The Welcome Weekend

I have been in England for the better part of three days now. In the very few hours I have spent in this country I have accepted the fact that I am going to have to adapt to a new way of life as a way of coping with the many differences I will face at Wroxton this semester. Two of my most notable losses were my cell phone and internet. I no longer have the power of these comfortable tools at my fingertips. Without a cell phone I can no longer easily communicate with my distant friends and family—or at least instantly. Secondly, I can’t make simple arrangements such as when to meet with others for meals, class, etc. Now I have to walk around the building to summon them or “knock them up” when, by chance, they might not even be in their rooms.

The internet is readily available but only in certain rooms of this building. Consequently, I no longer have the luxury of accessing the web in the privacy of my own room. Meaning, I need to do most of my work around others who aren’t necessarily quiet or worse, nosy. (And you thought I was going to say I can’t watch porno…) It is amazing how isolated I feel. In fact I woke up from a nap on Saturday unaware of the time… that was my cell phone’s job or that of an alarm clock.

Either way, Saturday I went to Stratford upon Avon—the stomping grounds of Shakespeare himself. It was a fun way to break into the semester. I saw Mary Arden’s House (former home of his mother), Anne Hathaway’s Cottage (original home of his wife), and Nash’s House (the last residency of his descendants), and Shakespeare Birthplace (his birthplace…) I have pictures of many of the locations in order of their visit. At Mary Arden’s house, I flew a hawk. A local Falconer was holding a demonstration and he allowed volunteers to ask a question about Bird Flying for a go at holding the hawk. I really may look into this hobby and pick it up back home in the future. The day was fun, and I got to walk around Stratford and admire the tight layout of all the Victorian buildings and houses. The central streets and walkways were made of stone and crowded with pedestrians. Even the side streets were packed with tourists and locals. Another small thing that I was able to appreciate was the variety of foreigners. I think, on that day alone, I encountered, Asian, German, French, Russian and Swedish tourists. I ate at my first pub is Stratford as well—The Old Thatch Tavern. I could hardly believe that we didn’t have to include a tip when we paid the bill. In fact, in most cases, it is an insult to the establishment if you tip, suggesting that the owners don’t pay their workers sufficiently.

I am learning a lot about British culture during seminars and lectures, but what I find more fulfilling is when I make discoveries on my own. I am finding evidence that Britain is a consciously environmentally friendly nation. When we travel to different locations I can’t help but notice the abundance of saplings growing along side major roads and highways. The young trees suggest that this is indeed a more recent project but a very purposeful one because every tree was being supported by tubing—I’m guessing PVC. Apart from that, every toilet I have encountered is fitted with two flushing mechanisms. One uses less water while the other uses a lot more water. I am guessing one is intended to flush liquids and the other, more powerful jet, is intended to flush, you guessed it, crap. I have only seen fluorescent light bulbs, and I just learned in a lecture that trucks pay severe driving fees when entering London if they are not equipped with “green” engines.

I have sat through my first day of lectures today. I should enjoy my Shakespeare class because there are many planned trips to different theatres throughout England on our agenda. But the course that I find most engaging is the Anatomy of Britain, with Dr. Baldwin, the dean at the College of Wroxton. He is a very intelligent and funny man, and completely passionate about this University and what he teaches.

My last comment pertains to the food. It’s not very good. Another problem is that we eat at very precise times and are not encouraged to get seconds. We eat the food served or starve—there are vegetarian substitutes. The only benefit I foresee by eating like this for fifteen weeks is that it is indeed a form of diet. Maybe I’ll drop a few pounds (weight not money). I intended to take more pictures of the grounds and interior of the Abbey, but as of now, I am waiting for daylight to brighten up the rooms and corridors.

Quick News:

Hell Yah Giants!

Carrie is my girlfriend!