Today was orientation, which wasn't as bad as I was expecting. We got oriented, then had to do a scavenger hunt. At first, I was rather not thrilled about it. I was the leader, and had no idea what was going on. We dragged our tired bodies all over Oxford City, and it was rather cold today. Eventually, once we started working together, things went rather smoothly. We went to the Old Bodeleian and the Radcliffe Camera, St. Mary the Virgin, and other notable places. By the end of it, when it was time to go back to the offices on Frewin Court. On the way back, I ran into David McEachron on Cornmarket, who was travelling with Kat Zilka's friend Emily (I think?), who was visiting for the day from Aberdeen before he heads home. After tea and some snacks, we went over to the Eagle and Child for dinner and drinks. I enjoyed spending time with those folks. I walked back to Crick road from the city centre, which was a lot farther than I had thought. I just kept thinking that I was walking off the calories from the pint, you know.
This morning I was able to go to Liturgy for Nativity. I sang in the choir, and was able to get a little more accustomed to the Slavic tradition. I can pick out certain sounds in the Slavonic, and am growing accustomed to the pattern of of the Russian Chant. I think that they use the Obikhod tones, but I can't be sure. But that is what I think they use generally. Last night at vigil, they did a Great Compline vigil, and I was introduced to Slavic compline, which is very different than the Byzantine-style. I forget how much the music we use in worship is important to us. However, realizing that the music doesn't make the worship, or the feeling I get from the music doesn't make the worship, but the act of worship itself is what is important.
Something else I was thinking about today was how conscious I am becoming of the new culture around me and especially of my accent. I don't think that people smile or laugh as much here. It could be the California sunshine that induces its overall happiness as a culture. They also have a funny way of avoiding eye contact. I know that we do it at home too, but it is more pronounced. I couldn't keep looking straight ahead and avoid the temptation to look someone in the eye, so I would just look away by turning my head. Here, they keep their head up and straight but avoid most eye contact. That's just one little thing that I noticed. There are so many little cultural quirks that baffle me (should I walk on the left or right side of the walkway? What should I say, if anything, if I bump into someone?). I plan on doing a little more observation and investigating while I'm here. At first, it doesn't seem like there is a different culture, beyond linguistic colloquialisms ('Trousers, not pants?'), but there are subtle differences. The differences in language are more pronounced, because we speak English also. More on that to come.
It's almost bedtime here. Goodnight y'all.
3 comments:
ah, yes...I had that same experience of heightened cultural awareness when I was down in South America except the cultural differences down there I think are very different from England :P After four months, I definitely thing they had an impact on me too... do you wonder if you will come back after this semester any different?
I too once had an experience in Oxford that I found a bit confusing. I was punting down on the river and saw a sign at the mouth of a tributary that said, "No punting beyound this point." I did not understand that it meant not to go punting beyound that point and due to the confusion we got stuck in the mud. My advice to you grasshopper is to be aware of those cultural differences and embrace them with gusto.
Happy Christmas! May your Feast of the Theophany be as blessed as ours was!
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