First Day

I justed started my first week at Fraunhofer in Freiburg, Germany and I love all of it. I do not have internet access in my room, so I have not been able to document all of it, but I will start now. Please read past blogs because I am writing one for each interesting event.

My first day: [Side note. I do not want to break the contract with Fraunhofer so I will not be giving your specific information about the details of my project and the names of my co-workers, but I will give you very useful information.] Please contact me if you would live me to clarify anything. The picture shown is the main building of Fraunhoer, Institute of Solar Energy Systems.

On the right side of the front section is where I have lunch outside in March!

I am here at work at the end of my first day. It was an adventure today. I came at 8 unsure of when I had to be here. I called my boss but he was not here. Then they had an orientation at 9 for German speakers. My folder was not there becuase they had me in the English session which was later. I wanted to be in the German orientation so I stayed and they received my folder. It is amazing how many students were present and that was only orientation. I would estimate there was 40 students there, ranging from Bachelors and Diploma Thesis work to normal internships as I am. I am so excited to be a part of an excellent research company and see a new side of engineering that I have not seen yet in my internships and research projects . I then called my boss after the session from my phone and the reception was bad and he could not understand me. Nice job Haley, I said to myself, so then I asked the Secretary to call. He came and got me and showed me the test lab again and introduced me to many people. It was good to know I could ask many people for help. We went over the regularity of the personal orientation with the key and the many abbreviations for the group names.

I work in the Abteilung Thermische Anlage und Gebäudetechnik (TAG) [Department of Thermal Equipment and Technical Building]. In TAG, I belong to the Thermische Kollektoren und Anwendungen TKA [Thermal Collectors and Applications] which is also divided into 3 groups where I am in the Innovation and Modelling (IuM).

I wanted to wait till my boss was done and so I was a little late to the English orientation. I knew there was only one other person so I chose to spend time with my boss. I just had a few more questions to clarify what I did not understand.

They still have not given me a direct job yet other than reading english books about Heat Pipes. I am still so happy and astounded that Bud Peterson, President of GT wrote a book and I have been reading it after I checked it out from TUM.

I then had lunch with the intern who I am learning from him and his friend. They both study in Augsburg. He said I speak really good German so I was excited. The lunch in the cafeteria was good, noodles and ham, and cost only 3 Euros. Maybe there I will have my big meal of the day and have a light meal later. Normally lunch is 30 minutes, but the intern said 1 hour is okay unless you have a lot of work that needs to be complete. The intern, his name is J. J had a presentation today during the meeting with TKA meeting. Because I still did not have a great holding on my role that I was going to be doing, I asked him if he could go over his presentation with me. I had an IT meeting at the same time as his presentation.

He was patient and went through it. Then my big big boss came and sat with us, but allowed J to finish what he was doing.

During the TKA meeting of 30 people, they go through the list of what to do. We, the new interns, then introduced ourselves. We were about 8 new people. I know that I still have my English accent and I had to have my boss help me in explaining my project, which I was dissappointed in myself.(I wrote later today what I am doing to make me feel better). After I introduced myself, the guys were laughing and I am unsure about what. There were about 5 girls in the group, so it is still like school.

The IT meeting was in English, which was interesting to experience. We also introduced ourselves and it was interesting to hear the Germans try their englisch.

Well I still dont have internet at the house,so I am doing this at work. But I am really excited being here and with Gods guidance, I am doing alright.