In Which I Am a Tourist and Don't Care, and Worldview Sessions Start

Friday, 5 September
We had orientation, took group pictures (thanks, Judson!), I did some shopping, and we went over to the guys' place to watch Doctor Who. It's fun that several of our group love Doctor Who!

The Summit group!

Saturday, 6 September

Photos courtesy Charity Lewis

Saturday was a lovely day. Most of our group went punting. We had mimosas and lunch on the boats and generally were pretend-sophisticated. *sticks pinky in air* ;)






Sunday, 7 September
We attended St. Ebbes' Church. They had a lovely service and meet in a beautiful building.

Monday, 8 September-Tuesday, 9 September
I did reading, walked around Oxford and took some pictures, soaking in the ancient and always changing yet always the same beauty of Oxford, and generally being that tourist walking about with a camera.


Wednesday, 10 September-Friday, 12 September
Worldview classes started on Wednesday. We dived right into the Bible, looking at Genesis, Psalms, Deuteronomy, and roving over a variety of subjects from marriage to the creation debate and more, as well as getting to know each other more and getting to know Kevin Bywater, the worldview instructor. On Friday night we meant his beautiful family and had dinner together.

Other random highlights--I have difficulty remembering on which days they happened:
-Dinner at the Eagle and Child Pub (where Tolkien and Lewis and the Inklings would meet)
-Hanging out on numerous occasions with the other students
-Getting comfortable with the bus system in Oxford and learning to use public transportation
-Seeing two muntjac deer go bounding by out the window of the bus in quick passing
-Ladies' crepe night with lots of fillings

St. Ebbes'

Saturday, 13 September
Reading (doing quite a lot of that already), shopping, etc.

Sunday, 14 September
Church (excellent service), reading, chilling.

So, yeah. Probably sounds pretty boring, but I assure you, it's not! I'm having a great time and learning to deal with some interesting things. Examples:

-England has huge bugs, and as previously noted, a spider infestation. I wasn't expecting that.
-I miss pressurized hot water and hot water just coming out of the tap and not having to wait and fiddle with the tap to get it to work.
-I miss knowing what the settings on the washer and oven mean.
-I, believe it or not, miss one-stop shopping at Wal-Mart.
-I miss clothes dryers.
-I miss petting my dog. I miss my family too, but I can talk to them online. The dog doesn't get it. ;)
-I wish things weren't almost twice as expensive...but I was expecting that.
-

But those are minor inconveniences. :)

Here are some other awesome things about living in Oxford:

-I'm going to be so fit from walking everywhere! It's about 15 minutes to the closest grocery store.
-I love the character of the surrounding towns, such as Eynsham, were we have our worldview classes, and Witney, were the Bywaters live. They're beautiful.
-I love being surrounded by the old architecture
-I love my flatmates and all the students in the class! We have an awesome group.
-I love that tea and custard are cheap here.

I know there's more, but I can't think of it right now.

Thanks to everyone back home for your thoughts and prayers!

Cheers!

In Which I Leave For My Adventure

Alright! Now that I have a minute, allow me to bring you up to speed on all that's happening.

Monday, September 1

At 0-dark-hundred, got up and went to the airport!

Although really more like:


But yay! I got through security with (mostly) no problems...I kinda forgot to take out my laptop and my laptop bag was locked and my keys were in my jacket pocket in the x-ray scanner...yeah...but the TSA lady was nice about it and it was fine.

Flew to Atlanta, were, thankfully, the airport was well air conditioned--since I had a six hour layover. I got some good reading done and had Chick-Fil-A before leaving the states (yum!).

Flight to London was soooooo long. But hey! I watched How to Train Your Dragon 2, so that was awesome. Food wasn't great, my seat wouldn't recline, and the people next to me were loud...but not too horrible a flight, over all. :)

Lugged luggage around the crowded Heathrow Airport, then caught the bus with co-student Elise over to Oxford, arriving around 11:30, if I remember correctly.

Then I found a gigantic spider in one of the bathrooms, found we had no tp (thankfully the neighbors did!), had a mini-meltdown, got sick to my stomach and threw up a little, and pulled myself together to go down to the OSAP office to meet everyone and go over a few basics.

Then went to a restaurant with another student, Charity, and had super yummy fries and BBQ chicken wings. Then after a quick chat with family back home, slept hard.

Wednesday, September 2
Had some orientation on the academic system and living in Oxford and a history of Britain from 1979-90 and Margaret Thatcher. Had a chicken burrito for lunch with the rest of the Summit students. Went a tour of central Oxford. Did a little shopping--got some towels, toiletries, and my own sheet and duvet cover...the flat wasn't as clean as it could be and I wasn't sure I trusted the bedding provided. ;) Went with some of the other girls over to the guys' flat/duplex (45 minute walk one way!) for dinner. Got all my stuff unpacked.

Thursday, September 3
Had some orientation of British and European customs and mores and the nearly 100 libraries(!) in Oxford for students (although some of those are college libraries only for students of that college--such as New College, Trinity, etc.). Went shopping and got some food, groceries, and a couple other things--I can only get so much at once as depending on the store and how fast you walk it's a 15-25 minute walk to the flat and I tell you, those bags get heavy, haha. Had a jacket potato with beans and cheese for lunch. Finished organizing my room.

Basically now I'm just doing some reading, relaxing after SO MUCH WALKING ("really, there's a ridiculous amount of walking involved" *wink*), and listening to Star Lord's Awesome Mix while updating you lovely folk! Tomorrow at 11 I have one more orientation session on the Oxford essay and tutorial.

I'm starting to settle in, and I think I'm really going to enjoy my time here. I was talking to another student last night about how God provided so much (often through you guys!) and at times in seemed like a wouldn't make it, and it was really crazy thinking and talking about the last year and all the uncertainty and what-not AS I WALKED DOWN THE STREET IN OXFORD. I think that's when it really hit me...I'm here.

I'm really excited for the worldview sessions to start on Wednesday, and for the Oxford tutorials to start in October. All the info we've gotten at our quick pre-orientation has been great and exciting.

I thank you so much for your prayers and for your continued prayer.

If you'd like to know specific things to pray for, these would be great:
-That I'd adjust to walking so much--my feet are EXHAUSTED and my right shin is sore. Not sure what's with that.
-My back and shoulders are SO stiff and sore. Between sleeping on the plane, my bed (which has springs digging into my back, but I'm rotating the mattress so hopefully that helps), and carrying 1-2 shopping bags for 15 minutes, my back and shoulders are quite displeased.
-My stomach's doing better, but is still up and down a little.
-That I would continue to grow mentally and spiritually--I haven't had a lot of time and haven't read the Bible the last couple days (about to do so now!).
-That I would continue to settle in and adjust and push myself out of my bubble and comfort zone.
-Spiders. *shudder* Stay out of my room.

Thanks for reading! Here's a few pictures of my flat. There's two more bedrooms (with three flatmates) not pictured. Cheerio! :)