Post-docs

There is a new activity since last week to increase the interaction between post-docs at the ASIAA: postdoc tea every Wednesday. To drink something, eat some cookies and talk about something. I went there last week; not this one, it was raining and I was busy. And, after all, seeing what I have to do there, maybe it is best to save it for another moment.

All this post-doc stuff is very curious. I am not really used to it, because in my stay in the US, I only interacted inside our group, where we ended up being quite a number of people, but it was something different. Here, there are many post-docs in the institute. Most of them are either Taiwanese or Japanese, and then there are some exotic specimens like me: two or three indians, a canadian girl, and that's it.

Understandably, foreigners are prone to do more things together, because it is normal that Taiwanese post-docs have their own life here and/or other personal goals: they are the ones who will stay in the long run. The way in which everybody reacts to other internal or external issues is also different. People come and go, it is difficult to establish deeper friendships, often relationships are very superficial. I do not generally worry too much about it, but sometimes I can feel tired and disappointed: too much effort for apparently so little. That is the way life is, I guess, and it is ok. Besides, I am also used to look outside these circles for other people, something that my Barcelona experience imprinted in me.

Anyway, you can see why I did not go there today.