Week One Down!

Ahoy!

Sorry I missed a post last week... first week of classes and I was just so busy! But week one of eight in the first term is over, and I think I will really enjoy my classes. There is a TON of reading, but I guess that's what being a grad student is all about. It's a new sensation here, being in a class of Hermione Grangers. Everyone always has something to say (usually too much of something). You know when a professor asks a question and there is that silence... and usually one person feels obligated to say something? That just doesn't happen with this group. Always an answer, even for the most rhetorical questions.

However, I adore my colleagues. Everyone works incredibly hard, but we have a great time, too. We all matriculated (were formally accepted into Oxford's stately ranks) yesterday. To do this, we all threw on our sub fusc (which I found out means sombre colours) and marched down to the exam halls for a lot of queuing and a little speech. We took some class pics (these are with our whole college, i.e. Linacre), then we got a formal lunch with bottomless wine glasses.

As per tradition, we went to "The Turf" pub (the same where Bill Clinton may or may not have inhaled). Then we experienced the first of Linacre's famous "bops." Theme -- sexy sub fusc. I may have gone a little overboard, but I wasn't the only one! (Most of the folks in the pics are in my course or are Marshall folk).

On another note, I have now played three rugby matches in 7 days in three different positions -- 8 man, flanker, and hooker. I played flanker for the Oxford Blues team and feel I did well enough to stay with the Blues at least for the time being! I never thought my Oxford experience would include playing for the university's top women's rugby team. Oh, and (I know you'd be proud, Grandpa) my nickname is "Wex." I didn't even tell them, it just developed on its own.

*Cultural note of the week: England-ish dictionary. "Pants" are underwear -- don't talk to openly about your pants. If one is "pissed" he or she is drunk. If you are "takin' a piss" you are teasing someone. Urinating is "takin' a wee." If you make out with someone, you are "pulling" or "snogging" them. "Cheers" means "thanks." This last one never fails to confound me. If I say, "thanks," I stand out, but there is nothing that makes one sound more American than saying "cheerrrs." So what should I say? Thanks, cheerrrs, or che-ahs? There is no good answer...

For more fun cultural notes (this time on Basketball), check out this link to an article that one of my fellow Marshalls, (Big) Steve Danley, just wrote for the New York Times.

Be well, and write me soon -- I love to hear what everyone is up to over there!

Che-ahs,

Wex