All Hallows’ Eve Eve
Maybe it’s time for a quarterly blog update – expect the next post sometime in 2010Q1…ha ha. Seriously, though, I’ll try to do better (and Ori should, too!).
To be fair, we’ve both been busy. She is working long hours at the Ashmolean, which is preparing for its grand re-opening in one week’s time. With 50+ galleries, there is a lot for the Visitor Services Assistants (VSAs), as they’re known, to learn and memorize. Just this morning, she was practicing spraying fire extinguishers in the University Parks. And the Ashmolean held a major press conference earlier in the week, which was the new VSAs’ first day of real work with the public. So at least it’s all coming together.
While still not employed, I spend my days productively. The first priority is, of course, to find a job, and I have submitted some applications. Sometimes I go to the local Headington Coop, which has quickly become our favorite grocery store, thanks to its great selection and emphasis on producing and selling ethical, fair-trade products. Our membership cards are in the mail, and I usually try to have dinner waiting when Ori comes home. It’s the least I can do – she’s earning all the money, at least for now!
Last week, I took a trip with the Hewitts to IKEA’s nearest branch, 1.25 hours’ drive away in vibrant Milton Keynes. Ori and I have now pretty much settled into our house in Headington, and IKEA inexpensively supplied a few remaining items like a computer desk and wall mirror. If you want to see any photos of our place, and I’ll send you some. Now that October is just about over, we’ll be paying our second month’s rent soon!
Life in the UK/Oxford is comfortable and beginning to seem like normal. Occasionally, as I walk through town, I’m struck by the thought that “wow, we actually did move to England!”, but it’s happening with decreasing frequency. Given how things have worked out so far – we’ve found a great place to live, great housemates, at least one great job, and a great city to contain it all – we have no regrets about our decision to pack up and move to the UK. Actually, it leaves me wondering how we can top this!
We’re especially happy with Headington, the area of Oxford in which we’re living (I discussed it a bit a couple posts back). Since then, our housemates and Ori and I had a very positive pub experience at the White Hart, a ten-minute walk from our house. I think it’s safe to call it our “local,” and I’ll see about applying some of the British pub etiquette I’ve picked up. If any of our readers ever visit us, I’d be happy to buy them a round in this 17th-century pub.
So, fall is in full effect in Oxford now, and the trees are changing colour. The Headington farmers’ market had lots of nice fall produce for sale last week, including some apples that went into one of Ori’s delicious apple crisps. Halloween is tomorrow, and we’re still unsure about what to expect – trick-or-treaters? fireworks and bonfires? The other night at the pub, actually, two masked tweens came in with jack-o-lantern candy pails and proceeded to “trick-or-treat” their way around the bar until the bartender shooed them out. They must have been looking for monetary donations, presumably, because what bar patron would have a pocket full of bite-sized candy ready to give away? Strange…
We did our part to make the neighborhood Halloweeny by recently carving pumpkins with our housemates. I’ll post some photos soon! Ori has toasted the pumpkin seeds, which make a nice, reasonably healthy snack. Actually, we’re told that the big UK holiday this time of year is November 5, Guy Fawkes Night, when there are definitely going to be fireworks and bonfires. How we’ll participate remains to be seen.
I have some other updates to post, but will save them for another day – this post is long enough! But one final remark: the WPI students headed to Venice this fall have, in fact, already arrived. It’s hard to believe how quickly the last two months have passed, from our departure from Venice until now.
To be fair, we’ve both been busy. She is working long hours at the Ashmolean, which is preparing for its grand re-opening in one week’s time. With 50+ galleries, there is a lot for the Visitor Services Assistants (VSAs), as they’re known, to learn and memorize. Just this morning, she was practicing spraying fire extinguishers in the University Parks. And the Ashmolean held a major press conference earlier in the week, which was the new VSAs’ first day of real work with the public. So at least it’s all coming together.
While still not employed, I spend my days productively. The first priority is, of course, to find a job, and I have submitted some applications. Sometimes I go to the local Headington Coop, which has quickly become our favorite grocery store, thanks to its great selection and emphasis on producing and selling ethical, fair-trade products. Our membership cards are in the mail, and I usually try to have dinner waiting when Ori comes home. It’s the least I can do – she’s earning all the money, at least for now!
Last week, I took a trip with the Hewitts to IKEA’s nearest branch, 1.25 hours’ drive away in vibrant Milton Keynes. Ori and I have now pretty much settled into our house in Headington, and IKEA inexpensively supplied a few remaining items like a computer desk and wall mirror. If you want to see any photos of our place, and I’ll send you some. Now that October is just about over, we’ll be paying our second month’s rent soon!
Life in the UK/Oxford is comfortable and beginning to seem like normal. Occasionally, as I walk through town, I’m struck by the thought that “wow, we actually did move to England!”, but it’s happening with decreasing frequency. Given how things have worked out so far – we’ve found a great place to live, great housemates, at least one great job, and a great city to contain it all – we have no regrets about our decision to pack up and move to the UK. Actually, it leaves me wondering how we can top this!
We’re especially happy with Headington, the area of Oxford in which we’re living (I discussed it a bit a couple posts back). Since then, our housemates and Ori and I had a very positive pub experience at the White Hart, a ten-minute walk from our house. I think it’s safe to call it our “local,” and I’ll see about applying some of the British pub etiquette I’ve picked up. If any of our readers ever visit us, I’d be happy to buy them a round in this 17th-century pub.
So, fall is in full effect in Oxford now, and the trees are changing colour. The Headington farmers’ market had lots of nice fall produce for sale last week, including some apples that went into one of Ori’s delicious apple crisps. Halloween is tomorrow, and we’re still unsure about what to expect – trick-or-treaters? fireworks and bonfires? The other night at the pub, actually, two masked tweens came in with jack-o-lantern candy pails and proceeded to “trick-or-treat” their way around the bar until the bartender shooed them out. They must have been looking for monetary donations, presumably, because what bar patron would have a pocket full of bite-sized candy ready to give away? Strange…
We did our part to make the neighborhood Halloweeny by recently carving pumpkins with our housemates. I’ll post some photos soon! Ori has toasted the pumpkin seeds, which make a nice, reasonably healthy snack. Actually, we’re told that the big UK holiday this time of year is November 5, Guy Fawkes Night, when there are definitely going to be fireworks and bonfires. How we’ll participate remains to be seen.
I have some other updates to post, but will save them for another day – this post is long enough! But one final remark: the WPI students headed to Venice this fall have, in fact, already arrived. It’s hard to believe how quickly the last two months have passed, from our departure from Venice until now.
Man, you guys are really making me miss good old Albion!
I remember Guy Fawkes Nights from when I used to live in England. Not sure what the practice in Headington is but where we were the whole town used to gather in a large field where we’d build enormous bonfires with our friends and family. It was a contest to see who could build the largest fire. We’d put scarecrows on top of them (Guy Fawkes, perhaps? Not sure) before we’d set them ablaze. Then we’d set off fireworks and eat baked potatoes and cans of beans that were cooked in the fires. Come to think of it, it’s a rather strange tradition…
And yes, your pub-crawlers were likely looking for monetary donations with which to buy fireworks (another tradition).
Remember, remember the 5th of November!