Sunshine, Class, and a Scone.

All is well here! Yesterday I enjoyed my creative writing workshop, a smaller group of seven students and our tutor (profesor), Jacob Polley. We were able to analyze a piece of literature, and tell about a peaceful place. I enjoyed a sunny walk over to the workshop, and when walking through St. Salvator's quad, where a large open green space sits in the center of various aging stone buildings which comprise different schools at the University. When walking through and reflecting, I found it hard to believe I'm actually here. The quad area where I was is so close to the ocean and just felt so naturally beautiful and the sun was immensely warm. Exiting the quad, I sat on a bench overlooking a similarly lush and green space closer to the ocean but closed off by high stone walls. The sun coming down was so warm and comfortable and felt like summertime. I took these photos:

I've continued reading and writing everyday, and despite the initial adjustment every year, am enjoying being back in the academic swing of things. Slowly, I've been reminded of, remembered, and readjusted to long hours reading, studying, re-reading notes, finding pens have run dry after extended use, early mornings, a variety of notebooks, and carrying books with me to every occassion possible if the off-chance arises to be able to read/study.

I enjoyed meeting up with my American friend Isaac for lunch today. We met at a live music event here a couple weeks ago. Isaac is from Chicago and attends UNC in Chapel Hill. We're both in the School of English here, it's been nice to meet another American who is also adjusting to the culture. While I've made a point to go out and meet several Brits, Scots, and other international students, it also can be somewhat challenging finding a group as the wonderful students of my own age who I've spent time with have been here for two years already. For the most part though, everyone is very friendly and it has been wonderful. :)

I began my Virginia Woolf class today which was quite nice. We're in the same classroom as my Creative Writing class. The tutor, J.D. Byatt is very  knowledgeable in literature, and while a bit intimidating, still very friendly. When calling attendence, he requested (as teachers often do in the initial class) students to respond with preferred names. As I forever feel the call to respond with, 'Liz, please!' during these calls, I was slightly unsure if I was brave enough to assert my preferred name, but as I found it was a rather common thing (as it occasionally is), I was happy to respond, 'Here! Liz would be great!' :)

Among a very quiet class of 19 students, out tutor lectured for the next hour and fifteen minutes a very fast-paced, straight-through - yet detailed and colorful - biography of Virginia Woolf - from the beginning to the (tragic) end. We all voraciously took pages of notes, trying to hear every detail, name, year, description, etc. While hectic and exhausting, I came out knowing more about Woolf, the time period, modernism, feminist literature, her works, etc. than any of my previous research has proved. As we'll need to complete one of her works each week, we also have been assigned to groups of five students who will dissect one large section of the novel we've read each week and present on it.

My group of four other girls was assigned the women and feminist literature section of Woolf's selected essays.

The grade for the course is made up of two essays (25% each) and one large exam in December comprised of two questions worth 50%.

It's been incredibly rainy, windy, and wet here today. Perhaps to make up for the lovely weather of yesterday. Tomorrow's outlook looks nice. I was able to break out my tall green rain boots from home I bought for Scotland today! 'Rain boots' here though, is an unused and unheard of term. 'Wellies' is used by all to described shoes worn in the rain. :) I also carried and used my umbrella much of the day. Something different I found here was that at entrances to buildings, today it was the school of English and the library, it's considered acceptable and advised to toss your wet umbrella onto the floor or atop a growing pile of dripping wet umbrellas at the door. I guess it protects floors from becoming wet, and gives large buildings a mud room-like feel. I'm headed out in a few minutes for a study abroad student social here. I would prefer to sit by a warm heater and begin some Virginia Woolf, but I know that this opportunity is here for one year and is incredible and deserves time off, too. Plus, it's important to remember (and try to transition to!) that students here work hard academically during the day, but use the evening as a social time.

Oh, and while not the best photo, here is what one might describe as 'The Mother of All Scones!' I've only tasted the blackberry, which usually sits on the shelf below the strawberry, pictured below.