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Journaling

These last years, I have stopped journaling. So today I went to a journaling workshop to understand why I lost the habit of writing. Is it because I don't have the passion anymore, or do people simply change? I don't really find the answer from the workshop, but I learn something that I may try in the future, writing using a prompt. In the workshop, we exercise with prompts to initiate writing. One of the prompts that I like is about success. One of my biggest achievements this year is to have closure for the last project that I did.  As a people pleaser, I used to follow what others' interests are at the expense of my own. It became suffocating quickly. On the other hand, it is difficult to confront something and say no. My usual approach is to avoid and detach. I know it's not healthy, and in the back of my mind, I know it's wrong. But for a short time, I am safe, I can avoid the problem, and I don't need to deal with disappointment. I think anti-disappointmen...
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Visiting Gimmelwald, One of Switzerland’s Most Charming Alpine Villages — from Romanshorn by Train

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Switzerland has stunning alpine gems, but few places capture that “storybook mountain village” feel like Gimmelwald. Hidden on a clifftop in the Lauterbrunnen Valley, this tiny village is car-free, peaceful, and full of old-world charm. Here’s how we travelled to Gimmelwald from Romanshorn by train and what we did during our three-day and two-night stay.  Day 1: Romanshorn to Gimmelwald  We began our journey on a Monday morning at the end of July 2024, catching a train from Romanshorn and travelling across the country toward the Bernese Alps. After a scenic ride through central Switzerland, we arrived in Interlaken Ost in the late morning. From there, we transferred to a train heading toward Lauterbrunnen, a village famous for its dramatic cliffs and waterfalls. If you’re planning a similar trip, you can easily check train schedules using the official SBB railway website: SBB Network – IC81 Line We took a break for lunch at one of the charming restaurants in Lauterbrunnen. It...
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When the Contract Ends

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A few months before my post-doctoral contract ended, I started looking for a new position. I did not have experience in teaching and preferred to do research, so I was looking for another postdoc. I also considered shifting to non-academic jobs but was less successful than applying for another post-doc and getting invited for interviews. Location was also one of my considerations when selecting jobs. I didn't want to move to another city, especially if it was only for a one or two-year position. Can you imagine uprooting your life every two years? I know people who do it for research, moving places, bringing the whole family, looking for schools, and finding new activities. However, after my 40s, I don't have the energy anymore.  In my early days, I have been moving places. I did my PhD in the Netherlands for 5 years, worked in Indonesia for 3.5 years, returned to academia as a post-doc in Singapore for 3 years, and in the UK for 2 years. Each place has its beauty, but it also ...
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Hello World!

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It's been too long since I posted regularly on a blog. I started blogging in early 2000, when the Internet had just become a thing, and most content was text-based instead of video. And here I am, trying to return to my old habit of writing regularly.  A bit about the title. I have been living in the academia almost my whole life. Studying, more studying, research and more research. While I love doing research, being a research fellow or being in academia always put me on a pedestal. Am I good enough? What if I cannot catch up to the latest research trend? Do I publish enough? Why have I not heard anything from reviewers? I know that in life, you will always have questions, but the amount of self-doubt I had when I was in academia was not healthy. So, after I finished my contract as a research associate at one of the best universities in the world, I decided to have a break from academia.  This blog is about that. Navigating my career/life after 40. 
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