Happy Fourth of July! The irony of celebrating American Independence Day in the country from which we gained independence is not lost on me. In fact, I decided to extend the irony by topping off the day with a hearty meal of fish and chips! We stopped by the local fish-n-chips take out place in Bure Farm and ordered cod and chips with vinegar. Apparently the Barberry Fish Bar is THE place around here for... well... fish n chips! They wrapped the grease-laden items in paper and by the time we walked out of the store, the grease had already seeped through the packaging. Mmmmm… fried food. =)
Besides fish n chips, how else does one celebrate our country's independence while in England? Last night, the base where Jason works held a 4th of July celebration (…on the 3rd…) complete with fireworks. Since the sun doesn’t set until after 10:00 p.m. here (a.k.a. 2200), the fireworks were scheduled for 10:30. Jason’s friends Sean and Jeanine just moved to England (they both work with him here now) and they came with us to the event. Since no Independence Day celebration is complete without ice cream, we stopped by the grocery store on the way there and each got a container to take with us, never mind the fact that it was cold and dark and we were wearing coats!
Besides fish n chips, how else does one celebrate our country's independence while in England? Last night, the base where Jason works held a 4th of July celebration (…on the 3rd…) complete with fireworks. Since the sun doesn’t set until after 10:00 p.m. here (a.k.a. 2200), the fireworks were scheduled for 10:30. Jason’s friends Sean and Jeanine just moved to England (they both work with him here now) and they came with us to the event. Since no Independence Day celebration is complete without ice cream, we stopped by the grocery store on the way there and each got a container to take with us, never mind the fact that it was cold and dark and we were wearing coats! 
I was expecting a small showering of flares and bottle rockets, but they went all out! They had speakers blaring patriotic music (lots of Sousa marches - with a random interlude of Kelly Clarkson’s “Since You Been Gone”) and had great fireworks displays timed fairly well to the music. The show lasted about 20 minutes and ended with a rousing finale set to “Proud to be an American” (can it end any other way?). I love fireworks – I always feel like such a kid when I watch them. I still squint my eyes and flinch for each explosion like I did when I was a child. The event brought out a large crowd of folks from the base (many of whom I’d met at the BBQ on Saturday) and I felt like I was home, except for the cold drizzling rain and having to button up my jacket since I was so chilled! That never happens in the south in July! Notes from class: our lecture today was on Old English Poetry. I’ve never had a significant interest in it, but the professor read it with such a great cadence that I was fascinated by it. It sounds like a Tolkein’s elvish language from Lord of the Rings (yes, I know Old English came first!). The depth of the poems from the earliest centuries is just astounding. This is another area of exposure I’m afforded by this programme. I am relishing finding my areas of weakness in my knowledge of literature. It is humbling and SO good for me!
In the Austen course today, our professor had us split into groups to discuss and present our findings on particular topics in the text (Sense and Sensibility). My group elected me the representative, so I did speak up today. We had a fascinating discussion about the comic monsters in Austen’s novels. I had never contemplated the comic monsters in Austen’s novels, going back to my previous statement about why this programme is so beneficial for me. =)
Date: 4 July 2007
Location: Oxford
Highlights:
- hearing Old English spoken by someone who really knows what she is doing
- finding a Creperie (little crepe stand) for lunch (yum!)
- locating the discount shopping district in Oxford (that could be dangerous!)
- chatting online for a bit with David Roth – sometimes I love technology - it erases the miles.
- talking on the phone with my family and hearing the sounds of 4th of July in Montreat
Thought of the Day: In the words of my very British professor: “Happy Fourth of July. We’re glad you Americans won.” =)
In the Austen course today, our professor had us split into groups to discuss and present our findings on particular topics in the text (Sense and Sensibility). My group elected me the representative, so I did speak up today. We had a fascinating discussion about the comic monsters in Austen’s novels. I had never contemplated the comic monsters in Austen’s novels, going back to my previous statement about why this programme is so beneficial for me. =)
Date: 4 July 2007
Location: Oxford
Highlights:
- hearing Old English spoken by someone who really knows what she is doing
- finding a Creperie (little crepe stand) for lunch (yum!)
- locating the discount shopping district in Oxford (that could be dangerous!)
- chatting online for a bit with David Roth – sometimes I love technology - it erases the miles.
- talking on the phone with my family and hearing the sounds of 4th of July in Montreat
Thought of the Day: In the words of my very British professor: “Happy Fourth of July. We’re glad you Americans won.” =)
Cultural Lesson: This is a new section I'm adding because I'm learning so much about little nuances that separate Britain and America. When I come across something interesting, I'll pass along the information to everyone. =)Street Performers: If you are a musician waiting to be discovered, street performance is the way to get yourself known! The same street performers have been on the streets of Oxford since I arrived. There seems to be a system among them. They all appear to know each other, and they swap corners every few hours. Their instruments range from guitars to bagpipes to didgeridoos. All of the performers I’ve seen have CDs that they sell in addition to collecting change in their cases or on a towel in front of their “stage”. People here stop to listen, and if you stop, you leave some coins. I really enjoy having the music to listen to as I browse through the shopping district (especially the bagpipes!).
