YES! I am currently at Worcester College, Oxford, England for an International AP conference. It is about 90 degrees and 90% humidity here. Read that as - uncomfortable. Everything is sticky. However, it is also why everything is so green. This place is gorgeous - the old buildings, the lush gardens and parks - really spectacular and I've been taking lots of pictures that I will try to edit and post in the next day or so.
I didn't know that Oxford is not one university - it's 52 colleges, universities and schools. All small - it reminds me a bit of the Claremont Colleges. Resources are shared. One of our instructors is a don here at Worcester - his specialty is Virginia Wolff and the Moderns. I'll be interested to hear his input on Wednesday since my masters focus was F. Scott Fitzgerald and the Moderns.
He's also been explaining the differences in our higher educational systems - a bachelors degree here is three years and there is NO GENERAL ED. Once you enter university, you study your area of specialty only - so an English major takes English literature from 1066 forward, and that's all they study for their three years. And, they meet with their assigned don regularly to discuss how their research into these areas are going - the dons are supervisors. Really interesting - but I have reservations about the lack of general ed - I think one needs to have the ability to think outside of one's chosen field. But it would be pretty cool to do this. Either as a student or teacher.
So, I traveled for the better part of 16 hours to get here - plus the 8 hour time difference. I was a good girl though - I went walking around when I got here rather than taking a nap. I had about 4 hours of sleep over about 36 hours. When I laid down in bed last night, I was thoroughly out. But I got up bright and early this morning and got going. So, walking around helped.
I also got to meet everyone - there are 16 of us attending the conference - most from the U.S. and one from Seoul. She's Canadian and teaches in Seoul. Several teachers from Southern states. Jim Cross, our other instructor and the conference coordinator, is from Long Beach - he teaches at Lakewood High, dear - and he and I traveled the farthest other than our Korea teacher.
We're all trying to walk as much as possible - this town was meant to be walked. It really is quite beautiful - and parts of it are very old - like 1166 old. One of the markers I took a picture of shows the birthplace of two historical figures from Oxford: Richard the Lionheart and his brother King John. Eddie Izzard is right: this IS where the history comes from. Phenomenal.
Well, I want to work on the pictures - so I'll post again tomorrow night. Hope everyone is doing well.
ds
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