Postdocing in the US

Americanized..

2012-02-04T19:42:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I last wrote.. I feel like I've let down an old friend, when I probably only slightly annoyed a 12 year old boy in Guatamala thinking this is a cool music blog or something.
Things are getting busier, which is good. and as of today, I'm officially a Californiite or a Californian or however you should say it. I got me a credit card and a loan. So I guess that officially makes me an Americanized adult. Kind of funny, the way things are around here.. The financial system in the US is completely based on consumption.. of everything! and more than that, in order to do anything here, you either need a credit history or you need to pay a nice deposit. I, for one, believe people should live by their ability. After you make sure you have enough for basic living, you can spend some on luxury.. That's why I really like the debit system - you want something, you pay for it. What you have in the bank is what you can spend, no credits, no loans, no APRs or fines or whatever they'll invent next. But here, they won't measure you for how responsible you are. they measure you for how much you owe, and how well you do to return what you owe.. preferably for a HUGE interest. That's how you build yourself a credit history. So I do. I got me a Visa card - I intend on using it, and paying on time (even though I've been told to owe them money every once in a while and pay it back (after paying a ~10% interest rate) because it's good for my credit history (I don't get that). Now get this - I have enough money to get me a car, but no one knows that I have enough money to buy a car, so no credit perks here.. so in order to tell the bank I have the money, I am taking a loan. this loan is what they call a share secured loan - I essentially borrow money from myself (after depositing it in the bank) and I get to pay a 1% interest rate for it. This system is SOOOOOOOOOOO stupid to me. it does make sense for really importent things, when you can pay back.. but why would anyone buy things they can't afford. Half the people here owe hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loans.. it's like this nation programs it's citizens to be in debt. I'm sure they don't like it..

Anyway, I've Americanized.. got my California ID, got my credit card and hopefully soon I will have a car.. and for now, i watch TV, a lot. Dunno why.. I guess it's a getaway.

This one's for the 12 year old kid, hopefully he has a good taste in music.

Motivation anyone?

2012-01-16T22:22:00.000-08:00

I've been here a while now, and looks like I need something new to drive me. I've finally settled in with a daily routine, going to the lab etc etc. I've even started running again (unless it's too cold out..). But something happened to my motivation.. When I came here, I wanted nothing but to work 14 hours a day.. but I didn't have the tools to do it. I still don't, and I'm trying to realize why it's taking so long. It looks as though I'm too dependent upon other people's help at the time. In real life, I don't really mind, but when it comes to science, I like working with other people but depending on myself. That way I can steer and I can manage my own time. Right now, I spend most of my time waiting. In a way, I'm managed by other people's free time. and it's annoying. I know it's just a phase, it's only the beginning and all that. But I'm not happy with it.

I also haven't really started looking for a car, and again, I blame my lack of motivation. I am browsing through online ads and whatnot, but I didn't call anyone and I didn't go to a single dealer (being the lazy way to buy a preowned car). I just need to build up motivation..

You must be asking yourselves what (the hell) am I doing in my spare time.. so at work I read some and revise fellowship applications, since I have a feeling (and it's only me here, no one ever told me that) that my position will be safer if I bring my own funding. I guess this feeling will pass once I'm actually productive. but for now, I feel pretty useless.. and I would love to have that extra line or two in my CV saying someone thought I was worth the investment.
At home, I'm trying to get myself to read papers and textbooks and also fiction, but I can't get myself to sit still for more than ten minutes. So I resort to watching lots of TV. which is pretty bad.. back home I used to stay late at my lab to read, I should start doing the same here..

Sorry for bitching and moaning here.. wasn't the best day I guess. But I'm sure that once I start producing results, good or bad (hopefully good!!), I'll feel better about this postdoc.

It's official!

2012-01-07T15:32:00.000-08:00

Ever since I arrived here, I've been trying my best to feel comfortable and to have some kind of a routine that will keep me going. As I probably mentioned before, this move wasn't the easiest thing for me (comfort zone bla bla blah), so I did my best to keep busy and take care of everything I need to in order to start living here. Well, I got an apartment in about a week, I started going to lab on my third day here, I got a cell phone, a band account, and This week I got the official social security card. Just two things were still missing - My own car and a credit card. I'm eligible for a credit card and I just need to apply, I'll do it first thing next week. The car thing turned out to be a longer process.

See, the state of California requires you to have a local driver's license in order to buy a car. I know people that got around it, and there's no real problem with it (to my understanding, postdocs on J1 visas are not defined residents..). but having a local ID and license is just more comfortable. So I did my written test about 10 days ago and took the road test a couple of days ago. Now, I've been driving for about 14 years already,which makes it a bit weird to be tested for my driving again. It was kind of funny though.. the tester was a nice woman, roughly my age, who just wanted to get it over with.. I did fine, and got my license (I'd be pissed if I hadn't passed the test). So now - I need to find a car.. I have a budget, I know what I want, but I need to find it, test drive it and pay for it.. and I'm taking my time..

For the test, I rented a car (and I went alone, which didn't bother anyone.. I was sure they wouldn't like it). That was the first time I realized, having a car here is not 100% necessary but it's very convenient. especially since I want to travel around.

Oh, and I'm really starting to like Los Angeles. I had to go downtown a couple of times, to see a friend. She showed me around and I guess you shouldn't always trust your first impression. And along with that, after I got a TV and bought a streamer, I started listening to Pandora again (it's restricted to north America, wasn't available back home). Music plays a big part in my life (i.e., I can't stand silence) so its nice to have shuffling music in the background. That's when I started listening to Elliot Smith again.. and He sings about LA alot.. he even has a song about the renowned Rose Parade and Alameda St. But he's too depressing.. but Beck is also from LA (and he's a musical genius ) so I listen to him more and more..

I get by with a little help from my friends..

2011-12-30T10:06:00.000-08:00

An entire month. Thirty days (more or less..). That's a while already, and it went by quite fast. During this time I didn't do much, really, I got an apartment, furnished it to a reasonable degree (I got my TV yesterday, no more watching Hulu on my 13" laptop), passed the written driving test (behind-the-wheel test next week, I hope) and started working, a bit.. I guess my main realization is that you should never take friends for granted (When I say friends, I also mean family). You see, I've known most of my friends for years - some of them I know longer than I know myself. and I pride in having friends that are hard to replace (not that I'm trying to)..
Which brings me to now - as I settle it, the void in between not working full time (I will in due time, and I will complain about it, I promise.. now I'm excited at the prospect) and finishing everything I had to do to complete this move is getting bigger. That's the void friends usually fill with a lot of fun and happiness (and support). I've been in touch with my friends over the phone and online, but it's hardly the same... I've started to meeting people around here and they're really nice and helpful. but it'll take a while until I feel comfortable calling them for nothing and just going for a beer (should be easier than I think)..

So I need to fill my free time.. and rather than studying, reading papers or textbooks to feel more comfortable with my work, I'm looking for other things to do. So I got myself a pair of bicycle (I'm free again, I have my favorite mode of transportation) and I'm trying to start running again (not working in the mean time.. I keep postponing). But I fins that I keep resorting to watching TV and cooking/baking.
I've always liked cooking..but my repertoire was always a bit limited and I feared baking. Baking is an amazing thing, in my opinion. it's the most basic skill one should have - make your own food (and it smells great - like home!). So, out of boredom, I made cookies. I must admit, I loved it! It was simpler than I thought, and even kindof exciting (since I didn't know what to expect). but I ended up with ~50 cookies. So I'm trying to portion, but I will probably (hopefully not) be fat by the end of this postdoc. I will start bringing leftovers to the lab.. My next hurdle was bread. I actually wanted to make bread before I wanted to make cookies, but for some odd reason, I could not find dry yeast on the morning of Christmas eve.. weird.

Anyways, I made bread just the other day. Bread in the states (the stuff they sell in grocery stores) is just not good. So I resorted to making my own.. first I thought I'd buy me a break maker.. but it's just not as fun (and expensive.. seems like a waste when I have this wicked oven). So I made whole wheat bread - I admit, it wasn't perfect, but it was great! and I hope its the first of many.. and I need to cut down on other carbs..

Happy new year! good luck with life and research and everything in between..

Ho Ho Ho... ?

2011-12-26T18:23:00.000-08:00

Today I realized I may be suffering from a slight case of depression.. It's been almost a month since I arrived here and I haven't started working (well, really working.. it might take a while) and I miss home. I'm getting to that point where you realize you're here to stay and it's not this weird vacation.. So, I guess I'm close to the end of that Limbo I was living in.. Which is good!

I come to realize I might be depressed only when I felt happy again, merely an hour ago. You see, back home I used to run every other day. nothing much (though I aim to run a marathon next year), around 10-15 Km.. I haven't been running (or doing any other kind of sport, besides walking with the wrong shoes) for over a month now, and its depressing. So hopefully, I'll manage to return to my good old habits and run or swim or do some kind of a sport from now on on regular basis (plus, I finally bought a bike, I'm have a vehicle again!).

Speaking of modes of transportation - I finally got my social security number (Yeahy!! I'm a 'legal alien allowed to work') so I can get my driver's license.. So now I have to take the written exam, a vision test and then the driving test. Hopefully, within a couple of weeks, I'll have a car.. which means I'll be able to travel a bit.

On Christmas eve, I went to a neighborhood not so far away (I biked there.. :) it's about 4-5 miles away). This neigborhood is known for its Christmas light up.. You can see some examples below.. I was pretty nice (The view from there was even nicer, it's up on a hill so you can see the entire valley below).

When I came back, I wanted to feel at home a bit more, so I made cookies (I wanted to make bread.. but the two stores I went to were out of yeast.. I wonder why..) anyway here's the before and after. Now I have tons of cookies at home. oh well..

Am I in over my head in this postdoc?

2011-12-22T22:20:00.000-08:00

Well gang, I hit the first wall.. It's been almost a month now, and I need some air.
I realized something today - When I decided to take this position, I was really excited. I know this wasn't my field of expertise but I thought (and I still do) that pushing things a little beyond my comfort zone is the way to progress, the way to develop as a scientist and as a person. I might have been right, with the general idea.. but I think I'm a bit further away from my comfort zone.. light years away.

I want to learn, and I want to do new things. In theory, all is nice and well. but in practice, you need people's time and help. I hate to be dependent and I know it's only the beginning. I am rational, I know this is just the way things are, but it feels like I'm letting myself down, and maybe letting my boss down (though he's very supportive, to a point where I feel like I'm being treated as child or something).

Anyway, I will do my best to prove myself, as soon as I have something to work on. I guess that any postdoc, moving to a new lab, and moving to a new field of research goes through the same process.. and it's not so fun at the moment.. I understand why people stay at their old labs or postdoc with a former collaborator, it's just easier.

I know it's going to be fine, but I just need a little time to pass and to start working.

In the mean time, I'm trying to write a manuscript for the last year or so of my PhD. there are a couple of things worth publishing and since I have the time, I use it for writing a little..

Welp.. Happy Holidays! (Marry Christmas, Happy Hannuka and happy Kwanzaa.. Whatever holiday you're celebrating, have a good one).

Well, not your typical Southern California weather.. but would be nice.

A soon to be "Lawful alien Allowed to work"

2011-12-17T17:15:00.000-08:00

I would like to thank the American Social Security Administration (SSA) for an interesting morning and a valuable lesson in patience. See, going to the SSA is much like volunteering to be an extra at a really bad soup opera. I went first thing in the morning, only to find the rest of the cast was already there, waiting for me.. Then it started - people were called to the windows, to try and see what the state can do for them. And honestly, it was truly amazing. The people working for SSA must be the most patient assertive people in America, otherwise I can't see how they would survive a day's work without crushing under sad sad stories of death (but also sometimes birth) and poverty (and whatever else they deal with). The truly amazing thing was that no one got really angry. One woman, while trying to collect someone's pension after they died, even though she wasn't really eligible ("Someone told me I might get it, so I thought I'd give it a try.."). Another dude (big dude.. move to the other side of the street kind of dude) tried to get an ID for his son. But SSA would give an ID only based on previous ID or immunization cards. All he had was a birth certificate - It wasn't enough.. He cursed a lot, but only to himself.

Me, I had it pretty easy that morning.. One simple form, one SSA officer, nothing to it, really. That guy at the window looked like the all American average guy. It was 9 in the morning, I was the second or third person he saw that day (out of probably dozens) and he looked like he'd shot himself, if only given the chance.. And he worked slow... I mean really slow.. It took 30 minutes, during which I stood in front of him while saying nothing, and he looked so depressed. I felt bad for him, and was happy the weekend was coming.

The our at the SSA was an hour spent well! I should get my SS number (and card) within two weeks, and will should start to get better treatment. You see, people without social security in the US are close to nothing.. and since you don't have credit history, it's even harder. So everyone wants a deposit of some sort.. and to see some sort of identification, in person.. Now try to get an internet connection like this. I'll save you the trouble, you can, but you should have a permanent debit card, or you're toast.
I finally got mine yesterday, it took them two and a half weeks (and managed to humiliate me in public once). The story, in short, was that I waited patiently for the damn card (had a temporary one before) for two weeks. when I realized it was not going to happen, I called the bank and asked to order the permanent card again, since the first one did not arrive. The guy at the bank said there's an overnight option and it will be the the next day (two weeks were not enough but one day was ?!)... one thing he failed to inform me - once you order a new new card, the old temporary card is no longer valid. I figured that one on the third time I got -DENIED- on the screen when I tried paying for 60$ worth of groceries - This never happened to me before, it felt really bad. But I decided to let it slide.. only the card wasn't there the next day, when they'd said it will be, so I resorted to politely, yet with much anger, thank the teller for leaving me with 20$ in my pocket and nothing else in the world. I got another call later that day that the card was ready and arrived late to the branch and will be waiting for me the next morning.. I think I'll change banks. The only problem - I set up a direct deposit for my payroll into that account.. changing it would take a while so I can't close the account with the drama I wanted, so it wouldn't be as much fun, and I'd probably be too lazy to do it, when the time comes. Oh Well.

Sorry for complaining. but I need to vent.. Besides that, everything is pretty good. I need to calm down a bit though, because I keep feeling like they're going to find out I'm no good and fire me (they have fired a postdoc before.. couldn't really get an answer why). We had a Pre-Christmas party, where most of the postdocs (including me) ended up quite drunk, it was fun.. and a good way to get to know some of the people at the lab better. I like my lab. Can't wait to actually start working..

Well, This is what I'm here for...

2011-12-12T20:44:00.000-08:00

When I decided to take this postdoc position, I figured there would come a time when I have to prove myself. A time for me to show them they made the right choice.. I think this is it..

Beginnings are always hard. This was (still is) no exception - wrapping up everything at home, packing the little I could into two suitcases and boarding a plane.. That's the easiest part. Now, after I've found a place of my own and more or less settled in (there's lots more to do, in dealing with the American bureaucracy..), I need to step up and start working.

My line of work takes a lot of preparation and planning.. I've done some of it back home, but it was always vague. Now I actually have to work on the everything, from concepts to the small fine details. And I don't know crap about this. As you might have already read, I have no background in the field I'm entering.. I don't know the methods nor the common dogma. I mean, I do know some of it, in theory, but not nearly as much as someone in my position should. To sum it up in two and a half words - I'm panicking..
I mean, nothing will happen if I go to that meeting tomorrow to discuss those fine details and I ask questions or don't really know every small detail. I'm afraid I won't understand the answers.. and I would hate to let my boss and myself down.

I think this is the first, and probably the last time I'll say this - I'm glad I'm here by myself. Had I come here with a spouse or had my family and friends been here.. I would simply blow this steam off on them. Which is shitty.. This way I can deal with everything between me and myself, the way I like sorting things - in peace and quiet (and a fair amount of repression).

And - Tomorrow is the first time i'm going in to the city.. Meeting an old friend for drinks, I'll probably need it after tomorrow's meeting.

This may sound like an advertisement for IKEA - It's not...

2011-12-08T21:51:00.001-08:00

IKEA sells more than just furniture (and everything else you need for your place.. I ended up spending half my monthly pay over two hours there), they also sell a sense of accomplishment. Funny ah, those swedes know what they're doing.. I was seriously amazed by their designs - not of the furniture, but of the boxes and packages. most if not all of their small boxes are make from one cardboard, shaped the was it should to keep the product safe.. many have written about this, i'm sure, so I won't go on..

This is how it all started..

So, as you probably understood, I've been to IKEA. Left work early, rented a car and drove there.. I seriously don't like the place. Too big for me, I guess. but it got me everything I needed - A dining table, a sofa bed, another table for my TV and, well, my entire kitchen..

Halfway done.. Many boxes around...

So I spent that money and had to wait a day for the delivery.. Even then, when my apartment was still empty, I started to have that feeling it's going to become a real home... Then it arrived - nine, fairly big, heavy boxes (227 Kg total). As someone who likes to say he likes assembling IKEA furniture, I was excited to start. On the second chair, I was fed up with it.. I continued only for the sake of the challenge - to assemble everything before I go to bed. It was around 6 in the evening when I started..
and around 11:30 I was done.. everything was assembled.. and my house was a complete mess. There was more cardboard than anything else.. but I had to go to bed.. so I left the mess for today. Getting back from work, I was sure it'll take me hours to clean up, but evidently, it took less than an hour.. and the apartment was clean again.. Now, with a Sofa bed, I can challenge everyone who said they'd come visit (Not many, but those who did will have to come up with good excuses when they don't come).

Now it feels a little more like a home.. it's tidy and cozy... It still needs a lot of work, and I still need to get a bunch of things. But it's getting there (and honestly, much faster than I expected).

To make this feeling of home stronger, I made soup.. the first thing I cooked here. Don't know why, two things give me that feeling (besides my mom's cooking) - Vegetable soup and porridge. So I made soup, ith large chunky vegetables. It was comforting.. Still feels kind of empty though. it'll take a while I guess.

In the mean time, I've met some very nice people and started going to lab regularly.. it's going to be an amazing time here. even if it takes a while to get used to it.

Enjoy your pre-Christmas celebrations, I'm already invited to two (department and lab).

Going to IKEA by any chance??

2011-12-05T19:37:00.001-08:00

It's amazing how crippled I feel by not owning a car. I finally moved in to a new place, as I've mentioned, and it's empty. Do over the weekend, I resorted to walk to the nearest stores (Target and Ross) and buy small things.. the real necessities - sheets, towels, some dishes, a kettle and the lamp you see in the picture. I had to carry everything a good distance (walking distance, but annoying when you have to carry stuff). However, in order to really furnish this place, I'll have to go to IKEA.. The Swedish temple for the gods of furniture. I admit, I'm not a big fan, but at the moment it's one of the places I want to get to the most. And so, I've decided to rent a car tomorrow (assuming I can get out of work early) and go on a shopping spree. I take it for granted I will forget to buy a lot of things, and I'll buy a lot of unnecessary things.. but I'll be able to sit comfortably in my living room. And I'll have a place to put my soon-to-be new TV and stereo. And then - I'll have a place I can call a home (or so I hope).

I admit, up until now I was working on autopilot - one goal at a time to settle in as fast as I can. But now, especially after getting a bunch of emails from friends and family, for the first I feel like I'm alone.. but I'll be OK.. there are plenty of good people around, and I'll have work and biking and hiking and what not to keep me busy. Hmm... I think its carbon monoxyde from my gas heater speaking and not me.. I'm actually supposed to have it checked by the gas company before I use it, but it's damn cold here at night (and the only non whole day waiting could be set to two weeks from now).. So I resorted to keep it on, while I'm awake, with my windows open a little..

Oh well.. This is going to be fun once I actually settle it (oh, and I started to go to the lab today!! that's really something to be happy about! I will start working soon.. woop woop).

Lets make it official + some nostalgy

2011-12-04T20:23:00.001-08:00

I'm in, officially. I came in with a direct flight in to LAX.. It wasn't my first time there, I landed there eight months ago when I came to interview with the lab I am part of today. Both my LAX experiences are not something to write about.. much (just a few words). On the first time, I was picked up by the lab manager, after my flight was delayed for over four hours. I landed in LAX around 11 pm, tired and frankly, a bit smelly, thinking of a good night's sleep when a US customs officer decided I've been to the US to much.. so I waited forty minutes until he checked my background on their computer to find I was OK to enter. I ended up arriving at the hotel around midnight and had to give a talk and interview at 9 am the next morning. It was exhausting but went well (welp, I'm here aren't I? how bad could it have been?). This visit, I expected the same interrogation, but it was replaced by long long lines waiting for the immigration and for the customs officers.. but this time, with what I learned the previous time, I took a shuttle to the university.. It was surprisingly fast ans efficient. Since I arrived in the morning, I went on to start all the administrative issues that have to be dealt with - I bought a cellphone (a prepaid sim card to put into my unlocked smart phone.. I'll get a plan soon) and I got a bank account (will apply for a credit card later, but either way, I'm eligible only because it's the university's credit union..). after that, I checked in with the university, signed my contract, did the paper work, chose my health insurance, got an email and an ID and there I was - a real postdoc. And as all postdocs do, I fell a sleep while watching TV (only it was 6 pm and I woke up 7 hours later to find out its the middle of the night). Jet-lag is a pain!! It's been almost a week now and I still feel like sleeping around eight and wake up before 6 am.

On my second night here, and probably as part of the welcoming ceremony, the weather had planned something for me (when I came to interview it was just constant rain, in the southern California spring..). This time it was a full blown wind storm (a once in thirty years kind of storm). I woke up to find the city blocked with unrooted trees and crushed cars (I think no one really got hurt, luckily).

That was exciting, and also was my 'Go' mark to find an apartment of my own. Every night at the hotel costs 85$.. I had to find a place fast.. Now - I've no idea why would anyone in southern California carpet their apartment, but most apartments here are carpeted.. I ended up taking the only (!) apartment that had hardwood floors from the five or six apartments I saw. I really do like my new apartment, even though it's empty, except for my bed. I went mattress shopping yesterday and resorted to be a slightly more expensive mattress just so that it is delivered on the same day.. but that's OK.. I hope I'll like it, tonight is my first night sleeping on it.

Deposits (!) are annoying.. Most companies won't trust anyone, but even more so if you are foreign and even more so if you still don't have a social security number and credit history. So far, I left a month's rent as a deposit for my landlord (everyone has to leave a deposit..) and left a deposit to the gas company and to the electric company and I will probably have to leave a deposit for my new cellphone and for the internet connection.. all in all that would make over 2000$ in deposits.. SO annoying. but I should get that money back at some point (unless my landlord is a real douche, in which case he'll come up with some lie on things that are wrong.. I hope he's honest..).
So this is sortof home for me now.. and I have to make it my real home.

And to make it official, I had a dinner that every graduate student had at least once - Raman Noodles.. Yam!! though I must admit, it's a bit sickening.. MSG and all that crap..

I think that's about it for now.. Tomorrow is the first day of work, for real this time (though it'll take a bit more until I actually start doing wet bench work). Wish me luck.. I need it!

What constitutes a home?

2011-12-04T14:30:00.001-08:00

I just moved in to a nice, large apartment.. but all I have is a bed (I bought yesterday, and luckily was delivered on the same day).. Is that a real home? Since the rest of my stuff will probably be IKEA furniture, you might say it'll be a plastic sort of a home. I guess it'll take a while before I really feel at home here (hoping I actually will, at some point).

How to find an apartment and move in four days.

2011-12-03T18:32:00.001-08:00

In order to actually do so, I'll have to write this post later...

I'm exhausted.

Holy crap, it's really happening!!

2011-11-28T14:03:00.001-08:00

Welp, no matter how well I managed to block this feeling, I'm actually going.

In about 15 minutes I will board a plane.. I haven't even finished writing about how I got to go there, and I'm actually going (I'll fill in some details later on, but briefly, Saying goodbye is sad, yet great fun when you do it in good restaurants).

I'll miss home, ALOT! But I have a feeling this is going to be a great experience.

I managed to get rid of most of my things, narrowing everything down to two suitcases (and a box full with books my parents will send me later, I just didn't get to it). There's something liberating about it, though I know I'll have to furnish an apartment and will probably end up with more stuff than I had before. Two things I could not get my self to give away/sell were my CDs and my books. I almost decided to bring my CDs with me, but I ended up ripping them to my laptop.. I left my books and CDs at my brothers - I'll come back for them (minus the books I'll have shipped to me).

A couple of packing snapshots -
Before: After:

Anyways, I'll see you on the other side of the Atlantic pond.. I'll miss the metric system... (how the hell do you make sense of those imperial units!?!).

Adios.

Five days to go (!!!)

2011-11-22T23:28:00.001-08:00

Well, in five days I will board a plane with a single suitcase (maybe I'll take another one).. and then - California! So exciting, with a pinch of panic. I'm gonna miss home...

How to make a postdoc happen. (Or: A summary of the past year) - Part I

2011-11-21T00:51:00.001-08:00

After I attended a course at MBL, I realized there's a lot more to science than what I got to experience at home. It was during the summer of 2010 that I spent almost seven weeks of intense science 24/7. it was great fun, but even more than that, it was an eye-opening experience. The interaction with an international blend of great scientists and students (while infused with alcohol) brought me to the understanding that this is what I want to do for a living. Up until then I thought I'd get my PhD and look for a job somewhere and only if I couldn't find a job that satisfied my curiosity, I'd resort to going away for a postdoc. The realization came rather quickly - one day, towards the end of that course, I called my parents and my girlfriend at the time (we separated shortly after.. she's getting married soon) and told them I've decided to skip the job hunt and go for a post-doctoral training instead. That's when the postdoc hunt really started..

During my PhD, I kept a notebook with me most of the time. I like taking notes during people's talks and after reading papers I like. So I made a list of possible mentors.. it started with 4-5 names and ended up with about 20 excellent, young scientists (from the very beginning, I decided I want to work with someone who's very early in their career.. a bit of a risk if they're not tenured, but its a risk I'm willing to take), most of which had positions at top universities in the US and a couple in Europe. With that list I went to talk with my mentor (with whom I've been working for the past seven years). He suggested a couple of other names to consider and we narrowed the list down to about ten, and decided I will draft a letter to send them, asking if they have an available position and offering myself for the job. A few days later, while reading papers, I came across a beautiful paper published in Nature a couple of years ago that made me very excited. I've never heard of neither the lab it came from nor the leading scientist, but I went to my boss' office and told him "This is the kind of science I want to do". It was nothing like anything I've ever even thought of doing.. I always thought I'd go for environmental microbiology, much like what I've been doing before that.. I then started reading a lot about this subject and ended up with only two names, the first author of that Nature paper (who now had a lab of his own) and another young PI working in the same field in the east coast.

I always loved New England.. and my general direction was either Boston or New York City. but I realized I should keep an open mind and mail both labs to see whether they were interested or not.. To be honest, I was biased towards Boston from the get go. One of my best friends lives there with her husband and another lives in NYC - it was perfect. and I've never really visited Southern California so it wasn't so attractive. So I drafted the Email, showed it to my boss to get his approval (he's an American, I'm not an English native speaker, if you haven't realized that by now) and with shaking hands, sent the email. from that point on that day, I constantly clicked the 'Send/Receive' button.. and then I got an answer from both asking for recommendation letters (great joy!!). I arranged for letters to be sent form both my advisers and waited.

You'll probably learn this a bit later, I hate waiting. Since science demands great patience (for months, at times), I find I've become less patient in real life (but I try real hard).. I want to know things, preferably now. A couple of days later two Emails arrived, one from each potential mentor. One invited me to visit the lab, as part of a postdoc interview, the next time I visit in the US. The other suggested we talk on Skype. I was a bit surprised by this offer, but couldn't really say no (and I'm glad I didn't). We scheduled a skype meeting later that week, and from the first minute, I knew I wanted to work with him. I was quite shy and quiet (I figured I didn't make the best first impression.. I was SO nervous, don't know why.. I read all his papers, and he didn't even want to talk about them). Anyhow, we had a couple more conversations, getting more into my PhD project (he suggested an idea for a question I didn't know how to attack) and to what they've been doing at his lab.. It felt great! he essentially offered me the job right then and there (and I said "Yes, but...."). It was time to go visit both labs. Luckily, I had a conference, scheduled a month or two later, I wanted to go to in the US. I scheduled interviews at both labs (I can't begin to explain how important it is to visit the lab you want to work at).

I have a thing for corny songs..

2011-11-20T10:41:00.000-08:00

Hello World!

2011-11-20T10:31:00.000-08:00

Well, here I am.. about to embark on this journey, taking me across the Atlantic ocean and all the way to the other side of the world, for one main reason - to get post-doctoral training at a major university.

I wanted to start blogging about the entire process of getting a postdoc position and everything involved when I actually started the process (about a year ago), but life happened and I was too busy with other things (PhD etc) to start writing.. I will try to tell a little bit about the process, from looking for potential labs and to actually getting the position and going there in the next few days.

A bit about me - I'm a microbiologist (not yet a PhD, but should be soon.. I recently submitted my dissertation), going to Southern California to postdoc on the a cross-disciplinary project that involves immunology and neurobiology. I love the idea of changing fields.. I'm also freaking out about it..

I'm very much excited about this postdoc. Both personally and professionally, this is a great move for me. Nevertheless, I'm scared shitless! about everything: moving to a new place, a new mentality, a new university, a new lab, new friends.. Essentially, everything is new to me there..

Anyways, I should get back to packing. The flight's in eight days and I still need to pack my place and move in back with my parents for a couple of days before the flight. While I'm not doing that, I'm trying to see as many friends possible to say goodbye.. and hell, it's sad. Even though today's technology essentially makes everything much much closer, it's just not the same... I'll miss this place and my friends and family.

Just to leave you with something - this is what my bed looks like (well, I moved my bed already.. it's just the mattress). Take it as a "Before" picture.. The after will be after I manage to pack my entire life to one (maybe two) suitcase and check in at the airport.

I'll update soon...