I have now been in Oxford for just over a week. It has rained four times and has been cloudy every day. I have been told to get used to it! I apologize for not completing a post last weekend! I was a little swept up in the newness.

Over the past few days I have had the chance to meet with some people to discuss different organizations and activities that are available from the university. They have been so wonderful to me and very informative. There is an organization called the Oxford Hub which is engaged in promoting student activism. They have committees that put on different conferences, two of which are related to international development. The same thing as my department! So, I have joined the committee to help organize the conferences which are in November (most of the logistics here have already been accomplished) and February (the planning for which has not started).

The other organization in which I have a particular interest is the Oxford Union, famous for the debating society. This is where students interested in being leaders of countries come to be with other students interested in being leaders of countries :) They bring in some outstanding speakers and have very formal debates (sometimes even accompanied by votes). I have been told that being in a leadership role within the Union is a great accomplishment, but is also accompanied by a great deal of politics...And to be the president of the Union, a student has to take the year off from school!

There is one week left before what is called "freshers" week. It is also called nought week or week zero and it is when students are able to do some serious orientating. So, while they have had a few orientations up until now, they have not put us into groups. So this week is about getting to know your common room (graduates are in the Middle Common Room and undergraduates are in the Junior Common Room) as well as your department and fellow classmates within your program.

With the week left, I plan to finish writing the revisions for my civic education and social movements paper to re-submit for review! It has taken me long enough to complete, but I think progress is being made. I will also continue to read the book list from the Global Governance Foundations Course. It is extensive! But all of the books are available within the library system, so I sit in a little reading room and feel studious.

It has been a wonderful, if rather cold experience so far! I am trembling with excitement and trepidation to begin. Everyone says the course load is particularly difficult, and I gather my program has a reputation for being challenging. I have been told not to expect to receive a degree with honors, but I do not think that this a piece of advice I will be taking. lol I am going to give it my all and dance and dazzle. Lets begin!!