"what a fine thing for our girls!"

this is a picture of where I am staying

I really do love weathervanes

Cornbury Park

[more photos to the right]

The weather today was lovely, cool and crisp. And the sun came out. This clearly meant an outing with my trusty friend, the camera that now works. Hooray!

This evening we went out to a restaurant with the 'exec' students from Regent's Park College. Most of the Canadian students were rather tired and reluctant to go (as some of us had taken naps instead of enjoying the fresh air this afternoon), but after the wine had broken the ice, we had quite a jolly time. Our fake British accents were judged and were found ... lacking.

Unfortunately, I don't have a photo to commemorate this event, but today marks having spent six months together with my Joel. :)

it's a small world after all

I have just finished a fairly complete first draft of my first assignment here in England. This is impressive because it is not due for another two and half weeks.

Next on the list: deciding what to write my papers on. One for Shakespeare and and one for early drama. Any suggestions?

Today, a student who stayed with my hostess a number of years ago, came for a visit. She also went to Redeemer, studied history and english, had the same teachers (not that much changes in four years), and stayed in the same house in Charlbury. Now she's living in London, where we are headed on Thursday!

We also had our first drama practice yesterday. Let's just say that it's a good thing that we have until April.

Quote of the day: (from a friend's margin notes in 17th century lit.) "Don't be alarmed. There is just a madman running around with a sub-machine gun. Please go lock yourself in the closet." - Dr. Loney

i consider it a thought worth pondering

3 weeks. Roughly 7000 words all due on the same day dispersed among 4 different assignments. Followed by 2 exams. Exit term 1.

I came to a sad conclusion. The Globe, yes, the Globe theatre, opens with Hamlet four days after I leave the country. Four days. I am sad.

Skimming through our script for Pride and Prejudice, I realized that, in the roles of Mary Bennet and Charlotte Lucas, I dominate the stage as both characters in a single scene. Don't ask how I shall accomplish this feat - this is up to the director to decide. "All the world's a stage and all the men and women are merely players", "we are either kings or pawns" but the director tells us when to enter the stage and when to move to C5.

(Also, for those who haven't noticed, the background picture is of Lyme Park which was the original Pemberly in the BBC version.)

This morning, an Oxfordite peer and myself led the music for our Wednesday morning chapel. I've never really played music publicly, at least not with a fellow musician, but this was really enjoyable (despite the chaplain taking over the leading of the singing). So to those who do play guitar, beware. I might just ask you to join with me in worship in answer to Christ who calls, "Come."

the will of the gods

I am fated. The bookstores draw me.

Before I get too far ahead of myself, allow me to set the stage.

Our class which had been scheduled for today was moved to Friday instead, so we in essence had the whole day to ourselves. To do work in the Bodleian Library, of course. Three of the girls (Hannah, Sally and Emma) decided that they wanted to spend the whole day in Oxford, and asked me to tag along.

The train leaves at 8:35 am.

Can I point out that I made it to the train first, even after sleeping in, even after making time for a shower and breakfast? Attribute this to the walking quickly skills which are being finely honed.

We wandered around town for most of the morning, stopping for a coffee to plan our course of action, making notes of where the amazing shoes are sold, taking lots of pictures, wandering through the Botanical Gardens which have the potential to be amazing in the spring, stopping at the Bod just in time to be productive for a little while before heading off to Regent's Park College for lunch.

The food there is incredible. I would just like to point that out. Today's menu: chili on rice with a brownie for "pudding". Dessert here is pudding.

Back for some more work, and then I headed off to Blackwell's before catching the 4:47 train. This store is wonderful. Not only is it filled with books, but it has multiple floors which are filled with books, the uppermost of which is used books. This is where I come into trouble.

Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South, since my copy had been deemed too shabby and was put in the litter bin.

Wilkie Collins' The Law and the Lady - I've heard good things about Collins. Wilkie, that is.

Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children because it is a must-read.

At 4:30 I looked at my watch and realized that I had better leave then. 8 minutes later (trust me, this is no small feat for short legs), I caught up with friends who were also catching the 4:47 train about a minute away from the train station.

My camera has mysteriously decided to start working again, so click here (also listed along the side) to see an album of the adventures up to today.

Now, to read As You Like It for tomorrow.

the honeymoon is over

My bags are unpacked, the closet has clothes (and shoes), the drawers are full, the suitcases have been stowed away. Now it really feels as though I'm really here for the next three months.

It's different being in a different home and staying somewhere for a week and will require a bit of getting used to but that can be managed.

Today was a sleep-in day and a pack-up day and do-a-bit-of-reading day of things such as Mankind ("Wher spekys þis felow? Wyll he not com nere?") and the Merry Wives of Windsor with little success in either but they are a work in progress. Early Modern English and a modern translation of medieval English require a lot more effort than, say, Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, which might also be on the go.

My room has two bookshelves, both of them full of interesting books. My own books have been put away in the drawers and stowed in the window ledge, with a "torch" as a bookend. It's called being creative.

Tomorrow is already scheduled with a 10:30 church service at the Baptist church, and then a progressive lunch to help us figure out our way around town, as well as meet some of the other hosts and see other homes. And then it's another busy week of trains, classes, studying at the Bodleian Library, drama practice, more classes, more studying ... and learning to cook!

Yikes.

the dear stole my hart

This morning was our first drama session. Yes, the students of Redeemer and Crandall are presenting Pride and Prejudice before we come home. "Auditions" were this morning, meaning that we had to read bits out loud so that our director (who happened to be a neighbour of C. S. Lewis and met Sir Ian McKellen) can allocate us our parts. Our fate will be revealed to us in a few days. However, it sounds as though it will be fun.

Speaking of a hem six inches deep in mud and eyes brightened by the exercise, I took a walk through Cornbury Park this afternoon. Around three o'clock in January, the sun is already starting to sink down. It was once a royal hunting lodge, and now houses a deer park. A public walkway goes past the deer park.

I wish I could offer you my own pictures but my camera is not working right now.

And tomorrow is move-in day.

our first day of school

Having fun isn't hard, when you've got a library card. Yes, we now have access to the famous Bodleian library. We had to swear an oath that we wouldn't damage the books or smoke in the rooms or set fire to the library etc etc etc. I had been instructed to read my oath in Latin. Unfortunately, since this is not my native language, I first had to read it in English, and then could reread it in Latin.

Quote of the day: Say hello to Duke Humphrey and his sexy Bod for me!

Sunday no. 1

My alarm clock this morning was the sound of birds and rain.

For the week, I am staying with the assistant coordinator, Gill, who has given me the attic which has been made into quite a cozy little room with windows, a very comfortable bed, and internet access - which I am thoroughly enjoying.

There are five different churches in Charlbury: Roman Catholic, Quaker, Methodist, Baptist, and Anglican. Once every few months or so, they have a combined service. This morning was one of these and was led in the Quaker style.

After the service, we were taken on a tour of Charlbury by Hugh. Thankfully, the rain had cleared up by this time and we even had sunny patches. The "important bits" of town can be seen in about an hour or so. Its status was upgraded from village years ago because it was given a charter that allowed it to hold a market. Although market is no longer held, its status has remained - a fact that the locals are very proud of.

Lunch was offered by members of the Baptist church - "headquarters" for us. Then we were all given our orders for the next couple of days with strict instructions to not miss the train tomorrow, for we're off to Oxford tomorrow.

We met at the co-op (the local grocery store) around five this evening in an attempt for us all to get our bearings and wander around town for a while. However, it was dark and raining, so after familiarizing ourself with the grocer, we went our separate ways for the evening.

I was introduced to "Lark Rise to Candleford" this evening - a BBC production. I have heard several stories about the show, every one a rave review and my sentiments are now added to the collection.

Unfortunately, there are no pictures yet, but hopefully soon.

jetlag

Fun times. The flight was delayed by half an hour (once we were all on board), and then met turbulence before arriving at Heathrow Airport. The fun part: getting off, through customs, baggage claim and on my way to the underground train which runs between terminals in about twenty minutes. (This is apparently unheard of.) The last person to arrive was also delayed, which meant the rest of us were an interesting bunch of characters. Needless to say, we've all been that way today. A bus was waiting to pick all of us up from the terminal and brought us down the sloping, winding roads to Charlbury. Which, by the way, is charming. Think James Herriot territory with sheep and moss growing on the roofs ...

Total hours awake (minus a doze on the plane and the bus): 31. I think. The math may be a little off.

But the people here are lovely. As are the accents.

And the prospect of sleep.

the first step to overseas

I'm sitting at the airport right outside my gate. The airport offers the wonderful service of wireless internet - quite a lovely feature.

I've said my last goodbyes to friends, teachers, family and loved ones; the suitcase was packed, found to be overweight, and thus repacked into two; the last minute stuff is checked off; I've already forgotten an item and successfully retrieved it (sets a good precedence, doesn't it?); the bag has been checked twice; no sensors went off passing through the gate (oh good); and now I sit with strangers who are either going to England as well or using it as a jumping board to another destination.

1 hour to take off.

how to become popular

(At church that is.)

Option 1:

Become engaged. I am speaking personally by living vicariously through a friend.

Option 2:

Decide to move away for three and a half months.

a time for everything

A time for beards, and a time for shaving them (for Joel, that is; he came home with one as per request); a time for saying hello, and a time for saying goodbye; a time for quiet, and a time for visiting; a time to be home, and a time to start packing ...

Joel and I were able to spend almost all of the Christmas holidays together - minus the last minute shopping, and dentist appointments, and those exams and studying for them. I wrote my last exams at Redeemer until December 2011. School would be starting on Wednesday, but I will be cleaning up the chaos that is reigning in my room so as to stop living out of a suitcase :)

Handel's Messiah at Roy Thomson Hall, exciting announcements by friends (an engagement and a pregnancy), catching up with good friends, spending quality time with family and each other - yes, it's been a wonderful holiday.

It's been an incredible year with the next one already laid out with some of its plans and fears and anticipations.