First Day at Work

Today was my first day at work at the University of Iceland.  It was a decidedly low-key day, which wasn’t surprising since most everybody was returning to work after a summer holiday which ended on a three-day weekend.  I showed up around 10am and after a bit of wandering I ended up in the admin office where one of the junior profs was showing the other rookie around.

We managed to track down the IT manager to ask for wireless access, and the custodian to ask for keys.  He then took us to what will be my office, which had recently been cleaned.  Since they’d polished the (linoleum) floor they’d removed all the furniture from the room, so a good chunk of time was spent surveying the three available desks and deciding which one to claim.

The office is a pretty big one, with a built-in closet for stuff and overcoats, lots of shelf-space, space for a desk, and a ‘meeting table’, plus the obligatory white-board.  The view is pretty, as long as you discount what’s right outside the window (parking lot, and a long abandoned house-foundation).  I’m going to bring my camera there tomorrow and take some pictures. 🙂

I did a bit of reading, and then went on a coffee break with one of the senior profs, and one of the junior profs.   Then it was time to pick up the kids, since Bjarki is still ‘adjusting’.  He did pretty well last week, but he’s taken to whining when I leave.  In addition that that,  two teachers came back from vacation today, one of which will be his teacher for realz this winter.  Thankfully the teacher that been mostly with him so far returned today, but she’s going on vacation in a couple of days.

Anna meanwhile got ‘dumped’ into a YMCA-like program that runs adjacent to the school she’ll be going to, and I’ve applied for her to go to aftercare there this winter.  She was a little dubious about the whole thing up front, but returned home a very happy camper, having made two new friends.  We hope she stays happy there.  One thing that is obviously different from the YMCA is that this outfit takes the kids out and about, I believe by using the city bus system, so I’m looking forward to tales of adventures had. 🙂