serendipitous wanderings

christmas is a comin!

2009-12-05T13:38:00.000-08:00

This morning marked the first Christmas event (that I've have participated in) of the season! I work with the junior and senior high kids at church, and this morning we got together for a bit of Christmas baking. At church we have an Alternative Christmas Market, wherein you can purchase "alternative" gifts, such as the donation of a goat for an impoverished family across the globe. The students are charged with the task of selling goats (and chickens and mosquito nets and wells...), and we baked the cookies to give away along with someones purchase.

We had three girls show up today to bake and it was quite a time. We made sugar cookies, brownies and rice krispy treats. The one thing that struck me was how "grossed out" all of these girls were with the amount of fat that went into each of these recipes. The girl making the cookies commented "2/3 cup of butter AND 2/3 cup of shortening?! Why do they need so much fat?" (we used all butter, btw). The girl on krispy treats--the youngest of the bunch--continually made faces and sounds of disgust at the melting pot of butter and marshmallow. Finally, the girl on brownies could not get over how much oil went into the recipe. I simply told them "See, that's the trouble with baking: you find out what actually goes into your food."

This was a bit of an enlightening experience for me. I grew up in the kitchen with my mom, making at least 20 dozen cookies for the holidays each year (we always started with those that require the coolest oven and ended with the russian teacakes at 400F). Thus, the idea of putting an exuberant amount of fat into baked goods has never surprised me... they are desserts and to be eaten in moderation, after all.

I have thought a lot about how psychologically impacting the act of preparing your own food is, but this is the first time I have really seen it so strongly expressed by someone else. Perhaps if we all made our own cookies--instead of reaching for chips ahoy--we might eat considerably less. Sometimes a the act of adding a stick or two of butter to a recipe can be a lot more impacting than the abstract knowledge that "too many cookies are bad for me".

I suppose this experience also says something about the relationship that our youth have with food and body image... but that is perhaps a bit too heavy for today. So, until next time... happy holiday baking!!

366 days

2009-11-22T13:58:00.000-08:00

Had this been a leap year, today would be exactly one year since my last post.
Unfortunately it is not a leap year, so we get no happy round numbers.

I have been trapped at home for the past four days with a nasty bout of influenza. I have noticed during this time that being a sick adult is quite different from being a sick child. This is most apparent to me as I stare around my room at the soiled dishes I will have to clean once I feel well. Wait? Isn't someone supposed to do stuff like that for me when I'm sick? You mean I have to get my own orange juice? What? Of course, Nathan has been wonderful in heating my soup, bringing me movies, and listening to me whine... but PhD students don't have a lot of time and this thing is pushing a week. So, with this reflection what I really mean to say: thanks Mom! Thanks to all the moms (and dads) who stay home to take care of their children when they're ill. From personal experience, it's a very wonderful thing!

I have been thinking from my sick bed about coming back to this blog... picking it up again. But one thing that I have been stuck by, in all my musings about serendipitous wanderings 2.0, is the title. I came up with the blog title in 2007, before flying to the other side of the globe and setting up camp. At that time I was wandering with a dim sense of what was to come and hoping for serendipity. But now... now things are laid out clearly enough. Of course there will always be questions, but it seems that I am no longer a nomad (or, at least, it does not feel that way).

So, serendipitous wanderings: it will remain my title, but I will need to find a new meaning for it along the way. Perhaps it will be a serendipitous search.

at the weekend

2008-11-21T22:36:00.000-08:00

Aunt Connie--thanks for asking to see photos of the garden! I've been a bit too lazy to take any lately (plus it is always dark by the time I get home!!) But I am adding two other photos to make up for it in the mean time. Garden photos shall be posted soon...

This is me, Laura, Buster, and a giant carrot from the garden. We are quite the happy family. *The headlamp was used to find the carrot in the garden cause it was too dark to see without it!

This is a drawing for my class that is in process. It is a distorted self portrait (thank you Mac Photo Booth!) The original is in the upper right corner. I think it is getting there...

In other news: it is the weekend! Work has been so busy that the weeks just fly by... but I am so exhausted come the weekend. A regular and habitual break from work was a brilliant idea, whoever came up with it. I am so for it.

I feel there are other things I have been wanting to share here, but am too tired for it this evening. I shall post again soon!

An occasioned meeting

2008-11-12T20:54:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I learned an important thing about eating from your own garden: unexpected friends sometimes show up on your dinner plate.

I had made for myself a meal in which the main component was a salad. I picked the greens from the garden, washed them, and in the process of drying them and tearing them up I happened upon a miniature tobacco horned worm. Her color mimicked the lettuce quite well, so I nearly missed her! I plucked her off the leaf and put her in the compost (I would have placed her back in the garden but they are rather destructive creatures!) After I removed her from my dinner, I had a think about how I would never find a living (non-microscopic) organism in something I purchased from a grocery... and if I did how repulsed I would find myself. Yet, when food is coming from the garden (or farmers market for that matter), it is normal. It is interesting how the foods that we buy in the grocery are somehow--in our conceptual understandings--transcendent from any ideas of ecosystem or natural processes... how we have become so disconnected from the mystery underlying the way our food grows. It's just a little interesting, that's all. :)

an excerpt

2008-10-25T20:00:00.001-07:00

This is an except from a reflection dated: 23/11/2007. I reread it today and thought it would be nice to post here. Here is the first bit, it continues, but I will keep it short for now:

A reflection:
My time here, so far.
An adjustment. That's what I'll call it: an adjustment. A transition to something new and alien. A transition away from my familiar and loved. It was a bit of a jolt this time. Pushed off a bus into the rainy street--my life on wheels fumbling behind: luggage too heavy and no one to help. No one to laugh about it later because no one knew. Hailed a cab and read from a paper where I needed to be: Emmanuel College, porter's lodge, please. Lost and fumbling I was. Tired, lost and fumbling. I found the porter--he was kind and offered me a cup of tea. He called me a cab to get me round the corner to my new home.

Matt--number three--was the first person I met at my new home. He helped me get my bags up the stairs. My room was bare and small and the 'garden view' was not quite what I expected. But I decided to make it work. I hung and decorated and titled my head to get a better angle. I made it my little home and got used to the overgrown garden. I count the seasons on the tree outside my window now. By my estimation, winter will be here soon. My window has no screen, I like that. I can put my hand outside and feel the rain and the cold and catch the sun. Before my window tree was bare it would toss leaves into my room. A nice, playful welcome from a long-time resident of this place.

amongst a blade of grass

2008-10-24T18:55:00.000-07:00

Work has been busy. My first project as project manager is coming to a stage of fruition this coming week... I have to present it to our client on Monday, to be precise. In the middle of the day today I had to leave the office and walk to a small park nearby... lay in the grass and close my eyes. I had to re-calibrate, really: to place myself back into the grander vision. It is so easy to get caught in the local... in the now. Laying there with my face in the grass, hiding my eyes from the blinding sun, I concentrated on listening. A bird... a cyclist rolling by (how nice, I thought, cycling in the middle of a Friday) ... an aeroplane overhead ... a child playing across the way ... another distinct bird call. This is real, I thought, this is reality. I laid there and held to my breast the knowledge of something bigger: millennia of human activity, eons of cells dividing and molecules colliding... something so big that my mind gave in and relaxed.

all shall be well
and all shall be well
and all manner of thing shall be well

Some photos

2008-10-05T19:37:00.001-07:00

Today I am posting a few photos from around the garden. I feel a bit silly posting photos of our garden, but there are some quite pretty things to share and sometimes it is nice to see these things instead of just read about them.

In an attempt to eat in season (or at least buy in season), I've begun freezing in-season fruits to use in the off seasons. Below is a collection of apples and various berries: I took a photo because I thought the array of colors was beautiful.

My mom came over and said: Oxalis? That's a weed! I guess one woman's weed is another woman's treasure. Below is one of the two Oxalis plants I bought at the Horticulture Society sale.

Lavender on the window sill. We've got quite a bit of lavender from the six plants in the garden, so I've been placing it around the house in champagne glasses and mason jars.

'Champagne Bubbles' poppy cultivar. These remind me of the Newnham College garden at Cambridge: the poppies brought such light to the landscaped spaces. The pots these guys are planted in were created on day on a whim. I decided to decoupage some old black plastic pots (the kind that you buy plants in) with The Independent, and then touch them up with a bit of paint. I think they turned out quite fun.

Some lettuce in the winter vegetable garden. Newspaper makes a great mulch AND it's a fabulous way to recycle in your own backyard!

Sugar snap peas growing on the north side of the house. I built the trellis from some sticks I found in the yard and cotton string. It's not the prettiest, but it is working quite well.

Linaria reticulata ('Flamenco'): I bought these at Sumida a few weeks ago and added them to the garden at the side of the house. They do not have a lot of foilage but simply burst into magenta and butternut yellow, so they fit nicely with the bunches of cabbage, kale and leafy herbs scattered throughout.

the first rain

2008-10-04T20:38:00.000-07:00

I've begun a book called Botany in the Field (by Jane Scott). It was published in 1984... but I bought it for 2 dollars at the book sale and I don't think that our basic understandings on botany have changed that much in the past 25 years. I quite like what Scott says in the opening chapter. She says: 'among the special appeals of botany is the fact that plants, unlike animals, do not vanish at our approach. Yet they do move in time, shifting images with the revolving seasons like a slow-motion kaleidoscope, as bright fruits replace delicate flowers and the pervasive green of summer explodes into autumn's fire.'

Today I began planting our winter garden. This included a trip to the local nursery and a long chat with the owner about how best to (organically) amend the soil to yield the best crop. I even brought in a soil sample to test and get specific advice about. It's so lovely how persons in this field are (or at least appear to be) so willing to share their knowledge.

Another bit of writing that I want to share; this one is actually a refrain that we sing at church when we take the wine and bread: 'Laudate dominum omnes gentes alleluia!' It means: Praise the Lord all peoples, Alleluia' I find that singing in Latin is quite grounding, espeically during communion. It is a subtle reminder of the Saints who came before and of the two thousand years contained within the ritual.

Today we had the first rain of the season; it was light but so lovely. I found myself strangely aware that this was the first rain I've seen in this country in a year and a half. I think I'd forgotten that Santa Barbara is not a land of perpetual summer. Perhaps I developed a bit of an image reflecting that idea during my time away in a land of (seemingly) perpetual winter. The rain today was very, very nice. I love this time of year and the dampness and the gloom and the chill in the air. The sound of rain hitting the roof and the crunch of leaves under foot; I think that maybe autumn is the season that lends itself most willingly to a sense of serenity and calm.

Borrowing from others

2008-10-01T21:36:00.000-07:00

Today I am going to borrow from others.

First: 'Je te manque?' in English this mean 'do you miss me?' or more literally 'am I missed by you?' We were writing sentences on the board in french class using the verbs manquer à and plaire à and a boy wrote 'je te manque?' For some reason that struck me: how often is that actually asked: do you miss me? Perhaps it is just me, but I feel like it is silently considered a lot more often than it is actually said. Je te manque? Oui, oui, tu me manques.

Second: I picked up a book at the Planned Parenthood charity book sale called The Cloister Walk by Kathleen Norris. It is a reflection about her experience becoming a member of the Benedictine order. In the preface she discusses a process of reading called lectio divina, which I think sounds quite good. She decribes the term as meaning: 'an attempt to read more with the heart than with the head ... a slow meditative reading, primarily of the scriptures, lectio respects the power of words to resonate with the full range of human experience'. I don't have any more to comment on it, I simply thought it worth sharing.

Ces choses que j'ai appris.

2008-09-18T19:54:00.000-07:00

Topic one: little trees.
Today I bought a dwarf pomegranate tree. That makes my collection of little trees two. I also have an Australian tree fern growing in the shade of my patio... it will get bigger, but for now it is still young. I figure by the time it is big enough to demand placement in the earth, I'll have moved to a more permanent location... or not, I guess. Regardless, I have developed a profound fondness for my small trees. I never realized how much one could fall in love with flora... I often sit at my desk and day-dream about my plants. J'adore mon jardin!

Topic two: autumnal equinox
So, the autumnal equinox is this Monday...and I think that's pretty exciting. Just in case you were wondering, "On a day which has an equinox, the centre of the Sun will spend a nearly equal amount of time above and below the horizon at every location on Earth and night and day will be of nearly the same length."

Topic three: Picasso in Santa Barbara
If you happen to be a Santa Barbarian (or will be in this town in the next few months), you should pop into the SBMA to check out the exhibit of Picasso's drawings. It is always so much fun to see works in graphite or charcoal or ink done by artists whom we typically think of in oils or acrylics. I think it is easy to create an image of an artist in our heads based on one or two career-defining works... and thus it is both educational and fascinating to see what she or he has done in various media and/or across years. So, Picasso at the SBMA, toally worth seeing.

Today, today.

2008-09-07T21:10:00.003-07:00

It is the end of yet another summer weekend in Santa Barbara (some hold to the belief that summer ends with Labour Day... I choose to believe that the end comes at the autumn equinox, September 21ish. Why would anyone admit to the earlier date?)

I've begun my drawing class: so far we've drawn lines and shapes (focusing on positive and negative space). It is quite nice to start at the beginning, at the basics. I had forgotten how dramatically the practice of art can alter ones perception of the world. I sat on the couch in my room this evening, listening to melodious sounds from Portugal, and tried to see the Spanish moss on the patio for its negative space. It tried to see not one continuous shape cascading in tendrils from the place where it hung, but hundreds of tiny shapes dancing about amongst the tendrils. When I looked further into the yard, I saw the sky as a shape bound by trees and structures; for a moment that huge, visually endless expanse was a form that could be rendered. How does it all work? I wondered.

Try it sometime: look for the negative space in the world.

I spent today in the garden... I have a bit of a sunburn to show for it. I've started several plants from seed, and some of them needed to be transferred from there little bins of moss into larger pots of soil. I quite like the process: handling something so delicate, something so mysterious as a seedling. The experience reminded me of certain good qualities of life, but what these are I cannot quite say.

In sum: it was a fine summer weekend in Santa Barbara.

from the other side

2008-08-26T21:26:00.005-07:00

Dear friends,
After a brief hiatus--and significant thought--I have decided to blog once again.

So, to begin here is a brief update:
1. I am back in Santa Barbara, working for a small, local company
2. I started back at city college yesterday in French 103. I will start a drawing class on Saturday.
3. I am living with Laura and we have occupied ourselves with a number of home and garden improvement projects these past two months: I've since learnt how to re-caulk a bathtub, how to set gopher traps, and all about fungi that attack peppers and tomatoes.
4. I've decided to stop supporting the large-scale dairy industry (it's not as ridiculous as it sounds... I don't think). It is actually a bit of an adventure because it means learning to use many more goat products and soy-based products. And it feels good to know that I am 'voting with my dollar' every time I decide what to buy and what not to buy.

So that is that.

Something to read and ponder and maybe become disappointed about: Drilling off the coast of Santa Barbara

Something a bit serendipitous, I think: today at the farmer's market I bought a bunch of dime-sized white flowers with great green stems. The lady whom I bought them from used a bit of newspaper to gather the great green stems in preparation for the journey home. When I arrived back at the Portola Place and unwrapped my flowers, I gleefully discovered that the florist had wrapped them in the crossword puzzle page of the LA times. As I cut the stems and placed the blooms in jars and vases around the house, I concluded with confidence that today fate was on my side. I spent the second half of the evening working on the puzzle.

And... Henna! A friend from India offered to do my henna and so of course I said yes! The first photo is a bit awkward, but I think it shows the lovely designs quite well. The second is henna + mushrooms that were growing in the damp shade of the chamomile plant.

jumpers for books

2008-06-18T14:09:00.003-07:00

Stuff: Whence does it all come?

Packing is a task that seems to be complained about more often than praised... it is viewed as a chore, really. But to tell the truth, it is one of my favorite activities. I always get excited about packing, so I usually start a week or two too early. This is especially true of the process when the end goal is a drastic move. Before moving to the UK I had a garage sale and ended up selling or giving away a third of what I owned: there is just something good about starting new, fresh. Something good in shedding off the frivolous stuff that has piled up, and giving it to someone who might actually want or use it. There is something good in the limits enforced by a move: they cause one to part with material items to which an attachment would have been (unjustly) justified in other, less transient circumstances. Something good in a move.

With this move I have, likewise, created four piles: 'recycle', 'charity shop', 'Cambria', and 'Emmanuel Road house'. (The Cambria pile contains various items that might be of use to her in London, and will make their way south on Saturday). It has been good to fill these piles: I feel like I am leaving behind little bits of my physical existence in this place and taking back with me only the items that have meaning and/or use. (But no doubt my cases will still be heavy: the category that always seems to win the meaning/use game is books. I have found myself sacrificing jumpers for French histories).

So, the main conclusion of this post is thus: packing is good. It is good to once in a while be forced to lift and shift all of our physical belongings, to remind us just how much we have and to encourage us to part with items and allow them to have a second life.

Across the world and back

2008-04-25T04:08:00.002-07:00

First, let me plead for forgiveness regarding my recent lack of posting!

Much has happened since I last posted to this blog. I've started the writing phase of my dissertation, I've travelled to the southern hemisphere, and I've decided to move back to Santa Barbara at the summer.

First things first: writing. Writing, writing, writing. How does one find so many words in such a short time? So, it is really not as dire as that... but looking forward that is how I feel. To think of the project as a whole is quite daunting, so I have relegated myself to thinking only 1000 words at a time.... and then one chapter at a time... and then finally of the dissertation as a whole. It is working so far... but feel free to ask me how I am doing come the end of May!

Second: New Zealand. I spent two weeks at the start of April down in NZ, visiting Kevin and seeing the north island. New Zealand was like a dream: at times so familiar ('wow, this is like the central coast of california!') and at other times a complete mystery (the hokey pokey is an ice cream? I thought it was a dance!) Nevertheless, I had a wonderful time: both spending time with Kev and seeing the country. We did a lot of camping and swimming and I had my first go at surfing. It was quite good, really. :) O, and I chased plenty of sheep. There are plenty of good stories tucked away in that experience... but I will save those for another time.

Third: Santa Barbara. Yes, I am moving home come June. I've decided--for several reasons--not to stay in England for the summer (Mostly it's the lack of good beaches... jk). I plan to be semi-permanently in SB (ie, I do not, at this point, have plans of moving again soon), and I am excited about it! I look forward to seeing friends and family and resuming some of my old habits (but, of course, maintaining some of my new)!

My final point of interest: at the middle of May I am travelling to Budapest with Laura! It should be a lovely trip! So, if anyone has tips on Hungary and 'must-sees', please do share!

That is all for now. I miss you all and am looking forward to seeing you all soon!!

a list

2008-03-06T01:48:00.002-08:00

colour: lemon and gold
scent: crisp morning
taste: peruvian coffee
task: thoughts into words
attire: casual

Choas on the River

2008-03-04T01:41:00.004-08:00

This last week was consumed by crew. In Cambridge there is a tradition called Bumps. They are a series of boat races that take place over the course of six days, during which each boat rows in four races. All of the crews start 3 boat lengths apart, and the goal of the race is to 'bump' the boat ahead. Bumping includes both overtaking (when bow passes cox) and literally bumping into the boat ahead. It is one of those competitions that everyone knows is (a) unfair and (b) only allowed by health and safety because it is a 200-year tradition. Anyway, we bumped once, got bumped once and rowed over (finished the race) twice. It was a pretty tiring series of days, but great fun! Below are some pictures from the races (the first three are of the getting on race from the Friday before and the fourth is after our last bumps race).

Getting On Race

Getting on race (I am bow, the one in the very back)

My crew after the getting on race

Our crew photo after finishing Bumps

The photos below are from the Boat Club Dinner, a termly black tie event held after races. Sometimes I think people row just to go to BCD. ;)

Sarah, Matt, Catherine and me at BCD

Me and Jean, ie. Bow and Three: we rowed corners together!

My Crew! (minus me; I am taking the photo!)

In other news, Kevin is in Samoa right now with his students, learning and experiencing a lot. Prayers for his travels are much appreciated. :) He arrives back to NZ in two weeks... and then it is two weeks before I head out there myself!

My studies have started to pick up. I give a presentation on Monday to my course and our faculty on my research... should be an interesting day. It is a bit strange to think that I turn in my thesis in three months and three days... and then I am finished with my masters... so quick! Now all I need to do it write the darn thing so that I'll be able to turn it in!

Londontown

2008-02-20T05:48:00.006-08:00

Here are some photos from our trip to London:

Chilly Cambridge

Frost on pink blooms

Mom and me: So cold!

Big Ben

Black Swan (for Kev)

Prince Charles at his Best.

Red on Red

Waiting for Spring Buds

Cambria came to hang with us for the day

Headed to dinner

Spainland

2008-02-17T04:09:00.004-08:00

Spainland is a word from a Devrenda Banhart song: "If I lived in Spainland I'd still have Chinese children." Have a listen; Evan thinks it's a great song... which means it's a great song.

For Aunt Connie: your little sister made it just fine. We have been to Spain and back, today we're in SUNNY Cambridge to recover from Spainland, tomorrow in London and Tuesday back for a tour of Cambridge. She'll be back to you sometime late Wednesday. :)

Here are some photos of Sevilla:

I'll post more photos later; these are just from my camera... mom took even more!

Another Photo

2008-02-10T13:40:00.001-08:00

This photo is my novice crew from last term. This was taken right after our 'big' race. Our college colours are pink and blue, hence the girly-coloured garb. (I have actually started to look in my closet and think that pink and navy make a nice match... someone save me!)

February Eighth

2008-02-08T03:42:00.000-08:00

I am 24 years old, working on a masters degree, and still cannot spell 'February' without the help of spell check. No matter how many times I try to figure it out, it always winds up with a red squiggly line under it. LC can attest to this. I usually throw in a few too many u's or not enough r's. I have never been--nor will I ever be--a spelling bee champ. But I've learnt to live with it.

Above are two photos from my recent time in Lyon. The top is the Saône and the bottom is the Rhône (yes, there are two big rivers in Lyon!) I was gone Monday through Thursday. I spent a lot of time in the archives looking at microfilm, but my work was productive.

This morning rowing started up again. I had given into the idea that I could not row this term because of my need to do research travel, but they wanted to get a third women's boat out (and that means only three outings a week and permission to get subs for absences)... so I am back in it! It was good to be back on the Cam at sunrise (don't worry HORSE... sunrise is like 7am, so I am not up that early!) More news about upcoming races, etc later!

Mom gets to Cambridge on this upcoming Tuesday. I've booked our flight to Seville and our hotel and I have been praying for a sunny trip! The weather has been fabulous lately, and I am hoping it remains for mom's trip!

Also in regard to travel, I recently purchased a flight to Auckland to visit Kevin in April. It's a wicked flight (something like 36 hours, layovers included), but it should be well worth it! Kevin has promised a fun time with camping, beaching (!!!) and a bit of sight-seeing. The trip occurs just about the time I will finish research and begin writing my thesis... so it will be a good breather to push me into the 100 pages of work I'll have ahead of me.

That's all for now. I hope everyone is well; send updates sometime! I think of you all often and would love to hear about life back home (it was quite an out-of-body experience to watch a piece on the California elections on French news... the weight of your vote has made news around the world!) Au revoir and ciao!

Last day of January

2008-01-31T08:40:00.000-08:00

The sun is just going down on the last day of January. For some of you it is already February and for many of you the last day of January has just begun. What does that mean: the last day of January? Somehow this seems significant. I guess January always feels and sounds new. Say it: 'January'. It produces a feeling akin to that aroused when saying: 'the very beginning', 'fresh', or 'rejuvenation'. It's a month like any other, yet we have been so programmed to think of it as a new start. But, really, I think it is a good programming. I know that I often live between starts and finishes, with 'the end in sight' sometimes the only motivator to keep me going. And to have a yearly, perpetual end-in-sight is really a rather refreshing constant.

But here we are at the end of the beginning, on the verge of the long middle. I made no resolutions this year, so I plan to keep no resolutions (seems the easiest path to success, I suppose). But I do plan to learn and experience this year. Perhaps this year I will try to hear more. One of the most interesting questions I have encountered in my course of study is that of the senses. Is it safe to assume that for all generations vision has been the primary mode of experience? Our world certainly takes advantage of sight as the primary sense, but what of a world in which there were no corrective lenses and only dim, smoky light past sundown or on gloomy days? We did an exercise one day in crew in which we all closed our eyes and continued to row. In that way we were forced to feel the boat be sat and hear the rhythm of the paddles breaking the water. No vision and we still rowed in time. So I think I will try to hear and feel and smell my way through life this year. Of course I'll see the world--it's too beautiful to miss--but perhaps I will close my eyes more often and stimulate a less sensitive part of my brain.

When I began this entry, I intended to tell of my mother's coming trip to Cambridge and our bounce down to Spain, of my upcoming trip to Lyon, and of thesis progress... but you get thoughts on the start of the middle of the year instead. I hope it is a glowing year for everyone. And if not, don't forget that we get another shot at the start in just eleven months.

A difficult thing to do

2008-01-24T11:53:00.000-08:00

Here is something that I have come to appreciate: it is hard to get lost in London because there is always a tube station somewhere nearby. I think that thought always provides me with a bit of confidence when I come to this city.

Photos

2008-01-22T02:51:00.001-08:00

Before ice skating

Strapping into my skates!

Old Lyon

l'Hôtel de Ville de Lyon

Kevin in King's Chapel

At the Granta

Adventures!

2008-01-22T02:23:00.000-08:00

Friends!
I am sitting at my desk, drinking coffee, and working on a translation. I was awakened by the sun this morning (the first time in a long time), but it seems that the clouds have taken over. I have been told that the white gloom and haze will last until about March, so a sunny morning is something to post about!

So, break is over and I am back into the swing of things (except 'the swing of things' is a rather amorphous concept this term, so I don't really even know that it means to be back into it...) Nevertheless, I am back in 'work' mode. Christmas vacation was a wonderful time both back at home (I think this is emphasised in my last post) and back here in England. A few days after I arrived in Cambridge, Kevin came out to meet me and stay for two weeks. We spent a week of our time in Cambridge and a week in Lyon, France. During our time in Cam we visited all the major sites and saw the inside of many pubs and cafés (wherein we passed the time playing Gin Rummy, doing sudoku and reading). I think Kevin's favourite part of Cambridge was The Hot Sausage Company... a cart in town that sells fried sausages on buns (somehow I think that will be Dad's favourite bit when he visits too...) Perhaps one highlight of our time in Cambridge was our ice skating night. This year they set up an outdoor ice skating rink in Parker's Piece (a park in town). We strapped on some skates and had a go... I only fell five times in an hour. It would have been closer to 50 had Kevin not caught me on all the others. It was brilliant... an old lady even laughed at me. But I did better by the end (right, Kevin?) I will post some ice skating photos with the rest.

Our time in Lyon was also lovely. The main point of the trip was research (the majority of my primary documents are in the city archives and library), but we also got plenty of time to play and see the city. I think that the Old City a favourite of us both. The city was founded in 43bc by the Romans, so it has plenty of antique ruins and relics from the past 2000 years (of course this is all juxtaposed with a modern, bustling city).

Looking forward, the next few weeks hold even more adventures. I am back in Lyon in abut two weeks (this time as a lone traveller), and in three weeks Mom is coming to visit from 10 days! We are going to see Cambridge, London and head down to Spain! I think our Spanish destination will be Seville... but that is still up in the air. This is mom's first trip to Europe, so we are both really excited! I am sure there will be plenty of great photos from that adventure too. (And friends who lived in Spain... or have even visited... please send your tips and suggestions about places to see and travel... and remember that Mom is fluent, so we won't have to worry about my faulty Spanish skills!)

As a last note: I heard word a few days back that my proposal has been approved and that I passed me assessments last term! So far, I am on track to have a degree by summer! Woot!

I hope everyone is well and I will try to post again soon!

A Joyous Holiday Season

2007-12-26T08:56:00.000-08:00

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

2007-12-18T09:07:00.000-08:00

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

2007-11-01T06:26:00.000-07:00

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

2007-10-27T07:42:00.001-07:00

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

2007-10-27T02:21:00.000-07:00

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

2007-10-16T02:52:00.001-07:00

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

2007-10-13T02:48:00.000-07:00

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...

2007-10-10T11:50:00.000-07:00

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

2007-10-09T15:23:00.000-07:00

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

2007-10-06T05:05:00.000-07:00

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...

2007-10-04T04:31:00.001-07:00

It is sunny today in Cambridge!

(that is news enough to require a post!)

Not much to report...

2007-10-03T02:59:00.000-07:00

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

2007-10-02T03:50:00.002-07:00

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

2007-09-30T14:29:00.001-07:00

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

2007-09-30T10:39:00.001-07:00

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!

2007-09-29T10:02:00.000-07:00

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.

2007-09-28T13:53:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-27T10:30:00.001-07:00

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

2007-09-25T19:45:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-15T15:16:00.000-07:00

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

2007-08-30T20:18:00.000-07:00

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...