Housing

It's the long Thanksgiving Weekend (Thursday all through to Sunday)! Grateful for it because I have an official excuse to just chill out a bit. I'm just not in the mood to work hard cos I am so looking forward to going back home. I meant REAL home, back in the tropical Singapore. Speaking of which, I thought I should just post some photos of my current apartment. I guess people won't be able to visualize what an "efficiency" means in the US terms. Most of the rich professors stay in landed properties, probably overlooking a lake or a ranch. But students and the poor postdocs would never be able to afford that kind of luxurious housing. So the best option is to stay in an efficiency - an apartment with the kitchen, the bedroom, a study desk and bathroom. It's pretty hard to imagine that before I actually stayed in one. So I thought some explanation of what an "efficiency" would help.

Kitchen right next to the entrance. Equipped with the small fridge and oven at the bottom. Three stoves, tap and small basin. Plus, a built-in cupboard for storage at the top.


Built-in racks and wardrobe at the corner opposite to the kitchen.


Study desk right next to the window. Room is also equipped with heater and air-conditioner. The air-con is kind of lousy, but the heater and insulation is no prob. Which means I am having a sauna during summer.


Furnished with a bed too. Yes, I brought my Patrick the Starfish to accompany me.

Bathroom's shared and I am thankful that my current neighbour next door doesn't occupy the toilet for a long time. She tries to keep it clean too, which is cool. I bought all the other things - rice cooker, mirror, bedsheets, etc etc. Blew a hole in my pocket. My current apartment costs me 480 USD per month, inclusive of utilities, electricity and internet. Pretty good deal? Of course, I have an even better deal back in Singapore. It's free there.