You get the picture.
I wonder why space makes people appreciate another person for not just what they do for you, but also for who they are as a person and what they did for you when you were unconsciously growing up. Resenting my sister was easy with my parents always pointing out her qualities, and regardless of how many times I said out loud I did NOT want to become like her...I think a lot of what she accomplished both in high school as well as in college drove me forward and fueled me with ambitions to ...perhaps not become a mini-her...but to become someone better than myself. And for that, I think I can finally recognize what a large influence her life has been on mine and how much of my own personality..and even I think my values...which would have been different had she been anyone else (had we not been sisters).
Focusing my stream of consciousness, my oldest sister came to visit me today here in Germany. She and my other sister just finished up medical school and are in the middle of that transition from student to ... whatever comes after that. Because really...when is the definite line drawn between childhood..or perhaps not childhood...and being a grown up? Can we actually ever say that we are done growing up and reached that grown up status? To say, yes, hello world, I am now fully developed and bring it on because my ways and personality are now set in stone?
yikes! reel it back in.
let me re-start:
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So I have been in Germany for a week now (WOAH) and I have to say that now the glitter is out of my eye-balls, I have realized several things that make this country less spectacular.
1) there is no cereal in Freiburg.
2) I am the new kid in town. Tangent: let's re-wind to the first day of lab and the first day of complete humiliation. Here I was surrounded by these beautiful, beautiful (when I describe these people I need to repeat 'beautiful' at LEAST 2 times to emphasize the seriousness of how disgustingly beautiful these people are. ugh) German graduate students. Dr. Shastri was introducing me to everyone and then abruptly, almost mid-sentence, cut out and told them all: yup! I'll leave you guys alone so ask her about anything! be nice to her! be her friend! ---then he scurried off and I was left cornered and trapped. fed to the wolves? shafted?
If I had distress flares, baby, they woulda been gunning all over the place.
3) on a related note, can I just say that being alone in a new country and not knowing the language is super scary?
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In any case, Kristal decided to come and visit me before she starts her residency in Rhode Island. And good lord was I thankful for a familiar face. That's kind of funny really since her face looks so much like mine...so really...a mirror would have... no. i won't go there.
anyway. this post is getting ridiculous. I wish MIT had a class on how to write a blog. (actually isn't there an xkcd comic that relates to this? I think I need to get a blogging for dummies handbook)
SO after a hectic traveling day for both of us (my sister not only had to run around RI before getting here setting up her apartment and buying a car, but British Airways went on strike and she had to get her flight rerouted on Air France. and I...well, I just got on the wrong train....which. ok never mind...AND all this compounded with the lack of having cell phones and being in a foreign country led to an adventurous meeting!) *breath*
..we went around Frankfurt for a day! We museum hopped and I had my first Bratwurst. If I had continued with being a vegetarian (or actually whatever it's called that still eats seafood) I would have been pretty lost here since everything here is meat, bread, and cheese!
This post is pretty much a lost cause. I need the will to go back and redo it all or an editor. I have neither. So I am going to hurl pictures are you in an attempt to distract you and conclude with an update of my project (because really...aren't I here to do ...something a little useful?) we'll see. Coherency will come later.
People
Do you ever have the urge to tackle these people and steal all their balloons?
We found the entire Asian population in Germany right here.
Kristal outside the Opera House
A spot o' green.
Looking good there, doctor.
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My project:
Meeting a graduate student from Switzerland today to ask about cell lines and then ordering materials that will hopefully come in a week!
oh phew finally. the end.
My project:
Meeting a graduate student from Switzerland today to ask about cell lines and then ordering materials that will hopefully come in a week!
oh phew finally. the end.
