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!