The US of A - First week in Champaign - Random Notes

This updates the end of my first weeks here.
Some notes about YUU YESS YAAYY
1) Everything is big. If it isnt big its huge.
2) There are cars everywhere. Vishnu is going to spasm in the US.
3) Food is expensive. Gadgets are cheap.
Over the last few days I have been subjected to Jigarization- irritating analysis of every little thing from TV programs to Food to Courses. For those who don't know Jigar is my room mate here in UIUC. Vasanth ( my other room mate) and Jigar have also joined in the effort to 'bleed' me for information and fundaes and other data. In the night we have a 'discussion' which is basically mutual interoggation and vaitharuchal kottifying and bitching about how bad svce was and how unfair life is.heh.
Life is peaceful. Good food, nice department and things are pretty smooth here. I have a desi in my research group. Along with me a Korean and a Chinese have joined the group. Haven't got my desk yet. Hopefully I will be all settled in a couple of days. Then I can be online more often.
My Prof looks pretty good- well funded, good to work with and not too inrusive. That's pretty important because there are some Profs that expect that expect there students to sit in the lab all the time whether there is work to be done or not. How painful can that be??
In the process of choosing my courses- should I take easy or tough courses? should I take things in my field and specialise or take in different fields to see whats what? should i do a phd or a ms? lots of questions and not so many answers. Hopefully a lot of these questions will clear up over the next few weeks.