Orientation

Today was orientation. Being a compulsive planner I left at 1:30, allowing an hour to commute even though it only takes half an hour. Luckily I know how to navigate the LES/EV pretty well, normally I have a complete inability to know which way is uptown vs. downtown. I almost always guess wrong. It's impressive. I got off a stop early at Prince St. Because across the street Dean and Deluca is too conveniently located. I need to not make this a habit. Though I did get the best ginger ale I've ever had, unfiltered by Bruce Cost. It's pretty amazing. After successfully killing time waiting in line, I headed three blocks downtown. After being ushered through a variety of tables, we took our ID pictures. I had considered leaving way in advance and walking (about an hour 15 min walk), but am very glad I didn't, I can't imagine what I would have looked like in that picture! Not that our pictures will actually resemble us, since we have to wear these hats that make us all look the same (hair tucked in). We then got our uniforms, books and had a two hour presentation on the school and what to expect. My "book" is actually a gigantic notebook, and it's only level one...So far our only "homework" is to read over general information and familiarize ourselves with the first recipes. One of the academic advisors was encouraging us to take notes during lectures, at first I thought she must be kidding. She wasn't. It seemed a bit obvious, but perhaps outside the world of academia such things aren't. I'm not entirely sure how each day works, but I think it goes something like, demonstration, then practice. We have lunch provided by the 4th level culinary students, which is nice that I don't have to go out and get lunch (especially dangerous in LES). Overall, everything looks great! We get some perks, like discounts (small, but still, at Williams Sonoma, Sur la Table, Kitchenaid, Salumeria, and a few others).
The morning class (which is what I'm in) has twenty two students, sixteen in afternoon. We are unique in that over 50% of the morning class is international. Apparently normally its closer to 15%. There are two people from California (Santa Barbra and Southern CA), A couple from Philadelphia, and most are from New York, New Jersey, or Queens. The international students range quite a bit, from two Brazilian girls who were very excited to find one another to a tall, lanky, and gorgeous blonde from French Sweden (very jealous of her amazing accent), along with girls from the Dominican Republic, Malaysia, Germany, and few others I can't quite recall. There are two guys in our class, and none in the afternoon. The ages range from mostly in early to mid twenties to a few in their 30's or 40's. Very diverse! I'm excited there are so many international students, sure to make the experience more interesting.
I'm very excited to start on Monday! Since I'm mostly done with the apartment (waiting on shipments), I plan on finishing getting everything I need for class and then doing nothing in particular. I haven't felt too lonely yet, it certainly helps that I have had close to no free time and having a roommate around is also nice. But I have to admit, I'm counting down until next Friday when Alex visits!