Cambridge is AMAZING

I'm here and finally settled, after a few bumps in the road. First my flight out of SFO got delayed twice, and then because of those delays I had 5 minutes to catch a connecting flight in a different area of the airport. Needless to say I was sort of freaking out, but after sprinting to the gate I made the flight right as the gate was to be closed. WHEW.

Other bump in the road was that when I landed at Heathrow airport, my name was called over the intercom because, apparently, my luggage had gotten left at LAX. Wonderful. It ended up working out, though, because it was delivered to me in Cambridge, so I didn't have to carry it on the bus or through the cobblestone streets.

So this is my second day here and I am completely in love with this place, it is completely amazing. I arrived at 4 PM on Saturday and was tired but excited to look around. I can't believe I'm going to school here. This place is just so charming and chock-full of history. What I love most are the details on the buildings and all the quiet little spaces for repose: benches, gardens, even spiral staircases. Seeing much of the current architecture in California lean towards bland beige palettes and steel and stucco constructions, the iron, glass, and bricks are old-fashioned yet refreshing in comparison.

Spent the rest of the evening 1) marveling at the the gorgeousness of the architecture at both my college (Pembroke) and the city and other colleges in general and 2) walking around the city trying to figure out my way around. Cambridge is pretty big.

The food here is pretty good too, contrary to what people have told me. Then again, it's also only the first week, so maybe I'll get tired of it. For dinner I found a relatively cheap place called The Copper Kettle and had a full english breakfast for £4.75, and when they say "full", it indeed means full: 2 sausages, a ham steak, beans, 4 slices of toast, an egg, tomato, orange marmalade, and tea. MMM. Gotta get the most for my money around here, the pound exchange is a killer on the wallet.

After dinner just wandered and took LOTS of pictures while I waited for my luggage to arrive (which it did, eventually, at around 10 PM). I wanted to post the pictures to this blog, but the software I use to do it is on my laptop, which I'm not allowed to connect to the network. Foiled! If you want to see my pictures, go to: johannadeleon.myphotoalbum.com (don't put "www" before it, or else it won't work)

Actually, just remembered I put a link to it right up there in the LINKS sidebar ^

Today, (Sunday), I woke up early to eat breakfast (went back to The Copper Kettle and had a huge scone with jam and tea for £1. Sweet!) and to catch Holy Communion at the Corpus Christi College Chapel (If it's not clear, the way Cambridge works is that there are different colleges within the university, each one in a different area of the city but self-enclosed). The chapel had beautiful stained glass and an intricate altar (this city has a million different chapels, all absolutely stunning). The service went well, mostly similar to an American Catholic one, with some different wording. I was still a little nervous though, since there were only 10 of us total (and 5 of them were Cambridge students wearing their black robes...a little intimidating, very Harry Potter), with me being the only non-Brit. Especially when it was communion time, because what happens is that we all go up to the altar, kneel on these special cushions, and the priest goes up to you that way. It was just different and I didn't want to screw it up.

Official check in for the program was to start at 2 PM, so I went and wandered some more. Found a huge, gorgeous park called Christ's Pieces, looks like a good place to run or read. Went to each of the other colleges, King's college being the oldest and most stunning. I think my favorite one (besides Pembroke, of course) would have to be St. John's College. It seemed more medieval than the others and had 4 courtyards and a bridge over the Cam river right in the middle of it.

Checked in at 2, met a few people (a lot of the students are mostly from UC San Diego and Irvine and know each other already, and thus are being very clique-y, but I found a bunch of friendly individuals to talk to). Since I came a day early, my stuff is already unpacked and I'm settled into my room (which by the way is quite large, almost the size of a typical double room in Santa Cruz!) and most everyone else is unpacking right now, so I figured it was a good time to do an update. Tonight is completely free, we have orientation tomorrow morning, as well as our first class meetings.

On a final, sort of amusing note, I've met a lot of locals already because the places I've been eating are sort of crowded and so I have to ask to share a table. The ones I've met are really friendly and eager to tell me what their favorite eateries and sights are, but for whatever reason they have all thought that I was Japanese. And then when I tell them that I'm Filipino, they think I'm from the Philippines. It has been difficult for them to understand that I'm Filipino but live and was born in America. Interesting. I didn't think I looked Japanese...

I don't think that what I've said here does any justice to this place. Go take a look at the pictures I took. I miss you and and wish you could be here and see/experience all of this with me. More again soon, hope all is well. Cheers!