Things have been wild and woolly since I moved to Ann Arbor.
First, it has been the snowiest winter on record here, meaning lots of shoveling and wearing of long underwear and slipping and falling on my bum.
Second, when it rains, it pours. Some of my dear friends came to visit me at President's Day weekend. We rented a condo, toured the Ford Rouge plant, and toured around Ann Arbor, which was really enjoyable.
While they were here, I found out that my grandfather had passed away, meaning that I headed out of town two days after my friends left. While I was in Nebraska at the funeral, I found out that I was selected for an on-campus interview for a position I had applied for last year, so I started preparing my two talks for that interview and online shopping for interview outfits. I returned to Ann Arbor after the funeral, and, two days later, gave my first guest lecture (on Acid Rain) in my advisor's undergraduate Environmental Geology course. A week later, I headed out of town for my three-day marathon of an interview, which I was 4 hours late for because they lost our pilot in the airport and had to scramble for a replacement who showed up in his khaki pants and shirtsleeves, making me very nervous that he wasn't actually a pilot. Thankfully, I finally made it to my interview and survived the three days of meeting after meeting, and I had a lovely weekend with my family after the interview. I returned to Ann Arbor late last Sunday, and then, this week, prepared and gave my second guest lecture on the Great Lakes for the same Environmental Geology course. Good thing I don't also have a job that I'm trying to do or anything...
That has been my last month. I'm so thankful that things seem to be slowing down a little so that I can actually settle in here. Plus, spring is on the way, the snow is melting, and the birds are singing! It has been so lovely to be closer to family. I've gotten to see them at least once a month, which is FABULOUS! Although I totally miss Switzerland, there are definitely pluses to being back in the US!
First, it has been the snowiest winter on record here, meaning lots of shoveling and wearing of long underwear and slipping and falling on my bum.
Second, when it rains, it pours. Some of my dear friends came to visit me at President's Day weekend. We rented a condo, toured the Ford Rouge plant, and toured around Ann Arbor, which was really enjoyable.
While they were here, I found out that my grandfather had passed away, meaning that I headed out of town two days after my friends left. While I was in Nebraska at the funeral, I found out that I was selected for an on-campus interview for a position I had applied for last year, so I started preparing my two talks for that interview and online shopping for interview outfits. I returned to Ann Arbor after the funeral, and, two days later, gave my first guest lecture (on Acid Rain) in my advisor's undergraduate Environmental Geology course. A week later, I headed out of town for my three-day marathon of an interview, which I was 4 hours late for because they lost our pilot in the airport and had to scramble for a replacement who showed up in his khaki pants and shirtsleeves, making me very nervous that he wasn't actually a pilot. Thankfully, I finally made it to my interview and survived the three days of meeting after meeting, and I had a lovely weekend with my family after the interview. I returned to Ann Arbor late last Sunday, and then, this week, prepared and gave my second guest lecture on the Great Lakes for the same Environmental Geology course. Good thing I don't also have a job that I'm trying to do or anything...
That has been my last month. I'm so thankful that things seem to be slowing down a little so that I can actually settle in here. Plus, spring is on the way, the snow is melting, and the birds are singing! It has been so lovely to be closer to family. I've gotten to see them at least once a month, which is FABULOUS! Although I totally miss Switzerland, there are definitely pluses to being back in the US!
