Rainy days go better with a cup of coffee...

To anyone who may have yet to be assured of my safe arrival at Oxford,...I am here! Actually, I arrived on Friday the 5th in the London/Heathrow airport at around 10:30am, and from there started my journey towards adventure and expansion of mind. My mind, to be specific. (Perhaps it is also a journey towards adjusting my weather tolerance :]; to date it really has rained every day).

I found my way relatively quickly to the central bus station and before long, I was on the coach bus to Oxford. I was hoping that my bus would have at least one other American student heading my way, but the more I glanced around me to observe the typical giveaways (nervous gesturing, fatigue, confusion, dumbfounded nodding, etc...), I discovered that I was indeed alone. As if on cue, halfway through to the first coach stop, the fog and rain began to settle outside my windows. I was the 4th of six stops in Oxford, and made my way out to the corner of Gipsy Lane with both of my suitcases in hand. I attempted to follow my makeshift scribbled directions: “follow in the direction of the moving bus, cross the busy road at the corner, and turn right approximately 100 yards on Pullens Lane—" it was almost hilarious how specific they were! I didn’t quite manage to grasp the hilarity in full however, particularly after a sleepless night trudging through puddle muddles with two heavy suitcases in a strange place...but, it was still humorous. 

Luckily, once I made it down the lane a few feet, a sweet Oxford student named Ollie asked if I were continuing down the road in his general direction, and if he could help? I was very appreciative, and consequently got to engage in my first interaction (or should I say interrogation) with a student from the university itself! When we parted, he was quick 

to ask if there were some sort of a lecture series or something going on at this gourgeous building—“This is actually where I am living while I’m here”, I responded. He shook his head as he walked away laughing...”Not a bad lot at all to live here!”

He is absolutely right. The Vines is my beautifully spacious home on the crest of Headington Hill, and happens to be on

 1.5 acres of garden.

It has a huge backyard with a cunning little reflection pond, and houses 44 of the American students studying at the Oxford programme with me. Pictures will follow of my own room and living space (still a work in progress), but as the many who know my taste will agree...I’ve got quite a bit of sprucing to do till it feels like a proper home! (No bare walls for me will do much to activate my creativity...)

Myself and the other students on the programme are responsible for navigating our one fairly large community kitchen & common room, and I am finding the task rather daunting (even in comparison with my intense coursework :]).

The only downside of this humble living is its 35-40 minute walking distance from the center of Oxford. Many of the students are buying used/refurbished cycles for relatively cheap, since the bus pass costs an extra arm and a leg! (Oh, the poor unfortunate US dollar.) 

So, I thought about that as well...but my brief experience with a bicycle has been:

a) not on the street; 

b) not on the wrong side of the street;

and c) not in rain and mud. 

To be fair, I also had many a disturbing image flash through my mind after my careful observation of the local bikers...let’s just say everyone who looked as if they were struggling to survive while riding quickly became me --i.e. the woman whose skirt tore mid-pedal, the huffing and puffing middle aged man, etc.!

Therefore, I think I have officially decided to discipline myself to make that walk despite the distance. Hopefully, it will become routine, and I’ve already decided its character-building!
So I spent my weekend discovering Oxford: walking to the local grocery stores, drinking delicious Moraccan 50/50 coffee (which makes everything...even forgetting to bring an essential item like socks...somehow much easier to bare) with a housemate Sarah, and even eating overpriced Indian food in a local restaurant. With Sarah, I was able to chat with another person for the first time about my fears entering this semester and the extent of what I've overcome to get here.

 Thankfully, Sarah and I discussed our struggles with living out our Christian faith authentically in our particular disciplines, and our excitement about entering this time of intense scholarship...through her, the Lord was able to confirm to me that I do have a purpose being here, and He's teaching me to not severe the tie between His life-giving tree and my own little branch :]. 

Since we were told almost from the moment we arrived that this weekend would be relaxing like none other once we started our work, we decided to make the best of it. We spent Sunday night trying out a few pubs in town. We had fish and chips at The Eagle and Child last night, home many an evening to “The Inklings”, including Tolkien and Lewis in their formative days. It was quaint and enjoyable. Another local pub we dropped in delivered excellent amateur folk music, so one of my roommates Daena (also from Biola), Sarah, and I spent some time watching and talking about expectations. 

Here's to the most challenging, and hopefully amazing, semester of my life...!

Once I get ins and outs of the way the programme is structured and all the exciting details...I will be updating again!