Portrait of an amazing woman: Elba

Elba Valderrama is a most incredible person.  She's smart - think brilliant.  She's terrific to work with AND she's great fun!

Elba is just finishing up the final edits on her dissertation and hopes to graduate in July.  But, being a super high-achiever, she's done her graduate work not in Panama or even Spain where she could use her native tongue, but in Germany.  Yep, in Germany.  And in German.  And that's not all, she also did graduate work in France speaking, you guessed it, French!  Plus, of course, she's also fluent in English.  A Polyglot!

She has been extremely generous of her time and her talents - and her gas as she has been picking me up and bringing me back home daily.  All this despite the fact that she's teaching 20 hrs a week - plus handling all the administrivia that accompanies teaching at a university (don't ask me - I'm not an academic, remember?)  But she is always cheerful and helpful.  Always.

Did I mention she's a lot of fun?  She's got a terrific sense of humor - which takes a high degree of fluency - and she has a lovely lyrical laugh too.  I'm having a blast working with her.

She sounds like an ideal host, eh?  Yes.  She is!

AND she's a wonderful friend.  Definitely!

I'm looking forward to working with her to figure out what research projects are feasible - which also means finding money and some relief from her courses IMHO.  Just a few things to sort out... but I know we will because we both really want to work together.

So thank you very much to UTP for having Elba on staff!  And thank you to Elba for being - well, Elba!  :-)

Becoming

Those of you who know me well know that I am not an academic - and I was, frankly, concerned that I would be totally out of place at UTP because of that fact.  But, so far at least, I'm wrong.

Today, the wonderful Dean Nicolas brought by a tray of brownies, with strict instructions not to share them.  Well, of course, I shared - how could I not?  That would not be me nor would it be Panamanian!  Although he didn't make them - he is rumored to make absolutely amazing brownies - they were quite tasty.  I brought home those that didn't get consumed by friends and neighbors, and wrapped them in cellophane before popping them into a zip lock bag and straight into the freezer.  They will be a lovely every-so-often treat!

We're planning a party, Elba and me!  It's going to be on 12 April in the Party Room at the apartment (note to self:  Reserve this!)  Although it is not very "Panamanian", we're going to ask people to bring a typical Panamanian treat to share.  I'm quite excited!  I hope we can announce it tomorrow at my first-ever Faculty meeting!

Yes, tomorrow will be my first ever Faculty Meeting.  For those of you who are academics, this might seem like a non-event.  Why get excited about such a banal and ordinary fact of academic life?  But, obviously, I'm not an academic.  So this promises to be wonderful fun.  Stay tuned!