Recent Rowing Fun

This past week I have spent some quality time with the rowers, including visiting Lucy Cavendish College for a "Formal Hall." (Cambridge students traditionally to wear gowns on these occasions, and the undergrads are required to wear them for exams. Hence the nickname "Gownies." ) A few male rowers & coaches joined us. It nice to see people dressed up instead of in exercise clothes at 7am!

Today the "second boat," or the newcomers who are a bit slower than the seniors in the first boat, raced in the Newham college sponsered Head of the River race. This means that we don't race next to other boats, but against the clock. These are very common in Cambridge since the Cam River is so narrow. This morning we got cut off by a barge boat turning around and had to make a fisherman move his line. :) It's always interesting on the Cam. This was the first race that I've felt good about at the end, so we are improving! Afterwards we went to the St George pub for hot chocolate, yummmm!

Next Saturday we travel to Peterborough about 1 hour away for a race. We actually take the boat apart and put it on a trailer and then have to put it back together before the race. It should be a good bonding experience go Hughes Hall/Lucy Cav women!

Inauguration Party at Graduate Union

Tuesday, January 20, 2009 went down in history as the day the first African American President took office, so a group from my course headed down to the Graduate Union after our class to catch the Obama fever. Mary Lou is the woman standing up on the phone, she is wearing a T-shirt that says "Maui diggs Obama". She obviously an American who lived in Hawaii for the past few years, and the mid-west before that. Jenny is on the right wearing a "Mr. President" Obama shirt, she is originally from Portland and more recently worked in northern California as a Water Resources Engineer. Keven is from France and consequently is very interested in all things political. A group of about 15 of us sat together, enjoying snacks and sharing the historic moment together.

The crowd was mixed with people from all over the world, from Europe to India, so I was very interested in the reactions of people as certain things were said. (Or happened, like when George Bush walked out.) Everyone is quite civil about things here in Cambridge, but there is a lot of emotion tied to certain subjects, especially concerning war and financial policies. I'm personally excited about the change Obama is looking to implement in the area addressing Climate Change, since that is directly linked to future work and we are way behind the EU. He is such a charismatic speaker, you can't help but be a little inspired. :) But I will always put my ultimate hope in the One and Only who Saves...Jesus Christ!

Sunday Wanderings

Today it was a sunny, if not brisk day, so I decided to venture outside to familiarize myself with the neighorborhood. The Mill Road area is known for having locally owned shops that display the international character of the people who live here. I'd read about the Antique Shops, so I headed that way. Unfortunately, most vendors aren't open on Sundays (funny to most of us who are from places where people buy mostly on weekends!) The Cambs Antique outlet is the best one I've seen and it is on my street, I pass it ever day! I'm on the hunt for some special artwork for my room for a steal!

I ended up wandering in local shops and stopping and purchasing the sun-dried tomato filled olives from Limoncello, a boutique Italian shop. I bought some veggies from the greengrocer pictured, and then headed to Cafe Paris for a cappacino and coconut macaroon. Each of these shops are owned by people from these countries - Italian, British, French, Brazilian, Arabian, etc - so the goods and services are ligitimately true to their culture. My housemates and I enjoy visiting a particular International Shop that has a post office inside because the owners are so friendly. I will give them my business for a smile anyday!!

My most exciting discovery of the day is the cemetery that is literally just behind the row of houses across my street. It is a pleasant open space and had some beautiful head stones. I met a few other wanderers on the way, a older couple and two families with small children on a Sunday walk. Overall it was a lovely day to help feel more at home here in chilly Cambridge.

Bonding with Anna and Londontown

With a short break before our formal term begins, I took the opportunity to visit London for the weekend a visit to a few musuems and spend some time with my fellow Paso Robles native Anna McCarthey. God works in amazing ways, bringing us together in England after 10 years living elsewhere. I am so thankful for her friendship and hospitality during these cold days. :) We even got to go to a lovely church called Holy Trinity Brompton and have brunch at a nice French Patisserie. It was the type of weekend I dreamed of having, and I'm so grateful...here's some fun highlights: Victoria & Albert Museum: This column was taken from Rome, a 9 foot diameter with ornate carvings like a church would have. I wondered how they got it in the building?!

Outside the Museums was a cool Ice Carving exhibition (Yes, it was that cold!)

Not only is the Natural History Museum full of cool exhibits on all types of animals and plants, the building is absolutely beautiful. I took this shot from an angle that I saw an artist (or architecture student) sketching from earlier in the day. That's a iron sculpture of a dinosaur in the center. Needless to say this place was a hit with kids!

Outside of the Natural History Museum

The chandelier in the Victoria & Albert (V&A) rotunda was created by the famous glassworker Dale Chihuly and in my favorite colors. :) Beautiful!

At the V&A I toured the Fashion exhibit and Material and Techniques area - I took this one of the tapestry section for you Mom! Amazing textures.

Can you believe this dress?! Yes, its supposed to be worn that wide to show off the embriodery and the wearer had to turn sideways to walk through a doorway, ha! What we ladies do for fashion!

Anna & I went out to a Irish pub on Saturday night to listen to some music. It was a great place, it felt like we were transported to Dublin, complete with a Happy Birthday song and dance, an old Dubliner dressed up for a night out, and one of the young women in the band composing a ballad! (Even crazier, we met a young guy from Fresno there! He was traveling through on his way to a university program in South Africa. Small world!)

On the Tube headed to church. As you can see, scarves are all the fashion here to dress up our dull warm coats. The scarf I am wearing was a Christmas gift from my Egpytian classmate, so thoughtful! We had a great time chatting through the whole weekend and getting looks because of our American accents. :) I know this is just the beginning of a great friendship, yeah!

My California Christmas Adventure (2)

I was able to play dress up with Ella and Luke! (haha - Luke's blackmail picture for when he gets older. He is such a happy kid, he smiles huge even when he looks like a girl!)

And dress up with my cousin Joy and sister Sybil in these sweet robes Grandma made for us. Silky! Mine has books because I guess my aunt Marcia and I are the bookworms. (haha)

Back in Arroyo Grande, I was so happy to see Katie and Joey Hill's baby Annaleigh twice, the second time with Jen and Kyle Lind as they went through town after Christmas. I am so amazed to have you guys as friends, love you!

I got to spend some good time with Dad, here at Christmas Eve dinner at my Grandma Maxine's. It was a wonderful meal in her fancy dining room.

I can't forget the fun spontaneous Sunday hangout extravaganza at Leah's where we played ultimate frisbee in the rain, had "pepperment" hot chocolate, played the hand motion game, ordered pizza, and ended with an amazing 4 on 4 dance off. I must say that Calvary SLO friends, you are the best worldwide! Keep loving Jesus and being crazy fun, I love it!

Overall I was incredibly blessed by the trip and it has revived me to come back to Cambridge with confidence, filled up with love so I can try to pour out on others here. It was -2 deg with snow and ice covering the ground when I arrived, but the joy inside should keep me warm for a good while. My New Year's resolution is to be healed this year from the inside out from some struggles I've been having with health and feelings of lack of confidence and inadequacies in relationships. But I know God is not finished working on me!

He who is seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!"...To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life." Revelation 21:5,6 I want some of that in 2009!

What's your New Year's Resolution?

My California Christmas Adventure (1)

Mom picked me up from the airport and we went to the pier in Santa Barbara for lunch at Longboard and sat on the patio, ahh the sunshine!
Entering SLO down the Cuesta grade, my heart welled up with happy emotions heading home on this beautiful cloudy and sunny day.

And then there was rain, lots of it! I seemed to bring the weather with me, but it was good time to rest.

Then I got to see Wesly Thomas for the first time, what a cute little Squareburger! I'm so glad to have met him and Kristal is doing great as a new mommy! Love you Kristal!