Here we go ... I have arrived save and sound in the "Windy City", where I have met nothing but friendly people so far. Everyone has been very helpful and assisting in getting me started (or just giving me directions to my new work place). I hope I will have the chance to return the favor - but it seems more likely that I will pass it on to future generations of collaborators. (That seems still fair enough to me :-) .) Now, many of you will know that Chicago is dubbed the "Windy City", and several sources of information independently declare that this is an allusion to the windy speeches of politicians that were given here, rather that a description of actual meteorological circumstances. Well, you know, it was a rather stormy day today, so if it is true that the nickname refers indeed to the speeches, they must have been really blatant lies! (VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: no judgement of mine whatsoever on current presidential candidates from Illinois be inferred!) ...
You may or may not know that I hit the age of 30 already a while ago and that this should urge me well to get a "real job" asap, now that I have finally graduated. Actually, why would I linger in academia at all for another 1+ year? I do speak English well enough for German industry (no intentions of showing off, just explaining myself ... okay, showing of a little bit :-) ), there are younger people competing with me for the same entry level jobs, and there is even an ongoing debate whether the US still got the lead. The answer is simple: look at the image on this post, which I took tonight on the way home. I will see this skyline every morning and every night. After Berlin, what could be the next step? Ramble on I must - this is what I got out of it! I'm loving it!
