This is like... and it's like... America, yeah.

I am so fascinated by United States. On the one hand I'm infatuated with the beauty and history of this place, and on the other, I'm totally amused by the people that I've met.

I don't have to look far to get a feel of what this place has went through. My school was the fertile ground for Thomas Jefferson and his Declaration of Independence, and strolling through the monuments around the school brought me instantly back to the 1800's, when modern America's foundations were laid.

The college campus of University of Virginia is legitimately gorgeous. Orderly white pillars and red bricked institutions intersperse among abundant greenery, with the warm summer sunshine glazing through foilage. A sturdy tree on the lawn provides back support while reading and the occasional breeze brings on a ready smile of peace.

When night falls, there is live music and free burger and tea in the Greek architecture inspired amphitheatre, and latest blockbusters in the private theatre for a modest fee of three dollars. When I need a workout, I head down to the hottest sport facility in the whole of United States - the Aquatic Fitness Center - which boosts of the largest indoor hot tub, a three storey gym, olympic size pool, three indoor basket ball courts and an indoor running track. If that's not enough, there is the student activities room which comes complete with eight pool and four ping-pong tables, sink-in couches with foot-rests and ESPN on TV for our private disposal.

This is THE American College. This is a place fit for kings and queens. Being the small town Singaporean that I am, I simply went 'Whoa! That's neat.' almost everywhere I go. I can't think of a better place that is more perfect for studying.

However, people here party too much. Way too much. There isn't a night when there's not a party going on. Every night you have people dead drunk from some fraternity bash or birthday party coming back at 3 a.m. That's crazy. You keep that up for a year, and your system will be entirely screwed up.

And no wonder they say Asians do well here, simply because we don't have the party culture in us. If you party that often, you can't be focusing on your work too much, even though we have nice libraries and absolute serenity all around. Talk to a typical party going white or black and you will get a feel of how things are around here.

The most funny incident must be this white kid that I came across a couple of hours ago. My suite mates and I were hanging out outside our apartment and this dude came up to us to say hi. What followed was the most hilarious conversation I have ever known.

We said, 'Hey man, how're you doing?'

He said, 'Yeah man, I'm chill.'

'So did you go to the party last night?'

'Yeah man, I was there... I was like walking through the people, and it was like... yeah, and I was like... so it was like... and then, yeah... it was like.'

'So there were alot of people? Like more than the transfer party?'

'Yeah. It was like.... and there were like.... so yeah, I was like... you know what I'm saying?'

I've got to be honest with you. If you know one percent of what this guy was saying, you've got to phone me, 'cos I have no shit clue what he was talking about. A huge question popped right up: how in the world did this guy end up in the second best public college in the States? He can't even speak right!

Sure hope that is an isolated event. But thanks to that incident, I came to realize just how diverse this place can be. We have real smart, kick-ass people, and we have, well, the rest. Maybe this dude is good in something. He must be. If not he won't be here, right? Let's just say, we are all unique.

So, this is like... yeah, America.