Graceful Buildings and Soaring Towers

So I wish that I could send my thoughts as I walked back here and let you know what I am seeing. I don't think that pictures can really do this place justice. I walk into the main courtyard of the Bodlien Library and names like Schola Moralis Philosphiae stare back at me. They challenge me with questions, daring me to find out the secrets they have revealed to the students who have walked through their doors for centuries before me. The soaring tower, the Tower of the Five Orders looms over the courtyard, James IV and I of Scotland and England is seated as a statue on the fourth order of the Tower. I just stand there and feel so insignificant, like history has allowed me to stand at his feet while he continues to stare across space and time. Again, a little philosophic, but when I am surrounded by the School of Moral Philosophy (translation of the Latin Schola Moralis Philosophiae) perhaps that can be forgiven. 

The Tower of Five Orders

James IV and I in the Tower of Bodlien

Today I went to the Examination Schools for a program for international students. We received information about what it was going to be like, there was some free stuff for us, the free coffee and biscuits (cookies, how great!!) were really appreciated. But this place had been built specifically for the exams at the end of the Oxford years. 

Main Entrance to the Examination Schools

Ok quick update on the Oxford undergraduate system. There are three years instead of four and you take a course instead of a major. So for a history course, I have three terms per year, Michaelmas, Hilary and Trinity, and for each term I have two or maybe three modules I am taking. For those I have specific tutor with whom I meet and write papers. However, there are lectures going on all the time, and while I am not required to go to any, many of these will be very helpful for the next paper or are just really interesting. At the end of the three years, I will be tested over all three years, so I will be taking tests and writing for about a week straight. All this, or at least most of it will take place in the Examination Schools. For a place that was built for such stress and agony, it is absolutely gorgeous. 

The Virgin Mary above New College

  Today, after I got the information from the international fair I just started walking. Oh, there are so many things I want to tell you. New College, founded in the late 14th century (really new?) is approached by a winding road that blocks out the sounds of the city center. Each side is old weather stone walls that are many feet above my head. Finally you turn a corner and in front of me I see the back entrance to the college. It is a wooden door but above the door is a graceful statue of the Virgin Mary. It is so peaceful and timeless. Its just beautiful. I need to go now. I'll have more places to share soon, I hope you can see just a little bit of what I am seeing. 

Be Interesting

The Sheldonian

The title of this blog was written in chalk on the side of the Ioannou Centre where I had just finished the first class of Latin for the day. I was walking with one of my classmates and he saw the chalk written line on the wall and started to laugh. He told me that the other piece of Oxford graffiti he had seen once was "capitalism is boring." Even the graffiti of Oxford is intelligent.

Radcliffe Camera

Today was great, I went to class and studied in the Radcliffe Camera in between classes. I haven't taken a picture yet but don't worry, I will. Let me describe it for a moment. I walk down Broad Street, past Exeter College (where J.R.R. Tolkien studied as an undergraduate), to a small curved door in the wall surrounding the Sheldonian. I curve around some walls and through a couple doors, over graveled courtyards and stone walks, through the middle of a courtyard with souring walls and carved statues and gargoyles. It catches my breath every time I walk in there. The courtyard has several entrances for tourists and scholars into the Bodlien Library, the main library for Oxford University. Through another tunnel I emerge into sunlight (sometimes) and I see dark, soft green grass surrounding a building that brings to mind thoughts of ancient scholarship and beauty. I'm being a little romantic but this place is just wonderful.

St. Giles Cemetery

The Norrington Room

Ok so after class I went walking again, I went down to this AMAZING bookstore called Blackwell. It has a place called the Norrington Room that claims to have three miles of bookshelves and the longest bookshelf in England. Its wonderful. This is one picture of it that gives a hint of the glorious number of books there.

So I spent some time there and finally wound up sauntering my way back up St. Giles street to the old cemetery five minutes from my room. Its just outside of St. Giles church and the Old Parsonage Hotel. (I am hoping to have high tea there at some point.)

Well now I am back in my room and I need to finish my homework. Thanks for listening to my ramblings and romantic phrases. I'll catch you soon.

In Oxford...Unbelievable

I am sitting in my dorm room in Acland, Keble College to type this post. What can I say? Cars are driving on the wrong side of the road, I'm told to revise instead of review or study, my room is on the first floor even though I had to go up a flight of stairs and the accents every now and then cause me to repeat in my head what was said so I can understand. I walk down the street to my Latin class and I hear German, Spanish, Russian, Italian and other languages I cannot identify as well as the many different English accents in the ten minute walk. The buildings are touching on either side of the road and what buildings--they belong to another world, to fairy tales, behind wrought iron gates I catch a glimpse of beautifully kept grass in the quad of another college. I worked through my homework yesterday in the Bodlien Library, the main library of Oxford University. Everything is so different, but I can hardly stop smiling as I walk up and down the streets. I need to go find some lunch and return a temporary pass to Keble College. I will be taking pictures soon and giving you a glimpse of what I am experiencing.

One more thing though. Across the street, a little to the west and south of where I sit there is a pub called The Eagle and the Child, affectionately dubbed "The Bird and the Babe" by the Inklings. C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and several other brilliant Oxford writers would meet there and talk over a pint about their current projects. Lewis read drafts of the Screwtape Letters and Tolkien regaled the group with recent additions to Middle Earth. On Sunday afternoon, I was able to eat there, it is a small place, you wind through a narrow passage opening on small rooms with tables apparently randomly placed, past the bar to more tables and larger rooms. We sat in the back room where the roof was glass panes enclosing the area. The food was good and I could hardly believe that it truly was real.

Thats all for now folks, thanks for reading and catch you later.