Placement Complete? Check!
I write this post as my aeroplane to Chicago warms the rain-slicked tarmac of Cedar Rapids Airport, Eastern Iowa. To be fair, the tarmac should be nice and toasty by now- we’ve been in this exact position for the last hour. Oh well! Lets hope my connection to SFO has been delayed in an equal fashion.
And so ends my final week in Iowa.
It has been a few days of continuing farewells so I guess it goes without saying that I head to the West coast with a bittersweet taste in my mouth.
I spent the day enjoying some quiet time in my apartment on Monday. Also known as waiting aimlessly for DHL to collect my shipping sometime between 9am and 6pm. Needless to say, they arrived around 5pm, when the day was just about done. Certainly little point in me heading into the lab.
Luckily, I used the day to perform many of the meaningless, but necessary, tasks I had to complete before I left; laundry, cleaning, making phone calls- all super exciting!
Tuesday happened to be the last day I would see one of the ladies form the lab next door who has become a good friend of mine during my time in the US- to fittingly celebrate our crossing of paths (and subsequent ending of this path), she took me out to the Indian Buffet restaurant, somewhere she regularly visits that i hadn’t managed to get around to doing. It was gorgeous! The nicest homemade naan breads I think I’ve ever eaten. We said our goodbyes (and, like all of the goodbyes, I have and will write about, it was very bittersweet!) and I headed out of town to the local mall to visit AT&T about adding a data plan to my phone contract. Another boring, time-sucking activity that simply needed to be done before I fly. Whilst i was there, I took the time to treat myself to some UIowa Hawkeyes gear- gonna be reaping the black and gold all over Bath, watch out TEAMBath!
The mid week basically flew by. Wednesday night, I headed out with everyone who was still round for drinks. Basically, lots and lots of wine, followed by impromptu martinis. This was a really good night- one of the best during my time here. Since my boss and supervisor were absent, the dynamics of the group were slightly different and I spent much more time talking to people who are usually more reserved in the larger group we are used to seeing one another within- it was brilliant!
J and I were forced apart on Thursday- definitely the low-light of my week. We spent Thursday morning having breakfast at the BEST place in town, the Bluebird Cafe and then took advantage of the blazing sunshine to sneak out with some other guys from the lab for Fro-Yo at our favourite joint for lunch. J and I did what we undoubtedly do best- took lots of photos, made some emotionally soppy (and completely heart-felt) declarations and sobbed a little as we waved one-another away. Its not even a slight exaggeration to admit that my time in Iowa City would have been such a very different, much quieter and probably much less enjoyable, affair, had I not spent the majority of it with this girl. I have made not just one friend for life, but a whole family of friends, when I think about J’s wonderful family and how welcoming and nurturing they have been towards me this whole year. In a way, though she was the best friend I had made during my time here, it was weirdly easiest to say goodbye to her as I KNOW we will see one another again in the near future- we both love to travel (and one another) too much for that not to be the case.
I also had to say goodbye to the actual lab, as I wouldn’t be going back in before going home- weird, but progressive. I felt, and still feel, like leaving that lab behind somehow completes my transition from a young-adult pretending to do scientific research, into some form of an actual scientist. I have a much broader, more detailed and accurate view of work in scientific research then I imagined one year could develop- not to even mention the practical skills I have acquired and honed. I can’t overstate the importance of this year.
With that all sorted, I used thursday afternoon to do some much required packing and cleaning. The not so exciting part of leaving, but had to be done if I wanted any of my security deposit back on the apartment. Friday lunchtime came around too fast. It was time for the final, much anticipated goodbyes to the Ahern lab. We went to Donnelley’s. I split sliders, fried pickles and a pound of sweet potato fries with my good friend, J.L, and enjoyed a couple of peach and blueberry cocktails. Before I left, I also grabbed one last cupcake from Molly’s- probably in my top five of good things to eat in America- just in case I don’t get a chance to introduce my family to their other location in NYC.
J.L insisted on picking me up form my apartment at 5am this morning to drive me to the airport- this was really lovely of him- and meant that I didn’t spend most of what I though was my last hours in Iowa with a strange cab driver. Rather, several humungous storms deviated the plan. Which leads me right back to the sitting on the tarmac of CID airport.
lets hope we move nice and quickly so I can make my 10.15 connection at Chicago O’Hare!!!!
UPDATE- Finally, I have left Cedar Rapids! Sadly, despite my SFO flight being delayed until 11am and my epic 1 mile, cartoon-style dash across the busiest airport in the world at 10.55am, I arrived just in time to watch my plane taxi away from the gate to the runway, without me on it.
After a brief chat with a lovely American Airlines lady, I was booked onto the 2.25pm departure- giving me three hours to chill before needed to think about boarding. So, what to do? Mexican food and Margaritas, of course! (Well, I am technically on holiday!) I enjoyed a burrito, chips and guacamole, grabbed a much needed venti caramel-macchiato and settled myself down between some tourists for a nap at the gate.
If I had a spiritual bone in my body, I’m pretty sure now would be the time to start praying to the gods of weather that the storms forecast for the afternoon held off on crossing Illinois until my tin can was firmly at 30000 feet.
UPDATE #2 I have made it to my SFO departure! Yes! (BONUS- I’ve somehow nabbed a ‘main cabin extra’ seat instead of the usually economy seat I was booked on. SCORE! More leg room, closer to the exits and, perhaps the best part of all, not next to a screaming child!)
After the obligatory mini bottle of chardonnay, I intend to settle in for nap-time to charge my batteries before I face San Fran International and my wonderful family. My single wish is that I land safely to see my neon-pink case in one-piece, rotating on that luggage carousel (we’ll se about that!) I’ll post the finale to this blog in a few weeks time, when I will be a fully fledged (and self-appointed) master of all cities American.
See y’all later ;)
Love love xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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