Busy and Fun Week

The last week was really hard. we had to give our research presentations on Monday, and I got good feedback. Dr. Hoffmire said that I was really conservative which was authentic. I am not sure I've ever been called conservative outside the context of politics. 

On Monday, Kailey and I ditched to go to the History of Science museum and the Ashmoleon. Both were closed on Mondays so we just chilled out and went shopping. We ran across the oldest building in Oxford! It's this little Saxon era church where all the official city church things take place. It's also were a ton of protestants were murdered by Queen Mary starting the bloody Mary chant. It was really interesting. I wish we had more time for wandering and discovering random gems like this. 

The organ is a bit freaky. Looks like artillery.  

Kailey thought it said that he died at 6 years old...

Oldest building in Oxford

Bathing suite I tried on that was super cute. It was like 90 pounds though. haha

Taxidermy! look at the picture of the elephant. Freaky!

Craig... so Asian

Dr. Hoffmire and I had an intense talk. I asked him how I could make myself more marketable as I enter the real world. He asked about my past and came up with the worse case scenario for my life. This included getting remarried, and getting a divorce again (because the rate of divorce is higher in second marriages) and being a single mother of a couple kids. He thought that working at museums wouldn't be enough to support a family so he suggested that I go to trade school. it was intense and I'm still not sure what I think of all of it. I know he meant well though. 

That night, I went to dinner with Jen, Jordan, Ben, Aubrey, Craig, and Josh. It was really fun talking with Jen, Jordan, Ben, and Aubrey because they had gone to Cambridge the year before. They told funny stories about Jon. One included a time when Carson took them to a room in the library where they weren't allowed. When Jon saw a librarian coming to kick them out, he ran away and hid behind a statue so that he "wouldn't have it on his record." That kid is so funny.

After dinner there was FHE with the local YSA kids. Josh and I decided to ditch and we went out and got ice cream. It was fun to hang out together and chill.

The next day, I had to make business plans for our group. We went to the theater to watch a procession for those who get honorary doctorates. Protesters were there chanting and yelling about the animal testing going on at Oxford.  

After that, I hung out wiht josh to get lunch. We skipped lecture and went shopping.

Wednesday and Tuesday was straight lecture. We had a formal dinner then a fireside with the local YSA.  We then gave our presentations on friday. Dr. Hoff thought our marketing plan was risky. The boys in my group had made tshirts saying things like "keep calm and peep on" and other funny things like that that kids our age would like, but Dr. Hoff just tore it apart. I felt bad. It's not like we had a ton of time to do market research though. After our presentation, I fell asleep in the back. Jon put his sweater over me. What a sweetheart! During dinner that day I did some cart wheels and he thought it was inappropriate, haha. I think he needs a rebellious cheeky wife to loosen up his tie a little. 

One of these nights, Kailey, Jen and I went to Saint Anthony's where the boys were staying to do some laundry. We ended up staying until 2am because it took so long! Holy smokes it was a long night. But we got to hang out with Kyle, Tom, Josh and some other of the bros. I showed them Papa J's hot wife and they thought it was grand. Josh was threatening to go to bed but i tempted him to stay much longer with a back rub. It ended up being a really fun night. We hung out in Snt. Anthony's common room and it felt like Harry Potter. It was good times. 

Later that day, we went to Blenheim Palace! I geeked out when I saw the pond that Collin Firth jumped in for Pride and Prejudice! Apparently Jon wanted to reenact the scene and had Spencer Yamada take pictures of him getting in! It makes me crack up. 

trying to take a picture over the large Asian tour group

Ironic funny picture in the mirror with Jon Shumway and Josh!

My flash accidentally went off in one of these rooms and I got yelled at. oops!

Josh and I ended up with Sophie so I hung out with her the rest of our time there. We hadn't really hung out before, so it was fun to be goofy with her. 

I had the boys imitate the statues

I like this picture. We look like ninjas

That night I went back home to write the essays for our class. I really wanted to hang out with Josh but it didn't work out. I went for a little walk and ran into some of the boys including Kyle, Fumio, and a few others. We went to the store to get some zink because we were all coming down with something. All they had were zink dissolvables that you put in water. I ate mine whole and it threatened to foam out of my throat and mouth. I thought I was going to throw up for a few minutes. When Janeel and I walked home, I belched twice really really loudly and we laughed about that. I went to Janeel's room to write our essays and we ended up bonding a ton. She has been through quite a lot and she and I were able to say things to each other that really touched each of us. It was an incredible night. I really felt like the I was being a tool in the Lord'sahand. We pulled an all nighter, so I prayed that since we were doing service to help us get through the next day, and we were really able to. It was incredible.