Getting Busy

Monday night, Amanda and I went to a gym to meet the women's rowing team. We did a short workout on the rowing machines, and it was good to get the feel of the motion again (I rowed for about five weeks and few summers ago, and I loved it). Yesterday morning, bright and early, I met a group to go row on the river (the Isis, as the Thames is called in Oxford). After running down to the boat houses, we were in the water at 7:00 (actually a bit earlier, because a guy yelled at us for getting in before we were allowed to). Since I said that I had rowed before, they pretty much gave me no tips, so it took me a while to remember all the terminology. Plus, listening to a shouting British accent isn't very helpful. I didn't realize it would be so tough to understand sometimes. In the end, it was a great workout, and most of the girls were extremely friendly.

During the day yesterday I touched up my Egyptology paper a bit and then just hung around until my meeting with Dr. Gilbert, by Biochemistry tutor. It was a very quick meeting because he is a very busy man (he's one of the Deans). Then my Egyptology tutorial, which went pretty well. Gareth talks and talks and talks, and then abruptly stops and expects me to have something brilliant to say, when I don't. That was awkward at times.

At 4:00 I met a bunch of people from the program at to watch the Inauguration at a restaurant/bar called "Old Orleans". How appropriate. Big day. The best part was probably the benediction, because that man's rhyming was hilarious.

Dinner in hall. It's a pretty inefficient process. We waited in a line for ever. Then home to chill out for a while.

Ben, a kid from the program who lives in the same complex, went to a discussion society meeting today, and a kid invited him to his room for a little party last night. Ben asked if I wanted to go, and after much debating, I finally went. Getting there is the hardest part for me because I convince myself that I am incredibly shy. I'm not. But I still think that I am. Anyway, I am very glad that I went because it was a nice, relaxed way to meet some British students. And boy were they nerdy. I couldn't have asked for a better introduction into the life of real Oxford students. Now, I'm sure there are non-geeky students here. But these guys were just hilarious. Awkward, intellectual conversation ensued, and it was a great time. Extremely friendly kids, which was great. I was talking with one kid about Habitat for Humanity, and with a blank look, he said, "I don't get it, why do you build houses?" So I replied with something along the lines of, service, volunteers, people need homes, you know. "Oh. Our government makes sure people have homes here". ... Awkward. He also gave me a copy of a magazine that homeless people put together and sell on the street. I haven't read it yet, but it looks pretty nice.