My first day in Boston by Regan, age 22 1/2...
Actually, to put first things first, I'm going later this morning to Cambridge to occupy Z's floor for the duration. Z's presence is very lucky for me, too, because as it turns out, I wouldn't have been able to stay another night in the hostel, even if I hadn't been able to get in touch with her. So yes. I'm so excited to drag my suitcase and my laptop and my fiddle through the T system, with the promise of more later when I finally move into my apartment.
On the apartment front, my lease is signed! I went to the realtor's yesterday and signed it. I also talked to future roommate J on the phone, but we haven't arranged a time to meet up yet. I'm at total loose ends, but she's packing up for her move. Must email her next...
But the lease is signed. I really and truly have somewhere to live!
So other than that, I spent yesterday wandering around Boston. I set out from my hostel, walked down past Fenway Park, then turned around (I think) and walked back past the Museum of Fine Arts and Northeastern University. I cast up in Prudential Centre, which is actually a mall, for lunch and pay phones, then walked to Copley Square to get the T out to sign my lease. From there I went to Harvard Square and poked around for a while, because it's one of the few places in Boston I already know about, and tried calling Z in case she was at loose ends too. obopolsk, how do you put up with all the stampeding hordes of tourists? Buying and wearing Harvard clothing? Trampling over Harvard Yard? Do they ever go away? What about the panhandlers? Eep! There was, however, a really good bagpiper playing just outside the T stop, which I greatly appreciated. From Harvard Square, I got back on the T and went out to Boston College to see what was going on there. I walked past the international student BBQ, but couldn't bring myself to actually go. Instead I made my way back to the hostel at that point, and spent the evening reading The Birth of the Modern World and trying to get in touch with Z, which I finally did around ten.
So yes. Today: transferring myself to Z's and then going to Boston College and getting my student ID and setting up a bank account, I think. Then, Ethan, with whom I've been maintaining an energetic correspondence since I arrived, since he's in the process of moving into his new position of exploitation in Andover, recommends the Freedom Trail, which he says hits most of the colonial and revolutionary highlights of Boston. Must endeavour to find out where it is...
Edited to add: I've made the executive decision to leave some of my stuff in a locker at the hostel for the day. I'll pick it up on my way back to Z's from campus later today. Less to carry at once, yay!
On the apartment front, my lease is signed! I went to the realtor's yesterday and signed it. I also talked to future roommate J on the phone, but we haven't arranged a time to meet up yet. I'm at total loose ends, but she's packing up for her move. Must email her next...
But the lease is signed. I really and truly have somewhere to live!
So other than that, I spent yesterday wandering around Boston. I set out from my hostel, walked down past Fenway Park, then turned around (I think) and walked back past the Museum of Fine Arts and Northeastern University. I cast up in Prudential Centre, which is actually a mall, for lunch and pay phones, then walked to Copley Square to get the T out to sign my lease. From there I went to Harvard Square and poked around for a while, because it's one of the few places in Boston I already know about, and tried calling Z in case she was at loose ends too. obopolsk, how do you put up with all the stampeding hordes of tourists? Buying and wearing Harvard clothing? Trampling over Harvard Yard? Do they ever go away? What about the panhandlers? Eep! There was, however, a really good bagpiper playing just outside the T stop, which I greatly appreciated. From Harvard Square, I got back on the T and went out to Boston College to see what was going on there. I walked past the international student BBQ, but couldn't bring myself to actually go. Instead I made my way back to the hostel at that point, and spent the evening reading The Birth of the Modern World and trying to get in touch with Z, which I finally did around ten.
So yes. Today: transferring myself to Z's and then going to Boston College and getting my student ID and setting up a bank account, I think. Then, Ethan, with whom I've been maintaining an energetic correspondence since I arrived, since he's in the process of moving into his new position of exploitation in Andover, recommends the Freedom Trail, which he says hits most of the colonial and revolutionary highlights of Boston. Must endeavour to find out where it is...
Edited to add: I've made the executive decision to leave some of my stuff in a locker at the hostel for the day. I'll pick it up on my way back to Z's from campus later today. Less to carry at once, yay!