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I'm at ISEC now, which is fairly pleasant in many ways. It's a little crazy how much being in an academic setting feels like 'home'. I'm staying in the guest accomodation for a few days, which is pleasant - a single bed, no tv (makes it much easier to avoid the temptation of crappy sit coms and late-night kung fu movies), access to a computer lab and a library, food from a canteen which means i don't have to deal with 'proactive' room service and I might meet a few other students.
It does, however, mean going back to trying to work out a whole heap of new rules. For example...I was sitting in the library taking notes on a book, having been informed that the libary is open until nine. Then a guy comes in and starts turning off the lights, and tells me that the library is closing "for five minutes". So I came to the computer lab to check a few things, went back half an hour later and the library was all locked up.
I am confused.
Also, I am coming to a new level of appreciation of just how lucky I am to have UWA's research facilities on hand when I'm at home. There are three computer terminals in the library, and the search facilities, as far as I can tell, are quite limited. There also seem to be far fewer books around, although I haven't fully explored the various doors which may lead to more books and may lead to toilets. The computer lab here has nine computers, all of which are fairly old, and a very slow connection to the internet. Bear in mind, I am fairly sure that this place is relatively well thought of as universities here go. (I may, in this case, be wrong.)
It just makes researching so much harder...it's definitely given me even more respect for the various academics here who are not only putting out great work but also getting involved in all sorts of hands-on studies and advocacy work.
In other news, I looked up the book I was using earlier, hoping that since it was published in England I would be able to buy it and save my time here for focussing on books that I are published here and hard to buy. It cost $135. US. Eeep. (I think I will just read it here! Even though I probably have the money I can't bring myself to pay that much for something that is a) not that long, b) published in 1995, and so only background material.)
It does, however, mean going back to trying to work out a whole heap of new rules. For example...I was sitting in the library taking notes on a book, having been informed that the libary is open until nine. Then a guy comes in and starts turning off the lights, and tells me that the library is closing "for five minutes". So I came to the computer lab to check a few things, went back half an hour later and the library was all locked up.
I am confused.
Also, I am coming to a new level of appreciation of just how lucky I am to have UWA's research facilities on hand when I'm at home. There are three computer terminals in the library, and the search facilities, as far as I can tell, are quite limited. There also seem to be far fewer books around, although I haven't fully explored the various doors which may lead to more books and may lead to toilets. The computer lab here has nine computers, all of which are fairly old, and a very slow connection to the internet. Bear in mind, I am fairly sure that this place is relatively well thought of as universities here go. (I may, in this case, be wrong.)
It just makes researching so much harder...it's definitely given me even more respect for the various academics here who are not only putting out great work but also getting involved in all sorts of hands-on studies and advocacy work.
In other news, I looked up the book I was using earlier, hoping that since it was published in England I would be able to buy it and save my time here for focussing on books that I are published here and hard to buy. It cost $135. US. Eeep. (I think I will just read it here! Even though I probably have the money I can't bring myself to pay that much for something that is a) not that long, b) published in 1995, and so only background material.)
