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There are days when life seems relatively simple... and then there are the days where the wind is knocked out of your soul so completely you forget how to pray.

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London

Hey Everyone! So a few weeks ago I got the opportunity to go visit London, England with my friend Anna, and I thought I would share a little about my experience. It was a really fun day, it was pretty cold but you will notice I am super bundled to the extreme. The reason for that is that on top of the cold, I actually had a cold, so I was definitely not feeling my best. Still, it was a wonderful time, and I had a lot of fun seeing the sights.

This is my London Experience:

The day was a lot of fun. Above is a picture of the Millennium Bridge, its that cool scene in Harry Potter where the dementors attack muggles and there’s chaos as the bridge snaps and then collapses and its super intense? Yeah, that one. 

We got to see a lot of cool sights, and definitely could feel the Harry Potter vibes going on in the city...

--featuring Anna Dirkse...

We started our day at Paddington station, which was enormous, and then figured our way out to the great Buckingham Palace. 

Standing here in front of the statue directly in front of the palace, which features Queen Victoria. She is magnificent and I have a great amount of admiration for her. Fun Fact: We wear white wedding dresses solely because she started the tradition, and everyone followed suit... Nice. 

We walked through St. James’ Park and found ourselves by a familiar face....

as well as a beautiful cathedral, known as Westminster Abbey.

They were all decked out for Remembrance Day, which while beautiful and inspiring, was also really sad. Look at the rows and rows and rows of crosses that are across these lawns. 

And we saw Big Ben, in all its.... well, not glory. Scaffolding, maybe?  I guess Kevin and I will just have to go back.

From there, we took the tube to Boroughs Market, a famous farmers market that is located on the other side of the Thames. 

And after we ate we walked towards the river, and saw something pretty extraordinary.

Yes, that is a tuba player blowing fire in front of a psychedelic mural of William Shakespeare. Now there’s a sentence I never thought I would write...

Which meant that the Globe was close by! And by Globe, I mean the new, new Globe, which is still incredible. It is built almost exactly proportional to the original design, they had to make it about a foot wider for the purposes of fire code. Not surprisingly, fire safety wasn’t something the original builders cared much about, which explains why we don’t have the original globe today.

Nevertheless, it was a special part of the day to get to see the stage and envision how his incredible plays might have looked all those years ago. 

After this, Anna and I took a trip across the Millennium Bridge! 

It was eery how much fog there was. We couldn't see the tops of some buildings. If you look dead at the center of this photo, there’s the Tower bridge. Maybe I’ll get to see that one next time I come with Kevin. 

We then hopped on the tube and went to the British Museum! Anna and I are both English and Bible majors, so there were a few things in particular that we were REALLY excited to see.

The Rosetta Stone:

The Cyrus Cylinder:

(Ok guys so the Cyrus Cylinder is so cool because it was found fairly recently and it chronicles King Cyrus of Persia sending the people back to their homeland which actually corroborates one of the strangest narratives in the Old Testament. Finding a Persian artifact that backs up the Bible? Uh yeah. That’s super cool. 

And of course, all the cool Egyptian artifacts were pretty exciting too:

This is a tablet that contains a flood narrative! Pretty interesting to see how much all the ancient Near Eastern peoples had in common!

PS just the building in and of itself is masterful. Can you believe this place exists? So cool.

We decided to head to Charlottes Street (a must if you want a variety of food options and you’re in London) and we found this cool place that served delicious Peruvian food. And it was super cheap! So good! This dish was composed of Sea Bass, “tiger milk”, yam, lime juice, corn, and a few other ingredients. It was delicious. And so cheap too!

We finished out our night by visiting the beautiful Oxford Street, and ate cookies and drank cocoa while we admired the beautiful lights. They are made to look like an advent calendar, and the doors open one by one to reveal the surprise inside! So cool!

Our last stop on the tube was Baker street, where I got to see a familiar sight. Maybe next time I can actually drop by Sherlock’s house?

It was a great trip, and I really enjoyed being able to spend the day visiting a city I had heard so much about. Even though it was really bittersweet, as Kevin and I were supposed to go to London together, I know that there will still be plenty for us to see and explore. It is truly a massive place. In fact, did you know that London is over 600 square miles? Wow!

Bonus photos:

I went to the formal hall of my college, Wycliffe Hall, and got to get dressed up with my friends, Jenna and Anna. 

While I was there, I was invited to sit at the head table, which was an honor, as I got to meet the Vice Chancellor of Oxford and actually ate dinner next to her and told her about my experience at Oxford!

While it was unexpected, I appreciated being able to sit with her, although when she asked me about my experience, it pretty much just turned into me talking about how homesick I am. Oh well. In eight days, I get to come home to the love of my life! And I am really excited!

That’s all for now! Lots of love from across the pond!

Soon I will be home again! I can’t wait!

Paige

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Qualified...

I logged onto my blog today intending to post an update on my trip to London a few weeks ago, only to find a special message waiting for me:

“Please, tell me what qualifications you have to call yourself a biblical scholar. Also, please tell me why you are calling your proclaimed Lord, Jesus, a liar?  He confirmed  that Moses wrote the Torah on several occasions.”

Whew! That’s a loaded message, especially to be sent to me without allowing a response to their blog (they don’t take messages in return). While it makes me sad that I can’t have a conversation with someone one on one about these questions (they’re great questions btw,) I thought it might be helpful to post my response, because I’m sure if one person was brave enough to ask, there may be a few who are wondering. 

Part One:

What qualifications do I have to call myself a biblical scholar?

Well, first of all I have grown up attending a church my entire life. I have attended various Bible studies, read lots of books, and most importantly, read my Bible regularly. When I looked into going into college, a big motivator was to attend a private Christian university so that I could continue to study God’s Word and understand it better. 

Which brings us to my second point. I am currently studying Bible and Theology at my university, and will be graduating in the spring with a BA in Bible and Theology. My specialty is in Old Testament, and last year I studied the Hebrew language for two semesters. So I’ve been able to decipher some of the original texts, as well as gain an understanding for the culture of Ancient Israel. 

Third, I am currently studying abroad at Oxford University, which is one of, if not the, top university in the world. There are several big names in Theological study who teach here, I am studying directly under Dr. John Jarick, who is a specialist in Wisdom Literature and has written dozens of books on the topic, but another is Dr. Alister McGrath, who I have attended lectures under. He is a name that I have commonly cited over the years at my home university and it was an honor to meet him. 

I’m honestly hesitant to call myself a Biblical scholar since there are so many who know so much more than I do, but I will have a degree on it in about six months so I think I have some reason to say so. I also, maybe as a romantic optimist, want to believe that all Christians should consider themselves Biblical scholars, and should strive to pursue knowledge, as we know that God is Truth, so what do we have to fear from searching for it? 

Part Two:

“Also, please tell me why you are calling your proclaimed Lord, Jesus, a liar?  He confirmed  that Moses wrote the Torah on several occasions.”

Wow. I would never dare to, but I understand the confusion. I will respond by asking a question in return: 

Did Jesus write the Gospels?

In my reading of the Bible, I have come across many inconsistencies. My favorite is that Jesus wore two different colored robes, red and purple, when he was crucified. Obviously the color was one or the other, but the color that was written down by the writer actually corresponds to the audience’s concept of a savior depending on who they were. So the Jews had a red robed Messiah, adding to the concept of red = sacrifice, while the Romans had a purple robed Messiah, because they had praetors who wore purple robes, and the writer was connecting Christ to a ruling royal figure. Hence, we have contradictions. 

I don’t have a problem with these inconsistencies, because they serve a purpose for their audience and they strive to communicate a larger truth= Jesus died for our sins and was raised from the dead to vanquish our sins and give eternal life to all those who confess and believe in him. 

Scholarship agrees that the gospels were not written immediately after or while Jesus was alive. Most of the gospels are dated anywhere from fifty to ninety years after Jesus lived. This means that there is plenty of room for confusion over the exact wording of what Jesus said. 

When it comes to his lessons and stories, these are easier for the disciples to recall (narratives usually are) and presumably he would have discussed his main points in more detail as he lived with them, so its easy to believe that the Sermon on the Mount and other passages would have been common knowledge in terms of His theology. 

As for Jesus referring to Moses as the writer of the Torah... I do believe it possible that Moses may have inspired several of the traditions of the Torah. There are lots of verses that I find it entirely possible are inspired by Moses. The Israelites had a very active oral tradition, and its a popular view that their traditions were passed down orally over time through the generations and were eventually written down. Perhaps we can come to an agreement there? But I struggle to believe that Moses wrote the entire Torah, one of the main examples I have for this is that Moses’ father in law is known by three different names in the Torah, and I cannot understand why Moses would have insisted on calling him such varying things, sometimes within a few sentences of each other? 

Another problem I have is Moses’ death and how the actions immediately surrounding Moses’ death and afterwards are still written down. A popular argument is that someone else finished his work where he left off... I would argue that is exactly what I’m suggesting though, simply on a larger scale than previously thought. 

As for Jesus “confirming” that Moses wrote the Torah, all of the verses you are referring to (Matthew 19:8, John 5:46, 47, John 7:19), all are referring to a bigger idea than Moses’ authorship. The Jews had a very strong identification with their patriarchs. No matter who was responsible for writing the scriptures of the time, it would make sense that they would attribute it to the person whose name held the most credibility and weight, even if it was attributed postmortem. Their way of life and culture is extremely different from our own. But the verses in and of themselves are Jesus pointing to a bigger idea. Whether he actually said “Moses” or whether the name was added decades later when the gospels were being written down remains a point that we will probably disagree on.

But I ask you this, do any people that you know actually speak to one another the way you read dialogue in the Bible? Or is it possible that the dialogue was pared down, paraphrased, simplified, or concentrated, to communicate a point as effectively and simply as possible? 

That’s all for today I think... Thanks for the questions, they were very engaging. 

Lots of Love From Across the Pond!

Paige

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Dedicated to my Aunties...

Growing up I have been deeply influenced and impacted by my family. My Aunt Janine studied English, and as I grew up we bonded over our love for literature. She was the one who first introduced me to Jane Austen, and I could always count on her for fantastic book recommendations. My Aunt Susan was the adventurer, her house was decorated with curios from various trips she had gone on. I remember growing up fascinated with giraffes she had from Africa, and as I prepared to go on this trip abroad, she sent me dozens of photos of her as a girl when she visited Oxford and Bath in her twenties. So needless to say, my visit to Bath post is dedicated to these two lovely women, for cultivating in me a love of adventure, be that across the pages of one of the greatest female writers to ever live, or across the stones of the town where that woman walked.

This is Bath

We started our day off right by eating at “Sally Lunn’s Buns”! It was delicious!

Bath was originally a Roman settlement, it was one of the few places that Roman people could find a hot spring to be used for their common practices of community bathing. Over years they built a huge temple, dedicated to the goddess Minerva and potentially Neptune, and then as they fell out of fashion, the temple was lost. In the last few centuries, however, the temple was rediscovered in the Victorian period, and has been since restored to some of its former glory. And I got to go visit it! 

The water definitely isn’t bathwater today, it is murky and green. However, when it used to be regularly treated, drained, and cleaned, this water would have been gorgeous!

Men and women tended to bathe separately, after a law was passed by a modest emperor. Before this law, men and women bathed communally! The Roman Baths were basically the country clubs of Rome. People would come to the baths for massages, for socializing, for status, and to work out and play sports. And yes, they would come to bathe, but it was more about a spa kind of bath than a get clean kind of focus. It was very luxurious and took hours for the whole process! 

Supposedly, drinking the water is very healing, or so people thought. It is actually filled with lots of minerals. But, when in Rome!

After we went to the baths, we got to go to the Jane Austen Centre! Wow! It was so cool being able to see the sketches of her growing up, read her notes about the people she lived alongside of, and hear a little bit more about her life. We also got to play dress-up in regency attire. It was quite a fun experience!

Finally, we went to see some of the incredible architecture in the city, including the bridge that inspired the scene from the movie Les Miserables when Javere jumps into the water. Whoa!

I also, of course, had to do a reenactment of my Aunt Susan’s picture from her visit! Tadaa!

Bonus Points: I found the Doctor!! Well, his TARDIS, anyways…

Thanks for reading! 

Lots of Love from Across the Pond! Paige E.

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The last few weeks have been a whirlwind, but I think what has stood out to me the most has been the familiar intimidation of Biblical criticism. As a Biblical scholar and a Christian, I am often confronted with uncomfortable challenges to assumptions I have grown up making. The anxiety and fear that those moments can bring often makes me wonder why I do what I do...  Will scholarship break my faith some day? Can I learn too much? Ultimately, my questions come to this: 

Is it worth surrounding myself with so much negativity against my faith?

The answer of course is a resounding yes. God is always bigger than any commentary I could read, any professor I could meet, or any lecture I could sit in on. As I have experienced in years past, after each initial challenge, each momentary set back, my faith returns strengthened and revitalized as I find that what scholarship says about the Bible actually lines up compatibly with the narratives that I have studied and the God that I have personally experienced. 

For example, yesterday I went to a lecture on the history of the Hebrew culture, focused specifically on the Babylonian exile. My lecturer began her lecture (typical) with a clip from a kids’ Bible show and discussing how stupid it was that people actually believed this without going any deeper into scholarly sources. Frankly I wanted to raise my hand and ask what children she would think were capable of sitting down and reading ancient stele’s, but I decided to listen instead. She then began presenting on what her research has found, and how shocking it was compared to the biblical text. I listened, expecting to learn something new. But most of what she said, I already knew from studying other books of the Bible. It wasn’t surprising. It did fill in some gaps on chronology and helped me to get a better grasp on the timeline of the Old Testament. But when I asked her why she hadn’t included the texts that I was thinking of, her only reply was that I made a great point in recalling those sources! 

I share this because I want to encourage those who are beginning their journeys in Biblical criticism. I know it can be intimidating or nerve-wracking to entertain ideas of “fragment theory,” “alternative authors,” or even question the bias or personal motivations behind different books of the Bible. My encouragement to you is what my favorite professor, Doctor Cynthia Shafer-Elliott once said to me: “God can handle it.” She reminded me that all that matters at the end of the day is Jesus Christ, his sacrifice and resurrection. And that definitely simplifies it friends! It doesn’t matter if God created the world in seven days or in millions of years. It doesn’t matter if Josiah was a pious king or if he was opportunistic. It doesn’t matter whether Moses wrote the Torah or not. What matters at the end of the day is that despite all of these questions, all of the human errors, all of the skepticism about why certain texts were included, God is God, and He has a story to tell you. 

Yesterday as I prepared for the day, I put a necklace around my neck that my fiancé, Kevin, gave to me two summers ago. It says Psalm 3:3-6 on it. The verse says: 

“But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain. I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side."

God will be beside you every step of your journey as you embark to understand His word. He is your shield, and He will help you to hold your head up high, even when there are those who sneer and say, “Do you really believe something so ancient?” Do not be afraid to embrace your faith, Friends. Yahweh is bigger than all of this. 

Lots of love from across the pond!

Paige

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Two weeks ago we had the adventure of a lifetime. If you want to check out our photos, feel free... I loved having him by my side once more! Being next to him is definitely where I belong!!

Some notes of where we went:

The first day we went to Versailles, the palace of King Louis the 14th. It was incredible and had really cool fountains and gardens!

The next day we checked out the outside of the Louvre (we wanted to go in but it was too long of a line) and we went to Notre Dame Cathedral and got to climb the tower all the way to the top!!

The last day we went on a river cruise down the Seine river to check out the Eiffel tower! Wow! We also wined and dined! (When in France...)

Then we flew back to Oxford, and I got to show him my neighborhood. We had high tea!

That is a very brief summary of our trip. It was incredible. I cannot wait until he is in my arms once more. 

Lots of Love from Across the Pond!

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Being an American in England

I know that I have taken a hiatus from blogging for a while now, and I promise I will post an update soon, I’m trying to get all my photos sorted currently. In the meantime, I wanted to share something I wrote yesterday. 

This is being an American in England.

Coming here, I thought I was prepared. I knew of the lingo, what hand signals to avoid. I knew that they loved tea, and that their money was more expensive than ours. 

What I was not prepared for was the loneliness. The sound of foreign chatter which fills my ears.

        In buses, on sidewalks,

                     in the desk next to mine at the library.

What I was not expecting was the inferiority. 

I’ve always been proud to be an American, but now,

         I find myself speaking in clipped, one word answers, hoping no one picks up on my accent. When they do guess it, I shy away from their sneers of derision.

Is it just me? Or does it seem like they are always laughing at my expense?

         Everyone thinks they know more about our politics, our fight for social justice. They see the change they affected in their tiny island of a country, and can’t understand when I tell them “its slower where I’m from... the size of your country could probably fit in my state.” 

How do I explain to someone from a tiny island off the coast of Europe that it feels like dealing with foreigners when I am living with the Americans in my program, because we are from such different parts of America sometimes it feels like we are speaking different languages? The British cannot comprehend when I tell them how long my plane ride took to get from Sacramento to D.C..

How do I explain the intricacies of our media, political systems, or worldview to someone who has already decided theirs is far superior? Am I supposed to apologize for being American? I cannot change where I was born.

         Most UNI students here are louder than I will ever be in public. I make myself small and try to practice my accent for one word answers. I practice saying, “Cheers,” to the bus driver. Maybe if I try to erase myself then I will not feel so naked when I walk down the street, bathed in anonymity until one word spills stars and stripes all over my body.

          Maybe the worst part in all of this is that I am not ashamed. Yes, I know my country has some major problems. I know things are polarized and volatile back home. But I believe that our country is on the precipice of a great opportunity. I see so much potential. I see it in the community of people who came together to rescue those stranded from the hurricanes, showing beautiful sacrifice and the definition of humanity. I see potential in the heart wrenching stories from Vegas, how countless people became heroes in an instant, as they helped triage, evacuate, and comfort the wounded. How many protected the others around them, at times with their own bodies, at times at the expense of their own lives. 

          I see all of this and I wonder, How could I be anything but deeply, passionately proud of my country? My country is not made up of our leadership, nor our media. It is made up of everyday people like these. That’s why we are a democracy. And that is the reason I love America. 

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Hampton Court...

This last week has been an absolute whirlwind. I am so humbled by the opportunities I have in front of me, and at the same time so daunted being away from home for so long. At times I feel like I am on a see-saw, I go from relishing being abroad and enjoying time with friends to feeling waves of self doubt, fear, and homesickness crash over me as I think of all the people I am missing. I am so encouraged by all of the people who are sending their love and prayers to me from across the pond, it is greatly appreciated as I get used to the strangeness of being away from everyone I’ve known. 

With all that said, this week has been incredible.

My week began visiting a very cool place known as Hampton Court, also known as  King Henry the Eighth’s favorite vacation spot. This was an incredible trip because it is really a palace. The views were incredible, and I really enjoyed being able to take in the history that has saturated this location over the many years it has been around. 

It had immaculate gardens:

Beautiful Fountains!

Gorgeous Sculptures

And indescribable views.

I would ask if its too late to change my wedding venue, but also I’m afraid I would get some bad juju being married at a place as unfortunate as this. We were able to spot evidence pointing to every single one of Henry’s wives etched into various walls and ceilings. I cannot imagine what kind of impression that would have made on whichever one was current at the time. *Gulp*

Still... It was breathtaking.

And this was just the grounds! Inside there were more treasures!

My favorite was getting to see in person what I had been taught about in my British Poetry from 15-1600 class, by the lovely Professor Portia Hopkins. She had told us about this strange place known as Hampton Court, where Henry had statures put in the eaves of the main court, who leaned out over the eaves and dropped down over the edges. These were commonly referred to as “eavesdroppers” and were a reminder to the courtiers that someone was always listening. And on Tuesday, I got to see them.

There are three featured in the photo above...

It was such an incredible trip! The castle was so incredibly opulent, the decor is ridiculously detailed and beautiful!

This is a tapestry! Stunningly intricate and beautiful! The colors are quite faded after nearly 500 years hanging up, but once upon a time, these tapestries used to look like this:

Check out the ceiling! Each one of these dots on the ceiling are actually different crests... Many of them are his different wives crests!!

Hope you all enjoy this amazing building as much as I did, but honestly... the photos cannot compare!

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So far at every historic church I have visited I have been able to light a candle and pray. On Saturday, we visited our most recent church, located in Burford, England, in a region known as Cotswold. This candle represents all of the loved ones back home that are hurting over illness, fear, or other challenging circumstances. It especially represents Primrose Parisi, the beautiful daughter of some friends of mine who was born several months early. If you can please keep praying for this precious baby girl’s health, that would be such a blessing to her and her family. Thank you all!

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#First World Problems

Log Entry #0005

Morale is low. Today, the sheets to the bunks were changed, but the duvet is too short to tuck into the bed and snuggle around my giant frame. Existential questions including, “How do I fit in this small world?” haunt my waking nightmares. Kitchen patrol was established today, and I have been selected as the first victim. Faith and I scoured the kitchen. So many hostiles surrounded us. Who knows what colonies of germs have infested the stained dish towels. We cannot hold them off for much longer. Everything is gummy, damp, and crusty with the kind of negligence that only comes from twenty somethings living alone for the first time. The water in the shower has been cold for over twenty four hours. We are starting to lose hope of ever feeling warmth again. We must remain strong. 

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A Whirlwind of a Week

Well friends, I am currently sitting in the most beautiful library I have ever entered, and my mind is spinning a bit from all the reading, so I decided I would take a moment to pause and catch you all up on my very exciting first week of classes, ending in a field trip I will not soon forget! Can you guess where I went? Hint: I’m still wearing my wristband!!! (Pardon my rain hair!)

First of all, I am living inside of Wycliffe Hall, which is a beautiful college situated within a ten minute walk to the core of Oxford University, also known as the library. The interesting thing about both the university and the library is that they are more of ideas or entities than physical buildings. For instance, there is no official “campus” for the university, rather, the entity of the university is a giant umbrella over the surrounding colleges, all of which have a particular specialty, and as each student attending the colleges prepares for exams, the exams they take will be administered and evaluated by the university, and their degrees then distributed accordingly. Similarly, there is not one single library. There is the Bodleian Library, a massive system of libraries and warehouses full of books in the surrounding area that are all available to students carrying an Oxford ID card. Though several libraries are for specific faculty or students of colleges only, the system is pretty good at sharing when necessary. The main libraries that students visit are known as the Radcliffe Camera and the Old Bodelian Building. These buildings are located right next to the origin of Oxford University, the St. Mary’s Cathedral, also known as the University Church. In a small room off to the side, Oxford students used to meet and learn. The courtyard of the three buildings is breathtaking as you realize the vast growth that has happened over hundreds of years. Just walking into the building, you feel like you are becoming part of the history. Your footsteps are marking the same space as countless scholars before you. Its incredible. 

Here’s my view from when I visited the Camera the other day!

But I really want to talk to you all about my day yesterday. Yesterday I got to visit some really incredible locations that are thousands of years in the making. 

The first place we went was -- Stonehenge! I had heard from many people that actually visiting Stonehenge was very unimpressive. You can’t touch the rocks, you can’t walk around inside, there’s a fence up on the outside, they’re not as big as you might think, etc. So I certainly did not have high hopes.

Boy was I wrong. 

Archaeologists believe that Stonehenge has been around for somewhere around 4,000 years. Now, I don’t know about you, but until yesterday, I had never seen anything human made that was that old. And it was quite the feat to be moved! It was raining when we arrived, and I was kinda glad. It definitely set the tone to see such a incredible monument, which, all these years later, has become a beacon of human strength, creativity, and perseverance, because even if we don’t know what these stones were for, we know it took a heck of a lot of work to put them there! 

After visiting Stonehenge (I will be posting a separate post on my thoughts in detail from that visit) we went to a lesser known monument called Old Sarum. I did not have any expectations for this one, but I still found it pretty incredible! Old Sarum is an incredibly old defense structure that was built during the Iron Age, and was added to by various kings or other militaries following this time. It was described by one historian as, “Three wheels of cheese, all stacked one on top of the other.” Others have described it as a “layer cake.” Mainly what this means is its a really big man made hill. But the reason this is so cool is that the foundations for the castles that were built here are still in the ground! You can climb around on these old walls, and see where their cathedral used to be before it was burned down! It was very interesting, but mainly I appreciated it because it set the stage for our next visit, which is what happened after the clergy decided they needed a better cathedral and chose to move down the hill... Picture is showing the floorpan for the old cathedral. Its not too impressive.

So the clergy basically decided, “We don’t want to live on this giant hill, its uncomfortable, and the only way we can get water is to climb up a larger hill and ask the king to give us water. We don’t like relying on the king for us to be able to do things.” So they moved down into the valley to Salisbury.

Thirty eight years later, they had built one of the most impressive cathedrals in England. Every cathedral I have entered so far has taken my breath away. This one nearly stopped my heart. It is MASSIVE. 

The most impressive part of all of this, (in my opinion) was the spire. Originally, the spire went up to probably the height of the first level where you see a balcony around the rim. Years later, they decided they wanted to expand it, and set upon making a huge building modification to have the towering spire you see in the photo. Only problem: They used stone to build it, without having the foundation or the engineering set for that sort of modification. The weight of the spire began bowing the building. Thanks to some quick thinking of the engineers, they were able to restructure parts of the internal workings of the cathedral (which I got to see yesterday!!) to strengthen the base so that the spire would not suddenly come crashing down on them. All of these years later, it is one of the oldest spires in England. And it is breathtaking. Just take a look at the back end of the church!

All of these statues were hand carved, and the artwork is incredible! On Easter Sunday, they used to have everyone stand outside the back entrance, and the choir would stand inside the church up against where all the row of statues was. There are tiny diamond shaped windows the choristers would sing through, sounding like the saints were singing a chorus to welcome the masses into heaven. Then, they would open the doors, and walk into this incredible building. And believe me, it is incredible.

I got to go out to the tippy top balcony and see the view. Unfortunately, my phone died before I got to the top. But, it was spectacular! I encourage anyone who ever travels this way, put Salisbury Cathedral on your bucket list. It is such an incredible experience, and one that entirely needs to be personally experienced. Cell phones just cannot do it justice. 

So anyways. That’s how my first week back to school went! I am so excited to learn more about this incredible country, and I find myself falling more and more in love with it every day. All of the strange quirks and mannerisms, the history that is in everything, even the weather. I love it. Can’t wait to share it with my better half in just a few weeks! Until next time! Love from across the pond,

Paige

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What a strange feeling it is to be standing over the body of a woman who has been buried for longer than your country has been in existence.

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You are enslaved to the questions you are unwilling to ask

SCIO’s warning to Oxford Wycliffe students

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Some of the unique food I’ve seen thus far!

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Happy first day of school from Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, England! It’s off to a great start!

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Waking Up In England

Good morning California! 

Well, the saga continues! This morning I woke in a completely different part of the world! Hello, Oxford England! It has certainly been an interesting journey since arriving last night. For one, I was nearly falling asleep on the bus, my head definitely nodded a few times. Then, after getting off at Gloucester Green, I walked to my hostel, which was roughly ten minutes from my bus stop. This was not a big deal, though this was probably the most worrisome part when planning my journey (especially for my parents in regards to my safety). There were so many young women hauling their bags along behind them, I felt like I was part of an exclusive club, or maybe a hip new trend! It was nice to blend in instead of feeling like a moving target! I arrived at my hostel and SURPRISE! they did not have a “lift” and I was on the third floor. Thankfully I had nice people around me who helped me carry my luggage up, because standing at the bottom of that staircase, a part of me wanted to do the classic toddler flop. Also they advertised “Free Wifi” which is technically true, but when signing up for the WIFI they have a disclaimer which states that they will share all of your information (including cell phone number!) with businesses and advertisers as they see fit. I am not a fan of spam calls so I am sticking with my data plan and free wifi at cafes! I am so glad I brought a padlock for staying at the hostel, it is so nice being able to leave my belongings behind and walk freely with just a backpack! 

This morning I woke up several times before my alarm, I think my body was trying to tell me I was hungry but I blamed it on jet lag. I finally got up around 7am and got to text my wonderful fiancé, which was such an awesome way to start my day. Then I took a shower, dressed, and went down to a delicious breakfast. As I said, I think I was really hungry because by the time I got down to breakfast, I couldn’t stop sweating, and my hands were visibly shaking. I asked where there was water and drank an entire Nalgene in about five minutes, because between flying and the bus ride and all the craziness that took place the day before, I had only drank about half of my water bottle over the entire day. Then I had to try and eat something, but since it is all different, everything looked greasy and not very good. A man in front of me ordered first, so I listened to his order and copied it, since I wasn’t even sure what to call some things. I found out that they call hash browns “hash” here, and serve them in little triangular blocks. Delicious. They also served “bacon” which was really just fatty, thick cut ham. Delicious as well, but not bacon... and I had eggs. I had two helpings, and a giant croissant. I told the man serving me I was from California, and he told me that about thirty years ago he went to California for two weeks with his church group. I asked, “Where?” thinking he would say San Fran, or L.A. He said, “Jooba City.” “Yuba City?” “Jah.” It made me smile. He mentioned that there is not a very good bus system in California. I agreed. 

After journaling this morning, I got ready to go out, which was honestly something that frightened me. I was staring around the front room at all of the spires I could see through the windows, and all I wanted to do was park it and look at my phone. Comfortable. But as I said earlier, I want to do the things that scare me. So I headed out. 

I walked around the city and pretty soon found a Tesco Metro, which is actually a grocery store. I went inside to see what prices were like and if they had Kraft Mac’n’cheese. Sad to say, they did not. They did have some interesting things though. I wanted to take pictures of some of the items, but a lady who worked there stopped me and said I could not. That was strange and made me a little nervous. There is so much I don’t know here. I am really looking forward to when my program starts and I will have people I can ask my questions. It is hard feeling like I don’t belong anywhere. 

One thing that made me smile today was seeing a can that proclaimed, “Ye Olde American Hot Dogs”. As in, hotdogs in a can. Canned hot dogs. Yuck! And think about the regular sized can of green beans or Campbells in your pantry right now? That’s about how big this can was. My curiosity was definitely piqued, what size are these “American hot dogs?” Definitely not what I’m used to. 

I also went to a book store, which was nice, but I was still so nervous from the last place I was a little uneasy there too. I don’t know yet how they feel about window shopping and I don’t want to get accused of loitering or shoplifting or something if I don’t buy anything. 

Now, I am perfectly at ease sitting in George Street Cafe, which has truly free Wifi. I am eating a delicious brie, avocado, pesto and tomato sandwich. And I am feeling very accomplished after a crazy day. It is very alienating sitting in a room and hearing so many voices that do not sound like yours. Right now I’m hearing Scottish and British accents. At least one of my roommates is from Germany. Its bizarre! But I love it! It is so exciting to be here, to see all of these old buildings. I keep walking up to really cool old buildings hoping that they are museums, or libraries, or something that is historically relevant because I’m sure the building is! And its a modern temp agency or an office or something completely boring. Its like they are so steeped in history, they almost take it for granted! Wow. I am so excited for this time of my life, and I am feeling so loved and supported by Kevin, my family, and all my friends. So thank you all so much for your continual encouragement! 

Some funny things I have learned:

Their toilet paper is dispensed square by square, and there are NO dispensable seat covers.

Everyone’s accent sounds different. It is a very diverse environment.

Anywhere inside is stuffy. Not sure why. The weather does not warrant it. 

I did NOT find bagged milk in the supermarket. It was all in cartons. I am unsure if I have been duped by the internet, or if they just did not carry it in that specific place.

One thing I found interesting was their eggs were not refrigerated, and there was a sign saying that the British Government encouraged farmers to keep their free range chickens in doors at some times because of fowl foul weather. It seems to me they missed an eggcellent opportunity for a pun. 

Their sugar at this cafe is in open jars in cubes. At first, I didn’t know where to sit because I thought their were dirty dishes on all the tables. Nope. Just sugar bowls. I guess with this cold of weather, you don’t have to worry about flies? 

There are GIANT, FAT pigeons EVERYWHERE. And they look different from American pigeons. They have darker feathers and slightly different markings but I’m pretty sure they are still pigeons. 

Ed Sheeran is everywhere. 

That’s all for now!

Day 3 is going swell!

Paige

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Well, not looking as “fly” post-red eye, but I am officially in a different continent! Touched down in London around 10:30am, and then went through the craziness of border security, picking up luggage, discovering I brought Euros when I needed pounds... (oops!), and then realized that my phone was nearly dead and not connecting to wifi, and I needed to wire money into my debit account in order to withdraw pounds. I was able to get out 20 pounds from my card, and eked out an additional five and change by trading in my remaining US dollars. As I stood in line for my train ticket, all I could do was pray, “Please, please God. Let this be enough.” The ticket came out to 24 pounds! I have exactly one left. It definitely made me think of the Bible story of the widowwho had a little oil and flour. God blessed her so that she was able to make the little she had go a long way. And boy, was I feeling blessed! Once I got to the bus, they had wifi and I felt comfortable breaking out my laptop, so I am now able to charge my phone and I have enough money! Hooray! As I look at the rain on my window and soak in the pleasantly cool temperature (read: WAY better than California’s horrid heat stroke), I am still a bit in disbelief. I have a suspicion it won’t begin to feel real until I see the school grounds. Looking forward to that moment! For now, I will say “Good morning!” to all of my California friends, and “Good bye!” for now! I will probably post one more update tonight when I make it to my hostel, but until then... 

Day 2 is hectic but going well so far!

Farewell!

Paige