Welp, here I am and there you are. I'm sitting in my quasi dorm room in the Commonweath House here in Oxford. I have had almost a week to get settled in and things are going quite well. I'have learned a few things since arriving: The British are very different people from Americans...especially in the areas of touch. I found this out after giving two of the most awkward hugs EVER to two of my co-workers as a gesture of thanks. I shall never touch another Brit again...they actually are cold to the touch.
Also, the British inflection kinda makes every sentence seem like they are asking a question, when in fact they are not expecting an answer AT ALL. I used to consider myself pretty culturally sensitive until I moved out of the US. Here people speak much softer and are usually very reserved. I am constantly trying to tone myself and actions down in an effort not to come off as the "Loud, American Buffoon"...which is actually very tiring seeing as that has been my mantra for many years.
Oxford is a very nice little city with many very old buildings, usually with some kind of storefront on the street level. There are loads of people and space is very limited. Kind of annoying, but a little bit charming as well. I ride the bus everyday to work on the north side of town. I drive by many of the 39 colleges that make up Oxford University on my way. Most "colleges" are actually just really big houses or manors that have been converted so you wouldn't even know it from the outside.
But in other news...This weekend I met up with a college friend of mine and we went to London on Saturday. It was a chilly, gray, somewhat wet day...pretty normal from what I hear. We saw the changing of the gaurd at Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and Trafalger square, Westminster Abbey amoung other things. I also saw the Tower Bridge(the one everyone thinks is the London Bridge from the song but actually isn't) and the Globe Theatre from a distance. We also went to the British library where we saw an exhibit featuring ancient docutments. I acutally saw one of the oldest, complete greek new testaments still in existence...IT WAS AMAZING. This book was from the first centurey AD! My imagination went wild as I was looking at it...For dinner we met up with some people and had some of the best sushi I have ever had in the middle of the West End...(Sim you are drooling right now as you read). It was a really great experience.
Those were pictures of London....here are some pictures of Oxford...
Also, I peered down an alleyway with a lamp post at the end. Also down the alleyway was a door with a portico over it. The litte roof supports were fawns and the door had a lion carved on it...coincidence....I think not. Hopefully pictures will follow...If I can find it again.
I spent forever on this blog...you better love it. More to follow...
