Time in Ann
Arbor is quickly running out. My poster is printed, and Friday I’ll fly on to
Italy for the conference.
Unlike last
year there were no gigantic unplanned machine failures and I managed to do all
my lab work in the first month of the 7 week stay. All went as planned.
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| Breakfast with colleagues at the famous Angelo's |
With less
stress it was an even more pleasant stay here than last year. I don’t know if
it is the university buzz, or being in an actual city, or both, but I feel so
much more at place here than I do in my institution in NZ. Somehow I feel like
I “bonded” much faster with the people here (Jamie definitely, a retired prof,
the other post-doc, the lab techs) than back in NZ. Maybe it is because they
are more abiotic compared to my
ecology colleagues in NZ. Maybe because there are multiple options to get a
coffee and sit in the shade and chat. Maybe because you have to watch out for
kamikaze students on bicycles. Ann Arbor, as any university town, is
free-spirited, funky and friendly and I would love to come back again.
My drive
from the lake to Ann Arbor turned out to be really nice, even though I didn’t
like to drive to work. Through the rolling hills, the big red characteristic
hay-barns, the green forest, and every morning and evening that dreamy soft
sunlight that filters through the leaves and reminds one of country-music, in a
good way.
Everywhere
it felt like I knew people too. I ran into a few of Cindy and Joel’s friends at
the music festival and had a chat, the girls at our favourite café start to
smile when I walk in and they already know what I want. When I ran past the
swimming-neighbour she called out if I needed a drink, later she brought me the
newspaper. I know it’s all superficial, they know I’ll leave and never turn
into a real friend, but they don’t have to be so super nice to me and yet they
are, that is what counts.
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| Ann Arbor summer fest |
(of course,
in general I still like kiwis better. There are also some seriously weird
people around here. The lab is being renovated, and friendly as I am I always
say “goodmorning” to the workmen in the hallway. Most will mumble something
back, one just gives me this supercreepy stare, and then once he started
complaining about his wife to Jamie while I stood next to them and I felt he
just tried to be as negative about women as possible to “subtly” let me know
what he thinks of me working here… Idiot.)
Lastly I
had some discussions with Joel about my data. After several hours he said “I’m
starting to warm up to these data now”. It was hard making sense of all the
data, and it will still take a while before it really tells a story, but at
least it has been worthwhile running all those analyses.
So, I have
google-streetviewed Bari, my hotel and presumably the conference centre, I have
“dates” with several European scientists that I know, or need to know, and I am
looking forward to the European soccer final Spain-Italy. How fun would it be
if Italy wins on my first jetlagged night there!
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| My best friend ... I'll miss him! |
