~ The Arrival ~

Hello Lads and Lasses! We survived our excruciatingly long flight (14-odd hours, to be precise) and have arrived safely in England-- where awe-inspiring accents, crumpets, and afternoon tea-time chivalry abounds! =D

Oh, and this picture will make much more sense after you watch the video. ^^"

Blast! I've been caught as the red-lens fiend that I am! }=O

Anyway, hope all is well on the western front, and please tune in tomorrow for a more extensive UK update! -- Brought to you by one teen that who in her next entry will hopefully be much less affected by the dregs of jet lag than she was this night. ^^" ...Perhaps resulting in a far more detailed post? We can only pray...And munch on "biscuits" while we're waiting. You can never forget the biscuits!

* After Champagne & Dinner...And yes, in that order. *

Nevermind a more detailed post later, I'll just add on to this one! The day is not over yet! =]

As a prequel to dinner, we all met outside on the courtyard lawn to mingle with a multitude of participants and the very few guests -- of which number I am, of course, included. The majority of the group seems to hail from the Eastern shores of the U.S. The endlessly entertaining "High Steward" of Manchester, as he is so titled, recognized mother and myself and proceeded to quite amiably squeeze the very essence of life out of us...Not to mention paying the utmost attention in order to refill our champagne flutes as much as was humanly possible...Ignoring the fact that the bulk of whatever he poured in mine was immediately handed down to mum. Let us just say these and variously correlating events led the night to be a very interesting one, to say the least.

Everyone seems almost passionately determined to speak of most anything but the subject upon which they will be required to speak of later in the week. By the looks on all our faces, we could belong to a march of the undead...And actually, we just might be able to make our break onto the big screen: A movie crew just-so-happens to be filming on the grounds of the nearby Exeter College grounds!...You never know, crazier things have happened than a seemingly innocent slice-of-[college]-life film turned horribly wrong by a cult of sleep-deprived zombies wailing for their pillow stuffing...

Or, at least i think so...Right?

*Ahem* Moving on, then. ~ Dinner was a splendid affair, for those of you who's hearts and pallets are especially susceptible to the irresistible allure of exceptionally cooked food. We had a light salad of salmon lock, roast duck, fondue broccoli ( sounds horrible, but is surprisingly delicious...[This almost seems like a not-so-successful ad slogan, doesn't it?] ), and key lime pie with raspberry sorbet. My life is so painful, one has to wonder if I'm secretly a masochist. xP

After dinner, the snowy-haired overseer of the college gave us a slight history lesson of Oxford's origin.

And so henceforth you have been warned!

[History Lesson : Begin!]

Apparently, the Romans occupied much of the territory surrounding the little Oxford that at which time had hardly any inhabitants at all. Though unpopular with the Saxons, the Romans were exceptional leaders and were just rulers that were able to not only provide for B.C. Britain and encourage its growth, but kept it out of reach from the plundering armies that were sweeping a good deal of the rest of the continent. However, once the Romans left Britain in return for their homeland, the merciless Danes descended upon the previously flourishing kingdom and pillaged, scourged, and brutalized the land and its people for generations to come. In 1066 after finally rid of the dreaded Danes, England again began to grow and reverse the damage done. Along the way, Oxford, an originally small little town surrounded on three sides by rivers (one being the Thames, and all keeping the city protected from likely attacks on those sides) became an exceptionally important area outside of London for its defensibility and growing prestige in well-cultivated students and "modern" education. After receiving various honors from King Henry the II, Oxford became the 3rd most populated city in Britain, as well as among--if not the--very most well-learned. Before the relationship between England and France had soured, the English and most other European scholars who had the mind and means to pursue a position of higher education had two options: To attend the renowned (and oldest) university in the Western Hemisphere (located in Italy), or the university that was second in age as well as respect and located in the much more convenient distance-wise France. But after the conflicts arose, France and England created a barrier between one another's shores and barred all English students the right to attend university in France (which was an extremely hard blow for many) and those being already abroad were immediately sent directly back home to England. Obviously, this was no laughing matter to the British. So, they searhed within the borders of their own country for such a location that could be used as a substitute and new center of European education -- settling on Oxford that already had a reputation for high-quality learning and academic excellence. In those days the educational system was obviously far from what is is today. The one that Oxford followed most regularly and had been the reaper of the most success was called the "Collegiate Hall System", or one in which a small number of students ranging anywhere from five to twelve scholars would study, live, and work in their teachers homes. With the formation of actual distinct colleges just beginning, Oxford very soon after had the largest number of such educational establishments and continued to be one of England's (and Europe's) most highly respected centers of education and learning.

[History Lesson : End!]

Well, now that that little piece of history has been effectively seared into my mind:

Tomorrow, the head staff attendant is giving the guests an opportunity to visit the famous underground Balliol College Library for whomever wishes to attend! Now, as most of you well know, this writer harbors a deeply-rooted passion for all that is literary and classical...So I'm sure it isn't too hard to imagine my extreme level of unwonted ecstasy that this proposal instilled in me! =D I look forward eagerly for this happy promise of tomorrow...But amidst all this incandescent bliss, I admit that I am still rendered completely immobile as a rag-doll and just as useless and will continue to be so unless I permit myself to at last partake of some desperately needed sleep! <[XoX]>

And so, on this jumbled and more-than-slightly eccentric note, I shall leave you for my "tonight" and the rest of your "afternoon" to do what you will and be well with it. ;) I am off to my comfy, creaky little twin bed with a head sorely in need of recharging.

~ Goodnight, all! ~

P.S. Moving on to other matters: Here is a not-so-quick video I made on the side to explain some of the various random and so-labeled "interesting" happenings that occurred during our long journey as well as to shed more light on our current status in Oxford. =P