Navigating the Streets of GFK

There are certain things that are different here. And I have come to expect that. By no means is this place Sydney. It is something entirely and completely different. It has its own flare, one could say.

Imagine you are a suburbite in a middle sized city. You are suddenly situated in very large city with buses, trains, ferries, light rail, and even monorails. You have to learn the schedule and time tables, fares, and and locations of stops. How quickly could one/ or you adjust? I think I adjusted fairly well. I was a bit hesitant about the trains but quickly learned that they were much quicker and by far 'safer' than the buses, even if the trains were cancelled or running late.

Now move yourself from that very large city to a middle sized university town in the far northern U.S. It is quite different. In Sydney, I was not overwhelmed by streets and cross walks. I learned quickly to look to the right. Always look to the right. Even thsoe signs on the ground, helped remind me.

Look to the Right ----->

Here, I am still having issues when crossing the street. Why am I having such a difficult time with the cross walks? For instance here in Grand Forks, the cross walks scare me! The walk times are ungodly short. Even shorter than Sydney's cross walk lights. (For all of you in Sydney you know what I am talking about, for those of you not in Sydney... those things are bloody short.) People seem to pull their cars into the middle of the cross walk bars, making it difficult to navigate the cross walks.

A couple of interesting cross walk things (and yes simple things amuse me). Instead of pushing a button, you have to touch this metal ring, thus making the button 'beep.' I asked someone why they just don't have push buttons here, and she simply replied... it's too cold here, the push buttons never worked.

Nice to know it gets so cold here that mechanical moving parts don't work in the winter.

And finally, when crossing the street, you get a 25 second countdown (some are shorter, much shorter!). You get that time so you know when your ass is going to get ran over.

That's all!

'Welcome Weekend' @ UND

I am beginning to bring together my dorm room here in Grand Forks at UND. My roommate, Seth, has yet to arrive, but I am sure he will show up shortly. He still has a few days before classes officially start here.

I know I say that I am going to like it at all the Universities I have been at, but this one, UND, feels more like a college style atmosphere, it feels more 20 something here, it definitely feels more like something you would come to expect out of a college town.

Everyone knows I am not a social person. Well, I am a social person after I warm up to a person. But it takes me a few MONTHS to warm up to people. I don't think I am not approachable. I don't think I put out this vibe telling people to avoid eye contact or to avoid saying hello. I am keeping my door open so people can just come by if they so desire. I am not couped up in my room but instead, I wander around campus, look at the pretty buildings, and attend all the events that UND puts on for their 'Welcome Weekend.'

All About UND

Just a few facts about University of North Dakota.


1. The University of North Dakota at Grand Forks is one of the largest and most diversified universities in the Upper Midwest. Enrolling 13,187 students.

Yeah the only reason it is one of the largest is because there are only three or four big upper midwest universities. It is not hard to be one of the tops if there are only a few to beat out.

2. Cultural resources include the 2,400-seat Chester Fritz Auditorium (the only facility of its kind between Minneapolis and Seattle), the Burtness Theatre, the Josephine Campbell Recital Hall, the North Dakota Museum of Art, and an atmospherium.

Uh... let me remind you what is between Minneapolis and Seattle... the rest of North Dakota, the upper Rocky Mountains, Montana, and that tiny sliver of Idaho, and the Sierra-Nevada up in Washington. So bascially nothing...

3. ...to the north is the $100 million Ralph Engelstad Arena, the Betty Englestad Sioux Center, and the Barnes & Noble Bookstore.

I guess it is a civilized society if he has a B&N. I prefer Borders but I will take what I can get.

4. All major lecture bowl classrooms are "smart classrooms," with Internet connections and integrated audiovisual computer and audiovisual equipment. Wireless access is available in a number of buildings across campus. UND Aerospace classrooms that feature multimedia formats, the statewide Interactive Video Network, and residence halls which offer computer access, UND runs the most technologically advanced university in the Dakotas, Montana and Wyoming.

Well that is a positive. I can finally 'borrow' music from Soulseek, watch Family Guy episodes, or even play SimCity while in my lecture halls. HOT AS! As for the most technologically advanced university in those states, well there isn't much of a competition... really.