I can’t believe that I just finished my second to last week here. It has been great so far.
The amount of Python I’ve been learning is really great. Its uses are near endless. I’ve mainly been using it to create different spectrums from dozens of multi-dimensional arrays with millions of data points in each of them. The only downside of working with that much data is that it takes a decently long time for the program to run and see the results in a graph, or a different data array. It’s not that bad, though, as it gives me ample time to write my blog and work on other programs.
This week was the last week for one of the other interns in my office. Soon it will become occupied by a postdoc. From what I’ve heard it is easier to acquire a job working as a postdoc, because you get less pay, so more people are willing to hire you.
Me and the other interns in my office. Becca is on the left and Neehar, who left on Friday, is in the middle.
Spectroscopy is surprisingly interesting. I set the bar very low for it, as it didn’t seem to be very exciting, but I misjudged. The amount of information that you can get from spectroscopy is mind-boggling. For instance, you can find out what makes up a star that is light years away from us. That’s pretty cool.
I also had my final rehearsal and concert this week for the Harvard summer pops band that I joined. We learned 12 pieces in five weeks, and it turned out great. We first played at Harvard Yard, then at an open air amphitheatre a couple days later. It sounded great and I had some good fun. On the way back to the CfA after the first concert I took a shortcut through the Harvard Law School. Walking through the ground floor is like walking through a five-star hotel’s lobby. It was quite nice inside to say the least.
Me and Gonzalo after the second concert, which was at the amphitheater in the background.
I also moved out of my host family’s house in Brookline, as the parents are leaving for vacation in Turkey, and the kids are in a camp. I am now staying with my great aunt and uncle who live in Belmont. Belmont is considerably closer to the CfA than Brookline, so the commute should be about 15 minutes on a bus, instead of one hour and 30 minutes on a train and subway.
My host family was great. They were extraordinarily kind and really welcomed me into their home. I can never thank them enough for taking me in those five weeks.
On another note, one thing I’ve noticed is that contrary to what I thought, the Boston people are actually pretty friendly, aside from the road rage that is ever too common in the streets of Boston and Cambridge. It seems that when people are driving they always have their phones out. Many times when they are waiting at a stop light and it turns green, somebody has to honk at them so they will move, as they are too busy looking at their phones. But overall, the people are pretty friendly. They will supply you with directions if you ask, and don’t seem to mind at all.
Overall, this week was great. I also just learned that the Tampa Bay Rays are playing the Red Sox next Saturday, the night before my plane out of here, so I’m hoping I’ll be able to catch that game.
Python is amazing though. You can do everything with it.
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