Throughout my stay, I have encountered several interesting questions, most of them catching me off guard. I thought I would share some of these moments with everyone!
Q: Are you getting?
A: Ummm...yeah. Yeah, I get it...
*This dialogue happens no less than ten times each day as I try and grasp new concepts in the lab, but by now everyone can tell whenever I am just trying to be polite or if I actually understand what they are telling me.
Q: Why is Plasmid DNA round?
A: Because...well...in a cell, umm well...( and then everyone proceeded to search high and low for the answer to his question, until...) "Wrong! Plasmid DNA is round because you separate it in a centrifuge and as it goes round and round and round, it becomes round!" (This answer was followed by angry sighs by the scientists working to solve the mystery)
Q: Can you put that sample in the freezer so it will unfreeze?
A: Sure...wait...What?
*So before we can do any work with the sample trays, we have to take them out of a -20 C freezer, and place them in a refrigerator so they will thaw, but this wasn't completely clear at first.
Q: Do you want a mango?
A: YES YES YES!!
Q: Would you rather the milk be hot or warm?
A: Well...I guess if it's got to be either of those, I want it hot...
*This happened this morning at breakfast as I took my first sip of milk and nearly gagged: it was warm. In order to explain my facial expression, I let my host know that I wasn't used to warm milk. He responded by asking if I prefer it hot.
Q: What college to you go to?
A: Contrary to what everyone seems to think, I don't go to college yet...
Q: What are you majoring in?
A: Well I am not ready to pick that yet! In America we still have several more years to choose.
*In India, you must pick your specialization at the age of 16.
Q: What is "I don't want to work" in French?
A: Je ne veux pas travailler.
*Then the person I was teaching proceeded to turn around and tell her boss.
Q: Who is your favorite cricket player?
A: I have honestly never seen a game of cricket...it's like baseball, right?
*Shocked gasps from everyone in the room...
Q: Do you want some fennel seeds
A: NOOOOO....thank you.
*If you had ever had these, they are pungent and bitter. I had no idea what they tasted like the first time I was offered them, so naturally I took a table spoon of them and put them in my mouth...I couldn't breathe for several minutes the flavor was so strong.
Q: Do you want to learn Nautilus?
A: Umm...not really.
*Nautilus is the software that archives the data collected in the lab, and all the scientists are required to go to one hour of training every other day. Much to my surprise, I was invited to join, but knowing my own technological weaknesses (computers hate me), I respectfully declined.
Q: What time should we actually arrive to the office?
A: Around 9:15 in the morning, and around 2:00 after lunch.
*Work starts at 9:00 and lunch in over at 1:30.
Q: Are you getting?
A: Ummm...yeah. Yeah, I get it...
*This dialogue happens no less than ten times each day as I try and grasp new concepts in the lab, but by now everyone can tell whenever I am just trying to be polite or if I actually understand what they are telling me.
Q: Why is Plasmid DNA round?
A: Because...well...in a cell, umm well...( and then everyone proceeded to search high and low for the answer to his question, until...) "Wrong! Plasmid DNA is round because you separate it in a centrifuge and as it goes round and round and round, it becomes round!" (This answer was followed by angry sighs by the scientists working to solve the mystery)
Q: Can you put that sample in the freezer so it will unfreeze?
A: Sure...wait...What?
*So before we can do any work with the sample trays, we have to take them out of a -20 C freezer, and place them in a refrigerator so they will thaw, but this wasn't completely clear at first.
Q: Do you want a mango?
A: YES YES YES!!
Q: Would you rather the milk be hot or warm?
A: Well...I guess if it's got to be either of those, I want it hot...
*This happened this morning at breakfast as I took my first sip of milk and nearly gagged: it was warm. In order to explain my facial expression, I let my host know that I wasn't used to warm milk. He responded by asking if I prefer it hot.
Q: What college to you go to?
A: Contrary to what everyone seems to think, I don't go to college yet...
Q: What are you majoring in?
A: Well I am not ready to pick that yet! In America we still have several more years to choose.
*In India, you must pick your specialization at the age of 16.
Q: What is "I don't want to work" in French?
A: Je ne veux pas travailler.
*Then the person I was teaching proceeded to turn around and tell her boss.
Q: Who is your favorite cricket player?
A: I have honestly never seen a game of cricket...it's like baseball, right?
*Shocked gasps from everyone in the room...
Q: Do you want some fennel seeds
A: NOOOOO....thank you.
*If you had ever had these, they are pungent and bitter. I had no idea what they tasted like the first time I was offered them, so naturally I took a table spoon of them and put them in my mouth...I couldn't breathe for several minutes the flavor was so strong.
Q: Do you want to learn Nautilus?
A: Umm...not really.
*Nautilus is the software that archives the data collected in the lab, and all the scientists are required to go to one hour of training every other day. Much to my surprise, I was invited to join, but knowing my own technological weaknesses (computers hate me), I respectfully declined.
Q: What time should we actually arrive to the office?
A: Around 9:15 in the morning, and around 2:00 after lunch.
*Work starts at 9:00 and lunch in over at 1:30.
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