Greetings from Cambridge!

After many jetlagged nights, frantic scrambling for laundry detergent, and the occasional Fresher’s Flu, I am finally settled into student life here in the university. I’m standing in front of my College housing, New Court, which dates back to the 19th century. Pros: living in a tremendously beautiful building. Cons: I have to go down two flights of stairs to shower. But the food is incredible!

Many of the graduate students here are from all over the world, and within a month I’ve met neighbors from Australia, Japan, Britain, the USA, and many other places. I like to tell people from home asking me about my experience thus far that everyone here is exceptionally clever, that I’m getting accents mixed up, and that no one seems to take Halloween as seriously as the Americans.

Classes here are a lot different here than in the States, but I’m excited to have found research supervisors and interesting academics willing to meet with me and support my research. The libraries here rival that of the Huntington Library back home (though I have to say the gardens in San Marino are warmer). I look forward to using all the resources available here and in places like London to study how heath and patterns of disease affect immigrants, migrants, and refugees, which is a big part of what brought me to the United Kingdom.

My Rotary host, Nigel, has been nothing but warm and welcoming. He has already taken me out into the Cambridge countryside, where we visited some local pubs, the Cambridge American Cemetery, and some historic homes. Here we are eating some traditional pub food (and a pint at 2pm on a Wednesday, but who’s counting).

I’m looking forward to speaking with Nigel’s club later this month and for all that this year has to offer. Many thanks again to the many Rotarians who helped support me, and I’ll see you all soon!