First day at work and moving day

Today was both my first day at work and moving day to my new place - I love cramming everything into one day! Work was great. I was supposed to be there at 8:30 so I was my usual punctual self and showed up at 8:15, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Feeling confident in where I was going I walked up the stairs one floor to the second floor. I waited for 1/2 hour, my boss did not show up to meet me. So then I made several trips down to the first floor, up to the fifth floor, etc. After an hour we found each other and she told me that one floor up is the 1st floor because I started on the ground floor - jeesh! Today was more of an orientation day, I printed several articles, began using my computer, and watched a video. After a few more weeks of paperwork/ID badges (you have to swipe to get out of some places; fire hazard if I ever heard of one), I should be settled. There are a few more critical pictures I want to take, but these will do for now.

I actually work at the Melbourne Children's Research Institute but it is housed with and affiliated with The Royal Children's Hospital. There is also a partnership with the University of Melbourne. 

They just re-built the hospital. It's less than a year old and they put in a lot of 'extras' to make the hospital as fun as possible for children. They also have several indoor/outdoor playgrounds within the hospital, an aquarium, and a meerkat habitat. I bet (and hope) that all these features were inspired by research that says "children's development [and recover] is supported by outdoor play, creative exploration, and animals." I'm sure it's out there somewhere.

 

My desk! It's sort of like a cubicle but bigger. I have this really big nice Mac computer that I don't know how to use, my own phone, file cabinet, and my own 'spice rack' which is actually a me-size drawer to hold stuff. Perhaps I shall put 1,000 spices in it.

And I get a view! This is actually of the demolition of the old hospital. It's kind of cool to look at, really. At the very least I am SO lucky to have a wall full of windows and natural light. Four years of graduate school and my office was surrounded by 4 concrete walls.

My new place! I will get pictures of the outside soon but here is my room. It's on the second story and has a big beautiful window for more natural light. My friend Alyssa and her soon to be father-in-law helped me move in this bed I just bought and all of my things from the last place I was staying. All I had to do was assemble everything by myself..

Look at that wall of closets!

All I had to do was put an IKEA bed together with no tools. Except...

I did have tools! Thanks to Brendan (Walsh) and Natale, I had my very own screwdriver and knife. 

 

All put together! I'm slightly concerned that it will collapse beneath me as I sleep tonight but I think we can say that for most IKEA products. I guess I'll just wake up to another adventure.

Still a little messy but this is it. I have a bed, a desk, a comfy lounge chair, and more bookshelf space than I will ever need. Oh, and a space heater, VERY necessary. Did I mention it's very cold here?