Hello to all of you internet people

So I have decide I will continue blogging... but I have created a new blog because this one is full!

the new one is:

trifilettitravels2.blogspot.com

So yes all I did was add a 2... clever huh?

Happy reading! <3

Monday = School… but not in the US!

I slept very well and woke up refreshed, ready to start the day. I read in bed for a while and then got up to shower. I was out the door by nine which was a little later than I had hope but it was ok. I had to drop off my computer to the IT people before class and I needed to see the bursary to pay off my bill. The IT went fine but at the bursary they told me either I had to do an international bank transfer, pay with a credit card, or bring in cash. Since, I have to be at the bank to sign for a international transfer I can’t do that and since, every time I take money out I have fees, I think I will pay it off with my card in installments (plus I get cash rewards for using my card). At this point, I had to go to class so I walk another ten minutes there and found my class room. The teacher was in with another student which myself and this guy, Hank, waiting outside. We started a bit late and there are only three of us in the class (Hank, myself, and another guy named Kevin—both of them are from Seattle, Washington and go to USD). The teacher is Italian, pretty funny and easygoing. She had a relative who was the mayor of New York in the 1930s, La Guardia… yeah like airport. I have back to back classes with her and the same two boys which will be interesting. After class I went back to get my computer, which was fixed, and stop off at the library. Unfortunately, one of the books I wanted was available but couldn’t be found so the librarian is ordering a new one. Then I went back to the school to pay my bill in the main office and ask a few more questions. They couldn’t get the machine working so my bill isn’t resolve yet but it shall be soon. Then I was off to the city center to get some toiletries, school supplies, and food for lunches (I had asked where to go when I was in the office, resourceful I know : ). There is a fair going on in the city center and so I picked up something to eat. My first attempt was fish and chips which was terrible. The fries were hard and the fish was gross and so I got a sausage which was fine. Then it was off to shopping. First, I got my toiletries. Here their pharmacy and beauty stuff is all together, kind of like an amped up drugmart but no food or other stuff really. Then, I went to get school supplies which was really stressful because I am very particular about my school supplies. I found the small stuff like markers and tape ok but when it can to notebooks… first of all they have wide and narrow ruled but their wide rule is our college rule. So I had no idea what little kids write on but anyway that was confusing and I asked a store employee and she had no idea what I was talking about. Also, they don’t, well at least at the place I went, have simple 2 pocket folders but I had to search the store to that one out. Finally, I went to get some food and this wasn’t too overwhelming because I have been to the grocery a few times in Europe and knew how it worked but I was so out of it from school shopping. I got some fruit and basic things and left. I walked home a different route, not back through the city center because it was ridiculously crowded. It took me about an hour to get home but I was walking very slow and enjoying it. When I got back, Vincent and I got the bike business sorted out. He is actually giving me a pretty fair rate (I had looked some up online) and he will be making some repairs to the bike including adding a basket which will be great. Then we had dinner: an omelet with cheese, couscous, and steam vegetables 9the carrots were great). Then Vincent and I picked all the apples and pears in the yard so Guadalupe could make something with them. After my long day, I retired to my room, did some homework, skyped my fam, and went to bed. Tomorrow: bike riding, International Economics,… and who knows what.

First Full day in OXFORD!

This morning I woke up around 7:30, laid in bed a while, showered and got my computer to sit in the kitchen and drink some tea. I had a nice conversation with Guadalupe just about how things worked in the house and her expectations. She will provide breakfast foods and dinner every day (unless I tell her I will be out).She will wash my bedding every two weeks and clean my room once and week (which I told her was not necessary expect maybe vacuuming). We also talked about mine and Vincent conversations last night because she mentioned cycling. I had asked about renting a bike and luckily Vincent works at a bike shop and actually owns a bike which he rents out. This is perfect because I prefer not to take the bus constantly. Almost everyone cycles here and there are bike lanes and everything. So, I am really excited about this! The rest of the morning I sat, drank tea, ate some toast and just relaxed. Round 11:30 I left the house for I had to be at the school building by 12:30 for lunch and our academic orientation. I left so early because I walked and I didn’t want to get lost and be late. It was wonderful to walk and Guadalupe’s daughter, Nora, had drawn me a map with a short cut on this nice path in the woods! I walked by some fields with horses, down by the canal, in the woods, past a school where a bunch of boys were playing rugby, and to the school. I arrived early so I investigated around way that google maps had plotted. Once I got back to the school most people were already eating so I grabbed a plate and sat with a girl that was in my Italian classes. The meeting got started and they just went over all the things in our packet because almost no one (except me) read it. They did that even though their opening line was “I’m not going to go over the packet because you are all adults and should be responsible for reading it” or something like that. Then we received our schedule. I have Terrorism and Comparative World Political Systems back to back Monday (10 to 12) and Wednesday (2-4) with the same professor. I have International Economics Tuesdays (10-11) and Thursday morning (9-10). I should be meeting Wednesday morning with the Blackfriars guy to set up my tutorial class with him. After a short talk about the academic side of things, we split up into four groups and took a walking tour around Oxford with one of the college staff. Our guide point out a lot of helpful things as well as some of the different Oxford colleges sprinkling the town. Oxford University is actually made up of forty something, I think 46, independent college spread throughout Oxford; each with its own buildings and professors… and crest. After our walking tour, I stumbled around town a bit, visiting this huge book shop that had a giant floor underground. I decided to take a different way home and walked up a nice road with some park to the side. When I got back to the house, Vincent (the son) was on his way out and Guadalupe wasn’t there. Vincent told me that the other host student, a Chinese boy, had arrived and Guadalupe had taken him to show him his school. So, I went up and lounged on my bed, just relaxing after about four hours of walking. When they got back, I was introduced to David and his parents as well. His parents left and I talked with Guadalupe as she made dinner. It was very good. She made seasoned chicken mixed with rice along with steamed vegetables on the side. Even though I don’t like steamed vegetables, I ate them anyway not to be rude. Truthfully, they weren’t bad. : ) After dinner, I went to my room to organize more and do some reading, eventually falling asleep. A nice first day!

Gotta Love Getting to London

I woke up at 3. Left at 3:30. Got on the bus at 4. Got to the airport at  4:45. Did not get on the plane at 6. It was canceled. It had no crew. I was angry. Truthfully it was a bit ridiculous because there was only one counter with two people who could change ticket status and a giant line of customer who were supposed to leave on my flight. After asking just about everyone around if they could help and them saying no, I reverted to standing in line for 45 minutes. However, once the people behind and in front of me work some magic at a side counter I decided to give it a try (I didn’t have much to lose I had already stood in line for about an hour and a half). I asked and the guy told me that flights to America and Asia were priority but he asked for my passport. He also told me that usually he could change flight, only the agents could. Well, he did change my flight to a 7:15 to Munich with a connection on to London. I would be there 1.5 hours late but that was the best he could do. So, finally, I was on my way. I had a small scare though going through security. I forgot to take my pocket knife out of my purse… I know but I carry in around just in case. I don’t know how this happened but it got through security… but my lap top had to go back through. This is kind of scary actually in retrospect but it is what it is.  The rest of my travels were uneventful, I swear I just have back luck with European planes! There is some conspiracy against me! I had book first class so I could check two bags for free (and I was using reward points anyhow so the actual dollar amount was the same). I really didn’t notice a difference between coach and first class except that I got a magazine for free J. The Economist which I really liked and had wanted to check out for a while now. (Just a little hint… I know Christmas is very far away and all but if everyone wanted to chip in and get me a subscription for The Economist for when I am back it the states it might just be the bestest Christmas present like ever!! ; ) Anyway, my flight were a little delayed but only by 10-154 minutes and I was able to catch the next bus to Oxford with only ten minutes to spare… see the buses don’t conspire against me!

So the bus ride I spent reading stuff for Blackfriars (my actual Oxford University course) and once we got into town I start speaking with the driver and the guy in the seat over. They were very nice and started pointing things out like the main shopping area, main streets, where Harry Potter was filmed, where Tolken and Lewis Carol were inspired and so on. It was very interesting and when I got offer bus the guy, a professor in medicine from New Zealand, I was talking with offer to show me the way to the school since he was going that way. Another guy, a professor of bio-physics from Slovenia, also asked directions and he was going the same way so we formed a small caravan. Eventually I got tired and said I could make it on my own (this was already after the professor from Slovenia had split from us). So I sat outside a nice little church for a while, feeling the nice cool breeze. Then set off on my way (which felt like forever). I think from getting up super early and only eating on the plane (and some crackers I had), I wasn’t able to walk too far without taking a break. Finally, I reached the school, a nice little building on a quaint road. I got all of my stuff and was told I would be staying with a host family… I didn’t know this! I had put it as my second or third choice because it was a cheap option but as I think about it I think I will enjoy a host family more than staying in a dorm. I will get to know the city better and the culture. Also, my theory from the start has been to not to hang out with the 70 or so kids from San Diego… I can meet them in San Diego! I want to get to know England. After I got all checked in I was told that my host family was at a wedding and that they couldn’t pick me up until later that night and so I have about 3 hours until the dinner at the school. This was perfect though because my friend, Selena that I met in Slovakia, was having a flat (or apartment) warming party. I freshened up a bit, got a map and some direction from the nice people in the office and was off. It was about half an hour to her flat and I got to walk through downtown Oxford and right past the Blackfriars building! I made it there and after figuring out the system, I rang her apartment, asking for Selena… she wasn’t there. How peculiar. I started walking away… turn around and rang the apartment again, asking “Isn’t the flat warming party today?” “Next week. See you then!” Well now what to do I had about two hours but I started walking back anyway. On the way there, I had seen a nice little canal path and decided to take it on the way back to the school. It was lovely. Truly a little canal, littered with house boats, bridges, and ducks! I walked this for a good amount of time and decided to get back on the main road so I wouldn’t over shoot and get lost. It worked out perfectly and I ended up on the main road just a few streets away from Bardwell, where the school is. I went back to the school and still having about an hour, I asked to use the school computers. I spent this time uploading pictures and similar such things. I was then told that for the dinner that building would be locked so I should more my bags over to the other building where we would eat. I decided to do one bag at a time and luckily I ran into this guy who offered to help. His name is Stew (I don’t know about the spelling) and I had seen him doing the carpools earlier that day from the school to the dorms. He helped me and we got to talking so I sat with him for dinner. He actually works at the school teaching English which was surprising because he is really young, around mid-20s probably. After dinner, I still had some time before my host family was to pick me up so I sat in this lounge area and worked on my computer. Finally, the woman came (Guadalupe, a short little Mexican women all dressed up saying let’s go) and so I grabbed my luggage. Thankfully she called to her son, Vincent who is 22, and he came to help with the bags. We drove to their house which is a little ways out of the center but easily reached by bike with a bit of a longer walk (say 30-40 minutes depending on speed.) Their house is a cute little two story on a nice lane. They have an apple tree in the front and a pear tree in the back. The house itself is really nice and I have my own room with a bed, dresser, desk, and closet. Guadalupe showed me around the house but was going back to the wedding and Vincent was to drive her. I asked to go for the ride so I could see some more of the town and chat with them some more. She seems pretty protective but nice and Vincent and I got along very well. He has just graduated from university and majored in international relations but focusing on HIV and aids, really interesting stuff (I hope to talk with him about this more). We got back, chatting for a while and then I unpacked, getting settled in, did some laundry, and talked with Vincent more (about things in the house and Oxford as well as about the demographics of the US verses the UK… I think we will learn a lot from each other). I found out that they have been hosting students for about 15 to 20 years and that they can host 3 students at a time but prefer only two. Also, apparently most students live with a host family to improve their English. This is funny to me because Guadalupe definitely speaks with a Mexican accent but Vincent speaks like a brit, what a contrast. After all this conversation, it was off to bed for me at 11:30. It was a long day.