News from UK

I thought I would send out an update on Erica for the family. She has settled in and has figured out the basics of city living in the UK. She bought herself a bike to make getting around town easier. We Skype at least twice a week, and yes, I made her drag her computer around the apartment so I could see her place. LOL. I am sure there was some eye rolling, but she did it. She just sent an email this week that struck a chord....apparently, science in the UK is the same as science in the US. Department meetings and politics take up so much time that Erica feels like there is never enough time to work on her actual project. And budget concerns are basically the same too. They were just informed that due to budget cuts they were losing a lab technician and would have to absorb the extra busy work....so yeah. Same stuff, different country.

All in all, though, she sounds happy. People seem to go out and socialize a good bit. She has joined a gym, and is working towards some event in the fall. Maybe a marathon...? I have forgotten exactly. One thing is this physical race where you crawl through mud and tunnels and all kinds of crazy stuff. Looks positively AWFUL to me, but Bruce is thinking its cool. But training for that and work, and being social has left Erica with zero free time. But she is enjoying herself. One thing I am disappointed in is the lack of pictures. My daughter just does NOT enjoy snapping photos around town. Oh well, I plan to do plenty of that when we visit. And even better, Stephen and Hannia are visiting in March, so I feel sure Hannia will remedy the lack of pictures dilemma. They are not only just visiting Erica in York, but the 3 of them are then traveling on to spend several days in Barcelona, Spain. We will get pics from both places, I hope. Bruce and I considered traveling somewhere else as well. But I decided that I wanted to get really familiar with York this first visit (we are going in April). I like to be able to picture the environment my kids are in. It makes me feel better somehow. I want to not only do the touristy things, but I want to see the university campus, the places she likes to shop....get a feel for how her daily life is there. But anyway, things seem good for Erica in the UK. Same headaches with the job as here, but I know she is enjoying being in a new city. She is planning on going with friends to Munich for Oktoberfest.....and the ability to just pick up and go to another place so easily there...I know she is happy to have this experience. And although I AM missing her, Skype makes it better and seriously? I am glad she took this chance to experience all of this, too. Now, if she would only take some pictures....LOL.