Tuesday, 4th January
Some thoughts as I journey forth…
Layover in Philadelphia: Philly accents are great. They make me feel like I’m watching a performer.
Europeans are vain… but pretty: While I strode past my sweatpants-sporting, morbidly obese compatriots into the “Hall of International Arrivals [and consequently departures],” the average beauty score of the crowd moving toward me grew as the language became less frequently English. Is it that Europeans are more attractive than Americans? Or that Americans are less attractive than Europeans?
…certainly the latter, perhaps the former.
My fashion, characterized in part by Minnesotan practicality, is far from the habitat of the school at which I primarily study (Southern California) and equally distant from the habitat into which I now venture (Europe).
We sat in the middle of a British family having an argument in the Philadelphia airport. This was a bit awkward, but certainly entertaining.
The old woman sitting next to me on the flight was quite the talker (though she claimed she doesn't usually talk to the people sitting next to her on planes).
-She's heading to London for a theatre tour--15 plays in 14 days.
-According to the three hours of oral travelogue she was kind enough to share, she's spent her widowed years traveling all over the world. She had interesting stories and advice to offer; she was sure that I would find the English and French girls a particular kind of gorgeous (which has not proven so).
Wednesday, 5th January
Welcome to Hogwarts: Impressions of the Left Side of the Road
-Some ethnicities make accents way cooler... kind of like dancing, sports, and muscles.
The first day spent maneuvering enough goods to live for three months in a foreign country while actually being in that foreign country was difficult: We could not find the bus terminal to get to London; once in Oxford, we could not find the taxi rank to get to Hertford College where we were told that we are not allowed to get housing a day early; at the hostel, we could not find our room because the first floor is indeed the one above ground floor. Alas, we found ourselves exhausted and hungry in a room of six bunks unsure of what we were to do.
As we recalled what we had just been through, we realized this exhaustion and hunger was met with impoverishment and disenfranchisement. We suspect the taxi drivers recognized our ignorance of the city and took us on what shall be called the scenic route to a destination we later realized is a some five-minute walk from where we were. England had taken our spirits along with our money. We call it a night after eating some Dominos Pizza (it was the least expensive dinner we could find), and head back to the room.
Side-story: we had a roommate or two according to the receptionist and the pile of goods on one of the beds, however, we never saw them. We went to bed a bit early--jet lag, y'know--but left a light on for our roommates. I woke up around 5am--same jet lag--and that light was off, but no roommates were in any of the beds and the goods were exactly as the night before. We're still not sure if they existed or just had a "good" night.
Thursday, 6th January
We finally got our housing. It's a four-story, eight-bedroom townhouse thing. The roommates all get along well. Three of my seven roommates are from APU (Lauren Bugg, Alan Stauffer, and Dan Hildebrand), which was unexpected but good. My room is excellent (something like a full size bed, a sink in a closet, a globe... it's neat).
We finally got our housing. It's a four-story, eight-bedroom townhouse thing. The roommates all get along well. Three of my seven roommates are from APU (Lauren Bugg, Alan Stauffer, and Dan Hildebrand), which was unexpected but good. My room is excellent (something like a full size bed, a sink in a closet, a globe... it's neat).
Friday, 7th January
We had nine hours of orientation. At the end, my house and one or two others of somewhere between five and seven living areas found out we have free wireless internet and free long distance and in country calls. Everyone else has to pay for those services.
There is going to be a load of walking to and from the city and a load of reading.
-The walking--We live about a 25 minute walk from the city center, a 35 minute walk from my college and a 45 minute walk from where we are tentatively meeting for the APU "faith integration" sessions or whatever. I have already walked many miles and am ambivalent about the idea of getting used to it--I'd rather not have to, but I'm eager for it to not be so painful!
-The reading--Our tutors will give us a reading list that is literally not able to be completed for our next meeting. We must prioritize the readings and seek the appropriate material within each to write a paper on the given topic for that week. I'm eager to give it a shot.
There is going to be a load of walking to and from the city and a load of reading.
-The walking--We live about a 25 minute walk from the city center, a 35 minute walk from my college and a 45 minute walk from where we are tentatively meeting for the APU "faith integration" sessions or whatever. I have already walked many miles and am ambivalent about the idea of getting used to it--I'd rather not have to, but I'm eager for it to not be so painful!
-The reading--Our tutors will give us a reading list that is literally not able to be completed for our next meeting. We must prioritize the readings and seek the appropriate material within each to write a paper on the given topic for that week. I'm eager to give it a shot.
Saturday, 8th January
-We had lunch at the Eagle and Child. Awesome.
-History Tour--an expert who works for the University spoke with us about some of the history, showed us some sights, and gave us some advice for how to best experience our time in Oxford, England, and abroad in general.
-House Party--Lauren cooked a delicious pasta dinner for about twelve people. We hung out, ate, and got to know each other. Good times.
Sunday, 9th January
Dan and Lauren and I went to church in one of the many towering cathedrals for which Oxford is known. We attended St. Ebbe's student service. It was very much like a service in the states, save for interesting accents (the lady that led prayers was from Ireland--I like Irish accents). The preacher actually referenced quite a bit of American history such as 9/11 and the JFK shootings.
We got to know some of the people around us and discovered that Dan's dad had gotten to know the guy, Malcolm, sitting next to us. Dan's dad had met Malcolm the previous week after dropping Dan off, and we ended up sitting right next to him at church! We made a lunch date with our first British friend.
Later, we explored New College, where one of my roommates and myself are students. It's pretty awesome. To get there, we walked through the meadows of Christ Church, which was beautiful in a dreary sort of way.
When we were in the city center after visiting New College, one of the street performers was an older man, 50s or 60s, playing the fiddle whilst walking on a tightrope! He would occasionally stop and do yoga positions or silly things when someone was going to take a picture.
Dan and Lauren and I went to church in one of the many towering cathedrals for which Oxford is known. We attended St. Ebbe's student service. It was very much like a service in the states, save for interesting accents (the lady that led prayers was from Ireland--I like Irish accents). The preacher actually referenced quite a bit of American history such as 9/11 and the JFK shootings.
We got to know some of the people around us and discovered that Dan's dad had gotten to know the guy, Malcolm, sitting next to us. Dan's dad had met Malcolm the previous week after dropping Dan off, and we ended up sitting right next to him at church! We made a lunch date with our first British friend.
Later, we explored New College, where one of my roommates and myself are students. It's pretty awesome. To get there, we walked through the meadows of Christ Church, which was beautiful in a dreary sort of way.
When we were in the city center after visiting New College, one of the street performers was an older man, 50s or 60s, playing the fiddle whilst walking on a tightrope! He would occasionally stop and do yoga positions or silly things when someone was going to take a picture.
Monday, 10th January
Did the unfortunate task of paying my housing supplement today. I don't enjoy losing large sums of money in one go. However, I also got a pay-as-you-go cell phone for free so I can talk to all of the british friends I make. Maybe.
I met with my advisor where I found out that I did not get my first choice for my major tutorial. I wanted psychology of religion, but instead will be tutored in social psychology. I hope I find I love it. My secondary is still philosophy of religion, which I'm terrified for because it will likely destroy me.
After our advisement, a couple of friends and myself walked through Christ Church College where we discovered the hall they used as the dining hall in the first two Harry Potter films. It was neat.
We also want to find a way into the literally secret garden of Christ Church, onto which Lewis Carroll gazed as he wrote. We incidentally also saw the stained glass windows dedicated to his works that have pictures of the white rabbit, Alice, and other characters from his magnum opus included in the intricate stained glass designs.
Did the unfortunate task of paying my housing supplement today. I don't enjoy losing large sums of money in one go. However, I also got a pay-as-you-go cell phone for free so I can talk to all of the british friends I make. Maybe.
I met with my advisor where I found out that I did not get my first choice for my major tutorial. I wanted psychology of religion, but instead will be tutored in social psychology. I hope I find I love it. My secondary is still philosophy of religion, which I'm terrified for because it will likely destroy me.
After our advisement, a couple of friends and myself walked through Christ Church College where we discovered the hall they used as the dining hall in the first two Harry Potter films. It was neat.
We also want to find a way into the literally secret garden of Christ Church, onto which Lewis Carroll gazed as he wrote. We incidentally also saw the stained glass windows dedicated to his works that have pictures of the white rabbit, Alice, and other characters from his magnum opus included in the intricate stained glass designs.
A quick word on faith integration. I can't say that I agree with the idea that in non-bible courses there is a necessity to take an intentional time to include God in the work. This suggests that without the faith integration, God would be absent from the class, work, ideas, etc. This is to say that God is somehow not the full reality of what we're studying. A truer sign of faith than writing a three-page paper each term for a science class would be recognizing the presence of God in every aspect of life. Or more, recognizing that we in our limited reality are but a twinkle in the eye of God. Perhaps, however, APU is more deistic than I would have guessed.
I would think Psychology of Religion would be an important realm of the field given the affect religion has had on societies throughout the history of the world. My intentions were to study religion through a psychological lens in a way not seeking an apology for Christianity or something, but rather what affect the practices actually have on the way people think and behave. I was rather surprised that every psychologist at Oxford refused to tutor on the topic. I plan to push my focus on social psychology into the religious realm, however. I hope I find the disdain in my voice when I speak of the situation diminishing over the course of the term.
I've been addicted to Band of Horses since I've arrived. I'm not sure if that's because there is a concert in London at the beginning of February or simply because it brings me back to the States. Either way, it's a good thing.
When I went to title the entry, I took note of a friend's titling methods and looked for a song title. The song to which I was listening was appropriately titled: Pagan Angel and a Borrowed Car. It may as well have said something like, "Welcome to Europe [Tentatively]." I will undoubtedly change my methods, but it was much too fitting.
Apologies for the length and rambling. Entries will surely mature into more concise reflections and narrations of my time here. Hopefully.
Cheers from the city of dreaming spires!
Apologies for the length and rambling. Entries will surely mature into more concise reflections and narrations of my time here. Hopefully.
Cheers from the city of dreaming spires!
I am proud of you, and impressed with you. I admire your journey- physical, spiritual and academic- and look forward to participating electronically in whatever amount you choose to share. Love you Jomo.
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