The 1st day we arrived in hotel, we found ourselves exhausted but had nothing to eat. We have to throw away all the foods and drink before we entered Detroit. And we were picked up as soon as we step outside the airport. Therefore, after we (I was the one cleaned and arranged all the belongings) settled down, we walked outside the hotel and explored around to see if we could find some grocery. However, we found everyone was driving except us but no grocery. Finally, we only found a food store and got some fresh meat and vegetables, and bread as well. It was a store named "Whole Foods", and the products there were very expensive as well. We didn't enjoy it very much. Anyway, we finally got something to eat.
Then the rest of that day and the day after it, it was a nightmare. First, we were not able to get access to Internet. Secondly, I was not able to install SAS on my colleague's computer, which she insisted I had to fix it before we went to the office. Thirdly, I had not told my mum that I arrived safely and settled down well and so on. Fourthly, I had lots of massive tasks to do besides those listed above.
I tried and tried, and even called everyone I knew who could help me fix the Internet issue. And the meanwhile, I kept installing the stupid SAS and hoped it could worked so how. I just inserted the CD and pressed "NEXT" "NEXT" "NEXT" until the PC told me some errors occurred. It happened like 500 times. I was exhausted, but my colleague could not let me give up, she pushed me to do this again and again, but not coming to help me. She had jet lag and so did I. She kept asked me "Does SAS work now? I need it! Quick!" I felt so helpless. I don't want to do anything but went home.
I asked the front desk for the Internet issue, he gave a phone number. I rang it in the next daytime, some nice guy picked up after few minutes waiting. He asked me what happened to my computer and guided to the access of Internet. Actually, nothing was wrong. I did not know but it worked eventually. I cheered up and said thank you and thank you.
Then SAS! I kept my another colleague who was in CHINA helping me to fix this. Well, as you may know, the stupid SAS did not run anyway. At last, I switched to SAS 9.1.3 and it worked!!! My colleague and I were so happy that we danced together. And I went to bed finally a few minutes after this. I was too tired to stay awake.
On Tuesday morning, we woke up and got some breakfast. An assistant from the research center came to take the bus with us and showed us the direction to office. Our boss was still on the plane, we did some paper work and waiting within the office. Our boss joined us in the late of afternoon. And he went to check in after talking to us an hour. First day in office, we just complete our work in CHINA, but didn't do anything related with this research center.
Wednesday, almost the same as the day before. Waiting! No news from my boss and no news from this center. Some nice guys came to say hi and never showed up again, or we said hi again when we met around the building.
Thursday. It was a research meeting for another project team. We were invited. This was a great opportunity for us to learn from them. Besides this, nothing else.
That night, Thursday night. My colleague had a fever. We ran out of medicine drug. I was so scared . I had nothing to do but made some hot soup and hot water for her, and helped her to get some sleep. I prayed and wished she would be OK tomorrow morning. Meanwhile, I had to have an Internet meeting with my colleagues in CHINA. I summed up the key points after this meeting and sent them out. I was about to write an article which was asked from my poor colleague, but I was too tired to go on. I went to bed and check her again - warm!
In the early of next morning, she was OK then! Finally, I thought we were lucky. The next morning, I went to office by myself and had lunch by myself as well, because my boss was invited to have a meal with someone important, I didn't want disturb them. Later in the afternoon, my boss came to our hotel and checked with my colleague. And he took us to the Meijer which was a real grocery we expected! We really enjoyed our shopping. Then we went out for a pizza with our boss. Boss was so cheered up, maybe he was thinking about this collaboration. Exactly, we have been here for four days. No one was really talking with us and guiding us in this office, we didn't know what to do and who could we ask for. At least, I am confused and lost.
All we can do is to research more and learn more before we started our collaboration. I sincerely wish we could learn something from this center and devote to our own center.
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