2008 has started… So does my PhD programme

Fortunately or unfortunately 2008 has come!

I had a pleasant time with family and friends during my vacations in Italy, despite the bad weather and a flu. Fabio has been a great host: he showed me Milano, Sondrio, Como, and the surroundings of the Como’s lake, in other words, a kind of “Lombardia in a Nutshell” trip. 🙂 I also enjoyed New Year’s Eve so much, thanks to the company of Andrea, Hilde and all their friends.

But at the end, as expected, I had to come back in the rainy Bergen… And here I am, without being homesick yet. Today is an important day in my life, as I finally started the PhD programme here at the University. The staff at the Department of Informatics was kind to me, and the working environment seems pleasant. First, they toured me around the building and introduced me to the various researchers and professors. Then, they gave me the key of my office, which is located on the fjord side of the building. And a note for my geek friends: the office has a powerful Dell PC with a 24” LCD monitor, running Fedora GNU/Linux 8. 🙂

All in all, I could not wish a better welcome. Looking at this result, it seems that some people kept their finger crossed for me. 🙂