Hot in the city

It's hot and humid and not altogether pleasant in NYC right now - I can see why New Yorkers get out of the city during the summer months. Not having much choice in the matter, I just have to grin and bear it - but there's been plenty going on here to take my mind off the heat.

Friday night, met up with some friends-of-friends at a rather cool waterfront cafe just off 79th Street, overlooking the Hudson River. Spectacular views at night of New Jersey's office blocks lit up against the evening sky. Not a bad place to drink at all.

Previously in the day we'd had the International Student Orientation on campus. This was an interesting affair, a chance for the ISSO staff to take us through all the immigration procedures and stuff we had to be aware of, safety on and around campus, that kind of thing. For the most part there was a lot of useful information, although I didn't get the impression that as a native English speaker the orientation was really geared towards me. This impression was confirmed when the lady MC'ing the event asked those present (about 1,400 people) to stand up according to their area of origin. On "Asia", fully half the room stood up...

The Orientation also produced another gem from the ISSO, "Survival 101 - Your Guide to the US, New York and Columbia". I read this cover to cover, and like the guide available on the net which I printed out before I came, it's so good I think it deserves a wider audience. Allow me to produce some of my favourite parts below for you:

"Americans tend to shower daily, use deodorant, and wash clothes frequently. Strong odors of any kind, including body odor, perfumes and colognes, and ethnic food odors, are disturbing to Americans [guess I better chuck that Eau de Fish and Chips I brought - RT]. They probably won't tell you if your odor is offensive to them, so be aware of others' reactions to you. If you think they may be offended by an odor, you may want to adopt some American hygiene practices while you are here."

"If you ask for a phone number from a new friend, he/she may not give it to you. Don't feel offended, but respect the person's choice. Also, if they take your number, that does not automatically mean they will call you."

OK, OK, I know the ISSO is doing a great job, and that the orientation is mainly geared towards Asian/South American/African students, but still...The Americans I showed this to thought it was hilarious, as did the other Brits, Canadians and Indians I've met over the last few days. Although in the ISSO's defence there is quite a bit of useful info in there, like tax-free shopping periods, which my New Yorker friends didn't know about.

And the ISSO has been doing a nifty line in events celebrating New York. Sunday was a case in point - a tour of the magnificent Central Park, a first for me, followed by a trip to Brooklyn and return to Manhattan over the Brooklyn Bridge. Things finished off at the Lincoln Centre, with live outdoor Jazz. Not being a jazz afficionado, I can't really say much about it, but it was pretty cool just to be able to sit outside on a summer evening and chill out.

I've been meeting a lot of people of varying nationalities, kind of like JET all over again, only more wide-ranging. Been hanging out (and talking cricket) with a lot of Indians and a few fellow Brits (met only three so far - I don't think there are many of us). Met a lof of cool people and am feeling pretty happy about the way things are working out so far.

Anyway, this post has gone on long enough, so I'll leave you with the photos below.