Meeting the Research Group

 Today I met the research group that I'll be working with. I had an email with directions to the room but accidentally left it in the apartment when I left for the morning. I arrived with an hour to spare and was sure that—combined with the building directory and the presence of Robby and Miquela—would be enough. Well, Robby and Miquela abandoned me after twenty or thirty minutes, and I was left to find E02. I'm pretty sure I found every other room in the E block...but not that one. I eventually inquired of some German students who spoke some English, and they let me use their phone to access my email. They didn't know where E02 was, so they stopped by an office. The guy there didn't know either, and he had to ask his colleague!

the poppy/der mohn

Turns out, there is this little section of E rooms that are through the C block. Of course. Because that makes sense. :) It is the nicest and newest part of the building, very nice for a physics building. It was 10:36 when I finally arrived, and I was supposed to meet Dr. Dyakonov at 11am. There is a foyer with lots of plants, and I sat there for a few minutes before noticing the flowers outside. Poppies! Dr. Dyakonov saw me outside taking in the view, asked if I was Melody, and informed me that I was allowed indoors. :) We went to his office and chatted briefly, and then he decided to show me around. First order of business? The cappuccino machine and an unlimited stash of tea {with sugar cubes}. I met several of the grad students that I'll be working with. They are all a very cool, laid-back group of people. It's a laid-back community, and I like it. :) There was one girl in the bunch I met today, Frenzesca, and she was the one who showed me around the different labs.

German wildflower mix

I had been more nervous about the physics side of this trip than any other part, but when I walked into those labs, I felt only relief. I have been gallivanting around Wuerzburg tripping over my German and doing my best to have an idea of what's going on. In the physics lab, at least my lack of knowledge was familiar, haha. And even then, I actually understood some things! It has been left to the group of grad students and myself to decide what project I shall embark on for the summer. They work on a lot of different things: micro-Raman spectroscopy, organic solar cells, and magnetic resonance stuff. Most likely I'll be helping to build a confocal optical something for the magnetic resonance lab. One of the upper-level grad students is a fan of this idea because I'll learn the project as I build it and have a really good understanding of what's going on. I'm also on board with this.

Oh, and I have my own desk! It's all cleared off just for me! Not to mention a key and everything. Super cool! I feel very official. I want to learn and accomplish something worthy of that desk this summer. :)

I went to lunch with a few of the grad students. {Sorry, I don't recall a lot of names, and the ones I do, I'm not sure who they belong to or how to spell them. The only one I know for sure besides Frenzesca is Dmitri, the Russian in the group, and anyone who knows me well knows why I am able to remember that.} We went to a cafeteria-style place down south. Very large portion sizes! I had Jaegenschnitzel {the size and texture of a porkchop, but the taste of sausage} with vegetables and something beginning with  'k' {I think now it was some variation of the German word kartoffel}. I wasn't sure what the 'K' word was; I must have given it a suspicious look before eating, and my new friends found that funny. “It's potatoes, isn't it?” I inquired, after chewing.

“Yes, fried potatoes,” they said.

Indeed, the foreign objects were tater-tots. Except they are twice as long as ours, and the inside is mashed potatoes instead of textured. They're good, though, especially soaked in brown mushroom gravy.

As for the group, they all speak good English, and it is understood that it is an international group {there is more than one Russian, not to mention a Pennsylvanian somewhere that I haven't met} and so English is spoken. However, they fall into German very easily. Then they apologize. I have already asked them questions about the language and informed them that I am eager to learn as much as I can. Schnitzel, for instance, is neuter—das Schnitzel. And people in southern Germany pronounce fewer letters; for instance, they don't really say the 'l' in Brezel (pretzel). I guess this is the equivalent of a southern drawl

Speaking of pretzels, they make an excellent breakfast. Not the healthiest, but sufficient while I slowly add to my grocery collection. {I have butter now; it was part of my spoils from our dinner party on Thursday. Thick and creamy European butter. Soooooo good. I don't know if I'll be able to go back to normal butter back in the States.}

I typed this in the university library. All libraries feel the same, and it's one of my favorite feelings in the world.