So, first week of classes is officially over and we've just had our first field studies trip to London for a short tour and to see The Merry Wives of Windsor at Shakespeare's Globe.
My classes seem intellectually stimulating and enjoyable. I sat in on Psychology and decided I liked it so much I would switch into it. Apparently the History course I would have had is pretty cool and less stressful a workload but since I'm really interested in psychology and resolved to take it (even after I heard that the exam is worth 80% and I need to get 78% at least in the class in order to be able to continue into second year) I still think I made the right decision. Unfortunately by the time I switched I was 2 Chapters behind in my reading of the textbook.
Similarly, I misinterpreted my French homework and need to study 4 chapters this weekend instead of the 2 I expected.
Art History is going to be really cool. Daphne (the teacher of aforementioned subject) is really down-to-earth.
Spanish is really basic so far but I'm happy to get more opportunity to practice speaking it. Unfortunately the accent of Northern Spain sounds like a lisp to me and even though I know I shouldn't insult so many people's manner of speech and just learn to embrace it - It's driving me absolutely insane! The C and Z are pronounced like a TH. (The teacher's last name is Ceraceda - pronounced Theratheda) Hopefully I'll get used to it soon.
I'm excited for English. I've read Twelfth Night in preparation for Monday's class and we did close reading on Michael Ondaatje's The Cinnamon Peeler, Robert Browning's My Last Duchess, and Blur's Charmless Man. We'll be reading Jane Eyre (which I did my independent novel study on last year) so that should be interesting especially when followed up by Wide Sargasso Sea . Also this semester we'll read Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest.
Now that I have you caught up unto my real focus - yesterday.
The day started out like crap. After going to bed at 1 I woke up at 3 - Wide Awake - the sort of wide awake where you're actually SO tired and want to sleep so badly but just can't. After tossing and turning - paranoid I would wake up my roommate with the slightest movement because everything sounds so loud at night - I gave up and jumped out of bed at 7 and took a shower. I was in such a bad mood I wrote Nick a FAT facebook message complaining about it.
Once I started complaining about not getting sleep before my big trip where I would be walking around for several hours and then standing in one place for a couple more hours I complained about everything. I was all like "I'm behind on 2 homework assignments! I'm a failure! People are gonna be disappointed in me! I suck!"
At the end I was like - "Man this is a crappy message, don't worry too much about what I'm saying I'm probably just sleep deprived. I am worried though, so just keep me in your prayers :)"
Almost immediately after, I see that Keegan Travis, a friend from camp who's really great to talk with, added me on facebook. We had a serious chat about life with Jessica McA where we were talking about how we're a community and we care about/support each other. Seeing his friend request made me think of that and made me really happy. As if God wanted to make sure I got the message, Edith started im-ing me and ended up telling me exactly what I needed to hear.
I left Bader Hall with my laptop in hand (I was using it in the hall because I didn't want to wake my roommate) and stepped out into the crisp Autumn air towards the castle for some hot breakfast. On the way I passed the Observatory, fascinated to see the dome open during the day, and noted that the way the morning sunlight hit the dew in the grass made the lawn light up like shimmering silver. I passed Jeanne and Monsieur Baguley in front of the tea room and said a quick 'Bonjour!'
Yeah, so I pretty much went from being a low-blood-pressure Demon Queen to a Disney Princess.
The dining room was empty and the cooks and I shared a laugh over the vast majority of late-risers. I grabbed my breakfast and, thankful to have my laptop with me, searched the internet for a brief description of the play we were to be seeing that night. A crowd of people I know came in and sat with me so I grabbed a tea and chatted for a while. Then I headed back before the rest to get a crack at my homework. The sky was beautiful with fluffy clouds, the birds were singing, the squirrels were scurrying, it was absolutely ridiculous.
So I worked away in my room for a while with the door open, as per the custom. I had discovered the wonder of listening to my ipod with my skype headphones and was perfectly content when out of the corner of my eye I see someone slow down when passing my door. I turned and gave them a smile. The gorgeous, model-like, long-haired blonde stood in my doorway in nothing but a generic white towel - hair still damp. ('Cara, are you bi or something?' 'Alas dear reader I've not half so interesting a secret to impart. I only wanted to tell the truth of it because we're not a unisex dorm so this was quite a strange sight.')
"Are you okay?"
"I'm sorry to bother you but -" nervous glances over both shoulders. "Could you do me a huge favour?"
Who says no to a terrified diva left so vulnerable in a hallway where rowdy boys wander about? Not I.
She had locked herself out of her room and after my second trip to the front desk we got the one-time-use keycard to work.
"Thank you so much! I really owe you one!"
"Not at all! Ciao!" :D *and wave* - I returned to my homework.
Disney Princess? PAH! I'm a freaking knight saving damsels in distress!
I am awesome.
After a bit more homework I packed up and headed for lunch with a group of girls, packed for supper, and headed for the buses with my friends Chloe, Jordan, and Ashley. Ashley, a fifth year, has become my trip buddy because she's awesome like that. :D (Nanowrimo brought us together)
We chatted Shakespeare and marveled at the scenery every so often between which I read Twelfth Night. We got into London ahead of schedule so we chatted and checked out the gift shop. There were a lot of birds in the square we started in. I was afraid of getting pooed on the whole time - right as we were leaving the girl next to me was. :(
In the gift shop, everything looked pretty nice but nothing I regretted not bringing my money to get. That was until I saw it.
It was the 'B' that caught my eye. I've probably been conditioned to notice it because of 'Brandon'. I pointed it out to Ashley. A: "Whoa! Anne Boleyn!" C: Who? A: The second wife of Henry the eighth. That's a replica of the necklace she was wearing in her last portrait. C: Oh. I just pointed it out because my last name starts with B. A: Are you going to get it? C: It's £20. A: That's a nice price. You could get away with it too because of the last name. I would get it but it'd be weird wearing it. C: Meh, I didn't bring money *lingering glance*
Flashback: Marilyn (who I worked with for years): Cara, you're to use that £25 on something completely frivolous do you understand? No books, no meals - something for yourself and then I want you to come back and tell me about it.
C: Actually, Ashley? Could I pay you back...
)
Ashley was so kind as to give me a history lesson about her too. We continued together on the tour of London and I had both Ronald (the hired tour guide) and Ashley to tell me all about it.
I have a bonfire to get to so it looks like I'm have to continue this later though. :D
