(no subject)
Apr. 20th, 2005 10:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
danalwynI am now going to whine. After which I suspect that my fairly small friends-list will arrive to beat the crap out of me for being a spoiled brat. But I'm still going to whine, because that's the kind of person I am.
I am now convinced that God has a strange sense of humor. And probably doesn't like me very much.
The irony of this whole situation is sickening.
Consider this. There are probably several thousand students in the University of California alone who petition each year for the option of studying abroad in an exotic place like Europe. Many others stay at home because they simply can't afford to go if they get selected. I was never one of them; I certainly never wanted to go abroad for my education. I never even wanted to leave California. So God is sending me.
Well, not God-my advisor. Which is approximately the same thing.
Now this is not a bad thing. And actually I think, given the way our research is headed, that if he had chosen not to send me-or at least make the offer to send me-I would have been a bit insulted. And I admit that I am going to one of the best places in the world to do my job.
But the bottom of my stomach dropped away and found a new address when he told me, casually enough to make an onlooker believe that the information was inconsequential, that I would probably be spending three years of my life in Geneva. The whole thing dropped on me in the way that an anvil drops on a WB cartoon character, except that I didn't pop back to normal without a scratch. It feels odd to have someone just say to you, out of the blue, that they've just made up their mind about what you're going to be doing for the next four years of your life. Even if it's something you want to do there is something terribly disconcerting about it; like you've just become a passenger in your own life. You wake up one day with plans for your future and your life, and suddenly discover that you are about to take a three year detour through the heart of Europe. Without a roadmap.
Actually I'll probably be spending most of my time in France, since I hear that the housing is slightly cheaper on the French side of the border. This, however, does not make me noticeably happier.
For those of you who are interested (and want to figure out who I am-there aren't many of you out there), my research group is transferring to USCMS at CERN. That means that I, as a grad student, have to go where the research is. That actually sounds sort of fun, being with some of the world's smartest people all over again, except for a few minor problems:
1) France, and Geneva, are rumored to be filled with a great number of people who speak French. I do not speak French. Nor will I have time to learn before I go there. This could be problematic.
2) The politics at CERN in general, and the LHC in particular, are likely to be murderous. I just don't want to deal with it. The very thought makes me want to cringe and hide.
3) We'll be getting there right at the point where we discover that everything doesn't work. I don't know if I'm up to that. Seriously, I don't know. I think my advisor has an inflated opinion of my abilities.
4) I will be living on my fixed budget of slightly under 1,100 Euros a month. I hear that this does not stretch very far in Geneva and environs.
5) Socially it's going to be hard. It took me twenty years to put together a way to behave that worked in America. I don't have time to do that again in Europe. I don't know why but I never have found myself to be very adept in social situations. That means that I will probably spend three years hiding from people.
6) I won't have anyplace familiar to relax. I usually pass time by finding a large library or bookstore and reading books until my brain collapses. This will be difficult at CERN-especially because of problem number 1.
It's not the end of the world of course but it is disturbing me far more than I thought it would. It feels odd to be sent half a world away-almost on a whim. It's rather far away, and I'm just not comfortable with that.
Plus, from now on, when I complain about that stupidity of our European Collaborators, they'll be able to give me dirty looks. Well, good for them.
On the other hand, I won't go until next year. This all means that I can finally begin dating girls again in 2009. Excellent.
All right, I'm done whining. I'm going to run off and hide now.
I am now convinced that God has a strange sense of humor. And probably doesn't like me very much.
The irony of this whole situation is sickening.
Consider this. There are probably several thousand students in the University of California alone who petition each year for the option of studying abroad in an exotic place like Europe. Many others stay at home because they simply can't afford to go if they get selected. I was never one of them; I certainly never wanted to go abroad for my education. I never even wanted to leave California. So God is sending me.
Well, not God-my advisor. Which is approximately the same thing.
Now this is not a bad thing. And actually I think, given the way our research is headed, that if he had chosen not to send me-or at least make the offer to send me-I would have been a bit insulted. And I admit that I am going to one of the best places in the world to do my job.
But the bottom of my stomach dropped away and found a new address when he told me, casually enough to make an onlooker believe that the information was inconsequential, that I would probably be spending three years of my life in Geneva. The whole thing dropped on me in the way that an anvil drops on a WB cartoon character, except that I didn't pop back to normal without a scratch. It feels odd to have someone just say to you, out of the blue, that they've just made up their mind about what you're going to be doing for the next four years of your life. Even if it's something you want to do there is something terribly disconcerting about it; like you've just become a passenger in your own life. You wake up one day with plans for your future and your life, and suddenly discover that you are about to take a three year detour through the heart of Europe. Without a roadmap.
Actually I'll probably be spending most of my time in France, since I hear that the housing is slightly cheaper on the French side of the border. This, however, does not make me noticeably happier.
For those of you who are interested (and want to figure out who I am-there aren't many of you out there), my research group is transferring to USCMS at CERN. That means that I, as a grad student, have to go where the research is. That actually sounds sort of fun, being with some of the world's smartest people all over again, except for a few minor problems:
1) France, and Geneva, are rumored to be filled with a great number of people who speak French. I do not speak French. Nor will I have time to learn before I go there. This could be problematic.
2) The politics at CERN in general, and the LHC in particular, are likely to be murderous. I just don't want to deal with it. The very thought makes me want to cringe and hide.
3) We'll be getting there right at the point where we discover that everything doesn't work. I don't know if I'm up to that. Seriously, I don't know. I think my advisor has an inflated opinion of my abilities.
4) I will be living on my fixed budget of slightly under 1,100 Euros a month. I hear that this does not stretch very far in Geneva and environs.
5) Socially it's going to be hard. It took me twenty years to put together a way to behave that worked in America. I don't have time to do that again in Europe. I don't know why but I never have found myself to be very adept in social situations. That means that I will probably spend three years hiding from people.
6) I won't have anyplace familiar to relax. I usually pass time by finding a large library or bookstore and reading books until my brain collapses. This will be difficult at CERN-especially because of problem number 1.
It's not the end of the world of course but it is disturbing me far more than I thought it would. It feels odd to be sent half a world away-almost on a whim. It's rather far away, and I'm just not comfortable with that.
Plus, from now on, when I complain about that stupidity of our European Collaborators, they'll be able to give me dirty looks. Well, good for them.
On the other hand, I won't go until next year. This all means that I can finally begin dating girls again in 2009. Excellent.
All right, I'm done whining. I'm going to run off and hide now.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-21 06:35 am (UTC)Anyway, you realize you'll be living in the same town as Meg? And I'll be in France, but my mom is from Chambéry, which is just next to the boarder with Switzerland? And I go there often enough in the summer or in February?
The region is beautiful. There are lakes to swim in in the summer, and mountains with great skiing in the winter, you Californian houseplant!
And I wouldn't worry too much about the language issue. Geneva is an international city, remember? Lots of foreigners, lots of people who speak English.
Seriously, if you do go, don't hesitate to contact me. I know a few people in the region (hell, I'm half Savoyarde, so I'm from the region too).
(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-21 07:00 am (UTC)Part of the problem is that the timing is all wrong. I'll be getting there about the same time we start pulling fourteen hour shifts-there isn't going to be much time. And it's sort of disconcerting being stuck in the middle of all of that at the same time.
"The region is beautiful. There are lakes to swim in in the summer, and mountains with great skiing in the winter, you Californian houseplant!"
If I wanted mountains I would go to the Sierras, which are just about the size of the Alps-except that I believe that there are a lot more of them. But I don't really like skiing and I'm not really fond of going swimming. Besides, if I was obsessed with swimming I would try to stay here. I can go up to the building next to my office and get a good view of the ocean from there. It's about five minutes to the beach here, and you know what-it never gets cold.
Besides, a cubicle in CERN is about equivalent to a cubicle in the US.
I know, I'm just grumbling. I'll get over it.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-21 07:02 am (UTC)Thanks for the offers of help though.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-21 03:55 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-21 07:06 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-21 03:12 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-21 09:49 am (UTC)You can get about Geneva with English, I'm pretty sure. You'll probably learn quite a bit of French on the spot, the practical stuff etc. In the CERN that will most certainly not be a problem, anyway. Geneva has several English bookshops and communities, most of which are also tea-rooms/zone-out places. Add to that university libraries, which I know very well.
Now I can't help you with France much, can't abide the place myself, and the French are inherently eeeeevil (those sons of silly persons are always driving like nutters through Geneva), so good luck with that. ;) (yes, I'm baiting Avari, my inner Brit cannot help but taunt the French) But you're right, with that budget, you'll need to live mostly in France, off stuff you buy in France (which is a good thing, the Swiss don't know how to make grocery shopping interesting).
All in all, I'm sure that you'll survive if you can't find a way around it. I'll certainly be ready to help out with language/weird customs/etc.
BTW, I've actually been meaning to ask this a while back - can I friend you?
(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-21 03:10 pm (UTC)The only problem with living in the CERN community is that I expect that after a few days I'll go crazy dealing only with the same few people. However my contacts will probably be limited.
Ah well, for some reason I'm feeling a lot more cheerful this morning.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-21 03:53 pm (UTC)*stays as cool as a cucumber*
Well, I do agree about the driving. :D
(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-21 04:14 pm (UTC)Do they drive worse than the Italians?
(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-21 08:24 pm (UTC)But if there are more accidents in Italy, there are more road deaths in France.
So it's a matter of what you consider: physical injuries, Italy beats France. Deaths: France is n°1 in Europe, last time I checked.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-21 10:20 pm (UTC)But the Italians? They're nuts. You have the impression that they're all participating in some kind of bad driving championship, all the time, with bonus points for flinging insults at each other. Aah, Europe!
(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-22 08:50 am (UTC)So in fact, quite a few Swiss will behave okay in their own country, but once they have passed the boarder they're as bad as anyone else. They have quite a reputation in some places in France as real dangers on the road.
But then, have you ever seen Croats on the road? Italians drive safely, compared to them. Those guys double you by cutting through the fields on the side of the road! 0_0
Vive l'Europe!