getting around

So after meeting some people through GOL (or genevaonline), I was able to find some leads on housing. After braving a torrential rain storm (which thankfully stopped), I stopped by Z-Cube on the river for a drink and some dinner with some ppl from GOL, met Lucy from the UK and some others (including a woman from Miami who was super nice, Romy), but spent most of the time by myself. I think one guy felt a little sorry for me and came to talk to me (super nice), but I really did feel a little stupid at going out by myself. Although I'm generally a sociable person, I find that I feel a little awkward at just putting myself out there because these people already have friends and I'm here for such a short time… I don't like being a burden on people and also, it's like many other cities where I'm generally one of the younger people out, and also I'm an anomaly in the fact that I'm engaged (and almost married). I feel like people don't know how to place me exactly, or perhaps I don't know exactly how to place myself.

In any case, I left Z cube 38 sfr poorer (hello, a mojito costs 28 fr - I had no idea and wouldn’t have ordered it if I had) and found a tram to meet Pan, a Chinese-American woman who also found me on GOL and offered a place for me to stay. We ended up having a friend in common (another Thai American from Northwestern, Pam…my parents just attended her wedding a few months ago!) and I stayed for tea and a long conversation about medicine, business, living in Europe, long distance relationships, and the like. Her flat was also very nice and accessible, so I've decided to move in on Friday. I'm excited to be in the city and also to have a friend with similar interests. Unfortunately, Pan is leaving the country for a week or so and I'll just be in the place by myself, but it will be good for me to explore a little on my own. The two guys I'm staying with, Mike and Ivor, are also super great, and I might join them for drinks at the lake and some football watching after work.

Europe is growing on me. I manage to always barely miss the bus to work (they actually follow timetables and will leave exactly on time) from where I'm living now, but when I do, I just walk around the city (er, more like a village) where there are cobblestone streets, cafes, banks, travel agencies, and renting agencies. I guess if you want to find a flat here you must go through an agency, but I'm happy I'm not in that position. This morning there was a little market with a fruit stand, fish stand, and butcher stand (like out of a large truck/trailer). I bought some fruit and stopped by the local bakery for a yummy chocolate croissant and then headed off to 'work', where I am now. I actually accomplished stuff yesterday where I read a few documents and worked on the patent project, but am still awaiting inspiration today. I kinda like staying at the office late and then going out for happy hour, but need to get a move on since we're supposed to have outlines of our papers/projects for our supervisor by next week. Right now I just want to write something that's meaningful and useful to people on the ground in-country and not just some document that's going to be put on the shelf somewhere. I'm trying to figure out what the best approach is (especially from a medicine perspective, as we're primarily working with the law and some pharma stuff) and hopefully will come up with something soon. Any suggestions welcome, for sure. :)