Remember yesterday's lazy-ish day? Well today was not one of those, I can say. My day started at 12 AM. Early, huh? Or late. I 'met' my colleagues of an international project online, while they were in Bolzano. It was great finally seeing them, even though I could barely make out the pixels on the screen, but I managed to recognize most of them. Oh, the challenges of modern technology!
I really hope that once I get back to Hungary, I won't lose my mentality I have begun to gain here. Even from the distance, the difference was striking. It could not have been a better demonstration what I have seen so far in the US culture and what I would love to avoid once I get back.
After my latest ever presentation, I went to sleep. Which was hard, though. There are very few times that I miss home/people/job duties/job perks, but this was one of those. Maybe the second one since I have been in the US. First my students, second, these partner meetings.
Waking up at 8, my heart was racing. I was only hoping nobody was stealing my bank account data. I was seriously considering transferring all my earthly e-money to my family members. Sometimes, I just make no sense at all. And these bastards really had a bad effect on my mental state. But thankfully, a few minutes into my day, I could regain balance.
I fired up my laptop, knowing I have two meetings ahead of me. One with my boss (sounds even a bit goofy to write it down this way) and one with my thesis worker. My fellow colleague, a.k.a. our department head wanted to know more about my time here, so I warned him that I could talk hours about my time here, so how much time he has? Joke's aside, I have not told him how much I want to continue research abroad. Or maybe not research, but experience abroad. I'll save it for later when I get back. Or when he reads this entry to my journals.
If you ever had a rough day at work, that is exactly what I had. After three meetings in the morning and a bit of work done for the Cost Action I am participating in, I had lunch with Susie and John and told them about the fact that if I had been born in the US, I would have become a lawyer. I would have enjoyed the theatre and the case law processes. They immediately though of their friends to invite over, who are lawyers and might be interested in the Hungarian legal system.
In the afternoon, I kept working. Finished my writing part for the Cost Action paper, wrote emails to colleagues and thesis workers, worked on projects, and made plans with Thuy (the wife from the couple I met on the hikes). We are meeting this Wednesday for lunch! Pam, the other older lady on the hike invited me to her nonprofit event this Saturday. Too bad I had to cancel because of our Santa Cruz plans. But I was not shy to share that I myself am planning to start my own nonprofit, and would love to join the next event, if possible.
My Social Security Card arrived! So formal, right? I thought I would make good use of it, but it only turns out to be a piece of (useless) paper (at least to me at this point). I wanted to transfer my rent to Susie and John via Apple Cash, a thing we obviously do not have in any other countries around the world. Only in the US. Apple, come on! Be just a bit quicker with your new inventions if you'd like them to grow exponentially. Or you probably don't need that anymore. Anyways, now I needed a new way of rent transfer. Maybe Wise will save us all.
The SSN came on this tiny irrelevant piece of paper. It looks cool, though. It was worth the 1-hour wait at the Social Security Office. Not that I would ever use it (maybe once I'll be back in the USA, working for one of the best universities in the world – would I, though? Would you bet on me now?).
The best part of my day might as well have been simply helping my thesis workers. Helping and nurturing aspiring thesis workers is such a joy! I love this part of my job, as I get to see where somebody begins and how far they can go to reach their potential. No wonder why I love all those stories and books, where the protagonist is going through a strong self-development journey. I like to think of my life as such, too. Look at where I came from and where I am now. Okay, but you have no idea about where I came from, right? Let's see how well I can depict it for you.
19 September 2022
YOU ARE READING
Memories I am afraid I'll forget
Non-FictionWelcome to my American Days' Journals! I do not particularly have any talent in writing things up from scratch, especially not my own experience as a Fulbright scholar, but you have got to start somewhere, especially if you are too afraid that you'l...
