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
