Monday, July 7, 2014

Monday, Brought to You by Moo-Moo's Milkshakes, Oxford Sweatshirts, and a Really Good Panini

Well, yesterday was a testament to the fact that even the most beautiful fairytales have bumps and rough days, but today was proof that good days come again.

In Shakespeare we acted out A Midsummer Night's Dream and I was Hermia. It was so fun! Helena and I were basically yelling at each other, Ed and the entire class were laughing, Eli plays the most fabulous Bottom... I'm starting to wonder how on earth we ever got anything done in Finco's class because an hour is just not enough. Three hours in Shakespeare just flies by! For lunch Bella and I went into town and I grabbed a bbq chicken panini from a guy in a shack by the martyr's memorial and it was so. good. I'm going back. We went to the covered market and I grabbed another oreo milkshake from Moo-Moo's, and I decided to be naive and listen to the funny guy in the covered market who was selling sweatshirts. I'm so glad I did because it is the perfect size and quite possibly the most comfortable article of clothing I've ever put on my person. Definitely my most useful purchase yet. It gets so cold here, it's unbelievable! And this sweatshirt is just perfection.
After dinner tonight there was a seminar entitled "Knowing: What Oxford is All About." Basically, we talked about poetic wisdom and scientific progress and the importance of both and their relationship with each other which, if you think about it, really is what Oxford is all about. Oxford University is comprised of 38 colleges, so in a town full of students and higher learning institutions, the pursuit of wisdom and the goal of progress are paramount. Really, I don't believe one is better than the other. We need both. Some brains are wired to see things more metaphorically, while others work better with equations and hard facts. Personally, I am so glad there are people out there who enjoy math and science because it means I don't have to worry about it! I can stay with my words and it'll all work out. With two very different types of minds, we have two very different types of people, and when these two sides join together to compare notes and share insight, we can progress so much farther than one side could on its own. Isn't that brilliant? I just love being here and having intellectual discussions like that. I feel like this whole program is on such a higher plane than school- we're writing essays in less than a week and turning in projects within days- but I hardly notice, I love it so much. I thrive on the pressure to turn things in and impress teachers, my mind feels like it's buzzing in the best possible way. It is my happy place to sit in a room full of other students who are passionate about learning. I'm starving for more.

And then of course, after the seminar they screened the first episode of Sherlock. Words literally can't express my love for Summerfuel and England and all that I'm learning here. My heart is just so full of happiness and gratitude for the opportunity that I have to be here. Kisses for the universe! Muah!

Sincerely, mad

No comments:

Post a Comment