I went to Sydney for the weekend. I wasn't actually planning on going there at all, but Josh and Kelsey, two other HHMI students, wanted to go. Tickets were cheap, so I went. And I'm very glad I did.
We got up Saturday at 2:45AM to make our way to the airport (there's a reason the ticket's were so cheap). On the bright side, we arrived at our hostel at 8AM, so we had all day to wander about. Of course we immediately headed for the harbor and the opera. I was amazed how beautiful it was (except if I got within 50 feet or so, then you can see the individual tiles, and, as one of the people in the lab says, it looks like a bathroom wall). The time of day makes it seem to change, and I'm sure the impressionists would have a blast painting it.
We were trying to spend as little money as possible, so we opted out of the bridge climb, opera tour, and similar tourist traps and instead walked around the many parks and historic neighborhoods. We were really tired, so we bought some kangaroo steaks, kanga bangas (kangaroo hot dogs), and bread and grilled out on the hostel terrace. Then we had a well-earned rest.
Sunday, we bought a day pass for the public transport and took a ferry to Manly Beach (the name kept the jokes going for hours) where we watched surfers do their thing. The way back was filled with large waves that caused some people to scream as the ferry rose and fell with massive plumes of water gushing out on all sides. We then decided it was important to try the local gelatto. And the grapefruit-sized mound of creamy heaven was well worth the sticky hands/face/clothes. In the evening, we went to Bondi Beach, the most famous surfing beach there. Even though we got there just after sunset, the gorgeous bay and cliffs with amazing little apartments and houses kept us with our mouths gaping with awe and jealousy.
After that, it was time for an evening of soccer. Aussies v Brazil. Take a random guess who won. But the environment was entertaining nevertheless. We hung out at several pubs across the city and a large outdoor TV. Once that was over, we took a taxi to the airport, and I went straight to my lab to set up a drug trial. Thank you coffee! I'll sleep well tonight.
Some photos from the trip are up at: http://s52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/aussiephotos2006/Sydney%206-17/
They are a little out of order, and I apologize for the many photos of the opera house.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Friday, June 16, 2006
Things to learn from Europeans
I guess only when you are not at the place you used to be, or with the people you are used to be around, you see the differences or feel how important those are in your life, as well as be able to see things in different perspective.
First thing that strikes me about Europeans (well at least French) is saving energy. Since gasoline is really expensive in Europe, cars are really tiny, especially compare to American highway overflowing with SUVs. In Paris, I even saw cars that only two people fit in. In public bathroom, each compartment has separate light switch and people turn it off after they use it even the main light of the bathroom. For few days, I always had to go back in to turn the lights off.
In the dorm hallway, at night all the lights are off, and if you need to go out to the hall way, there are several switches through out the hall and you can push the switch, which then the light will stay on for few minutes. Also in the lab, all the lights are turned of when the last person leaves. Even in the whole building, most lights are off at night.
This is a bit of painful part, but in the dorms, there are no air conditioning. So days like this... at night it is quite hot..... but I guess you get use to it. Even in some apartments or houses, they do not have air conditioning. It is ironic that in some places in America, you have to wear long sleeves even during the summer because it is much too well air-conditioned.
At some grocery stores, you have to buy plastic bags so it is common to see people dragging the fabric grocery cart.
Maybe in America, since there is reserved oil, people don't see the need of doing this so much... but in my own county where there's really no natural energy source, increasing number of SUVs and premium size cars, too much air-conditioned buildings as well as all the light take makes up beautiful night scene of Seoul is something to think about. When I'm in America, air-conditioned apartment in hot spring, summer days of Atlanta and plenty of plastic bag for free at the stores are nice and convenient. But I guess I'm alive here so far, without all that. So I'm pretty sure 90% of other people as well will survive without it......
First thing that strikes me about Europeans (well at least French) is saving energy. Since gasoline is really expensive in Europe, cars are really tiny, especially compare to American highway overflowing with SUVs. In Paris, I even saw cars that only two people fit in. In public bathroom, each compartment has separate light switch and people turn it off after they use it even the main light of the bathroom. For few days, I always had to go back in to turn the lights off.
In the dorm hallway, at night all the lights are off, and if you need to go out to the hall way, there are several switches through out the hall and you can push the switch, which then the light will stay on for few minutes. Also in the lab, all the lights are turned of when the last person leaves. Even in the whole building, most lights are off at night.
This is a bit of painful part, but in the dorms, there are no air conditioning. So days like this... at night it is quite hot..... but I guess you get use to it. Even in some apartments or houses, they do not have air conditioning. It is ironic that in some places in America, you have to wear long sleeves even during the summer because it is much too well air-conditioned.
At some grocery stores, you have to buy plastic bags so it is common to see people dragging the fabric grocery cart.
Maybe in America, since there is reserved oil, people don't see the need of doing this so much... but in my own county where there's really no natural energy source, increasing number of SUVs and premium size cars, too much air-conditioned buildings as well as all the light take makes up beautiful night scene of Seoul is something to think about. When I'm in America, air-conditioned apartment in hot spring, summer days of Atlanta and plenty of plastic bag for free at the stores are nice and convenient. But I guess I'm alive here so far, without all that. So I'm pretty sure 90% of other people as well will survive without it......
Monday, June 12, 2006
Bon jour : )
Bon jour everyone!!
Sorry for keeping you in dark about what's going on in Bordeaux. So I have been here now about 10 days.
When I got here on... June 1st, Dr. Oda came to pick me up at the airport. We first went to my dorm room to drop my stuff. Compare to american college dorm, it was rather simple..... and small. a desk. a bed. a chair and well the nice part the sink in the room. So although there is no air conditioning and the internet in the room (which is a very hard part to get use to), it is a comfortible place. Afterward, we went to IECB, I met a lot of people, which I didn't remember half of their name afterward, I met Sabine, who is the phD student I am working with, as well as other people in the lab. We briefely went over things I'll be doing and then I went to supermarket with Sabine, had a small dinner and fell a sleep right a way.
In the lab, I have my own desk space, in between Sabine and Keku (who is a student from Amherst, doing the summer research program). Keku is actually from Ghana (whose football team <--- well everywhere else in the world but u.s calls it football. so i'll be using this term for the rest of my blog this summer, is playing against ITALIA!!!!! tonight) majoring in chemistry and french. so his french is actually really good. Anyway. and since I brought my laptop with me, I can use internet using my laptop. I can also print things out from my laptop since it is connected to the lab printer through the network.
I also have my work space where I keep my samples. So far, I learned how to look at sample and look for different types of aggregation using a optical microscope and a computer program, and learned how to measure surface tension with Langmuire machine.
Sabine's project is looking at systemps of different surfactant and its interaction with different couter ions. So my part in her research is to use optical microscope and Langmuire technique to observe the change in aggregation behavior due to the different counter ion used, and due to different concentration. It is quite new to me since in Emory, I did fluoresence microscopy but I'm learning new things which is always fun.
I'll be posting more things shortly but mean while, I have been posting more... fun, personal stories on my personal blog
http://kypinbordeaux.blogspot.com so for detailed account of my stay in europe, you can check my blog!!! I hope everything is going well in.... well..... all over the worlds wherever you are!!! Bonne nuit!! A bientot!
Sorry for keeping you in dark about what's going on in Bordeaux. So I have been here now about 10 days.
When I got here on... June 1st, Dr. Oda came to pick me up at the airport. We first went to my dorm room to drop my stuff. Compare to american college dorm, it was rather simple..... and small. a desk. a bed. a chair and well the nice part the sink in the room. So although there is no air conditioning and the internet in the room (which is a very hard part to get use to), it is a comfortible place. Afterward, we went to IECB, I met a lot of people, which I didn't remember half of their name afterward, I met Sabine, who is the phD student I am working with, as well as other people in the lab. We briefely went over things I'll be doing and then I went to supermarket with Sabine, had a small dinner and fell a sleep right a way.
In the lab, I have my own desk space, in between Sabine and Keku (who is a student from Amherst, doing the summer research program). Keku is actually from Ghana (whose football team <--- well everywhere else in the world but u.s calls it football. so i'll be using this term for the rest of my blog this summer, is playing against ITALIA!!!!! tonight) majoring in chemistry and french. so his french is actually really good. Anyway. and since I brought my laptop with me, I can use internet using my laptop. I can also print things out from my laptop since it is connected to the lab printer through the network.
I also have my work space where I keep my samples. So far, I learned how to look at sample and look for different types of aggregation using a optical microscope and a computer program, and learned how to measure surface tension with Langmuire machine.
Sabine's project is looking at systemps of different surfactant and its interaction with different couter ions. So my part in her research is to use optical microscope and Langmuire technique to observe the change in aggregation behavior due to the different counter ion used, and due to different concentration. It is quite new to me since in Emory, I did fluoresence microscopy but I'm learning new things which is always fun.
I'll be posting more things shortly but mean while, I have been posting more... fun, personal stories on my personal blog
http://kypinbordeaux.blogspot.com so for detailed account of my stay in europe, you can check my blog!!! I hope everything is going well in.... well..... all over the worlds wherever you are!!! Bonne nuit!! A bientot!
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Work has started full time now that I've gone through nearly all techniques I need to know. It's still a much more relaxed pace than in the US, but I've done my first drug trial on Plasmodium cultures already. It came out well, so now I will be able to move on to more drugs and different conditions (some drugs, for example, cause a delayed death, where the effect of the drug isn't seen until four or more days later, in the next generation of parasites). I also learned how to isolate different stages of the malaria life cycle. I can actually apply one of those techniques in my own research at Emory.
Outside of the lab, I'm trying to see as much as possible. A friend of mine took me climbing to Mt. Arapiles. The rock was amazing and I saw an incredible amount of wildlife (mostly parrots and other birds but also kangaroos and possums). I had my first kangaroo steak in a nearby pub. The accent outside of Melbourne is ridiculously difficult to understand. Even my friend, an Australian native, had trouble at times. So even though I'm in an english speaking country, language is still a barrier at times.
Last night, the researcher I work with took me to a wine tasting. It was an amazing way to "travel" around Australia and New Zealand. They had 50-60 wines from various wine-producing regions. The differences that particular climates can make was astounding. I was lucky to be with someone who knew her wines and geography very well, so I didn't miss out on the subtler differences between vineyards. So now I have a small stockpile of bottles as a result.
I met up with two other HHMI students earlier in the week. One of them had her 21st birthday yesterday, so we ended up having a couple cakes and wine. Today we'll explore all that Melbourne has to offer for free in terms of food and beverages.
This Monday is the Queen's birthday, so I have a long weekend ahead.
Outside of the lab, I'm trying to see as much as possible. A friend of mine took me climbing to Mt. Arapiles. The rock was amazing and I saw an incredible amount of wildlife (mostly parrots and other birds but also kangaroos and possums). I had my first kangaroo steak in a nearby pub. The accent outside of Melbourne is ridiculously difficult to understand. Even my friend, an Australian native, had trouble at times. So even though I'm in an english speaking country, language is still a barrier at times.
Last night, the researcher I work with took me to a wine tasting. It was an amazing way to "travel" around Australia and New Zealand. They had 50-60 wines from various wine-producing regions. The differences that particular climates can make was astounding. I was lucky to be with someone who knew her wines and geography very well, so I didn't miss out on the subtler differences between vineyards. So now I have a small stockpile of bottles as a result.
I met up with two other HHMI students earlier in the week. One of them had her 21st birthday yesterday, so we ended up having a couple cakes and wine. Today we'll explore all that Melbourne has to offer for free in terms of food and beverages.
This Monday is the Queen's birthday, so I have a long weekend ahead.
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