durham durham chad's durham!

Ok, I'm here.

Things started off a bit rocky, as they can't give me my real room untill room allocations on Sunday. So I was sitting, feeling very much alone, in a small temporary room, with overflowing suitcases I couldn't unpack, running on 0 hours of sleep. Once I took a shower, picked myself up, and found the admissions office, however, things worked out splendidly. People here are really nice, and now I am actually partly registered with the university. I can't figure out how to hook up my computer in my room (I can't find a plug, let alone a phone jack), and I should probably wait until I have a permanent room anyway. Right now I'm in the University Library, which is actually only the music and law library, and I think mostly for post-grads. But it's right across the street where I'm staying, and in the square of the cathedral and castle, so here I am.

Yesterday I wandered around the center of town a bit, and discovered this: Durham is the most beautiful town in the whole world. I can't beleive I'm actually living here. I've seen a lot of pretty things in my life, but this really takes it. Old buildings cropping up everywhere, liftintg their heads above the roofs of the less-old buildings, beautiful running water (I don't know the names of the rivers yet), bridges, water/woods walking paths, little shops, cobbled streets, and curvey back alleys. The only slight-problem is that I'm not yet used to the cold. It's not even that cold -yesterday was beautiful- but the air has that dry crispness that makes your skin itch and ears ache. This morning was particularly brisk. I woke up relatively early, for some reason, so I wandered downstairs and happened across the dining room. After a cup of tea and some introductions, I set out to explore more of the town. Turns out, the other direction is almost as beautiful. Once I reached the familiar street - baileys, I think it's called - where my college is located I went across the street to the cathedral, and into the library, where I am now.

Yesterday evening there was a dinner for the new graduates and international students from Chad's, as well as St. John's (the college next to us). But, being the jet-lagged person I was, I fell asleep for "a half hour". During this half hour I completely zonked out and have no recollection of either of my two alarms. So, an hour and half late, I walked into the room ashamed. But, I was pointed in the right direction, and met the international Chad's rep and the headmaster of the college (EDIT: she's actually the "head tutor", the head of the college is a guy people call Papa Joe), who was incredibly nice. She recognized my name and said "Oh! From Pennsylvania, right? Studying archaeology and anthropology? Let me introduce you to some other U.S. archaeology students" and so, she did. We walked over to a new graduate student, and she said "oh, I went to school in Pennsylvania". When I asked her where, she said Dickinson. Me too! Me too! I exclaimed, and we got to talking. Her name is Sarah (I think) and she just graduated. She said she was pretty out of it her senior year, just waiting to come back to England, which would explain why I didn't know her before. She was at Durham her junior year as well, and loved it so much she's back for her master's. Given that Chad's is one of the smallest colleges in the University, if not the smallest, this is a pretty weird thing. It was fun, though. We got to talking about Greece, the Maggidises (Maggidi?), Breanne (one of her friends who I also know and love), and Dickinson in general. Then, today at 10:30 there's coffee for all us newbies, and then an international students fair run by the University as a whole. There's a party Saturday night, and then on Sunday the real craziness begins.

In conclusion, I'm feeling much better about this whole situation, and in fact am having a pretty great time. I'm looking forward to this year.

I hope everyone at home and abroad is doing well - I miss you.

Peace.