On loving your life

My supervisor from the Netherlands visited me at the Howard Florey Insitute (HFI) today. He came to Australia for a series of lectures and conferences, and this afternoon at Neuro Imaging Group, HFI was one of them.

Talking about my supervisor, I think I learned a lot of things from him. Since the first time I met him last year, when I visited his lab during my first visit to the Netherlands. The very first thing I learned from him is being a good listener. I remember him asking me, at that time, about what I expected to have in my master degree. I was impressed that he was really willing to listen to everything I said, very carefully, and gave very supportive comments. Another surprise came by the fact that he learned about myself before meeting me; he said several things that no way he could say it unless he has gone through my application thoroughly.

Few months later I started my master, officially under his supervision. He was the one to whom I could talk when deciding what subjects to take, etc. I had more contact with him when I took a short internship project under his supervision. He was really a great supervisor; he made me work independently while also gave something to hold on. Every meeting we had was so motivating; his questions were always intriguing. I walked out his office, always, with more enthusiasm in digging the project much more.

What I admire most from him, is how he spreads his passion in his expertise to other people. I can always feel that he loves what he is doing. He adores the science --the field-- he is working on; he tells people that he found it amazing. He taught people interesting concepts and not making them bored, because I can feel that he himself thinks that it is interesting.

Do what you really love. That's what he advised me this afternoon when I said that I was still floating of what I want to be in the future. I had a chance to talked to him privately on my desk this afternoon during his visit. I also told him what I have decided for my master thesis, which would unfortunately not be under his supervision --I have decided to have broader view in the field also to really find out what I enjoy most. I am very happy that he was on my side, and that he also looked happy with my choice. I should have told him that I appreciated it a lot.

He told me that he was never stressed. That he always enjoyed his work. "I never work, I do my hobby every day," said he, "never I said: 5 o'clock already, time to start my other life." "For me, this work is part of my life."


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Dedicated to Prof. Bart ter Haar Romenij.
For the life lessons I always learn everytime we talked