A Joyous Holiday Season

Similar to my last post, I am writing from a sun-filled room on a warm California winter day. First, I want to say that it has been such a pleasure to see all of you these past few days! Between my trip to Santa Barbara, Jess's trek into the 909, the Sexsmith/Strybel/Rasmussem gang over for Christmas, and Kevin's long trip from Auckland, this has been a whirlwind of catching up and loads of laughter. It has been a superb reminder of my contented and happy life here in California, and of all the loved ones I have on this side of the pond. Thank you all for being who you are and who I have always known you to be; it is a wonderful comfort to come home and find life with a character similar to when I left.

I make the long flight back to London tomorrow night. My carry-on will contain about six layers more than I will leave wearing, for my adjustment back to 'feels like 25F'. Back to frosty mornings, frozen rowing oars and rosy cheeks. (All I can seem to think about now, on the brink of my departure, is the cold!!) Awe, but there are many good things that await me back in Cambridge. Frozen oars means hours in the River Cam rowing in time with girls I appreciate and satisfying races against rival colleges. Frosty mornings always reflect the sunrise with a unique brilliance, unknown here in temperate California. Walks into the countryside around Cambridge, tea at the Orchard, and lunch with friends at various butteries to break up our studies. Yes, my return will be a good thing.

And perhaps the most exciting bit about my early time back at Cambridge will be the time spent with Kevin, on his brief holiday to my Island Home. Kev arrives in London two days after me, and is going to holiday until the 13th. Our first week will be spent in England and the second week in Lyons, France. In England we will visit the dreaming spires of Oxford and have a pint at CS Lewis's pub, the Eagle and Child (affectionately the Bird and Baby, a favourite of my former time spent in that city) and we will head to London to see some of the sights together. In Lyon, I will be doing research at the local archives, but we will also have plenty of time to see the sights and soak up a little French culture. Oui, oui! We both anticipate a wonderful time travelling and being together. I will be sure to post 'Adventures with Kevin' photos come mid-January.

Again, thank you all for being such wonderful friends and family. It has been such a pleasure being home, and being with all of you certaintly made it feel just like the home I remember!

Long Overdue

Although it may seem by my lack of blogging that I have disappeared, I am back... and here is a bit of an update (I am going to adopt the subheadings to keep you engaged throughout)

Arduous title:
Perhaps the most significant aspect of these past several weeks has been the submission of my final dissertation proposal. It was a bit of agony to produce (especailly on the back of a week of assessments). I think the most memorable part of the whole process for me was dialoging with my supervisor for half an hour in order to get a title. He literally gave me a marker and sent me up to the white board to write out ideas, erase, move words around, and finally produce a title: The history, architecture and political significance of the seventeenth-century town hall of the City of Lyons. Phew! Doesn't think like it would take that much effort does it? Well, it is a most deceptive process (especailly when no one really gives you instruction as to what a title should contain!!) So, now my proposal is submitted--with title--and I am ready to get going on my research.

Get keen:
We had our big boat race a few weeks back (the last Thurs in November). It was quite a rush. We took 15 out of 62 women's boats... not in the top 10, but not too bad (I would also like to point out that we made better time than a number of male boats...) This race--Fairburns--was the final event in my novice boating career. Now I am free to drop out of the sport or to continue as a senior rower. I have decided to give another term of rowing a go. It is a larger committment (more and earlier mornings, HORSE!)... but with no classes or lectures next term, I think the structure will be good for me. The things I am not looking forward to about boating: (1) the aforementioned early mornings and (2) frozen hands... it gets cold in the winter. But I suppose I will at least try for a few weeks and decide if I want to stay on.

Dublin, Oxford, and California:
I am currently back in California for holiday; I arrived Sunday night after a not-so-smooth flight. Before coming home, however, I had a bit of down time to travel (my supervisor left early for France, so I ha to submit my proposal a week before the deadline... leaving me an open week to explore). During this time I went up to Dublin for two nights (it was one of those cheap flights, no baggage, sleep in hostels kind of adventures), and then I got a coach to Oxford for a night, an then out to London to see Cambria and go to a concert for my birthday. It was a fun, but a whirlwind week. Dublin was lovely; I think my favourite bit was when we took a train out to Howth and hiked along cliffs overlooking the sea. Oxford was just as charming as ever and London was great (we saw the Verve play at the O2 arena).

That is about all I am going to post about for now. I hope everyone is well and I look forward to seeing many of you during this week at home!!

on the cusp of a very long weekend

I am half an hour away from my last class before our "reading week". A reading week is basically a week during term when classes are cancelled so that us students have time to prepare our essays for term assessment and also put some good work into our formal dissertation proposals. I still have to meet for French and am going on a "field trip" with my non-written sources class to King's College library (we are looking at how to use an early modern library as an historical document...) Otherwise I am going to be held up in my room, drinking coffee and writing several essays on what I have learnt thus far and probing into the Lyon City archives via the internet. It will be a nice time to get ahead and not stress come the end of term (which is in 4 weeks already!)

I met with my dissertation supervisor on Tuesday, and I think we were both rather pleased with the outcome. I have done a bit of work over these past few weeks, looking into sources and refining my subject. It is not completely etched out yet, but my research will be focused on 17th century Lyon, and the influence of civic pride, the city's role as the seat of French Catholicism (and the aftermath of the Wars of Religion), and its ties with Paris and the rising absolutist monarch in relation to the construction (and re-construction) of the hôtel de ville (town hall). Should be an adventure, really! (Plus my supervisor is Lyonnais, so he is very happy to offer connections when I go to visit the city!)

One more photo.

This picture is of LC at the British Museum. I took her photo while she stood in front of an ancient armour exhibit. We laughed pretty hard at this photo. :)

A few more pictures

I took this one one a walk to Grantchester, a village right outside of Cambridge. The English countryside is stunning... especially when the sun comes out!















When LC came to visit we took a day trip to London and visited the British Museum AND the British Library. Cambria took this photo of us... I think it was on the Underground. I like to call it "oblivious v. sceptical" (based solely on our faces, of course!!)















This photo is from Matriculation (Thurs night). It is Maggie, me and Rick. Rick wanted to be in the photo... and then he made that face. Maggie and I did not quite understand. Nevertheless we (Maggie and I) look nice. ;)















Afternoon tea in Grantchester. This is an outdoor tea house, with seating under Willow trees and a stone's throw from the River Cam. Apparently this tea House (The Orchard) is famous as Virginia Wolf's favourite place to have a tea.















Pea and Tea! (This is still in Grantchester)















Me, Maggie and Caitlin at Matriculation in the Old Library at College















"Emma in the Sun". This is the back view of Emmanuel College. The building to the left is the library and the specks on the grass are ducks (Kevin, can you identify them from this view?!)















A poetic (...or not) pose outside of the chapel during Matriculation. (I am taking the photo in case you are trying to figure out which is me!)















In London. I took this photo because Cambria and I frequented a coffee shop called The Daily Grind in Santa Barbara. (And by frequent I mean: I would walk into the shop in the morning before work and the guy behind the counter would hand me a blue coffee cup and say: one-forty... without even asking)















There is a street in Cambridge called "Peas Hill". Yes, it is my hill. (My nickname amongst my peers is "Pea")















The quintessential Cambridge photo: the back of King's College chapel. Stunning, really.















Rowing! I am in seat four (fourth from the back). It was a brilliantly sunny day on the Cam that day!

One month

I am sitting in my room with the window open; so far it is a nice and sunny day here in Cambridge. I bought a basil plant to keep me company (I mean, to use in cooking...), and it is sitting outside on the window sill soaking up the rays.

Life seems to be settling down here: I usually know where I need to be without looking at my diary and I have become able to prioritise my reading, &c. Actually, today marks one month since I have been in this place. I do not know if how I feel today and how I relate to my surroundings is quite what I pictured my one-month anniversary to look like. (But then again, I tend to idealise). I enjoy this place and feel as though I am gleaning so much from this experience... but I do not think I will ever feel at home here. When I moved to Santa Barbara to go to school I developed a sense of home in that place--both at westmont and in the wider city--but I think that I will always feel a bit of an outsider here. Perhaps I have more of a sense of "the end" here. I have already begun drawing up plans for my next steps: looking into internships, jobs, more graduate school. Nine months is not a very long time.

But, overall, I think that this realisation is perhaps a good thing: I am learning that I am not as comfortable being transient as I thought I was (or used to be). I am holding onto a lot about where I come from and who I come from, something that I did not do last time I studied in this country. I was chatting to a friend over tapas a few weeks ago (an American originally from NY but lived for a long time in SD). He viewed this experience very much as a starting over: a new country, a new start. This seemed to be good for him (sometimes we need to change our surroundings in order to change something deeper, I believe), but I could not relate to him on that level. I view this as another experience to add to my already full and blessed life. I did not want to walk away with my eyes shut this time. I think often of my family in Alta Loma and Laguna and soon-to-be Humboldt (!), and also of my "extended family" in Santa Barbara and San Diego and Thousand Oaks... and further. I think of my beautiful web of friends and family and family of friends and friends of family. I have a very rich and loving network in California, and I am beginning to understand that better now that I am outside of it.

So, all of you back at home... thank you. I have been thinking of you all during this time of distress back in cali. It seems something so familiar but so far right now. Thank you to all of your updates; please do keep them coming. And I will keep you in my prayers.

From the UL

I am sitting here in the UL (University Library)... about to start my research for the day. I have just arrived, which obviously means it is the proper time for a break! :)

Today was my first morning crew outing, and my second outing ever. Waking up early and walking down to the river was not so bad... but I guess we will have to see how I feel in a few weeks time (right, HORSE?) Apart from the soreness that comes the morning after, I have rather enjoyed the experience thus far. We went for the first time today in eights--which means that all eight of us rowed at once... talk about teamwork and having to pay attention to your crew mates! Luckily we did not tip the boat and no one got wet! I think we have our first novice races in a few weeks time.

Everything else here has been good. Classes are progressing smoothly and the days are starting to fly by. Thursday will be the start on third week already (and when there are only eight weeks in term that is big news!)

I cannot think of much else interesting to tell you all now. I will be in London on Friday to scope out the British Museum and I think I may drag LC along to an apple festival in Cambridge on Saturday! (Slightly reminiscent of the apple festival we went to when I was little, I believe--Mom, where was that?)

So, until I have more to say...

Another Saturday

Casey--thank you for the continued dialogue between Burke and Grey; I really appreciate the 'uh...' comment at the end. (If you have not done so, please read the comments on the previous entry re: Greys Anatomy; it made me laugh at least!)

Miss Jessica Osborn came all the way from Santa Barbara to visit me yesterday! (Ok, so she is in London for a family wedding, but made the 55 minute train ride all the way out of London to see me!) We traipsed around Cambridge, talked personal 'gossip,' took high tea at a local tea house, spent far too much time in old bookshops, and saw the Cambridge sights (or what I know to be the Cam sights after two weeks...). Pictures are soon to come, but not today. It was a fabulous day and very good to be reminded of those I love back at home! Next week-end Miss Lauren Cano is going to be out from the states and we are going to spend some time in London with Cambria (who is at King's) and Jessica (who will still be in town). It will be a very nice gathering and a beautiful connection of my long time home and my new temporary home.

Like a crossword...

First, let me comment on a comment: Casey-- you are correct... it would have been amazing if Preston Burke was at the lecture. I am now trying to imagine a lecture on the history of early modern consumption as a TV drama series. "Grey, I need this manuscript translated, Stat!" Funny?

Anyway... today was a full, but very good day. I had three classes today, nearly back-to-back. First was "Non-written sources," perhaps my favourite methodological topic in all of history! Today we read a diary/account entry by a 16th century Northern European artist and discussed how we could use his description of what he bought, sold, or was given as a window to a wider culture of commerce, materials and exchange. Next I had palaeography. We basically dove into translating and transcribing 16th and 17th century English documents. It is amazing to look at one of these documents and wonder: is that even our same alphabet or language? It is a matter of learning the letter shape (there is actually an additional letter that looks just like Y but makes a "th" sound!) and the abbreviations... and well as using context to figure it out. Today mt Prof said: "there is a sort of crossword element to some of this"... that got me really excited!! I can think of a few of you who would LOVE palaeography (all of my suduko and/or crossword loving friends and family). My final class was Intermediate French for Academic Purposes. Basically it is training in advanced French reading. Our homework this week is to translate a portion of "L'etranger" by Camus. We are going to work on 17th through 20th century French. I don't think it will help me get around Paris any better... but I will be able to do a lot more reading in French! C'est très bien!

Tonight I made dinner and ate with Giulia, my housemate, whom I have learnt is also a vegetarian! (she's also a history mphil student... so we can chat history and vegetables!)

For all of you who are inquiring, rowing has not started yet... and I will only have one 7am practice a week (not even that early!) I will let you all know how I get on once we start up!

That is all for now. I hope you all are well!!

A memorable night

Tonight I met Peter Burke... brilliant scholar extraordinaire! The chances are high that if you pick up a book related to early modern cultural history, it will either be written by Burke or have mention of his contributions to scholarship. I met an early modern undergrad the other day who has spent two years trying to meet him. A girlfriend and I stood around after the lecture for about half and hour, waiting for our chance to jump in and say "thank you" and "hello". Julia and I laughed afterwards at how painfully awkward the meeting was... but also how both of our lives are now changed forever.

One week plus a little

So, I feel as though I have begun to settle in a bit. My room is organized, classes have started, and I know how to get to (and into) the University Library. It is a good feeling.

This afternoon I have my trial for rowing and this evening I am going to a ballet class. I am more excited about the ballet than the rowing... and am more convinced that I will stick with the ballet, as well. (This could just be the little HORSE in my head telling me that I will never be able to get up early enough to commit!)

I had my first class on Thursday: Theory and Concepts in early modern history. We basically debated the term "early modern" for two hours (ok, maybe not only that... but it seems funnier if I say it that way...) I had forgotten the tiny intricacies of academia and the way in which ANYTHING can be debated into the ground. But that is part of the fun of it, I suppose. After class I went to a tea to meet the history staff/fellows (I am still a bit hazy on what to call who... Professor is a title reserved for few and fellows seem to go with colleges.... they should really have a class titled: fundamentals of naming in Cambridge...) Well, I met my supervisor at this event for the first time; I think we are going to get on well. He is in his early 30s (?) and is originally from Lyon, France. We chatted about my topic and I explained to him what I was thinking and what sources I was expecting to use... and he gave me some pointers, etc. We will see how this goes. My topic is relatively interdisciplinary, so I may be seeking advice from other faculties as well. (At least I will be getting the most out of this brilliant academic resource!)

A curious thing that happened at the tea. Upon meeting one of the teaching staff he said: "Aw, yes... I remember your application well." I still don't know what that means. I am assuming it is because I have such a non-traditional proposal. But I can't quite figure it out!

Anything else to mention? The weather was sunny again for the better part of yesterday... that is always something to write about! I think that is about it for now. I hope all is well back in the states!

Today in Cambridge...

It is sunny today in Cambridge!

(that is news enough to require a post!)

Not much to report...

As you can see by the title of this post, there is not much to report. Classes do not start until tomorrow, so yesterday I read a little but mostly wandered around town. I found my way to "the backs," which is a path that follows along the back of some of the older and more prestigious colleges (most people conjure an image of King's College when they think Cambridge... this image can be seen from the backs). If any of you plan on visiting the University whilst I am here, I will definitely take you to the backs!

I opened a British bank account yesterday. Brilliant thing: since I am not working in this country I am exempt from taxes on the interest that I earn. This is my first "foreign" bank account... perhaps next will be Swiss! Ha!

I forget if I mentioned it in this blog, but I signed up to try rowing! My first trial is Saturday... it should be a trip! (Luckily I have about two weeks to decide if I want to commit... I was chatting to some third years--our equivalent to college seniors--yesterday and they told me that some people absolutely love it and ride on the memory for years and others think it is absolute rubbish (mostly the 5am practices...) According to Laura, my former room-mate in SB, I will fall into the latter category. I'll let you all know how it goes... Also, I found a beginning ballet class open to graduates, fellows and staff. I think I am going to have a go at it (I did a bit of ballet in SB and found it just delightful!) I brought my ballet garb from the states for just such a purpose!

Tonight I am off to see The Decembrists play at a local venue. I am headed out with my new neighbour Matt (pictured below) and perhaps a few other freshers. Should be a good time! A nice last bit of fun before the real work begins!

Right now I am reading a book called "Writing Early Modern History". It is basically a look at how theory has contributed to the writing of early modern history. It is the idea that even if an historian does not "buy in" to any specific theory of history (as is the popular contemporary mode of scholarship), various theories have contributed to his or her foundational assumptions. It is basically what to watch for when reading historians and what to be mindful of when writing my own histories. I am nearly through with a chapter on Marxism.

All right... my "not much to report" has turned into a significant blog! I hope everyone is well stateside!! Send updates if you have them; I would LOVE to hear any news!! :)

A Few Photos

Last night was out first formal dinner. To the right is a picture of my in my formal gown. It is basically like a graduation gown with shorter sleeves). It was quite a sight to see all the Emma grads and fellows clad in these robes. And to add to the pomp, the tables were candle lit, the prayers were in Latin , and the wine flowed freely. It was really great fun!

Following the formal dinner we all hung our robes outside the Old Library (which has stonework dating to the 12th century; the College Master was sure to point that out during tea the other afternoon!), and we partook in an extremely informal "80s Bop". Basically dancing to MJ and other 80s favourites, whilst the makeshift bar served rum and coke.


Following are a few more photos...

This is the view of the garden from my window


This is the view from my front door; this park is called Christ's Pieces


This is me and Matt, my new neighbour.
This was at a pub our second night in town... I cannot recall the name!

As time goes on I will publish more interesting photos! I guess I am trying to avoid seeming the tourist at the moment!!

In regard to more academic matters (which apparently come second at Cambridge... haha), I had my first meeting with the History Faculty yesterday afternoon. I met the other 12 students on my course as well as our senior members. Everyone on staff seemed very lovely! We were given information about the coming term and what our requirements would be. Prof Morrill kept referring to this term as "boot camp". O, boy. So just a warning: when I come home for Christmas I may appear a bit exhausted!!

Moorhen

Kevin, you will probably derive the most joy from this post.

The picture to the right is of a male moorhen. I sat on the Paddock this afternoon and watched a male and a female run around the lawn and dive into the pond. It was quite a sight. Emma wasn't lying when they said that the ducks (and other water fowl, I suppose) are an integral part of the college!

Note: I did not take this photo! It is a google image. :)

Gowns and high mass

I have a skype name now, it is: laurenmpugh. I have not used it yet... but if you want to chat, let me know!

I went to church this morning at Little St Mary's. I had to laugh to myself when there was a note in the bulletin about their 650th anniversary. The service was a little bit higher than my taste (they used the common book of prayer from the 17th century or something!) ... but it tasted like they used dessert wine for communion. ;) I went to coffee hour after the service and met some interesting people. It is funny being in the awkward throws of initial meetings everywhere I go. I am waiting for the moment when everything is no longer new!

After church I went and bought my gown. Fifty quid for a bit of black fabric! Yar! This gown I wear to any formal dinner and other formal events. We have our first formal dinner tomorrow so I will take a photo.

Tomorrow is the first day of term. I suppose from after tomorrow life will be a bit more packed. I am still rather clueless about what I will be doing / have to do. O, boy... what an adventure!

It's a Girl!

This morning I met the mysterious tenant in room 3. Her name is Lizzy and she is an MPhil student in medieval history (a medievalist) and is from Edinburgh. So, not only is she female and delightful, but is also studying a similar subject! This is a wonderful thing! I think the house dynamic--as well as my personal interactions with the house--much more balanced. So good!

Today we had out garden party on the Paddock. Emma is known for its ducks, and today I learnt that the Mallards are extremely brave! (or just accumulated to humans.) It was funny to see the ducks mingling with the graduate students. It is neat that they are such a permanent part of the college.

Tomorrow I am going to try one of the local Anglican churches. In a conversation yesterday with Jeremy Caddick the school dean (like campus pastor) I learnt that Cambridge has the largest percentage of evangelicals (or "American" churches) in all of England. I found that rather interesting, really. He gave me some good pointers on a few churches to try, which range from high to middle in liturgy and tend to be more liberal. And, of course, he recommended the college chapel. I think I am going to try to go to a church in the morning and go to chapel for the evening evensong (and I LOVE English choirs, so that should be fabulous!)

....I did not take as many photos today as I wanted to. They will come soon, though!! :)

Cambridge Men.

Somehow I ended up in this lovely little room in Cambridge... surrounded by men. That's right: a house of seven and so far five of the occupants are men (the seventh has not arrived so we do not know his/her gender). That makes me the only girl thus far. It also means that I share my bathroom with three men and have no one to borrow clothes from. But it is all right. They all seem relatively charming and are aware that I am not available... so we should get on just fine (plus I do not think I will have to fight with them to use the kitchen...)

A few things to note:
1. Whenever I tell a Brit that I am from California (s)he apologizes for the weather (it has been rainy). It has happened several times, it is actually rather funny.
2. Cambridge has a daily open air market a short walk from my house. Lots of fresh fruits and veggies, bakery items, nic nacs, etc. It is great news. I think tomorrow I will buy a basil plant... I am just not sure how long it will survive here!

In regard to diary (British for day planner) logistics, my first official class meeting event is on Monday at 4pm; it is a tea for all of the history students. I believe the next day is the start of classes. This weekend is relatively slow; we have a garden party tomorrow afternoon (it will be a party in the Old Library building if the rain keeps up!!) and not loads more. It is a nice little time of adjustment.

I think tomorrow I am going to carry my camera around so that I can get some photos up for you all! :)

BIG sigh of relief

I am writing this entry from my smallish room on the second storey of 12 Emmanuel Road. I have a view of the garden; it is not the most thriving garden, but there is a giant tree in front of my window! (I will have to ask someone what kind of tree it is...) And my window is large and opens wide! I think with a little love this place will shape right up!

It was a long, tiresome journey, but I have arrived!

I am off to grab dinner with my neighbour... will write more later!

Materialism, mums and general musings

I tend to forget just how much a of materialist I am.... until I have to pack for a move. Excuse me, what is my maximum luggage allotment? I'll take that, please. I suppose it is justifiable, though. I am moving not only clothes and a few toiletries, but also sheets, towels, legitimately (not Cali) winter clothes, and enough kitchen supplies to significantly reduce my purchases at the local Tesco. But, my goodness! It ALWAYS seems so much less in my mind! Does it really weigh that much, honestly?!

Aside from my abrupt realization that I am just as materialistic as anyone of my age and economic status, my departure is approaching smoothly. My plane leaves LAX tomorrow afternoon at 4:40pm and arrives in London Thursday at 11...ish in the morning. From there it is a 2-hour bus ride to Cambridge and a 50 metre walk to my college. It's all pretty straightforward, really (hopefully!) I imagine it will be relatively similar to my arrival at Oxford (except that time I had a catch a lonely cab to a foreign airport and this time my mum is going to take me to LAX!) Note: I have my spell check set to "English UK", and it refused to recognise "mom" as a word... so mum's the word!

The photo to the right is of Maddie, a friend's daughter, and a going away cake. I could not resist posting it!

So the question that I keep asking myself: how do I feel? Good... I think. However, I must admit that my nerves are a bit on edge. The nerves come mostly when I enter into thoughts about my academic experience. I am so focused on the excitement of moving to a new country that I have nearly forgotten that I start term on Monday. Seventeen months after college graduation and I have found myself a student again. But this is a good thing; I thrive as a student.... I love academia! It will be difficult, but I have high hopes that I will be able to easily slip back into the identity of "student". But I guess I'll only know after it happens or does not happen.

That's it for now; more to follow from the other side of the Atlantic.

Eleven Days and Counting

I am eleven days from departure, and in a state of disbelief. Can I really be leaving the country for an indeterminate amount of time? Don't most people purchase a return ticket when leaving the country? Well, apparently not everyone. I think I like being in the one-way ticket crowd. I feel like a bird in the hand, aware that soon I will be let to fly. Will I come back to the familiarity of the gentle and secure, yet stationary grasp? Or will I find a tree or telephone wire upon which to perch? It is a wonderful feeling: security in the unknown. To be floating on my back down river, excited to open my eyes in the future and learn my surroundings. I suppose the only bit of knowledge in which I may be confident is this: tomorrow I will not be where I am today: the current will take me somewhere new. I have no idea where I will be in eleven month's time, but I am open for it. I am ready to become an active participant in the passive arrival of my future.

A new endeavor

I have decided to become a blogger. The intent of this blog is to keep you--my friends and family--updated about my adventures in graduate school and beyond (my serendipitous wanderings). And just to clarify, I will be keeping this blog in British English. My thesis must be in this form, so I am going to adopt it for most other forms of written communication in order to develop consistency.

In regard to the questions of where I am going and what I will be doing: I will be reading for a master's degree at the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England (not Cambridge, Mass). The programme is nine months in length and the subject is early modern history (this will make me an Early Modernist).
...now you know about as much I do!

The picture to the left shows the Emmanuel House at my college. This photo is from the college website, which can be reached at: www.emma.cam.ac.uk. In the Cambridge system, each student is a member of the University, a college, and a faculty. My college is Emmanuel College (Emma) and my faculty is history. The faculty functions as the centre of academics, and is housed in its own building. Members from all different colleges will be part of a faculty. The college functions as a social network and controls housing and board. Each college as its own MCR or Master Commons Room, which functions like an ASB for grad students. The MCR has its own hall--with a full bar, this being a good British institution--and arranges all sorts of events (even dances with Oxford kids!) I will be living in graduate housing close to campus--which is also the centre of town--with a few other Emma grad students.

I leave on 26 September, so I have a little under a month to finish preparations. I am currently still in Santa Barbara, but maybe only for a night more. Departure is coming quickly and my excitement is growing!

More to come...