I started out by walking vaguely towards the train station, relying on signs to lead me. I have never walked there myself. I'm notoriously bad about waiting until other people go and following them. My favorite crepe stand just happened to be on the way, and I got a slightly more healthy crepe with cheese and spinach. Oh, it was divine. Best lunch ever. Whoever said that the Brits had bad food have not been to creperies on the street where the cooks are French. The lady who made my crepe poured it on as if it were the easiest thing in the world. She slapped at it with a brush to put on butter and tossed the cheese as she were just another goddess making it rain, like she had been doing so since the beginning of time. She had a casual frown and her long blonde hair was loosely tied at the base of her neck. I envy her skill and lazy grace.
I eventually made it to the train station and got my reservation more easily than I thought. I felt so proud of myself, sort of functioning in the real world by myself. I waited in a queue and got 'er dun. You better watch out, because I may be becoming a functioning member of society.
On the way back, it started to pour. I walked about 200 yards and then I realized I had an umbrella. Oh frabjous day! I had not used my umbrella on this trip thus far. I walked a bit further and somehow got distracted by my mission by a department store. I just had to go in. It was dry in there and I could see an escalator. I planned to just ride the escalator, but it took me up to the lingerie department where they actually sell 32 A's. When I found something that fit, I thanked the lady that was helping me saying that you just can't find anything smaller than 34B in the states. She laughed, and I said it was probably because we Americans are fat. She turned a bright red and laughed and said she was glad I had said it and not she. The checkout lady was very interested in me since she has relatives in New York and Milwaukee. I wonder, do they realize that saying, "Oh! I have relatives in New York!" to a Texan is almost like saying (distance wise) "Do you know my friends in Spain?" to an Italian?
Nonetheless, she was very sweet. As soon as people see my driver's license, they always warm up to me more. People were right when they told me that Brits like Texans more than Americans!
Anywho, I put my backpack on my frontside with my sweater over it because the rain was getting worse and I had my laptop with me. Masquerading as one expecting, I thrust my umbrella back into the growing storm and went on to find my flash drive waiting for me in Boots. I got to go up another escalator! So much fun.
On the way back to Christ Church, I full-throatedly sang "I'm singing in the rain!" All the tourists were hiding in corners and shops, and the streets were free for me to dance and skip around. I love rain. I also love being able to walk without being constantly forced off of the sidewalk. Most of the people hiding under the bus stops just stared at me, probably thinking "Crazy Amerian!" But I'm okay with that.
A couple was trying to get into Tom Gate when I arrived, but the porter was adamantly prohibiting their entrance. He looked at me for a moment, and I held up one finger to ask him to wait, and I dug into my bag and pulled out my nametag, which is my golden ticket to get into Oxford if I don't know the porter. He smiled, and waved me through, and I raised my umbrella up so it would go over the couples' heads and I continued to skip and sing right through the quad into the stewards office where she printed off my paper off of my new flash drive.
Missions accomplished!
In class, Dr. Hanks labeled me the devil's advocate and used me often in his discussion of Screwtape Letters. He asked Lauren why I liked to argue with people and eventually got them to say that I was trying to figure out the truth. I think Lauren said at first that I liked to hear other people's opinions but more importantly tell everyone my opinion... Oh, she knows me too well. I have a bad habit of approaching people after class if I disagree with something they said in class and "discussing" their ideas with them until I feel like I have adequately harassed them. I do hope I still have friends by the end of the trip...
Anyways, after class, Julie the grad student and I went to the Ashmoleon museum. How come the Chinese were so much more civilized than the Anglos in 1600 BC? They already had writing and brass stuff! I'm constantly amazed. I took lots of pictures for Christian Heritage in the Constantinople and Byzantium church room. You are going down, extra credit!
We then went to Blackwell's. 5 floors of books. I bought four books. I thought I was done buying stuff, but alas, Julie and Blackwell's persuaded me.
And now I am here, telling you about my day thus far. Tomorrow we go to Edinburgh! That means five hours of TRAIN. Oh yeah. Uh-huh. I've got it.
Internet is still down, so no pictures, but we should be able to get internet in the hotel tomorrow, so I will try my best to tell you everything pictorially tomorrow. Oh family and friends, I do miss you so. But I get to see most of you next week. We should all just come here together and have a party.
Thank you!
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