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!