Cambridge in the fall

Hello everyone!

I'm sorry that there's been such an incredibly long delay between posts (and yes, I realize I never got around to Part 2 of my Agatha Christie story). Fortunately, I am now in a country with wonderfully fast internet, no power cuts and very different scenery, so I will be able to share more of my new adventures with you.

I am now officially set up in Cambridge and after being here for two weeks I feel like I'm starting to get a hang of the place. Last week was incredibly busy as it was the first official week of term. I had department orientations, College orientations, formal receptions, my official matriculation, and lots of other running around to do. I do feel like I've made good progress in getting set up in a new country... phone: check, bank account: check, figuring out how to order online groceries: check.... I know, that last one floored me too. I can't explain how amazing it is to pick out all your groceries online, pick a convenient time for you, and a lovely person shows up to deliver said groceries at your specified time. Presto! For someone without a means of transportation beside their own two feet, it is truly life changing.

Some of my fellow students waiting to get lined up for the Matriculation photo

Me in my Harry Potter robes! 

I don't want to overwhelm you all (or myself) with too much in this first post, so I thought I would fill you in a bit on my College. Yes, I'm going to the University of Cambridge, but within that University are 31 Colleges which operate completely autonomously. Without trying to be patronizing... think of Cambridge as Hogwarts and each of the Colleges as the different Houses (don't worry I didn't get sorted into Slytherin). I am one of the newest members of Girton College. A really beautiful place that was founded in 1869 as the first women's residential college in the UK. I have to say I'm really proud of the fact that I'm part of a College that played such an important role in women's rights, both educationally and socially. I'm also a huge fan of the fact that I'm finally part of an educational group that has colors other than blue and gold! I'm not saying that I don't love those colors but a little variety is always nice. Girton's colors are green and red (yay Christmas!).

Girton actually has two sites in Cambridge. The main college, which is located about 2 miles out of the center of Cambridge (because the female students had to be far enough away from the male students when it first started!) and a newer section called Wolfson Court, which primarily serves as the hub for graduate students. While Wolfson Court leaves a bit to be desired architecturally speaking... one of the first conversations I had with a fellow student included him comparing the aesthetics of Wolfson Court to a nursing home... the main site is absolutely beautiful! It also boasts an indoor swimming pool, a duck pond, orchards that students are welcome to use whenever they like, and endless amounts of green space to have a picnic in or just relax.

I think I'll end there for now, but there's much more to come!

Girton's main gate. The building was designed by Alfred Waterhouse and I love the red brick

A beautiful courtyard in the middle of Girton