well.. I'm here!!!!!! cant even believe it. it's real!!!
here is some updates!!! i promise i will get more structured/ linear once i get some sleep in me and once i am adjusted!
1. oxford is beautiful. i mean were talking beautiful. there are old buildings everything and almost everything around me is old style english. its amazing. i have never seen such beautiful buildings! and they are all spread about.
2. my room is cozy.. aka suuuper tight. trying to make it my own. good thing i brought pictures! i got some card stock and markers today and i'm hoping to put verses on the walls...
3. i have met 2 of my hallmates. i cant pronouce any of their names. they are from asia/ the middle east. they only talked for like 30 secs! definitely different from freshman in college who want to talk to everybody all the time. i think this will be a lot of time to myself when i am here... but who knows hopefully i will meet some new friends soon. tonight i met daniel! from spain- and when i said i was from maryland he thought i said ireland.. so he thinks im irish. woops. he wants to talk theology soon. woo!
4. the place i am living is so rustic. all the furniture looks like the stuff you see in beach houses in bethany/ obx that people obviously dont care what is tehre.. is out of date? thats the only comparison i could think of... ha. the bathroom and shower are in two different rooms. i have a sink in my room. oxford is really crammed for space.. everything is tight.
5. they dont use rolls of toilet paper. its tissues that are in a box that you pull out. weird.
6. my boots that i bought wore through in one day.. womp.
7. its good to be with my dad. he really wants to help and wants to make sure i have everything i need! we've discovered poundland (the equivalent of the dollar store- heck yes!!!) the bank and the phone company have been a whirlwind.. we've had to go back and forth so many times and we never have exactly what we need
8. to get places we have to walk. its about a 2 mile walk from where i live to the "city centre" picture the avenue times 100. its like a mall but outside. cars can drive on some roads and not others. the roads are cobbletsone. its really cool. they are so trendy here!!! no one wears work out clothes during the day.. i'm the odd man out!! ha. and lets just say i will be getting my legs in some serious shape! the closest grocery store is probably a mile... and shops for other supplies are further. but all the roads are intertwined and the schools for oxford and different colleges are all dispersed throughout the walk/ city centre. its breathtaking. also buses are the real deal here! lots and lots of bikers! looks like im turning into lance armstrong in these next 9 months...
9. they love beer here. its funny.
10. everyone says cheers all the time. when you are leaving a store, or after you pay for your food, or when you finish a conversation, they always say cheers. they say "jolly good" and "bloody good" they also use brilliant as a synonym for wonderful. its so funny!
11. I LOVE THE ACCENTS.
12. i'm overwhelmed. there is so much change going on in such a short amount of time and i dont even know what to do! im trying to take everything in... i think i miss being comfortable somewhere.. the comfort of being with the fam and being home. but knowing that God is the God of comfort!!!
13. my stomach has been ok, hurting at times. but i have been eating some bread!!!!! YEAH! i tried eating some lettuce...my stomach told me to stop going crazy.
14. i only slept an hour last night- hoping my body adjusts soon. you can pray for that :)
15. you can be praying for my health, adjusting, and just keeping my eyes on the Lord. sometimes it is so easy to put our eyes back on our circumstances. on things that i need to do, and the pressure of performance. resting in Him! and trusting that He does equip us for every good work!! Romans 15:13 has been my jam.
well thats 15 new things you didnt know!! ;)
here's my address for all you writers...
Rachel Wallick
Room 33
North Oxford Overseas Centre
117 Banbury Road
OX2 6JX
UK
:) cheers!
