'for an army' at one go (as Betty would described my cooking portion) and eat the same food for several days. Buying microwavable ready-to-eat food is an attractive alternative.

Passing baton

Both Srini and I came from Division of Johns Hopkins, Singapore (DJHS) but we joined at different times.

While I was pursuing my Ph.D., Srini was already employed at DJHS and thereafter he came to Johns Hopkins University (JHU), USA.

Now that I am seconded to JHU, he is going back to DJHS. In fact, I will be sitting at his desk, using his computer etc. when he is gone. Sigh, life makes fun of people.

Yesterday, our boss held a farewell party for him at the Johns Hopkins Faculty Club. We had a sumptuous buffet dinner with roast beef, salmon, trout, salad, pastry and fruits among others except that Srini could only eat salad because he is a vegetarian. One thing for sure, he will be missed by fellow colleagues working at JHU. Through this meal, my colleagues got to know the new lab members better since we had to tell our life stories from our birth to the present.

I wish Srini a safe journey back and a successful career ahead!

Spring is in the air

Winter has passed, Spring is here. You can see transition, growth, renewal, life, happening slowly but surely. What used to be 'dead trees' are sprouting leaves. Some flower buds, like those of the daffodils, are blooming. The cherry trees are magnificent with pinkish flowers (reminds me of Chinese New Year).


The malls wasted no time in having winter and early spring sales too. Gone are the thermal long johns and going on discounts are thick jackets. The in-season clothes are thinner and brightly colored. I just love spring!

'Giving out electricity'

Winter is a time for 'giving out electricity' (My Mandarin translation of static electricity). This term has a funny or colloquial meaning back home. In Mandarin, it means you are interested in somebody. Chinese comedies would often show 'lightning bolts' coming out of the eyes of someone trying to seduce another.

As this was my first winter, I had no idea what is static electricity until I accidentally brushed my colleague's hand. I literally got a shock. It was not painful but uncomfortable. At another time, while getting up in the middle of the night for nature's call, I saw sparks coming from my finger tips the moment I touched the light switch. Amazing!!!

Now, there is a whole new literal meaning for me when I said I am 'giving out electricity' to another person.

The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore

I kept my promise to talk about the zoo in Baltimore. It is located at Druid Park. Without a car and a driving license, I took bus service 22 and walked for a good 20-minute stroll. At the beginning of the walk, there was
no sign to the zoo. I just trusted my gut to continue walking ahead till I saw lots of parked cars.



Since the zoo was celebrating its 130th anniversary, the entrance fee was waived. Naturally, there was a large crowd at the entrance when I arrived. The adult price was USD15. After passing through the gantry, you can either walk about 1km to the attractions or take a tram. I took the tram and arrived at the main area. There were only three main attractions, the polar bear area which housed a few animals from the Artic, the african journey which I could not see many different animals and Maryland wilderness area which was meant for children.


Overall, I was glad my colleagues did not come with me to the zoo. From my visit, I was disappointed because most of the animals were not in sight or they were too far to be seen. The diversity of animal species was limited. The only consolation I got was that I managed to see the
snow fox and snowy owl (like those in the movie 'Harry Potter'). More could be done to improve this zoo. They could take a leaf from The San Diego Zoo or The Singapore Zoological Gardens which are among the world's top zoos.

Friends in a foreign land

Providence comes in the form of colleagues (who are helpful and warm) when I needed it most during this initial period of settling in the USA.

At work, I was guided in my wet experiments since I was totally new to it.

In addition, I was briefed on the USA tax, health insurance and social security systems. The information was too much to process for a small brain like mine.

As for my empty apartment, I am grateful to Delores for giving me the halogen lamp to light up my otherwise dark room at night; Betty had provided me with pots and pans for cooking as it is expensive to eat out and a comfortable bed to sleep on instead of on the floor. Kuen Ok had volunteered to help me buy a rice cooker from a faraway mart. On Mar 10, these three ladies accompanied me on a shopping spree to get my essential items.

What would I do without all the help from my colleagues in a foreign land. It has definitely made my settling easier and less home sick. Till now, I do not feel it except during upacking of my belongings at my FORMER empty apartment. One reason why people feel home sick is because of the loneliness and helplessnes in a new environment. As one grows older, it is harder to change because you are comfortable with the status quo. So, the idiom 'you can't teach an old dog new tricks' is quite true. Change is not a bad thing because if you take it positively, it can bring about growth and maturity. New friendships are formed while I am maintaining old ones by writing my blogs. The wonder of technology has managed to pull distance closer!

PS: Over here, it seems that a microwave oven is an essential because of the convenience it provides. The average price is USD40 versus a 5-litre rice cooker which cost me USD90. Haha, I guess rice cooker is not popular in this country. With the number of microwave ovens flying off the shelf, it is economical to sell it cheaper.

Opened my windows for the first time in 2 weeks

The season I arrived in is winter. Temperatures had been hovering between 34-40 Fahrenheit (1-5 Celsius) with average wind speed 1mph (1.6 km/h). Opening the windows at my apartment is committing suicide.

Stepping out required at least three layers for one accustomed to tropical climate. Movements were hindered with the thick clothings. My otherwise oily face was stripped of my ugly shine. Lip balm was a must for chap lips. Taking a shower everyday could be a cold torture between the time you dry yourself to dressing up. Moisturizer helped to soften and smoothen otherwise tight skin. I had been told that wrinkles form easily here. The faces of pedestrains were so dry.

Since yesterday, the temperature had been climbing slowly to a high of 64 Fahrenheit (18 Celsius). It felt like back home, warm temperature finally. I actually felt hot for the first time here. I am now in my shorts and T-shirt with my windows opened. It sure feels good!

Advantages of being a couch potato

There are many avenues where you can understand a country's culture. For example, through its cuisine, music, literature and of course, TV programs among others.

As a true blue coach potato for a week, the moment I returned from work, I switched on the box to allow some noise to fill my otherwise quiet apartment. After fixing some quick dinner (since it is expensive to eat out), I glued myself to the box while eating. Well, I am impressed for one thing at the number of free channels available from the box. I was switching between channels for about 80 times. Amazing! The mindless switching can be calming after a hard day's work.

In Baltimore City, I was able to switch channels dedicated to sports (e.g. basketball and even fishing), sitcoms, cartoons, talkshows, movies and telemarketing. With so many channels to choose from, I was spoilt for choices. There was the trait of switching to another channel during commercial breaks.

Talking about commercial breaks, I managed to get information on the 130th celebration of The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore where there were free entrance over the last weekends. (More of this zoo in another posting).

Guess being a couch potato has some advantages for a newbie like me in a foreign land and culture.

Improvise

1. What would you do if you were lactose-intolerant but had 2 litres of full cream milk nearing its expiry date?

Throw it away? Nah, it's wasteful. Pour it into a bath tub and have a milk bath. It helps to moisture your skin.

A better solution is not to buy it in the first place.


2. How do you hand wash delicate clothes without pails?

Use the bath tub. It has hot and cold taps for hot and cold washes.


3. You want to make salad but there is only a plate and a knife but no pail to wash your vegetables.

Clean the sink and fill up with cold water to wash vegetables. Cut the vegetables on the plate since there is no chopping board. Be prepared that the plate will have scratch marks.



Disclaimer: All these scenarios are personal experiences and how I reacted to the problems at hand. The settings are in an empty apartment in USA.

Between heaven and hell

On 24th Feb 2006 (Friday), I arrived at Baltimore-Washington International Airport, Maryland, USA for a one-year attachment at Johns Hopkins University after more than 24 hours of flight. I was picked up by my boss, Prof. August and colleague, Srini. Boy, was I delighted to see them 'cos I was lugging four baggages. Two were 23kg each, a 12kg hand luggage and a camera bag. I wonder how I had managed to bring about 60kg of clothes, etc with me. They drove me to The Broadview Apartment where my company in Singapore has kindly arranged a room for me.


The room, at USD90 per day plus 5% state tax, was like any hotel room that I had stayed before except that it was larger. It had two walk-in closets, a kitchen, a bathroom and a main bedroom. The kitchen had microwave and pots for cooking where I wasted no time to prepare food for the coming week. The main bedroom had TV, phone and two single-beds. Life was comfortable.




One week later (4 Mar), I shifted into my permanent apartment at Broadview, but this time, it was an empty apartment. There was no bed, no lamp, no cooking utensil, no chair etc. Nothing!!! Though I had been told to expect it, I just could not accept the state of the apartment that day. I actually felt homesick at that moment. The rent is USD670/month which exclude electricity. Luckily, water and gas are included, else I would live from hand-to-mouth. Haha...


To survive this current nothingness, I have to improvise on lots of things because I could not get anything around walking distance. (I regret not getting a car license now.) I have to wait for my colleagues with cars to bring me to some far a way shopping centres to get the essential stuffs.

To drink water, I had to buy bottled mineral water from a supermarket, located 2km away in the freezing, biting cold winter. Worse, I had to spend two nights without light in my main apartment. This is the most terrible part. It's like going back to primeval time where early men lived in caves. Haha.... I really appreciate lightings now! I bought some candles but the flame was too dim for me to read. Moreover, the floor was carpeted, so I don't want to bring the whole place down.

The toilet has a bath tub without shower curtain. If I were to shower standing upright, the whole toilet would be wet. And you definitely don't want to step on cold freezing water in the middle of the night when you use the toilet. So, I had to use a bowl (a gift from Srini) and used it as a scoop while I sat in the bath tub, minimising the splashes. Pathetic!

I also managed to get a small pot from another colleague living nearby. I had to boil water about 12 times for me to get sufficient volume to last me for one day. Meals were taken while standing or sitting on the floor 'cos there was no chair!

This episode has taught me not to take ordinary things like lightings, bed, chair etc for granted. Life has been comfortable back home. It's through changes that you are forced to re-assess yourself.