I'm back in Geneva, Switzerland, on a wonderful trip to visit Coyote. Last Friday, we went out on the town and later this week we plan to see a whole lot more of the city. Yesterday, we walked through the botanical gardens near her institute and smelled the fresh blooms on the flowers. The city is far more lively and upbeat now than when I visited in January. Back then, I was so nervous for so many reasons but now this trip is immediately comforting.
A few days ago, I was finishing up my second semester and parting goodbye temporarily with my colleagues at Physical Sciences Inc. Those terrifically busy days are shortly behind me now. And while I am here, I can focus on helping Antonia and practicing self care. I will admit that I was a bit overwhelmed with the multitude of things that I was obliged to accomplish prior to this trip. Despite the list of tasks, I was able to properly finish all these obligations to my own satisfaction. We'll see how those things have fared in time...
With a second semester of graduate school behind me, I am officially halfway to a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering and approximately 1/5th of the way to the doctorate. While most of the truly difficult components of my doctoral program are still far in front of me, such as qualifying exams and paper presentations, I feel capable to have made it this far without a serious issue. It was disappointing to be unselected for my fellowship applications, but I know it will not decide my fate nor long term plans for my career and goals.
I have this moment now to reflect and prepare. To heal a bit before I find a new challenge at Oak Ridge National Laboratory this summer. I look forward to the new experiences and opportunities to learn on my way.
