My mom and dad made the trip from South Africa to be with me at this special time, and I was so grateful to have them with me! I fully recognize that I would not have made it without them - they invested so much into my education and personal growth, and were such a source of encouragement to me throughout these last few months. I was in Norway the week before for a conference, so I arrived back to my home in Lausanne after my mom and dad already arrived - it was so great to come home to them! With my darling fiancé, we spent the Sunday and Monday having some rest, enjoying some good food and doing some preparations for my defense on the Tuesday.
My defense started at 10:00, and proceeded as follows - I did a 20minute presentation in French, after which each of my jury members made questions and asked me comments. I felt quite comfortable and felt like I responded to the questions adequately. I was very touched and encouraged by the complimentary comments made by my jury members and thesis directors - they were very kind. It was very gratifying to know my hard work had paid off! The jury members then left the room and "deliberated". They returned to the room and gave me my title! The defense was followed by an apéro that we hosted - my family and Chris were a big help with the preparations, and during my defense some of my colleagues kindly did the set up. It was a very joyous occasion! My parents kindly bought a few South African touches for the apéro - biltong, wire and bead animals, South African flags, Protea flowers made out of beads and wire, and protea flower serviettes. It was so wonderful to celebrate with my friends, colleagues and family.
That evening we had dinner with my immediate team at work, thesis directors and jury members at a great restaurant in Lausanne - it was such a happy celebration. And later in the week I had another dinner to celebrate with a wider group of colleagues. It was a very happy week of celebrations!
I moved to Switzerland 3.5 years ago to do a PhD, not really knowing what I was getting myself into, nor having any real idea of what an excellent experience it would be. I could have never known the amazing people I would met, the friends I would make, or the professional network I would build - but God knew, and He put me in the right place. It was a long road, and at times challenging and frustrating, but mostly I loved it. I feel so blessed to have found my "thing" professionally - something that I enjoy and matches my skills and competencies well. I don't know where it will lead, but I know that pursuing an academic career is the right thing for now.
Completing a PhD represented much more than just the academic achievement for me - it represented the successful adjustment to a new country and setting up a whole new life and home here in Switzerland, including learning a language and adjusting to a new culture. I am proud of myself and grateful to have achieved this milestone!
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