Screeched In! And Other Oxford Adventures

Never heard of a "screeching in," have you? Well, neither had I until this past week. A few Canadian Rhodies here, including one of my friends and housemates for next year, are from Newfoundland, and like all Newfoundlanders (and Canadians) I've met, they're rather proud of it. So proud, in fact, that they cheerfully bestow the status of honorary Newfoundlander on anyone who undergoes the screeching-in ceremony. Which goes something like this:

"Screech," as it's known, is a rather cheap and nasty high-alcohol-content rum made and sold in Newfoundland, apparently similar to moonshine. A screeching-in ceremony involves taking a hearty shot of this rum, like a good Newfoundlander, and being asked by the ceremony leader, "Are you a screecher?" The proper response to this, apparently, is "'Deed I is, me ol' cock! And long may yer big jib draw!" Which means, translated from the Newfoundland dialect: "Yes I am, my old friend, and may your sails always catch wind!" (I only found this out when I looked it up this morning; last night I was scratching my head at what people were actually saying.) The ceremony leaders then take out a large cod and carry it around the room, at which point all the participants must bestow the fish with a kiss on the lips. Then that's it; you are a member of the Royal Order of Newfoundland Screechers!

For more information, see Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newfoundland_Screech

(And, yes, this is something that actually happens on a regular basis all over Newfoundland.)

So, last night these three Newfoundlander ladies held a screeching-in at one of their places, a bunch of Oxford people showed up, and we all chatted for a few hours before the screeching-in began. The rum was so nasty it made me cough, and kissing a very large and very dead fish on the lips was one of the strangest things I've ever done in my life, but it was all full of laughter and good fun. (Especially watching the bunch of 30+ people each kiss the cod, which freaked a couple of the ladies and some of the gents out -- there were many attempts at fish-evasion and many grimaces to accompany the puckered lips.) And, to boot, the Newfoundlanders take this whole screeching-in thing so seriously that we got honorary membership certificates:

So, way over in jolly old England, I've been named an honorary Newfoundlander! Now I just need to make it out and visit Newfoundland...

And, in other news, the weather in Oxford has been so unbelievably, unseasonably lovely the last few days that it warrants note (like any good Brit, I'm becoming preoccupied with the weather). Temps have been up in the 60s, the sun has been gorgeously clear and blue, and it all reminds me of being back in California. Friday was a day full of lunch and coffee dates outside with friends, followed by a formal guest dinner at St. John's, and I've taken long walks with friends each of the last two days. Oxford's flowers are in bloom, the temperatures are warm and glorious, and spring is vibrantly in the air. Affect my productivity it might, but I could get used to this for sure!