Tutorials and Magdalen Slop

Well it's been a little while since I updated everyone on my oh-so-interesting life here in England, but that's not without good reason because I have started the ominous and dreadful.... TUTORIAL.

A tutorial is basically a one-on-one method of learning where I meet once a week with a professor and discuss the reading and writing I have been preparing. "Reading" means at least 5 books (books, not articles), and "writing" is generally 8 pages of report/argument. It's intense, to say the least. But what's great about the tutorial is that instead of putting all my research off until the last minute to frantically write a long paper, as I normally would at Stanford, I have opted to just work a couple of hours every day. Doing this gives me a chance to enjoy the reading I'm doing, process it and then write a coherent paper. It sounds reasonable until I realize that next 50 days or so will be continuous work. Not so fun.

My tutor is the lovely Ms. Helena Chance (if you google her, you will find a pretty picture). She has a great sense of humor and is really knowledgeable about the Architecture of Oxford. I think she gives tours around the city and also teaches classes on Architecture in the "Continuing Studies" department of the University. We meet on Thursday afternoons in an old History Faculty lounge, drink tea, and talk about old stuff. It's very English and very fun. I'm so excited that I get the opportunity to learn like this, even though it is really time consuming.

I've written two papers so far, one of which I completed a few hours ago. I might post one later after Helena has given it a good thrashing and found my inevitable mistakes. They aren't fancy, but they'll give you an idea of what I've been stuffing my brain with.

Don't be fooled, however, for there is more to life in Oxford than a tutorial! In fact, I am heading to the Opera on Friday night to see La Boheme (Arianne just squealed, I know it) and on Saturday I'm going on a day trip to Bath with a gaggle of housemates. Expect pictures. Of Baths.

Besides that, I visited a kind of disappointing Picture Gallery in Dulwich, London (Even though I was about 3" from a Rembrandt portrait--Art History majors everywhere are jealous). I've also taken a few meals at the Magdalen Dining Hall, which is oober Harry Potter and filled with the kind of "slop" meals you would expect from an ancient kitchen (the boys there are cute to look at though--there may be a 'Nigel' for me after all Chrys and Cheryl). Anyone craving overcooked pasta with a mystery fish? Perhaps and hunk of dry duck meat as big as my head? Lamb and gravy?? Their menus inspire me to eat with my hands a grunt medieval-style. I've signed up for "Formal Hall" dinner on Sunday where they bring you courses and you have to look pretty to get in the door. I'll let you know how that goes.

Well that's the news from lake Oxford, where all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average.