Writing from Genova

From Stuttgart Flughafen to Paris CDG, then Aeroporti di Roma before finally reaching my destination, Genova. Spanning 3 borders, 3 languages, 2 of which I felt at home with.

The journey wasn't as bad as I had imagined it would be. Though I had barely slept an hour on Sun, doing some last-minute touchups on my presentations. Managed to catch a few winks on the 3 short flights I was on.

Genova has an interesting landscape, in that it is sandwiched between mountains just behind it and the sea in front of it. I walked around the old town and the port a little yesterday afternoon, after I arrived. Tried focaccia and spaghetti with pesto, 2 of the specialties here. The fresh pesto is quite different from the ones you get in a bottle, of cos. Much much nicer. And the focaccia is excellent, though a bit oily, since they drizzle over the bread a generous dose of oil (olive oil I believe?).
The city's full of tall (relatively speaking, for Europe) buildings because they have land constraints due to their perculiar landscape. It is as chaotic (a good word would be lifely) as little Tuebingen is neat and orderly (in the way Germans are).

Talk/interview went well. *Phew* The big people were happy with it and hence had, just now, offered me a PhD position, starting next Jan. And in between August and then, a few months of work in the lab with some sort of stipend. So now, the ball's on my court. And how I dread decisions... Sigh... And it seems that for me, there's never any clear winning side. There's always pros and cons to one and the other. In this Genova institute, I like how they are very similar to the structure of a pharma and the work that is scheduled to be done here (the labs are work in progress but the department will officially be opened in April). They said they'd match the PhD salary I'd get in Germany and throwing in possibly 8-9months in California, in the pharmacology lab of the Prof who's also the director of this department.

But on the other hand, I have grown to like the peace and quiet of Tuebingen, and the friends I've made, my church, and I know my way around the labs which I have worked in. Moving would mean I would have to start all over. I really don't know. And I really don't want to make a bad decision (as I felt I have for my Master thesis), this would affect the next 3-4 years of my life!

I don't have to reply them straightaway so I will have some time to sleep on it. I don't want to think about it now really. Guess I will go back to the hotel now and rest. Another long trip tomorrow...