One hint I'm out of my element.

I walked into the open house event that the center held today for graduate students who are TA's and graduate student instructors. There were seven people in the room at the time, and conversations were being held in Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian. Our undergraduate staff members are also fluent in multiple languages as I shortly discovered. Very impressive.

Very tempting to turn around and walk back into my office, really. My inner introvert has been emerging more of late given the disconnect between my academic background and my current administrative role in the language center. But that's not a professional option, so in I went.

Several of the departmental instructors clearly have no interest in communication with someone who doesn't work in their discipline, which is frustrating. They assume I don't understand them. While I definitely concede the linguistic point, I have taught in college classrooms before and the problems they're facing within their departments with instruction and with limited resources are not unique. I know better than to mention this.

At this point I primarily listen and try to ask intelligent questions, and remind myself that upper-level administrators have less and less direct knowledge of the departments and programs they oversee. It's really tempting to want to be an expert in a new area and take up a language, but I'm fighting it.

It probably doesn't help that the first two people who I met asked me what department I'm a new graduate student in. I know I look young. I should be flattered. When this is a common response (and I'm dressed in a suit skirt, hose, and low heels, not Boulder casual wear), it grows slightly aggravating. I keep reminding myself everyone's learning to make small talk, everyone's meeting me for the first time, it's not easy for anyone to come to a room full of people and talk to strangers. It's annoying that professional wear makes me look overdressed in any gathering, making people assume I'm young and inexperienced in the Boulder academic context, while more casual wear just emphasizes my youth. I'm considering a campaign-style button that says "I already have my Ph.D. and I'm in charge!" but this seems like overkill.

This has been a hella long week. The bug's been sick once again and is emerging, we've had frequent enjoyable houseguests with whom I'd rather spend time than be working, and in short TGIF.