First of all, I would like to say thank you very much for all the posted articles, pictures and comments on the Blog. When I visit the Blog every day, I am excited to discover new articles!
At the moment, the ThinkSwiss research community in Switzerland comprises seven people in Bern, Lausanne, Zurich, Basel and Thun, with two more arriving this week. With more than half of all the participants in Switzerland, I would like to initiate a first get-together in Lausanne on Saturday, June 28, 2008. I asked Katherine Filip, currently at the University of Lausanne, to suggest a program for the day. We hope you will have fun getting to know each other better and exchanging experiences from different universities and research institutes in Switzerland.
We are delighted to announce that a second get-together will take place by the end of July 2008. Presence Switzerland is organizing a one-day trip for all participants who will be in Switzerland. You will receive all the details soon.
I hope you enjoyed the first game of the European Championship with Switzerland playing against the Czech Republic. How did you experience soccer fever? As you might have noticed, soccer is a popular sport in Switzerland and also at the Embassy of Switzerland in Washington, D.C. The Swiss Embassy showed the game on the embassy grounds with more than 350 people in attendance, serving Bratwurst and beer. I also had the pleasure to meet Katherine Stainken, another ThinkSwiss research participant leaving for Switzerland in September.
I am looking forward to reading some more articles soon. Enjoy the day and have fun!
Andrea
Office of Science, Technology and Higher Education
Embassy of Switzerland in Washington D.C.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Monday, June 9, 2008
Lausanne: the sun has come out!
After a week of dreary, cloudy skies, the sun has finally come out! I might, just might, be able to see the tops of the mountains today. Coming from Houston, I imagined perfect summer weather, in the 70s (still ºF, I'll learn to convert soon), but with all the rain, it's been considerable cooler. I've already worn all the jackets and sweaters I've packed.
Otherwise, Lausanne has been great--and it's only going to get better. I spent the week figuring out where to buy food, a metro card, a cell phone, etc. My advice, based on my experience is:
1. Try not to arrive on the weekend, especially a Sunday night! Most everything's closed. If you really need food, look for a COOP Pronto.
2. Get passport photos! You don't know when you'll need them (when buying a monthly metro card...)
3. Tell the Contrôle des Habitants that you'll only be in Switzerland for 3 months. It'll make registering much easier.
I've had the benefit of becoming part of a very hospitable lab; they not only helped me arrange for housing before I arrived, but also provided me with sheets, a small set of dishes, and someone to meet me at the train station. My summer research has not yet begun; I spent the week preparing by learning protocols and reading literature. This will much different from what I have been doing, which I'm excited about.
The transportation system in Lausanne is fantastic--so different from what's standard for public transportation in America. Getting from downtown to the suburb where I live is effortless and quick, only 15 minutes. So although most shops close at 19h, I have a guaranteed transport there.
My only cultural experience here, besides exploring, has been wine tasting in Lutry, a quaint little town on Lake Geneva. Great wine, good company. I recommend it!
I already have a list of things to do here in Lausanne and elsewhere in Switzerland, which will make next blog much more interesting.
Otherwise, Lausanne has been great--and it's only going to get better. I spent the week figuring out where to buy food, a metro card, a cell phone, etc. My advice, based on my experience is:
1. Try not to arrive on the weekend, especially a Sunday night! Most everything's closed. If you really need food, look for a COOP Pronto.
2. Get passport photos! You don't know when you'll need them (when buying a monthly metro card...)
3. Tell the Contrôle des Habitants that you'll only be in Switzerland for 3 months. It'll make registering much easier.
I've had the benefit of becoming part of a very hospitable lab; they not only helped me arrange for housing before I arrived, but also provided me with sheets, a small set of dishes, and someone to meet me at the train station. My summer research has not yet begun; I spent the week preparing by learning protocols and reading literature. This will much different from what I have been doing, which I'm excited about.
The transportation system in Lausanne is fantastic--so different from what's standard for public transportation in America. Getting from downtown to the suburb where I live is effortless and quick, only 15 minutes. So although most shops close at 19h, I have a guaranteed transport there.
My only cultural experience here, besides exploring, has been wine tasting in Lutry, a quaint little town on Lake Geneva. Great wine, good company. I recommend it!
I already have a list of things to do here in Lausanne and elsewhere in Switzerland, which will make next blog much more interesting.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
"The Chimps"
Digit, Cess, Dandy, Blacky, Fani, Chica, Tzipi, Elisha, Balima, Brigitte, Niki, and the three infants: Matshabu, Malik, and Mojo (the one smooshing his little face against the glass). This group is the largest in Switzerland`s Zoos, and Blacky, at age 50 is the oldest known mother in the world! So I complete my first week at UZH and now know the reserch group I found for this scholarship was the perfect choice.
Monday I took the bus, trolly and tram to get to the sciences campus and spent the day searching the anthropology journal library for old (prior to 1996) resources refrenced in the first review I read concerning food-sharing among primates. We found articles until and after lunch (which costs 5.40- CHF for students at the cafeteria, which is actually amazing since you couldn`t cook the same for less) then I learned some software to save an article`s reference, so we could use the saved list to reformat the information if we need to site it in different journals. Then more and more information to read, since this project started in 2007 and will end in 2010. The middle of the week was spent at the zoo in Gossau (an hour away by train from cental station in ) getting to know the chimps. I will be watching videos of these guys recorded during the social behavioral experiments, so I needed to learn who is who. Luckily chimps are pretty individualistic (like humans, compared to a peacock). Today I got to join the institute (about 18 people) for their journal club, where an article is chosen and presented while the group disscuses the paper for about a hour, then I got to test my skills while with recognizing the chimps.
Ok so tomorrow is the opening game of the euro cup and I`m excited, especially for all the celebrations. HOPP SCHWEIZ!!!
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
springen
I jumped up and down the halls today ("do you have spanish or italian blood?" the Executive Assistant asks-- "egyptian blood, same thing" I reply, laughing). We (my chief mentor and I) just sent emails to every study author of our analysis requesting more specific information. Here I am thinking... ages and ages until they respond... Within 2 minutes our first responder sent her willingness to help! woohoo!!!! and we just got responder #2! Now, if only it doesn't take too long for all to gather the information we requested (God bless them for doing so--it's not difficult, but some of the studies are even from 1994 and in other countries or previous jobs...).
so i was springen. :)
so i was springen. :)
Monday, June 2, 2008
A little bit of Luzern (Yodelehi-hoooo)
Luzern lion monument (Loewendenkmal) commemorating the 700 mercenaires killed while defending Louis XVI
Patriotism for the land of mountains and lakes: a view over the Vierwaldstattersee
Traditionally attired audience members of the National Jodelling Festival in the KKL (Kultur und Kongresszentrum Luzern)... more on that event to come!
A painted wall in Luzern's old town
Ber(li)n
Phew! What a day! It's 6pm and I'm at the close of a long day of composing and adapting letters to study authors to acquire more information about the particulars of their work. Here was the schedule of the last few days: Thursday: leave running to the train station straight from a delayed meeting with my mentor. boy did i fly! Arrive in Stuttgart and see the beautiful town and breathe the rather oppressive air that Stuttgart is known for; Friday train to Dresden to meet my cousin's wife and their son, tour around the old town; Friday afternoon train to Berlin where I stay for the weekend until last night, night train (no, not recommended unless you're a really heavy sleeper) with stops every hour (yikes!) to Basel, where I take the 8am train straight to work in Bern.
Whew-- too much travelling! But nonetheless, I'm moving forward with my research (starting to write my article after a literature review, eligibility selection, an extraction for the purposes of contacting study authors and letters to actually contact them) and contemplating where else in this beautiful yet really small (hey, I'm Texan) country to visit. Strangely enough, though, the stormy rainy weather is back in Bern. (sigh) After a weekend of way-too-strong sun and heat in Berlin, Bern though further south is much colder and threatened to breakout in a semi-tropical deluge this afternoon. Coming from 2/3 tropical Houston, it's rather charming to hear my best Swiss friend say that the weather feels like a monsoon coming. With this weather, anything's possible!
now let's see if i can figure out how to post pictures!
Sunday, June 1, 2008
GreedZH (Greeds from Zürich)
Hoi!
I have been in Zürich for a week now and start my research assistance tomorrow morning at the Anthropology Institute and museum of the University of Zürich. My name is Corinne and I will begin my junior year at the University of Colorado at Boulder this Fall.
During my stay here I will be helping two PhD students (Claudia and Adrian) with their research project titled Evolutionary Precursers of Morality. I have so far only met with one of the students and am very excited to learn more. The director Prof. Dr. Carel van Schaik will be monitoring all research and I look forward to the knowledge he shares, since with out ThinkSwiss I would probably never get the chance.
This is my sixth time in switzerland since I moved from the beautiful country, but this will be the first time in a work environment. I will make the best of this opportunity since all my education has been in the states and the two countries have quite different processes for continuing education. Can`t wait to tell you more about the details later this week.
Cheers, better yet... Prost! ; )
I have been in Zürich for a week now and start my research assistance tomorrow morning at the Anthropology Institute and museum of the University of Zürich. My name is Corinne and I will begin my junior year at the University of Colorado at Boulder this Fall.
During my stay here I will be helping two PhD students (Claudia and Adrian) with their research project titled Evolutionary Precursers of Morality. I have so far only met with one of the students and am very excited to learn more. The director Prof. Dr. Carel van Schaik will be monitoring all research and I look forward to the knowledge he shares, since with out ThinkSwiss I would probably never get the chance.
This is my sixth time in switzerland since I moved from the beautiful country, but this will be the first time in a work environment. I will make the best of this opportunity since all my education has been in the states and the two countries have quite different processes for continuing education. Can`t wait to tell you more about the details later this week.
Cheers, better yet... Prost! ; )
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