Lovely Cambridge

As you can tell by my prolonged blogging absence, moving and settling into Cambridge has been time consuming more than anything else. Not only does it take time to unpack, buy the things I couldn't take with me, open a bank account, get a mobile phone and learn my way around the town, but it also takes even more time to go to social events and meet new people. After a while, of course I will be able to tell my friends to bugger off because I'm tired or have things to do, but in the beginning it's especially crucial to go clubbing and pubbing with the people I meet (not that I don't like clubbing or pubbing anyway!)

Here is a short summary of life at Cambridge thus far.

College: My college is Wolfson, comprised of about 800 grad students or "mature" undergrads only. It's also the most cosmopolitan and international of the colleges here. So far, all of my friends are from countries outside England-- Japan, Scotland, France, Canada, America, Ghana, Jordan, Greece, Cyprus, etc., so I don't feel like I'm really living in England until the pub closes at 11pm! My college is located a bit far from the town centre (about 20 minutes walk), so I bought a bike, and in what has become true EngRish GiRL fashion, have been cycling almost everywhere. Glad I was already riding around the streets of Tokyo before coming here, or I would probably be scared out of my wits by these English drivers who always seem to be on the wrong side of the road...

Academics: I had my first lecture yesterday, which is a course on the history of East Asia-- meaning China, the Koreas, Japan and Vietnam. There is a long-winded explanation as to why Vietnam is included (having to do with written language and Confucianism) which I will spare you, but I will of course be focusing on the contemporary security policy of Japan in relation to the region. There are only 5 others in my program, so classes are quite small. However, even more surprising is my schedule: one class every second Wednesday, and one class every Thursday... that's it! Though I will also be registering for a beginner French course so I can better understand the part of my life that seems to be increasingly influenced by a Frenchy. The rest of the time is for me to cultivate my ever expanding social life and squeeze in some R&R (reading and research) at some point along the way.

SOCIAL LIFE!: So far so good! I've been out every night this week, with what seems to have turned into 2 groups of friends-- one group of MBA students who love to go clubbing in town and who I "salsa" with... they are from Greece, Cyprus and Mexico; one group I've gone "pubbing" with... a former FT reporter from Tokyo (small world!) who is half-Japanese and half-Swedish and is in my program and a French PhD biochemist. Both are really good fun and we have a lot of laughs. The three of us signed up for rowing, with me as the little coxswain (!), so we'll see how that goes. I heard that to steer I might need a sense of direction, so perhaps it is not the best role for me? Other than that, there are a Scottish guy and girl across the hall from me who are boyfriend/girlfriend from university and are doing the same program here. They are a lot of fun as well, and I'm sure I'll get to know them better as time goes on.

The food is quite awful but edible. The weather has a mind of its own. I am back in a sterile residence hall with no hangers in my closet. I'm still jet lagged. But life is good!