Moving to Australia

Postdoc position. Motivation letter and letter on my qualifications: how do I match requirements. Six bullets, half about fortran and supercomputers, and the other half about geophysics.  I answered fairly on the first half of questions: 5-10 years of experience and more, and I answered even more fairly on requirements in geophysics: "I don't know it, but I wand to learn it". Interview: you occasionally wake up at midnight and see an email request. Several mugs of coffee in one gulp, find a tidy shirt and go for a talk at 1 AM. One month of waiting - and job offer arrived.

The Australian Red Ensign - alternative flag on red background

Переезд в Австралию

Вакансия. Наспех написанное мотивационное письмо и соответствие требованиям из шести пунктов, половина по программированию на суперкомпьютерах и разработке на fortran, половина по геофизике. На первую часть я ответил честно “опыт от 5-10 лет”, на вторую – ещё более честно: “вообще не знаю, но хочу научиться”. Собеседование – проснуться среди ночи, увидеть e-mail, спешно надраться кофе и натянуть рубашку, в час ночи поговорить.
Полтора месяца ожидания решения, дополнительные письма – и предложение о работе.

The Australian Red Ensign - альтернативная версия флага на красном поле

Выборы 2018 Elections

Yesterday, on Sunday, there were elections of the Russian president. Basically, there was no real alternative to Putin. And there was no candidate, which I would recognise as an alternative.
I can't support with my participation in this voting (not elections, because elections imply a real possibility of change) that the country of my origin falls back into USSR in its worst senses. I can't agree with its politics, both foreign and internal.
I was thinking for a month after the candidates were approved. And my decision is stiff. If there is no choice and no chance to change something, let my voice to be buried like a true viking in a flaming ship - denoting the beginning of government in Russia.