Go Home🇰🇷
Sunday, July 20
🏃🏻 Done (6/6) | ★★★★
There wasn’t much going on today, but I did pick up snacks, hand sanitizer, and a few other souvenirs at Trader Joe’s and finally started packing my suitcase. I always find packing tedious… I’m not sure how much to bring, especially for a trip this long (three weeks). My family and friends keep telling me it’s scorching hot in Korea right now, so the layers I wear in San Francisco won’t last ten minutes. I’ll probably have to buy a bunch of summer clothes as soon as I arrive.
After making decent progress on packing, I went to the gym and spent the relaxed rest of the day. I’m starting to feel a little excited about the trip.
Monday, July 21
🏃🏻 Rest (0/6) | ★★★★
This morning I had my last Shokat lab group meeting before I fly back to Korea. Today’s presenter was a graduate student who has been working on the same protein I’ll be studying. Although he’s now shifting to a different isoform, he can still help me with the basic biology and biochemical assays I’ll need. His presentation covered a completely different project, but I loved the concept. It reminded me how many fascinating research directions exist even within a single lab.
In the afternoon, I met with Kevan to catch up on my thesis project plans and the long-standing manuscript I am writing. We hope to finish the paper before I leave, but I may need to wrap up a few details while I’m in Korea. The meeting went very well overall. After work, I headed to Pier 39, the waterfront shopping district, to look for souvenirs. I wanted gifts that are unique to San Francisco and at least semi-permanent, so I spent nearly two hours browsing every shop. I ended up buying around thirty magnets with more variety and better designs than I expected. I’m really happy with the selection and hope my family and friends will like them, too😉
Tuesday, July 22
🏃🏻 Missed (0/6) | ★★★★
Before leaving for Korea, I studied my thesis project as much as possible and asked plenty of last-minute questions. On my way back from lunch, I noticed that the wall in front of my building had been completely painted overnight. One artist seemed to be doing all the work; he glanced up and gave me a big smile, which put me in a surprisingly good mood. After work, I spent the entire evening packing my suitcase, racing to get everything ready. It was hectic, but I managed to finish.
Wednesday, July 23
🏃🏻 Done (1/6) | ★★★★☆
I wrapped up a refreshing workout, finished all my laundry, and cleaned the apartment before heading to the airport at a relaxed pace. Going home feels both exciting and a little strange. I’m looking forward to spending valuable time with the people I love and coming back refreshed👋👋
