Portugal from 1st March to 4th March

Living and working in London

So the phrase below my current geographical position is because I've realized, after getting in touch with several old friends to celebrate passing my PhD exam, that a lot of them had no idea that I was working and living in London. Some of them actually thought I was still living in Portugal, which I left 10 months ago. Boy, a thesis does put you into a real time-warp of some kind!

Portugal post-PhD has been entertaining: in reverse order, I had to legally verify a power-of-attorney today. The legal clerk was male, wearing a tight dark pink lycra longsleeve and sporting a chunky necklace and the campest attitude I have ever been privileged to see in a government representative (except maybe the prime minister, but he doesn't wear lycra in public). Of course, this is because the services have been privatised, so he was technically no longer a government representative. Needless to say, this of course also meant that he was extremely helpful, informed and knowledgeable.

I arrived on Thursday at 9pm and still managed to go to the cobblers and to the optician to leave boots and glasses to be fixed. (The marvels of shopping malls that are open until 12pm). At affordable prices and in a decent time span. And the optician actually remembered helping me choose my frames. No, most of you will never see me in glasses.

On the plane to Porto, I met two old friends, one at check-in and one in the boarding area. A very interesting conversation ensued about geometry (PhD topic of one), the differences between the Portuguese and English education systems, and the work ethics of Chek people. I think when I have managed to meet everyone I know in one of the London airports, it will be time to move back.