Australia Recap + Deleted Scenes
These past two weeks have been the first of many things: first flight on American & Australian airlines (previously, I had only traveled on a Mexican airline) and the first time on a different continent. We took one of the longest flights available and traveled to one of the most remote areas on Earth – which was precisely the point of this trip!
One would think that this trip would show the vast differences between the U.S. and the ‘Land Down Under’. Yet, I only noticed strong similarities throughout my stay. Our flight over to Perth was akin to traversing the southern California countryside – plenty of discernible ranches with rambling roads along the way. Other than the ‘Australian’ accent, which is not the same in all parts of the country, there aren’t too many disparities in the language. I found the enunciation – with all its diversity – to be pretty awesome. In contrast, it took me quite a while to get used to riding in the left lane – it’s like driving in a mirror image of the road! Throughout the trip, I felt thoroughly welcomed and thrilled to be in a new land – scarcely feeling like a foreigner. America and Australia are indeed siblings in the international spectrum.
Another aspect of this trip that I enjoyed quite a lot was the fieldwork. I have found going about the Australian outback, inspecting and mending instrumentation, to be incredibly fun. It’s like playing in a giant sandbox that’s hundreds of square kilometers in size! Yet, whether in the lab or a remote radio quiet zone, once you’re focused on what you’re doing, you quickly lose track of the setting. In the field of astronomy, the entire world – nay, the entire universe – is our lab.
Throughout the trip, I have observed the problem solving tactics of the other team members. With three PhD’s and a highly experienced technician constantly nearby, there’s always something to be learned. I have noted their pedagogical tips and hope to apply what I’ve learned to tackle new problems.
(One of my favorite quotes: “Don’t be a ‘guess-and-check’ engineer. Be a scientist and solve this problem.”)
From one west coast to another; a symphony of domestic and international flights, it has been a privilege and a pleasure to be your liaison throughout this trip. Until next time, I hope you may again choose LoCo Airlines to reach your destination.
Cheers!
-Jose
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Deleted scenes:
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