jmarchante @ 2009-06-27T15: 45:00
It's been over a month since I posted anything here. To all readers ... my apologies. A mixture of preguicite acute and hard work are my best excuses and even in this case were the two major causes.
find myself now in the twenty second floor of the Erasmus Medical Center in the Department of Pulmonary Medicine. Which means ... work once more on weekends! Of course, at work I always have small breaks in this case, were used to write this post.
Tomorrow will be another day longissimus since it will be a day of analysis. So ... I offer myself to teach any laboratory technique that has to do tomorrow to whoever wants to come and help me. The day will begin with stimulation of cells to assess protein expression by FACS. I will also make the extraction of RNA, DNA, protein, cytoplasmic and nuclear protein supernatants. The work involves differentiated cells infected with viruses to eliminate production of a specific protein. Who wants to come can still get lunch (paid or tendered by me) and coffee, tea, cappuccino, hot chocolate (which is ...). Also still offer gums (Yes. .. GOMASSS !!!!). A tour of the lab and perhaps back to building is also under consideration. Still give a diploma (not official) to participate in this day so busy! If all goes well ... everything will end before 19h (!!). We invite and hope by volunteers (I should add that Joe is on top of the list but still awaiting final confirmation). However
upgraded and enjoyed my list of 101 things to do in 1001 days. Not many news ... tasted a flavor more Cerelac, Orange Banana! I must confess that it is not so bad (the fruit of five is bad) but still not anything close to the original! I killed two mice however and I feel very proud because I can take all the lymph nodes in less than 10 minutes without help (well ok .. not all ... but the main ones!). I am a small step to complete another objective. Next weekend the My Dying Bride are playing in Holland and I will do everything possible not to be working this Saturday and go to the concert (!!).+
Another important thing. .. GO TO PORTUGAL! From 2 to August 16 will be settled in Portugal to my great joy (and hopefully beyond!). My parents will be in the Algarve at the time will fly from Amsterdam to Lisbon and Lisbon to Faro (the journey from Lisbon to Faro the end of the day should be fantastic!). Of course I'll try my best to be with the greatest number of people at this time but for now I can not promise anything. I intend to go to Lisbon one day / night and the Evora is clear. In addition there will be a festival near Aveiro on 7 and 8 August (Dark Tranquillity, Katatonia !!!!) who also intend to go and somehow take advantage of the days before and after the festival to go to Lisbon and Évora (start scoring on the agenda). Of course, anyone who wants to join me on the trip to the festival will always be welcome (but I doubt that most of you will enjoy a festival dedicated to metal).
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Now the big reason why I'm writing the post. As everyone knows there are several differences between the Netherlands and Portugal. And one hand would never trade my country for this, there are other aspects that ever give me more reason to continue on here.
In general, we Portuguese can grumble at an awful time, always cloudy and rainy with small constants. The way the Dutch, though always friendly, they can treat people coldly. We can not use our ATM cards at most establishments because it is not connected to a Dutch account (nice way of being in the EU). To ask for an espresso and serve us a cup of tea almost full. We want to eat something as it is at Lunch is to be a better offer sandwiches, soup and juice that costs about 4 € (!!). And etc etc etc ... But
We can complain about the opportunities offered to us. The Netherlands is the European country with the lowest unemployment rate, about 2%, and we must keep in mind that these 2% are included people who have jobs to part-time (and I tell you that there are several). "Students" are paid a doctorate in all institutions or universities at around € 2000 gross per month. In addition, all students (including Masters), receive from the government about € 200 per month and have free transport during the weekend or during the week.
But of course it just shows how advanced they are in relationshipp nose can always think that Portugal is still a country without resources to do so but with some effort and good work could reach the same level ... Of course this only happens if there is jurisdiction either by the government of the institutions hosting students / scientists.
What I write now shows much why most of the students "escape" from Portugal to get to get better BENEFIT say that as there was a boom of emigrants in year 50 and 60, at the moment, Portugal can not be too far from a boom in directing students to outside the country!
This happened recently when Joe and I will not transcribe the full e-mail he sent to the ISA (Instituto Superior de Agronomia) but I'll give a small taste what goes on in our producing countries institutes. Ze asked a few times the notes and certificates of graduation to the ISA in English so you can apply for doctoral degrees (and it is always important to have these). I must say that over the last year I was surprised by the evolution of the ISA that currently produces certificates in English. When I asked them last year my parents had to go to a notary certified translation into English is so ISA stamped and signed documents (because they were not Documents in English). And because nothing is in ISA integration Ze had to pay € 62 for the certificates that I think they delayed a few weeks to be ready (at least when I asked took two weeks and if we wanted to in two days would have to pay twice). I do not know what was the first impression he had just received the documents but what follows are some things gifts:
- Errors in English: Sisteen instead of Sixteen and Tirteen instead of Thirteen. Fitopharmacology Phytophamarcology instead. Linear Algebra instead of Linear Algebra. Introduction to Statistics and Propability instead of Introduction to Probability and Statistics. Something that would be entirely preventable if they use the word with the correction s enabled.
- Chairs and Chemistry I and Chemistry II were translated into General Chemistry II and Chemistry. Pedology Pedology and Applied General were translated into Applied Pedology and Soil Properties and Constitution (!!!).
- The document by the Portuguese master Joe is recognized as Master in Agricultural Engineering. Since in English it loses Engineering degree and pass only to have Master in Agriculture Science.
- But best of all for me is the chair of that workshop came to be called Seminary. A quick visit to an online dictionary and got the following description: [i] n the private place of education for the young; [n] a theological school for training priests or Ministers or rabbis. Thus, the Ze had studies in theology! The word that certainly would be looking Seminar: [n] the course Offered for a small group of advanced students; [n] any meeting for an exchange of ideas.
Like Joe said in the email he sent to the Board, and Pedagogic Secretariat, the same documents at the University of Wageningen cost € 0, take 5 minutes to be issued, stamped and signed and come no errors! Actually .. I asked these same documents a few weeks ago and the university sent me them by mail at no charge! It took 3 days to arrive in my mailbox!
This is a perfect example of what is happening in Portugal and unfortunately alone. As many people know I had to "fight" for the Erasmus scholarship money after the ISA have told me that he could do ANYTHING. Somehow it seems that I discovered how to make the ISA's nothing to invent a solution. And I'm still waiting for my certificate request in September / October 2007 (although they said it took more than one year to do so!).
Another example that left me somewhat embarrassed in the paper came free distribution of Wageningen. A student who went to Portugal to do his internship was shocked by the conditions of fellows in Portugal and the fact that the scholarships not increased since 2001 (!!!). This same student, with Portuguese colleagues, decided to create an online petition so that the value of the scholarships could be increased. In the same article was also a short commentary in which the student was surprised that the Barroso be quite happy with the research done in the Netherlands in their own country when students gain love ndoins! I have the newspaper with me now, but so can I copy here for the journal.
These are just small examples that make us students abroad, we have not yet Portugal as an option for us to continue our studies!
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I shall leave it here ... I will finish the job and write a little for my thesis.
Kisses and hugs, John
Marchante
