Well, I begin this post with a heavy heart, as my beloved Tigers fell short in the World Series last night. However, I'm refusing to lose sight of the year we just had, as it is a far cry from years previous. In that vein, I figured this quiet Saturday morning would be a good time for reflection – on the Tigers, on time in Oxford, on life in general…

Unfortunately, it being a Saturday morning in Oxford, I don’t have time for reflections. I’ve got plans with a man and a courtesan. Ha! Before everyone freaks out, I’m only reading Defoe’s Roxana. But good way to grab everyone’s attention!

Anyway, I feel like since Italy, there hasn’t been too much to update about that will keep my audience captivated. I haven’t taken any pictures of the scenery lately, and there just hasn’t been much happening, aside from reading & writing essays.

We did, however, have a Harvest Party here at the Vines last Friday evening. Desserts, dancing, and disguises! Sounds almost like the Restoration comedies I’ve been reading lately, but I promise much less bawdy. Megan & I dressed up as the World Cup winning Italy soccer team! Mostly because we didn’t want to spend money on costumes, and we had both purchased cute little jerseys while in Italia.

Yeah, we’re pretty much the best looking players to grace the team.

Our house is currently being taken over by wasps. I’m not really sure what’s going on, but every morning there are at least half a dozen in the bathroom. This morning I walked in, and someone had killed all but one – and left the little dead carcasses lying everywhere! Gross.

Well, as warned, not the most riveting update, but I figured that since we only have around 40 days left, I’d better get the updates in while I still can.

Hope everyone is doing well back home, or wherever you may be!

Love to all,
Rachel

Take Anything You Want

Let me begin this short entry by stating: I promise I really do schoolwork while I'm here.

That said, I'd like to encourage everyone to visit this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0W1VY4b9IQQ

Quite possibly one of the most hilarious/disturbing? things I've seen in awhile.

Enjoy!

Overall, the weather in Oxford has been beautiful. However, sometimes it rains. Sometimes it even pours. Yesterday... it poured. Thankfully, in the late afternoon when Megan & I were walking back to the Vines from city centre, the rain had lessened drastically. The walk back takes approximately half an hour, and we had been walking for about 20 minutes, painstakingly avoiding puddles and mud and the like. As we were laughing and stepping gingerly around a fairly deep puddle at the bottom of a bridge, a gentleman on a bike rode by and called out a warning. We didn't hear him very clearly, but we thought he said something about water being so deep that it wasn't worth it to try to avoid. However, we managed to stay relatively dry, except for Megan's cute little flats, which were sufficiently wet. Luckily, she was wearing a skirt, so she didn't need to worry about wet cuffs or pantlegs. I, however, was using a little more caution, as I was wearing my suede (it's true) Puma sneakers and jeans. We successfully made our way around the puddle and laughed about the man who had ridden past...

But then we came to the flooded street. Think: Venice. One of the streets that we needed to take to get back was completely flooded - the street, the sidewalk - there was no getting through. Megan, being a sport (and having already completely soaked shoes), decided to simply wade on through. I, however, was not about to submit myself to such atrocity. I had devised a brilliant plan of shimmying along a fence in the front yard of an unsuspecting house. The water was just barely over the bottom rung of the fence, so I rolled up my cuffs and began executing my ingenious scheme. Meanwhile, Megan and I were in hysterics because of how ridiculous we looked & how preposterous the whole situation was. I caught my breath and said to her, "I hope this family doesn't mind that I am using their fence as a bridge!"

I had spoken too soon.

Not 10 seconds after this hasty comment, a face appeared at the open window of the house, and a woman called out, "Excuse me... excuse me - please, could you get off the fence? It will break."

I glanced at the woman, stared in horror at the lake surrounding me, glanced back at the woman and sighed. "Okay... sorry," I replied. I gazed forlornly at the fence, then begrudgingly resigned myself to my aquatic demise. Megan and I slogged through the urban lagoon for about half a block, until it finally receded and dumped us out onto the street - tattered, drenched & a little more worldwise, but still in good spirits.

I only wish that I had pictures so everyone could have enjoyed pictures of the fiasco, but the mere tale must suffice, as a camera was not at hand.

My love to all,
Rachel

Ciao Family & Friends!

The last time I left you, I looked something like this, having just completed my papers:



And now, a short 5 days later, I greet you jubilantly, having returned safely from a glorious vacation in Bella Italia! Italy is all they say and more. What an amazingly beautiful country...


Our journey began with a SCIO field trip to London, in which we visited the Imperial War Museum. Trying to get out the door that morning was a little hectic, and in my haste to send a last email to my sweet fiance, on my way out I stubbed my toe on the stair, and I'm pretty sure I broke it, as I heard the pop, it has been swollen and black and blue and has a weird bump on the side, and... well, see for yourselves. (Enlarge for further hideous detail, if you dare.)



Not the best timing in the world, as we had a lot of walking in our very near future, but thankfully the pain hasn't been terrible.

After a long day, we arrived safe & sound in Italy, and our bus driver even deposited us directly across the street from our hotel! Venice was my favorite part of the trip. Actually, I think it was everyone's favorite part. It was beautiful, relaxed, friendly - and the streets are canals!





Also, we went on a gondola ride! Our driver (well, what would you call him?) was named Igor - despite the name, definitely Italian. Igor let me help him row! In all actuality, I held on to the paddle-thing while he did the work.



He told us that the best local place for food was his house - his wife would gladly make us dinner. Generous offer, but we had to decline. We had more city to see!

Florence... we unfortunately were not there very long, as the morning train was sold out. However, we were able to see THE David ("in all his gwowious manhood," as Sister Wendy would say).


Censored for younger audience (and Grandma).


I don't even know what this building is, but it's awesome & huge.

Florence had the best gelato out of the 3 cities. And believe me, we sufficiently sampled the gelato in all three cities, so I feel authorized to make that judgement.

Rome... Pax Romana. Where do I begin? All those years of high school Latin... almost felt like I was visiting an old friend. A rather beautifully ruinous, historical mammoth of a friend.


A leisurely stroll through Circus Maximus (i.e. Ben Hur's race track)


Various aspects of the Roman Forum


Colosseum.


Again.

We definitely lucked out with the Colosseum viewing - there was a long line, but one of the guys who worked there was calling out for a group of 6 for the last English guided tour of the day - bingo!

Day 2 of Rome, we got up early to go to sightseeing! When we arrived at our first goal, we were seriously debating whether or not we should even bother waiting in this:



But it was well worth it for this:


The Vatican Museum!!!

Our group got a little separated in the Vatican, but we had previously decided to meet at the exit afterward. Well, turns out there are 2 exits. Leilani, Megan & I were waiting at one exit, while Jill, Laura & Lauren were waiting at the other exit. After almost 2 hours, we simultaneously decided to carry on with our days and hope the others would be back at our apartment that evening. Long story short - it worked! Apparently both groups were also at the Pantheon around the same time, but missed each other.




Leilani, Megs & me outside the Pantheon

All in all - Italy is gorgeous and I definitely hope I am able to return someday. Thanks so much to everyone for your prayers... our trip was so much fun, and everything (for the most part) went smoothly & safely! I loved it!!


So, now we are getting back to business as usual. Next week our lectures and tutorials start. Today I found out about my tutorials:
Primary Tutorial: English Literature 1642-1740 with Dr. Emma Plaskitt
Secondary Tutorial: History, Use & Theory of English Language with Dr. Santha Bhattacharji

I don't know Dr. Plaskitt yet but have heard that she is "lovely!" Dr. B is my seminar tutor, so I already know her and really like her.

ALSO! Got my first case study back! We don't have an official "mark" yet, but very encouraging remark at the end of the paper. :)

Shoutouts for today:
Happy birthday to my wonderful cousin BECCA!!!
Happy birthday to my future sister-in-law MICHELE!!!
I love you both & hope you are both enjoying your day of birth!

Not much else to update about. I miss & love everyone! I'll end with a quote from an Italian shopkeeper that Megan & I chatted with while we were making a purchase. After finding out that we were from California and New York, he raised his eyebrows, smiled and said (with an Italian accent, of course),

"And you study in Oxford and vacation in Italy? Not too bad, babies. Not too bad."