I mean Central Washington University. Yes, there is a small university in Ellensburg, WA where I was hired as faculty, and I started to introduce graduate and undergraduate students in the Computer Science realm. At least this is my intent ...
Of course it is not that obvious that you land -after waiting more than 6 months for a ... paper-, you say hello to the new year, and you start right away doing something which is completely new from your day-to-day job. Doing research is one thing, doing teaching and research is completely different. Research wise is exactly the same, but teaching is quite an investment on intellectual and personal level as well. Working with students is demanding but rewarding in the same time. You are tired after a lecture, but is incredible to see, how they process information and sooner or later they will know way more than you do. Once this is achieved, you can stop, rest and say: "It was worth doing it!"
I have to tell, it is my first time on an American campus. Life is completely different from our university life. Students are probably the same, but all the facilities they have is completely different, and having those dorms on campus is keeping them together and more organized as we were many years ago.
Of course students do not change. They want high grades and in return they want to invest less as possible. Now they are not aware, but they already playing the optimization game. My colleague Dr. Donald Davendra is going to show them how the theory of this optimization works, but for now they just apply it with success in practice.
Colleagues are really friendly, they help whenever is necessary, and students are really nice and respectful. The campus circumference is about 3 miles, so my workout is usually 2 circles around the campus. We lost in basketball agains Western Washington University last Saturday, but I am quite sure, the next game will be ours. I look forward to see a college soccer game, and the swimming pool is to be tested too.
Students do work, wherever you go you can spot them, which is really nice, but I do not know how much time they have to study and of course live their student life as it is in the movies.
Each day is a new day, with new challenges and adventures but I fully enjoy it!
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