Long Day

I left home around 7 pm last night, fought my way through the crowds and lines at Dulles, and made it on my plane. The plane ride was pretty uneventful and I managed to sleep restlessly for three hours. I got off the plane excited and optimistic. We had landed early, which would give me more time to get through immigration, get my bag, and catch my bus. I passed through immigration and headed to the baggage claim. I was waiting and waiting as a sinking feeling started to develop. A nice British man who worked in the baggage claim came up to ask me if my bags had not come yet. I nodded yes so he asked for my name and went to check with the United representatives. Turns out my bag had been left behind in D.C. and wouldn't be arriving in London until this evening, which then of course meant that it wouldn't get to Oxford until tomorrow afternoon. Let's just say I wasn't happy and because of the lose of my baggage I had to fill out a bunch of paperwork, which then made me late for my bus. Luckily I made my bus with a little time to spare and the bus driver was a jovial middle-aged balding man wearing aviator sunglasses who tried to make me feel a bit better about losing my bag by joking around.

Sunrise!

Inside the bus

On the way to Oxford

The bus ride to Oxford was only about an hour because of the time of day we were traveling. I was no where near as disconcerted about the fact that people drive on the opposite side of the road as I thought I would be. I guess spending four months in Hong Kong where people also do that made me very used to it. When the bus stopped at the stop I needed to get off on, St. Clement's Road, in Oxford, I discovered that there were four other students from WAC also on the bus. We then started to wander around with the help of a pretty useless map, trying to find the right place. James, a fellow senior on the trip, ended up running into a shop to ask directions. We found the place we are going to stay at for the next week, St. Stephen's House, and knocked. Since our rooms weren't ready, we sat in the library for an hour or so just chatting until Dr. Prud'homme (the professor from WAC who organized this trip) came and found us.

Dr. Prud'homme is a very goofy, scatter brained, brilliant man. Apparently in one of his classes, the students dared him to try and sit in the chair at the head of the class for the entire period. He ended up hopping around the classroom in the chair because he just can't stop moving.

Our rooms were finally ready around 2 pm. I am rooming with the one other girl on the trip, Ellen. She's a junior who is majoring in History and English. We spent the afternoon getting to know each other and relaxing. Well, she unpacked, but I didn't have anything to unpack so I just sat there. In the middle of the afternoon, a fire drill went off because of paint fumes from the workmen who are repainting the hallway that I am living in. Eventually, at around four, we were called to the library again to have tea. The two hours before dinner time were spent socializing and joking around. We met the man who is going to run most of our classes on Islam this week. I can't remember his name now as I am exhausted and somewhat brain dead.

Dinner was mashed potatoes and sausage but they made a special dish for vegetarians. It was some sort of vegetable pie that sort of reminded me of the unappetizing boxed lunches I got during orientation at Lingnan. I sort of picked at it since I was way too tired to be super hungry. After dinner, James, Brian, Ellen, and I went with Dr. Prud'homme to see the church. While there, Dr. Prud'homme spent a long time explaining the difference between the Anglican and Episcopalian churches to me.

Dining Room

Walking to the church

At 7, we had to go to our introductory lecture. Starting tomorrow and lasting until Thursday, we are studying Islam and how it interacts with Christianity. I barely made it through the lecture with my eyes open. It wasn't that it was boring... I was just tired. After a break for drinks, we started watching a movie called "The Messenger," about Muhammad. Also barely survived that. Now I am about to go to bed. I have to sleep in my shirt that I have been wearing since yesterday. Ellen offered to let me wear one of her shirts tomorrow until my bags come so at least I don't have to wear the exact same outfit. Cannot wait for my bag to come. I am trying to be optimistic about this program, but am still feeling wary about how religious everything is. I am sure I will feel much better once my bag gets here with all my clothes and comforts from home. 

Our room.