On Sunday, I volunteered with the Abingdon Vespers Rotary Club at their annual Dragon Boats Fundraiser (see this link for a description of dragon boats: http://www.abingdon-rotary.org.uk/events/current/db2009.asp), a massive event complete with a fair ground and two ice cream vans haha! I worked in the food tent, mostly cutting hot dog buns at an unbelievable rate because hungry people can eat a lot of food! It was great fun to feel like a member of the community and to work as a team with the Rotarians - it was like I was a real person for a whole day, not just an Oxford student. Plus, the weather was stunning (I wore a short-sleeved shirt!), and I sure didn't envy my coursemates slaving away in the library :) Honestly, it was the perfect release from stress and one of my favorite days of the entire year.
On Monday I played in a five-a-side football match. A 3-0 win for the Chihuahuas! Ok, ok. We won because the other team didn't show up, but it's still a win. And we played each other, so I still got in a great workout.
Related, I have a new workout partner! Her name is Nadia, and she is Jordanian-born but left for the US to attend college. Now she's a full US citizen and completely adores the country! Her stories about treatment of women in Jordan are eye-opening. Nadia has never held a Jordanian passport because a man would have to first sign off on it, and she refused to be subjected to that in her home country. Now, when she goes back, she only stays for a week or so because any male relative could kill her and only get 6 months in prison, no questions asked (except she feels safer now that she is officially on a US passport). Crazy, right? Believe me, she is as patriotic as any American I know!! And I love having a running buddy.
On Tuesday, I went to the Comedy Store, London's oldest and best comedy club. It was incredible! So funny and clever - all about current events, like every Tuesday night. And Andy Parsons, a famous British comedian, was one of the performers, and we even talked to him afterward! It was such a fabulous evening.
Wednesday I met with Matteo, my supervisor, and received good feedback on my dissertation draft. I'm now making alterations and corrections, which is why I have zero creativity left for this blog :) It's tedious, but I'm plowing through. Thanks for all of your prayers!!
Finally, I am officially finished with my course of anti-malarials, so it seems I have made it through another trip to Uganda without getting malaria! This is good news indeed, especially given all the work I have to do over the next several weeks. The time is really flying by!
Tomorrow = work, work-out with Nadia, more work, eat pizza with friends and watch the British Apprentice! Every day for the foreseeable future = same, except minus the Friday night pizza haha
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