For the first week, we had almost perfect weather. No rain, decent temperatures. Well, I guess that's over now as it has rained for the past two days (including today).
Sunday
I did not do any excursions yesterday, luckily for me because it was raining a good bit. I woke up around 9:30 and stayed in bed for about an hour. Then, I took a shower and went walking around for a bit. I needed to get some more money (£53 for Stratford took a toll on the ole' wallet) and some other things, so I headed out to Broad Street, which runs along one side of Exeter and is the main drag of Oxford. I found most of what I was looking for, so I bought a panini from a local coffee shop (the Hall doesn't serve lunch on the weekends). For the rest of the afternoon, I researched and started writing my paper, so I felt as though I actually accomplished something for once. About 6:30, I went down towards the quad just to stretch my legs and get out of the room for a bit, and I passed a few disgruntled people. At first, I thought it was the weather, but I found Matt, who had heard a rumor that dinner was at 6:30 (obviously it wasn't). I'm going to go off a little bit of a tangent here. In our packets, it says that dinner is always at 19:00 (or 7:00), but it seems as tough each night a rumor is started that makes everyone think dinner is at 6:30 or 6:45. Now, the packet does give some nights that dinner will be served early, but this wasn't one of them (actually none have been). I honestly don't know how that happens, but people were peeved that they came out into the pouring rain for nothing. I never hear these until I walk down for dinner at 6:45 or so, so it hasn't affected me. Oh well. We finally walked up at 7, and there are a few tents outside, and evidently, we were supposed to have a picnic, but because of the weather (or as the sign said, "Due to the good ole' English Whether"), they had to move dinner inside. As it turns out, dinner was going to be at 6:45 until the rain delayed plans. The dinner was pretty good (hamburgers, chicken kabobs, corn on the cob, baked potatoes, and strawberries and cream -- I didn't have any strawberries -- eeeeewwwww). Afterward, Matt, John J, and I decided to have a writing session in someone's room while John J and I also did our laundry. Actually, we ended up just talking. I fell down the stairs once because my shoes were wet and the stones were rock. It was fun just talking and making up really random scenarios (you don't want to ask because then you would think less of me), and we stayed up until about 12:30. Around 2 o'clock, I heard a random shouting match between two guys (remember I have to keep my window open, and I face out toward Broad Street) who were calling each other " you pansy" or "you panties". I have no idea.
Observations:
- English streets have a lot of cobblestones to trip, slide, and fall on when it's wet.
- I have the magic touch with the drying machine token taker (yes, I bet there is a better word for it, but bear with me) as I was the only one to get it to take the tokens (you just have to treat it right).
- I tried vegemite because I heard that it was really gross. It wasn't that bad, but I don't think I'll eat it again.
- For UK friends, I have now heard the phrase "paradigm shift" twice. For those of you who don't understand, my friends (I guess I use the term loosely here) created a game at 4:00 one morning freshman year when I wasn't awake, and then proceeded to make a game of telling me the name of them game but never telling me the rules of the game. They named the game "Paradigm Shift".
Monday, July 7, 2008
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Pictures (Oxford and Stratford)
Cricket in the park.
Christ Church (by far the best chapel in Oxford, which is seriously saying something).
The Hall's Croft (Shakespeare's daughter's husband's house ... maybe)
Shakespeare's grammar school
One side of the table at the Garrick Pub, which is the oldest in Stratford (from left: Ashley, John J, and Laura -- and Matt's hand)
The coolest, most awesomest side of the table (Matt and I)
Shakespeare's grave (as well as most of his family's -- he had to pay for it; it was not a tribute)
Shakespeare's house.
Wine in Oxford, Tea in Stratford
Hello. I'm back from Stratford and yesterday's journey. It was a lot of fun, but today is all about work. So far, I have been able to neglect working, reading, keeping the nose to the grindstone (which sounds painful anyway), etc., but today, I must work. I plan on reading and doing research for my CFB class paper. I have a few of them read, but I need to read the rest and, if possible, start writing. Luckily, it is raining today, so there aren't too many excuses to do anything else. So as I continue to procrastinate on doing what I should, here is what I could:
Friday
It was nice waking up around 10 again. I feel like I have finally caught up on sleep, so I won't be sleeping that late anymore (until today where I stayed in bed until 10:30 although I woke up at 9:30-- I told you I am procrastinating ... la da da de da ... anyway). I went right to my plenary lecture for the day which was on "The War on Terror" (we seem to be having some really depressing lectures), and it was pretty interesting. Dr. Andrew Stewart talked mainly about how the "terrorists" can be viewed in many ways. George Washington, Nelson Mandela, and several others could have been viewed as terrorists by today's definitions. It all depends on one's point of view. He went on to talk about the specific events in the past that show that terrorism didn't begin on 9/11/01 (or 11/9/01 here ... weird British). After lecture, I went to lunch with the people with whom I was going to the cricket match. Immediately after lunch, a group of about 7 of us sang the "Star-Spangled Banner" to anyone who could stand it in the quad. Many people actually did stop to listen, and some tourists took pictures of us. Then, we went to a cricket match between Oxford and Cambridge at a really pretty park called University Park (we had some wine as well -- still don't like it that much). Luckily, we had an Australian with us to explain the rules because it is a little confusing. Some people say cricket is like baseball, but despite a few common movements and vocabulary, there really isn't a whole lot the two have in common. I think I started picking it up by the end (I still like baseball better). After that, we were supposed to have a debate on American Independence, but almost no one showed up (it was Friday, and I'm sure other people had other things to do). Oh well, we still talked for awhile. Then, we headed to dinner, but restaurants in England generally don't open for dinner before 6 and don't serve after about 9. Therefore, we couldn't find anywhere to eat, so we settled for baguettes (subs essentially) from a French shop. At 6, we went to Evensong, which was cool but I heard that a boys' choir is better (we had an adult choir). Then, John J and I went to see Twelfth Night at one of the college's theaters (which was outside), and because it was cloudy, Ashley, Laura, and Matt decided to go to a Tudor Concert back at our chapel. Twelfth Night was excellent. It was a more modern view of the play, but it was still really good. The acting was really good, and the interpretation was definitely of a British comedy. As I said, it was really good, especially because I have never seen or read the play. Afterward, we went to a dance club with a group mainly from Marshall University. Dance clubs are really not my thing, but I had a lot more fun than I expected. As I have stated previously, I am trying new things while I am here, but I think I might just stick to pubs from here on out (Can you end a sentence with three prepositions? I'm a geek, but I believe we have established that already).
Saturday
This was the day for Stratford-upon-Avon, where William Shakespeare was born. Stratford is a small town that is about a whole three or four streets wide by three or four streets deep. I expected there would be more to see and do, but honestly, there wasn't much. However, I still had a great time. I think people are starting to form little friendship groups (Ashley, Laura, John J, Matt, and I seemed to have found ours) while still being friends with others. It is kinda nice. Anyway, we walked around the city for awhile. We saw Shakespeare's house, grammar school, church (which he may or may not have gone to, but he is buried there), and daughter's house. I took a few pictures of everything. The most fun came when we tried to row down the River Avon (remember, I said "trying"). Now, we were in a group of six and only four are allowed on each boat, and we had three girls and three boys. I happened to be on a boat with the two girls, and guess who didn't row ( :) #; get it? It's me with my goatee). Before anyone yells at me, I have a story. The man in charge of the boats got the first three on there boats and jokingly suggested Laura row the other (our) boat. Well, it turned out to not be so jokingly. He told her to get in the rower's seat, the other girl to get in the back seat, and me to sit back there as well. I immediately said that I would row (the two girls were pretty small and the oars were heavy), but they insisted it was okay. Then, when we tried to switch, the boat almost capsized. Therefore, I was told not to move. It ended up with each girl rowing one oar with me sitting idly (well not exactly idly as I was laughing as we almost hit about four boats and numerous geese/swans/ducks) in the back seat. I really wasn't that mean as we were all laughing, and I have a feeling I wouldn't have been any better (considering my lack of coordination). We continued to walk around Stratford because we had quite some time to kill before the 7:15 play. Eventually, we found a restaurant called the Dirty Duck, but they tried to get us to leave by saying that they were full. As it turned out, they weren't, and they gave us a seat but told us that we might have to leave quickly after ordering and eating (we didn't have to). I had an apple pie for dessert (most of the others had the tiramisu, but I had to compare apple pies). It was pretty good, and it was made with Kenting Cider. You could definitely taste the cider in it. Still, I would say I prefer Marie Callender's Dutch Apple Pie. Following dinner, we went to the theater to see A Midsummer Night's Dream by the Royal Shakespeare Company. It was pretty amazing, but I am glad I didn't sit in the front row (I sat in the third, which was awesome) because the actors (especially Oberon) spat everywhere while they talked, which evidently is normal for Shakespeare. Anyway, the acting was fantastic and was not much ado about nothing (sorry, I couldn't resist). After the play, we came back on the bus and went to bed.
Observations:
- You are not expected to tip in England, and I was told it was actually frowned upon in some places.
- The British countryside is absolutely breathtaking. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures because I just sat there looking at it (maybe I'll take some on the way to Warwick or back to London).
- Fish and chips are everywhere, but I have yet to see Shepherd's Pie.
- Still haven't heard "bloody" or "bollocks" but did hear "cheeky" yesterday.
Friday
It was nice waking up around 10 again. I feel like I have finally caught up on sleep, so I won't be sleeping that late anymore (until today where I stayed in bed until 10:30 although I woke up at 9:30-- I told you I am procrastinating ... la da da de da ... anyway). I went right to my plenary lecture for the day which was on "The War on Terror" (we seem to be having some really depressing lectures), and it was pretty interesting. Dr. Andrew Stewart talked mainly about how the "terrorists" can be viewed in many ways. George Washington, Nelson Mandela, and several others could have been viewed as terrorists by today's definitions. It all depends on one's point of view. He went on to talk about the specific events in the past that show that terrorism didn't begin on 9/11/01 (or 11/9/01 here ... weird British). After lecture, I went to lunch with the people with whom I was going to the cricket match. Immediately after lunch, a group of about 7 of us sang the "Star-Spangled Banner" to anyone who could stand it in the quad. Many people actually did stop to listen, and some tourists took pictures of us. Then, we went to a cricket match between Oxford and Cambridge at a really pretty park called University Park (we had some wine as well -- still don't like it that much). Luckily, we had an Australian with us to explain the rules because it is a little confusing. Some people say cricket is like baseball, but despite a few common movements and vocabulary, there really isn't a whole lot the two have in common. I think I started picking it up by the end (I still like baseball better). After that, we were supposed to have a debate on American Independence, but almost no one showed up (it was Friday, and I'm sure other people had other things to do). Oh well, we still talked for awhile. Then, we headed to dinner, but restaurants in England generally don't open for dinner before 6 and don't serve after about 9. Therefore, we couldn't find anywhere to eat, so we settled for baguettes (subs essentially) from a French shop. At 6, we went to Evensong, which was cool but I heard that a boys' choir is better (we had an adult choir). Then, John J and I went to see Twelfth Night at one of the college's theaters (which was outside), and because it was cloudy, Ashley, Laura, and Matt decided to go to a Tudor Concert back at our chapel. Twelfth Night was excellent. It was a more modern view of the play, but it was still really good. The acting was really good, and the interpretation was definitely of a British comedy. As I said, it was really good, especially because I have never seen or read the play. Afterward, we went to a dance club with a group mainly from Marshall University. Dance clubs are really not my thing, but I had a lot more fun than I expected. As I have stated previously, I am trying new things while I am here, but I think I might just stick to pubs from here on out (Can you end a sentence with three prepositions? I'm a geek, but I believe we have established that already).
Saturday
This was the day for Stratford-upon-Avon, where William Shakespeare was born. Stratford is a small town that is about a whole three or four streets wide by three or four streets deep. I expected there would be more to see and do, but honestly, there wasn't much. However, I still had a great time. I think people are starting to form little friendship groups (Ashley, Laura, John J, Matt, and I seemed to have found ours) while still being friends with others. It is kinda nice. Anyway, we walked around the city for awhile. We saw Shakespeare's house, grammar school, church (which he may or may not have gone to, but he is buried there), and daughter's house. I took a few pictures of everything. The most fun came when we tried to row down the River Avon (remember, I said "trying"). Now, we were in a group of six and only four are allowed on each boat, and we had three girls and three boys. I happened to be on a boat with the two girls, and guess who didn't row ( :) #; get it? It's me with my goatee). Before anyone yells at me, I have a story. The man in charge of the boats got the first three on there boats and jokingly suggested Laura row the other (our) boat. Well, it turned out to not be so jokingly. He told her to get in the rower's seat, the other girl to get in the back seat, and me to sit back there as well. I immediately said that I would row (the two girls were pretty small and the oars were heavy), but they insisted it was okay. Then, when we tried to switch, the boat almost capsized. Therefore, I was told not to move. It ended up with each girl rowing one oar with me sitting idly (well not exactly idly as I was laughing as we almost hit about four boats and numerous geese/swans/ducks) in the back seat. I really wasn't that mean as we were all laughing, and I have a feeling I wouldn't have been any better (considering my lack of coordination). We continued to walk around Stratford because we had quite some time to kill before the 7:15 play. Eventually, we found a restaurant called the Dirty Duck, but they tried to get us to leave by saying that they were full. As it turned out, they weren't, and they gave us a seat but told us that we might have to leave quickly after ordering and eating (we didn't have to). I had an apple pie for dessert (most of the others had the tiramisu, but I had to compare apple pies). It was pretty good, and it was made with Kenting Cider. You could definitely taste the cider in it. Still, I would say I prefer Marie Callender's Dutch Apple Pie. Following dinner, we went to the theater to see A Midsummer Night's Dream by the Royal Shakespeare Company. It was pretty amazing, but I am glad I didn't sit in the front row (I sat in the third, which was awesome) because the actors (especially Oberon) spat everywhere while they talked, which evidently is normal for Shakespeare. Anyway, the acting was fantastic and was not much ado about nothing (sorry, I couldn't resist). After the play, we came back on the bus and went to bed.
Observations:
- You are not expected to tip in England, and I was told it was actually frowned upon in some places.
- The British countryside is absolutely breathtaking. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures because I just sat there looking at it (maybe I'll take some on the way to Warwick or back to London).
- Fish and chips are everywhere, but I have yet to see Shepherd's Pie.
- Still haven't heard "bloody" or "bollocks" but did hear "cheeky" yesterday.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Eagle and Child
Well, I am sitting here before lecture. It seems like I have a full day of activities ahead of me. After lecture, I think we are going to go watch some cricket, have a debate (spoof on "Should the American colonies get independence from Britain?"), go to an Evensong, and finally go to see Twelfth Night. Afterwards, we're not sure. This is actually the most planned anything has been. I have to say spontaneity is one thing I have learned and become more comfortable with. I haven't had too many plans here, and it's been fun. Usually, at home, I like things to be planned out, so this has been new for me. Anyway, here's yesterday:
Thursday
So, I had planned to sleep in and catch up on sleep, but luckily for me, a fire drill started at 8. Therefore, I had to get up and go to the chapel where a fire marshal told us to get out of the building when the fire alarm went off (I don't know if I would have known to do that; thank God we had him to tell us and wake us up early out of our somewhat comfortable beds). I went back to bed for a little bit, so I guess it wasn't all bad. For lecture, Dr. Jahanpour gave a lecture on Radical Islam, and although he spoke more on the past and present than the future the title says, it was still very interesting. I learned quite a bit about Islam and that part of the world (not that I thought all Muslims were radical anyway). After that, we had lunch, and I had a really cool conversation with a girl from Switzerland (Did you know that Switzerland has three official languages- French, German, and Italian- and each has their own part of the country?), two men from Spain, and one woman from Denmark about languages, the EU, and how the US is seen in the different countries (I apologized for my countrymen when the Swiss girl told me a story about an American who asked her why they built a castle next to the airport). Afterwards, I went to the Social Science library (didn't get lost luckily because it is right down Broad Street with only one turn) to borrow four books for my CFB class paper. The librarians were really nice and helped me with my library card. They also taught me how to use the catalog to find the books I needed. I came back and read a couple of the books (Dr. Palmer told me which chapters were the most important). Then, we had drinks with the director (I think I like red wine better than white, but I don't really like either) where he talked to each of us for a bit. Dinner was another interesting one but much better than I anticipated. First, I ate chicken wings (with a knife and fork -- we were in polite society). Next, I think we had what I thought was quail, but some thought it might have been turkey, with red cabbage (really sweet and not bad) and small potatoes. For dessert, it was some sort of apple tart with nuts and raisins, so I, of course, thought it was good. After dinner, we had a guest lecture on the History of Oxford, so now I know of what some of the pictures are actually. Then, we went to the Eagle and Child, where Tolkien and Lewis wrote their books and drank fairly heavily. Of course, this was the night that I forgot to bring my camera, so I guess we'll just have to go back (which is good because they have a Strawberry Cider I've heard is good). Later, we came back and drank English (snobbish accent included) tea in another girl's room. Then, I called my parents and went to bed.
Observations:
- They are obsessed with the movie Wanted. I guess because of James McAvoy, but I have seeen ads for it everywhere.
- Mom was right. I have to push down really hard on the minute button to get it to work. How do you get the light to work?
- Tourists come in here all the time between 2-5 to see Exeter College, so while I was reading, they took a picture of me because I looked like an Oxford student at work (little did they know that I was just passing time).
Well, I'm off to lecture. I should have a busy day today and tomorrow (Sratford-upon-Avon), but I will probably write around 6 or 7 o'clock EST tomorrow ecause I need to say up and do laundry.
Thursday
So, I had planned to sleep in and catch up on sleep, but luckily for me, a fire drill started at 8. Therefore, I had to get up and go to the chapel where a fire marshal told us to get out of the building when the fire alarm went off (I don't know if I would have known to do that; thank God we had him to tell us and wake us up early out of our somewhat comfortable beds). I went back to bed for a little bit, so I guess it wasn't all bad. For lecture, Dr. Jahanpour gave a lecture on Radical Islam, and although he spoke more on the past and present than the future the title says, it was still very interesting. I learned quite a bit about Islam and that part of the world (not that I thought all Muslims were radical anyway). After that, we had lunch, and I had a really cool conversation with a girl from Switzerland (Did you know that Switzerland has three official languages- French, German, and Italian- and each has their own part of the country?), two men from Spain, and one woman from Denmark about languages, the EU, and how the US is seen in the different countries (I apologized for my countrymen when the Swiss girl told me a story about an American who asked her why they built a castle next to the airport). Afterwards, I went to the Social Science library (didn't get lost luckily because it is right down Broad Street with only one turn) to borrow four books for my CFB class paper. The librarians were really nice and helped me with my library card. They also taught me how to use the catalog to find the books I needed. I came back and read a couple of the books (Dr. Palmer told me which chapters were the most important). Then, we had drinks with the director (I think I like red wine better than white, but I don't really like either) where he talked to each of us for a bit. Dinner was another interesting one but much better than I anticipated. First, I ate chicken wings (with a knife and fork -- we were in polite society). Next, I think we had what I thought was quail, but some thought it might have been turkey, with red cabbage (really sweet and not bad) and small potatoes. For dessert, it was some sort of apple tart with nuts and raisins, so I, of course, thought it was good. After dinner, we had a guest lecture on the History of Oxford, so now I know of what some of the pictures are actually. Then, we went to the Eagle and Child, where Tolkien and Lewis wrote their books and drank fairly heavily. Of course, this was the night that I forgot to bring my camera, so I guess we'll just have to go back (which is good because they have a Strawberry Cider I've heard is good). Later, we came back and drank English (snobbish accent included) tea in another girl's room. Then, I called my parents and went to bed.
Observations:
- They are obsessed with the movie Wanted. I guess because of James McAvoy, but I have seeen ads for it everywhere.
- Mom was right. I have to push down really hard on the minute button to get it to work. How do you get the light to work?
- Tourists come in here all the time between 2-5 to see Exeter College, so while I was reading, they took a picture of me because I looked like an Oxford student at work (little did they know that I was just passing time).
Well, I'm off to lecture. I should have a busy day today and tomorrow (Sratford-upon-Avon), but I will probably write around 6 or 7 o'clock EST tomorrow ecause I need to say up and do laundry.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Pictures (Around Oxford)
This is the alley way into Exeter College (left).
Radcliffe Camera (a library).
Oh, so that's where it is. I thought it was in Africa.
???
One side of the quad area. This is just inside the door. If you step on the perfectly mowed grass, you will be shot (I'm only half-kidding).
Doesn't the chapel look so picturesque? Don't look left (or below).
I told you not to. Actually, they are cleaning and renovating the chapel. The cleaning started last year, and it continues to this day.
The strip of Oxford (it has the most pubs per square mile in England).
Another view of the quad. The building is the Hall where we eat. Inside, it is a bit Harry Potter-ish, and hopefully, I'll remember to take a picture of it at some point.
Cool people (from left: Pren, John J, Jess, Arlene, Preeti)
Communists, James Bond, and Education
Welcome back. I just returned from the Social Sciences library where I borrowed four books for my paper for the Changing Face of Britain class. My topic question is "Why do ethnic minorities cluster: choice or force?". I think it is an interesting topic, so it should be fun to write about it. Hopefully, I will be able to read them today, tomorrow, and Sunday to be able to write the paper Monday and Tuesday (that's the plan, but who knows what will happen). Anyway, here's yesterday's episode:
Wednesday
Again, I woke up at 8:30 for my 9 o'clock class to run upstairs to the shower. Again, I made it on time. In the Cold War class, we talked about the rebuilding process and the division of Europe after WWII. Dr. Almond explained how both sides caused the division with their mistrust of each other's motives (warranted or not) in most scenarios. He explained how the Marshall Plan ended up being such a great idea, not only because it rebuilt Western Europe, because the USSR did not have the economic strength to do the same for Eastern Europe, but at the same time, the USSR and its satellite states could not accept American help because then they would become dependent on it. During the plenary lecture, Dr. Jeremy Black talked about the politics of James Bond, which predictably was very interesting. He didn't talk too much about politics per se, but he explained how the books became such a hit with England. Also, he talked about the differences between the books and movies (which is evidently quite extensive because the film makers had to change past British fears into present American ones in order to appeal to a mass audience). After that, we had lunch (which we now know is essentially last night's dinner plus some more hot items). During the Changing Face of Britain, we discussed education in Britain. First, we talked about how education should be presented and taught, should we put people into classes of students (Honors, Normal, Special Ed.), and who does the system support/suppress. It was interesting because it forced us to see into what would happen when we advocated certain types of education. If you classify students, then there are status issues, but if you treat everyone equally, then you ignore that everyone has different talents and hold up talented (academically) students while possibly pushing other students too hard. As for dinner, it was well ... interesting. First, we had an onion-type thing (maybe leaks, but no one knew for sure) for an appetizer, and it was bitter and salty. For the main course, there were chicken and olives and cucumber salad with a weird sauce that was part mustard, part mayonnaise, and part horseradish (we had a discussion and these were the three most popular observations). For desert, we had a berry cake with a cream cheese icing (I don't like cream cheese, but the cake was okay, although very tart). Then came the fun part. A seemingly benign topic, debaters debated the issue "Should school be primarily used for preparing people for work?". Well, this caused massive chaos. People argued over the definitions of work (life's work versus a career) and education (formal school or informal lessons). Then, we got off-topic somehow, and when a lady tried to point this out, the moderator dismissed her like Dikembe Mutumbo. We then continued to stay off-topic (but at least more on topic), and when the moderator said that he hated pushy parents, an obviously pushy parent was offended and stood up and argued with the moderator about the merits of being pushy (at least I care vs. you're ruining other kids' chances). I thought the whole thing was very entertaining, but some people were very serious and came out of it with a bad attitude (I'm all for arguing, but it should stay civil, which it didn't; however, no one did directly insult anyone, but it was surely implied). I guess I should clarify a bit. No one stormed the stage. No one was killed. However, voices were stressed and hightened, and the debate was far more controversial than I originally believed. Next week is on the War on Terror, so I can't wait.
Observations:
- "College" in England most directly correlates to "dorm" in the states, not universities at large.
- The British system of schooling is much more restrictive than the US (standardized tests actually limit the number of entrants to universities, and some kids start jobs at 16).
- People here are as obsessed about Facebook as people in the states.
- Apparently, in Manchester and Liverpool, the sound /th/ can become /f/ (it happens in the United States -- ie. Lebron James saying his teammates need to get him to the "fourf").
Wednesday
Again, I woke up at 8:30 for my 9 o'clock class to run upstairs to the shower. Again, I made it on time. In the Cold War class, we talked about the rebuilding process and the division of Europe after WWII. Dr. Almond explained how both sides caused the division with their mistrust of each other's motives (warranted or not) in most scenarios. He explained how the Marshall Plan ended up being such a great idea, not only because it rebuilt Western Europe, because the USSR did not have the economic strength to do the same for Eastern Europe, but at the same time, the USSR and its satellite states could not accept American help because then they would become dependent on it. During the plenary lecture, Dr. Jeremy Black talked about the politics of James Bond, which predictably was very interesting. He didn't talk too much about politics per se, but he explained how the books became such a hit with England. Also, he talked about the differences between the books and movies (which is evidently quite extensive because the film makers had to change past British fears into present American ones in order to appeal to a mass audience). After that, we had lunch (which we now know is essentially last night's dinner plus some more hot items). During the Changing Face of Britain, we discussed education in Britain. First, we talked about how education should be presented and taught, should we put people into classes of students (Honors, Normal, Special Ed.), and who does the system support/suppress. It was interesting because it forced us to see into what would happen when we advocated certain types of education. If you classify students, then there are status issues, but if you treat everyone equally, then you ignore that everyone has different talents and hold up talented (academically) students while possibly pushing other students too hard. As for dinner, it was well ... interesting. First, we had an onion-type thing (maybe leaks, but no one knew for sure) for an appetizer, and it was bitter and salty. For the main course, there were chicken and olives and cucumber salad with a weird sauce that was part mustard, part mayonnaise, and part horseradish (we had a discussion and these were the three most popular observations). For desert, we had a berry cake with a cream cheese icing (I don't like cream cheese, but the cake was okay, although very tart). Then came the fun part. A seemingly benign topic, debaters debated the issue "Should school be primarily used for preparing people for work?". Well, this caused massive chaos. People argued over the definitions of work (life's work versus a career) and education (formal school or informal lessons). Then, we got off-topic somehow, and when a lady tried to point this out, the moderator dismissed her like Dikembe Mutumbo. We then continued to stay off-topic (but at least more on topic), and when the moderator said that he hated pushy parents, an obviously pushy parent was offended and stood up and argued with the moderator about the merits of being pushy (at least I care vs. you're ruining other kids' chances). I thought the whole thing was very entertaining, but some people were very serious and came out of it with a bad attitude (I'm all for arguing, but it should stay civil, which it didn't; however, no one did directly insult anyone, but it was surely implied). I guess I should clarify a bit. No one stormed the stage. No one was killed. However, voices were stressed and hightened, and the debate was far more controversial than I originally believed. Next week is on the War on Terror, so I can't wait.
Observations:
- "College" in England most directly correlates to "dorm" in the states, not universities at large.
- The British system of schooling is much more restrictive than the US (standardized tests actually limit the number of entrants to universities, and some kids start jobs at 16).
- People here are as obsessed about Facebook as people in the states.
- Apparently, in Manchester and Liverpool, the sound /th/ can become /f/ (it happens in the United States -- ie. Lebron James saying his teammates need to get him to the "fourf").
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Pictures (Getting There and Setting Up)
The Imperial War Museum
I stood looking at this for two minutes. Do I go in or not? I think the room is through that door, but those signs seem serious. They weren't.
So ... really small bathroom (Great Dover Street Apts.).
My first beer in England (Strongbow).
My room at Oxford, which is small, but I wasn't upset until ...
I saw John James' room.
Also John James' room. In other words, much bigger than mine.
The Water Closet. It's only one toilet for seven rooms.
This sign is literal (see below).
Here is the bath. It has no shower. Fortunately, there is a shower on the floor above me.
I'll put up some more tomorrow. I am having trouble getting the next set of pictures up, so I'll have more time tomorrow to try more.
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