First class of the semester

WOW...that is literally the only way to describe my first class. The lecturer is truly brilliant. He is my course advisors mentor and she really wasnt kidding when she told us just how great this guy is or that he will shake up our very ideas and beliefs regarding psychology, learning and behaviour. In one class he told us that everything I have learnt and done in the past 6 years relating to cognitive psychology was in fact behaviourism as cognitive psychology (to him) is nothing more than a myth. Basically everything we do is due to the interaction we have with the environment and our past and present experiences. The future doesnt exist. It was a really interesting class. I was starting to feel a bit bad though as he'd ask us questions and I was feeling like the only person answering them though I am hoping that the others will start to answer more as they get used to the subject matter. We are still waiting on our syllabus but it sounds as though we will have 2 exams and possibly a paper to complete for this class which shouldnt be too bad. Anyway off to bed as tomorrow is an early start and start into my practicum for most of the day plus another class in the late afternoon. Hopefully tomorrow I will get an opportunity to talk further with Dr Sharon Reeve regarding my study plan for the remainder of my degree.

Hurricane Irene - the next day

Well the weather has completely calmed down once again and you would almost never know we had had a down graded hurricane through the area. However I went for a walk this morning only to discover that sections of the main road just in front of the college have been closed due to downed trees and there are a few areas on campus where trees have fallen down. Aside from that and a little silt on the side of the road in some areas as well as a very dirty looking creek everything is normal and no damage to the buildings have occurred. There are men here working on clearing away the fallen trees and have been all morning. Hopefully they dont have too much more to do. Classes start today and Im very excited. The dining hall has opened properly now as they have all their required licences and things so the chefs are cooking on premises and producing a lot of different food options which is great. The trains in the state are still not running as New Jersey itself took a fair battering from the hurricane but the buses are on the move and it shouldn't be long before everything is back to business as usual.

Hurricane Irene

Well the Hurricane hit Caldwell at around 2am but thankfully we weren't hit too badly here. It lasted roughly 6-7 hours and came with torrential rain and very high winds. It sounded like a whistling and booming but I dont think there was any thunder or lightning. To the best of my knowledge there is no damage on campus and the college will be open for classes tomorrow. We are still not meant to go outside though the rain has stopped the wind is still relatively strong (at least compared to what little wind we've had since I arrived here). Lunch was left for us in the lounge downstairs so lunch and dinner is sandwiches. Its still sweltering hot but the wind is certainly helping lower the temperatures. There have been several sirens and the likes going off on and off all day though aside from what sounded like a fire engine (on one occasion) I do not know what they were in aid of or whether they were related to the weather. All in all in has been a thankfully uneventful night and I managed to sleep through most of it. Most importantly we weren't evacuated and we still have power and water.

moving day

Cannot wait until today is over and done with so that maybe this place will finally quieten down again. No more trucks going around after midnight and lawnmowers going over the same piece of lawn every single morning as soon as the sun comes up. About to lose alot of space in our room now as Stacey doesnt want to keep the bunk beds. I have no idea where her bed is going to go and to be honest Im not concerned as long as it doesnt require too much effort. Especially as she wont even be here to get it sorted out anyway. Apparently my practicum hours have increased to 7 hours in two days for next week but I dont know if that is a mistake or because its only a short week. I have started looking over the requirements for my first Rotary report because I doubt Im going to be having much more free time once class starts. On the plus side I always have Tuesday lunchtimes free in case Rotary invites me along to a meeting. Still dont know what I need to have with me here but it looks like all the cleaning equipment and toilet paper and things is up to us to supply. Seems to be a rather interesting system anyway. We now have a pink floor lamp sitting in the room (Im hoping itll end up in a corner rather than anywhere too obvious. Cant wait for classes to get started and things to start happening as right now there isnt a lot going on around the place for those of us who are already settled in and with the storm on its way its not worth trying to go anywhere either.

batten down the hatchs

had graduate orientation tonight learnt how the ABA program was going to turn us into the best behavioural analysts we can be. Very scary and daunting but really exciting regardless. The college has started cancelling orientation activities for the weekend and classes may be cancelled for Monday as well as we await for Hurricane Irene to hit. We have back up generators in all of the halls and food is going to be delivered to us so we dont have to walk across campus for meals while the weather is bad. Tomorrow should be OK so might have to head down to the supermarket to stock up a bit. My roommate is moving her gear in tomorrow and then moving in after the weekend (weather dependent). Shes in ABA as well so might make studying a bit easier anyway. Going to meet with Sharon Reeve on Monday to set my schedule for the rest of my degree. Sounds like my work load will be relatively heavy but definitely going to be well worthwhile. Really looking forward to starting classes and getting my course outlines so I know what the semester is going to be like.

The end of Orientation

Well Im all signed up for my practicum and will soon have my schedule for classes. I have just learnt that next weekend is a long weekend (four days) so its off to DC for me (at least that is the current favourite choice) I have decided that New York may be a day thing and then go on from there but I wont spend the whole 4 days there as its only $15 return to get there from here and takes 50 mins each way so it will be an easy day trip whenever I feel like it/can afford to go. I have officially unpacked and my room now looks like someone elses as everything is in a very exact place. If anyone walked in here right now and didnt know me their first thought would be OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). We have had rain and thunder today and yet it still manages to be excessively hot (its apparently 28 degrees) Im actually starting to miss the snow and cold of home. These temperatures (so Im told) will be kindly sticking around for about 2 weeks but then fall will kick in and it'll start to cool off thankfully. (No doubt in a few months Ill be on here complaining about the cold and snow but what can I say Im just like that). I spoke to a woman at the disability services and academic tutoring center on campus today and may very well have a job lined up tutoring psychology basics and helping disabled students with note-taking and exam time. Apparently it is very well paid - $10/hr. Money is money so Im happy with whatever I can get. I am also considering taking an off site practicum/internship next semester though it will depend on how things go at the center this semester (if I love it there then Ill just take an offsite internship over the summer or do a 50/50 deal as the offsite internships are actually paid and very well apparently). It will also depend on what work I get over the semester. I am slowly working out my class schedule for the next 4 semesters and might have to either drop a class this semester or get a prerequisite dropped for next semester so that I have enough credits to retain my F1 (VISA) status. At this stage it works out at 8 credits total with the classes I want to take but I have to have 9 so Im going to talk to my course advisor tonight at grad orientation and see if she has any suggestions. When  I met with her yesterday we discussed the best electives for me to take so that I will be prepared for setting up an ABA practice at home and we have found 3 classes that will be exactly what I need. I am hoping that through taking to her and the other faculty I will be able to get a great understanding of what it would take to set something up back home and what qualifications and knowledge I would need to ultimately have for it. Also some help with designing a workshop for parents, teachers and professionals/employers associated with ASD so that I can reach as many people as possible when I return. So far things are looking very promising and Im really enjoying my time here.

The college I love

Had dinner at Tim (my host councellor) and Nancy Blattner's last night really delicious meal and a lovely couple. Had a great time. Today I was given a tour around the ABA center which is going to be my home for the duration of my studies (not literally but Ill be working there 10 hours a week this semester and more as my time here goes on). Got my phone working now so it doesnt click constantly when the ringer is turned on. Going to be getting my new textbooks soon and have met one of my lecturers already. Also getting my schedule for the ABA center organised tomorrow and hopefully will meet with the person in charge of the disability services on campus so I can earn some money while Im here. Im currently working on keeping my Fridays free so that I can have long weekends to see some of the sights around I also want to try and keep work away from lunchtimes so I can get my Rotary presentations sorted without too much chopping and changing. Fingers crossed it will all work out OK.

Caldwell College

Got to Newark airport and through to meet Tim Blattner who was sitting there holding up sign with my name on it at the baggage claim. Grabbed my gear and then we were off to Caldwell College which took about half an hour. I had slept all the way on the plane and was completely shattered but we got my gear up to my room and then I was given a short tour, got my hands on some lunch and headed off to get my ID card. Has to be the worst ID photo I have ever had taken I looked absolutely shattered and very red in the face but it gets me into my room so that is really all that matters. Took a trip out to Target and lined up some meetings and plans for the week. Met my new RA (also my suitemate) Tibi who is really lovely and loaned me her computer so I could email home. Couldnt get my internet going so gave it up for the day and went to bed early completely wiped out.
New day and it was off to orientation where we learnt a bit about culture shock and health care. Got treated to a brilliant clip about culture shock which is brilliant for anyone going overseas for a long time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPfB6GIjM9Q Straight from orientation to the Caldwells rotary meeting, very casual today just a service day. Got to meet everyone (who was there) and was invited to the districts Presidents Ball which should be pretty good fun. The club was very interesting and a great bunch of people. Main differences were that they have the pledge at the start rather than doing an anthem at the end, they also have something called happy or sad dollars where anyone who wants to gives a dollar for each sad or happy event they want to tell the club about. They get a choice of three items off the taverns menu for lunch and the meeting is only about an hour and a half long. Met a woman who is involved in DiveHeart. A group that trains divers to be buddies for disabled people and veterans so they can get the therapy and enjoyment from going scuba diving. Also read about the Lion King broadway show that was changing its show one matinee so that autistic individuals would be more relaxed to go along and see it without all the sensory overload. Really amazing how far out of their way people go over here for the disabled. Went and set up a bank account so I can buy the college asap and felt the 5.8 quake that shook Virginia. Kinda felt like the shake you get when a truck or train goes by and didnt think much of it until the other people in the bank started reacting. Back to Caldwell and got the internet online and its off to Tim Blattners for dinner shortly.

Bring on the activities

OK so where am I? Day three I think? Well early start and off kayaking at Kailua had one heck of a wind going on so it was a very interesting and hard paddle. Once we got over the breakers it wasnt too bad. Paddled out a quarter of a mile and checked out the Wedge tail shear waters and were lucky enough to see a chick (they arent supposed to be hatched for another 3 weeks). Snorkeling was a total bust all I saw was a shoe and my dri-bag ended up drier on the outside than the inside which is definitely not the point of them. Back to the hotel and found my way to the Alii Kai sunset dinner cruise. Checked out the Polynesian show and the lights of Waikiki. Not much of a sunset but the show was brief but good.
My last day and it was a really bright and early start for the sunrise climb up diamond. Climbed 560 feet along a 1.6 mile path and learnt the reach of Rotary...saw a bin donated by the Waikiki club at the summit of Diamond Head. Very tiring walk and took 2 hours in total. The sun was well up by the time we got to the summit but at least the heat wasnt there. After that and it was time for packing up and checking out before heading to the marina to catch my boat for parasailing. 700ft/213m/57 storeys up and talk about a view. Definitely one of the scariest things Ive ever done but well worth it and a great way to end my time before going to the airport to say Aloha Hawaii and Hello New Jersey.

Hawaii

Hawaii

OK so here goes my first post. Well I made it to Hawaii in one piece and managed to bring all of my luggage as well which was starting to look doubtful. A lot of delays and things thats to electrics etc but come midnight and I was in the shuttle and nearly my hotel room.
Day Two brought about a long day of exploring Waikiki Beach and the largest shopping mall in Hawaii. Looked into getting a new sim for my cell phone only to learn that my phone wouldnt work with US sim cards and I have to pay for both sending and receiving messages and texts. A bit silly really but hopefully I wont need it much.
Day Three and it was up early and off to Pearl Harbour and the city tour. Saw some amazing sights and learnt a lot about what happened on December 7th 1941. The Arizona Memorial and Punchbowl cemetry were really wonderful and I really enjoyed my day. Went out and rented a camera and booked my parasail for Sunday....very excited about the next couple of days and getting on to Caldwell.

Anyway that is all for now.