The Trip Down & Getting Settled

My view from the car.  I think this is Mt. Shasta

I can’t believe how fast time has gone!  It has been over three weeks since my parents and I arrived in Pasadena.  It was a long drive; my car was packed full, with a space in the back seat with just big enough for me.  It was comical actually.  To my surprise there was not much to see on the way.  There were lots of cows, orchards and fields of fruits and veggies, but not much else.  We stopped in Stockton and barely found a place to stay because there was a water polo tournament and most hotels in the city were booked.  The following day we arrived in Pasadena in the afternoon.  We had just enough time to unload the car, go mattress shopping (buy one!), and spend several hours in IKEA getting a book shelf, desk, night stand and many other small necessities.

My bedroom - in the process of unpacking.

I spent my first week in town busy with orientation, getting settled (with the help of my parents), and at the end of the week we spent two days at Disneyland, which of course was wonderful.  Disneyland is one of my mom’s favorite places, so it was an absolute must on our list of things to do.  The first thing I did when we arrived was to buy my annual pass…that means that I can go to Disneyland once or twice a month if I’d like to.  So, if you’d like to go to Disneyland, let me know.  My parents headed back to Oregon after spending a week exploring the area and helping me get settled.

Me and Lego Woody in the Downtown Disney Lego store

Mom and Dad before the Toy Story Ride in California Adventure

My classes have been great so far.  I am taking four classes, Christian Ethics; Globalization, the Poor, and Christian Missions; Theology and the Media; and World Religions, Art and Symbol.  Apparently there are very few students who take more than three classes (since that is considered full time).  Everyone that I have talked to has told me that I am crazy, or asked if I am sure if I want to take four classes.  I am sticking with it for this term and will wait until I’ve finished this term before deciding how many classes to take in the winter.

I have been pleasantly surprised to have met a few people already who have connections to friends back home!  At the first social that kicked off orientation I met Sarah, who is from Tacoma and was friends with Joanie in middle school and went to church with Diana when they were growing up.  Then on the first day of class a girl came in and sat next to me.  We introduced ourselves and realized that I went to school at Willamette with her sister and worked with her little brother’s best friend this summer.  I had sent her a message over the summer to see if she had any suggestions for finding housing after Brad (her little brother’s best friend) told me that she attended Fuller and encouraged me to contact her.  Just yesterday I spent some time talking with a girl who is doing a group project with me who worked at Simpson University and remembers Jenna from when she was an undergraduate student.  Wow!  It is such a small world and also really nice to make those connections! 

Christina & Kaylee

I have also had some time to spend with my new roommate, Christina, and her cat, Kaylee.  Christina and I both enjoy watching movies (with our collections combined we probably have around 200 movies), so we have spent a few evenings enjoying movies together.  Christina is in her final term of her Marriage and Family Studies degree at Fuller.  She also loves Disney and has an annual pass, so I imagine that we will spend some time together in the happiest place on earth.  She has been so kind and welcoming and has been introducing me to her friends, which I greatly appreciate since I am still in the “new kid” phase.  We are slowly making our apartment home for both of us.  Last Friday we spent some time at IKEA (again) and bought our dining room table and chairs, along with some pictures for our living room.  We still have some settling to do, but we’re getting there.

Our living and dining room - pre-decorating

From our dining room looking into our kitchen and 1/2 bath

It took Kaylee a few days to warm up to me.  She spent several days hiding (most of the time) or running away from me when I bent down to pet her.  Now, however, I find her wanting to crawl up on my lap as I’m doing homework or relaxing on the couch more and more.  She is lying on my lap at this very moment.  In the three weeks that I have lived with her, she has taught me quite a few things.  

1. How to cat nap (she does it often and I have unintentionally joined her, on occasion, while doing reading assignments).
2. That a nudge with her head means to pet her.
3. Where the phrase “scaredy-cat” comes from (I sneezed and she ran as fast as she could down the stairs to get away from me).
4. That cats are indeed curious, which reminds me of the Harry Caray SNL skit (it is one of the best ever check it out  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3gl4ERlmeg).  Kaylee’s latest obsession is the cracks between the couch cushions.  She has been doing this thing where she jumps onto the couch and plunges her head and front half of her body into the crack between the seat cushion and back cushion and she always wants to do this where I am sitting.  She likes to hide in dark small places, so I think this is why she is so interested in the cracks.
5. Etc.

Kaylee sitting on my lap while I am trying to type this blog post.

Weather

In addition to learning about cats, I am also learning about climate, weather, and how people react to it.  About a week and a half ago, Christina and I went to IKEA to buy a dining room table.  On our way out, I overheard a woman talking to her two small children.  (It had rained while we were in the store but was no longer raining when we got out.)  

“Do you smell that?”  She said to her kids.  I did smell something, wet dirty pavement.

“Yeah!”  They replied.  

“That’s the smell of rain.  Doesn’t it smell good?”  She asked.  The kids agreed.

I was slightly terrified!  “Good?”  It doesn’t smell good, nor does it smell like rain.  If only they could smell rain on green grass or trees.  Oh well, difference of opinion.  The funny thing is I have heard it a lot that people down here like the smell of rain.  I asked my friend Marianne (a friend from Willamette who happens to live in South Pasadena) about it.  She told me that it is true; it is a very common thing for people to like the smell of rain on pavement because it doesn’t rain very often here and when it does, that is the smell they associate it with.

Last Wednesday it rained all day, it wasn’t cold, but it did rain enough for me to wish I had my rain boots.  I saw several people wearing rain boots, which means I should have tried to squeeze mine in my car to bring them with me.  I also did not bring my umbrella, but don’t worry I have my trusty rain coat, which is something that not many people have here.  I was one of few people without an umbrella, the sign of a true Oregonian/North Westerner.  I think I might invest in a pair of Target rain boots for the next rainy day, so I don’t have to worry about taking my wet shoes off in the library in order to dry them and my wet socks out.  I thought no one would want to sit by me, but I was wrong.  Someone did and it didn’t seem to bother him that I had my shoes off.  Regardless of that, I think rain boots are a good idea.

Non-studying Fun

I have done a little exploring around Pasadena.  Marianne has helped with that.  One Sunday afternoon we walked down to Cal Tech (which is only three blocks from my apartment) and had a picnic on campus.  We saw turtles in a pond, which was really exciting.  I was shocked that they were just out there, no fence or anything, just dozens of turtles sunbathing around a pond.  We also went and walked the three mile loop that goes around the Rose Bowl and golf course, which is also used for parking during big games (It made me sad to think of a golf course being used for a parking lot…but I guess they do what they have to do). 

Cal Tech Turtles!

This past Saturday, I spent a few hours at a “Self Care Retreat” for SIS (School of Intercultural Studies) students.  Speakers led us through times of reflection, gave us pointers on taking care of ourselves in the midst of the busyness of school, the importance of building a community of support, etc.  It was a great time to take a break from studying and left me feeling refreshed.  The second year students brought food for a potluck for us and we all ate dinner together that night. 

Me and some of my new friends in the SIS - doing a crazy face.

The following day, I met a group of friends from school at the Rose Bowl Flea Market.  They set up booths all around the Rose Bowl.  I have never seen anything quite like it.  It reminded me of going to the Antique show at the Expo Center in Portland, only it was completely outside.  We spent a couple of hours there, but didn’t even get through half of it.  It was pretty overwhelming, but very cool.  I hope to go again.  It happens every second Sunday of the month, so if any of you would like to join me there, plan accordingly.

Rose Bowl, you can't see it, but it is surrounded by booths for the Flea Market