Good day to you all,

The sun is shining and I've been awake for 3 hours...barely. Today is my last day of lectures, and is a welcome relief. Tomorrow I welcome 'freedom' and a chance to sleep in. However since we last met many exciting things have gone down. So Hopefully I can clue you.

I made it to London to see Vinny, Alice and Tamzin (Ananth didn't come, no surprise though right?) but not without event. I had a genuine English car-spraying on my way to the station as I walked along in rain that would have drowned the little mermaid. When I pulled into King's Cross Station a message was put over the speakers "Please remain calm and evacuate the station, follow the instructions of security personnel" So that held me up for about 20 minutes before we could re-enter. Probably just some silly person who left their bag on the platform. I made it to meet Alice and Ollie at Wetherspoon's in Farringdon, where Alice was relaxing with her uni friends. It was good to see her again and to see her happy at uni. She couldn't come with us to see Tamzin as she had an ealry morning rehersal the next day, so we parted. I tubed to Camden Town with Ollie, which has lovely markets by day, but I was going at night, and the 'market' at night is just as active but slightly less nice. Tamzin warned me to turn right and walk straight and make no eye contact, I thought she was joking, but within ONE minute of leaving the station I was offered drugs four times. It was Tamzin's last night in Europe so we aptly we went to the World's End pub and shared some good times. Below is the gorgeous NZ three.
I got back to Cambridge at 2am and still made the 9am lecture on Saturday morning. Is that not dedication?

Ther night after was the Bene't St Gathering which co-incided oddly with the floor appreciation societies meeting. Hopefully if you put those two together the following photos will make sense.


It was actually a really fun night. Probably the first time that we all came together and were totally comfortable with each others company. It is so cool to see the friends we have all made. It gets me quite excited. We talked for a very long time and that was it. Good and relaxing. I find when you have worked 8-10 hours straight at labs and lectures and your room, that at night time, people really make the most of and know how to enjoy themselves well.

Monday a week ago, we went to the Eagle Pub to try the Sticky Toffee Pudding we constantly see being served, and it was well worth it! About 20 of us went, I mean that is the drawing power of non-hall food that is bad for you here. on the upside, my fudge addiction has long since subsided. At the eagle, Catherine, a philosopher and the only non-natural sciences student there, decided that she would prove philosophers were the best by racing me in a lemon eating contest, problem was she got her hand stuck in her glass before she could eat the lemon. Classic.


That Tuesday night was Hustings, the elcetion process for first year rep, and I was elected, yay. It was alot harder then I thought, but Meryl's speech techniques and Peter's impromptu lessons paid off well. Basically I get to sit on the Junior Common Room (student board) and the College board, and vote on thigns...that's not worrying at all. It is actually really good, because I felt there was an aspect of Cambridge I wasn't quite seeing, and now I found what it was - I never see the place being run. Alot goes on that I do not understand and am just oblivious too, but at these meetings I see some of it discussed so that is a good lesson both in admin and how Cambridge works. We went out for a celebratory movie after Hustings that night which unfortunately was Borat - I was not impressed. Do not see it! On the bright-side I am looking forward to seeing the new bond film, and also Happy Feet. Those penguins look so cute, and who taught them to dance?

The past two weeks we have entered the Bath House Pub Quiz and come away victorious. It's quite alot of fun doing a pub quiz. I don't really understand it because it's all about English counties or events - but still, some people have alot of 'useless' knowledge which is funny. Unfortunately we cannot go for the triad this week because our friend Ros is acting in a pantomime, Iolanthe, that were going to see. Should be spectacular.

I had my last assessment Thursday last week and did rather pleasingly so I am happy with how thigns are going. And so too are the Girdlers'. Past Master Trimmingham and Lt. Col. Richard Sullivan came up to Cambridge yesterday for their annual Corpus visit. Fancy! They get esquired around Cambridge and meet with our Tutors about our progress, and then they meet with each of us Scholars' individually to see if we're happy, to check report back to us, and to just get to know us a little better. Peter and Richard are the two most involved in the running of the scholarship so I have alot to do with them and have become quite fond of my two great uncle's by now. We went out to dinner with them at Brown's (a very nice Cambridge establishment) and ate until we could no more, then retiring to corpus for an evening chat by the fire. I apologise I have no photos of them or the other scholars to show you, they all insisted that no photos could be taken until the official NZ Dinner at Girdlers' hall in March next year. Strange! It was a fantastic night actually, not formal at all, just a really great chance to get to know each other, and probably the reason that it is such a rare way for me to be here as they are actually involved and care about my life and development at Cambridge.

Thursday night a week ago now, was Christmas Formal Hall, it was brilliant, Christmassy and fun. It was my first black tie event at Corpus and Adam and I did look smashing :)

We all managed to get seats next to each other, and although photos weren't allowed in hall because the fellows were there, you'll have to believe me it was awesome. They strung up tinsle across the roof, and xmas lights, and we had special Christmas napkins and Christmas crackers (so the entire hall was wearing those ridiculous paper hats). There was an alcohol quota so it was also a very civil evening, and they said a special Latin grace. The icing on the cake was almost literally that, with desert being Christmas Pudding and Brandy sauce, wow! Below is a pre-photo of us.

An after-photo would have looked like the floor-appreciation society. We were so full and satisfied we practicaly all fell asleep afterwards.

It was our dear friend Rebecca's birthday yesterday so we blew up balloons and broke into her room to decorate it (in a semi-legal, no damage done kind of way...) When she came back from lectures we jumped out of the rooms surrounding hers and almost killed her with fright. She did say it was made up for by her presents. She is a big dark chocolate fan, so Jack found her some 100% cocoa chocolate. It was revolting. Imagine the texture of dissolving panadol in your mouth and mix that with the taste of pure cocoa, badly burnt coffee and a mound dirt and that's it. She also loves panda's whichm again coupled with the floor-appreciation society, should explain the photo below.

She does Archaeology and Anthropology so Luiseach made her chocolate brownie birthday cake in the shape of stonehenge, it collapsed, but was a lovely thought. (It collapsed before the candles were lit)




I included this just cause it was a nice photo taken at a different formal hall...aren't they friendly looking.


This is my friend Kirstin from HT. Which leads me onto the Carol Service this Sunday gone by. I sang in the choir which was a nice chance to be back involved in my church. (I will be joining the worship team in january next year too) It was all by candlelight which was very impressive considering the sheer number of candles to light. Literally the first one must have gone out by the time they had finished lighting all of them. I made some more friends in the choir which is always nice to have more people to care for you and you them. It also made me miss all of you at home more, thinking not only of the preparations going on for the Windsor Christmas Services, but also the people and tradtions I would be taking part in leading up to Christmas. Not to mention mum's Christmas fruit cake, but I will and it is good! I'd be licking the bowl now if I could. This weekend is the HT Houseparty so I will be going away with everyone and getting to know them all better. Vinny is coming to stay for 4 days after that, and then I have some free time until I come back home to explore Cambridge. I have found a lovely running track along the side of the river Cam, it's eactly like the english countryside, but not, because it flows into the heart of a city.


And finally this stunning photo. Probably my favorite (except for Jack's fat finger). We were bored one night and decided to go walk. As you can see the Christmas lights are on in Cambridge's market square, and it is gorgeous. The sun goes down by 4:30pm which is a bit depressing, but being in the market square when it turns slightly cooler, then sun sets and the lights are on is so beautiful. It is quite a magical place. But I will gladly trade it in for sunshine shortly, so be working on that for me.

I will see you all shortly, but stay classy for now,
God Bless,

Blake

Hello,

I have missed you all loads! I know I have to say that but it is ture in reality! I'm going to London on Firday night to see Tamzin, Alice, Ollie and hopefully Ananth and I am so excited to be seeing people from home. We can't have kumara fries and aioli from Burger Fuel but at least we can reminisce about it. It also coincides with Tamzin's very last night on her OE I believe, so hopefully we make it special for her.

Alot has happened so brief summaries are again in order: Outside of my work time (which seems to be all the time) I have managed to join the mixed netball team and the basketball team which has been good. I am at least beign active now, and am slowly learning the way down my stairs each morning to hall for a nicer breakfast instead of being lazy and having it in my room with a cup of black coffee and corn flakes. I was pushed to the limit this morning when we had a fire-drill at 6:45am, it doesn't sound early, except that I had only finished my essay at 2am and needed to get up at 7:45 anyway, so that extra 45 minutes was spent outside in the cold winter's air, then in my room complaining to myself about getting up so early. I'm singing in the choir at church for their carol service on the 26h Nov, it is so much fun, a great way to meet people at HT too. I know that is an early date, but they had a request from studetns that they do it before they all leave. Tonight I am also going to have a trial night with one of the worship teams at HT to see if I can fit in somewhere in their worship bands. I am uber excited and really praying it happens!!!!!! Finally the first year play, written, directed, performed etc.. entirely by first years is coming up next term and they are starting that, which at this stage I have just offered my services for. I really only did it for the promised free tea AND biscuits, but what a chance to really get engaged with my year. I always feel bad, and I guarantee I am not the only one, when I see another first year and have no idea who they are. Often we just never cross - we could live in different parts of college entirel have opposing timetables and eveyrthing. I actually met this girl Catherine for the first time the other night. I swear I had never seen her before.

Exciting Cambridge things: The other night was the Senior Tutor's dinner, basically it is a chance for the senior tutor and the master to get to know the first years in an informal situation. So sorry, but there were only 3 courses of meals and two varieties of fine wine. They have three for the first years, and I was with all the other scientists/medic people. It was great fun. I ended up next to the master on the seating plan which was nice, he is an ex-mathemitician and keen philospher, so basically he spoke and I nodded. I did make it into his introductory speech at the pudding stage of the meal. He was introducing himself and what he did, "As my colleagues on either side of me have both asked this evening, Charlotte slightly more politely than Blake, what does a master do?" Well maybe not the best mention, but still I had a name spot in the speech.
The London Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra played in our chapel as part of a new and on-going relationship, so I was lucky e nough to attend that musical delight. Sorry Jeremy. It was amazing - I was captivated, and after not having had sleep for the past 18 hours I thought I was about to have a big snooze. This too was followed by informal nibbles afterwards, so I didn't need my gown, just a suit. I went to Formal hall on Friday on a swap with some friends from Newnham college and am looking forward to one next week at Trinity College. Interesting fact; if the cows on trinity lawn decide of their own accord to leave the field, all of Trinities land (which is unbelievably large, apporx. 1b pounds) goes to Corpus. There is an annual Corpus student attempt to woo the cows out of the paddic each year, however this learly is violating the rules, but nonetheless warrants an evening out of ludicrousy. Everything seems to have an excuse behind it to be social. Tomorrow for example they announce the theme of the Corpus may-ball at the end of the academic year (funnily enough this is June) which is a chance for a slack (disco) in the bar. I met about 20 other Cambridge kiwis too at the NZ society lecture run by the Girdler's sholars (i.e. us) on the 1855 earthquake. I have no been so bored by a lecture, and so immediately stimulated by the people I met at one time. I met a man who lectures in civil engineering at Cambridge who is a kiwi and whose son attended Rangitoto College and is now at cambridge too. Needless to say he was shocked to see me (i.e. a kristinite) in cambridge. His face was classic. I don't quite think he is aware that rivalry is alot more friendly nowadays. On Saturday nights I end up at the college christian union meeting and afterwards we all come back to college and cook a meal. It is my turn to cook next week which should be stunning. I am thinking my famous camping Salami Pasta dish is in order - I have discovered this goes nicely with a minute amount of freshly grated parmesean. I actually haven't cooked properly since I got here as my gyp room has no stoe top or oven. I think the college is afraid I will burn down their mutli-million pound ancient history library next door before they can vault it, which is fair enough I guess - I mean they have no idea how well I cook, but if only they knew, they would be playing a different tune. (Like banning cooking in college altogether). I tried my first Toad in a hole, a great meal, weird name too. I don't think I'll ever be able to think of it the same again though, and you'll understand why after reading a paragraph further.

Work is getting manageable, I am starting to feel alot more able to deal with the level of work expected, and still have a life. It does mean I will have alot of work to dover the holidays, but it also means I have fun, so yay! I dissected a frog today, poor little guy, he didn't even have a name. I think I'll call him hoppy. In my Cell Biology lectures, my lecturer was trying to do something different to demonstrate a certain event, so she got two volunteers up, one was given a dinosaur puppet and the other a fairy head band and wand. Apparently the fairy was the sun, and the magical wand were the rays of light. The dinosaur was the electron acceptor (you make the connection because I certainly couldn't) - and it ate the lollies that were thrown to it. Strange, but you know, it's a little different here. I'm actually quite excited about these lectures because the next 30 or so are all Biochemistry which is where I want to be in four years time, and it is so much fun. Chemistry is great, next week is the last time I will have my chemistry supervisor because we have to switch supervisors for our new topic - so we're going to have a little party with christmas pies and coffee. Needless to say it takes me back to the loving World Literature lessons I once attended.

I have left a few things out, only because I cannot remember what they are. Vinny is going to come and visit me around the 3rd Dec, and from the 1-3 I am planning on going to the HT church houseparty which'll be a great chance to meet my new church community properly. I have just returned from a two hour night-time walk to Girton (It is so lovely out, brisk and fresh) which was fantastic because it means I have seen even more of Cambridge. I feel like I need to explore more because my world has shrunken down to the size of those places I always go to. London will bo great this Friday.

So my thoughts are with you all back home. Well done to you uni'ers who have finished your final exams, good luck to those still going and those on their NCEA/IB exams right now, and God Bless you all. This is where the writing porperly stops, but the pictures begin. I think I have some, I seem to have stopped taking them...

One love,

Blake


Adam, Alison and Liz in my room.

This is Lorraine. She chose the effect. She's from Northern Ireland and very nice.

Rebekah, Vicky, Jack, Adam, and Adam's brother who visited from Northern Ireland. Did I mention my room is a bit of a hub. I love it, people just turn up at your door (as if you lived in Milford) and come see me. It's so cool. Other times they just use me for my tea and coffee, but I'm a sucker for a conversation.


Ah, the goose cuppers how could I have not mentioned this earlier. I am a member of the goose cuppers, we go punting on Saturday and basically try and place a cup on a goose's back without it noticing (in the nicest way possible) However, in this photo you are witnessing the famed initiation ceremony - the act like a Goose across a bridge in public task. This is left to right Lz, Roz, Rebekah and Vicky.

Michal (pronounced Mee how) and his punt on the beautiful back drop of the cam.

Liesha the Duck

Vicky and I in the punt

The Cam at sundown (3pm!!!!!!!!) It goes down so early. You feel like the day has passed you by and you are yet to achieve anything, but the reason is cause it is still only 4pm.


Trinity College's court (or one thereof)

My college's dining hall

My college's front entrance from the inside.

An early morning cambridge traffic jam. These bikes are absolute menaces.
Anyway, that's all for now. Love you all, God Bless and stay beautiful, all of you!

Hello possums!

Well I am almost half way through the term, it has been 5 weeks already. It feels like forever, but also it only feels like a day. The work is definitely getting to be a bit beyond me, but I'll cope, and there are always people willing to help. There is just so much to do either socially, extra-curriularly outside of the work, which is itself a full-time job that there seems little time for anything. It is so much fun here, I have fallen in love with Cambridge. There is just something about the place.

On another great note, I think I have found my church, Adam and I have been going to Holy Trinity for the past few weeks and really like it there. There is definitely some good stuff happening, and some great people.

I've decided that because pictures say a thousand words alot faster than I can type them, (apologies if I said that already) I am going to change the format a bit, and put in pictures to explain them, so, pictures...




First is new court, this is the court in which I live. It was a lovely Autumn's day, but the temperature has dropped rapidly in the past week, so much so the gloves are off (or on in the literal sense).
The second is the view from my window...nice eh. There was a beautiful purple sunset the other night when Adam and his girlfriend where up in my room. She was over from Northern Ireland (or Norn Iron for those of you fluent in Irish)
The last one is a random alleyway I walked through to get to Gonville and Caius college to meet Kinley, the Douglas Myers scholarship winner and my counterpart kiwi. He's doing well, very settled, it was good to see him and talk about L & P though. People as much as they may ask you about your country just don't understand about it so that was cool to talk to someone who did; some friends were up in my room and saw some magnetic 'kiwi-terminology' fridge-magnets and were just highly confused at jandals, kumara, l&p, kai and even boy racer. Here I was thinking Boy Racer was a universal term....



This is part of the JCR - our common room. It is actually alot cooler then it looks here. It is generally a good place to just sit and unwind. Next to it is the mailroom, and I love getting mail. It' so exciting walking out of the mailroom with mail.


This is my bike. Between the bike shop when I picked it up and my chemistry lab, the chain fell off and so did the rear light. It took a bit of kiwi ingenuity but within a minute I was back on the road and as good as new (actually better then new, because it broke when it was new didn't it....) Mum was musing afew names for it...flying kiwi or paua power. My suggestions were kumara boomer or world's fastest indian, but if you have any suggestions for a name let me know, otherwise I may have to settle on George.


I took this at the back to school 'slack' which is another name for Ent, Bop or Disco. It speaks for itself...


We all went to formal hall to celebrate Andrew, Cat, Jeremy and David's birthdays. Basically, just an excuse for another party, but it was a good night, good food and good times. After this we sung happy birthday twice. The first time in all it's beauty, and the second time becuase Neranjana wanted to video it. There's always one.


My friends..yes they exist!


Rhys...the wizard


Halloween Slack, ooooo. We had halloween hall which was pretty auspicious: Pumpkins, fake spiders and spider webs, special goblets and some kind of halloween-related meal that nobody really asked questions about. Alot of people went in costume to dinner which was quite hillarious. This is the gang photo. I seem to be taking alot of the group photos - however less embarassing for me (or should I say the phantom?) Adam went as Ron Burgundy which I cannot believe I did not think of it. For those of you who don't know Anchorman you should watch it! But I think I was more hurt he didn't ask me to go with him as Brick. Others to make an appearance were Ghostbusters, Dorothy, many witches, a giant bunch of grapes and robin hood.

In the other non-photo related news front: I have my first test this Thursday, very exciting if that's the right word. It's maths which'l be fun. At least it is either right or wrong. None of this in-between business. Best of luck and my prayers with those of you in exams right now too! Lectures are both manageable and interesting, labs are long, but also interesting, but then add the supervisions and the work gets a bit much. Some fireworks are going off...aww I cannot see them, there's too much condensation on my windows :( Back on topic - I have discovered two wonders of Cambridge. The first is Gardinia's Greek take-aways: which is less greek, than it is greasy cheeseburgers. The second is Jim Garrahy's Fudge shop - the free taste is where they get ya. About now you're probably thinking he's at a prestigious universtiy where each area is like a point in the timeline of architecture, he's surrounded my museums full of items of priceless importance in their development of human civilization as we know it, he's got the river to walk alongside, a bike to explore the country and lectures with inviograting and stimulating information: but no he's found a fudge shop and a takeaways. Well you'd be right! You just have to try this fudge. I have also found myself a church. I cannot remember if I said that. It's called Holy Trinity - HT for those of you more intimately acquainted with the devonport HT-unit. It's a beautiful medium sized chapel, but very contemporary in liturgy and definitely friendly. I went to dinner with some friends from there before the Sunday night service which was a eally great time.

Anywho, just realised it's 1am, and although the clocks were wound back an hour here on Sunday and nobody told me, I know enough about time to know this is late. There is much more to say but I guess it can wait for the distant future when it's being told in person.

I miss you all, and I must apologise to those of you who I have not gotten around to replying to yet. I am trying...

Love you all,

Blake

Hello,

It is update time (or well past it). But this time I will limit the excitment (we'll see...) to a few good stories and essentials.
Essentials:
How are lectures? They are very interesting...some more so than others. Our leturers as expected as lightly eccentric, but then they are allowed to be when you hear about what they have done. One of my lecturers was explaining one of the features of the Proton Pump, and then said "which incidentally i discovered about 3 months ago" And then they go on for a bit longer, and add "and the room upstairs was where the electron microscope was first tested" or something of the sort. I had my first biochemistry taste today in my cells lectures, it is only a 5 lecture series, but after this first one, I was really excited and I can tell this is where I am meant to be.
What is Corpus like? It covers the 3 areas really. Small, Central and Beautiful. It's right on the edge of the city-centre, and within walking distance of everything, but is far enough out that you don't get any rowdy student noise. It is very old but very beautiful. And the college itself owns random buildings all around cambridge, so you can actually walk about halfway across the town through buildings that our magic A20 key opens. It is right next to the Old Cavendish laboratory where Enrest Rutherford worked, and Watson and Crick announced their DNA structure. Everybody is very friendly, and meals in hall are great times to be with friends. The food varies greatly in quality, but it's cheap so we're not complaining. I live in 'I' Staircase, at the very top so my thighs are coming along nicely. It's in the main court of the college, and about a 3 minute walk from most of the first year accomodation. It's funny, whenever people visit me, (which you only do once because of the distance up) they all knock on my door puffing. I have a view out over the tops of Cambridge once you are up here though, very cool. And I am also right next to the bathrooms, toilet and kitchen - all very handy.
Do you really drink heaps of Tea? Yes, I average about 6 cups a day, bordering 10 if friends come over and you stat chatting. You just always seem to have the kettle on. Despite the distance, my room has become entertainment central because of it's size and brilliance of hospitality. Those in the photo below turned up at my room and we watched Anchorman on my laptop.


Do I have a regular haunt? It's called the bathhouse and is a pub just down the road. Pub culture is very much like cafe-culture in NZ, you go and have a social drink and a chin wag.
What are the people like? For the most part they are really cool. i haven't met a bad egg, and everybody goes out of their way to make you feel welcome. I had the label upon arrival of being the new-kiwi so that helped a bit because everybody was quite keen to see who the new kiwi would be. I have also met a great bunch of people, and we're from all parts so it's a very diverse bunch, and the accents a varied. By the end we will have settled on a melting pot of tomayto and tomarto.
Is the work hard? YES! Enough said, let's not dwell
Are you doing anything else? I am helping with the university student charity RAG, or Random Acts of Giving, but at the college level. This term we are holding a Miss Corpus competition, a Halloween Party and a Christmas Party. I had my first mixed netball practise on Saturday, all the Kiwis play in a team together. Basketball starts now but clashes with my Saturday lectures (yes I have Saturday lectures from 9-1).
Have you found a church yet? Yes and No. I have been to two properly now for the 3 weeks I have been here (one morning and one night) and they are both fantastic, with lovely people, worship, teaching and a real sense of God. And already I have made some of the most important friendships I will make over here, but I still don't know which one to choose. God will let me know soon I hope.

Well that is a very qiuck summary, we'll leave the rest till my return but I will pick out three major events now.
#1 I WENT TO A DELIRIOUS? CONCERT! this gets better, the opening act was TIM HUGHES! Basically it was amazing, a couple of my friends from church (below, sorry about the quality, it was Adam's phone) got tickets and went.


Tim Hughes started off with some really upbeat worship and then rocked away for about 45 minutes. Pulling out the classics, of course Heart of Worship was in there too. Then Delirious came out and the place just erupted. It was at the corn exchange and although quite a small venue, that didn't make any difference. It was just brilliance, and so powerful. It was great to be really led in worship again. They did all the greats, and half way through they brought out this board of 5 small keyboards and played 'Happy Song' on them. It was like a dance remix on the synth. The night ended on Majesty which in itself was worth every pence of the 13pounds. We then went to the greek takeaways down the road and got double cheeseburgers, and sat outside Kings College Chapel and ate them looking over the Cam river. It was the best evening. So yes, I want lots of emails saying how jealous you all are!

#2 Anchorman in my room was another definite great moment. Nothing too funny happened (off screen that is) but it was nice to have a feeling of real friendships again. We all had popcorn and hot chocolate and afterwards just spent the night chatting.

#3 Dinner at John and Jenny Chaplains. They are a lovely retired NZ couple who live in Cambridge. They, through a series of random meetings, have ended up holding an annual dinner each term at their home for us kiwi boys of Roast Lamb, veges and desert. The desert was pavlova of course, and the wine of choice for the evening was Stoneleigh Pinot Noir, a very NZ affair. They are also quite a well off couple and take the Girdlers' sailing around the UK each year, so looking forward to that one. It turned out that as well as the random meetings with us, they had random meetings with NZ House, and that formalised itself also and next time we go for dinner, in January it will be, Jonathan Hunt will be joining us. We made sure that Jenny was putting in an extra leg of lamb.

These are some more random photos taken during my time. They say picture speaks a thousand words.

Adam, Cat and Harry Potter (no wait, that's me) in formal hall.


Adam from Northern Ireland, and myself, looking intelligent and cambridge-like. (I feel alot better now I am here about being normal, because people always make really stupid mistakes like I tend to, and everyone just laughs because we go to cambridge)


Rebekah, Jack, Vicky, Rhys and I outside the infamous eagle pub (right next to where we live, it's quite noisy.

So I miss you all, and just in case you think I don't care when you send me emails or texts, I really do! I actually makes my day to read what is going on back home, so I am always very grateful for a report and a hello. I apologise I can't always get around to replying to everybody, but it is always really special to hear from you all.

I pray all is well with you,
Blake

Ok so to continue...

Sunday morning the British arrived (I make it sound like the war). It was actually great knowing the internationals well already because it made it less awkward, and we had kind of been slowly introduced to our year instead of thrust into it like the brit students were. The int'l students JCR did a great job actually, they were awesome! On Sunday morning I did my washing (are you all proud?) and I arranged to meet Lorraine to go to St. Andrews the Great church in Market Square. It was a great service inside a small cathedral, probably very similar to a windsor morning service but full of students, and a slightly less established speaker. It was good being able to go with somebody I knew to make it a little less nerve-racking. The message however was still very good, and they are beginning to work through the book of Phillipians. The service is student-centred so they operate the layout of sermons, bible study groups and everything around when students will be in residence which is cool, so that specific 11:15am service community is engineered to be operating around student residence. After each service they have a lunch where they fill the hall with chairs and tables and for 2 quid you have a meal together whilst listening to a teaching, which you then discuss over coffee and a muffin. Everybody was so welcoming and it definitely seemed like a place I would like to return to to continue with my spiritual development. I signed up for a newcomers dinner with the VIcar's wife, which is apparently a must because he cooking is known Cambridge-wide. (I'm loving all this free food, I don't know if you noticed, but up to this point, I have only had to pay for 3 meals over 4 days, and the 2 quid meal above was free because it was my first time too :) ) Lorraine and I returned to Corpus. I changed into my black tie and gown and mingled with my year in the parker room over tea before our group photo. All the parents were standing around admiring their children, and some even packed into the old court, third story windows for a better view of everybody. It was just like a year 13 pre-ball. I apologise to my family in advance, but I have to say, I was glad not to have to feel like I needed to look after them, so I was free to talk to whoever I wished. After our group photo the families were asked to leave, and e proceeded to the great hall for matriculation. This is the big ceremony where we the Dean reads out our names individually and we go up to sign the register at the front, officially making us members of the college and university. Prof. Oliver Craccum (or as we know him - Merlin) bows to each of us and after we sign he hands us the college history and the rules we just agreed to. One of which is, as an undergraduate, we agree to keep all aircrafts outside of Cambridge city centre. I don't know who wrote out the book we signed, but it was all completed in perfect calligraphy and very fancy. The ceremony finished early leaving us time to hang about in the college bar, after which we went to the McCrum lecture theatre for the Master's Address. For the first time I could see Cambridge wasn't all old, after walking through the C16 exterior, the McCrum lecture theatre is fully automated and modern - so you can see why the university remains up to date and at the forefront. It's amazing what you find when you don't expect to find it here. The master himself I am sure is a genius haing heard him introduced by his achievements, but he's just not a genius with words. I'm glad it went for 5 minutes only, otherwise I may have been forced to bash my head on the concrete pillar next to me. Evensong was held in the college chapel, and was in a word beautiful. Inside, the chapel was lit entirely by candlelight and the stained glass, marble and wood all had this incredible glow. The choir sounds fantastic here, which is probably why I didn't get in after my audition yesterday, but I look forward to hearing them in the future. Chapel requires formal wear and gowns all year round, but the dress of everyone really completed the atmosphere. Despite not knowing any of the hymns, or understanding half of the prayers (in Latin) I really felt God's presence in that place, which is fantastic because the chapel really is at the heart of the college.

Myself, Lorraine and John before Matriculation

The college chapel from my staircase

Evensong was followed by Matriculation Dinner (freebie), another 4 course meal, the highlight of which was the chocolate brulee with amaretto biscuits at the end. Definitely one to have again. The dinner itself was very formal, with a gong to signal us to stand and the fellows to enter at the high table. When they sat, dinner immediately began with first course being served. I had some great conversation with my college mum Sarah on my left, the people across from me and Jan Leaver my tutorial officer on my right. The dinner itself was definitely the longest, but also the most people going for 3 hours, by which time I was shattered. The student's then had their own 'formal introduction' to give at Botolph Court which was broken up by the porter's an hour later at midnight. Following it was off to bed for another equally as big day.

Monday morning was the world's most exciting introductory talks, with a fire safety speech going for an hour. That concrete pillar was looking mighty tempting! The afternoon was quite interesting, as the college Fellows toured us around Corpus to the Parker and Butler Libraries and the College Silver. As they explained what each piece was, and it's significance in the history of england or the college I felt as if I was being shown my inheritance, what I as an heir to the college had the right to. They were cetainly very proud of their silver. It was definitely useless, but priceless. This one cup was designed so that if the consumer of the cup got particularly greedy and over filled it, the contents of the cup would spill out through tiny holes at it's base onto the lap of the drinker. Random! Later I completed the majority of my banking and internet worries (hence the updates now) and had a casual dinner with friends in Hall. It's great that everybody is so friendly, and Corpus being so small, is really easy to get to know everybody in the college, but I am constantly meeting new people and enjoying their company. Monday night was the beginning of Fresher's Week and the college had booked out Fez club. We went at 9pm - 12pm when the doors were opened to the public. Dancing the night away to some familiar songs, and even a kiwi artist in there, we left as the place crowded out completely so you couldn't move! That was certainly my first major taste of the student party scene, and I think I have come through it unscathed. This morning was hard to wake up at 5:30am for a 6:30am introduction lecture on my tripos. There was absolutely no need for it to be that early other than to dissuade people from going out the night before. So I am now off to enjoy my first free afternoon for a while in Market Square. Lectures start properly on Thursday, so expect shorter updates then (which will probably be easier on the eyes also).
Thank you all for your prayers, I can definitely witness some answers to them. Likewise I pray all is wel with you back home and we'll be in touch!
God Bless!

Hello again!

I can tell this is going to be another long one, just because I have done so much more stuff and want you all to share it with me. I was thinking this morning how I wish you could all just see one glimpse of what I am now seeing everyday.

But to start where I left off, I redeemed my London Bus Tour voucher and took in the sights of London once more, on a dodgy grey, but still warm wednesday. I spent about an hour trying to find Barker St. to start it when I realised it was Baker St. and there was a tube station directly next to it. (Yes I now go to Cambridge) The tour was remarkable, seeing some of the coolest things (some of which I viewed before so I didn't have to leave, which was great cause there was just so much). A highlight was definitely St. Paul's cathedral. It is beyond compare to anywhere I have seen. It is a bit odd walking amongst the memoriae sacrum in a place of worship but it is really quite common here. There are dead people all through my college chapel. At the cathedral there are some of the most magnificent artworks, and the mozaics lining the great dome are so intricate and clever. It's fun to try a decipher who each saint is based on the symbols around them. (As i later found out, you could look at the names, but the first way is much more entertaining) I couldn't tell you now who was housed there, but there are memorials to Florence Nightingale, Sir Christopher Wren and the tomb of Lord Nelson. If you venture up the 259 stairs you come to the base of the dome overlooking the hall below (the quire and nave). This room is so perfectly constructed that should you whisper along one side of the wall a person on the other side can hear you just as if you were talking to them, and it is a large distance. When there are plenty of people you start to think you are crazy because you can hear voices and not know where they're coming from. Even further up (a total 530 steps) is the golden gallery, overlooking the city of London with 360 degree views and one of the highest vantage points in the city. Quite simply breathtaking. Below is alonely backpackers photo of himself and a place he visited, just to prove he did it.



I visited many other places, namely Parliament House, Westminster Abbey (which I thought was a relatively large let-down, being a place that seems no longer dedicated to God, but rather the people who have died and are buried there, and there are plenty.) Big Ben, the Bridges, Shakespeare's Globe, the Tate Modern, Buckingham Palace and Downing Street; which was guarded by some particularly well armed guards...

But it was funny seeing all the tourists just taking photos of them, being one myself this was slightly more embarassing but I thought comical enough to take a photo of those taking photos.


The tour was fantastic, and I even got to try out my German on a German man.
German man: "something in german"
Me: "Sprechen Sie Englisch?"
German man: "yes I do."
It was a great experience.

I finished about 8pm when I returned to meet Alice at Liverpool St. Station, an almost second home for me in London, having travelled there everyday. It was unbelievably busy, as one of the major underground routes with several connecting lines it was used by almost everybody in the inner city at some stage or another. I couldn't get over how crowded it was, and it is not even high season. This picture is of the station, quite a nice wee building, at that time of night, still humming with people.


Alice and I went to a Dim Sum restaurant in central London, very classy but very reasonable, to celebrate my last night. It was just like one of those fancy and stylish London restaurants in the movies, and in walk Alice and I, backpacks on, and her props in tow to be seated. We had to place the order on a card ourselves, writing the number of each dish we wanted next to it. You all sat around in a semi circle and they cooked the meal against the wall on a steamer, almost in front of you. It was really novel, and delicious. (Alice would kill me if I put in the one of her eating too)

Having returned by train Wednesday night, and sleeping beautifully in Alice's bed, I woke and took Ben to school in the morning, a lovely brisk walk through the english country. I attempted to finish my elusive maths assignment but failed miserably, making no more than two questions worth of progress. Karen returned home from work at 11:30 and drove me to Cambridge without any fuss. I owe her and the family heaps because they helped me settle in so well, and nothing I asked or needed, (or didn't ask for as the case of the drive was) was too difficult. I said a sad farewell to Essex and the Wimsett's and entered what can best be described as the mythical world of Cambridgeshire. It was an interesting start with Karen, full of good intention, driving the wrong way down a one way street. That was quickly rectified by a 3 point turn and in front of me was Corpus. It is so beautiful in real life. I cannot say how gorgeous this town is, and I apologise that there are so few photos of it, but I thought it a bit stalkerish to be taking photos of me and my friends when they weren't my friends yet. I checked in at the Porter's lodge, and Penny the international JCR (student union) rep helped me with my bags up to the top of the world in I staircase. It is actually 4 flights of high stairs to get to my room, but once you are there, the workout and thigh training is well worth it. I have a beautiful horizon view of the rooftops west of Cambridge. St. Botolph's church is right next door (which is also a great pain in the butt at 7:30 each morning) and the room itself is very large, and it is completed with a kitchen directly opposite and a bathroom and toilet down the hall.






The international fresher's had a meeting at 4pm to sort out their bank, insurance, university and tutorial issues, which were plenty, and even today I am still sorting out the last ends of moving country. The paper work seems to be never ending. Which is actually the only bad thing about this whole experience to date!
Later that night we went to Dojo's, one of the local Corpus hang-out's when hall is closed on Saturday's. It's an Asian noodle bar, and was a fantastic time of getting to know my fellow internationals. There a 4 americans, a russian, italian, 3 northern irish, 2 korean, 3 singaporean, one kiwi (me, and by far the furtherest away) and some others who I am still trying to meet but weren't present at that time. I had arranged to meet Matthew Flinn at the Ealge pub afterwards (the famous pub, where both teams of scientists celebrated after splitting the atom and discovering the structure of DNA). It was so incedibly english, and as far as the english go, I think this is as far as it's gotten. Small and kind of burrow like, with yellow lighting and plenty of wood, small tables and loads of people. The atmosphere was great. He had a pub meal cause I'd finish dinner, during which all the other Girdler's turned up - Francis (ex-Girdler now doing 7th year, completing his PhD in History of Science, recently married and expecting his first baby on the 11th Dec (my birthday)) Caleb (ex-Girdler, now doing 3rd year medicine having already completed a BA - Geography), Adam (oldest current Girdler, in his fourth and final year of chemical engineering) Matthew (also in his final year, but of law and is only a third year, very lovely guy!) Ryan (absent on a rugby tour, but a second year engineer) and myself. Despite all those elaborate introdutions they are all very normal, very nice people, and listening to them share about their experience and what I am now part of, really grounded me with a sense of belonging a family that I couldn't have hoped for more. They really are looking out for me here. I unfortunately don't have a photo, but all in due time. So they welcomed me in English style and we chatted away until 1am when we dispersed. I wandered back to college and got to use my famed A20 key (which as rumour has it, opens almost 1/4 of all doors in Cambridge) to get back into New Court where I am living. It actually is just like a castle. The photo below shows the chapel region at sunset. This is what I walk into and see each time I arrive at college. It's not the best angle in the photo, obviously being here in person helps too, but I had to run up to my room and get the camera before the sun set because it was a particularly beautiful setting.


Friday morning I got up and met Adam to go to London. Dressed in our finest black suits we wandered down Trumpington Street to the railway station, each eating a sausage sandwich for breakfast, with a free coffee (every morning before 10:30am :) ) Absolute rubbish breakfast but hall was not open yet and I had not yet had a chance to go to the supermarket. We caught the train and tubed into Moorgate Station, London and emerged surrounded by 6-7 storey gothic buildings. As we walked along we all of a sudden came across a modest home the size of a mansion, wedged in on 3 sides by english skyscrapers. Adam led me in and I thought I fell into wonderland. I cannot really describe Girdler's hall - oh I should really say, the reason Adam brought me to London was as the oldest scholar in residence, it is his responsibility to accompany the youngest scholar to Girdler's hall in London to meet the Girdler's themselves. So we walked in, met by the head porter and house guests, and were directed to the sitting area where I met Peter Trimmingham, ex-master of Girdler's Court and head of the benefactions committee. We wagged chins for a drop and were then escorted into the pre-hall. A large, ironically hall sized room, where Champagne (actual champagne!) and orange juice was served before the meal. Here was where I met, and truly understood the roots of my scholarship, in amongst the upper rungs of english society. The whole affair was entirely lavish, and I felt totally out of place, being waited on hand and foot, and being served any desire I could imagine. The beadle (or as I affectionately think of him as 'the town-crier') introduced luncheon and we entered the great hall (and great is saying absolutely nothing about this place, it was like an epic hall, intricately decorated and adorned with some of the finest furnishings the C17 had to offer after it was gutted during the great fire of london). Lunch was 4 courses - breads, salmon entree, chicken and bread and berry puddding, followed by coffee and truffles. Oh my goodness! The conversations, the atmosphere, the toasts and formalities are beyond description, so I won't describe them, but I will tell you all about this day in person next time I see you. I expect it shall be one of the most important and memorable. I will say that they were incredibly friendly and generous people - and they presented me with a history of the company, it's hall, and the schoalrship. We spent about 4 hours at Girdler's hall which seemed like nothing - and travelled back to London on the longest train imaginable stopping at every station on the way, almost holding us back from the International Fresher's Formal (by Formal they mean Formal hall, and not a dance). Basically, it was exactly the same thing as Girdler's Hall, repeated on a slightly less lavish, but still overwhelming scale for all international fresher's. I was on the end of the table, and whilst I'm sure it was a position of honour there weren't many people to talk to. Again, I couldn't help but feel out of place as we milled around in the bacon room, a 500 year old section of the college, being served drinks by waiters, wearing a suit, having masters of the college from C14 look at me out of their portraits, and about to walk into another (free might I add :) ) 4 course meal! And just as delicious. Another rumour has it that Corpus Christi College, being a wealthy land owner all throughout the UK owns a Salmon Farm, which is why we are served so much salmon there. But for some reason, and I suspect a purely comical one, the Tutors and Tutorial Officers maintain negligence on the issue. There are so many querky little stories about the place, and I only have time left to give one. The Crest of the College is a mythical pelican. Now it is thought the pelican, because it quite often has blood on it's chest, would peck at it's chest to make itself bleed, and feed that to it's young. Obviously the blood comes from hunting fish, but it was chosen as the symbol for the crest because as it spills it's blood for it's children, so too did Christ spill his blood for us. Ok, I said one but I have one more. One of the College libraries, the Parker library, was donated as a collection from the life of a past master and the first archbishop of canterbury, somebody Parker. It houses the earliest books known to England, and certainly the oldest anglo-saxon scriptures ecer created. It is home to the world famous chaucer and also many other priceless treasures. This would be much better explained by the eccentric, frizy haired, corduroy pants, tartan jacket and messy tie professor who runs the library. But anyway, when Parker donated the books to Corpus in his old age, he donated only a 1/3 of the collection. Another 1/3 went to Gonville and Caius and the last third to St. John's. As part of the legal agreement for receiving and maintaining the books, Parker included a clause that stated that should Corpus lose, ruin or destroy 6 largr manuscripts or 12 little ones, the entire collection would be forefeit to Gonville and Caius, likewise should Caius destroy/lose/ruin that then they would forefeit to John's and John's would forefeit to Corpus. So to check this each year the colleges inspect the other colleges Libraries. As a serious practise this has long since finished (though it has maintained a fabulous collection) and nowadays the colleges still inspect each other's collections as a means for getting together to have a large expensive and very formal meal. Stuff like this happens al the time. And the only reason it happen's is because 400 years ago somebody did it, they've done it since, and nobody has thought to question why they still do. But it certainly adds to making the whole experience fun!

Saturday was a little quieter, with the International's being taken out to the Backs in the morning (the section of Cambridge where the colleg lawns meet the river Cam) to go punting. We had 15 people, one too many for two boats, and only two people who could punt, so by default of having being in a punt before, I was diesgnated third punter. After running into roughly 40 walls, and freaking my crew out, I managed to stop going in zig-zags along the lake and take them on an enjoyable journey. This was fantastic fun and I really got to know Lorraine from Ireland, John from America and Andrew from Italy well. The weather was beautiful and the sun hitting the cam, the willows, the colleges and the well kepts lawns was stunning. We stopped for a picnic about midday and headed back. I didn't want to destroy my camera more than it already is so I left it home. By the time we hopped off it was 2pm, and we went on a tour of faculties. My biochemical faculty (which I will be in from next year) is so unbelievably new and state of the art, I swear it must be the only building in Cambridge that is newer than 100 years old. Guy (from America also), John, Lorraine and I had Pizza for dinner in Market Square then went back to the JCR (a.k.a the college common room with the biggest TV in Cambridge of 70") to talk.

Sunday is where the extra fun begins but I really have no time left. I will finish this soon.

Love and miss you all. Thank you for your emails, texts and prayers. I have felt so welcome and part of that is knowing I have your support. Please keep filling me in on back home.

God bless,

Blake