English Faculty Induction

Today I seriously saw a professor riding through Oxford on a bicycle who looked just like Dumbledore!

And, aside from that, I had my postgraduate induction at the English faculty this afternoon (read: incoming grad student orientation at the English department). May I just say, this year is going to be a sprint, through all of the material, and during Oxford's incredibly short terms besides. I can barely see over the mountainloads of reading ahead of me, but I'm preparing to plunge right in. Starting with several theoretical/critical essays on modernism. Here we go.

Final side note: after the induction activities, we had yet another "meet and greet" mixer with free food and copious drinks. Such an Oxford thing. I found myself recognizing who was American almost immediately, based not only on accent but also on demeanor. (That has been a common theme during my time at Oxford; I should write more on the topic later.) But many of the Oxford students here are not Americans, and I found myself explaining to a student from somewhere in continental Europe about where the state of New Mexico is. She thought it was part of Central America (....) and located right on the Atlantic Ocean, on the Gulf of Mexico (.................).

Another person asked me if I was from "Albuqwerqwe." Yeah, sure, I am. At least she had heard of it.

First New Mexican most anyone has ever met, let's go get this thing right.

Windsor!

Today, the 2013 Rhodes class loaded up on a couple coaches and headed over to Windsor for a few hours of sightseeing at Windsor Castle. We had our welcome day at Rhodes House yesterday, as well as a "meet and mingle" evening event, so my mind was already reeling with many new names and faces. The Rhodes House welcome day was much more congenial and informal than I'd expected, with some opening remarks by the Warden followed by a group photo (for which the sun actually cooperated and stuck its head out of the clouds!), an information session on various Rhodes-centered clubs and organizations, some lunch, and a rather hilarious auction of various practical and not-so-practical Oxford goods to benefit charitable organizations in Africa. I also got to meet two of the sign language interpreters I'll be working with this year, and was very glad to find that I hit it off with both of them immediately. I hit it off with a few others at the meet and mingle in the evening, too, and discovered many similar interests and personalities. I'm thankful for that.

Anyway, to Windsor. I'd been to the castle before, in fall 2010 when I went on a chilly November day near the end of the term. It was one of the trips I took around the UK by myself, since I'm one of those people who loves visiting old castles and houses and country estates and my Stanford peers were rather tired of such things by that point in the term. Despite the overcast weather, it was a nice day of wandering around and reflecting quietly to myself. Okay, so I admit the clouds did lend themselves to contemplation.

The Long Walk, Windsor, November 2010

Needless to say, the weather was much nicer this time:

Much better!

We toured the castle, which was strange and medieval and grand and gaudy and impressive as ever, then slipped out to the grounds for a short walk down the Long Walk (which I walked last time, all the way out to the statue of King George IV at the very end of the pathway, a trip that took almost two hours). Then it was back to grab some ice cream, get on the bus, and head back to Oxford (for more dinnertime and after-dinner socializing and meeting and mingling; how familiar that all feels by now!!).

I mean, could you have a more gorgeous English October day?

Oh, and when leaving Windsor we saw some of the queen's horses out for a hack down the streets by the castle, just casually. I will need to get back in a saddle soon!

!!!!

Down the Rabbit-Hole

How funny it is to be back in the UK. While running errands today, I again found myself marveling at the streets of Oxford, the different pace of life here, and the fact that I've somehow wound up in this place for a second time abroad. It still feels surreal. Certain details -- some of them well-known, others new -- jumped out at me, especially in the areas in which Oxford, um... differs from America. This is a very different university than Stanford. Not better or worse in many ways, just so different as to be nearly incomparable in some aspects. Musings on that topic:

1. A rule that has applied thus far -- and that I suspect will continue to apply -- is that it almost invariably rains when I go outside. Then I find myself drying off indoors and, behold! sun! A small purse-size umbrella is a must. (I don't think I am going to find this pattern as amusing after a few more months.)

2. I was in the shopping center today and needed to, well, use the restroom. So I found a British lady and asked her, a little tentatively, "Where's the loo?" She raised one eyebrow. So I said, "I mean, where's the toilet? The water closet?" Ah, she got it that time. I must not have said "loo"quite like a British person.

3. The British really are experts in the art of queueing. Perfect straight little lines at all the bus stops. That's all I have to say.

5. Are the British afraid of fire? I mean, irrationally, excessively afraid of fire? Practically every door, everywhere, is marked, "Fire door; keep shut" (as anyone who has visited the UK knows). My building in my college also has a side stairwell marked, "Fire shelter area." And fire exits are ubiquitous. With all the rain here, really...?

6. What's with these British faucets? Hot out of one side, cold out of the other, so all you achieve are burnt or frozen hands. Fortunately, my room is a newer sort, so I can mix the two temperatures out of one faucet (what a concept).

7. Evensong at Christ Church College (which I didn't attend the last time I was here, for any of the colleges) is a rather beautiful tradition. It's an evening choral service that takes place in the big cathedral (or college chapel, for the smaller colleges), and with the flickering candles, ringing voices from the singers, and old stone Gothic arches I felt like I had stepped through a door into many centuries ago. I got to go with some other Rhodies and it was great fun.

8. I haven't yet made the mistake of answering "You all right?" with "Yes," but then again I also haven't yet been asked! I am sure I will end up looking like what I am, a silly American.

These observations, as mentioned, are not new or groundbreaking in terms of capturing the flavor and texture of Oxford and the UK. But they struck my American self today -- that's right, I've slipped down the rabbit-hole to a very different place. Though I haven't encountered the Jabberwocky yet, and certainly won't tonight, since I've just sipped a pint of cider with new Rhodes friends and am heading to bed.

Before then, one last side note. It's not just my observations that seem fresh, new, or different; it's also me. Of course I've grown, matured, gained more experience, and so forth. But the last time I was in Oxford was also right after the summer I got my cochlear implant. I was still overwhelmed by that experience at the time, and looking back I admit that I largely avoided talking to strangers (especially British/international strangers) since it was so difficult. Now, it's still a challenge, but I've noticed that the conversational flow comes so much more easily, even with people who have an accent. I've made friends with the college porters already (more about the structure and operations of the Oxford colleges later), and while out and about I'm much more at ease asking surrounding people for help. And it's much more fun to learn about people from different backgrounds and find what their lives and perspectives are like. That feels like a small victory in its own right!

Arrival Day!

Spare post with few details and no pictures at the moment, but I am back in Oxford! We arrived in London Heathrow this morning around 7am after flying last night from Washington. Sitting on the coach bus sent out to the airport for all the Rhodes scholars, while gazing through the window at the quintessentially English rolling green hills and sheep, tossed me into a surreal glow. (Okay, that might have been the jet lag. I hardly slept a wink on the plane last night and was definitely among those in "zombie" rather than "uncontrollable hysteria" mode this morning.) Could I really be back in this place again? With these people? And about to stay here for two years? I've spent weeks and months thinking about this moment, planning for it, visualizing it, but today all I could do was buckle before the immensity of the moment. Really, what I mean is that all my attempted imaginings and stabs at getting my life in order shifted in the face of the reality: these next two years are going to be huge, and are going to introduce me to things and change me in ways that I currently cannot anticipate, at least not fully.

Having Oxford feel so familiar, both from my time here three years ago through the Stanford overseas program and from my short sweep through this summer, only added to these feelings of incredulity. Nonetheless, I managed to get all my bags into my gorgeous new room at St. John's College (not unpacked yet, but photos coming soon) and took a tour around town before meeting some Stanford friends and former riding teammates for afternoon tea. Worlds intersected there again, but in a wonderful way, and I left to spend a few more hours figuring out internet and IT services at Oxford (read: not remotely resembling those at Stanford!!) before joining some of the other Rhodies at a tavern in Jericho for dinner. At which the customer service was subpar, another welcome-to-Britain moment... oh dear.

Walking back from dinner through the dark roads and cobblestone paths of Oxford, past a crumbling cemetery or two by St. Giles', I couldn't help but reflect on the nature of the scene: take out the cars passing by, and dim the lights in the windows, and I could have been transported centuries ago, or just about. The air felt cool and slightly damp, and with it came a brooding sense of time and age among the stone. This intersection -- between novelty and self-discovery, innovation and stability, tradition and time -- is part of what fascinates me about this place and leaves me wrestling to understand its impending influence in my life. May the explorations begin, then, but only after a good night's sleep. To bed and, as the British say, cheerio.

BVW, Continued (Even When the Government Shuts Down)

Interesting times to be in Washington, DC, indeed... The government shutdown is on everyone's lips, and much of the conversation yesterday involved speculations about whether Congress would actually manage to pass a budget resolution by midnight.

Alas, it did not, and because of the shutdown the group of us Rhodies couldn't make our breakfast at the U.S. Capitol this morning (nor our lecture at the Library of Congress). Instead, a group of current and former senators came to talk to us at our hotel at Dupont Circle, and we stuck around that area of town for much of the morning. Getting to talk to some senators, all of them Rhodes scholars, about the current fiscal crisis and political gridlock in Congress was a fascinating experience, especially in light of the immediate political atmosphere. Sen. David Vitter, before rushing back to the Capitol to participate in the latest budget measure vote, said that he "did not have a crystal ball" and didn't know how long the shutdown would last, but pointed out that he would be shocked if it dragged on and affected the average citizen beyond what appears on the news. Former Sens. Richard Lugar and Paul Sarbanes were less concerned with downplaying the situation and defusing alarm, on the other hand, and engaged in some very candid discussion of the increasingly dysfunctional mode of American government and the need for strong leadership, wherever those talents come from. "Not all of us can be brilliant writers, so some of us become senators..." That line made me smile.

The week thus far has been full of similarly thoughtful conversations, from our visit to the White House Eisenhower Executive Office Building and the World Bank yesterday, to our many receptions with Rhodes alumni at various locations throughout Washington. Engaging in serious, intellectually-driven conversations, whether those take place at receptions or informal gatherings or formal events, seems to be at the core of this Oxford experience and Rhodes community. And, following that thought, I am finding myself enjoying such constant conversation more than I expected myself to. One of the board members of the American Association of Rhodes Scholars chatted with me the other day about the pleasure of cultivating that vanishing art of deep conversation, rather than small talk or pointless discussions. I know I can still do more to improve those skills, and am looking forward to fostering them in myself over the next few years. Plus, I was very, very excited to meet Nicholas Kristof in person on Sunday (!!), and a new Rhodes friend of mine saw Walter Isaacson (author of several well-known biographies, on Steve Jobs and Albert Einstein and others) at the reception at the British deputy ambassador's house last night. We also think we saw Karl Rove on the street in Washington today.

Tomorrow is our last day in Washington (and stateside) before we fly to Heathrow and journey out to Oxford. I'm headed to one last group dinner at a local Rhodes alum's home tonight, and then will attend a send-off luncheon with the other scholars tomorrow en route to our travels abroad. It's been a whirlwind week, and will be strange to leave America to begin this new adventure -- particularly in the middle of such confounding political drama. We walked through the National Mall this afternoon to do some sightseeing, and saw several protesters out on the streets. Once we reached the National Mall itself and walked out to the Lincoln Memorial, we found this:

Thanks, Congress. At least I made it out for my own visit earlier this week. And (as hard as it is to say this), at least I'm taking a little break from America for a while. I love my country, but I am looking forward to exploring other places in the world and reflecting on the purpose and the values of the United States from another perspective. Stay sane, America, please. Or try to. See you in December.

And It Begins! Step One: D.C.

Here's to you, Mr. Lincoln!

Buy last-minute things. Take care of miscellaneous tasks before traveling overseas. Pack. Board a plane. Arrive in D.C. And it all begins!

This sums up my activities during the last week or so. After such a long, leisurely summer, I was startled to find Oxford staring me in the face, startled by the length of my to-do list -- and, yes, startled by how difficult it was to fit my life for the next two years into just a few bags headed across the pond. (A demonstration of my degree of surprise: I expected to be able to pack one large suitcase and one carry-on and just take the rest of my stuff at Christmas. Within only a few minutes of packing, however, these illusions vanished. Two fifty-pound suitcases it was, plus carry-ons that were so heavy and so close to bursting that I broke a decent sweat hauling them on and off my two planes to D.C.) Whoever invented the vacuum bag deserves an award. And my mom deserves an award, too, for putting up with me and helping me distribute the weight among my various suitcases.

Here I am in the nation's capital, for my last few days before I depart for Oxford. I had the good fortune to be able to visit with several wonderful friends from New Mexico and California before the Rhodes Bon Voyage Weekend started last night. Friday and Saturday also involved a bit of sightseeing with and without friends, including a walk out to revisit some D.C. monuments and a hike up and down the Potomac River at Great Falls, Virginia. (The falls were beautiful in their own way, even if I maintain that Virginia landscape -- and Eastern landscape in general -- lacks the stunning sublimity, scale, color, and sheer energy of the West.)

Currents pounding down the Potomac at Great Falls, Virginia -- a nice outing from the city!

Anyway, as of yesterday evening, the Rhodes class of 2013 hit the ground running. I cannot believe I am here, and I already cannot believe how amazing these people are. I've had several great conversations during the last few days, ranging from theological philosophy and Middle Eastern politics to neuroscience and prosthetic limbs, to the oddities of British weather and culture that we all anticipate. Several more days await in D.C., filled with many more receptions and outings to various offices and institutions around the city. More on that later, but this is going to be quite the adventure!

The End of Summer Approacheth

Oxford marches closer! I've finished my summer internships, enjoyed a great camping trip through the national parks of Utah with my father, and am now staring at the reality that I'll be leaving home in a little over ten days' time.

I won't actually arrive in the UK until October 3; the American Association of Rhodes Scholars hosts a Bon Voyage Weekend in Washington, DC for all American Rhodies (and some of their international peers who happen to be stateside) over the last weekend/last few days before departing to Oxford in September and October. The American Rhodes scholars used to head over to the UK via boat, actually, when the Queen Elizabeth II (or Queen Mary, I can't remember which) would transport everyone over the open seas of the Atlantic Ocean to England. I admit I wish this tradition were still in place, simply because it sounds so neat to make a transatlantic voyage, but it stopped after the oil crises of the 1970s collided with some major renovation to the ship. Around a decade ago, the AARS instilled this Bon Voyage Weekend on the pre-Oxford agenda to try to recreate that sense of unity, bonding, and community among the American Rhodes class before they share in many overseas experiences together. I haven't seen this year's exact schedule yet, but it sounds like we will be paying a visit to the White House, the Capitol, the British Embassy, and a few private homes around the DC area over the course of the five days. This truly exceeds any experience I've ever had, and I'm so very excited to get started!

Next on my to-do list is accumulating more "weather appropriate" clothes for Oxford, being sure I have everything together and organized, bidding goodbye to my family and some friends in New Mexico, and doing some pre-Oxford reading. This experience has hovered on the horizon for so long now, I can't believe I'm about to make it a reality. Here's to making the most of every second, from Bon Voyage Weekend to the experiences beyond.