Unbelievably, it has been a month since I made my epic trek by plane, bus, and foot from the US to Cambridge. I feel like I've been here for years. I have settled into my small, modest room (although it still has next to nothing on the walls-- who has time for decoration?) and a fairly consistent schedule of sleeping, eating, going to lectures, rowing, and the most time-consuming activity of all...socializing, of course!
Some of you might read that last sentence and think to yourself, hmmmm...wow, sounds like a great life! and then you might say, well, she did mention lectures, but what about actual academic work? Isn't she at the University of Cambridge to get a Master's degree with some of the greatest minds in the world?
Yes, you've identified the one crucial activity that I have managed very nearly to ignore during my first month here- schoolwork. Listen, it's not as bad as it sounds. I have been doing enough to prepare myself for lectures and, believe it or not, I do a lot more work than most people I know here--though there are a few people who spend most of their life in the library (and subsequently no time doing anything really worthwhile).
Here is my problem- I am surrounded by thousands of intelligent students from all over the world. Amongst them, they speak every language imaginable and are (mostly) willing to share their own unique cultures and politics. If you haven't figured it out already, these same students--while being some of the top in their field and incredibly intelligent-- also really like to have fun and they are really proficient at that, too.
If you are truly fortunate, you come upon someone who not only wants to share his or her culture through words, but also through cooking for you! I have a new friend, Daniela, from Chile (it's important that you pronounce that Chee-lay NOT chill-lee) who LOVES to cook. I mean, we'll actually be diligently doing work in a study group when someone mentions being hungry. Daniela immediately responds with "I'll cook for you! Come over to my place and sit with me in the kitchen while I prepare a quick lunch." First of all, when she says 'lunch' she really means 'a 3 course dinner' (Chileans eat their biggest meal in the middle of the day)-- usually including some kind of salad and then a meat dish and rice, followed by dessert. Secondly, a 'quick' lunch translates into between a 1-1.5 hour meal. While she will always excuse her cooking before you take your first bite with a warning that this is the first time she has made this or that, you know it's going to be delicious! And it always is.
I think you are beginning to see my problem. I meet some friends with the intention to work (peer pressure seems to be the only antidote to getting nothing done), which turns after a couple of hours into the cooking and eating of a huge meal, and then afterwards, I am full and sleepy-- which again, makes it very difficult to sit down and read page after page about qualitative research methods or the endless theories of child development.
If this weren't enough of a setback, when you go to dinner with friends at the "Buttery" (dining hall), you invariably run into at least 10 people who you know (to varying degrees) and who want to socialize with you during dinner. At least one person within this group of people will say at the end of at least a 30-45 minute dinner-- let's go to the College bar for a drink (or in my case, hot chocolate). There you might plan an impromptu poker game, trip to the movies at St. John's 'cinema', walk to watch a debate at the Union, grabbing a beer at a local pub, or just a gathering at someone's house for another glass (or in most cases, glasses!) of wine and sitting in the common room talking about politics or TV shows or music-- you get the point.
If I'm not actually physically hanging out with others, the culture here dictates that you maintain your Facebook site-- searching for new acquaintances, stating your current whereabouts and general emotional state, updating your mobile number, and generally making yourself available for being invited to even more social events.
It's not my fault, you see, that I can't get anything productive done. Everything, particularly eating, is a social affair.
Having said all of this, I see the potential for academic work to pile up and major stress to set in. So, I must go and try to get something done before I meet my Chilean friend for a study session (and invariably a super yummy meal) and then have rowing practice.
Goodbye for now. I hope you are all well and fitting in some good food and quality time with friends.
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