There Are Worser Places
"So, you're studyin' in England for a semester, eh?" said the cabbie who brought me to 74 Woodstock Road two days ago. "Well, it's not that bad. I've seen worser places."
To say the least. Oxford is unbelievable. Literally. I can't believe I get to live here for the next few months, where seeing medieval architecture will be an everyday occurrence.
Today I wandered around the city with my flatmates Christy and Sara. We went up and down the High Street and peeked into various college courtyards and went up a staircase behind an open door in the yard of Exeter College--went up very quietly, fearing we'd get kicked out--and passed the Proctor's Office. I took this picture.
We passed Magdalen (say "maudlin" if you want to be really British) College and saw limos through the gate. They drove out when we passed back and we saw a bride and groom in the first one. We promptly decided to marry Fellows of Magdalen College in order to have the ceremony in the chapel and make them ring the bells incessantly for us, as they did today. (I'm not exaggerating, they were probably ringing for 25 minutes straight.)
(I'm not, by the way, going to attempt to explain the difference between Oxford University and the thirty- or forty-some colleges...mostly because I don't have it figured out myself yet. I'll let you know when I do.)
As far as the program goes, we've spent a morning and part of an afternoon being "oriented"--or perhaps "put to sleep" (with help from the effects of jetlag). Next week we have a field trip scheduled to Bath (being an Austen fan, I rejoice!) and will receive our Bodleian cards, at which point we are officially Visiting Students. Who deserve Capital Letters, no less.
The flat is wonderful, mostly because I live in it and it's in Oxford. Pictures to follow once I finish uploading the ones I took today.
And after only two days, I think I'm beginning to read (to myself) in a British accent...
To say the least. Oxford is unbelievable. Literally. I can't believe I get to live here for the next few months, where seeing medieval architecture will be an everyday occurrence.
Today I wandered around the city with my flatmates Christy and Sara. We went up and down the High Street and peeked into various college courtyards and went up a staircase behind an open door in the yard of Exeter College--went up very quietly, fearing we'd get kicked out--and passed the Proctor's Office. I took this picture.
We passed Magdalen (say "maudlin" if you want to be really British) College and saw limos through the gate. They drove out when we passed back and we saw a bride and groom in the first one. We promptly decided to marry Fellows of Magdalen College in order to have the ceremony in the chapel and make them ring the bells incessantly for us, as they did today. (I'm not exaggerating, they were probably ringing for 25 minutes straight.)
(I'm not, by the way, going to attempt to explain the difference between Oxford University and the thirty- or forty-some colleges...mostly because I don't have it figured out myself yet. I'll let you know when I do.)
As far as the program goes, we've spent a morning and part of an afternoon being "oriented"--or perhaps "put to sleep" (with help from the effects of jetlag). Next week we have a field trip scheduled to Bath (being an Austen fan, I rejoice!) and will receive our Bodleian cards, at which point we are officially Visiting Students. Who deserve Capital Letters, no less.
The flat is wonderful, mostly because I live in it and it's in Oxford. Pictures to follow once I finish uploading the ones I took today.
And after only two days, I think I'm beginning to read (to myself) in a British accent...
and the rambling stopped at 5:29 pm GMT
2 Comments:
I was going to post this on my PDA, but for some reason it didn't work. which is a shame, becase I really wanted to brag about my cutting-edge technology!
Well, I'm very pleased to have the first comment on your new blog. That means everyone who visits this blog (thousands, obviously) will see my comment.
On a less imporant note, it sounds like you are loving it. Good job with the pictures, you know how I insist on that;-)
This is Don, by the way.
i do detect the makings of an accent. i'm very pleased Lo, very pleased indeed. and hi don! (tuesday i'm going out for a drink with christina and jeff, wanna come?) this is mary (i'll eventually get a username)
Post a Comment
<< Home