Life of an ex-USM student as a physics graduate student in an American university (part 2)

The following are the original writting of Mei Hui (with some minor modification). This is the second part of the correspondence between me and Mei Hui I wish to share.
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the students (undergrad) are much older or somewhere my age. you can see ranges from 16-40 ages in class. some are very smart, majority are studying and working (to pay off student loans) and for some it is their second/3rd degree. they although results are incomparable with the asian. but my gawd some physics concept i don't even know (knowing me i thought i was all great in undergrad but i am now so humbled here). they can answer on spot in every new chapter after just a brief teaching. every time the lecturer ask something that can't be found in textbooks but is related, all asians can't answer.  for an example i sat for an intro to particle class. lecturer ask for spherical harmonic Exp (k.r), where k is wave number and r is radial position vector. what does this k.r represent.. i couldnt answer,( to me mathematically its just a scalar number) and i'm a grad student! an undergrad says it represent crest! he got it right! this are just one of the few examples. only the locals can see how it relates and how to logically explain the several possibilities. i envy them so much. i wish i can 'see' physics like how they sees it. ofcourse when it comes to math we ace them easy.  unbelievable some undergrad still dont know multiplication tables but i blame their calculators. wahh their calculator very very high tech! never seen anything like it, can plot histogram, any graph, store data equation. so during the exam they are not allowed to use their own calculators, the lecturer will provide them similar to casio 350 calculator to use. so in short why the asians are still backward eventhough scoring multitude of As... we dont understand the concepts, we are uncreative,  constraint to such narrow straight road that anything else is completely in blind area. you know how i was outcast in malaysia because i ask to much i know too much but i'm so grateful i'm inquisitive. over here i am normal and ppl back home is abnormal, and most importantly i am appreciated here. my ideas are heard and often being praised. this is where i am meant to grow. i guess somehow this is the main reason a high power decided to give me a shot in the States, to finally feel belong.  however outside from physics i'm still an outcast for peers my age. apparently i think differently and the way my logic and social skill runs dont blend in. maybe its the culture i'm still too reserve and sometimes talk to seriously. same case back in penang also, my circle of 'coffee' friends are 10years older than i am. so this my problem.


i love how they emphasise the best and suitable education program for the students.. we have a physics advisor for the new coming students.. where potential undergrad student (which is indecisive of a bachelor program) can seek council by appointment. if he is unsure bout physics, he can arrange to meet. and this advisor will tell him what he'll learn, what is required to know, how he's going to learn it, what jobs he can secure. what other alternatives he can take if he finds physics is too difficult but is still interested etc. and all this is before applying for a bachelor program. not like us, (apply, get and then regret). other department also have a undergrad student advisor. 


the staff is the most important, we treat them with great respect, and they are readily helpful. they help you how to do grants, (yes its the staff who helps you secure grants), keep up your visa status, make sure you're insured and financially ok. run your mails, and if you need you in almost all general things you can think of. same goes to technician, physics demonstration technician can run all kind of experiments, and they make their own large scale tools. such as spectroscopy grating, some principle on newton laws, planetary rotation and all kind of undergrad physics principle. the technician infact is just not any technician he knows physics. 


also every semester we have a science fair, where the physics department will showcase and try to get new ppl interested in physics. undergrad students are asked to demonstrate simple physics to get extra credits. 


oh last but very important.. everyone here regardless of status treats everyone equally. the locals holds from garbage collectors to professional jobs and everyone greets each other with respect. nobody is higher than the other or look down the other. they dont need to hire foreigners to do all the dirty works or donkey jobs because none of it is considered that way. their jobs are given proper inspection that the employee is given fair wages and if there are any places to improve or minimise their work load it is done.  the homeless you can't tell one apart from the other.they have proper clothes, well presented, and the only way you're going to find out they're homeless is when they reveal it to you. and even if there is a ragged homeless person, he/she is entitle to every privilege as a normal citizen. they are allowed to go into public library/government buildings, (not fancy restaurants la) etc. the public library is full of homeless people, reading or just taking a nap. although its a scary feeling of getting mugged, they are welcome and there's nothing to worry bout. also for people with disabilities. whoa a whole new stage. every buses (includes campus bus) has the auto thing that comes down for OKU ppl, and the bus driver is obligated to help them without needing to be prompt, every toilet fitted with OKU, everywhere where there are steps, there's also a 'slide pavement' for oku. and all oku have special electric chairs if their are disable bottom down. in classes oku are treated with respect, students will open door for them, pass notes to them. no problem. if you're oku you can survive independently here. anyways all doors have a secondary automated door so People with disabilities just press a button and the door will swing open itself. Lesbian gay tran bi people too have equal rights. there's even a whole department here in the U to defend their rights. and there's also a LGTB organisation/ pubs/ bars and a day to be proud. and in book store you can see LGTB session.