Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Harvard tent

the view onto the Harvard medical school is currently blocked by an enormous tent. since thursday they are working on this tent continuously. it really looks ugly. i found out why its there: for the graduation ceremony. also weird: here, you defend your PhD thesis. but you do not graduate yet.. no, that is together with ALL other PhDstudents during a massive ceremony and i now know it will be in this massive, ugly tent. it now has tables in it, and even ceiling fans (lots of them; it actually is very hot since a few days now). when i passed today, i saw that each entrance is guarded by two poles that at first glance reminded me of ticket validating machines (for the soon-not-existing-strippenkaart!). i already wondered why the hell those would be needed for a graduation ceremony (maybe to validate your PhD-degree?). but then i saw that of course these are hand-sanitizer-dispensers...
crazy americans!! everywhere, at any place, these stupid things are present. maybe to ensure that you receive your PhDdiploma with clean hands.....?