This post had to come! When I left Bangalore ... i didn't really know what to expect in America ... but one thing I was mentally and physically prepared for was the 'free stuff'. There are a lot of free giveaways here ... and when there is ... I make sure I am there!

Free food! That's the fantastic yet depressing part of America. Fantastic because its free ... but depressing because you can't really call it food. We have a different definition of food I think. Food has to be this big plate meal thing ... after eating it, you are meant to feel satisfied, and heavy, and tired. American food ... it tires you alright ... but satisfaction - nope! Pizza for lunch? Muffins for breakfast? And ice-cream at a time i am trying to convince myself that the temperature is really 8 degrees Celsius outside ... and my laptop has not really gone crazy. But hey! Let's not complain much ... coz its free ... when it's free, you are not allowed to complain.

It was the time of Science 2008. The entire science community celebrates this year's scientific achievements ... there is a showcasing of advances in the research field ... and new therapeutic developments ! To me ... all this translated meant getting free food ... maybe a couple of CDs ... a few pens ... all for the cost of attending one big-time boring lecture. Yeah ... i did get all of those. I spoke to the Health Sciences Library System guy expressing my urge to know more about their system although my eyes were filled with the complimentary chocolates on the table. I spoke to some fat lady from Invitrogen ... hardly heard what she was saying ... but made sure the complimentary cookies were in my pocket when I left. And I warn you before you call this as 'the desi culture' of pouncing on stuff available for free! I've seen good old Americans ... just walking to a table to grab chocolates ... without even caring about what stalls there were ... just because their continually bulging stomach craved for more junk food. We are far far better ... we take free stuff, but we learn a little something too.

I remember there was this big event in Bangalore every year called Bangalore Bio. All the Biotechnology students used to create a stampede in that 3-day event ... most of them were just looking for career opportunities. The person who comes out of the place with the most number of brochures in his hand is like the ultimate winner. In America ... brochures are just too easily available. Every building and every department gives you catalogs, brochures, articles or advertisement cards irrespective of whether you need it or not. There's way too much paper being wasted. Its no fun to collect brochures anymore :-(

I always wondered ... why are free stuff fun to take? I mean ... lets say I have about twenty pens at home ... i see someone giving complimentary pens in some stall which I dont know even what its about ... what gives me the urge to go and grab that pen ... inspite of knowing in the back of my mind that I have way too many pens than I would ever need? Why do humans love free stuff? Anyone wanna base their research thesis on this one?