Quickly...

I am trying to go to bed in the next couple minutes.

Today:

-I scored a bike of craigslist. Call me shopper of the Oxfordian year. Bicycles are tough to get for a decent price. I got mine for about 60 pounds (that depends if I can haggle it down.) It's not my beauty at home, but it will get me around. Just pray that

I can hold my left-side of the road Brit mentality. No longer "left, right, left." I need to look "right, left, right."

-That adventure to get the bike was definitely interesting. Writing it in my real journal later.

-Tomorrow is Stonehenge. And Old Sarum and Salisbury.

-I found one other morning person. He gets up at 6 AM too!

-Had a great conversation with a Muslim today. Supposedly, he is going to take me to mosque sometime with some of my friends. Then to a Pakistani eatery for discussion. So interesting.

-Tried again to volunteer in the community garden near my house. Unsuccessful attempt numero dos. I recall the wise words... "try, try again!"

-Oh, and my 6 AM friend, named Bryce, tried to make scrambled eggs

tonight. The guys here (actually, most people) just are confused about cooking. He must have had about an egg wi

th a

half cup of milk. It looked like cottage cheese. I took a picture while making fun of him. He took it all so well.

Good night!

Cheerio!

I hear I have blog followers. So to prevent riots from my lack of blog initiative, I shall write. Not much... just enough to satisfy. Perhaps.

Here is a picture of the tea from Sunday.

Lovely to have tea every few hours of the day. There are three types of teas. The kind with only tea, the kind with a cookie or scone, or the kind with a massive del

icious assortment of goodies. (The last is the noteworthy tea in my own mind.) Notice my lovely roommate and friend, Laura.

Started my British Landscape class this Monday. It is fabulous. Here's another random shot from one of our excursions after class.

Wycliffe Hall, where I am studying, was founded in 1877, which is recent for most halls. I am a member of four institutions through this program. First, my home, William Jessup University. Second - the SCIO program, which is the study abroad program I come through. Then I am a member of the Wycliffe Hall, since individual colleges make up Oxford. Lastly, I am a student of the vast Oxford University. I'll have to take a photo of my card! It will be my greatest keepsake from this trip.

And a funny commentary. My first introduction to British pillows.

They are flatter than tortillas. What happened to supporting one's neck while sleeping? Here, Heather demonstrates the ironic powers of a pathetic pillow.

PS - this is my new favorite food that I devour in our hall as if I am preparing for the hibernation months of winter. (I must say that

hibernation is very similar to the period of time that elapses between lunch to my next breakfast. Dinners are miniscule here for me!) A grand introduction to yoghurt and passion fruit preserves. Delicious!!!

The Adventure Begins...

Here I am at the Vines! A quick recap of the last two days.

I love it here. It is beautiful. My room is like a magical attic room with windows that open onto the roof and a view of

the treetops blowing and the spires of the city in the d

istance. We can hear the church bells!

My roommate is a gift from God. Her name is Heather, and already we are making our room feel like home.

Highlights thus far:

Walking the city.

It is just unbelievable that I can walk through buildings of the 1300's. With our special Oxford Student card, we can tour just about every building for free, where the public cannot usually enter. How exciting!

Building look like this everywhere:

By our home at the Vines, there is a community garden! I volunteered my services th

ere, in hopes of working in the ground and receiving veggies as payment. The lady kindly took my email down and gave me some fresh (giant!) beans! Made my day!

Went to the Eagle and Child. For my first drink, I sat where the Inklings would have held their writing discussions.

Laura and I shared fish 'n' chips, while my roommate, Heather, had Banger

s and Mash.

Today, we visited Christ Church for our first Sunday. It is the oldest church in England, so I understand. Amazing. I wish I could have captured the interior.

And a quick look at the Bodleian Library. Here my roommate and I stand next to one of the entrances.

We have yet to enter into the actual library. Mariah, Harry Potter had two scenes filmed in this room.

Ta ta for now! Must go seize the day!

London, England

September 4, 7:42 AM

I am here! I cannot believe it still - on the bus to my new home! So ethnic, diverse, and big!

It's becoming reality!

Oh! And as of now I am starting a travel tip and memory guide with a wacky twist:

1) Before departing - buy a strange flavor of gum. Like mint mojito (a cocktail in a gum... odd.) It will forever remind one of the excursion.

2) Same thing with a playlist on the ipod.

3) Choose a theme song for your trip. Mine is "Breakaway." Not corny... very true.

4) Have awesome friends that send you off with all manner of goodies!

5) Of course, thank the awesome friends profusely and realize you do not deserve them.

6) Pack a bagel. They're like hardtack... only better.

7) Don't journal while on the first bus ride. There is so much important sights to see!

8) Look starved - people will donate airplane food to you! Amazing compassion! (Or is it that people don't value airplane food?)

Cheerio!

Raleigh

Expectation and patience do not mix well.

Only a day left until I am there though - I will wait patiently (or attempt to...)

The last flight was more interesting. I acquired an alias - Amitava Sarkar. (Do I look like a dashing East Indian man?) It was a bit confusing (and there was even a time when I thought I might not make the flight!) But, I figured if God has helped my blunders thus far to succeed, He is in control. I made it into my seat with my proper name restored, seated by the window for my second flight! What a pleasant surprise!

And for my troubles, I received a free snack! (It is worthwhile to possess an alias!) And I had the opportunity of speaking with a soldier returning from Iraq. We spoke on his views of the War. Interesting yet melancholy views - he sees America should not be in Iraq. He feels his years served were wasted time, not spent fighting for his country, but another that did not desire his aid. What a perplexing situation!

Well, boarding starts for the last flight! Must say cheers for now!

Just arrived in Dallas.

Since I spent some quality time with George Eliot's Middlemarch on my flight, I thought I would relate my enriched experience. Simply love the book (even though it is over a thousand pages!)

Here was my favorite conversation between Will and Dorothea. She's a passionate philanthropist/intellectual, while he is the artist. After they converse (quite bluntly, in fact) over the value of art, Will confronts her impetuously with his idea of the "fanaticism of sympathy." Dorothea states that art does not better the social injustices of the world, yet Will retorts, "I suspect that you have some false belief in the virtues of misery, and want to make your life like a martyrdom." And when you think that they should never embrace their opposing perspectives, the next conversation shows otherwise.

Will tells Dorothea, "'To be a poet is to have a soul so quick to discern, that no shade of quality escapes it, and so quick to feel, that discernment is but a hand playing with finely ordered variety on the chords of emotion - a soul in which knowledge passes instantaneously into feeling, and feeling flashes back as a new organ of knowledge. One may have that condition by fits only.'

'But you leave out the poems,' said Dorothea. 'I think they are wanted to complete the poet. I understand what you mean about knowledge passing into feeling, for that seems to be just what I experience. But I am sure I could never write a poem.'

'You are a poem - and that is to be the best part of a poet - what makes up the poet's consciousness in his best moods,' said Will, showing such originality as we all share with the morning and the spring-time and other endless renewals."

Can anyone say beautiful, witty, intelligent, and romantic in one breath?

Dorothea is a marvelous character... I find so many shortcomings in her that resemble a crazy, passionate girl I know rather well. And Will... he's quite the chap.

Over and out.

Departure Dead Ahead...

Saying goodbye is probably one of the worst parts of living.

Some people have a talent for waving a quick "ciao" and finding the nearest exit. I am not one of those people.

Theoretically, within the confines of my mind, I imagine that I could easily gain nomadic status. Stick around one day, then pick up and leave the next. And then, when the time comes, God just has to remind me of all the people I love so dearly. I like to think I am a free-spirit, but in actuality, I have a lot of reasons to stay.

I am so blessed to have so many reasons to stay. Family, friends, professors, my favorite jujitsu class... so many good reasons to want to stay.

Yet, it is time to go. God's opened this door, and it's time to step through. Another episode of Child's [grand] adventure will emerge in five days.

And to all those that I love, I look forward to seeing you when I return!