I've been working in the lab now for a week. I've already learned a surprising amount and the work that I've done previously is making even more sense. Yesterday and the day before I learned how to use three different variations of my technique, which has been really awesome. I'm the only one in the whole department that isn't a post-doc or a professor so it has been a bit intimidating, but they have been taking very good care of me. The best part of my work is that I don't actually have to make the samples. The chemists in the group bring the samples to me and I get to run them, which is the fun part. I've also gotten to play with the parameters for my experiments which has helped in my training. The lab I work in has created several computer simulation programs which have also been fun to play around with..
While the lab is going well it has been very hard to meet people. My roommate is really awkard, so I'm currently looking for new housing. In addition to a nonsocial roommate I work with all "adults"and I don't have any contact with students, so it has been a challenge to meet people. The first week was really hard to get over the jet lag and my homesickness, but I feel like myself for the first time today.
Brisbane is a really cool city and the public transportation is great, so I've had a great time exploring the city and I still have a great more to see. It gets dark here around 5:30 pm so I have to do most of my city exploring on the weekends, but that leaves weeknites (when I get home from the lab before 1:00 am:) )for me to catch up on reading.
1 comment:
I think you should stop by the International Students Office at the next possible opportunity and say hello. They may be able to help you with housing and put you in touch with some students. Chemistry lab people are notoriously unsocial. Look at me for example (-:
How does the equipment compare? And do you get to use the EPR yourself or someone runs it for you?
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