In recent days...

Went for a walk at Christ Church Meadow. It was about a mile long walk, and Tess and I saw the Thames, and the the cathedral (from the meadow). It was very quiet and soft and pleasantly away from the city center. We could still hear the street and and people talking and children shouting at a nearby school, but muffled. It was really quite beautiful hearing the sounds of all that life contrasted with the sight of the imposing, gothic towers of the school. That juxtaposition, I feel is very indicative of how I see Oxford (except sometimes not quite so muffled). The street outside almost always has people walking, shopping, talking with the buses rumbling, screeching, bumping with the new buildings leaning and becoming a little like the old buildings, watching, waiting, blending.

I also now have all of my classes set up. I have not met my Russian tutor yet, but I will be having an assessment of my Russian skills next week...we'll see how that goes (I have been reviewing). Also, I have my first assignment for my Occult Sciences in the Middle Ages (hereafter most likely referred to magic class) due on Tuesday, where I have to write a 1000 word essay on what things were "new" in the occult learning during the middle ages. I think most of it was taken from older works, but there was just an increased interest/ use of occult sciences because of changing political climate, religious views, etc.

Also, I will try to go to Ju Jitsu this week. At 8 this time.

And today Tess and I went to the Barracks Lane Community Garden. It was about a 45 minute walk away and through a much different part of Oxford than the City Centre. It was much less touristy, less focused on the university it seemed, and also a little more run-down. Is this because it's not focused on the visitors or the tourists? Maybe it's what Oxford would have been like without the University. It was on Cowley Road (if you wanted to find it on a map).

The garden we visited was a little small and not much was growing because, well, it's cold, but there were some people there. One woman who was visiting with her son and a couple 'trustees,' who helped organize and create the garden. We sat with them and drank tea in their yurt and talked about the garden and the community events they have there and how they created the garden.

It was, I think, a really good experience to get away from Oxford and see something that wasn't focused on the University, to see, at least a little bit, of how the "ordinary" people of Oxford live/ what they do.

In the common room tonight, we played an intense game of Cranium and talked. It's nice and a little easier to spend time with other people here I don't know as well and I will continue to do that.

I have been feeling a little homesick and tired and missing people from home, but I got a bunch of postcards and would like to write to people and will be Skype others soon, so that will help.

Sorry about this, but I am ending on a more tragic note: I am almost out of Cheez-its. And they are not sold in the UK.