Well people after a long struggle to finally get this blog site to open - (it took approximately 7mins to do that!), I am now struggling to see what I am typing. You have to give the pc time to think out what you are commanding it to do.
Well where can I start! What an experience it has been so far! First Bush and Blair made sure I couldn't carry any hand luggage on board aside from a clear plastic bag of which I made sure contained something for the officials to marvel at - well us ladies do need extra items u see. Altough my travel companion discouraged me to insert a condom - well u never know and we've been advised to be ever ready and vigilant.
I was surprised to get to Amsterdam and saw that so American flyers were allowed to have hand luggage however! This did piss me off actually. In all though, the flight was very enjoyable, the dutch are such nice people!!!
We arrived on Friday night. Now I really understand what they mean by the comment of "dark" continent! Aside from a few speckles of lights which you'd be excused to think of christmas lights - no- not the ones back there on oxford street/madison square, but some form of lights akeen to the ones adorned by that blue-arsed variety. The airport did have some dimly lit buildings - not sure what these are for. My first blunder of the evening was to assume that the welcoming ants on the wing of the flight were nsenene! Can you picture my spoken excitement at this when I voiced that the season was fantastic in which I'd arrived in - I could eat as much of this stuff without hindrance from those back in the UK! These were not nsenene but night lake flies known as "sami" Fancy that!
Oh and there was a power cut - at our welcoming international airport!!!
As for embarking the flight, well forget about those passenger gangway shutes which bring you direct inside an airport terminal - this did puzzle me specially when all I've heard of development! But aside from this first impression, coupled with the immigration posts mannerism. the welcome was actually quite good. Thanks people.
The real culture shocks begin...
Now have any of you ever driven on up-country dirt roads? Well this is what existed here except that this was in town. I was told it was actually not so bad (if I hear anyone telling me this again I think I will scream... - it is BAD!!!) People, there is a game on hand down on the ground here, it is called dodge the holes. You see, either you drive dogding the pot-holes or walk dogding the man-holes which some people have taken to stealing off covers leaving them gaping. One needs to keep their wits about them whilst out - if the cars don't get you, the boda-boda will, and if you avoid the boda-boda, the cyclist or pedestrian will show you the ground.
Look I hgave to go - this cyber surfing stuff is not good for my patience! You pay only to waste time clock watching the pc timer as it downloads your articles. I will keep a manual diary and let you know how it all goes.
Though it's actually a very enjoyable experience and one I would definitely repeat!
I now know why the police is so corrupt! You would too if you saw how they lived! I confused their "housing estate" to be a refugee campsite! But seriously, this is a very sad state of affairs and one that really really needs addressing!
cheers for now...
Department of Immunology
Division of Medicine
Post Doctoral Research Associate
Salary Range £22,870 - £25,430
Applications are invited for the post of Post Doctoral Research Associate in the Molecular Immunotherapy Laboratory, Department of Immunology within the Division of Medicine, Imperial College London.
The position involves studies of the role of endothelial expression of the enzyme indoleamine dioxygenase in controlling inflammation.
The project requires a person with a strong background in immunology. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to design and implement experimental strategies and to develop the project. He/she will have good interpersonal and presentation skills and will also be required to train/assist other members of the group.
The post, which is funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), is fixed term for three years and is based at the Hammersmith Campus located in East Acton.
An application form and job description may be obtained from the following web link
http://www.imperial.ac.uk/employment/research <http://www.imperial.ac.uk/employment/research> . Alternatively, for an application pack please contact the Human Resources Assistant, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, Commonwealth Building, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN quoting reference number HJ 1032.
For queries please contact Andrew George on a.george@imperial.ac.uk
Closing date: 21 August 2006
Valuing diversity and committed to equality of opportunity
Hello people, long time! Why though the silence from members? In my bleary moments, I've popped in to check see if anybody has blogged but been disappointed people! Why are we so shy?
Anyway, I've been feeling somewhat unwell of recent - mostly because of the mixed emotions surrounding my annual leave which is just around the corner. Why is it that my body betrays me whenever I get time off work - is it some hidden code set within that just tests to see what my limits can be? The whole weekend I was up and down with a nostril that felt like a plugged water hole bursting at the seams to release yet at the same time fighting the urge. The head throbbing like someone has decided to go to town inside causing your eyes to constantly pool with tears causing those that see you to question the obvious. Yes I sometimes look like a panda with puffy eyes and a blotchy nose - it's the new look and aside from the medicines and hankies to stem the effects, it doesn't cost the earth to attain.
I would like to write some more, but staying up any longer will render me incapable of getting up early for the office commute in the morning. Though I must warn you, I'm heading off on leave and my postings might be limited in the foreseable 4wks.
You can tell it's the last working day in the week (for office workers that is!) - even the receptionist has a "real" smile for you when head past her, not those false ones which just come on like a light controlled with a flick of a switch, a real wide happy smile that actually causes you to notice the hidden creases of eye make-up concealing the wrinkles. You are even invited to hear what the weekend has in store - I'm certain some people have given in to making up stuff just to keep the yarn reeling! You know something, this is one labourious small-talk - how many times can one plan and replan what their weekend is to be about? Sometimes I am tempted to tell persons whenever I get asked what I'm doing for the weekend every Friday dawning, that I'm flying to Mars, just to check they actually care to note the answer.
The choice of what to do at weekends is not very wide given the domestic set up I have which has not changed since I last checked into the maternity ward and came back with real life presents that carry on growing and their demands reflecting each stage they are at. They are also not refundable and can be very selfish at the very least though this is one of the surprises that grows on you. Which makes me ask: can one sue the condom manufacturers if conception occurs? I mean it's not like you can get hold of a child/baby and take it to the company that manufactured it, telling them the child is due to a failure of their product to work as it was supposed to even if the percentage is sighted as being minute! Picture what their customer care bay will look like!
I've taken this coffee break just in time to just return to the desk to clear up and head on home...