Category Archives: The Wandering Microbiologist

“Boston Tea Party”

Confessions of a Microbiologist, The Wandering Microbiologist

I like a party, but am not very fond of tea….

I am currently en route to Boston for the ASM/ Microbe conference. I have never been to Boston before, nor have I attended a conference in the USA, so really looking forward to it. Maybe I will come across some characters as described in this post!

I think when you go to a conference as big as this, with lots of parallel sessions and sideshows, you need to have a very clear idea of what you want to focus on before you go. Otherwise it is very easy to suffer information overload.

Therefore my objectives are as follows:

  • Improve my knowledge of antibiotic stewardship.
  • Find out what future innovations are being planned for the Kiestra TLA
  • Become really familiar with the current Rapid PCR platforms and their test profiles.

Anything else is a bonus. 

And I certainly hope to see plenty of Boston as well.

So no more blog posts for the next week. Look forward to getting down to some serious writing when I return, hopefully with the batteries recharged, and with lots of new ideas!

Michael

“Respect”

The Wandering Microbiologist

I have just been filling in application forms for Parisian schools for the children, in French.

I have been learning French for about 18 months, in preparation for the move to Paris. I know a bit of French now, possibly even enough for a slow speed conversation on something not too complex!

However using it for something functional such as filling in forms is a different matter altogether.

I have enormous respect for laboratory workers (and any other Healthcare Worker for that matter) who have learnt not only to communicate, but to work in their non-native tongue. This must require a lot of determination and hard work.

Working and living using another language will be a real challenge for me and I am inspired by those people I know who have done it already.

Michael

p.s. No posts this weekend, off camping!