I have now finished work for 2009. Even though I didn’t start work until April, it has been quite a long year, moving from being an immunology post-doc academia to a clinical epidemiologist in pharma. I am very glad that I made the change. I much prefer working in the team-based approach in pharma, with clearly defined operating procedures and deadlines. I am very lucky that I don’t have to attend too many pointless meetings, and I am mostly left to my own devices to just get the job done.

My colleagues have been warm and welcoming. There is no strong siblinghood of shared difficulty that I found during my PhD, but everyone is kind and friendly. I look forward to the cafeteria lunch, where the French chefs cook up a diverse range of treats. Usually I stick with a soup and fruit-salad, much to the puzzlement of my European colleagues who treat lunch as the main meal of the day. However, the chef put on a special holiday menu, so I couldn’t help treating myself to scampi and scallop skewers followed by a quatro of desserts – chocolate mousse, panna cotta, jam poffertje and profiterole.

After Saint Nicolas’ day, we returned to work to find that someone had placed a selection of mandarins, marzipan, chocolate, and speculoos on the desk of every single person in the building. Such a thoughtful gesture, and very nice to have a little sugar boost to help me through the afternoons.

Soon after that we had a small forest of fir trees spring up in the lobby. Each tree was a different species, their needles slightly different colours and textures. So much thicker than the ones we get over in Australia, but they still smell like the holidays. Often as I passed by I would stop and sniff the branches, ignoring the quizzical looks from the receptionists.

Thanks Mum! I am a little sad that Adrian and I won’t be able to return to Australia this year to attend our graduation ceremony for our Masters of Public Health. So my mother sent us these two cute little representatives who received their gown and mortarboard in our place.

We still haven’t been sent our final grades for our last course – hope this doesn’t jinx us.

I have just submitted my last essay for my last course in my Masters in Public Health by correspondence. As long as I pass this essay, I will have completed all the units and I will qualify for graduation. It has been very difficult to juggle everything over here, and not having constant assessments hanging over my head will be a great relief.

I am very thankful that Adrian encouraged me to enroll in this course back in 2007. This extra qualification was enough to land me my current job as a clinical epidemiologist. Having a job that I enjoy makes all those essays and exams feel worthwhile.

Adrian’s dad and his wife are visiting at the moment, and last weekend we took them to Namur (in Wallonia) to watch the Combat de l’Echasse d’Or (fight for the golden stilt). This competition involves two teams of twenty men, with either red and white stilts (the Melans) or black and yellow stilts (the Averesses). In a ninety minute battle, the two teams attempted to knock the stilts out from each other. When the last of the Averesses fell, the Melans turned upon each other. Finally, only one man was left standing. Standing on one stilt, he lifted the other up into the air in victory. He won the l’Echasse d’Or, and will return next year to defend his title.

I am so happy that we have moved to Belgium. Everything seems to have fallen together perfectly. I have a great job, we have a lovely apartment, two cute kittens, and live in a fascinating country. Adrian finally has his own lab, and he has a team of students and staff who are benefiting from his wisdom and mentorship. On weekends we are able to explore new places and learn about other cultures. During the week we both go to jobs that we enjoy, and then come home to watch the sun set over the city that is becoming our own.