Do you love bananas?

Of course! Even if you don’t love pure banana, you must like some versions of it, for example, banana split ice cream, banana cookies, banana and Nutella crepes (yum!!!), etc.

I love bananas. Not only for their sweet and reliable taste, but also for the very fact that they are democratic, ehem, I mean, inexpensive. Bananas are one of the few fruits that pass the Washington test (read, less than $1/pound ;-)). Even apples and oranges are more expensive. And bananas, for the most part, are not grown in the U.S. They are imported. Isn’t it wonderful to see something that yummy, from that faraway, to become that accessible in the supermarket?

Like bananas, the majority of US graduate students are not homegrown. We come from all parts of the world, bringing in the best of our efforts to live and survive in the US. Sometimes we are taken for granted. It’s not easy to live in a new land. No matter how many orientations your school has given, living in the US is new and confusing. But I’d like to think of a banana when it comes to the hard time. Everyone can enjoy banana on a budget. What about us? Can we sail the American life like a banana?

I’m cost-conscious. Coming from a country where $1 means a sumptous meal, I’m always anxious of over-spending. I want to share with you my experience about living on a budget. I’m not an expert, but I do hope that what I’m sharing here will be useful to some people, especially the new coming. If you have any tips to share, please don’t hesitate to post them here or send them to me… All for the greater good!

Enjoy!