So sorry for the massive delay!

Corpus Turtle Races Blenheim Palace

BBQ with friends Kip eating fish 'n' chips

Galway!

Edinburgh with my friend Jeremy from High School 

(now studying in Scotland)

  May Day Festivities

Formal Halls! Kip, Claire and myself

SNOW!!!!!

Oxford v Cambridge football and boat race!

John and I punting with friends

Hello everyone!

So sorry I have been such a bad blogger. The past few months have been jam-packed and this just got away from me. Alright, really quick update on the last 5 months for those of you not on facebook:

Hilary Term flew by. I'm not sure where it went or what I even did. Academically, we had our normal lectures and 2 option courses which met once a week for about 2 hours and supplied plenty of readings to keep my busy. We had a massive amount of snow fall for a few weeks. It was apparently the first big snow in the region in a decade. Everyone turned into 6 year-olds and for several of my friends it was their very first snow.  Socially, I took over my shared position as Social Secretary of the St. Hugh's Middle Common Room (grad student assoc.) with my good friend Claire (the blond Australian). We've had lots of fun, successful events including parties, social hours, exchange drinks and dinners, etc. Our crew has slowed down a considerable amount as far as going out and experiencing the night life. This is an unfortunate, but somewhat necessary consequence of the increased work load and our duties at St. Hugh's. Still having lots of fun though, of course! I've also started dating a really wonderful guy from the States who I met at the Halloqueen drag bop in Michaelmas. His name is John (popular name in our family apparently), he went to Penn as an undergrad, is here earning an Masters in Education, and will be attending Harvard in the Fall to begin a PhD program. 

Break was really nice and, although I spent an enormous amount of time laying in the sun, punting, BBQ-ing, and sipping pimms and champagne with friends, I managed to get a bit of work and travel in. I went into London to see the Oxford v Cambridge football match and boat race, both of which Oxford won, of course. (GO BLUES!) I also joined John and my friend Kip on a trip to Edinburgh where we met up with some other friends. Edinburgh is beautiful and really fun. After that Kip and I ventured over to the Emerald Isle and spent a weekend in Dublin and Galway. 

We've now started Trinity Term and my course had a big paper due this past week. Now it is revising and studying crunch time for our June exams. Mine occur in 7th week of term, so June 8-12. I have 3 3-hour exams throughout the week, each consisting of 3 essays. Ahhhh! In addition, I am beginning work on my thesis and the search for something to do come October. Any ideas? 

Coming up I have a trip to Glasgow planned to see the Celtic football club play their final game of the season (John's a HUGE fan), a big black-tie ball at Oriel College, a few more social events to host, plenty of formal dinners, exams, perhaps the Royal Ascot, boat races, polo, travel in Europe, lots of picnics and punting, and some serious thesis work thrown in there somewhere.

I promise another update this term, so be on the lookout! 

xxx

Allison

Week 6 Update

Colin Dexter!

Hello everyone!

So, seeing as I have now been here for 6 weeks and only have 3 left for this term (eeck!), I decided I was long overdue for a blog update. Things have continued to be fantastic here. The work is challenging and i am still trying to strike a good balance between school and my social life, so it is stressful, but also wonderful. Although the last 6 weeks have flown by, I feel like I have been here forever. I have made an excellent group of friends both in my college and course and am beginning to meet folks from different areas.  I am picking up British slang, mostly Northerner slang since those are the folks I hang out with. Love them. Making lots of travel plans with my great new connections including Italy, Ireland, Scotland, France, Spain, Germany, Greece, Turkey, Morocco, Egypt, South Africa, Dubai, and Austria. My spring break and summer are going to be very busy. Dubai, Turkey, Italy and South Africa are absolutely happening. You have to love friends with international connections.

I attempted to start riding with the club team and made it to one practice, but it was a 5 hour ordeal to get to the barn, ride, and get back and the lesson was not that great. Needless to say, at this moment it is not worth that amount of my time. I am thinking about looking into other barns in the area and taking private lessons, so that might be an option in the spring/summer.

In keeping with the theme of this month, our MCR recently had elections for 2009 committee positions and my friends and i dominated. Kip is President, Sophie is Vice, and Claire and i am Co-Social Secretaries. This means I get to organize cultural and art outings, trips to London, Paris, etc., and I get to plan and host a lot of cocktail parties and theme parties. How perfect is that?!?!? I think this job was made for me, and with the amazing partner i have in Claire (the amazing, Australian Elle Woods) and a budget increase of 5,000, it is going to be an exceptional year at St. Hugh's. I am excited.

I also had my first Rugby experience and went to Twickenham to see England play the Pacific Islanders. It was really fun and I must say I prefer it to American Football. On Friday night I went to a panel discussion with Philip Pullman (The Golden Compass, etc.) and Colin Dexter (Inspector Morse). It was very enjoyable and Colin Dexter, bless him, is an absolute king! Hysterical.

I am currently still thinking about continuing here for another year and earn the MPhil. It just means another year's research and an additional, longer thesis, but I would get to stay on longer. One year just doesn't seem like enough. This place is truly amazing and so are the people. I can't believe I ever considered not accepting my place, but hind sight is 20-20 as they say. 

On another note, election week here was amazing. I am sure it was even better back home, and I have to say, all of the Americans were extremely emotional and very homesick that whole week, but it was great to see everything from here. So exciting. I still tear up when I think about it. I do wish I had been at home though. I am also in charge of Thanksgiving dinner for 25 people. That will be FUN. I do have a lot of help though, it will make for an exciting day. Pray for me.

As I write, it is a rainy, mild fall day out. Typical England. The boy's novice rowers are preparing for a race on the Isis and praying the river level rises to high and the race is cancelled because they have too much work. The yellowed, fall leaves are cascading down an landing in massive, golden piles on the green lawn. The sky is that "lovely" white-grey color it always is when rain is in the forecast, which is nearly everyday, and makes me want to listen to Simon and Garfunkel while drinking tea and reading "Alice in Wonderland" or some other iconic Oxonian piece of literature. Unfortunately, I have other reading to attend to concerning "the gift" and material culture. 

Well I will leave it at that. Miss you all! Come and visit!

We have had formal halls, bops, and all kinds of fun shenanigans, so please enjoy the photos! 

Much love from Oxonia,

         Allison

Matriculation!

Hello everyone! So sorry it has taken me so long to update. I am horrible at keeping this type of thing up, but I am determined to do better! Here are some images of my friends and me on Matriculation day. The large group picture is of all of the undergrad and graduate freshers at St. Hugh's. Matriculation is the book end ceremony to graduation where we are officially inducted into the university. The ceremony was only about 7 minutes long and mostly in Latin, but that is all I can tell you. And no, we don't wear our gowns everyday, unfortunately. Only for the big ceremonies and June exams. Thanks to my parents who came over to visit and acted as our own film crew. I will update shortly with actual content and pics, but I thought Matriculation needed its own entry. Miss you all!

Much love,

             Allison

I am finally here!

This first entry is going to be a stream of consciousness entry, so please forgive the unbroken rambling. Well, after many months of disbelief I have arrived at the University of Oxford and am faced with the reality that I AM here and this IS really happening for the next year. Oxford city is something out of a fairy tale with spires and steeples and plenty of interesting, beautiful, old buildings. I am at St. Hugh's, which is located North of the main city center and most of the colleges. This location might be seen as a downside by some, but I think it offers a wonderful escape from the craziness of the downtown area, which seems to be cro

wded everyday with masses of students, locals, and tourists. I am also just a short distance up the street from my program's offices and the Pitt Rivers Museum, where I will be spending much of my time. The house I am in is shown above. I have a rear room on the second floor with a fantastic view of some of the garden and the tennis courts. We have a shared bathroom with a tub and shower (although I can't seem to figure out how it works and there is no way to have warm water; it is either scalding or freezing) several toilet and sink stalls, and a shared kitchen area. The MCR also has a very nice kitchen and eating area and laundry facilities that we are allowed to use whenever we want. The MCR is luckily right next door to my house. I have met my Porters and Scouts (the very helpful keepers of the keys and mail and other useful info, and our cleaning staff) and a several other post-grad students at our MCR (post-graduate common room). Everyone has been extremely nice and I have begun to make friends. To my surprise, so far I find i can keep up quite well in conversation. American politics seems to be a very popular topic. I have been listening to BBC radio a lot and American news and history is reported and discussed as much as it is back in the states. British English, however, is still taking a bit of adjustment (although I am now finding myself thinking in a British accent) and this is most definitely a very different country in a lot of ways culturally. There is an extensive list of activities being hosted by our MCR committee all week, including Wine and Cheese night tonight, Pub outings, garden parties, and a black tie casino night. Free booze at all events, of course. We are in England and I am finding their reputation for having grand times with plenty of liquid libation is rightfully earned. My gown and my bicycle have arrived. The bike is adorable-red with a basket and bell-and is going to be extremely helpful, as long as i don't die after looking left instead of right. I haven't figured out what to do with the gown. It is a bit confusing. I have taken a few pictures around town, but more are to follow. Cheers!