It's been quite a while since my last post. After my return from Europe, I had some days of rest and peace, sleeping in, reading, and cleaning around the apartment for the arrival of my parents. About a week after I returned, I welcomed my wonderful parents into my new home and spent a unique 10 days with familiar company. It was so good to see them and I was so pleased to spend quality time with them. Unlike our past experiences in England together, this time we skipped the sightseeing activities and took our time exploring Oxford. Part of our lackadaisical schedule was due to the fact that Mom was nursing a broken foot, but it lent to some wonderful conversations in tea rooms, my living room, at dinner tables and of course the traditional pub. It wasn't too much later, when it was time for them to return to the states and I was once again left to my own devices until the rest of the OSAP gang started to arrive.
Once Tuesday rolled around, I was very excited to once again have fellow students my age surrounding me day in and day out. Living alone really can make a person possessive of how the house is kept, so I honestly had mixed feelings when my lovely, spotless apartment was suddenly invaded by 5 people of different lifestyles, but my enthusiasm to have company again certainly overcame any irritation on my part. What a silly thought on my part...but it is true! I'm completely over it now though. So now there are 6 of us at 24 Cranham. Bin bin, the British tenant is a Grad Student in Chemistry doing research at Linacre College. She lives in the room next to me and is a very quiet house mate but one of the sweetest girls. If I could pick a second study to be good at it would be chemistry...her stories about research in the lab can be quite amusing and sound really fun at times. Down the hall is Emily Clise, a junior from Carnegie Mellon University. I know nothing about her college, but she is studying something about Islam while she is here for an entire year. She is a very outgoing girl and is a great instigator of lots of group activities among us OSAP kids. In the other upstairs room is the lovely miss Caitlin McCallum, my good friend from Hillsdale and sorority sister. I don't know what I would do without her familiar company; she is such a comfort to me at times and being around her with other students allows me to be myself more and less reserved. Having Caitlin here is truly a blessing! Downstairs are the two Andreas, both from Gonzaga University in Washington state. Andrea Crow is also a quiet house mate and a dedicated worker. We hardly see her around but when we do, she seems to be enjoying herself...I guess; it's hard to read her sometimes. Andrea Westwood, on the other hand is the life of the party! A spunky and hilarious personality, she truly is a joy to be around. I am truly impressed how she seems to be able to look like she's having fun out all the time, but also a dedicated student as I catch her studying just as much as when she's out having fun!
So the first week after all the kids arrived, we were busy with countless orientation lectures and it seemed like we were always meeting new kids from the program every day. I've met so many students it would take a good while to describe them all so I will list the name of my peers I see the most and list one or maybe two adjectives I think most applicable to their diverse personalities. Katarina is dynamic and boisterous; Aaron is mellow and jovial; Claire is lively and sophisticated; Stephanie is smart and quirky; Katie is friendly and confident; Angela is loving and mysterious; Camilo is cultured and avant-garde; and I could go on and on. There must be a good 25 to 30 peers I know now.
The city of Oxford has also come alive with the activities of student life as well. It's a different experience going around town now. One of my most exhilarating activities I've enjoyed so far was the Oxford University Student Union's "Fresher's Fair". Located in the examination schools, the freshers fair was a collection of probably around 400-500 tables and booths set up decoratively advertising various student clubs, sports teams, honoraries and organizations students can involve themselves in. I was so overwhelmed by the possibilities that are available to students. When you first walk in you are hounded by the various political and activist groups. The was the Oxford University Labour party, OU Liberal Democrats, anti-animal testing rights activist group and even a pro-animal testing right group! Next, on the left side the room was filled with all sorts of nationality groups: Korean Society, Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian, Middle Eastern, Greek, Spanish, German, French, etc. On the right were several religious societies. I found the Oxford Inter-collegiate Christian Union, there was also a Catholic society, Islam society, Buddhist, Quaker, etc. In the next room were all the sports and athletic groups: Water Polo, Baseball, American Football, Karate, Tae kwando, Men's & Women's Rugby, Polo, Running, Walking, Rock Climbing, Gliding, Dancesport (Competitive Ballroom, Salsa, Tango, et.), Football, Cricket, Hockey, Croquet, and Lacrosse just to name a few. I joined the New College Rugby team and the Croquet club, so we'll see how that goes. I'm really excited about the Rugby especially because it is a small team of about 14 British girls that's somewhat competitive but really there to have fun together. So I'll definitely have more to report on that at a later date. Oh, and Mom & Dad...You really don't have anything to worry about. If I can sideswipe a Kappa into a puddle of mud in soccer without hurting myself, I think I can hold my own in rugby. Maybe I'll bring some mad rugby skills back to the dale for Pi Phi sports in the future!
The rest of the rooms were various other clubs that had such a diverse range. I'll list all that I can remember, because I think that would best give you a good idea of all that is available here. There was a gastronomy club, a beer club, a wine tasting society, a Big Band, a Gregorian Chant choir, the various college choirs, Jazz Bands, an Anime club, 5 film societies, 3 magazines and newpapers to work with, C.S. Lewis club, a Tolkein and Middle Earth society, Entrepreneur's society (which I signed up for), Traveler's clubs, Chemistry Club, Finance and Investments Society, as well as fencing and a Hound & Hunting Club (which I signed up for too...pretty darn cool and quintessentially English).
So apart from the Fresher's fair, I've started my tutorials as well and I'm already feeling the pressure of juggling socializing with work. I'm hoping that the added Rugby practice will help eat up time so I'll have more concentration and efficiency in the time I have left to work. I'm studying with the wonderful Dr. Michael Hurst again and this time I'm doing two tutorials with him. Course One is: Foreign Diplomacy and Alliances between the great European Powers 1866 to 1914. Pretty much, all the mess that happened between the countries that set the world up for the Great War of 1914. Course Two is: The Inter war years, the Armistice of 1918 and buildup to WWII. So I've already written my essay for Course one on France's defeat in the Franco-Prussian war of 1870 and the shift in the Balance of Power afterwards as well as begun readings for Course two's paper. All I can say at this point is....the work begins! In other words, I'll be lucky if I can spare an hour here or there to update my posts, but I will try my utmost & I look forward to informing you all about my new adventures here as a full time Oxford student!
All the Best, LH