PTSD

The Half-Time Report

I realised that I had just passed the half-way stage of my time at OOD. In about two months, I will be back in DC, penniless and jobless…did I write penniless? Assuming all goes well, that is.

In Nepali terms, counting towards the endpoint would probably lead to some (not v nice) mishap occurring in the near future and hence the half-time report being end-of-time report. Morbid thoughts aside (though it is a particularly morbid thoughts type of weather outside with blustery winds and grey skies), I reckoned I should write some of the unexpected things about OOD so far:

The homesickness. Not since I left home at 18 have I been this homesick. I just MISS home. I miss my Mum and her food and shopping tips :-), I miss my Dad and his long walks which he usually managed to go off on without letting anyone else know in case they wanted to go with him, I miss Peru who is not really a country but a sister and is not even in Peru but in New Zealand (and has been for the past four years and I haven’t seen her in all that time) and the little one (who, being the tallest, is not really little either). I miss the dog, even his habit of killing huge rats and presenting it to me as though he had done something really really brilliant. I miss my Granddad and his continuous interest in the news. I miss my Grandma and her habit of never listening to any of us. I just miss home. And, I don’t know why. It’s not the longest I have been away (I was there last summer), it’s not like it is very exciting (usually, I just stay inside the house and do nothing much and there is no Internet) and when I am there, I just want to get back to Uni. I think the pace of life at OOD and the people (willing to help out if asked but fairly quiet and not interested in starting conversations otherwise) remind me of Nepal.

It may be odd to say that since OOD is in one of the richest countries in the world in terms of GDP per capita and Nepal is one of the poorest. But, the people and their attitudes and the general willingness to help out just remind me of home. Besides, here they fertilise their flowers and plants with cow dung. How can that not remind me of home? The food here is fairly boring. As is ours. And, there is dog shit on nearly all the pavements. During winter and the snow, it was all covered. Now, you can see them—big, small, curled up, all shapes and sizes. Also, blokes seem to pee just about anywhere. The other day, I was looking out the window of my flat in the early morning and man stopped below and what I thought was him watering the plants (it was a cold, foggy day) turned out to be him watering the plants but not in the usual way (water, hose, you know). And, I watched the whole process amazed by what I thought was Danish efficiency in watering plants even on such a shite day. Only later, did I realise what was going on.

Another unexpected and wonderful thing is the encouragement, at OOD Uni, that PhD students should just teach and study. And do their research. And faculty are willing to help out, point students in the directions of conferences and meetings in their field and just create linkages among their and other students. After TUWSNBN, this is refreshing (though I am not implying all professors of TUWSNBN are not interested in students doing research). And much appreciated.

The best part of OOD I reckon though is the sea. Even in winter ,with lovely grey-coloured waves, the sea is just fantastic. Until coming to OOD, I had never seen the sea in true winter with ice-covered stones and long stretches of sands where the water has frozen into icy particles. Beaches in Thailand and Australia never get this cold. If given a choice, I would just live by the sea (and go on the dole while I write my PhD :-))

Another thing I really miss is not having books to read or films to watch. I used to watch a film a week. Bad films, good ones, Hollywood blockbusters, obscure indie flicks, anything. I have seen one since coming here (Robots). It is not like I don’t want to see films but that the choice is very limited with National Treasure and Hide and Seek being among some recent offers. And, no H2G2. I am depending on Elizabeth to provide me with details of it. Also, no cheap books. The library at Uni of OOD is great but does not have the sort of books I like to read in between obsessing about papers and research—you know, the rubbish books. Often mysteries, in my case. Sometimes British “imperial” books (Conrad, Orwell, Kipling, etc) and old favourites like James Herriot, Gerald Durrell and P.G. Wodehouse for those times when I want absurdity in my life. None of that is available. So, I miss the libraries of America. One of the best things about that country, actually. Free, huge, marvellously well-stocked libraries. Did I say free?

Another unexpected thing is that it is really expensive to go out in OOD. A pint of beer costs around US$ 9. A good reason to stay home and do some much-needed reading for that PhD proposal I am supposed to be writing…

I just realised it is Friday and I should probably run for the bus now instead of sitting indoors writing up the half-time report of my stay here. Before I go, just a quick addition to Elizabeth’s earlier (pre-poetry) post about blogthings. Apparently, if zombies attacked, I would be a survivor (Brilliant, eh? I always knew being forced to play cricket when young would come in handy at some time in life) but then my “signature weapon” is a halberd (and I had to look up what that was). Not sure how that works out.

posted by Priya @ 2:03 PM