Day Two; Science and Supermarkets

I couldn't face being a "Blogger In a NY Coffee Shop" (tm) again tomorrow, so I figured that I would write an evening blog instead. I've just finished the second day (I'm sure these blogs will start to be post less and less when I start to get in to a routine) and I'm still pretty optimistic about this whole trip. Only downside I have noticed is the poor quality internet on offer at 90% of the WiFi hotspots I've encountered.

After I finished with my bagel and coffee this morning, I took the subway from W14th St to Fulton, and then walked the short (2 minutes) to the office building. It's in a narrow street, with skyscrapers and other tall office blocks on each side. Street level is dark due to the high sides of the buildings, and it's very hot and humid due to the air being pretty stale and the traffic.

Street that I work on, note how dark it is despite the blue sky.

From the front door of the office block you can see the upper parts of the new One World Trade Centre tower (I've been calling it Freedom One Tower, but apparently it's been renamed). This really gave me a sense of how close all workers in the area, and not just the WTC office workers, were to the events that unfolded in September of 2001.

One World Trade Centre, from the door of my building

I met one of my new colleagues today, a nice guy who also lives in Brooklyn (but nearer the city, in Prospect Park). The idea of going to some micro-breweries has been raised by him, so I think he's a good guy. I was given a tour of the laboratories and the various experiments and work that is going on there, all very cool stuff with a high degree of confidentiality so I won't say much more. This is a travelogue more than anything anyways. 

However, I have been given a lovely office with a big window. The window is slightly useless though as all I can see is the neighbouring office workers, and neither the pavement below nor the sky above.

My Michael Douglas in Wall St style office.

One thing that is very different to working in this research laboratory and back home is the provisions they put on for staff. There is a constant stream of filter coffee, a fridge full of milk, juice (fruit and fizzy), oatmeal, breakfast bars, bread, biscuits, and fruit for the staff. There doesn't seem to be a concept of a "milk kitty" either. Maybe it's a ploy to stop the workers going out for lunch? We didn't go out for lunch today, instead, they ordered in Cuban food (I had a cuban port sandwich which was ace), as a welcome lunch for me.

A stocked fridge for the workers. 'MURICA!

After work, I took the subway to Cypress Hills and got the keys to my apartment. It's a large room I'm renting that has two large windows and an air conditioning unit. There's a shared kitchen and bathroom/shower between three bedrooms, but I've yet to meet any of the other tenants. Area seems quiet enough, and the subway stop is only a 4 minute walk away which takes 30 minutes to get to my office. 

My home for the next two and a half months.

It reminds me of when I lived in Maryhill in Glasgow during my first uni days. It's a very similiar setup with the shared facilities and the landlord living with his family on the ground floor. Very similiar area aswell, but much better weather.

I've also experienced my first American supermarket. Western Beef is just around the corner from the apartment and has all the tinned and boxed foods that I could want. It has a few fresh products on sale, but there is a massive price hike between the two. Case in point: 2L of Grape Soda is $0.89, 2L of Fresh Orange Juice is $2.39.  I love Grape Soda, so obviously I've bought both.

I think I've bought enough food to last the next week or so, and from this I can see that the cost of living in the states is much lower than back home. The prices are more or less the same numbers, but the currency is Dollar and running around two thirds of the pound.

Oh, and finally for today, meet my new pal who lives in the apartment.