It is the middle of October and it is currently 36 degrees. I have been trying to save my heaviest winter coat for, you know, winter but that may not be possible...
British Climate 14
Devon 0
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
To the tolling of the bells, Of the bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells
Turns out there is a tradition of bell ringing in Durham. All the old churches have bells that are rung manually, often by the Durham University bellringers club. It is a very lovely tradition. For about a week. I may have mentioned previously that my house is St. Oswald's Church adjacent. In fact my window overlooks the churchyard. The cathedral is about a 10 minute walk and can be seen from my house. It seems that the cathedral and other local churches ring their bells all day, and I mean all day, Sunday, only stopping briefly for services. And then there are the practices. It's a little shocking that they actually have to practice since there is no discernible melody, only about 6 or 7 notes repeated over and over in a cacophonous sort of scale. As I write this, I am listening to the rehearsal at St. Os's which has been going on for nearly an hour. I'm supposed to be reading for class, but my brain is a little vibratey thanks to the constant ringing. I'm hoping I'll get used to it before too long. I'll be able to test that theory pretty quickly as rumor has it there are more rehearsals on Thursday...
Sunday, October 11, 2009
What a Difference an Hour Makes...
When I went in to Open Choral practice at the College Chapel it was sunny and warm (well, warm in comparison to recent days, not what I would normally call warm). An hour later when we were done, it was raining and cold. I had heard tales of drastic weather change but this is a little silly.
British Climate 9
Devon 0
Oh and how was choral practice you might ask? Let's just say I didn't sign up to audition. Tonight they held an open rehearsal followed by singing this evening's Evensong service to give people a chance to see what it was like before auditions start later this week. I thought I would go just to be able to say I sang once in the Chapel at a service but it turns out they sing some seriously hard stuff with little to no accompaniment or rehearsal. The first piece I saw was in Latin, containing very few words I knew how to pronounce, so I was happy when we turned to the next song. Turns out the English wasn't any easier to understand/sing. At one point tonight I chanted/sang:
"Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe:
Philistia, triumph thou because of me."
British Climate 9
Devon 0
Oh and how was choral practice you might ask? Let's just say I didn't sign up to audition. Tonight they held an open rehearsal followed by singing this evening's Evensong service to give people a chance to see what it was like before auditions start later this week. I thought I would go just to be able to say I sang once in the Chapel at a service but it turns out they sing some seriously hard stuff with little to no accompaniment or rehearsal. The first piece I saw was in Latin, containing very few words I knew how to pronounce, so I was happy when we turned to the next song. Turns out the English wasn't any easier to understand/sing. At one point tonight I chanted/sang:
"Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe:
Philistia, triumph thou because of me."
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Matriculation
Today was matriculation. It's an old English word meaning sit in a really old cathedral wearing academic gowns while people in fancier academic gowns and caps welcome you into the university. Look for a couple more pictures on facebook/flickr.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Back to College
It's been a little nuts getting settled in, meeting everyone, shopping for groceries and other necessities, learning my way around town, registrations, etc. so I haven't really had time to post anything without feeling terribly antisocial. But I seem to have some down time so I thought I would write a little about the University.
Durham is a collegiate university like Oxford and Cambridge. Every member of the University belongs to a college, mine is Hatfield. The college really has nothing to do with academics, it serves more of a social service. It provides accommodation, has a dining hall, a bar (yes, every college has its own bar), and often a library, gym, and chapel. At Hatfield, all of this is located in one spot we call Main College and I believe many of the buildings are from the 1800s.
This is a picture from the courtyard of Main College. The tan pointy building in the back is Durham Cathedral built in the 11th century and is about a 1 minute walk. I actually live in a college accommodation about a 10 walk from Main College with about 40 other postgraduates but as a member of the college, I'm free to come and go within the Main College buildings as I please.
The Univeristy buildings, including the other colleges and lecture buildings are scattered around Durham instead of having a central campus. Where I live is about a 10 minute walk to the Science Site where my classes will be, the Library, Main College, and shops. The only problem is that no matter where you are going, it is always uphill. I have not figured out how this works, but I promise, it's uphill both ways!
As a postgrad, I'm a member of the Middle Common Room (MCR) of Hatfield, while undergrads belong to the Junior Common Room (JCR) and tutors and other faculty belong to the Senior Common Room (SCR). I have 3 tutors. I'm not entirely sure why I need 3 of them but they are all very nice. What is a tutor you may ask? To quote Douglas Adams, having a tutor means he has "charge of [your] general welfare, told [you] when the exams were and not to take drugs." And that seems about right. They are the people to talk to if you are having any troubles and occasionally they invite you to brunch in the Senior Common Room.
Stay tuned for more posts and pictures on facebook/flickr as time allows.
Durham is a collegiate university like Oxford and Cambridge. Every member of the University belongs to a college, mine is Hatfield. The college really has nothing to do with academics, it serves more of a social service. It provides accommodation, has a dining hall, a bar (yes, every college has its own bar), and often a library, gym, and chapel. At Hatfield, all of this is located in one spot we call Main College and I believe many of the buildings are from the 1800s.
This is a picture from the courtyard of Main College. The tan pointy building in the back is Durham Cathedral built in the 11th century and is about a 1 minute walk. I actually live in a college accommodation about a 10 walk from Main College with about 40 other postgraduates but as a member of the college, I'm free to come and go within the Main College buildings as I please.
The Univeristy buildings, including the other colleges and lecture buildings are scattered around Durham instead of having a central campus. Where I live is about a 10 minute walk to the Science Site where my classes will be, the Library, Main College, and shops. The only problem is that no matter where you are going, it is always uphill. I have not figured out how this works, but I promise, it's uphill both ways!
As a postgrad, I'm a member of the Middle Common Room (MCR) of Hatfield, while undergrads belong to the Junior Common Room (JCR) and tutors and other faculty belong to the Senior Common Room (SCR). I have 3 tutors. I'm not entirely sure why I need 3 of them but they are all very nice. What is a tutor you may ask? To quote Douglas Adams, having a tutor means he has "charge of [your] general welfare, told [you] when the exams were and not to take drugs." And that seems about right. They are the people to talk to if you are having any troubles and occasionally they invite you to brunch in the Senior Common Room.
Stay tuned for more posts and pictures on facebook/flickr as time allows.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Pictures!
OK, not many, but there will be more to come, I promise. Eventually. Head to my facebook or flickr pages to see them (same pictures on both so you don't have to go to both). Let me know if you have any trouble.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Rain, Rain , Go Away...
It is currently about 11 am on Oct 2, and it is 48 degrees outside. And raining. And gale force winds are expected later today. I know it is officially autumn, but really, 48? You win this round Durham weather:
British Climate 1
Devon 0
British Climate 1
Devon 0
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