Tuesday, November 18, 2008
对西班牙有了更多的了解
今天我离开实验室以后，去了书店，去看了看最近有什么书出来。其中两本书吸引了我的注意力。其中一本是“茜茜公主的诅咒”。我小时我最喜欢的电影就是茜茜公主了。爷爷把那个电影介绍给我的。我看了好几遍，真的非常非常的喜欢。第二本书是西班牙70岁的索菲皇后的备忘录。她在嫁给西班牙国王之前，是希腊的公主。西班牙人非常的尊敬她和她的丈夫因为在1970年西班牙的独裁者FRANCO去世之后，她和她的丈夫自动弃权，帮组西班牙建立一个民主的政府。我看了她的照片，她的笑容很漂亮：）我现在对西班牙更有一些了解。FRANCO是在1930年西班牙内战结束后成为了西班牙的独裁者。在二战时，他支持了希特勒。而且他的手下秘密的杀死了很多反对者。可是在50，60年代他花了很多精力建设西班牙的医疗制度，等等。随意他一去世这后，西班牙人有了一个'PACT OF SILENCE'，有点逝者已逝的意思。我想可能是因为FRANCO有罪也有功，西班牙人也想像前看。西班牙的经济真正变好的时候是在西班牙加入欧盟这后。我发现在路上的老人个子都非常非常的矮， 年轻人个子跟美国人差不多。所以那些老人个子矮的原因应该是当年西班牙物质困乏的时候造成的。
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
一个很有意思的晚上
今天晚上，我的房东邀请我去他们教堂的一个音乐会（他们的信仰是德国天主教）。我去听了，很有意思。所有的音乐（都是古典音乐）都是又一个有25岁的风琴弹出来的。因为音乐会是在教堂里举行，一边听音乐，一边看着被蜡烛照亮的圣母玛利亚的雕像，真的让我感慨万分。 My curiosity and sometimes even admiration about religion is its power of giving people hope and sense of peace in a world that is full of contradictions, human sufferings and unexplainable phenomenons. Even though my hope and sense of peace come from my conviction that science will eventually be able to explain everything in this world, I still cannot help but to believe (especially when I was immersed in the music of Bach at a solemn Germany church) in the presence of higher being (hence making me agnostic）。
音乐会结束这后，大家聚在了一起喝红酒，吃点心和聊天。我喝了一点一点的红酒，还是觉得不好喝。在聊天的时候，我学到了在圣诞节的时候，人们会喝一种特殊，很甜，热的红酒。
虽然说我现在还不能百分之百的区分德国人和西班牙人，我感觉西班牙人的五官比德国人的五官更像亚洲人一些。
当人们慢慢离开的时候，我的房东，他们的朋友（一对穿着很正规的夫妇）和我一起上了车。我以为会回家，结果我们开车到了一个餐馆前，（当时所有的车位都被占满了，正当我的房东准备double park的时候，有一个人出来把她的车开走了）。我们走进已给已经很满很满的餐馆，这个时候已经是快11点了。当我们坐下的时候，一位侍者走过来，问“vino（红酒",我赶快说了一句”agua para mi"。后来我们一起吃了饭。因为在教堂了大家已经吃了，在餐馆里是吃了一些典型的西班牙：油炸虾仁，土豆沙拉，等等。然后大家开始聊天，他们的朋友问我在那里工作啊，什么呀，等等。在我们离开的时候，我发现我的房东在给的小费。我有点吃惊，因为我在西班牙的朋友告诉我在西班牙的餐馆不需要给小费，因为小费已经包裹在饭前里了。不过在我们离开时，那位侍者很热情的向我们招手告别，餐馆了老板也出来要我的房东下次再来。不过我们准备开车离开的时候，我们发现一辆double-parked的BMW把我们的车给挡住了。结果我的房东的朋友到餐馆里把车的主人给找到了，她把车给开走了。在回家的路上，我的房东告诉我几十年前，酒比现在还要便宜（西班牙现在的酒已经够便宜了），可是当年虽然人们可以买到大量的酒，但是没听说谁成为了酒鬼，但是现在他们已经听说有人染上酒瘾（尽管酒现在变贵了）。我怀疑这后酒的价格没有关系，而是因为几十年前，西班牙还有FRANCO独裁的阴影，而现在西班牙是一个相当自由的国家。
音乐会结束这后，大家聚在了一起喝红酒，吃点心和聊天。我喝了一点一点的红酒，还是觉得不好喝。在聊天的时候，我学到了在圣诞节的时候，人们会喝一种特殊，很甜，热的红酒。
虽然说我现在还不能百分之百的区分德国人和西班牙人，我感觉西班牙人的五官比德国人的五官更像亚洲人一些。
当人们慢慢离开的时候，我的房东，他们的朋友（一对穿着很正规的夫妇）和我一起上了车。我以为会回家，结果我们开车到了一个餐馆前，（当时所有的车位都被占满了，正当我的房东准备double park的时候，有一个人出来把她的车开走了）。我们走进已给已经很满很满的餐馆，这个时候已经是快11点了。当我们坐下的时候，一位侍者走过来，问“vino（红酒",我赶快说了一句”agua para mi"。后来我们一起吃了饭。因为在教堂了大家已经吃了，在餐馆里是吃了一些典型的西班牙：油炸虾仁，土豆沙拉，等等。然后大家开始聊天，他们的朋友问我在那里工作啊，什么呀，等等。在我们离开的时候，我发现我的房东在给的小费。我有点吃惊，因为我在西班牙的朋友告诉我在西班牙的餐馆不需要给小费，因为小费已经包裹在饭前里了。不过在我们离开时，那位侍者很热情的向我们招手告别，餐馆了老板也出来要我的房东下次再来。不过我们准备开车离开的时候，我们发现一辆double-parked的BMW把我们的车给挡住了。结果我的房东的朋友到餐馆里把车的主人给找到了，她把车给开走了。在回家的路上，我的房东告诉我几十年前，酒比现在还要便宜（西班牙现在的酒已经够便宜了），可是当年虽然人们可以买到大量的酒，但是没听说谁成为了酒鬼，但是现在他们已经听说有人染上酒瘾（尽管酒现在变贵了）。我怀疑这后酒的价格没有关系，而是因为几十年前，西班牙还有FRANCO独裁的阴影，而现在西班牙是一个相当自由的国家。
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
好可怜。。。
可怜的老鼠
昨天下午，在我给一只老鼠打针的时候， 它一跳降落到了地上，然后消失在房间里的某个角落。一个小时以后，我放弃抓那只老鼠，因为我觉得这些老鼠一辈子住在一个笼子里，太可怜了。或许，它们衣食无忧，但是那么无聊，要是我我一定会发疯。因为觉得这只老鼠勇气可嘉，我决定放它自由。所以，我在地上放了一些食物，我就离开了。今天早上，我告诉了实验室的人我的一只老鼠逃跑了，他们很吃惊，其中一位愿意帮我抓回老鼠。因为我无法拒绝他们的好意，然后他们也告诉我，如果别人抓住那只老鼠，它一定会被杀掉了，所以我们一起回到了给老鼠打针的房间，找到了那只可能因为刚刚睡醒，还在发呆的老鼠。我给它注射了一些盐水，然后打了两针。。。可怜的老鼠。。。。又回到了笼子里了。。。
可怜的狗
今天我看见了一只腿特别特别短，身体特别特别长和粗的狗。可是它的主人个子又高又长，那只狗因为跟不上，只好一跳一跳的走。太可怜了。。。。。
昨天我在西班牙的超市上看见了柿子，太稀奇了
昨天下午，在我给一只老鼠打针的时候， 它一跳降落到了地上，然后消失在房间里的某个角落。一个小时以后，我放弃抓那只老鼠，因为我觉得这些老鼠一辈子住在一个笼子里，太可怜了。或许，它们衣食无忧，但是那么无聊，要是我我一定会发疯。因为觉得这只老鼠勇气可嘉，我决定放它自由。所以，我在地上放了一些食物，我就离开了。今天早上，我告诉了实验室的人我的一只老鼠逃跑了，他们很吃惊，其中一位愿意帮我抓回老鼠。因为我无法拒绝他们的好意，然后他们也告诉我，如果别人抓住那只老鼠，它一定会被杀掉了，所以我们一起回到了给老鼠打针的房间，找到了那只可能因为刚刚睡醒，还在发呆的老鼠。我给它注射了一些盐水，然后打了两针。。。可怜的老鼠。。。。又回到了笼子里了。。。
可怜的狗
今天我看见了一只腿特别特别短，身体特别特别长和粗的狗。可是它的主人个子又高又长，那只狗因为跟不上，只好一跳一跳的走。太可怜了。。。。。
昨天我在西班牙的超市上看见了柿子，太稀奇了
Monday, November 10, 2008
Maybe because of the U.S. elections, maybe because of a sudden decreased exposure to English after coming back to Spain, I am have haunted by a strong urge to watch reruns of my favorite show The West Wing (kind of a couple of weeks I reread some of my favorite Chinese books during high school and middle school--yes, mom, I have to confess to you, there were times you thought that I was doing homework, I was actually reading Chinese books :) ). Anyway, I am seriously considering getting the DVD collection of the West Wing. Maybe, maybe...
This Monday marks the 3rd day of measuring the behaviors of mice that I did surgery three weeks ago. The surgery seemed to have work on most of my mice--they can only turn in one direction--but maybe because of the surgery, because of the background or because of their ages, I did not expect the difficulty in injecting L-DOPA into them. Comparing to the kind of work I did in undergrad--watching mice run around looking for cereal or chocolate milk in a maze or even injecting with drugs that change their behaviors but did not cause pain or death--I feel guilty about what I am doing right now and and have been asking myself again and again whether or not all the pain and anxiety that I am inflicting on the mice is worth it. The thoughts I used to have at MIT on what is like to be a mouse have also come back to me. I honestly cannot imagine a life confined to a cage that is on a rack most of the time. Sigh, if a mouse lives in nature, it can run to different places, take on different adventures, it can forage, watch for enemies and have offspring. The mice here cannot do anything to change or to better their fate. Sometimes I wish that they would stay still and not bite me, so I can finish the procedure quicker and put back to their cage. I do wish that they don´t get to stressed out during surgery so they can survive the surgery and live a month longer. But how is a mouse going to know that? Anyway, I still strongly belief that animal research is necessary, but I hope that someday, there will be enough funding, enough knowledge to enable the the lab mice can have a live similar to the mice in nature.
Last night, I began reading a book that I bought almost almost a year ago when it was recommended by one of my Spanish professors. It was el laberineto de la soledad by Octavio Paz. Instead of starting at page 1, I went straight to page 400something, to the chapter that compares Mexico with US, and it which the author pointed that the difference between U.S. and Mexico is largely consequence of the differences in
their civilization. That part of the Mexican tragedy--the feelings of sorrow and confusion about self-identity--comes from knowing that even though U.S. and Mexico occupy the same continent, have similarly history, yet the former is blessed with the Constitution, with leaders like Washington, Lincoln and FDR and with the strongest economy in the world, the latter is haunted by wars, dictators, drugs, inequality, instability and economical difficulties.
One point mentioned by Octavio Paz was that Mexico has a closed culture whereas U.S. has an open culture. That when it struck me that the world is indeed full of contradictions. In American, personal privacy is deeply valued yet there is the freedom of speech, where reporters are by in large free to report anything that is wrong with America. Whereas in Mexico, maybe because of the residual fear from the dictatorial regimes, people are open to share facts about their lives but not about the society they live in.
Reading this book suddenly made me realize what is special about Europe. It is the European Union. A Spanish citizen can enjoy the the same social and health benefits when they go to France and Britain. Since Berlin is only a 2-hour train ride away from Madrid, one can find job in another country without really have to be separated from one's family. Mexico as a nation feels lonely because the countries on North America much more separated. America does not feel the same solitude perhaps because it is the richest and most powerful nation in the world and because it is so entrenched in its own affairs that there is no time to feel lonely.
This Monday marks the 3rd day of measuring the behaviors of mice that I did surgery three weeks ago. The surgery seemed to have work on most of my mice--they can only turn in one direction--but maybe because of the surgery, because of the background or because of their ages, I did not expect the difficulty in injecting L-DOPA into them. Comparing to the kind of work I did in undergrad--watching mice run around looking for cereal or chocolate milk in a maze or even injecting with drugs that change their behaviors but did not cause pain or death--I feel guilty about what I am doing right now and and have been asking myself again and again whether or not all the pain and anxiety that I am inflicting on the mice is worth it. The thoughts I used to have at MIT on what is like to be a mouse have also come back to me. I honestly cannot imagine a life confined to a cage that is on a rack most of the time. Sigh, if a mouse lives in nature, it can run to different places, take on different adventures, it can forage, watch for enemies and have offspring. The mice here cannot do anything to change or to better their fate. Sometimes I wish that they would stay still and not bite me, so I can finish the procedure quicker and put back to their cage. I do wish that they don´t get to stressed out during surgery so they can survive the surgery and live a month longer. But how is a mouse going to know that? Anyway, I still strongly belief that animal research is necessary, but I hope that someday, there will be enough funding, enough knowledge to enable the the lab mice can have a live similar to the mice in nature.
Last night, I began reading a book that I bought almost almost a year ago when it was recommended by one of my Spanish professors. It was el laberineto de la soledad by Octavio Paz. Instead of starting at page 1, I went straight to page 400something, to the chapter that compares Mexico with US, and it which the author pointed that the difference between U.S. and Mexico is largely consequence of the differences in
their civilization. That part of the Mexican tragedy--the feelings of sorrow and confusion about self-identity--comes from knowing that even though U.S. and Mexico occupy the same continent, have similarly history, yet the former is blessed with the Constitution, with leaders like Washington, Lincoln and FDR and with the strongest economy in the world, the latter is haunted by wars, dictators, drugs, inequality, instability and economical difficulties.
One point mentioned by Octavio Paz was that Mexico has a closed culture whereas U.S. has an open culture. That when it struck me that the world is indeed full of contradictions. In American, personal privacy is deeply valued yet there is the freedom of speech, where reporters are by in large free to report anything that is wrong with America. Whereas in Mexico, maybe because of the residual fear from the dictatorial regimes, people are open to share facts about their lives but not about the society they live in.
Reading this book suddenly made me realize what is special about Europe. It is the European Union. A Spanish citizen can enjoy the the same social and health benefits when they go to France and Britain. Since Berlin is only a 2-hour train ride away from Madrid, one can find job in another country without really have to be separated from one's family. Mexico as a nation feels lonely because the countries on North America much more separated. America does not feel the same solitude perhaps because it is the richest and most powerful nation in the world and because it is so entrenched in its own affairs that there is no time to feel lonely.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
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