Being 'New'

So the day after I got back from Budapest, I had to be up bright and early and down at the Glasgow Science Centre to have a booth on our Institute of Gravitational Research. I got to spend two days explaining space-time theory to 5 year old kids. Try it sometime; it's fun. I met the token precocious kids who can sit there for hours explaining to me about the atmosphere and planets and asteroids and eclipses while their overwhelmed mothers finally take a breather. I loved it. The best bit is when you get to explain something to these hugely inquisitive kids and you can see them understand something and you know that they'll spend inordinate amounts of time explaining it to their mothers that evening.

The walk down to the Science Centre was absolutely lovely. I love the fall and I walked down Kelvin Way along Kelvingrove Park. The leaves were changing and there was the necessary crispness to the air. It was a beautiful walk; particularly on Sunday where no one is around until maybe noon. I also crossed the River Clyde which I always enjoy as you can look down and see the shipping yards. The GSC's cafeteria had a beautiful veiw across the Clyde to the University tower.

Speaking of the cafeteria, one thing I hugely love about Scotland is the attitude toward haggis. It seems so exotic in the US and I remember when leaving and people were asking me to tell them the first time I had it. You remember when I had it, it was a few weeks back now. I've had it a lot since then as it's readily available and seems to be a staple of the diet. Can't really blame them, either, as it's filling and nutritious and really doesn't taste that bad. No, really. Anyway, the reason I started down this path, is that I have had haggis on multiple occasions now with no difficulty or really second thought. I got my lunch for free at the GSC and when I went to the cafeteria, the hot option for the day was haggis and chips. Great! No problem. Didn't think twice. Until I was sitting at the floor-to-ceiling windows, looking over the Clyde, eating my haggis and chips with ketchup did I realise how actually surreal the whole thing was. Funny anecdote, too, the Scots always seem to be completely surprised when haggis makes it onto some 'weird foods that we dare you to try' list. The only equivalent for Americans I can think of to really drive the point home is if something like hot dogs were on that list (which, arguably, I feel safer eating haggis than hot dogs). Something that's so familiar that for whatever reason the rest of the world is terrified of.

Last week was the first week for the new PhD students and the term in general. I helped out with the new 3rd year physics labs and their 'teamworking exercises' for two days. Hey, I got paid and got free lunch. Can't complain. Though I did have to deal with a particularly arsey group of Glaswegian boys hell-bent on making trouble. All in good spirits of course, but I definitely had to keep them from cheating on a more-than-regular basis. The last bit of the last day though did end up being pretty beneficial when they brought in some professionals in the field of physics to discuss their careers. Our groups had 45 minutes to come up with questions to ask them. I managed to convince them that out of anything that week, this would be really valuable, because it's the time to start thinking post-degree. So after they came up with some questions, they started asking me about being a PhD student. I'm pretty sure that I convinced 8 boys to go into research ::pat on back::. Because, really, it is a pretty sweet life.

The main annoyance of the week was having to go to all the 'orientation' stuff for the new students. Since I came at a weird time, a few things were hastily explained to me and I was left to figure out the rest myself. Which I did. Also, just being back from Budapest, I now actually have things to do, believe it or not. Now I have to do an unbelievable amount of stupid courses and teamwork events when I could be doing real stuff. It wouldn't have been that bad my first month, when I was still sorting stuff out, but I'm to the point now that I'm working on the weekend just to get things done. Also, some of the other new PhD students (who feel like their about 5 years younger than me) are the biggest bunch of condescending, pathetic, arsey, sexist, Oxbridge boys I've ever met. Not to be a snob, but not only have I been here for four months and figured things out, I've also actually done research for two years before that. For whatever reason, they still feel the need to introduce me to professors and ask if I need help with my computer. Oh for frak's sake.
Oh well, the proof is in the publications. Ta for now!