Well friends, this has been quite a week. My whole summer so far has been leading up to yesterday (Wednesday) and next Wednesday. If you don't recall, I am interning in a Neuroscience lab at the University of Iowa this summer. I have been working on a project focused on language acquisition and the possibilities and limitations of a specific process of mapping word-object associations, called fast mapping. Every Wednesday and Friday we have "morning meetings" in Neurology. Someone gives a presentation and then we have some time for discussion and questions. They are always very interesting; there might be a presentation on a case study, a research project, or even just a research idea. I knew from early on that at some point I would have to present on the work that I have been doing. That "some point" was yesterday morning. This was kind of a big deal. I realize it was a fairly informal setting, which about 20 people that I sort of know...but it was still 45-minute long of me presenting background on the topic that I was supposed to know like the back of my hand and presenting all the details of my experimental procedure, which I was supposed to know like the inside of my eyelids, and finally I got to present some data that we had just gotten the day before. This might explain why my Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights were filled with late hours in the lab (except Sunday, when I was on my bed with literature piled around me instead of at my desk in the lab), a powerpoint that got prettier as each hour went on...and possibly some tears (not too many, but I will admit it was a little stressful. And in my world, stress = tears or banging my head on the wall. I almost always opt for the tears).
So finally, yesterday morning rolled around and while I was nervous, I actually felt very good about all the work I had done. I only had dry mouth and sweaty palms...but it's not like I passed out of had an awkward voice crack. Oh wait, I did have an awkward voice crack. Oh well. I am pleased to announce that the talk went very well. I felt confident, but I also had some help from my mentors in answering the tough questions. Although I felt massive relief when it was finally over, I was also happy to realize that I had really enjoyed the process. I know that may seem contradictory to earlier when I said this caused me to shed some tears...but even the fact that I went from a near-breakdown state to having a decent powerpoint and feeling confident only 24 hours later brings me a lot of pride and joy. Assuming the whole grad school thing goes ok, I could see this 'stressful, but awesome' type of experience happening more in my life. And I hope that it does.
As much as I enjoyed preparing for this talk I have to admit that one of the best things about the presentation was it being over. I had to run a participant through my experiment yesterday morning and afternoon (which required the help of my good friend, Espresso) but after that I was home free...except that I didn't think I could make it all the way home on my bike because I was so tired, so I just rod over the Old Capitol Square and laid in the grass. It was a nearly swelteringly hot day, but when I laid in the grass, in the shade, I could actually feel a soft, cool breeze around me and I was out about as soon as my head hit the pillow (a.k.a. an extra shirt I happened to have in my backpack.) I laid there for about an hour before finally peeling my eyes open, realizing it was still July (felt as though I slept for years) and I continued downtown to search for a store to mindlessly wander around in.
I found the perfect one. I don't remember what it was called, but it was something like Artisan's Art Shamanananalala. Seriously, I don't remember its name, but it was awesome. All the work is by individual artistis, some local, some from further away and there is jewelry, decorations, scarfs, woodworking, photographs, paintings, sketchings, and even more. The whole store was full of eye candy and I spent a good amount of time just perusing each display case. I found at least 5 pairs of earrings that I "can't live without" and a few necklaces that would be way too expensive for now, but extra awesome to have later...when I grow up and have a real job and all that stuff.
After my peaceful perusing of the lovely Art store, I headed to my hair cut appointment. I have a problem where my hair grows to this awkward length and I begin to despise it. That was happening at the beginning of this week. I finally discovered the solution-- get it cut! I went to this awesome place in Iowa City that I had just found by random google chance and it was nearby enough that I could ride there. It was so cool! The shop is inside of this old, interesting house and most of the equipment was salvaged and repaired so the chairs don't match and the decorations are all a little bizarre...and I loved it. They played great music and it just had a real welcoming feel. The girl who did my hair was fantastic. She took off so much weight (my hair is so thick you just always have to lighten it up by getting rid of a bunch and texturizing it) and she framed it very nicely around my face. I felt like a whole new person when she finally got done blowdrying and straightening and I was able to look in the mirror. Seriously, why do I ever let my hair get to that awkward length. I like this so much more! I'll post a pic if I'm able to...just so you don't feel left out from the excitement.
As for now, I better get off the computer and get to work! As always, thanks for reading :)
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Sunday, July 10, 2011
No longer on earth but forever in our hearts and in heaven, smiling and wagging that finger
It's Friday night and right now the world revolves around Donnellson, Iowa. I am at Liza and Dennis's house (parents of my cousin Hannah who has made many appearances in this blog). I am eating delicious Seyb food, drinking Saranac beer (a lovely Summer Brew), listening to the peaceful folksy funeral soundtrack we just created for tomorrow's service, and being comforted by the rolling chatter of friends and family as we are together to celebrate the amazing life of my Grandma Audrey Seyb. After a difficult struggle with multiple myeloma that lasted many, many more years than anyone expected (she is one tough cookie!!), she finally decided it was just as well to head on up to heaven and meet up with my Grandma Darrell, who has been there since last March, waiting patiently for his love to join him. We miss him greatly and the world will never be the same now that the two of them are gone....but I am quite sure they are happy frolicking around (probably square-dancing) on those glistening streets of gold.
Never in my life have I needed heaven to be real as much as I do right now: I need to know that she is smiling and laughing and experiencing the joy of being young and healthy. I can feel that she is. I am quite sure she is chatting up every single person she passes by, whether she knew them once or not. That is just the way Grandma was.
(skip ahead to now, which is Sunday afternoon. Still sitting at the Seyb house, most of the commotion has gone down, but we are enjoying food and laughter)
We had the most lovely funeral service yesterday. So many quirky Grandma stories that made us smile and laugh and tear up a little. We were touched by all the people who were there to share their memories and give us comforting hugs and words. Most of the relatives are on their way back to work, school, home, ect. Kendra and Ed are traveling back out to Las Vegas; Hannah will soon be flying back to Boston; Aunt Pam and Uncle Jim hit the road a few hours ago, bound for their New York home; and I will soon make the short trip back to Iowa City. It is strange to be here without Grandma Audrey, and it will be more strange to return to normal life knowing life in Donnellson will never be the same. At the same time, I couldn't be more thankful for the family I do have here and we will certainly continue all the wonderful family traditions, thinking of Grandma and Grandpa at each holiday, birthday and random get-together.
Safe travels to all my family on the road and in the air right now. You guys are seriously the best and I love you bunches.
Oh, and thanks to everyone else for reading :) Hopefully I'll get back on in a few days and fill you in on Real World: Iowa City (the TV show we think we are unknowingly starring in because we are just so entertaining in all of our researching and adventuring.) Happy Sunday!
Never in my life have I needed heaven to be real as much as I do right now: I need to know that she is smiling and laughing and experiencing the joy of being young and healthy. I can feel that she is. I am quite sure she is chatting up every single person she passes by, whether she knew them once or not. That is just the way Grandma was.
(skip ahead to now, which is Sunday afternoon. Still sitting at the Seyb house, most of the commotion has gone down, but we are enjoying food and laughter)
We had the most lovely funeral service yesterday. So many quirky Grandma stories that made us smile and laugh and tear up a little. We were touched by all the people who were there to share their memories and give us comforting hugs and words. Most of the relatives are on their way back to work, school, home, ect. Kendra and Ed are traveling back out to Las Vegas; Hannah will soon be flying back to Boston; Aunt Pam and Uncle Jim hit the road a few hours ago, bound for their New York home; and I will soon make the short trip back to Iowa City. It is strange to be here without Grandma Audrey, and it will be more strange to return to normal life knowing life in Donnellson will never be the same. At the same time, I couldn't be more thankful for the family I do have here and we will certainly continue all the wonderful family traditions, thinking of Grandma and Grandpa at each holiday, birthday and random get-together.
Safe travels to all my family on the road and in the air right now. You guys are seriously the best and I love you bunches.
Oh, and thanks to everyone else for reading :) Hopefully I'll get back on in a few days and fill you in on Real World: Iowa City (the TV show we think we are unknowingly starring in because we are just so entertaining in all of our researching and adventuring.) Happy Sunday!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Far too long
It has been far too long since I have written anything, wouldn't you say? I can hardly believe we are nearing the end of June already. I am halfway through my summer internship, which is unbelievable for two reasons: it doesn't feel as though I have been here, doing research, coming to work at the lab every day for five weeks already...but at the same time, it feels as though the friends I have made in the past 5 weeks have been my friends for years. I guess that is what happens when you live in close proximity, share a mutual passion for science, and spend hour upon hour, day after day, in a lab either staring at a computer screen or sniffing chemicals (as for me I stare at the computer screen and sometimes I convince myself that I can actually feel my cognitive processes fading away). Back to the main point...5 weeks done, 5 weeks left. Crazy.
Like I said, it's been such a long time since I have written anything in here. For some reason it seems much harder for me to put together a decent post now; it's not that my life is boring, but I do feel as though the things that I do now are much more run-of-the-mill than all of my previous exciting travels and I am just not certain you want to hear me ramble about watching American tv, eating American food and speaking English all the time. I think I am subconsciously burdened by a need to compete with Denmark Rachel. Maybe if I just use all of the right words I can make my Iowa City life seem almost as glamorous as my Copenhagen life. It's worth a try.
Although this summer is full of research, studying for the GRE (ick!), planning my senior research for next term and generally being scared silly about my impending and inevitable future, I am also doing my best to make time for a bunch of really awesome activities. For one thing, I have been riding my bike (whose name is Lyle, by the way) as much as possible. Not only can I get to work in less time than it takes on the bus, it also wakes me up every morning to coast through the fresh air, feel the mud splash on my legs (I usually don't see mud puddles until Lyle is too close to them) and blare my special biking playlist into one ear (have to keep one ear open for important things like traffic, of course). Besides just riding to work, I have also spent some time on the nice Iowa City bike paths with friends. I think the most memorable moment I have had on a bike ride so far was getting hissed at by geese who were literally taking up more than their fair share of the bike path. My friend Dan and I were just passing by, on our bikes, as nicely as possible and apparently the geese were really not pleased with us. Is it reasonable to be scared of an animal 1/8 your size when you are on a hefty machine made of metal and gears? No, probably not, but that doesn't mean I had any desire to stick around to see what would happen in the face-off between Lyle and the goose. Lyle and I booked it out of there, with Dan and his bike (Lexi) following close behind.
Another thing I am desperate to do this summer is dance. I have already gone to a few Zumba classes here and although it is fun, I am disappointed that no one has lived up to my previous Prairie City Zumba experiences. I enjoy going to these classes but they make me really want to either be back at Kat's class or teaching my own class. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I can teach Zumba at Knox. It would just be so swell. We'll see.
And now for some actual dancing, I recently found out that a few of my hallmates can swing dance. It just so happens that I LOVE swing dancing. I searched and searched and searched for swing dancing opportunities in Iowa City and was lucky enough to come across a group that swing dances in downtown IC every Thursday night. Naturally, I was ecstatic so after work last Thursday I got all dolled up, grabbed some friends and headed downtown. Although I rarely wear skirts, for this special occasion I had on a high-waisted skirt, leggings, gold flats and a big flower headband. I looked like I just walked out of the forties, which is pretty appropriate for a night of swing dancing. Unfortunately, no swing dancing was to be found and my friends and I ended up in a bar eating appetizers and playing darts (still in my dancing garb). Although the lack of dancing made me want to cry (and I wouldn't deny it if someone claimed they actually had seen a tear or two on my cheek), I am really glad my friends were there so I didn't have to go to a bar by myself and wash away my disappointment with a few too many Shirley Temples.
The failed night of swing dancing has made me more determined to find somewhere to ballroom dance. I think I might give the Senior Center a try...apparently there will be Tango tonight and salsa tomorrow night. I'll keep you updated.
I forgot to mention- the reason I am obsessed with dancing this summer is because I am lined up to be the president of ballroom club next year. YIKES. I gotta learn some sweet moves before I can stand in front of everyone and pretend like I know enough to teach them.
I realize this is a pretty short post compared to some of my abroad posts but I am supposed to be having a meeting soon and since I am getting paid for my real job and not paid to sit around sending my thoughts all over the interwebs, I should probably skidaddle. Who knows, maybe next time I won't wait 4 weeks before writing.
As always, tak for reading and enjoy your day!
Like I said, it's been such a long time since I have written anything in here. For some reason it seems much harder for me to put together a decent post now; it's not that my life is boring, but I do feel as though the things that I do now are much more run-of-the-mill than all of my previous exciting travels and I am just not certain you want to hear me ramble about watching American tv, eating American food and speaking English all the time. I think I am subconsciously burdened by a need to compete with Denmark Rachel. Maybe if I just use all of the right words I can make my Iowa City life seem almost as glamorous as my Copenhagen life. It's worth a try.
Although this summer is full of research, studying for the GRE (ick!), planning my senior research for next term and generally being scared silly about my impending and inevitable future, I am also doing my best to make time for a bunch of really awesome activities. For one thing, I have been riding my bike (whose name is Lyle, by the way) as much as possible. Not only can I get to work in less time than it takes on the bus, it also wakes me up every morning to coast through the fresh air, feel the mud splash on my legs (I usually don't see mud puddles until Lyle is too close to them) and blare my special biking playlist into one ear (have to keep one ear open for important things like traffic, of course). Besides just riding to work, I have also spent some time on the nice Iowa City bike paths with friends. I think the most memorable moment I have had on a bike ride so far was getting hissed at by geese who were literally taking up more than their fair share of the bike path. My friend Dan and I were just passing by, on our bikes, as nicely as possible and apparently the geese were really not pleased with us. Is it reasonable to be scared of an animal 1/8 your size when you are on a hefty machine made of metal and gears? No, probably not, but that doesn't mean I had any desire to stick around to see what would happen in the face-off between Lyle and the goose. Lyle and I booked it out of there, with Dan and his bike (Lexi) following close behind.
Another thing I am desperate to do this summer is dance. I have already gone to a few Zumba classes here and although it is fun, I am disappointed that no one has lived up to my previous Prairie City Zumba experiences. I enjoy going to these classes but they make me really want to either be back at Kat's class or teaching my own class. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I can teach Zumba at Knox. It would just be so swell. We'll see.
And now for some actual dancing, I recently found out that a few of my hallmates can swing dance. It just so happens that I LOVE swing dancing. I searched and searched and searched for swing dancing opportunities in Iowa City and was lucky enough to come across a group that swing dances in downtown IC every Thursday night. Naturally, I was ecstatic so after work last Thursday I got all dolled up, grabbed some friends and headed downtown. Although I rarely wear skirts, for this special occasion I had on a high-waisted skirt, leggings, gold flats and a big flower headband. I looked like I just walked out of the forties, which is pretty appropriate for a night of swing dancing. Unfortunately, no swing dancing was to be found and my friends and I ended up in a bar eating appetizers and playing darts (still in my dancing garb). Although the lack of dancing made me want to cry (and I wouldn't deny it if someone claimed they actually had seen a tear or two on my cheek), I am really glad my friends were there so I didn't have to go to a bar by myself and wash away my disappointment with a few too many Shirley Temples.
The failed night of swing dancing has made me more determined to find somewhere to ballroom dance. I think I might give the Senior Center a try...apparently there will be Tango tonight and salsa tomorrow night. I'll keep you updated.
I forgot to mention- the reason I am obsessed with dancing this summer is because I am lined up to be the president of ballroom club next year. YIKES. I gotta learn some sweet moves before I can stand in front of everyone and pretend like I know enough to teach them.
I realize this is a pretty short post compared to some of my abroad posts but I am supposed to be having a meeting soon and since I am getting paid for my real job and not paid to sit around sending my thoughts all over the interwebs, I should probably skidaddle. Who knows, maybe next time I won't wait 4 weeks before writing.
As always, tak for reading and enjoy your day!
Monday, June 6, 2011
New obsession: Charleston dance craze
I basically want to be all of these people combined. Too bad I wasn't born in the roaring 20s.
Give it a looksee.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIQ23ZQ84Mg&feature=related
Give it a looksee.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIQ23ZQ84Mg&feature=related
The Life of an Intern
I wish that I could say that I haven't written for so long because I have been so gosh darn busy. And I could say that...it just wouldn't be quite true. I have work Monday-Friday from anywhere between 7:30 and 9:00 until 4 or 5 and although I have plenty to do at work, the evenings are pretty much mine for the taking. Thus far I have been cooking yummy dinners, watching Modern Family episodes online and hanging out with the awesome people in my program. Those things combined have left little time for important things like writing in my blog. I think I need to work on my priorities :P
Ok now I'll get down to the real point of this, I am having a great time. It has only been two weeks and I have already become quite good friends with most of the people in my program. 2 weeks is never enough time for me to make friends, but that's how long I have been here so I guess these people must be really special. I think I have earned a reputation with them of being the odd girl who loves Zumba and hacky-sack a little too much and somehow makes everyone laugh without really trying (mostly they laugh at me and my oddities but its laughter nonetheless) and apparently they still like to spend time with me so that is good :)
So far we have spent a day at the Coralville lake, made some dinners together, danced some Zumba and salsa (who knew I'd get to dance with a Puerto Rican who is really good at it!?!), played hacky-sack, gone to the movies and walked around downtown Iowa City. Meeting these people has also reminded me of what a small world this is. I have some type of connection with almost everyone here. 3 of them even studied in Copenhagen at DIS in the fall and know some of the Knox students who were there! I have to admit I love having people around to reminisce with about pastries and øl and Tivoli and host families and the few words and phrases we actually remember from dansk class. It's nice that someone else can appreciate the map of Copenhagen that I have hanging on my wall right now. All in all I am very pleased to be living with these people and getting to know them as we all experience this summer of research.
As for the actual research aspect of this internship, so far I really like it but it is not quite what I pictured. I do work in a basement lab (which is about what I expected) but so far it has not been crazy, hectic, stressful and full of actual research. Since we are in the beginning stages of this research project I have been reading. And reading. And reading. And.....highlighting, annotating, questioning and searching for even more more articles to help me get informed on our project. Want a really brief explanation of the project? If yes, read the next paragraph and try not to get mad at me for being boring...if not, skip past it and I will try and be extra witty for you.
The mentor I am working with works part time in the Neurology clinic in the hospital and part time in the Speech and Hearing Center. Therefore I kind of work part time in each also. In the Speech and Hearing center there is a nice room with some computers, desks, whiteboards and chalkboards. Most days I station myself at this large desk with a beautiful apple computer where I sit and look up articles, print out articles, and repeat the process. My mentor works a lot of memory systems and language development and also with amnesiac patients and their different abilities and inabilities. A very recent paper was published describing a new theory about the memory systems and how amnesiacs can actually remember a few novel words if taught them in a certain way that seems to bypass the hippocampus (the area that is destroyed in amnesia cases). Our lab is going to try to replicate this paper with our amnesiac patients and see how far we can push it to say it doesn't work if you do it this way, that way, ect, ect. Did that all make sense? Let me know if you want more details. I tried to make it as interesting as possible :)
So this is supposed to be the witty paragraph. Go figure, I have no more wit left.
(major pause while I go eat dinner)
(major pause while I watch Dexter)
(major pause while I sleep)
Ok, it is morning now and I am back and hopefully wittier than last night. Here goes
Yesterday while my friend and I were sitting on a bench downtown eating ice cream , an older gentleman who was sitting across from us asks me what kind of ice cream I am having and where it is from, how much it costs, ect ect. Very friendly guy. I'm guessing he was Iowan (not only because he was in Iowa but because he was so chatty and I kind of think that is a decent generalization to make about older folk in Iowa) Anyway, we continue eating our ice cream and I soon hear the guy stop a young man who is walking by in an Iowa Hawkeye shirt and the following conversation ensued:
Older man: Excuse me, sorry, are you a hawk fan?
Young dude: Yeah, I am.
Older man: I have been trying to find someone to ask a question. Can I ask you a question?
Young dude: Sure, what is it?
Older man: I was just wondering, why is Kinnick stadium always so cool?
Young dude: (major confusion) Um..why is it so cool?
Older man: Yeah, we just noticed that the stadium is always so cool. Why is that?
Young dude: You mean, cool as in the temperature? Is it cold in there? (still super confused and really not sure what to say)
Older man: Well, it's gotta be because there are always so many fans in there!! (insert rimshot here)
(I immediately burst out laughing and quickly turn my head so the guy can't see)
Young dude: Oh! (laugh laugh laugh) That is a good one.
Older man: (looking quite pleased with his funny self laughs at his own joke while his wife looks slightly embarrassed to be married to this goofball)
Young dude: Haha, well you have a good day sir.
And off he went.
Oh, Iowans.
And now I'm off to work!
Ok now I'll get down to the real point of this, I am having a great time. It has only been two weeks and I have already become quite good friends with most of the people in my program. 2 weeks is never enough time for me to make friends, but that's how long I have been here so I guess these people must be really special. I think I have earned a reputation with them of being the odd girl who loves Zumba and hacky-sack a little too much and somehow makes everyone laugh without really trying (mostly they laugh at me and my oddities but its laughter nonetheless) and apparently they still like to spend time with me so that is good :)
So far we have spent a day at the Coralville lake, made some dinners together, danced some Zumba and salsa (who knew I'd get to dance with a Puerto Rican who is really good at it!?!), played hacky-sack, gone to the movies and walked around downtown Iowa City. Meeting these people has also reminded me of what a small world this is. I have some type of connection with almost everyone here. 3 of them even studied in Copenhagen at DIS in the fall and know some of the Knox students who were there! I have to admit I love having people around to reminisce with about pastries and øl and Tivoli and host families and the few words and phrases we actually remember from dansk class. It's nice that someone else can appreciate the map of Copenhagen that I have hanging on my wall right now. All in all I am very pleased to be living with these people and getting to know them as we all experience this summer of research.
As for the actual research aspect of this internship, so far I really like it but it is not quite what I pictured. I do work in a basement lab (which is about what I expected) but so far it has not been crazy, hectic, stressful and full of actual research. Since we are in the beginning stages of this research project I have been reading. And reading. And reading. And.....highlighting, annotating, questioning and searching for even more more articles to help me get informed on our project. Want a really brief explanation of the project? If yes, read the next paragraph and try not to get mad at me for being boring...if not, skip past it and I will try and be extra witty for you.
The mentor I am working with works part time in the Neurology clinic in the hospital and part time in the Speech and Hearing Center. Therefore I kind of work part time in each also. In the Speech and Hearing center there is a nice room with some computers, desks, whiteboards and chalkboards. Most days I station myself at this large desk with a beautiful apple computer where I sit and look up articles, print out articles, and repeat the process. My mentor works a lot of memory systems and language development and also with amnesiac patients and their different abilities and inabilities. A very recent paper was published describing a new theory about the memory systems and how amnesiacs can actually remember a few novel words if taught them in a certain way that seems to bypass the hippocampus (the area that is destroyed in amnesia cases). Our lab is going to try to replicate this paper with our amnesiac patients and see how far we can push it to say it doesn't work if you do it this way, that way, ect, ect. Did that all make sense? Let me know if you want more details. I tried to make it as interesting as possible :)
So this is supposed to be the witty paragraph. Go figure, I have no more wit left.
(major pause while I go eat dinner)
(major pause while I watch Dexter)
(major pause while I sleep)
Ok, it is morning now and I am back and hopefully wittier than last night. Here goes
Yesterday while my friend and I were sitting on a bench downtown eating ice cream , an older gentleman who was sitting across from us asks me what kind of ice cream I am having and where it is from, how much it costs, ect ect. Very friendly guy. I'm guessing he was Iowan (not only because he was in Iowa but because he was so chatty and I kind of think that is a decent generalization to make about older folk in Iowa) Anyway, we continue eating our ice cream and I soon hear the guy stop a young man who is walking by in an Iowa Hawkeye shirt and the following conversation ensued:
Older man: Excuse me, sorry, are you a hawk fan?
Young dude: Yeah, I am.
Older man: I have been trying to find someone to ask a question. Can I ask you a question?
Young dude: Sure, what is it?
Older man: I was just wondering, why is Kinnick stadium always so cool?
Young dude: (major confusion) Um..why is it so cool?
Older man: Yeah, we just noticed that the stadium is always so cool. Why is that?
Young dude: You mean, cool as in the temperature? Is it cold in there? (still super confused and really not sure what to say)
Older man: Well, it's gotta be because there are always so many fans in there!! (insert rimshot here)
(I immediately burst out laughing and quickly turn my head so the guy can't see)
Young dude: Oh! (laugh laugh laugh) That is a good one.
Older man: (looking quite pleased with his funny self laughs at his own joke while his wife looks slightly embarrassed to be married to this goofball)
Young dude: Haha, well you have a good day sir.
And off he went.
Oh, Iowans.
And now I'm off to work!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
A simple little ID badge
Hello to anyone out there who is still following my blog. I really hope this will not be like one of those TV shows that was great while it lasted but really should've just stopped after 2 seasons instead of continuing on for 5 more painful seasons of unnecessary drama and bad jokes. I'll do my best to maintain a "Friends-like" epicness rather than a "Gilmore Girls" tediousness (no offense to anyone who actually still enjoys that show).
Anyway I desperately need to do a little reflecting on the recent activity in my life and lucky you, since you are reading this, you will herein be privy to the secret little thoughts floating around and bobbing up and down in the messy liquid in my head.
Well, I moved in to the dormitory here at the University of Iowa on Sunday, just four days after I returned from Denmark. Those four days at home with my family were wonderful and relaxing and sentimental with over way too quickly. You would think that after moving 6 times within the last year I would be a really awesome packer. But I'm not. Or at least I am not when all I really have to do is transport enough clothes and blankets to last until I make a trip back to Newton for visiting and laundry purposes. I basically threw the things that I figured I would need into a few boxes, bags and piles and off I went, across I-80, to where my summer adventures awaited. It didn't take long to move my stuff into the oddly shaped dorm room (I'll have to take some photos so I can post them. Trust me, it's weird) and then Monday was my first day "on the job". I am thrilled to be doing research this summer and, as my mentor says, "trying on Iowa as a grad school". Who knows, maybe after graduating Knox next year I will end up back here to pursue even greater academic goals. So far this week has been a lot of me sitting in front of a computer, finding articles on our specific research topic and then reading, re-reading, highlighting and scribbling all over them. I had a meeting with my mentor and another researcher to discuss the experiment I will be helping with and I kind of expected to sit quietly, listening in awe to them intelligently discuss the project. Those expectations were exactly why my "fight-or-flight" response kicked in to high gear when we sat down and they said to me "Ok, you have been reading these articles. Tell us what you know." And thus panic ensued, coursing through my veins, causing me to sweat a little and making me feel my rapid heartbeat all the way in my toes. Turns out I survived and even did well enough that we were able to come up with a decent plan to get started on the project. I lived through a moment that I found even scarier than all those times I traveled by myself in foreign countries where I couldn't speak the language and didn't understand the customs. Phew.
I made a short trip home to Newton today for my mom's retirement party. I am so proud of her and although Newton High School will miss her a lot...our family is pumped to have more of her for ourselves. Job well done, Karen Clark...job very well done. While I was home, I was struck by how much I miss it already. 4 months and I did a pretty good job of not getting homesick. Then I am gone for four days and suddenly all I want to do is sit at the kitchen table with my mom and pet my kitty and swing in my hammock on a slightly breezy night as the sun goes down. I was so excited to come to Iowa City this summer that I kind of forgot about all the wonderfulness of summer that I will be missing. The times they are a-changing. And although I will continue to go with the flow, that doesn't mean I can't take a minute to just miss the good times of years past. Newton never looked so beautiful as it did tonight as I stood in my driveway and stared at the sunlight that streamed on to all the front lawns on our street. No matter how far away I go and how many places I go to (10 countries in the span of 5 months, for example), Newton will always be home and home always as that special feel that you simply can't get from anywhere else.
Onto the next topic, now that I am an official "student researcher" at U of I, I have an adorable little badge with my photo and my name and my id number. It has a handy clip so every morning I clip it onto one of my pockets and walk around like I am really hot stuff. It's funny how a simple little ID badge can make me feel way more grown up. I was walking into the hospital the other day to go to the Neurology department and one of the very nice ladies asked if I needed help finding anything. She suddenly saw my badge and said "Oh! You work here."
I was pretty pleased with myself with that, feeling like a fancy big-shot hospital employee...until I realized I had to admit "Well, yes I do but it's only my second day so can you help me find the Neurology clinic?" (big smile from her) "Yes, of course. It's right through these doors."
Me, the suddenly blushing, not so big-shot little undergrad student said "Thank you" and walked to Neurology. I may have had a slightly shaken confidence but at least I still had my ID badge : )
I have officially surpassed my normal bedtime. My extended jet lag has been wiping me out by 10:30 each night and it is currently 11:56 pm. It has been over a week since I have been back in the states so I really should be normalized to the time here but for some reason my internal clock has insisted on staying just a little off, as if it knows I am back in America but it doesn't want to actually admit it.
Ok ok internal clock, you win. I'm off to bed. Godnat!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
"You're all set. Welcome back Miss Clark..."
...said the customs officer who checked me in at the Chicago O’Hare Airport. I am officially on American soil, well, sort of. I am sitting on a chair that is on some blue carpet that is on the floor of the airport and this airport building is undoubtedly placed on a concrete foundation that is firmly situated upon American soil. So, yes, I think I am on American soil.
I am happy to be home but leaving Denmark was maybe the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I know that I will return to Denmark to visit my family, explore the city more and enjoy endless pastries, but the whole “living and studying” there is over. And that is terribly sad. I don’t tend to get very stressed when I travel but I suppose today I was especially vulnerable and I cried the whole way through security and then I even cried while watching the end of Finding Nemo. Yeah, that’s how bad it was. But I am here now and with just one more short flight I will be in the arms of my family. And for that I am incredibly excited.
I'll give you just a few reflections before I have to pack up my computer once again, stuff it in its case, reload my multiple bags on my little body and make my way onto the plane.
My first thoughts upon reentering the states? There are just so many Americans here. And there is so much English. It is weird not to say “Sorry, I speak English” before talking to someone. It is nice, I guess, but my ears already miss the Danish sounds.
Now, this next reflection might sound offensive but I promise that I love all of you Americans who are reading this so it is not directed toward you. In the past 10 hours I have been struck over and over by just how nice Americans are…and also how incredibly annoying they are! Perhaps I am especially biased but it always seemed like the Americans who were complaining about little things or talking about themselves (loudly) or acting like they were the most important person in the room. And of course, when one American acts like he/she is so great, then the other Americans grumble and snootily say, “Gosh what makes you so special? Why do you get to get out of the plane first?”
Good god, Americans, just slappe af! (a common Danish phrase meaning ‘relax!’)
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I wrote the above post from the airport but I didn't have internet there so I couldn't post it. Now I am at home, in my comfy bed. I have been with my family for the past 10 hours and for those 10 hours I have not had to deal with any annoying Americans, just the absolutely wonderful Americans who I was so happy to see I couldn't even shed a tear, who chatted with me and listened to me chat the entire way back to Newton, and who stayed up super late with me to open souvenirs and laugh at the massive amount of candy that I brought home. Let's just say, it was been one hell of a good homecoming.
I was wide awake all through the last part of my trip and up until midnight last night (which would have been nighttime up until 7:00 am back in Copenhagen) so I thought "Well, geeze I am pretty great at this not getting jetlag thing." Well it is now 5:30 am and I am awake enough to have turned my computer on and started writing this instead of just going back to sleep. That is certainly not normal! Unfortunately, I guess that means I am not as perfectly exempt from the crazy amount of messed-up that everyone warned me I would feel. Nonetheless I will try to go back to sleep now and wake up again in two hours or so. If that doesn't work I guess I might be back on here to ramble some more : )
Vi ses!
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