Some surprises

By this point, I thought I had academic institutions figured out.  Much of the fun of arriving at a new university was that of finding hidey-holes in which to read, walks to take, and places to find food or treats.  Somehow, Oxford and I didn’t fall into that routine.  For one thing, I can’t even get into the library, much less find a good seat to call my own.  My shyness about taking tours has meant that I didn’t get to see all of what even random tourists get to see of Oxford.  Instead, I’ve spent my days wandering the streets, which have their own pleasures (finding new markets, enjoying a taste of English weather, etc.), but which don’t really feel homey and which wear me down, emotionally and physically.  I’m a bit tired of being asked for money by homeless guys and being surrounded by people who like shopping a great deal more than I do.  To put it frankly, I’m not used to being locked out of a university, and I can’t say I appreciate being on the outside.  My department building at Cornell is open to the public, and even Yale’s main library has reading rooms that anyone can visit.

I think the strangeness of my recent days also made me a bit more vulnerable to feeling like Sydney’s tag-along, and you can guess how much I like being baggage!  I’m sure once I’m home again, living my purposeful life, I’ll think more fondly of things than I am right now, when I’m confused and aimless in my activities.

That is not to say there aren’t good things: I love having tea with Sydney, enjoying one of the beverages the English do well, and I love (yes, really) the way the pale yellow stone of the colleges warms in afternoon light to a rich buttery color.  That fascinates me.

Erin