I’m now back in the states, looking back on what has been one of the most memorable and meaningful times in my life. I am so happy and thankful that I had this opportunity. I feel as if I have seen and learned so much. If you are at a point in your life where you are wondering “what’s next,” I encourage you to embark on a new adventure. Go out and see a piece of the world that you have never seen before. It doesn’t have to be England or Europe…just go out and see something new. And when you do…be sure to fill me in on all your adventures. Thanks for reading.
-Ahna :)
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Saturday, August 14, 2010
It’s not America…
Here is a fun list of differences between England and the USA! Enjoy.
1. Never ask if you can “rent a bike.” In England, you do not “rent” anything. You “hire” a bike and you “let” an apartment. (We got some really weird looks when searching for a bike rental!)
2. In England sheep have long tails. Imagine a cow tail with a fluffy white perm, now transfer that to a sheep. (weird image, I know…)
3. In England, they don’t have “to go” boxes. You eat it all or you lose your chance. We tried getting a “to go” box at an Indian restaurant and the best that they could come up with was a plastic grocery bag. (“Yeah, I don’t think that I’m going to stick my leftover chicken curry in there…but thanks anyway.”)
4. There’s no tax on purchases in England! But don’t go crazy….they make up for it with the pound/dollar conversion rate.
5. You know how green lights in America turn yellow and then red? Well, in England, lights not only turn green, yellow, red, but they also turn red, yellow, green. It’s kind of like a “prep light,” so that you are ready to go when it actually is green. (Don’t worry, both lights are not actually yellow at the same time…that could cause problems.)
6. In England (especially London) there is no such thing as “the pedestrian has the right of way.” If you are in the crosswalk and that light turns green, they WILL run you down.
7. If you want lettuce on your sandwich, try ordering it with a “green salad.” I can’t make any promises, but this usually will get you some type of lettuce.
8. English dogs are almost always pure bred and well-behaved. Nearly every dog I saw was an identifiable breed such as an English Sheepdog, Border Collie, Jack Russel Terrier, Greyhound, English Springer Spaniel, etc. Leashes are a rare occurrence. Most dogs just trot dutifully beside their master.
9. English people are generally very thin. Guys do not lift weights and girls do not tan. (in general)
10. Ordering “tap water” is a sure sign that you are not European. The waiters and waitresses are generally so surprised that you would actually drink tap water, that they try to spruce it up with lemon, mint, or lime. So, as you can imagine, the tap water in England is actually much better than it is in America…even if the people act like you're drinking poison.
1. Never ask if you can “rent a bike.” In England, you do not “rent” anything. You “hire” a bike and you “let” an apartment. (We got some really weird looks when searching for a bike rental!)
2. In England sheep have long tails. Imagine a cow tail with a fluffy white perm, now transfer that to a sheep. (weird image, I know…)
3. In England, they don’t have “to go” boxes. You eat it all or you lose your chance. We tried getting a “to go” box at an Indian restaurant and the best that they could come up with was a plastic grocery bag. (“Yeah, I don’t think that I’m going to stick my leftover chicken curry in there…but thanks anyway.”)
4. There’s no tax on purchases in England! But don’t go crazy….they make up for it with the pound/dollar conversion rate.
5. You know how green lights in America turn yellow and then red? Well, in England, lights not only turn green, yellow, red, but they also turn red, yellow, green. It’s kind of like a “prep light,” so that you are ready to go when it actually is green. (Don’t worry, both lights are not actually yellow at the same time…that could cause problems.)
6. In England (especially London) there is no such thing as “the pedestrian has the right of way.” If you are in the crosswalk and that light turns green, they WILL run you down.
7. If you want lettuce on your sandwich, try ordering it with a “green salad.” I can’t make any promises, but this usually will get you some type of lettuce.
8. English dogs are almost always pure bred and well-behaved. Nearly every dog I saw was an identifiable breed such as an English Sheepdog, Border Collie, Jack Russel Terrier, Greyhound, English Springer Spaniel, etc. Leashes are a rare occurrence. Most dogs just trot dutifully beside their master.
9. English people are generally very thin. Guys do not lift weights and girls do not tan. (in general)
10. Ordering “tap water” is a sure sign that you are not European. The waiters and waitresses are generally so surprised that you would actually drink tap water, that they try to spruce it up with lemon, mint, or lime. So, as you can imagine, the tap water in England is actually much better than it is in America…even if the people act like you're drinking poison.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Last Run in England
While in Dorset, I had the opportunity to go for one of the most spectacularly beautiful runs of my life. Considering the fact that I have been running just about everyday for the past decade, this is a pretty meaningful statement. (I’d say the most breath-taking run that I’ve ever been on was in the Colorado Rockies…but this was breath-taking for entirely different reasons…think altitude…haha) Anyway, back to Dorset. Picture this: it’s early morning, a little before 7:00AM. You are at a cozy British hotel, in the middle of Dorset-nowhere, and you have absolutely no idea where you are going to run. The only hope you have is a vague suggestion from the night before, that if you go out “that way” and turn “this way,” you’ll find some old bridle paths. “Lovely,” you think, “an hour run of bumpy, poop-covered, bridle paths. Just lovely.” You decide to give it a chance and head in the suggested direction, which happens to be uphill. It starts out pretty ordinary—root, rock, ridge, rabbit hole… Just as you are beginning to worry about your ankles, you make it to the top of the hill. And there, for three magical seconds, your heart stops beating. (Not recommended for distance runners…) But, the landscape is magnificent! The sun is just rising beyond the green sloping fields, flocks of sheep graze on the hillsides, the air is crisp, cool and so clean, thick heads of grain bend and wave with the summer winds, and you—you can’t stop smiling. So you keep on running. Sunbeams dance on your eyelids, your breath is lost in the twirling winds, you see nothing but blue sky and rich earth and you thank God—audibly, loudly, before all the bleating sheep—for putting you in England and making you a runner.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Stonehenge
I can now boast that I have seen, photographed, and admired one of the most famous prehistoric monuments in the world—Stonehenge! And to be honest, that’s about all you can do at Stonehenge, brag that you have been there. :P haha, just kidding. No, seeing Stonehenge was a tremendously cool experience.
Stonehenge is composed of two circles of rock, an outer circle and an inner circle. The inner circle is made up of what is referred to as “bluestones.” Here is what makes Stonehenge amazing—these bluestones were more than likely transported over 160 miles from the Preseli Hills in modern-day Whales all the way to the southeast corner of Wiltshire. Oh, and did I mention that each of these stones weighed over 4 tons? Yes, pretty impressive. Considering the technology that they had during the Bronze Age, the feat of constructing Stonehenge would probably be the modern day equivalent of relocating the Rocky Mountains to an unpopulated coast of Figi.
As you walk around Stonehenge, you get to carry a hand-held radio device that tells you all sorts of fun facts about the construction, history, and significance of the stones. Considering the fact that there were people from all over the world, these radios came in a variety of different languages. Of course, I got to listen to the one with the cool British accent. :)
The other cool thing about Stonehenge was its relationship to Tess of the D’Urbervilles. In the novel, there is a scene where Tess and Angel are wandering through the English countryside hiding from the law. (Tess has recently murdered her 2nd husband, Alec D’Urberville). Anyway, Tess and Angel end up at Stonehenge. This, of course, is before the entire area was roped off and turned into a major audio-box tourist attraction. Well, Tess decides that she will rest upon one of the large stones. She falls asleep and awakes to be surrounded by law men. I won’t give the ending away…but I’ll just say that Tess ends up becoming a type of literary sacrifice. Poor girl.
Okay, enough about Tess…
As we were making our 400 meter pilgrimage around the Stonehenge circumference, it started to rain. Actually, it started to pour! Just imagine hundreds of Stonehenge tourists scurrying to the entry tunnel, huddling together, listening to their portable informational radios, and trying not to step on anyone’s toes…yup, that was me. So, regretfully our group did not get to take our “Study at Oxford” group photo, like we had planned. I mean, we were wearing matching Polos and everything!
Stonehenge is composed of two circles of rock, an outer circle and an inner circle. The inner circle is made up of what is referred to as “bluestones.” Here is what makes Stonehenge amazing—these bluestones were more than likely transported over 160 miles from the Preseli Hills in modern-day Whales all the way to the southeast corner of Wiltshire. Oh, and did I mention that each of these stones weighed over 4 tons? Yes, pretty impressive. Considering the technology that they had during the Bronze Age, the feat of constructing Stonehenge would probably be the modern day equivalent of relocating the Rocky Mountains to an unpopulated coast of Figi.
As you walk around Stonehenge, you get to carry a hand-held radio device that tells you all sorts of fun facts about the construction, history, and significance of the stones. Considering the fact that there were people from all over the world, these radios came in a variety of different languages. Of course, I got to listen to the one with the cool British accent. :)
The other cool thing about Stonehenge was its relationship to Tess of the D’Urbervilles. In the novel, there is a scene where Tess and Angel are wandering through the English countryside hiding from the law. (Tess has recently murdered her 2nd husband, Alec D’Urberville). Anyway, Tess and Angel end up at Stonehenge. This, of course, is before the entire area was roped off and turned into a major audio-box tourist attraction. Well, Tess decides that she will rest upon one of the large stones. She falls asleep and awakes to be surrounded by law men. I won’t give the ending away…but I’ll just say that Tess ends up becoming a type of literary sacrifice. Poor girl.
Okay, enough about Tess…
As we were making our 400 meter pilgrimage around the Stonehenge circumference, it started to rain. Actually, it started to pour! Just imagine hundreds of Stonehenge tourists scurrying to the entry tunnel, huddling together, listening to their portable informational radios, and trying not to step on anyone’s toes…yup, that was me. So, regretfully our group did not get to take our “Study at Oxford” group photo, like we had planned. I mean, we were wearing matching Polos and everything!
Dorset and Hardy Country
Our final weekend excursion was a trip to Dorset County—the area of England where Thomas Hardy was born and raised. Hardy is the author of the novel Tess of the D’Urbervilles, a tragic tale telling the story of a young maiden’s gradual loss of innocence in response to the hardships and treachery of modern society. I found it fascinating to see the land that inspired Tess. The first glimpse of Hardy country that we observed was the heath. If you have ever read Shakespeare’s King Lear, you might remember the part of the play where Lear is abandoned by his two elder daughters and forced to wander in the barren heath land. Well, this is also the land where Tess was forced to work after Angel Clare (her husband) abandoned her to move to Brazil.
Even in the summer, the heath appears barren and harsh. Rough prickly bushes grow from the stony soil, while the rolling hills are painted with dull shades of green and brown. Rocks jut out from under the soil, causing extreme difficulty to the people working in the fields. For Tess, working to dig up swede roots at Flintcomb-Ash Farm must have been unbelievably difficult and discouraging. (Swede is the British version of a turnip or rutabaga.)
Our trusty bus-driver, tour-guide Mike explained to us that there are three major types of land in the Dorset area: heath, downs, and chalk valleys. The heath, as already mentioned, is the desolate, dry, hill land with sandy soil for growing turnips. The downs are the upland areas with flat top hills that are used for grazing. The chalk valleys are the rain-watered, lush and plentiful valleys that produce good dairy and cattle land. Throughout Hardy country, we saw a wide variety of other Tess sites including: Marnhull (inspiration for Marlott), Hardy’s cottage (nice gardens), Shaftesbury (beautiful scenic view of the landscape), and the grand finale—Stonehenge.
Even in the summer, the heath appears barren and harsh. Rough prickly bushes grow from the stony soil, while the rolling hills are painted with dull shades of green and brown. Rocks jut out from under the soil, causing extreme difficulty to the people working in the fields. For Tess, working to dig up swede roots at Flintcomb-Ash Farm must have been unbelievably difficult and discouraging. (Swede is the British version of a turnip or rutabaga.)
Our trusty bus-driver, tour-guide Mike explained to us that there are three major types of land in the Dorset area: heath, downs, and chalk valleys. The heath, as already mentioned, is the desolate, dry, hill land with sandy soil for growing turnips. The downs are the upland areas with flat top hills that are used for grazing. The chalk valleys are the rain-watered, lush and plentiful valleys that produce good dairy and cattle land. Throughout Hardy country, we saw a wide variety of other Tess sites including: Marnhull (inspiration for Marlott), Hardy’s cottage (nice gardens), Shaftesbury (beautiful scenic view of the landscape), and the grand finale—Stonehenge.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
More on Oxford Running
If you continue running beyond the Oxford University Parks, you will find yourself amongst the Oxford countryside. Wooded trails might lead you alongside the Thames or perhaps around the circumference of an old corn field. (Wheat fields are known as corn fields in England! Don’t ask me why…). The mornings in Oxford tend to be peaceful and still. Locals walk their dogs, go for a jog, or carry tin lunch pails on their way to work. On a side note, it was so interesting to see people actually walking to work. In America, it seems that everyone drives everywhere—even a 5 minute trip to the grocery store is likely to involve a car. In England, public transportation, or better yet, your own two feet, is the best way to get you from A to B.
By running on these country trails, I am starting to get a feeling for the Oxford landscape that Matthew Arnold was referring to in “The Scholar Gipsy.” It seems that once you get outside the hustle and bustle of downtown, the landscape hasn’t changed much. There’s still the “Oxford towers” in the distance, the “punt’s rope” by the “glittering Thames,” the “light in Christ-Church hall,” and “tall grasses and white flowering nettles.” In fact, I had a little run-in with some nettles at the park. It so happens that just beyond the bridge at the park is a nasty patch of stinging nettles. My legs did not respond very favorably to the Oxford nettle greeting. Thankfully, the sting does fade a lot quicker than the itch of poison ivy.
Another interesting fact about the countryside around Oxford is the presence of cattle grids and cattle gates. If you want to run from one field to the next, you are almost certainly going to have to open and close a gate or hop daintily across a large metal cattle grid. The gates are pretty entertaining—each one seems to have it’s own special latch in order to open it. The grids, on the other hand, are extremely annoying. While one can walk across a grid with little fear of injury, running across one would more than likely lead to a twisted ankle or a broken foot. So, just like the cows, I tend to avoid the cattle grids.
By running on these country trails, I am starting to get a feeling for the Oxford landscape that Matthew Arnold was referring to in “The Scholar Gipsy.” It seems that once you get outside the hustle and bustle of downtown, the landscape hasn’t changed much. There’s still the “Oxford towers” in the distance, the “punt’s rope” by the “glittering Thames,” the “light in Christ-Church hall,” and “tall grasses and white flowering nettles.” In fact, I had a little run-in with some nettles at the park. It so happens that just beyond the bridge at the park is a nasty patch of stinging nettles. My legs did not respond very favorably to the Oxford nettle greeting. Thankfully, the sting does fade a lot quicker than the itch of poison ivy.
Another interesting fact about the countryside around Oxford is the presence of cattle grids and cattle gates. If you want to run from one field to the next, you are almost certainly going to have to open and close a gate or hop daintily across a large metal cattle grid. The gates are pretty entertaining—each one seems to have it’s own special latch in order to open it. The grids, on the other hand, are extremely annoying. While one can walk across a grid with little fear of injury, running across one would more than likely lead to a twisted ankle or a broken foot. So, just like the cows, I tend to avoid the cattle grids.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Punting
Today, we attempted to punt in Oxford. Punting is an ancient Oxford and Cambridge tradition that involves steering a long, flat boat with a pole. One person stands on the back to steer and propel the vessel, while the others just get to sit back and enjoy the ride. The whole process looks sort of like a gondola ride in Venice. The main difference between a punt and a gondola is the presence or absence of a rudder. Gondolas, the traditional Venetian rowing boats, use a rudder as means to maneuver down the river. Punts, on the other hand, don’t believe in rudders. To steer a punt, one must drag the pole behind the vessel in the direction you wish to travel. For example, straight behind to go straight, left side to go right, and right side to go left. If this seems pretty simple, just wait until you try it. I do believe that the members of my punt spent more time on the bank, in the blackberry patch, or amongst the ducks than we actually did sailing down the river. Even so, I still enjoyed being a part of this historic Oxford tradition.
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