Travel Report for Tina's Research Trip to Madison, Wisconsin

After I arrived on July 29, the first few days were mainly about getting over jet lag, getting used to my new surroundings, and exploring the neighborhood with my new roommates. Of course, that also included a trip to the mall, a ride in a pick-up truck, and marveling at the bulk-size packages in the supermarkets. Luckily, my new apartment is also very close to Lake Mendota, where you can watch the most beautiful sunsets!

During my first few weeks here, I met for lunch with our associate member, Prof. Jonathan Gray, who is kindly serving as my dissertation advisor during my stay in Madison. He also showed me around the neighborhood and gave me some tips for trips in the area (including where to find the Home Alone house in Chicago!). I spent the rest of the week exploring the libraries at UW-Madison: the Memorial Library, where most of the texts relevant to our project can be found; the Historical Society, which offers additional historical documents (and a lovely environment for working); and the College Library, which offers a stunning view of Lake Mendota while studying. The first week was also about organization and planning for the future: registering as an official member of the UW-Madison faculty (with the added benefit of a discounted bus pass) and promoting our study to recruit more participants.

Of course, working in Wisconsin doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten about Germany: In addition to working on my dissertation, I’ve also submitted the final draft of an article that will appear in the September issue of COPAS (Current Objectives of Postgraduate American Studies) under the title “The Subject of Love, on a Very Cultural Level: Responding to Crises in the Hollywood Romantic Comedy.” It is based on my master’s thesis and its presentation at last year’s Postgraduate Forum (PGF) in Leipzig (more on that here). In addition, the “Hollywood Memories” team met for a colloquium on Yining’s work, which I attended virtually. It was great to see familiar faces again and to be back in Hannover for a moment!

So far, my stay has mainly been about getting to know the city better, adjusting to my new surroundings, and figuring out where I can best work on my dissertation. In September, the focus will shift to experiencing authentic U.S. college life: I’ll attend two lectures as a guest student and spend more time in libraries working on the theoretical foundations of my thesis. I’ll also continue to recruit participants for our study, finalize my dataset, and gather enough information to analyze later in Germany. But I’m also looking forward to fall in Wisconsin and to discovering more about the culture and life here!