Mark_

Does anybody know whether there are streetball/soccer/football/tennis/whatever outdoor courts open for everybody and free? I'm from abroad and don't know how that usually works in the US...

It's because the density of population is about that of a big city. I would guess that demand is enormous, so if microeconomics works in that place... Btw, does anybody know how much taxes does TA usually pay in Penn State? about 15%? From my perspective there isn't such a place off-campus. I would guess that grad students (assuming they are there primarily for research:) ) tend to go farther (2-3km) from the noisy center (especially from its south part). Since the town is pretty small, any concentration from my pov is unlikely. Anyway, I don't live in the area, so please take with a grain of salt. Let's wait for somebody more experienced to comment.

I'm sure there is some mexican food in SC :) What I'm not sure about is whether the money for TA would be enough to go to the local restaurants, as I've heard people saying that living in the town is expensive. It would be nice if somebody here could comment on that. Happy for you! I didn't even dream of encountering a ton of researchers in my field just in one department :)

I'm in physics, and coming from a little colder place -- Saint Petersburg. No, not from Florida :) The one which is in another multinational country :) I think if you move from a relatively big city, acclimatization will probably be the secondary issue. So, why Penn State? P.S. What's your name?

Hey, it's nice you've started this thread! I'm up to the PSU too. Come on, it's not so cold after all. Though if you lived your whole life in Florida, you'll need some extra money for the new clothes. You'll probably hate it the first winter, but people often get used to it in one-two seasons, the key is just not to bother too much:) Maybe you'd rather like some specifics?