Hello all! Sorry for the delay in posts the past few days. I've been completely swamped while at CERN and the internet has been down at home for almost a week. Quite a fiasco actually... Apparently a company called with a brilliant grand offer to combine my landlady's internet phone with her internet connection (they were separately billed in the old set up). She accepted. What happened then was that company called her old company and canceled her internet service (which they were NOT supposed to do and I was shocked they even could), then waited 5 or so days before sending her written confirmation of their contract which contained no mention of the deals they offered her over the phone. In France you have seven days to back out of a contract, so this smells like a scam all around to me.
In any event, she's been in the throes of trying to re-establish the contract with the old company but I think that went nowhere so now we've sent the router somewhere and area awaiting a new one for some reason I'm not quite clear on. Seems like one should just start a new contract with the old company and have done. Though if the old company listened to a rival asking them to cancel one of their client's contracts WITHOUT INPUT FROM OR CONTACTING THE CLIENT I dont think I would ever go back to that company.
Anyway, I'm frustrated there. On to happier matters. I've been working continuously on homework, training for various kinds of shift taking, making pretty pictures with the data. Actually the pictures are far from pretty yet because the system used to identify various particles seems to be messed up so I'm not finding what I should, so I wont be sharing pretty pictures with you all yet.
I have had a good time and made some friends here, however! There is a delightful pub called Charlie's (as in Chaplain) that indoors is quite posh (as Polly, the girl who interviewed me and is now a friend (has a boyfriend as it happens so no dice there), would say being English). I met up there with Polly, a german post doc at Berkely named Tim, and an American post doc from Yale named Rose there for a beer. It was quite fun. There is a very good (and surprisingly cheap) kebab place right behind it where Polly and I had dinner before meeting up with the other two. It was Halloween as it happened, which isn't as big a deal here (or anywhere) as it is in the US. The pub was decorated, the employees had costumes, and there was a DJ (playing a really strange blend of pop, rock, and other music in multiple languages). According to the non americans at the table the US interest in Halloween is starting to infect Europe (their word). We spent much of the time discussing differences in our respective countries on many subjects. Always fun, especially when everyone has a good sense of humor.
Later on in the week there was a party at ALICE celebrating the end of the most recent LHC run. The LHC, for those who do not know, is the particle accelerator that the ALICE experiment is on. The run that had ended was a proton-proton run, which means we were colliding two beams of protons. The lead-lead run will be starting soon. The party was just a gathering of people, most of whom are socially awkward, wine, beer, and food. Quite good food in a nice array of hors d'oeuvres with various delicious kinds of cheese and sausage with good bread. I mingled, introducing myself to various and sundry people and generally helped myself to free food and booze. It was a grand old time.
The last thing I have to report is the first meeting of the ski club, which seems to be absolutely immense. It looks like for 300 CHF I get 5 ski trips (transportation and pass included). For some idiotic reason I have to get a permit (carte neige) in order to go skiing. Likely the big protective french government doesn't want me to blame them if I kill myself doing something dangerous. I wouldn't want to take responsibility for myself I suppose.
In any event I am greatly looking forward to cheap ski trips all over the swiss alps. Plust this weekend (weather permitting) I'm going hiking with Tim and possibly others.
Until next time Campers!
Caio!
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