A Quest for Bank Statements (gone horribly wrong)

The Canadian bank I have been dealing with for the past 3.5 years, CIBC, is supposedly there "for what matters". Under normal circumstances, everything seemed okay. I'd go to the branch on campus every now and then and be greeted with smiling faces. The bank machines never gave me any trouble. Sure, I got locked out of online banking every time I moved houses or came back home for the break (at least 3 times a year), but I could tolerate that. After all, they did say security matters. Better than having some random hack into my account, I guess. Life was peaceful, and I had no problems with the bank.

Until November 2009. I was finally ready to apply for a visa extension to stay in the UK till the end of May, and one of the required supplementary documents was "a bank statement covering at least 28 days". I was also told that if I could get my documents early enough, I could avoid the December rush and possibly get the visa extension before the Christmas break, which would have enabled me to travel to Paris or some other European destination I've been eyeing for years.

I was in Edinburgh, and my bank has no branches outside of Canada. The average person would think, 'yes, there is telephone banking, and there are customer service agents; it'll take some time but I'm sure I can get the documents I need.' Being my average self, this is precisely what I thought. I first switched options on my online banking account so I would get monthly statements sent to my parents' house, an option I had always turned off for the sake of saving trees. Then on the morning of November 6, I called CIBC, saying I need bank statements for both of my accounts, covering a month, rather urgently. I was told that it will cost $5 per sheet, and that it would take 10 business days. I thought, 'not the best, but it'll arrive by November 20.' So I gave my Edinburgh address, and double checked that the person on the other end of the phone had written it correctly. I was also advised to try calling my home branch and talk to the manager directly to see if I could get something faster.

I opened my account in Toronto, my parents now live in Vancouver, and I (normally) go to school in Waterloo, so the concept of a 'home branch' is foreign to me. Regardless, I did call two branches: the one in Toronto and the one near my parents' home. I came home during the school day multiple times when I could have stayed on campus to do work, as I knew this was the only way I could reach the branches during their business hours. I even avoided lunch hours to increase my chances of getting through. No response, ever. Neither branch answered. Things were starting to look bleak.

I waited till November 20. 10 business days. No sign of the statement that was supposedly headed my way. I waited for a few more days, and then made another phone call on November 26. I learned that "it will take 10 business days" actually meant "it will take 10 business days to process here before sending to you", and that the statements had been mailed out on November 23. Given the average mailing speed for regular letters between Toronto and Edinburgh (it had taken a bit over a week on average to send or receive letters), I expected the statements to arrive within two weeks at the latest.

December 7 marked the two week point from the day the statements were supposedly sent. No sign of the statements. And it continued to be that way for an entire week after that. I was getting anxious, as this visa extension application had to be mailed out by December 18, and what seemed like a head start had dwindled down to another last-minute case. I was even considering a last-minute trip home during the exam period, which would have cost $1400 CAD round trip, in the hopes that maybe I could at least print off a statement from my online banking account and have it stamped on every page. (That was how I got through my initial visa application, when I used my Bank of America account)

In the meantime, as a result of the change in my bookkeeping options, CIBC had first sent a bankbook for one account with my transactions from March 2009 to November 4, 2009. As my entire family knew I was pressed for time, and we were not aware that the envelope contained a bankbook and not a statement, my parents used express mail to send this to me; this incurred over $50 CAD. And a few weeks later, a statement for my other account arrived. My parents also sent this over, incurring another $50+ post office bill. Yet, the statements CIBC was supposed to have sent directly to Edinburgh were nowhere in sight.

On December 18, the statements still had not arrived in Edinburgh. I had no choice but to go through with a bankbook and the other bank statement. I was advised that day that the bank statement does not cover 28 days, and that my application will likely be rejected (Someone else's application had come back that same day, rejected fo the same reason). The bankbook was not even a valid option. The only other option I had at that point was to come home to Canada before my visa expires on December 26, and apply from home and pray that the visa extension will be issued before the new semester.

I had originally planned to stay in the UK for Christmas--go down to London for a week and spend the remaining two weeks in Edinburgh--as I expected this to be cheaper than flying home and back. I had prepared everything from accommodation, transportation to musical tickets for the week I would be spending in London, and now all of a sudden I had been hit with news that it was all going to dust. And on top of that, I now had to book a trip home. Around Christmas, of all times.

Christmas time is quite possibly the worst time to travel for budget-conscious travellers. Sure enough, when I went online to see what kinds of flight tickets I could get from Edinburgh to Vancouver, the cheapest I could get was for the morning of December 20, $1700+ CAD. ONE WAY. It cost less than that for round trip tickets, departing the week before. But I had no option, so I had to rely on my parents for financial aid, and take what may just be my most expensive economy class trip between Canada and the UK... ever.

I arrived in Vancouver on the evening of the 20th, which gave me up to 3 days to get my bank documents and hopefully get a visa appointment before the Christmas long weekend. At this point, my balance had dropped considerably since early November (not surprising), so I also needed a bank statement from my parents to meet the application requirements. Their accounts are with a different bank.

I went to the nearby CIBC branch on the afternoon of December 21. I was told there was no option to print out statements on the spot, and that all statements get printed out on the 24th of every month and get mailed out. However, the most official thing I could get from the bank proving that I have a certain level of funds would be a letter, which would take 2-3 business days to get. This was not what I came all the way from the UK to hear. I had already wasted more time and money than I was willing to admit to, and I was not going to back out. I asked to see the manager of the branch.

Upon meeting the manager, I was told that even he did not have the power to print off statements, and that printouts from the online bank account would not even display the account holder's name or the full account number, both key pieces of information. He offered to waive the fee for the letters I needed, put a rush on it, and add in lines that would say I had held these funds from November 1 to December 21.

At this point, I was glad some form of action was being taken, but at the same time I was disgusted at the limitations of the system. Customers that opt for paperless bookkeeping cannot get paper statements right away when they need them. Customers do not have the option of printing statement-like papers online that they could get stamped at the bank to use like official statements with the bank letterhead. And official statements can only be printed once a month from a single central office. No room whatsoever for flexibility, which I view as a critical flaw in today's fast-paced world.

The letters that were ordered the evening before came in on the morning of December 22. When I picked them up, I noticed the part about the funds being held from November 1 to December 21 was missing, but I knew I was not going to be able to get anything better than that. It would have to do. On the other hand, when my dad went to his bank to ask for a bank statement, he was able to get a copy printed right at the branch, covering the right time period, with all required information displayed. This took him less than half an hour, whereas even after a month and a half, I was unable to get documents that met all the requirements.

I have paid more than my fair price in order to go through with this visa extension application, and I cringe in disgust every time I hear the name "CIBC" or see an advertisement. Every CIBC branch I have seen recently seems to emphasize "if you are not extremely satisfied...." Yet, if the system itself has severe limitations, just how much of that can its employees cover with smiles and small talk? Not much, I say.

I believe I deserve to be compensated for the unnecessary waste of time and money over these bank statements, but at the same time, I am aware that I am but a powerless consumer in the market. At the very least, I vow to switch banks as soon as I get a chance, and CIBC will not have any business with me in the future. And so can you... before you end up like me.

Cheap Student Life in Edinburgh

There are many ways to sum up the life of an average student into a single word, and "cheap" would definitely fit the bill. Whether it is in North America, where students are bogged down with piling debt, or in Europe, where tuition is a fair bit cheaper in comparison, most students live on rather limited budgets and constantly seek ways to save that extra pound.

Here are some ways to be cheap as a Heriot-Watt student, which everyone living here knows already... but some items might be news to my precious Canadian readers. (Yes I love you all)


1. Free meals

At Heriot-Watt, there are free international dinners offered every Wednesday, courtesy of Chaplaincy. When I say "international dinners", I mean real food, not your standard free pizza that comes with half the usual amount of cheese. Students volunteer every week to bring to the table different foods from their home countries, and the turnout is generally very good. Some examples from this semester include: shepherd's pie (Scotland), an unnamed paprika chicken dish (Czech Republic), lasagne (Italy), couscous (Libya), tacos (Mexico), ratatouille (France), curry (Iran). Not only is going to these meals budget-friendly, but it is also great for socializing, since there are a lot of great students from different countries to meet!

2. Store brands

I've noticed that while most items at supermarkets are generally more expensive here in the UK compared to North America, the gap in prices between regular brands and "basic" store brands is also much larger. A good tip in the UK is to befriend white-and-orange (Sainsbury's Basics) or white-and-green (ASDA Smart Price) labelled items. Things like hand soap, a large bar of chocolate, or a 2L bottle of table water can be bought for less than 50c each. Or a pack of smoked salmon trimmings for less than $2. Sure, trimmings don't sound too enticing, but for feeding a single student, it doesn't matter... it tastes the same.

3. Closing hour discounts

This I learned one day while shopping at Sainsbury's near closing time on a Sunday. I was in the cashier line right behind an old man, who was only buying a sandwich and various pre-made sandwich fillings. King crab sandwich: Originally £2.30, now 20p. Sandwich fillings: Originally between £1-2, now 10p-20p. Items that would go bad overnight, but were still available near closing time. Probably not the freshest, but for things like fillings, it's not like I'd eat everything as soon as I came home anyways. The man's bill came up to only £1.48, which is equivalent to less than $3 CDN. Pretty sweet deal for one sandwich and three tubs of sandwich filling, if you ask me. It's not something I could live off every day, but I think it's worth a try someday.

4. Discount stores

In North America, these are referred to as the increasingly terribly misnamed "Dollar stores". In the UK, at least the name is more honest.. "Pound Stretcher". That way, I feel less scammed when I see items that do not cost exactly one pound. These stores are good for certain household items, e.g. laundry airer.

My new flat didn't seem to come with any laundry airers, so I was forced to go out and buy one before washing any clothes. At first, the "time is money" logic kicked in, and I went to Sainsbury's, only to find their cheapest airer costs £20 (almost $40 CDN). Not willing to spend that much. Next destination: ASDA - I was hoping for something from the white-and-green line that would cost less. Unfortunately, airers are not manufactured in store brands, and all I saw was the same airer at the same price. After wasting a lot of time, I ended up at a Pound Stretcher (at someone's recommendation), and came home with a £8 airer. Maybe the expensive ones would have been sturdier, but it didn't seem sturdier enough to justify such a great price difference.

5. Burton's Foods

There is a biscuit/cookie factory in Edinburgh by the name of Burton's Foods, with a picture on the side that advertises Royal Shortbread. Shortbread is quite expensive to buy from regular stores, and even more expensive if you're trying to get them in a tin. But for student eating purposes, who needs all that fancy overpriced packaging? I have been told that the factory sells imperfect products in huge bags for a mere pound or two - and yes, the bags *are* huge, I've seen a few. Here, imperfect potentially means broken, or some other minor defect that does not affect taste. And there's more than just shortbread... The biscuits coming out of this place taste amazing, and the factory is high up on my list of places to visit soon.



And off I go back to revising for tomorrow's exam. Wish me luck!

- C
Livin' it up in Edinburgh :)


p.s. For those of you who actually bother reading posts in their entirety, I will be doing my Christmas card run soon, and am willing to add in a few postcards from Edinburgh for those who ask. Please drop me an email at foodmathlife.c@gmail.com with the following information:

Everyone:
- Your name
- Mailing address

For those who don't know me personally (Or even if you know me, I like details.):
- Some background information about yourself
- One or two good reasons why I should send you a postcard

Engineers Rule the World...

Now into my 4th year at Waterloo, this is my 3rd fall term on campus writing exams. If there was one thing all terms had in common, it is shitty exam schedules. I'm blessed this year, I don't have my 3 exams in 27 hours nonsense like last itme. However, after listening to everyone I know around me complain about their exams, I thought back to other terms.

Every year, it always feels like the engineers get off earlier than everyone else at Waterloo. I know that if you have exams right to the end, theoretically you have more time to study, which people might prefer. Personally, I would rather have my exams earlier (i.e. no exams on the 21st or 22nd), so I can actually go home for Christmas and enjoy it. I think I have a record this year...a whole 11 days at home! The Christmas/New Year holiday is always so packed with family and friends..I'd appreciate an extra day or two. If I got to go home on the 19th (so no exams on the 21st or 22nd), then I would not only be able to save $100 - $200 on airfare for flying on better days, but that would mean a whole 3 or 4 extra days at home! Every year, this isn't the case though.

Today, I was bored, and a headache was preventing me from actually studying anything meaningful. So instead...I decided to look at the UW exam schedule in depth. The results?
In total, on Dec 21 and 22nd, the last two days of the exam period, there are a total of 124 sections writing final exams. (That's a huge number...man we have a lot of courses). How many of them are engineering courses?

CHE 211
CHE 220
ECE 318
ME 269
ME 559
MSCI 331
NE 471

So...about 5.6% of the exams on the last two days are engineering. Engineering is one of 6 faculties on campus...so next, I'd be interested in knowing how many engineering students we have here. A search on uwaterloo.ca didn't turn up anything, but still, at first glance, it seems depressing. Next time...I'd like to go home earlier instead...

S

Sleeping next to a psychopath

Wow, so if there's anything all three of us are really bad at, it's updating our blog. But guess what? =) Now that finals season has graced us here at UW, I'll be looking for distractions from studying. Multiple updates, here I come...

First thing that caught my eye today was this on msn.ca. The whole article talks about how women are stupid and most of them are looking for the wrong traits in men. I'm sure we could take this article and generalize about the much lamented 'the jerks get all the girls'. However, that wasn't what caught my eye. I found this fascinating:

"In my book Prince Harming Syndrome, I share an article from The New York Times about the psychology of evil which included "The Psychopath Checklist." Criminal psychiatrists use this helpful list use to test the potential of someone being a hardcore psychopath, capable of committing repeated evil and violent crimes.

Guess which traits psychopaths share?

• Glibness
• Extreme charisma
• Need to always be doing something
• Feelings of high self-worth
• Pathological lying
• Proneness to boredom"

Umm....the scary part of this is the number of people I have known growing up, or do know, who are only one trait away from satisfying all items on this checklist. For instance, if X had grown up with tons more self-confidence, or if Y was just more charismatic to the general public. Even I am dangerously close....hehehe, then again, I generally think I am waaaaaay more charismatic than I actually am. =P

I'm sure that this list covers what, 30, 40, 50% of the population? Ok, 50% is probably too high, but still. Just think, you live in a society where you are surrounded by possible future psychopaths. In particular...you might just sleep in the same house as one. Now I'm sure there are perfectly normal people who satisfy the list entirely, and goodness knows that these sort of 'tests' are horribly imprecise, but it still makes you think...

Anyways, if anyone asks...*shifty eyes*....it wasn't me. =D

S

Edit: I just had another thought. How many of our politicians would be on the psychopath watch list? o.O

Conspiracies

Sorry, my post isn't going to be as exciting as my title. But I'll try my best.

1. I'll start off with a math-related blurb, since you know, I can't stay away from math :P So I'm taking a course in algebraic enumeration this term. And one of the main topics was the q-analogues of combinatorial things. Let's quickly recall that the q-analogue of the binomial coefficient n choose k counts the number of k-dimensional subspaces of an n-dimensional vector space over a finite field of q elements. My professor then mentioned a problem: Find the number of nxn invertible matrices over the finite field Fq (q elements) such that all diagonal entries are zero. I tried for about 10 minutes. I think it's hard. I want to know the solution, but my professor says that the answer and the solution is classified by the government. sigh. Americans. If you find the solution, let me know!

2. Last weekend, I had to drop by the chapel to pick up something from the basement. For the record, MIT has one chapel that is shared by all religions on campus, and the basement is pretty much separate from the main "worship area", so that it is accessible during services. So when I get to the chapel, there is a sign in front of the door that says a service is in progress, and that no sightseeing is allowed. Well, I wasn't there to be a tourist, so I went in to get to the basement. And as soon as I walked in, I saw about 10 girls dressed in pure white dresses, with their eyes covered in white cloths and sitting in chairs right by the entrance to the basement, and about two older-looking girls standing around. I was told that I wasn't allowed to go to the basement (which is unheard of - I've been to the basement during other services before), because the ceremony was "secret", (I might overhear something while I am in the basement) and that it would be over in three hours (it also didn't look like it just started). My guess is that I saw some sort of secret cult ceremony, or some initiation rite for a sorority. But seriously. Three hours?!!

Tomorrow (today) is the Remembrance day (aka Veteran's day here), and we get it off. Word has it that it's one of those suicide prevention days - we have one every month, so I plan to do some homework, and possibly check out the ice rink that is open only between October and March, but we'll see.

Food!!

Mmmmm food. If there is anything in this life that I love other than kitty, it is eating. I'll admit, when I was a first year student contemplating the idea of cooking for myself, I figured that macaroni and cheese, eggs, and noodles would become a staple.

Little did I know that I would come to enjoy cooking, and that cooking really isn't as hard as I thought it would be. I think the whole idea of a 'stove' and 'oven' and 'raw food' and huge grocery stores was just intimidating.

Anyways, when I have the time, I love to cook. I always try to aim to try cooking something new every week. Among the things I've attempted lately: Sweet potato soup with a Thai twist, Slow Cooked pulled pork, and butternut squash fries and glazed salmon. Photo of my sweet potato soup:

Now that was fun. With the help of some spices, limes, cilantro, and a blender (thanks C =P You will get it back eventually!), yams turned into a creamy, Thai inspired soup that was surprisingly filling. Yum...of course, recipes available upon request.

Pulled pork = amazingly easy. I can't believe I pay 9.99 or greater for this simple dish. In short, a slow cooker is AMAZING, a good BBQ sauce is key (I'm partial to Bull's Eye), and sales on pork shoulders help :)

My venture into the butternut squash was interesting, to say the least. Growing up, my mother and I would always admire the squash this time of year, but we had no idea how to cook it. I actually think I remember a year where my mom bought some as decorations for two months. The closest we came to actually cooking it is when my mother tried experimenting with pumpkin. In my case, squash was super cheap at the store (something like 39 cents a pound), so how could I resist? Picked up the smallest one I could find, and decided to do squash fries. Have you ever had yam fries? These are just as good, if not better =P Ridiculously easy to make as well! Oven at 425, cut squash into desired shape, take off the skins, coat with oil + salt + whatever you like (I went for a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, salt, and garlic salt), stick in the oven for 20 - 30 minutes, flipping midway.

Hmm. Now I'm hungry again. Time to go look for a snack...

- S

Obama's Visit

I was really excited to see Obama's visit to MIT. Every day I walk by the auditorium he was supposed to speak in. And it was really crazy today - I passed by a fire truck, an ambulance, and a bomb squad car, and lots and lots of police! There were many Obama protesters (Americans are against the healthcare plan, and the war, among other things), and the entire block of Mass Ave was fenced. I hoped to see the secret service, but I guess they were closer to where the president was. I kind of felt bad for Obama though - I couldn't imagine having so many people around wherever I went...

The Kresge Auditorium holds about 1000 people, but apparently only about 200 were able to see the president in person (they were mostly professors and undergraduates). And I think there were live broadcasts all over the campus. Being Canadian (hence I don't swoon over Obama like everyone else, although I think he's pretty cool), and not really caring about the energy stuff he was talking about, I just went to my classes and seminars, but everyone was definitely talking about Obama all day.

This reminded me of the time when I went to Ottawa, and I was doing the tourist thing outside of the Parliament hill, when someone familiar was walking towards me. After a while (after he had walked past me), I realized it was Stephen Harper. Then I noticed four men in black suits around him, forming a protective square of some sort, although I wonder how much good it would have done - he came within an arm's reach from me. I guess this is one of those incidents that remind me that I'm now in US, and not in Canada.

Studying Abroad: Getting Started

I have now been in Edinburgh for a bit over a month, and in that time I have met so many people, most of whose names I think I can remember. It's nice to be back in a school setting, with more than just a handful of people to talk to during the week, and something to do in groups every weekend. Making friends is as fun as it has always been, and hopefully things will continue to be this exciting across the pond.

On this note, today I'd like to share some tips on how to get started on enjoying a study abroad term... (Or life in general, you pick)

1. Remember names and faces

The desire to be recognized may be more prominent in some than others, but deep down it's there for every single one of us. How many times have you been pleasantly surprised that someone you vaguely remember recognized your name and/or face and came up to say hi? And have any of those encounters led to tight friendships?

It feels great to be reminded that you're more than just another brick in the wall, and I'm sure all the strangers around you will agree. If you recognize a face from a party, try calling out the name and say hi. Most of these encounters will result in blank or confused stares, followed by "Oh hey.... sorry, I don't remember your name. I'm (insert name)." or "You... oh yes! You were at (insert name of event), weren't you?", or even the occasional "Do I know you?". But 9 out of 10 times at least, that's another instafriend you've just made, and another person to say hi to in the corridors. It also looks good on you because most names do go forgotten after parties and such.

Technology can also come in handy, e.g. Facebook. It's not just named Facebook - if used correctly, it can be an invaluable tool in helping to match faces with names and not forget them the moment you hit the sack.

2. Make yourself known

There are many ways to handle this one. Stripping in front of the entire class, revealing a lycra superhero costume underneath and then running out of the lecture hall may not work for all (check this one out on YouTube, in case you think I'm on crack), but it is an option if you're feelin' special.

Tamer options include:

1) trying to climb onto one of the back seats of the lecture hall and accidentally flinging someone else's binder a couple rows up front

2) introducing yourself in front of the entire class in a tutorial, only to realize the week after that you weren't supposed to be in that tutorial to begin with

3) getting enrolled in a module that you aren't eligible for, and getting kicked out within a week while the entire class watches on

Golden rule: No offending people. Otherwise, have fun and be unconventional! It could result in making some enemies, or having people wonder if you're mentally challenged, but there will also be people that want to talk to you because they now know you exist.

3. Take initiative

The so-called "locals" aren't going to pay attention to the new kid at the back corner of the classroom; they're probably too busy being cool with their pre-established friend groups. But then, we're all human... if we see someone talking to us, we do notice it even if we try hard our utter best to ignore it. So if you have an excuse to talk to the person that happens to be sitting next to you, go for it.

In a school setting, the easiest starting points are: Who are you, where are you from, what do you study. Or alternatively, you could throw random questions. Like "What's your zodiac sign and what is your opinion on pizza?"

4. Be present

...where people are present. Free food offerings, parties, society meetings, and the list goes on. Oh, and lectures too. Can't meet people without being around them, and can't enjoy a term abroad to the fullest without people!

And no, this does not mean issuing self-invitations to every single party in town or going to a bar alone and proclaiming to the world that you need help from AA.



Disclaimer: C is not responsible for any of these tips not working. And off she goes to treat herself to an early first dinner. (Despite what Blogger says, it's past 4pm here)

Math Trivia

The following are the random facts I found funny/exciting, and since I imagine the majority of you who are reading this blog are mathematicians, I wanted to share these with you.

1. If you have taken any enumeration class, you have probably heard of the results obtained by Robinson-Schensted. If you haven't, go look them up - they're pretty cool. Craige Schensted is an interesting character, though. In 1999, he decided that he was worried about the Y2K, so he changed his name to Ea Ea. Don't ask me why. He also quit math, and now he designs video games. When I first heard this, I wasn't sure if I should believe it, so I asked Wikipedia. Also, here is his website. Apparently he has been asked to speak in combinatorics seminars since then, but he has been ignoring these requests. Kind of reminds me of Grothendieck. In any case, I think I want to play his games at some point.

2. I've vaguely heard of this one before - there is this "Snake lemma" in algebraic topology, and everyone has to prove it at least once in their lifetime, because, apparently it's just that important. Or the professors are too lazy to go through it themselves. I had to do it, and I know that if I ever get to teach algebraic topology, it's going to be the first question in my homework assignment. But the actors did pretty well here: I was impressed.

3. Have you heard of the Mayer-Vietoris sequence? It turns out that Leopold Vietoris was famous for more than just the sequence - he was born in 1891, and he died in 2002. There is even a word for people like him - supercentenarian (for those of age 110+). He is the 81th oldest man ever to have lived. There is more, though. His wife also lived to be a 100-year-old. They are the 7th oldest couple ever.

Happy thanksgiving everyone!

Credits for these trivia go to Professors Richard Stanley and Haynes Miller of MIT, by the way.

Animal Kingdom

Are you ready for a pet? When you're in the market for a pet, everyone is quick to remind you of the many responsibilities involved. For instance, If you are considering a boy for a pet, they are these pesky animals that require things like affection, time, and food. Cats have this "need" to like, eat, and drink, and have a litter box. *sigh*. On the other hand, why is it that no one tells of you the other very real challenges you'll encounter while taking care of said boy and cat?

With the boy - beware the hockey fan. This article in the Globe and Mail sums up the 'hockey widow' phenoma quite nicely. Since October 1st, I am a widow - I'm not even married! *sigh*. Did you know that there are 82 games in a season - before playoffs? Considering it takes 2 - 3 hours a game...that's a lot of time in front of the tv ignoring me. Indeed, I was abandoned this weekend while the pet is off watching a hockey game in Buffalo.

However, the cat, is a whole different story. No one ever warned me about the technological challenges of raising a cat. Consider the following evidence:

Trust me, it is difficult to type with a cat on your keyboard. If that wasn't enough though, the cat also mastered the "Dark Screen Effect". When she was a kitten, she managed to know exactly where to sit on the keyboard such that her hind foot was situated on the power button - making my screen go dark. One the laptop is off, she knows she'll get attention. Lucky for me, I got a new laptop at Christmas, and the cat hasn't found the new power button location :)

How about the DVD/Wii/TV? In the last year, the cat has successfully managed to turn each of those off - either with the remote, or by pressing the power button on the device itself. There was one instance in particular where we were absorbed in a game of Super Smash Bros...only to have the screen go dark. We all look down, to see the cat's paw on the power button of the Wii, glaring at us with her green eyes.

Next...how many people have I chatted with on MSN who were victims of "wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww3333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333339999999999999999999999999999999999oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo"Or some other random variation of letters, numbers and symbols? It's amazing how good she is at pressing "Enter" afterwards as well! It's amazing how many times I open up a document and see a random collection of letters hidden somewhere for the proofreader.

And finally, now that I'm back in school, I'm encountering the challenges of doing paper homework around the feline. I put down my clipboard and notes for a moment, and come back to this:

She then proceeds to play with a loose sheet of paper underneath it....and then crumpling and ripping it. It's a good thing I didn't need that sheet...especially since I wanted to grab a picture or two.

Now, do you think you're ready for the challenges of a pet? Think long and carefully about it...and beware the monster in the sink!

Colleges vs. Universities

Well, what I'm going to write about concerns Waterloo and MIT specifically. I don't really know anything about other Canadian or American universities, so take this sentence as a disclaimer, if you will. I still think this makes for a pretty good comparison, as I've heard many people say that MIT and Waterloo have the same atmosphere, similar student culture and so on. At a glance, I did think they were pretty similar, but now I'm not so sure anymore.

1. The student body: Students at MIT are intelligent. I mean, they have to write SATs, and get good grades in high school, and win some contests and so on, so everyone knows that they're intelligent. If you walk into a graduate level math classes, typically about half of the students are undergraduates. However, with all due respect, I didn't find them any different from the Waterloo undergraduates. Maybe that's because I was in pure math in Waterloo, which is a very small sample, chosen by self-selection. But in any case, I don't feel that I'm in a class full of geniuses or anything - I feel like I'm in a class just like the one in Waterloo. Otherwise, the students are just as friendly, and perhaps just as eccentric as the students in Waterloo. To give Waterloo some more credit, I am yet to witness a no pants day here at MIT.


2. The faculty: Okay. They're famous. I've seen Sipser, Munkres, Harris (from Harvard), Stanley (I own books written by them), and other mathematical legends. I've even talked to a Fields medalist, even though I didn't know he was one at the time. There are so many other famous people visiting at any given week that I feel pretty overwhelmed and insignificant at times, but it's a really cool experience too. In terms of classes, this can be both good and bad. It's good because they have so much insight, and often they will digress into their research or some interesting open problem, and there are more opportunities here to attend seminars and get a feel for what the current research is like. But I found at first that I was so intimidated by their fame that I was afraid to ask questions. And most others felt this way as well. This could be good or bad, I guess, depending on your learning style.

3. The faculty-student interaction: Waterloo definitely has more of it. Nothing like pints with profs here. Hanging out with the professors here is a very, very rare occasion. I'm told that Waterloo is exceptional on this front though - maybe I'm just very spoiled by the professors there knowing everyone's name, drinking with them, and so on :P It's not a common occurrence, as far as I can tell - so people at Waterloo, take advantage of it while you can! Seriously, the department is awesome, and you won't find one like it elsewhere!

4. The facilities & the funding: This is where Waterloo really can't compare to MIT. MIT is a private institution, which means it has a lot more money to spend on everything. If you go to a free food event at MIT, very rarely will you find anything like campus pizza. It's usually Indian, Thai or Mediterranean food. I heard a rumour that salmon once made an appearance to some event. They also have tea every day in the department, with a lot more cookies than Waterloo - and we only have tea once a week! They also have a sailing pavilion (free access to MIT students), a rowing team, two olympic-sized pools (not yet confirmed - I only saw one) and who knows what else. Coming from a government-funded institution, albeit a really good one (and we all know the math department is rich and powerful), it amazes me every time.

5. Overall: If I were to choose where to do my undergraduate degree again, between MIT and Waterloo, I'd go to Waterloo. Sure, MIT has more famous people, but to be honest, I think Waterloo's faculty is amazing. Not only are they good mathematicians, you can really tell that they care about you as a person, and I think that kind of guidance is more important than learning an extra bit of math in undergrad. They're less intimidating, and they can teach all the undergraduate courses as well as the faculty at MIT - to be honest, undergraduate math isn't that hard (at least if you're a professor, they're not). I've met people in Ivy league schools whose advisors didn't even know their names - and they were supposed to supervise their thesis! Yes, Waterloo is poor, but we also pay about 1/10 of the tuition people here pay.

I haven't yet made up my mind about where to do the PhD. So far I'm enjoying it here, though.

Creativity and Mathematics

It is so easy for people to see how arts programs can be creative. Why is it that when I talk about mathematics being creative, people not in mathematics just give me a blank stare?

Though a bit unrelated, I remember once posting that I hated counting. Of course, someone from my high school commented immediately, "Don't be silly, you love math". My response - *sigh*. For those of you in mathematics, you know that there are so many different areas of study and interest in mathematics. For those of you who know me, you know how much I hate counting =P

But anyways, back to my original point. Creativity in mathematics. I'm currently taking a Pure Math Course in Analysis. Actually, more to the point, I am majoring in an area of pure math for my degree. The problem is, I have this love - hate relationship with pure math. After my 8 month stint working, all these feelings are being renewed and my dilemma has resurfaced.

The main problem? I'm not creative enough for pure math. Try as I might, I can spend hours trying to come up with clever bijections or injections and not be able to see anything, till someone pointedly tells me to think about binary or something like that. When I do get things, they are typically really cute - but how on earth do people get to that point themselves? *sigh*

I'd like to think that others have more practice, but I know for a fact that is not true. Maybe I just need to get into the right mindset, and I haven't found out how to do that or what this mindset is. On the other hand...maybe I should consider another major LOL.

Also - math can be confusing =P Without thinking of the proper definition, the concept of something being 'countably infinite' is a paradox isn't it? Hehehe.

- S

Cupcakes

It all started one day in June. I had met up with a friend I hadn't seen in over 5 years, and she was delighted to be able to show me around her favourite area of Manhattan: West Village. Being my newbie self to NYC, I willingly complied.

After a delicious brunch, she mentioned that there's a really good cupcake place nearby that's a must-go spot for visitors to New York. I wasn't a particular fan of cupcakes -- the only cupcakes I'd seen in recent years were the "Lil' Cakes" that are sold at virtually every Canadian supermarket -- but at the words "must-go spot", I couldn't object. (I also really, really like baked goods.)

A few confusing roads and old buildings later, there we were, at the famed Magnolia Bakery. This bakery is best known for the scene in Sex and the City, in which Sarah Jessica Parker is seen walking out of the bakery, eating one of their would-be famous cupcakes. The friend bought me a red velvet cupcake, citing it as her favourite. I had never seen such a bright red cake before; I couldn't even guess what it would taste like.

Yet, I don't complain about gourmet baked goods, especially not when they're recommended to me and I am not paying for my own. I happily devoured the sugar-filled treat in a mere few bites, without even realizing that a subtle hint of cocoa was the key thing about this particular kind of cupcake.

Admittedly, at the time I was eating it, the cupcake didn't quite taste as great as the hype. But little did I know, I would develop a huge craving for cupcakes that very night, and the one trip to the Magnolia Bakery would mark the beginning of the cupcake spree I was to embark on over the next few months...


USA

Crumbs: Massive cupcakes, and such a wide variety of flavours! Don't let the 3.75 USD price tag scare you - the cupcakes here are massive. There are also regular sized cupcakes at 2.50 USD for those that can't handle a jumbo cupcake.

The cupcakes at Crumbs in Stamford, CT

BOSTON

Francesca's Cafe: A nice little cafe serving all day breakfast, sandwiches, and salads. Cupcake selection is rather small, but the few they have are delicious! I had a chocolate one, which tasted like a huge brownie when eaten with the topping. Topping is in two colours, reminiscent of swirly ice creams from good ol' ice cream trucks with half vanilla and half chocolate. Cash only.

Even comes with a little container when it's to-go.

Sweet: One location in Boston, and another at Harvard Square. Girls will love the interior, it's so pink and pretty! The cakes are so dainty looking too, with their perfectly shaped toppings that somewhat remind me of those old Dairy Queen ads, where they say this ice cream will not fall even if you hold it upside down. 3.25 USD per cupcake.

Sweet at Harvard Square

NEW YORK

Babycakes: My personal favourite! This place specializes in allergen-free cupcakes (gluten-free, dairy-free, etc.). The vanilla topping is to die for - it almost has a caramelly taste. At 3.25 USD for a spelt cupcake, and 3.95-4.25 USD for a gluten-free cupcake, the prices are steep, but it is well worth the money.

Yes, I was this happy to find dairy-free cupcakes in NYC, I bought an entire box.

Gluten-free banana carrot cupcake

Magnolia Bakery: One of the most famous bakeries in NYC. So popular that there is a large lineup outside of the store most of the time, and there is a "12 cupcakes per customer" limit, unless you pre-order for your party. Also sells cheesecakes, banana puddings, and more.

View of the inside from the waiting line around the corner

Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery: Oddly enough, the best part about this bakery's cupcakes is that they aren't sickeningly sweet. And at 1.50 USD for a cupcake in Manhattan, really, what more could you ask for?

a Sexy Velvet

Tonnie's Minis: I stumbled on this little gem by chance, while roaming around West Village on a Thursday afternoon, looking for what was to be my first bite of the day. I had initially walked into the store upon seeing the sign "cheese-steaks", but walked out with one of their just-baked cupcakes instead. A melt-in-your-mouth experience!


SEATTLE

The Yellow Leaf Cupcake Co.: Just a 10-15 minute walk away from the Greyhound station. Not as much variety on a given day as some of the other cupcake places I have been to, but they carry some unique ones, e.g. the kinds I tried - green tea berry, raspberry white chocolate. Nice atmosphere, too. The one downside is that the bakery closes at 5pm on most days.

Raspberry White Chocolate, Green Tea Berry

STAMFORD

Located in Connecticut, halfway between NYC and New Haven, Stamford is "the town that works". This is where I spent my most recent summer, as an intern on weekdays and a tourist on weekends.

Matthew's Bakery: A small family owned bakery that feels homey from the moment you step in. A wide variety of baked goods are sold here, but what stood out for me were the cutesy Muppet cupcakes. 2.50 USD each.

I bought an Elmo and a Cookie Monster, but I eated the Elmo before I had a chance to photograph it.

WASHINGTON DC

Sticky Fingers Bakery: So good, you won't even believe their cakes are vegan! Located right by Columbia Heights metro station, this is what I would call a must-try spot for any cupcake lovers visiting Washington DC. 2.50 USD for each cupcake. I had an "orange popsicle" and a "cookies and cake".

Orange popsicle, Cookies and Cake

This is not really a post

A math problem I picked up while I was in the math lounge today:

Given a simple closed curve in the 2-dimensional plane, can one always find a square whose four vertices lie on the curve? (We found a nice proof for the case when the square is replaced by a rectangle. I don't know if one exists for the squares.)

First person to solve this problem gets... to be my hero. Or not :P

A Change of Perspective

Until last month, I was definitely a student. Sitting in my seat, listening to the professor for the most part, and surviving through classes. But all of that's changed. Now that I am a graduate student, I hang out with other graduate students, some of whom actually have classes to teach, and others who lead tutorials. And all of a sudden, I identify myself better with teachers. And some things that I found weird make sense now.

I had this evil teacher back in grade 3. She would yell at me (and the other students) to the point I came home several times crying. She seemed to hate us all, and we were really careful not to make any eye contact with her. And I wondered, why is she a teacher? Does she even have friends?

Well, someone put the answer in a single sentence: "If they think you're nice, you're done for." Somehow, that obvious fact never occurred to me. Of course, if they think you're the nicest person on earth, they're going to try to take advantage of you. So even the nice people have to put their foot down, and make sure they have the control of the class.

Which makes me wonder whether I'll develop some alter ego that is most likely not as nice as myself (not that I'm particularly nice, but still), and probably hated by some students. And now, it amazes me more that there are still plenty of nice teachers around.

Respect

After spending 8 months in the world of marketing, I’ve changed in ways I never would have predicted going into my work term. Some good, some bad. The best of which is the realization that I don’t hate the real world that much, and I could function in a business setting and be happy for several years – if not for the rest of my life.

Needless to say, my first week at school for this year was an interesting experience. First of all, the sheer amount of people! Now I’ve been in the mad rushes for food at exactly 12pm downtown Toronto, as you are pushed and pulled by crowds of people eager to escape the confines of a desk for the blessed lunch hour. However, that doesn’t compare to the hordes of people milling around on campus trying to weave their way to their next class – all while trying to avoid the traffic jams in the MC. For one, they dress differently. You’ll see the hoodies and the ripped jeans and casualness that you will not find in a downtown office – even when said office is a casual environment. It may have been a by-product of marketing, but while people in the office would still be in jeans and t-shirts, they always managed to look fabulous and stylish at the same time. Whereas in university, ‘casual’ wear here is much more casual than it was in the office – definitely less designer wear!

While I’m enjoying my classes so far and meeting people I haven’t seen for months, there was one thing that stood out the most about university vs. the workplace – respect.

Technology in the last decade has evolved so much, now we literally have internet at our finger tips at any point in time. No one can dispute how it has changed our society. One thing that it is changing? How we behave in society.

I’m just thinking of the number of times that I’ve seen people walking around with headphones, and not bothering to take them out when having a conversation with people. What about when you are having a conversation – isn’t it amazing how the beep or vibrate of a text message can immediately pull a person’s attention away from what you thought was a good conversation to check their messages? Imagine the days when cell phones didn’t exist.

How about in class? People surfing on their phones, texting during class all the time, not paying attention to the professor. The ring of a cell phone in class doesn’t make a professor blink anymore, yet there was a day and time when it would have stopped a prof in their tracks to re-iterate the no cell phones policy.

Call me old fashioned, but it seems kind of rude to me. Like when students take every pause in the lecture to start talking loudly with no regard for the lesson at hand, or start packing up while the professor is still talking (no hint of dismissal).

I knew I was getting older =P Some of this behavior would not be tolerated in the business world, that’s for sure. It just seems…rude. It lacks respect. Don’t get me wrong, I can be accused of doing these things as well. But now that I’ve noticed it, I think I’m going to make more of an effort to listen to you when you speak without my headphones in, ignore text msgs until we’ve finished conversing, or, *gasp*, wait till the professor is ready to dismiss us before packing up and chatting. How the world has changed me…

- S

In-flight Food

If one were to ask me about my fondest memories of flying, I'd probably reply, "Food." In other words, flights themselves are pretty boring. Just about every flight I have been on has provided 1) pretzels, peanuts, or a snack mix, and 2) a choice of (or rather, the lack of choice) juices. Due to sheer boredom, this distribution of miniscule edibles becomes an event to look forward to.

Though, to be fair, I've had more than pretzels and juice. My first real memory of plane food dates back to April 1996, on a flight from London to Seoul, which was also my only time flying business class. It was a grueling 14 hour flight, and in the middle of the night, I woke up to find myself and my brother the only two passengers that weren't completely passed out. It's fascinating to see what privileges come with being children -- we were offered sweets, as well as stick biscuits with cheese dip. By no means are these special items in everyday life, but in the confines of a plane, these were rare delicacies to be savoured and talked about for years to come.

The real fun of plane food comes at mealtime. I'm sure anyone that has been on an intercontinental flight can recall receiving a tray with tiny plastic containers of bread, salad, and some not-so-aesthetically-appealing entrée. Or a tray with just an omelette, in the case of morning flights. The omelette I had on a domestic flight through the USA in September 2002 still holds the title of "Worst Omelette I've Ever Had", without a single contender, seven years later.

Fortunately, some airlines have introduced different items to make our tastebuds happy even on light. The two major Korean airlines (Korean Air, Asiana) introduced Bibimbap on flights not so long after the turn of the century, and from what I hear, it's been a smash hit. Sure, it's never going to come sizzlin' in a stone bowl, but with instant rice that tastes as if just cooked, pre-cut veggies, and chili paste in tubes not unlike those of acrylic paint, it was a refreshing change from the same old pasta. In 2004, my family liked it so much that we even came home with a box of 10 of those chili paste tubes.

Today's flight to London marked my first intercontinental flight in over 5 years, and my booking reference email also mentioned in-flight meals. Hooray! While I was fully aware that I'd be flying with a non-Korean carrier (read: no bibimbap for dinner), the promise of an in-flight meal was a reason in itself to be excited. Even as I was falling asleep by the window, I was telling myself not to sleep too soundly, lest I miss this rare opportunity.

After an hour or so, I woke up to the smell of food. Curried chicken, but not quite. Mmm... If the food tasted as good as it smelt, I'd be one happy traveller today. (I had also been blessed earlier with food that wasn't a pre-made, overpriced sandwich in layers of cling wrap) I saw one of the flight attendants serving dinner a few rows ahead, and sat upright in anticipation. When he got to about three rows ahead of mine, he went to the far rear of the plane with a non-empty cart. I was left staring at where he had been standing 15 seconds ago, sniffing other people's chicken dinners, and thinking that even within the same economy cabin, some people must be more equal than others.

A few minutes later, the same flight attendant resurfaced with a full cart. Now that he was closer, I could hear my dinner options: "Chicken or pasta?" After the lady in front of me got her chicken dinner, I was also asked the same question. I replied, "Chicken," waiting for a silver and green tinfoil wrapped meal to come out of the cart. But alas, the chicken was all gone! I was left with different dinner options now: Pasta or Starve? I am no fan of pasta, and in theory, I should not be eating cheese. Yet in situations like this, survival instincts trump all. In the mean time, a pasta tray had made its way onto my open-up table, and I found myself eating it without second thought. At least the salad came with tasty sesame ginger dressing.

In-flight dinner: Dinner roll, pasta, salad, and an "oatmeal chewie".

At the time of writing (on paper while in the plane), I have 2.5 hours left till my next in-flight meal: Breakfast. Maybe my omelette from 7 years ago will find a successor for its title, or solidify its position as reigning champion.

Though really, in-flight food isn't bad, given all the restrictions of a plane...


Epilogue: An omelette breakfast was actually quite a good in-flight breakfast. Today I got a small banana loaf and raspberry yogurt. Even that I got because the guy next to me was nice enough to hold onto mine while I was asleep...

Mixed Feelings

Coming back to Waterloo after a work term is an interesting thing. Being a nerd, I can't but be excited by the prospect of meeting new professors, buying overpriced textbooks, being run over by the ever increasing amounts of frosh, and diving back into a world of procastination and homework. The catch?

The work report. Starting a school term means starting the dreaded document - the university's attempt to force us to write coherently for four terms.

I said it before, and I will say it again - work reports are for students who don't have anything to do on their work terms. For busy students, it's way too tiring to attempt to finish the work report while working overtime for several weeks.

Ah well. Onto happier topics.

For the past few days, I've been getting a healthy dose of self-appreciation just by turning on the tv. It is extremely satisfying and thrilling to be watching tv, and see the commercial that you helped create come on tv. How cool is that? I can fondly remember taking the prototype into focus groups, looking at the hand sketched designs, the water color story board. I never would have envisioned my venture into mathematics and my curiosity about everything taking me into marketing, and being part of a major marketing campaign. Awesome. If you're not bored, check out the commercial here.

So as creepy as I find butterflies in real life, the ones made of money and clouds and doors, I like a lot. =)

Back to my work report.

Moving to the U.S.

The past month or so have been hectic for me. Final exams to finish off my undergraduate career, packing, then moving to Boston to become one of the rarer species, a female math graduate student. The move itself wasn't too bad, but the differences between Canada and the U.S. were enough to keep me busy for a while. For example, I still don't know the difference between Celsius and Fahrenheit temperature, so looking at the weather forecast is useless. The fact that all the bills are in the same colour (well, color) confuses me. And when I say "zed-module" people look at me like I'm crazy. AND Americans don't know what the Boxing Day is.

But thankfully, I live in Boston. It is a great city, with lots of cool buildings and things to see, and everything you see seems to have something to do with the American history. It's not crazy big like New York, and I'm looking forward to my stay here. Plus, the accent is cool. I thought people were exaggerating when they referred to "Hahvahd." I didn't get to see much of the city yet. I was too busy finding the grocery store, and the mall, and other necessities of life. But once this semester is over, I hope to explore a bit of Boston. They say it gets cold in winter - but I'm thinking it can't be worse than Canada.

Math-wise, it doesn't seem that different from undergrad. I had this fantasy that once I became a grad student, I'd suddenly become smart or something. But I don't feel any different, and I'm definitely not any smarter! I haven't even been to half of my classes yet, but I have a feeling that I'll have to work hard to catch up to the others, who all seem amazingly smart. But since I'm enjoying myself with the classes, I'm not going to worry about how smart (or stupid) I am and all that, and I'm just going to have fun with the math, at least for now. Speaking of which, I'm stuck on a math problem.

Back in NYC, sans luggage

I'm sitting in a hostel just minutes away from LaGuardia airport in New York, wearing the same magenta tee I was wearing on yesterday's flights. (Note: This place is called a hostel, but it's more like a homey B&B) Normally I'd have something else in my carry-on luggage, given how I pack every single bag to the brim whenever I'm moving. This time, however, I was proud of myself for being able to crunch almost everything into two medium-sized suitcases, with the rest happily packed up in very light carry-on bags.

My flights went from Vancouver to Ottawa, then from Ottawa to NYC. Last time I had a cross-border connecting flight, I was told at LaGuardia that I had to pick up my luggage first in Toronto, and then go through customs. Given that, I had a little too much faith in airports. I wasn't told anything in Vancouver, and I asked more than one person in Ottawa... the conclusion was that I'd be fine going through customs with just my carry-ons. Coasted through customs, telling the officer that I was on a 3-day trip on my way to the UK. Even the metal detector wasn't as picky as the Vancouver one, which had gotten me groped because of the metal buttons on my jeans. (Yes, I'd also forgotten that I should be wearing yoga pants on flights, not jeans)

After a short flight with nobody sitting next to me, I was back in good ol' Noo Yawk, one of my favourite cities in the States. I was happy to be back at one of my multiple "homes". Not for long. All the checked baggage from my flight had arrived, and the conveyor belt was not moving. My bags were nowhere to be seen. Uh-oh. Not good. I was directed to the Air Canada baggage office right by the conveyor belt. Luggage info was entered into the Star Alliance international baggage tracing system, along with my cell number and temporary accommodation information. I walked out with a reference number, the name of the person that told me my luggage will be delivered next day afternoon or evening, and the few items I was lucky not to have checked in.

Fast forward to today. For a good hour or two, I was desperately trying to benefit from whatever weak wireless internet I can get here, in the hopes that maybe the online tracker would have posted my bags' whereabouts. None, nada, zilch. If the luggage hadn't been traced at noon next day, how would I expect them to send everything over by the end of the day? Given that I had provided my flight information and even my bag tag numbers, this was far from impressive.

I called the central baggage office. I hate making phone calls for reservations, customer service, and the like, so you can imagine how impatient I had to have been to actually make a phone call. But hey, voila! Despite what the online tracker said about the bags still being traced, my bags had been located in Ottawa (as I'd assumed). I was told that my bags will be sent to the hostel this evening, but that the delivery people wouldn't be calling me because they don't call hotels or B&Bs. Um, okay, I gave my cellphone number for a reason. I emphasized that, adding that the cell number is *my* number and that I'll have it on me.

I guess Air Canada trained their baggage office employees well so they won't get themselves stuck dealing with angry customers on the phone. I was told again they don't call hotels or B&Bs, and "I hope you have a great day, bye bye." Now I can only pray that my luggage will indeed come this evening as promised.

I'll go console myself with some clothes shopping (I desperately need a new top to last me today, and maybe a backup item for tomorrow), lunch, and a cupcake or two from my favourite bakery in NYC, Babycakes.


Lesson of the day: No matter what they tell you at the airport, if you have to go through customs, make sure you pick up your luggage first and then proceed to your connecting flight.


Edit: Having to pick up luggage between connecting flights only applies in special cases, e.g. going through US customs in Canada instead of in the US. Toronto (YYZ) and Ottawa (YOW) are among the few airports where I'll need to pay extra attention.

Endangered Species

If there's one thing that University has taught us - in particular university mathematics - it is that we are rare.

There was a great effort to rope us all in and claim us, gems among the department, using lures of lasagna, pizza, and pop. It worked for a time, we even bought the math t-shirts. But we soon got tired of being constantly reminded that we were in the minority, and broke free.

Three years, three different paths, three different areas of study. Now we are going our own ways - Scotland, USA, Canada. (Ok ok, two of us are going different ways) What better way to tell our story but through a blog?

Welcome to Food. Math. Life. We hope you enjoy the adventures and mishaps of three girls in mathematics - and yes, we do exist.