Life Travels

Friday, December 22, 2006

Flying to Vancouver

21 Dec 2006

Today I woke up at 6.15 am. I need to get back to UCLA Tom Bradley International Hall to get my travel documents. Had pancake breakfast again, though I am starting to get quite sick of it. I think I am becoming really good at making unburnt pancakes. One girl said I should get myself employed here to make pancakes for the tenants. Haha.. Ok the trick is (Xinhui, Miaohui and Gabriel listen up):

1) Scrap away all the rubbish on the pan – it should be smooth
2) Be generous with the oil unless you are really sure that the pan is non-stick.
3) Don’t be too ambitious - start by mastering how to make small pancakes
4) Control the fire unless you want to eat burnt carbohydrates
5) Flip over only when bubbles are forming at top layer

I always enjoyed cooking, just that I don’t have much time to explore this field yet. Somehow, I think a great organic chemist will make a good cook. Buying good ingredients is akin to shopping for the necessary chemicals off our favourite Sigma-Aldrich. After that a cook has to prepare for the cook, like washing and chopping, much similar to me dicing/slicing the sodium metal or grinding the KOH pellets. Next is the temperature control which cannot be more emphasized for both cooks and organic chemists.

Anyway I was quite sad at breakfast today cos I am bidding farewell to Flo and Luis. They are very nice to me for the past two days and we can really talk to each other very well. I wonder when I will see them again. =(

After breakfast I head down to UCLA with Luke – a new friend from Australia who is here on exchange too. I am so glad I have him to help me tow my luggage, especially up Gayley Avenue which is a long slopey road. Anyhow, I think I can apply to be an immigration officer for U.S. I think I know the inside out and stuff already. Ok my problem is that I arrive earlier to LA to settle my some private admin stuff such as a cell phone line and a bank account and register with UCLA then I wanna fly up to Vancouver for a holiday then back to LA before term officially starts.

Ok, for students studying in US, generally you are given either F1 or J1 status. There is no much difference in the privileges (depends on what the university likes to give u) except that F1 status allows u to hang around in U.S. for two months after the program ends while J1 only entitles one extra month. Either both allows u to enter U.S. earliest one month prior to the start of the program. I was given F1 status and I entered U.S. first and I thought that since my F1 status is already bestowed, I would be allowed back to U.S. after my Vancouver trip. I pre-empted this problem and even emailed US Embassy based in Singapore and they said I shld be fine since I shld be allowed back as my program has not started. However that’s not the case. When I entered U.S., I noticed they stamped on my I-20 form (the form that give u the F1 or J1 status) and then I realized shit – my I-20 is used and I cant use it to re-enter U.S. Lucky me.. I went to check with UCLA and they said “Ya, u might have a problem coming back.” I should have entered US first on a visitor status (Singaporean visitors/tourists do not require US VISA if the stay is less than 30 days) then re-enter US with my I-20 form after my Vancouver trip.

Goodness, so I did the necessary travel arrangements again and managed to survive. Another Tip: for those who plan to go outside US (e.g. Mexico or Canada) during the period of Exchange Program, u need to do the same for the above. For UCLA people, u need to look for the really nice Jeremy Wintringer – he is the man. But u need to do it two weeks b4 the flight. Only special cases and for people as friendly as me can get this done in less than 24 hours. Kidding.. =p

Oh ya another tip, when u arrive to US, u will be given this small slip of paper stapled to the page of your VISA. It is called I-94. When u exit U.S, make sure the officer tears it away but sometimes they are lazy and they leave it there. So when u re-enter US make sure u show them that form so they don’t re-issue. You cannot at any one time hold two pieces of I-94 as that will mean there is two of you (yes u cloned yourself) in US. Haha..

The check-in for my flight to San Francisco at LAX is rather scary.. Singapore Changi Airport is definitely the best man. We are much more organized. It is so messy here. I managed to grab my boarding pass and head my way down for my United Airlines flight (hope it is good) after letting them scan all my stuff. I reach my departure gate really early.. so wait lor. My flight from San Francisco to Vancouver was delayed! It is supposed to depart at 4.27pm and end up we departed at 6pm. Augustine waited for me since 6.45pm (Vancouver time) and I only reached at 8.45pm. Ok I owe him one. I was really thrilled to see him.. mainly cos I felt much safer with him around and I don’t need to fend for myself anymore now that he is around. Finally I can sleep with peace, not fearing people might steal your stuff and you have to lock things away..

To my family, especially mum (ok she cannot read but please tell her), I am safe now and don’t worry. Tomorrow I will be around to webcam with you guys at about 11.30am Singapore time onwards =) And for those who wants to catch me.. I am online then. =p

blabbered by Jinzhan at 4:16 PM |