When we arrived, the heavens poured - that’s how ecstatic the Gods were!
I loved:
the slightly nippy rainy weather,
the old brick houses lining the roads as we made our way to my accommodation,
the way the wardens G & A welcomed us, and
my big bright room in a 150-year-old building
My delicate half M was still sick, but a quick walk to the store nearby told me I’d come to just the right place! The river Cam was across the road and the 6-700yr-old Cambridge colleges just 5 minutes away. The other side of the lies a maaaaassive lively well-maintained park, populated by picnickers on all days of the week.
Although this means my walk to the uni is 25 mins in all, if I don’t get distracted (by the ducks, swans, readers & plein-air artists in the park) I could be halfway-through the Nitnem by the time I reach. Supperbb opportunity to brush up a couple paaths I don’t know by heart yet!
To add Sona to suhaaga, the weather cleared up in a couple days and made me a proper weather-talking Brit. The sun came out, and so did the students, the pram-pushing mothers, young families on bicycles with matching helmets, couples on benches, others enjoying coffee and sandwiches with books on the grass, teenagers on bicycles, runners in sweats…all to enjoy the wonderful weather.
When the guy who delivered my bicycle joked, “It’s so hot, we call this the Indian summer!”, my eyes rolled SO hard I couldn’t help but blurt out, “That’s because you don’t know what the Indian summer is actually like!”. ‘Yeah, I’ve never been’ he grinned.
At uni, I met my amaaaazing coursemates and our eclectic faculty, took in the numerous society stalls during freshers’ (slightly jealous of those with longer courses), struggled through the maze of tech meant for our learning & communications, and haq se flashed my ID card at restaurants, colleges, churches and bookshops - to claim my student discount AND one for M! ;)
Absolutely loving the student feels again.
Did you know in UK, uni classes are just 2- or 3-days a week? Mighty challenge ahead to make a routine and work through it!
Wish me luck - classes start tomorrow! The un-learning begins…
i am absolutely glad for you Anant, that God is fulfilling your dreams ! reminds me faintly of my first experiences in denmark & Sweden 42 yrs ago. God bless you
Many congratulations, Anant! All the best! :)