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Published: December 9th 2005
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Da office
Waiting to move from current position (circle) to the window. Well, I've been here for over a week now and it’s been a while since I’ve updated you all. It has all felt a little crazy and its amazing how not doing that much can become so exhausting. It has certainly been a steep learning curve, and will continue to be so. A lot of time has been spent searching for a place to call home for the next couple of years. The househunting has been an interesting experience and I think will have to be the subject of another entry all of its own. Stay tuned for that one!
I managed to become familiar with the university early, living on campus for the first week, and attending different work-related events even before officially starting. I was asked to attend a presentation given by one of the PhD students on Tuesday afternoon, as it related to research on the sleep and rhythms of off-shore shiftworkers. Was great to be able to make a contribution to that and get an immediate taste for some of the work being done here. In the days that followed I also managed to get myself invited to a dinner and drinks to farewell an Aussie
View outside office window
Better than staring at adjacent buildings! in another department so was being forced to get to know everyone quite quickly. Not a bad thing at all. And have gotten here just in time for the drunken xmas bash tomorrow afternoon - woo hoo! Pity it has involved buying a Secret Santa gift for someone I still haven’t met yet!
Wednesday afternoon saw me take the trek into London to sort out my UK bank account I started from Oz. But of course, they'd stuffed up the dates and it wasn’t sorted yet at all! And so another run-around begins. Never mind, a quick wander through Piccadilly Circus on my way to the bank was a cool event of the day. I'm sure several of you can imagine me then wandering the street, laughing out loud to myself at the thought that I can come and visit these sights whenever I want! Quite bizarre to comprehend!
The weekend was a quiet one. Spent Saturday wandering the town centre, discovering the shops, organising new mobile, and where I'm going to buy all the essential bedding etc. But while wandering the high street (every town has a main street called High Street), I was admiring the outside
of a building that appeared to be an old hospital. You were only supposed to view it from just inside the gate but a man came out and started chatting. He is the caretaker and offered to take me on a little tour of the grounds. What an amazing first encounter with the history of Guildford! People now live throughout the place and there are certain restrictions on being permitted, eg. you must be over 60 and have lived in the town for over 20 years etc. It has its own amazing little chapel and a meeting hall where the occupants meet for dinner once a month, and lovely gardens including a well. I spent over half an hour with this man, Peter, as we shared our stories and he told me all sorts about the town. He made me promise to go back and visit him whenever I'm passing by. Love it!
Now, on the work front - I officially started work last Thursday and all has been great for a first week. I have a much better idea of where I’m going and what I need to be doing. The boss goes away for a month now,
Xmas lights, London
They know how to light up the streets over here. Nearly got my head knocked off by a bus taking this - didn't realise how close I was to the road! but I have plenty to keep me occupied for that time. Piles of work to get myself back up to speed in this research area, and get the project up and running on my own.
Currently, I’m in a large open plan office full of PhD students and postdocs. As one of the PhD students finishes and departs, I will inherit her corner desk at the window. A great view awaits me there! I’m in love with my great little cost code that has allowed me to already order a new computer and funky comfy chair for myself, and take a wander up to the storeroom and order all the stationary and lab supplies I could possibly need! All essential purchases only of course! :-)
Everyone is really friendly and being sure to involve me in social events, including lunchtime squash tournaments at the campus sports centre. Hmmm, not a sport I am famous for being good at so best I practice before starting me thinks. I have now met all the current early and experienced researchers already employed from the 6 labs involved in this project across Europe. We had an internet chat early this week and
Waterloo station, London
Everyone stares at these screens in anticipation of which platform their train is departing from. Platform # appears - people scatter in all directions. No idea why I found this amusing. will now make this a regular occurrence to keep each other updated on our individual progress and increase communication between us. The collaboration available between researchers over here is fantastic. Of course, it didn't take long for us to decide we needed to organise a weekend (to discuss work of course) at the holiday home of one of the girls in Brussels! Absolutely essential for the benefit of science I think! ;-)
Last night I went out with the person who holds the same position as me in a second department at this university; Marcos from Spain. It ended up being a great night, joining several others employed in all sorts of positions around the uni for dinner and drinks in a nearby pub. I was the only female there and one of few who spoke English as a first language. A fun night indeed. So I'm rapidly meeting people from all over - so much for staying quiet for a little while.
But I think I have found the pub that is to become my local!
Apparently some of the girls in the office decided very early that I looked like their level of drinker and had
Front of Abbots Hospital, Guildford
This is the architecture that drew me in! get into local alcohol as quickly as possible. One of them, Kay, was very quick to offer a spare room at her place when the campus guest rooms were full and it was obvious that I was stuck for a place to stay this week. And what fantastic sleep I have been getting in a very cosy king size bed! Much nicer than the tiny freezing bed at the uni. She lives in Farnham, the next town over, and the drive to work in the mornings provides absolutely stunning views of the countryside. I hope I don’t start taking those sorts of views for granted - it really gets the day off to a great start!
Staying at Kay’s , I have had to take up her work hours: up til all hours introducing each other to Australian and European reds, and getting to work no earlier than 10 or 11am. Never mind, an all night session observing a study over the weekend will make up the hours I have missed this week. Because of Kay’s commitments this weekend, and issues with transport between Farnham and Guildford, I have searched for a cheap B&B option back in Guildford for
Abbots Hospital, Guildford
This is just inside the entrance. Lovely gardens are down the back, through the door at the end of the path. a few nights. So, between now and Monday, I am living with a little old lady named Mrs Carter who lives 10 mins walk from the uni. For 22 pounds, I get a tiny bedroom, a shower and continental breakfast. She seems lovely, and it’s bound to be an interesting experience, but I have a feeling I am going to be grateful to be back at Kay’s next Monday night!
Well, thats enough boring stories from me for this entry. If you haven't already, please let me know that you're receiving these because I've realised several notifications are failing to go through.
Love to you all,
T xx
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Steve
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Picadilly Circus
Um yes Picadilly circus is rather big 8)