While it's been over 1.5 months since the spring quarter ended, it still seems worth saying...
...Year 1 of PhD, CHECK.
I'd like to say more about this milestone and reflect back on the year, but that deserves its own proper post. Instead, a small update pour moi:
I'm working at WHO (the World Health Organization) this summer!
WHO me? YES ME!
I've been working for WHO since mid-June and based at headquarters (WHO HQ, as they say) in Geneva since June 25 (or, to practice proper European style guidelines, 25 June). It's already been an eye-opening experience, and I can only imagine how much more I'll learn during my remaining time at HQ. I'm so grateful for the opportunity, as well as the people who helped to make it happen.
Which brings me to one of the big takeaways of this past year and my time at WHO thus far: never under-appreciate – or underestimate – the power of the people you work with, of both past and present; the people you meet, including those by total happenstance or in passing; and the people you actively choose to have in your life's ebbs and flows. Whoever I am today and however I’ve come to this place represents the net sum of hundreds, if not thousands, of people and their effects, from tiny to huge, on my life. Of course, I’ve also had a role in all of this – I’m not a passive bystander. But to imply that I alone have achieved xyz, that I blazed these paths as a solo traveler – well, that’s just not how it works. At all.
Today I learned...
At some point between 9:00-9:05 am window shades automatically come down in my new office (I was moved to a different office at WHO HQ yesterday). This is a delightful discovery, especially as part 2 of the 2019 European heat wave strikes...
Today I'm grateful for...
My miniature USB-powered fan I'm now bringing everywhere with me and my Wickelfisch named Bob (Bobber or Bobby once you're on more friendly terms), whom I acquired in Basel and stellarly supports floating down the Rhone as a means to cool off and/or survive said European heat wave(s)...
Today's best part was...
Receiving a postcard from my good friend and PhD cohortmate Erin Hulland! Well, ok, technically that happened yesterday, but I'm ok with its extrapolation to today. Few things are better than getting surprise mail, which has also inspired me to try to better about sending postcards during my time in Geneva and places near by.
