Sunday, July 13, 2008

Oxford!

I’m sitting in the airport typing on my laptop waiting for my flight. It really doesn’t get much cooler than this. Before I got to the airport, I had this image in my mind of me being this uber-cool sophisticated traveler. You know, like the ones in the movies? Well, all was going my way until I got up to the baggage check-in. Turns out you can only have a suitcase that weights less than 70 lbs. Pssh…70 lbs? I can lift that with my pinky toe. Well, my suitcase weighed 73 lbs, so I had to take out some stuff and put it into my smaller one. That’s where the sophisticated traveler image went out the door. After I added stuff to my smaller one, it wouldn’t shut. My suitcases are the hard-case kind, so it’s not very easy to just stuff it in and pull and pull the zipper until it closes. I’m kneeling on the ground leaning on my suitcase trying to get it to shut. My mom is trying to help as well and kneeling on and the sort. Then I hear a nice female voice say “excuse me ma’am?” And I think to myself “yay! Someone is going to help me or tell me it’s fine, they’ll make an exception for my suitcase.” I look up and she’s smiling sweetly and then she says, “Could you move down, I have to start checking in here.” If I didn’t feel like a complete idiot before, she certainly helped seal the deal. —Pause— As I’m writing this, right behind me there is a TV and it’s showing a golf tournament. If watching golf is annoying, listening to the announcers is about 10 times worse. When someone does something good or bad they go “oooo….” or “hmm….” —Continue—I scoot my suitcases over some and the “sweet” lady says, “Uhh…actually can you scoot further back, thanks.” Then I thought to myself “Slut.”

P.S. The security threat advisory thing is Orange. I think on the scale it’s like this: Orange, Re…UH OH. Too late.

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Now...I have arrived and it is one of the greatest things in my life. Brasenose College was built in the 13th century...I'm staying there. Yep. It's pretty spectacular. Views from my room.








The Chapel







I really liked this picture






The Library! When I went in it, it didn't seem like anyone was in there. We were being quiet and all, but when I go to the end, I couldn't help but scream out "IT'S LIKE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST!" About that time, a guy stuck his head around the corner. I wanted to crawl and lie down and die in embarrassment.



Another college thing across from ours, taken through the library window.






My room is amazing, and is so cute and picturesque. Kind of like being in a movie. My windows (have two, each with a windowseat) face out to a lovely view and my ceiling is vaulted some. It reminds me of one of those super cool attics that people would make into a bedroom.











My room is on the window to the right...with the little gable thingy



The city of Oxford is also an incredibly cute city. But SOO many tourists, just throngs and throngs of people. Don't they know we're the only people that are supposed to be here? Go home, dumb tourists. I'm not going to lie, I really enjoy being able to waltz by the "Closed to visitors" sign right in front of the doorway, and all the tourists are trying to peek in and I'm like "Ahem, excuse me. Hmm? What did you ask? No, no I'm not a visitor. I'm a resident." This afternoon we went on a long walk. I heard someone say 6 miles, but I'm not sure. We walked through a meadow and alongside the Thames river, although I didn't realize it was the Thames river at the time. It might would've been even more enjoyable had I known that. But, I got some nice river shots, without knowing what river it was...






Look at the smoke coming out from the chimney!! ha...fantastical (obviously I am running low on adjectives)








The view from the pub thing we went to towards the end of the walk, actually more like mid-walk, because then we had to walk back.



That cow was close, like close enough to touch



After we got back from the walk, a few of us went to a café that was just adorable and had funny sayings all over the walls. Laura read aloud her biscuit label which said "stupid little biscuit." We all thought she was being somewhat out of character as well as ungrateful and Amanda said, "At least you have one!"














Then we came back to Brasenose and hung out in the little pub thing downstairs. We were ridiculously giggly over all the British boys in there, which is understandable. I actually went up to the bar with the cute bartender and said "I'd like a glass of water...on the rocks." And then he went "oooh, fancy" in an extremely attractive accent.


Candid! ha






This was a long blog for just two days. But as the British hottie told us, "it's a one way ticket to...FUN."

2 comments:

The Daigles said...

Fun fun! Can't wait to see more pics!

~~Rachael~~ said...

Have you started classes yet? cuz this super nerd wants to hear all about that side of your trip too.