👋 Hello world!
It has been a long time since the last time I wrote something here. Looking back at the end of the year seems like a good excuse to get back to writing. So here we are.
2021 was a good year overall, it had its ups and downs, but in the end, the positives outweigh the negatives of the year. Let's see how the year went.
🥾 Hiking was a big part of the beginning of the year as we started 2021 with a lockdown in Budapest. Getting to explore nearby forests and being out in nature was a nice way to keep us sane during the winter lockdown. The hikes provided us with beautiful winter scenes ❄️
🛫🇲🇽 This year we visited Mexico after one year and a half. In May we flew to Mexico to surprise our families and friends. It was really nice to get to see our families and friends after so long. There were three weeks full of joy, food, friends, family, and good laughs. Of course, we ate all the tacos that we could.
☀️ Summer was great. We got vaccinated 💉💉, the city opened again, and with the good weather we got to enjoy the kerts, picnics in Margaret island, trips to Lake Balaton, and visits from friends in Budapest. Besides enjoying the city and Hungary, we traveled to Italy for a week in Naples and Sorrento, it was a nice summer break to be at the beach, enjoy Italian food and very good weather.
On the academic side of things, summer marked the end of my dissertation, I submitted it and went to my Ph.D. committee for review and comments, it was a really nice feeling to be done with it.
Summer was very good and went by very fast.
🍂 Autumn came with winds of change. We moved to Amsterdam 🇳🇱 after four years living in Budapest. We miss our friends, but it is a good opportunity, new jobs, new city, new adventure, and the perfect timing to be moving as I was finishing the Ph.D.
The move to Amsterdam went well, we packed our life in four suitcases, two carry-on, and 15 boxes. Fortunately, everything went as the plan. We are now settling in Amsterdam, in a lovely new apartment, getting to know places and making new friends.
News from the Ph.D. front, I defended, and after a long defense, I got awarded my Ph.D. In Network Science with Magna Cum Laude. It was a nice feeling to finish that life stage. If anyone is interested in reading the dissertation, it is available here. Of course, there were spatial socks 🧦 to defend the Ph.D.
🗓 2021 closed with a new job. I moved from academia to industry to work as a Python Modeler at SYSTEMIQ, where I am working using data science tools to model systems and changes for net-zero carbon scenarios in multiple industries. It is a new challenge that I am enjoying.
We wrap up 2021 with a visit to Mexico, after four years without being home for Christmas we came. It is really nice to be surrounded by family and friends and get to share these days together.
This last Mexico trip came at a time were Amsterdam was getting into a new lockdown, COVID is still hitting, and Omicron is getting everywhere. I am sure 2022 will get its challenges: new COVID variants, vaccine geopolitics, climate change, and more. I am also looking forward to a year of new learnings, new friends, getting to see old friends and family and to keep enjoying the simple pleasures of life.
Here’s for 2022. Let’s s go for it.
PS. Wear a mask 😷
________
✉️ If you want to replay and engage in the conversation you can send me an email, or if you are reading it as a newsletter just reply to it.
📬 You can subscribe to the newsletter with your email bellow ⤵