Tag Archives: academics

Recognizing Fluency

I am reading Harry Potter again.  While I kept most of my copies in the States, I brought 3 with me.*  One I read on the plane (OotP, it’s my favorite, don’t @ me).  And 2 versions Josh got me as a gift. They’re not in English. Harry Potter und der Stein der Weisen andContinue reading “Recognizing Fluency”

A Weekend in Bonn

48 Hours in Bonn This weekend, I took the train from Bielefeld to Bonn, where Josh has been living and working for the past month.  He is working at the Hausdorff Research Institute for Mathematics (HIM), in partnership with Universität Bonn. This was my first time leaving Bielefeld by train and traveling by myself.  IContinue reading “A Weekend in Bonn”

The Expat Impostor

It’s normal to experience doubt.  It’s normal to think to yourself, “I can’t do this.”  That’s called being a human.  But withholding everyday activities out of fear of failure, not allowing yourself simple joys because you don’t think you’re “good enough” is not normal.  There’s a phenomenon often found in academia where people are flooded with thoughts of inadequacy and are left questioning their competency. Moving overseas can tend to exacerbate these feelings. I learned that the hard way.

Are you a tourist?

“He’s a tourist.  He vacations in people’s lives, takes pictures, puts them in his scrapbook, and moves on.  All he’s interested in are stories.” -Ron Swanson, Parks & Rec. No Roots I often catch myself counting down until we move onto our next location/postdoc/fellowship/tenure whatever it may be.  I assume this is something that happensContinue reading “Are you a tourist?”

Stressful Schedules in Grad School

I haven’t seen my husband in a month.  He’s been around here and there, but for the most part, we are like separate entities, ships in the night, waving at each other from afar. “Hello!” “Ahoy!” I can practically hear the echo. Separate Timelines Let me give you the rundown of a grad student’s schedule:Continue reading “Stressful Schedules in Grad School”